Brooke and Chase's Wonderful Wedding at Solas!

Brooke and Chase chose Solas in Glenwood South downtown Raleigh for their wedding venue. The wedding date was September 22nd 2018. They live in Greenville NC but Brooke's parents live in Raleigh. Brooke's mother was helping her line up her officiant and contacted me. We did all the planning by email and text without meeting in person until the rehearsal.

And so the day finally arrived and all is set. 

Fresh Affairs erected this beautiful backdrop of drapes and flowers for the altar area. 

Looking down at the side walk in front of Solas. Little did we know at that point that there was going to be a block party going on during the ceremony with lots of very loud music.

Jenni, our DJ with Stylus, wisely pumped up the volume of my microphone so everyone could hear my words over the music playing on the streets below. Thanks, Jenni! Brad with Big Dog Little Bed was our videographer and Tracy Timmester was our professional photographer. Dionne with Carolina Fete was the planner and director and had her team taking care of everything. A great team of vendors!

On the second floor the space is ready for the reception. 

Love Cake furnished this beautiful cake. Just putting the flowers on for the finishing touch.

The guests are ready for the ceremony to begin on the open air rooftop. 

We have all processed in and are awaiting the entrance of our bride. 

Brooke and her father, Michael, enter and head down the aisle. 

Love the carpet runner. The only kind of runner that really works! 

Michael transferred Brooke's hand into Chase's hand and the guests were seated. We began with a welcome to all, a prayer and remembrance of loved ones not with us.

Then I stepped out to address the parents of the couple and thank them on behalf of Brooke and Chase for all their love and support.

The really fun part was getting to tell the story of how Brooke and Chase fell in love and their journey to their wedding day.

They enjoy hearing for the first time what their partner told me in confidence that he or she loves about them, why they want to marry and what they are looking forward to.

Tracy gets a shot of me wiping Chase's forehead. It was hot that day and he was sweating a bit! 

Then we continued with the vows which they read to each other from my book then placed the rings. 

Chase goes first. 

Our pretty bridesmaids all in a row!

The significance of the rings. 

Brooke places the ring on Chase's finger.

They had written love letters to each other the night before the wedding which they placed in the Anniversary Box during the ceremony where they will open and share them on their first anniversary.

A closing blessing came next.

The pronouncement of marriage!

Aaah! The sweet kiss! 

Chase and Brooke! Congratulations! I loved your wedding (except for the loud music in the street) and I appreciate your working with me to create the perfect ceremony for you. I wish you all the best forever! And thanks for this wonderful review: Reverend Kayelily Middleton is an expert at what she does. She comes very highly recommended by several vendors, and stellar reviews. We didn't meet Ms. Middleton in person until the day of the rehearsal. We communicated via email and phone prior to that. She sends you a detailed questionnaire that you and your fiancé fill out together about your story and then has you write secret paragraphs about each other. She melds these together to tell a beautiful love story on your wedding day. Somehow without even meeting us she made it seem like she had known us forever! She customizes the ceremony exactly to your liking. All of my guests ranted and raved about how beautiful the ceremony was. Thank you so much for everything Reverend!!

A Beautiful Wedding for Lisa and Joe at Hudson Manor in Louisburg!

Lisa and Joe chose the lovely historic Hudson Manor in Louisburg for their wedding venue on March 17th, 2018. It is such a great place to get married. It is about a 40 minute drive from Raleigh now since the 401 bypass around Rolesville is done. Melissa and Glen, the owners, bought this old estate many years ago and I have been doing weddings there from the beginning and have watched the property being developed into an amazing place.

When they bought the house, it had a white wooden front porch which gradually deteriorated. When it came time to replace it, they discovered that the original porch had been brick and so they had the porch restored to its original design.

They built a beautiful ballroom for reception and then later added the outdoor terrace in the back. 

This is the circular Ceremony Garden where we do outdoor weddings in nice weather. I've done many weddings there, in the ballroom, on the Lake View Terrace and now in the new chapel.

Inside the ballroom the tables and chairs are set for the reception. Melissa provides all the furnishings and the catering.

This lovely cake is by Confectionate Cakes. 

Taylor Pittman is our DJ. Taylor and I have done so many weddings together here at Hudson Manor!

Lake View Terrace is on the way to the chapel.

The guest book and programs are here for the guests to sign in on their way to the chapel.

Family of our bride is hanging out checking their devices before the ceremony. 

Melissa's horses!

A view of the back of the property and barn. 

The chapel was built a few years ago and is great for those who want a church-like setting and for inclement weather wedding days!

Melissa thought of everything when she had this built. A pretty stained glass window at the altar, room for the unity candle, plenty of side windows to let in lots of natural light. The acoustics are so good that I did not need a microphone to be heard.

The alcove is perfect for the unity ceremony whether it be candles or sand pouring or the anniversary box. Fresh Affairs provided the florals, bouquets and boutonnieres.

A view of the reception hall on the right and the manor house on the left from the chapel.

Joe and his dad, Danny, who was his son't best man, are ready for the ceremony to begin!

Easton is our ring bearer and sign holder! Looks like he is not a happy camper here!

Our 4 groomsmen are ready too. 

Joe's grandmother Ruth  and his mother JoAnne and the bride's parents, Angela and Mike, and family make their way to the chapel. 

Easton and his dad are ready!

Our photographer is Ally White with '93 Farmhouse Photography. 

The procession began with the escorting in of Joe's Grandmother, Ruth. 

Then his mother, JoAnne, is escorted in. Joe and Danny and I are waiting just inside the chapel so Joe cannot see the bride who is hidden behind the wall where I am standing. Our second shooter, Emily, is getting a shot of the procession.

It is time for Joe, our best man and I to enter and take our places up front followed by the 4 groomsmen and the 4 bridesmaids.

It is Easton's turn but he is too shy to make the walk alone! 

Then our sweet flower girl, Laiken, is encouraged by Melissa to walk down the aisle and sprinkle the flower petals. She is quite reluctant! 3 year olds like Easton and Laiken don't grasp the meaning of what they are expected to do in the wedding and more often than not balk at the prospect of walking down the aisle with all the guests watching them!

But she takes off and reaches in her basket for the petals.

With much encouragement of the guests on the aisle seats, she makes it about halfway with two petals sprinkled.

Just a little further to where her mother is seated.

Once she saw her mother, she stopped, and being sure to distribute the petals, she dumps the basket of petals into the aisle.

As far as she was concerned she was done! She stepped over the row of petals and happily joined her mother! She was so cute!

Time for our beautiful bride and her dad, Mike, to enter as the guests stood in Lisa's honor. 

After the presentation of the bride, Joe and Lisa turned and faced each other. 

I warmly welcomed all the guests and thanked them for being there for Joe and Lisa. Then a brief prayer followed by a surprise tribute to their parents for all the love and support they have given them throughout their lives.

Then it was time to tell their story! It was a fun story and everyone enjoyed hearing how they met, fell in love and got to this wedding day.

There were lots of funny parts to their story!

Then they got to hear what each of them had told me in confidence what they love about each other and what they are looking forward to in marriage.

Then they made their vows to each other. 

Sealing their vows with the exchange of rings. 

Lisa places the ring on Joe's finger as she says her words to him.

They lit the unity candle as a symbol of their marriage and lives together henceforth. 

After a closing prayer, I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to share their first kiss as husband and wife!

Even though it was an "unplugged" wedding, one guests could not resist snapping a photo of the kiss! 

It was my pleasure to introduce the newlyweds to their guests and invited them to stand and join me in congratulating them.  Then Lisa and Joe scooted down the aisle!

Oh Happy Day! 

Pictures commenced after the ceremony in front of the manor house while the guests enjoyed cocktails. 

Emily untangles Joe from the veil!

Lisa is beautiful and her dress was perfect for her. The train tended to snag slightly on the bricks but that made this photo possible with the train stretched its full length.

Lisa and Joe! What a great wedding! It was fabulous and I thank you for giving me the honor of joining you in marriage. I wish you the best always!