Melissa and Ted Get Married at the Preston-Woodall House!

Melissa and Ted planned their wedding for November 2, 2019 at the historic Preston-Woodall House in Benson. I've been doing weddings there for years. It is spacious, fun and well organized.  The house can accommodate the bride and groom for the weekend and they have guest cottages for guests and wedding party. 

This is the Queen Anne pavilion which was fashioned from the original gazebo in the backyard. It is large enough to accommodate a large wedding party and many guests. The beautiful brick walk eliminates grassy bare spots and mud!

Inside the Cora Lily Ballroom which was added about 12 years ago, the carpet has been replaced with nice vinyl planking which is great for dancing! Melissa and Ted love the colors orange and teal, can't you tell!

This beautiful wedding cake was provided by Capital Cakes. 

The ballroom spans the depth of the historic house from front to back with a beautiful view of the fountain and landscaping in the back yard.  When the weather does not cooperate, the ceremony is usually relocated to the far end of the ballroom where there is plenty of natural light.

Melissa and Ted chose the Anniversary Box for their unity ceremony. They had this box specially made to hold their letters which will accumulate on every anniversary!

The guys and I congregate in the ballroom to await the signal that it is time to begin our processional. Meanwhile the bride and her attendants and the parents are in the front of the house from which they will process in.

Our DJ is Peter who owns Island Sound DJ and Video. We work together a lot. When I first arrived, I plugged my mic into his body pack and we did a sound check.

I entered solo and asked the guests to put away their cameras and turn off their phones so they could be with Ted and Melissa for this important time in their lives without the distraction of technology.

Ted led his guys in around the fountain onto the steps of the pavilion. 

We await the bride's attendants to process in and join us. Love those orange sneakers!

 And the teal sneakers for the bride's side! 

Melissa is escorted in by her parents, Gary and Susan. 

Ted and I stepped down for the transfer of hands.  I asked both sets of parents to step forward and asked "Who gives their love and support for the marriage of Melissa and Ted?" and all the parents said "I do" and were seated. 

As soon as Melissa and Ted took their places I launched into their story.  I like to take the guests on the journey from the day the couple met to their wedding day.

They originally met online like many modern couples 6 years ago and their guests had been waiting all these years for their wedding day.

Everyone enjoyed herring their story and what some of their friends think of their relationship. 

After welcoming everyone we remembered those loved ones no longer with us. Then there was a surprise blessing for their parents. Next came the secret paragraphs about what they love about each other.

Then it was time for them to make their vows to each other and seal them with their rings. 

They had written their own vows and read them to each other from my book.

They placed their loveletters in the box then it was time for the closing blessing.

I joyfully pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to kiss!

Their first married kiss!

Got a good photo of the groom's parents recessing out.

Ted and Melissa! Great wedding. It was truly you! So happy for you and thank you for giving me the honor of joining you in marriage. I know you are so happy to finally be married and enjoying wedded bliss!

Christine and Kevin Wed at the NC State Park Alumni Center!

I loved working with Christine and Kevin! They've known each other almost all their lives but their romance didn't spark until Kevin's 25th birthday in 2015! He proposed in 2018 and they planned a beautiful wedding for October 27th 2019 at the NC State Park Alumni Center with the help of their wedding planner and director, Caroline with Caroline Ruth Design.

The original forecast for the day was rain and it did rain that morning but by 3:30, the clouds had cleared. 

Inside in the foyer, the guests were arriving.

For their guest "book," they asked their guests to sign this wooden sign. 

Inside the ballroom, this lovely cake by Ashley Cakes was all set up and ready to be cut! 

A view of the ballroom from the upstairs balcony. (This was our Plan B if it rained,)

Meanwhile Christine and her bridesmaids are dressed, make-up and hair done, and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

Evan with Island Sound was in charge of providing my sound for the ceremony. It was perfect! What's the point of writing a beautiful one of a kind ceremony if the guests cannot enjoy it?

Caroline did a fantastic job being in charge of this wedding and all the behind the scenes details. I've never had the pleasure of working with her before this wedding and look forward to many more weddings together! Chris Nieto and his team were their photographers.

North Raleigh Florists provided the birch arbor decked with florals. The table in the background holds their Anniversary Box for the unity ceremony.

The Anniversary Box holding a bottle of wine into which they will place their handwritten, sealed without sharing love letters. On their first anniversary, they will open the box, pour each other a glass of wine and read their letters from each other. Recall their wedding day and the year that has passed by. Then write each other another love letter, seal without sharing, place the old and new letters and a new bottle of wine back in the box and repeat on every anniversary creating a legacy of love for themselves and future generations.

Victoria Pedroza, violinist, and her friend the cellist provided beautiful music for the ceremony processional and recessional.

There are many sculptures of wolves around the alumni center! Go Wolfpack! My father and sister are NC State grads.

I entered first and asked the guests to put away their phones and cameras and be with Christine and Kevin in their hearts as they join their lives in marriage.

Then the parents were seated followed by Kevin and his guys. 

Christine's attendants were next. She mixed it up with men and women. A popular trend these days. 

Linda and Ryan

Our flower girl and ring bearer entered next and made their way down the aisle. 

The kids sat on the front row and then it was time for the guests to stand for the entrance of the bride!

Christine and her dad, Bobby, entered from the front of the center around the sidewalk. 

Happy day! 

After the presentation of the bride we had a prayer and remembered those no longer with us, especially Christine's mother, Nancy. But she was with us in the hearts of all those who knew and loved her.

A tribute to their parents came next. 

Following that I began telling the story of how they met and fell in love. There were quite a few funny moments and we enjoyed laughing together.

Time to reveal what they had each told me in confidence they love about each other. 

They made their vows then exchanged rings while reading their ring vows from my book. 

Christine's turn! 

The anniversary box and closing blessing followed. 

I love making the pronouncement of marriage and inviting them to kiss! 

They love it as the guests applauded! 

Yay! It is done! 

Bobby and Luann, stepmother of the bride, exit. 

Then Kevin's parents, Diane and Steven. 

The children and their adult in charge exit! 

Christine and Kevin, what a beautiful wedding! I loved it and I loved working with and getting to know you. You are a great match and I wish you all the best!