Tribute to my friend and colleague, Julius Carrasco, Classical Guitarist--fond memories.

It is with great sadness that I learned this evening that my friend Julius Carrasco died on March 15th. His daughters emailed me asking for photographs of Julius that are on this blog and of course I was glad to be able to send them to them. Julius was a fantastic classical and Flamenco guitarist, he was highly educated and could play anything. I was always impressed not only by his talent but with his dedication, perseverance and endurance in the weddings we did together the past few years.
From his biography:
Julius Carrasco, classical and flamenco guitar: Julius began playing guitar at three years old. He entertained family and friends while growing up and was largely self-taught. A music professional, he received a degree in music from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, where he attended master classes taught by legendary Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes. He also learned flamenco music technique from nuevo flamenco artist Gerardo Nunez.  

This is Julius' band, Los Tres Caballeros, playing for the reception of Jon and Deneen's wedding at The Pavilions at Angus Barn. 

Julius always dressed the part when he played for weddings. He played for Deneen and John's wedding ceremony out on the terrace.

I could always count on Julius to play for a wedding on short notice. This was a quickly arranged wedding ceremony at Page Walker Arts Center and it was dark by the time the wedding started. This was not a problem for Julius who could play beautifully in the dark! This wedding was on October 30, 2010, the last time I saw Julius.

At Anderson Point Park in Raleigh there is no power source at the amphitheater. So, I brought my battery to this wedding to power his sound system and I plugged my wireless microphone into his system for amplification of my voice. We had it all worked out.

This wedding was at the Second Empire. Julius is up on the porch all set up and again I plugged into his sound system.

I will truly miss Julius, my friend, who enriched not only my life but the lives of all he played for! He will always be in my heart and in the hearts of his loved ones.

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell

Candlelight Wedding at Page Walker for Jessica and Shaun!

When Marty and I arrived for Jess and Shaun's wedding at the Page Walker Art Gallery, several people asked me if I knew that my photo was in the elevator. And so Marty took a picture of it. I am with another couple who married here a year or so ago.

Julius Carrasco was already set up when we arrived. I had recommended the couple hire him. They went to hear him play and decided that he would be perfect for their wedding. Marty and I were coming from the 5:00 wedding at The Cotton Room which was delayed 20 minutes starting due to a late shuttle bus from a hotel. We quickly plugged my microphone into Julius' new Fender Passport 500 system and did a sound check and were ready to begin in plenty of time. It was 6:30 and growing darker and darker and more and more chilly. I was glad I brought my velvet shawl to wear.

This is the site before the guests were asked to be seated.

Right at 6:55 we began the processional. It was pretty dark by then. First the grandmothers and Shaun's parents entered. Then Rhonda, Jessica's mother, processed in carrying Logan, the couple's two month old baby.

Next our lovely bride was escorted in by her father, Martin. You can see the lighted fountain in the background. There were luminaries lining the aisle and the altar area. We knew that it would be pretty dark by 7:00 so they really brought in the lights. I had a book light with me so I could see my pages.

 

Not many of my photos of the ceremony turned out. It was simply too dark for my little camera. We incorporated a baby blessing of Logan during the ceremony and he was transferred into Shaun's mother's arms for the remainder of the ceremony. We also had a family unity sand ceremony combining the sand of Jess, Shaun and little Logan.

Congratulations, Jess and Shaun! We did it and I hope your wedding day met all your expectations. I am so happy for you and adorable little Logan! He peacefully slept through it all.

Monica and Jef's Wedding at Umstead State Park on 10/10/10 @ 10:10 AM!

Monica and Jef are a couple of unique individuals who planned a very unique wedding to match their personalities and their relationship. Both had been married before and wanted their ceremony to be different from the norm and that they accomplished. The date was the infamous 10/10/10 and the ceremony was to begin at 10:10 AM.They chose the lovely rustic amphitheater at Umstead Park. It is right off the parking lot but obscured by tall trees and a rather uneven path into the glen. I have done several weddings there and it is different with every season. Above is a picture of the wedding in progress. I thank Julius Carrasco for providing wonderful guitar music for the wedding. (Amplification is not allowed unless a special permit is obtained.) He and his band played for the reception for Monica and Jef at Hilton RTP.

 

They met via e-harmony and are so very well matched that they could not believe it. In fact, Monica resisted going out with Jef at first but  her mother, Margarida, insisted. And then Monica realized that Jef was the one for her. Their guests heard all about their story in the ceremony. One of the funny parts of the ceremony went like this: "The love you are all witnessing here today is brought to you by the following corporate sponsors: E-Harmony, Starbucks, Tiffanys, Raleigh Durham International Airport, and the Kansas City International Airport.They also included a Buddhist mantra that Jef's father had taught him as a young boy. The guests repeated it three times in honor of his father who has passed on from this earth. Skype was not working so several of Jef's relatives, including his mother, were listening to the ceremony via cell phone. Monica's family hails from Brazil originally so there were many Brazilian guests with us for the wedding.

Jef and Monica also loved the symbolism of the handfasting ritual from the Celtic tradition. Here I am wrapping the handfasting cord around their left hands.

Then they joined their right hands forming the symbol of infinity and made their vows to each other. 

The vows, the rings, the pronouncement of marriage and then the kiss. So, now they are married. They recessed out and got in the limo and disappeared! I sent the guests to the Hilton RTP for the reception and Marty and I went there as well but could not find the newlyweds for a final photo so we headed to Holly Springs for the next event of the day. Monica and Jef, congratulations to you both!

Nicole and Steve's Wedding at Second Empire!

 

Niki and Steve contacted me last July to officiate their wedding at Second Empire, a wonderful historic mansion converted to a fine dining restaurant in downtown Raleigh where I do many weddings every year. It is a great place for a small wedding like theirs. Because their wedding was October 2, 2010 it was likely the weather would be very nice so they chose to have their ceremony outdoors in the front yard of the lovely old mansion. 

Niki emailed me about two weeks before the wedding to tell me that the classical guitarist they wanted to play at their wedding was no longer able to play for them. I immediately contacted Julius Carrasco, a phenomenal classical and Flamenco guitarist I do many weddings with, to see if he was available that day. Fortunately he was. Thanks, Julius! 

When we were ready to begin the ceremony, Steve, Alex (our ring bearer) and I walked out the front door and down to the first landing to await the bride. I am pointing to where he is to stand since we did not have a rehearsal. Alex took his job very seriously and after the bride arrived, he was permitted to go sit with his parents for the rest of the ceremony. That is my little table on the left upon which we put the ring pillow and the bride's bouquet. 

Here comes our beautiful bride and her father, John. The pathway is a bit narrow coming around from the atrium. 

 

Their friend Jessica presented a reading from "I Like You," a poem by Sandol Stoddard Warburg. It was amusing and Jessica did a great job delivering it with a dramatic flair! 

Then I told the couple's love story and how they first met way back in 1992 when they were in high school. They did not date then but they sure noticed each other and finally got together after both had graduated. Steve is looking forward to never again hearing the question "So, when are you getting married?" and doing things not related to planning a wedding!

Steve is going in for the kiss at this moment and Niki is loving it! 

And now they are married, finally, after 18 years!

After hugs from their guests, we got together for this photo then Marty and I packed up the sound gear and headed for The Umstead for the next wedding . Steve and Niki, you were definitely meant for each other. I congratulate you and wish you all the best!

Had to show you this pretty wedding cake! It is made by the talented pastry chef at Second Empire. She does some amazing wedding cakes. Bridget McEnaney was our photographer for this wedding. (All the photos for this blog were taken with my Olympus digital camera by my roadie, Marty.)

Deneen and Jon's Wedding at The Pavilions at Angus Barn!

Deneen and Jon wanted a simple ceremony surrounded by their family and closest friends. So, they planned  their wedding ceremony to be lakeside at The Pavilions at Angus Barn, a beautiful setting for a wedding. After the ceremony, their guests were invited to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the terrace entertained by Julius Carrasco and his wonderful band. Later they would move to the Wine Cellar of the main restaurant for dinner. When Marty and I arrived on September 3, 2010 for the wedding, Julius and his musicians were already assembled and playing the most fun and beautiful music. It was a pleasure to sit and listen and made me want to get up and dance.  Julius is such an accomplished musician. His band plays at local restaurants in Durham and although I have done many weddings with Julius as a solo guitarist, I have never heard the band. They are fantastic! I had told Deneen and Jon about him when they met with me in March and they went to hear him and hired him on the spot.

When everyone was ready to begin, Julius took his position at the ceremony spot and began playing the first piece of the processional. Our photographer was Amber Parnell with F8 Photo Studio. (Please note that the photos on this blog post are not professional photos. They are taken with my small digital camera.)

I began the long walk from the pavilion to the lakeside terrace and the attendants, Deneen's daughter, Lydia, and Jon's daughter, Olivia, escorted in by Jon's son, Ian, were being cued to follow by Kelly Joslin, wedding coordinator for The Pavilions. She is so great to work with. Thanks, Kelly! The day was not too hot and there was a nice breeze blowing.

When the kids and I were all in position, it was time for the bride and groom to enter. What a handsome couple they make. Deneen is such a gorgeous woman and her beautiful beaded gown was perfect for her.

Isn't that a beautiful sight? What a nice place for a wedding. The other one I did here in July was rained into the pavilion building so this was my first one lakeside. The English Garden provided the beautiful florals and bouquets and boutonnieres.

 This was a second marriage for both Jon and Deneen and they knew exactly what they wanted. With my guidance they created a sweet and meaningful ceremony and included recognition of all their family members who were present, especially their children.

 They also wrote their own special vows to each other which they read from my book as they exchanged rings.

Then it was time for the pronouncement followed by......

The sweet kiss to seal their vows. A blessing followed then the ceremony concluded as I introduced them to their guests as husband and wife.

The happy couple! It is time to celebrate as the guests trickled back to the terrace to enjoy the great music and the refreshments. What a great wedding! Jon and Deneen, I know you will be so happy together and this makes it official. I wish you all the best life can offer!

Professional Wedding Guild meets at Washington-Duke Inn!

On Wednesday, June 30, 2010, about 75 local wedding professionals gathered at the prestigious and elegant Washington-Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham NC for our monthly networking event of the Professional Wedding Guild (PWG) sponsored by Gail Galloway of the Perfect Wedding Guide. These luncheons are so much fun and I love mingling with people in the wedding industry when we are not working at a wedding and can get to chat and know each other better. I have been attending these events for years and have gotten to know so many great people to refer wedding couples to for their services. Each month we meet at a different venue. I knew this month's attendance would be greater than usual because of the venue. So, I brought my camera because I knew I wanted to put this on the blog.

Here's Gail Galloway, our sponsor. Pretty in pink this month! Gail and her staff put on these luncheons in the Triangle and in the Triad. There is no membership fee nor do you have to join any club or association. Just pre-register and pay $20 at the door will get you lunch and the opportunity to meet and mingle with others in the wedding industry. Thanks, Gail! She also publishes the wedding magazine Perfect Wedding Guide, a great resource of vendors in the area.

Diane Tighe of the Washington-Duke Inn and Sally Oakley Herring with An Elegant Affair wedding and event planning pose for my camera. I love working with both of these great women. I discovered at the luncheon that Diane and I have both been doing weddings for 11 years. We must have gotten started at the same time. Diane helps couples create the most unique wedding settings and entrances. I distinctly remember 3 weddings in which Diane choreographed the entrance of the wedding party for weddings in which the guests sat in a circle around the couple. So different and so elegant. Sally and I just finished up a wonderful wedding together in May at Duke Gardens. It was so much fun working with Sally. We have another one coming up together at the Carolina Inn in October. Thanks for sending these couples my way, Sally.

This is Gina McLean who is photographing this event for Gail. Gina is a wedding photographer I have loved working with for several years now. Note that most photographers are not used to having their picture taken! She is looking a bit uneasy and suspicious of me here! Gina brought her father with her to the luncheon. He is a retired professor from the University of Texas who now lives here in NC near Gina.

Speaking of photographers, here are Kevin Seifert and Jerry Dillard, both wedding photographers. They have covered other PWG luncheons too. The photos are posted on the PWG website. They did not notice me taking their photo from a distance!

Smile, Julius! Julius Carrasco is an amazing classical and Flamenco guitarist! He and I have done several weddings together and I highly recommend him. You can listen to his music here and you can view weddings we did together on this blog. I invited him to attend this luncheon and he told me he really enjoyed it. He also won a door prize! The cupcakes next to him were baked by the esteemed cake baker, Donna Moore, of Sweet Memories Bakery for this event.

And here she is, Donna Moore, who owns and operates Sweet Memories Bakery. I see her cakes at weddings more than any other cake baker and they are beautiful and each unique to the couple.

Look at this table full of sweet goodies Donna made for us. There were not only different flavors of cupcakes but also little containers of mousse and pudding with cake. Delicious! Thanks, Donna!

It was good to chat with Angie Wright of Chic Details, wedding and event planner.  We have done many weddings together. Angie is always such fun to work with and creates a beautiful wedding. Notice in her hand is the first course of our meal. We all went to a salad bar station and had a salad built in a martini glass. So delicious. There were several wedding planners present. Joy Edwards of A Joyful Occasion was there and we chatted a bit but I did not get her photo.

Diane is talking to Michelle Castro of Maggiano's Little Italy, Italian restaurant in Southpoint Mall. I have done several weddings at Maggiano's and it is a great place for a smaller wedding. Michelle and her staff are so accommodating.

So, we all sat down and enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by the Washington-Duke Inn's executive chef Jason Cunningham. The appetizer was chilled tomato soup with avocado sorbet. The entree was spinach and walnut ravioli with basil ricotta, Heirloom cherry tomatoes, chilled sweet corn and citrus herb butter.  Then we indulged in the sweets provided by Donna. When we finished the meal, Diane Tighe and Beth Pendergrass, also with the Washington-Duke Inn, presented our program which was about the impression we leave with our clients and others involved in our events. Great presentation. One of the slides was captioned: "Some days you are the bug and some days you are the windshield!"

The beautiful tablecloths and linens were provided by CE Rental. Some of the table cloths were covered with sequins and others were covered by raised fabric in the shape of roses. Beautiful!  The beautiful floral arrangements were provided by Floral Dimensions. Sotren.net Video Production was doing a video of the event and will be on the PWG website. Bartending Unlimited, Treasured Connections and the Washington-Duke Inn provided door prizes.