My first wedding at
Melrose Knitting Mill in downtown Raleigh was not only beautiful and memorable, it was also quite nostalgic because of the building's history which I will explain. First though, let me thank a former couple I married at The State Club,
April and Dave, for referring Julie and David to me. David and Julie and Chad Biggs, their wedding planner who is also the event director for Melrose Knitting Mill, and I met on September 3rd and decided we were a good fit. Then we started working on their ceremony for their wedding on November 7th, 2015.
Isn't this simply gorgeous? Who would have thought that this building, which was built in 1903 and was a thriving knitting mill until 1955 when it closed down, would be repurposed for weddings? You may or may not know that NC State University is well known for its Textile Engineering degree and students of this course of study were assigned projects at this knitting mill when it was operational. So happens that my father attended NC State and obtained a textile engineering degree in 1933 and most likely frequented this very building as a student. He later went on to found Georgia Hosiery Mill. And here I am some 80+ years later officiating weddings in the same building he learned his trade in. (Sniff sniff!)
Expressions of Love Florists created this beautiful wreath and the floral pedestals.
This is the view from the front area to the back.
Julie and David have done some serious traveling!
Meet Binkie, their beloved fur baby!
Laura Byrne, harpist, and Pam, her flute accompanist, graced us with heavenly music for the ceremony. Joe Bunn was our DJ at the reception.
Getting to know Miss Binkie and one of the couple's friends who is taking care of her.
Hidden behind the flowing white drapery are all the tables for the reception. This is our sweetheart table.
After setting up my sound system and doing a sound check, I always like to take a few quiet moments to review the ceremony and get centered.
Ashley Cakes made this elegant wedding cake.
The couple and their wedding party did a First Look at The State Club before the wedding and were running a little bit late and it was beginning to sprinkle rain. The bridesmaids arrived ahead of them and were getting lined up to enter.
The first to enter was Julie's father, Peter, who placed a white rose in the chair Julie's mother, Linda, would have been sitting in if she were alive on this momentous day. He returned to the line up to bring his daughter in. Then David's parents escorted themselves in followed by David and me.
Our Best Man, Michael, gets to escort Binkie in. Right behind Binkie is Jessica Tilton, Chad's assistant, who is cueing the wedding party when to walk. Our photographer was Bill Broere and his second shooter is getting us as we entered.
The rest of the wedding party entered one by one and now we are awaiting the bride and her father.
And here they come.
The guests are standing in their honor.
Peter passed Julie's hand into David's and everyone was seated.
A welcome, opening prayer, tribute to their parents and remembrance of Julie's mother.
Julie and David met 14 years ago at NC State. Julie was a freshman and David a sophomore. Their personalities matched up and their humor clicked with each other. It was not long before they became a couple. Eventually they got an apartment off campus together to see if they could make it as a couple for the next step. Julie and David don't like to rush things so they spent the next 6 years in this stage of their relationship before taking the next step and buying a home together.
Almost 10 years after they met, with a little help from their closest friends, David decided to propose on their birthday (both were born on April 27th, one year apart) to throw Julie off. He had a cake with "will you marry me" on it ready for this double surprise. A surprised Julie said "yes" surrounded by their many good friends.
Not wanting to rush the wedding, they explored the options of a destination wedding, or maybe a wedding in Charleston, but the wedding planning would get overwhelming and they would back off for a while. Julie lost her mother in 2013 and could not even imagine a wedding without her. Finally in late 2014, they decided they were ready and attended the grand opening of this historic Melrose Knitting Mill and fell in love with it. And so on November 7th, 2015, I was honored to join them in marriage!
After their vows and ring exchange, they combined their individual sand together in the sand ceremony.
A closing blessing followed by....
The pronouncement followed by.......
The Kiss!
The new Mr. and Mrs.! At last!
David's parents, John and Hailan, bring along Binkie. (Every time I mentioned Binkie in the ceremony, John held her up! She was a very good girl and very well-behaved!)
Julie and David--what a wonderful, beautiful wedding! I am so glad Chad introduced us and you chose me to join you together in marriage! I wish you the best life has to offer!
Our Vendors for this Wedding:
