Scott and Erin's Incredible Wedding at The Sutherland!

This wedding was definitely a family affair and I felt as if I was a family member! Erin is the third daughter in her family that I have officiated the wedding of. First was Megan who married Ben on October 30, 2010 at The Cotton Room. Then on September 14, 2012, I officiated the wedding of Kate and Phil at The Pavilions at Angus Barn. I was delighted when Erin and Scott contacted me to officiate their wedding ceremony set for June 6, 2014 at The Sutherland!

As a result of planning for three weddings, Diane, mother of the bride, and David, father of the bride, are experienced in all aspects of making a wedding happen! With the onset of Pinterest, Diane was really able to get creative with all the wonderful wedding decor ideas. This bureau is simply wonderful, filled with trinkets and treasures!

 Cydney English with The English Garden is putting the finishing touches on the florals and candles. 

 Simply fabulous! 

The Sutherland is a wonderful venue which is conveniently located in Wake Forest. Ashlee Adams has so creatively restored the old plantation house and outbuildings and transformed the grounds into a real paradise. This wedding was held in the Walled Garden off the side porch of the big house. 

 On the brick terrace was one of "my babies!" This is Ella, 2 month old of Megan and Ben. So sweet!

Amy Turner, their photographer with Your Still Life Photography, provided the guest book. Feast your eyes on the Memory Tree hung with photos of loved ones of the bride and groom who have passed on and could not be with us in person.

Cute little tea cart holding the gifts and cards. Everyone is using Instagram these days to get wedding photos. Gone are the days of disposable cameras on the tables!

Sweet little display table to put the programs in. And speaking of the programs...this was the order of the ceremony: Music Starts, We Get Married, Everyone Parties. Simple and straightforward instead of listing all the different sections of the ceremony.

 These ornate signs were so pretty and artfully done! 

Literally a board for the guests to leave a message and sign for the couple. 

These are huge balloons filled with confetti used as pretty decorations and as props in photos. This is the Groom's Terrace on the opposite side of the house as the Walled Garden. The cocktail hour following the ceremony will be here.

This sign is outside the new pavilion that Ashlee recently completed. It is amazing and there is no longer any need for a tent if the weather turns rainy. Great idea!

It is two stories high, filled with light and plenty of room for a dance floor. Steve Stowe with Joe Bunn DJ Company was there setting up.

 Ashlee and I posing for the camera!

 CateringWorks was the caterer. Delicious food and such pretty tables and chairs and place settings.

 Look at the "chandelier" over the head table! 

 The pavilion from a distance so you can see how large it is. I remember when it was just an open field. 

 By the big old tree was this pretty bench and signs declaring it was a "kissing tree!"

 View from the Groom's Terrace of the new pavilion.  

NC Brass is a division of NC Wedding Music, an organization founded by Dean and Molly Olah. Molly is a violinist and handles the stringed ensembles where as Dean Olah, trombonist, handles the NC Brass Band. I have done many weddings with Molly through the years but never with Dean. Brass Bands are not the traditional choice for weddings but I loved them and I believe this "big" sound is getting more popular. These musicians were fabulous and I was delighted to have the chance to do a wedding with Dean for a change!

The groomsmen and I gathered at the side entrance to the Walled Garden to make our entrance to the side of the guests.

 Scott escorted his pretty mother down the aisle. 

 Scott's father, Kim, followed by Scott's nephew Logan! 

 Diane and David, parents of the bride, enter for their third (and final) wedding! 

 Jill, our bridesmaid, enters next.

 Kate, sister and matron of honor of the bride, enters. 

 Megan, sister of the bride and matron of honor, enters. 

 Brody, son of the bridesmaid, Jill, enters with the sign "Here Comes The Bride."

 David makes his last trek down the aisle with his beautiful daughter, Erin!

 And so we begin. 

 Erin's cousin, Sarah, read the words of ee cummings poem "i carry your heart."

 Erin and Scott met in college at Ohio State almost 10 years ago. Scott knew right away that Erin was the one. It was not much later that Erin felt the same way. Their romance withstood the typical college bumps and trials and really started to move forward when they relocated to North Carolina to be near Erin's family. Scott proposed at the Raleigh Rose Garden on June 22, 2013 and Erin barely let him finish the question before saying YES! It had been 7 long years. She and her mother and sisters began planning for this wedding and really did an amazing job! As I told David, he and Diane could hire themselves out as wedding planners and decorators!

 Scott and Erin had written their own secret vows for each other and read them from my book. 

 Ring exchange....

For a unity ceremony they chose the Hands Ceremony followed by a closing blessing and the pronouncement of marriage.

  So happy! 

I told Amy that I had to get a photo with all three of my couples! And of course Ella! Ben was so good with her. He had to assume all baby duties since Megan was part of the wedding party and he seemed to manage it with ease! Congratulations all of you! 

Erin and Scott, what a beautiful and dedicated couple you are. I am thrilled to have joined you in marriage. I know you will be very happy and contented together. Please keep in touch and remember when you have babies we can do a baby blessing ceremony for her or him.

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Nikki and Jordan Tie the Knot at the Raleigh Sheraton!

Nikki and Jordan came to see me a year ago to plan their ceremony which was to be on March 3, 2012 at the Raleigh Sheraton. They found me on The Knot, a very popular wedding website. They met back in 2009 after Nikki had relocated to Raleigh from Florida on a quest to "make something of her life," not knowing that in a few short weeks she would meet her future husband!  One of her bridesmaids, Jonelle, had done the same thing and so they hung out together with a group of friends. At a party for those with December birthdays, Jordan and Nikki found themselves seated next to each other. They exchanged phone numbers and set the ball rolling and it was not long before they made their relationship "Facebook official" to all the world. They are such a happy and fun couple and I really enjoyed working with them. Their story was full of humor and the guests just loved it, especially the story of the proposal! As part of the ceremony I get them to tell me why they love each other and want to marry. Then as a surprise for them, they hear what they told me for the first time during the ceremony. It is such a wonderful moment of sweetness!

When Marty and I arrived the first thing we did was set up my sound system and do a sound check. Then we found the reception room looking for the cake which had not yet arrived. Martha, the events coordinator with the hotel, was checking on it.

Nikki and Jordan designed a very attractive "tree" for the guests to imprint with their fingerprints for leaves.

The wonderful wedding cake by Stephanie with Piece-A-Cake arrived and had a very cute bride and groom on top!

Molly Olah and Nate Leyland with North Carolina Classical Wedding Music had set up and were warming up for the ceremony. Always a pleasure to work with these two fine musicians! 

Nikki's sister, Veronica, signs the marriage license for me. She was her sister's maid of honor.

We chatted with our lovely bride who was ready to get the ceremony started. Then I left to go find the Best Man, Ben, to get his signature on the license.

 These two cute little boys were handing out the programs and the bubbles.

Martha, with the hotel, is getting the bride's bouquet ready to give her when she appears with her father to walk down the aisle. She is chatting with Valerie, Nikki's aunt, who did a great job as wedding director for the ceremony. Those are the most beautiful color bridesmaids dresses! The pretty bouquets and the lilies flanking the altar area of the ceremony were provided by Ruth Payne of Fleuressence.

And so we begin! Nikki and her father, Andy, float down the aisle toward Jordan and me. Notice all the cell phones out taking pictures??

I believe Nikki told me that there were about 170 guests. The room was packed and some guests sneaked in after the bride. The ceremony was held in the Hanover III room. The Sheraton is quite spacious and I wish I could do more weddings there. The staff is friendly and quite efficient and the location is so handy with a parking garage right across the street. It could not have been more convenient.

 

 

Jordan's Aunt Robyn read "Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog" by Taylor Mali dedicated to their beloved dog Sammy who was at home on guard duty!

Nikki's Aunt Tara read an original piece she wrote entitled "The Marriage House."

Then it was time to tell their story followed by the secret paragraphs then the more serious vows.

 

 The ring exchange......

Jordan and Nikki really liked the Covenant of Salt ceremony where they poured together their two separate containers of salt. "This custom harks back to Biblical days when salt was used to bind a contract. According to tradition, this contract can only be broken if each grain of salt in the container can be sorted, identified and then returned to the rightful owner. Therefore, since your salt is now inseparable, you are joined together forever."

 The closing prayer preceded the pronouncement of marriage and then......

 That kiss!!

 Wow, it is done and now it is time to celebrate! 

A brief moment of togetherness before the wedding party catches up with them then they are off to take some pictures. Marty and I packed up the sound system then headed off to find them. 

They were in the mezzanine area overlooking the lobby. It is really quite a picturesque setting and with the skylights, the lighting could not have been better. We see Jenna Lee with Jenna Lee Photography getting her shots.

 

I got in there to get one with the bride and groom, now married! Congratulations, Nikki and Jordan. All your careful planning paid off really well. And now you begin your new journey together as husband and wife. I wish you all the best in the world!