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!

Kaitlin and Chris' Fabulous Wedding at the Park Alumni Center!

Kaitlin and Chris' wedding was on a beautiful fall day--October 20th 2018 at the NC State Park Alumni Center on the Centennial Campus. It had rained the day before but the grounds had dried out and the ceremony site was all ready to go.

Their guests filled every seat! 

Kent Blom with Bunn DJ Company was our expert DJ for the ceremony and the reception. He was all set up and ready to go too. 
Erin McCauley with Chestnut and Vine Wedding Coordination was our wedding director. She specializes in "day of wedding coordination." This was the first time Erin and I had worked together and we both had been looking forward to this wedding. We look forward to many more too!

While the guests were assembling for the ceremony, the wedding party was gathered together out of sight and Erin and I had a chance to sit down and chat before the processional began.

The English Garden provided the florals for this wedding. Pretty pots of bright red lined the generous wide aisle. 

In between the pots of flowers were plaques with verses of First Corinthians about Love. 

I processed in from the side and took my place in front of the guests. Then Chris and his parents, Jeffrey and Joan, entered. His parents were seated and Chris stepped up to join me up front.

The groomsmen then entered one by one.

They made their way down the aisle to join Chris. 

Groomsman David and bridesmaid Emily entered together.

Our best man, Matt, escorted in Chris' sister Meg (maid of honor) and Kaitlin's sister Jess (matron of honor).

The guests are invited to stand in honor of the bride. 

Kaitlin's mother, Melissa, is in a wheelchair but that did not stop her from joining Ed, to escort their daughter down the aisle. 

When Kaitlin and her parents reached the front row, Kaitlin stepped forward on her own and joined Chris and they turned and faced their parents. Then I asked their parents: "Who supports and blesses Chris and Kaitlin as they join together in marriage?" Of course they answered "We do" and everyone was seated.

Chris and Kaitlin wanted to pay tribute to key people in their lives: their parents and their sisters. I addressed each one of them individually identifying their attributes and thanked them on behalf of the couple. It was so touching and a sweet surprise to each of them. We also recognized and thanked their grandparents who were present and acknowledged those who have passed away.

Kaitlin and Chris have been in love since they met in high school in 2010. Their story of meeting at a movie night at Kaitlin's house one night when they were both 16 was so much fun to learn about and then tell to their guests who had never heard their story all put together from both perspectives. Kaitlin realized that she had more than high-school-crush feeling for Chris first. Eventually he caught on and asked her out by placing an origami heart on her windshield for her to find after sports practice. And, as they say, the rest is history!

The story generated lots of laughs. Most of the wedding party had been with them in high school as their romance developed and could relate to most of their experiences.

Kaitlin and Chris enjoyed hearing their story and watching their friends and family enjoy it too. 

Love the laughter and fun! 

After high school they both went to NC State and graduated which brings us to this wedding day after many months of very careful planning.

Kaitlin is hearing for the first time what Chris told me in confidence he loves about her and what he is looking forward to in marriage. They are both really good writers.

Then Chris gets to hear what Kaitlin told me about her love for him. 

They read their vows (secret from each other) to each other from my book while placing the rings. 

Kaitlin's turn!

I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to share their first kiss as a married couple. 

Everyone was cheering them on! Their photographer, Faith Teasley, moves in for a closer photo. 

I introduced them to their guests and invited them to stand and join me in congratulating them!

Some photo-ops on the way out! 

The wedding party then exits. 

Kaitlin and Chris! What a wonderful wedding you put together. I am honored to have joined you in marriage. Thank you for the opportunity. I loved working with you to create your very unique ceremony. I wish you all the best!