Sarah and Clayton's Wonderful Wedding at the Barn at Valhalla!

Sarah, Clayton and I met in August of 2018 to plan their wedding ceremony for May 25th, 2019. Their event planner was Lillian Suarez Events and their DJ Rodney Holmes. They had chosen the Barn at Valhalla for their wedding ceremony and reception. Their photographer was Richard Barlow and videographer Twenty-one Films. Caterer was Fords Fluent N' Food, and wedding cakes/cupcakes by Cupcakes D'Amour. I was happy to join this extraordinary team of vendors! 

The wedding day arrived and it was beautiful! A bit on the toasty side but with the shady spot for the ceremony, we were good. I was delighted to find that the new owners of the venue had expanded the deck so that there was plenty of room for more guests and moving about without being scrunched in.

I first got plugged into the DJ sound system and did a sound check. Then I went over the processional and recessional cues for Rodney. He was excellent to work with and the sound was impeccable! 

The barn itself was ready for the guests after cocktail hour. 

I sat down to review the ceremony script ahead of time in the house where the wedding party and families were hanging out.

When all the guests were seated and before the ceremony started, I entered and made the unplugged announcement. Then the wedding party processed in around me.

Clayton's parents, Reba and Skip, entered first. Skip and I discovered that we were both students at the University of Georgia at the same time many decades ago!

Clayton and Baxter enter next. Baxter is an amazing well-behaved pooch!

The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered next. 

Then it was time for the many children in the processional including a little one in a wagon. 

I invited everyone to stand in honor of the bride and her beautiful mother who was dressed in traditional Korean wedding dress. (Sadly Sarah's father had passed away just two months before, but not before giving Sarah and Clayton his blessings and his wish that their wedding not be postponed.)

Sarah's mother placed Sarah's hand into Clayton's and was seated with the guests. 

On behalf of Sarah and Clayton, I welcomed their guests for this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of the unique and cherished people who have touched their lives throughout the years.

The words of welcome were followed by a prayer and remembrance of their loved ones who could not be present including Sarah's father and her grandmother in Chicago and many relatives in Korea.

Looks like Baxter is enjoying the ceremony! 

Then it was time to honor Sarah's mother, Sue, and Clayton's parents, Skip and Reba. 

I love to tell the story of how the couple met and fell in love and bring the guests from that day to the wedding day. It all began back in 2013 when Clayton was a post-doctoral fellow and Sarah a grad school student at UNC. They ended up working in labs next to each other. And since they were both single then ended up going to many events together and got to know each other. There were some laughable times for sure! Eventually they realized they really enjoyed being together and after a few rocky starts and stops, they fell in love.

Sarah is hearing for the first time what Clayton told me in confidence that he loves about her, why he wants to marry her and what he is looking forward to in marriage. Then Clayton heard what Sarah told me in confidence. Such a sweet moment for both.

They made their vows of marriage and sealed them with the exchange of rings. 

After a closing blessing, I pronounced them husband and wife and invited them to share a kiss! 

And so the marriage is signed, sealed and delivered! Everyone was cheering them on. 

And out they step into their new married lives--Baxter is smiling too!

Can you tell that I am a dog person and was smitten with this cutie pie of a dog in his tux? 

Congratulations, Sarah and Clayton! It was a wonderful wedding and I am so glad you decided to go forward with this celebration with your family and friends. I wish you the very best always!

Sabine and Bobby's Joyful and Colorful Wedding at Brier Creek Country Club!

Sabine and Bobby chose the lovely Brier Creek Country Club for their wedding. I've been doing weddings there since it was built and the Jasmine Courtyard is always so pretty.

Catering manager Doranda Fitzhugh and her assistant event coordinator Shannon Donovan were busy putting out name cards for the reception when Dave and I arrived for the wedding.

The ballroom is all set up for the reception. 

The head table is ready. Fallon's Flowers did the floral arrangement. 

This cake was provided by Cakes by Marie and it is surrounded by these pretty flowers. The wedding colors are pink, yellow and orange.

Back down in the courtyard, I put the unity candle set up together while our DJ, Mitch Woodard with Bunn DJ Company, looked on. I brought my table and the glass container into which I placed their unity candle so it would be protected from the wind. And their wedding day of April 28th 2018 turned out to be a windy day.

The pretty floral arrangements flank the Unity Candle table. 

Mitch was ready for me to do a sound check after I plugged my microphone into his body pack. The sound was perfect!

There were 200 guests and just about everyone had arrived by start time. 

Richard Barlow is our photographer. His second shooter is Mandy! Love working weddings with Richard! He is really good.

When it was time, Doranda directed me and Bobby to enter and take our places. 

Bobby's parents, Shiva and Borhan, enter next.

Then Sabine's mother, Sirine, is escorted in by her nephew, Mark. 

Then their siblings enter: our best man, Sina, and our maid of honor, Sarah. 

I invited the guests to stand for our bride! 

Sabine's father, Elias, proudly escorts his beautiful daughter down the aisle. 

And now we are ready to get this couple married. A warm welcome to everyone present was first. 

Then I stepped out to surprise their parents with a tribute from their children. Always so sweet. Then I told everyone how our couple had met and some of their adventures together and concluded with words by Kahlil Gibran.

Then it was time for the vows, some of which were comical and we had some good laughs. 

The more serious promises follows.

Bobby placed the ring on Sabine's finger. 

Sabine puts the ring on Bobby's finger.

We stepped back to the table where there was a miraculous lull in the breeze which allowed us to easily light their candles from my candlelighter then together light the Unity Candle.

Successfully lit! And it was still burning after the ceremony ended. Amazing! 

I pronounced them married and invited them to kiss. 

I quickly stepped out of the way for the picture of the kiss! 

What a joyful moment!

I introduced them to their guests, Mitch started the recessional music, and out they went! 

After the wedding party and family exited, I instructed the guests to turn and face the portico and fill in the aisle because Richard was going to fly a drone over and get an aerial shot of the whole group.

Doranda and Shannon watch while Richard gets the drone cranked up. 

Right before take-off! 

It flies over the portico to the crowd.

At just the right moment, Richard told the couple to kiss. Perfect! 

Sabine and Bobby! What a wonderful wedding! Everyone loved it and so did I. Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful live together!