Jesse and Richard Wed at Rollingview Community Center!

Richard and Jesse originally thought they would like to have their wedding in my wedding garden. But as they told their friends and family about their upcoming wedding on September 22nd, 2018, they decided they would like a  place where they could combine the ceremony and reception space. So the venue changed to Rollingview Community Center that is part of Falls Lake Recreation area.

When Dave and I arrived, the guests were there and the place was all decorated in the bright colors of red and orange. I wore my coral prayer stole to color-coordinate.

Jeff then Jody (not pictured) entered carrying the components of the Covenant of Salt ceremony. 

Jesse was escorted in by his parents, Lynn and Craig. 

Richard's sister, Sharon, escorted Richard into the ceremony space. 

Jesse and Richard wrote a masterpiece of a wedding ceremony. A lot of it was original material as opposed to using material I shared with them. I was so impressed--and so were their guests. It was so heart-felt and authentic.

We started with an invocation and welcome to all. 

Then Jeff shared a reading from "The Book of Love" by Magnetic Fields. 

Then we remembered those no longer with us followed by a tribute to their families.

Then I got to tell the story of how they met and fell in love. It was full of humor. 

What they love about each other heard for the first time! 

After a short ready by Jody, we moved on to the rings and vows.

The vows consisted of 6 deep questions for both of them to which they said "I do" to each question. 

At that point I pulled out my hankie and wiped away some tears of the grooms!

I explained the meaning of the Covenant of Salt to the guests.

Then the pouring of the salt together. A very meaningful adaptation of this ritual by Jesse. 

Following a closing blessing, I pronounced them husbands for life!

Hugs and kisses as the guests cheered and applauded! 

Presentation of the Newlywed Couple!

Jesse and Richard, Congratulations and thank you so much for your reviews: She was nothing but the best that the universe could give us for our ceremony! From the first meeting, until the ceremony ended, Kayelily delivered professionally and was very flexible to work with. Everyone in our wedding loved her, the reading, and delivery.

Beach Wedding for Eric And Amy at Falls Lake!

Last December, Amy and Eric came to see me about officiating their wedding on May 15, 2011 at Falls Lake. Turns out that I know Eric's father. In fact, he was the listing agent for our home we purchased in 1997. So, that made Eric and Amy's wedding even more special to me. They are a fun loving and spunky couple. They love going on crazy adventures and are so well matched. And, they are madly in love which is obvious to all who are around them. So, for their wedding they wanted casual, fun, no bells and whistles, and to be surrounded by their close friends and families. Rollingview Recreation Center on Falls Lake in Durham was just perfect for their beach wedding! Although rain had drenched North Carolina the day before, this Sunday afternoon was bright and sunny. A perfect day for a beach wedding!

When Marty and I arrived for the wedding, there were many guests there socializing. I spoke with Eric's dad, Pratt, and met his wife, Jan, and collected the marriage license from Amy and Eric. They had put a bunch of their photos from childhood to the present on the mantle over the fireplace in the lodge where the reception would be held.

Their friend, Ryan, a favorite chef of theirs, was busy in the kitchen getting dinner ready. The tables had been prepared out on the deck for a non-alcoholic cocktail hour following the ceremony. No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the Falls Lake State Park. Their photographer was a friend and they did their own flowers. This was truly a DIY wedding and it came off just as great as they planned.

The view of the lodge from the parking lot. I was here once before many years ago when some friends of mine got married. It was before I was a minister, so I was a guest!

This is the view of the lodge from the beach area. It is a great setting for a wedding and reception.

The BEACH! Really, did you know you can have a beach wedding in the Triangle? To the right you can see my sound system which is run on battery power. Eric hooked his MP3 with the wedding music in it into my system and his friend Bryan manned the MP3 for the processional and recessional music. It worked amazingly well!

Eric and I processed in. As an afterthought, I wish I had gone barefooted. It would have been easier to walk in the sand, and why not?

Amy was escorted in by her parents, Marv and Diane. They were so happy to bring their beaming daughter down the aisle!

At this point in the ceremony I am giving the parents' blessing as they all stand. Eric's parents are divorced and both remarried. His mother is Judy and her husband is Roy. Judy told me after the wedding that she just loved the ceremony the couple and I had created together.

 

 

 

Amy and Eric's story was really fun. Eric told me that when he met Amy his life changed because he never thought he would ever marry and have kids and was shocked to find himself wanting just that kind of life with Amy. The story also included their many travels and Eric's proposal which blew Amy away.  Then they exchanged vows and rings.

 

 

Everyone is cheering as Eric and Amy, now married, made their exit to begin their new married life. They were so happy and you could see them kissing each other frequently!

 

Eric and Amy, you are such a great couple and very well suited to each other! I love how you are so in love and may that exuberance and sense of adventure you both have be fulfilled your whole life!  I expect you to call me when you have babies, you hear!!