Reecha and Heath's Forever Wedding at Rose Hill!

Reecha and Heath's wedding was originally scheduled for September 15th 2018 but Hurricane Florence blew in and changed their plans. They postponed to December 8th. The weather was cold and snow and ice predicted for later in the evening but the wedding was on no matter what! 

They chose the beautiful Rose Hill Plantation in Nashville, NC for their venue. 

A view of the gazebo where weddings in good weather are held. 

Inside the ballroom, I check out the sand ceremony set up and make sure it is ready. 

The cake was ready! And beautiful. By Edible Art. 

Heath and Reecha have known each other since middle school and went to high school together. They never dated but had a little crush on each other but nothing came of it. They graduated, went their separate ways to live their lives and raise their families. These are their high school photos for the 1980s!

Everyone was getting dressed and hanging out in the lodge. The guys were downstairs playing pool and snacking while the women were upstairs getting ready.

The place was beautifully decked out for Christmas. Would you believe I've done a wedding in this room many years ago?

Meanwhile back in the ballroom, the guests are assembling for the ceremony. Reecha's heritage is Indian and there are many guests dressed up in the traditional garments of this culture.
(Our wedding director for this wedding was Jennifer with Vision Events. The photographer was Brandon with Southern Love Studios. Our DJ was Randy Bennett with BunnDJ Co. The videographer was Elijah with Morgan Scott Films and the florist was Specialties Florals and Events. Rose Hill does their own catering.

The wedding party and I processed in then it was time for Reecha and her father to enter!

Purple was their color. Everyone is standing for the bride. 

They make their way down the aisle and I asked her father Ravi who blesses and supports Reecha as she comes to join in marriage to Heath. He of course answered that he and her mother did and everyone was seated.

We began the ceremony with a warm welcome to all followed by a prayer and remembrance of loved ones no longer with us.

A special surprise tribute to their parents was next.

Then I turned to their children who were in the wedding party and told them how important they are in the marriage we celebrate today.

The story--fast forward more than 20 years from high school graduation. Heath, single again, began browsing around on Facebook and found Reecha's page. He looked around to see how her life had gone since high school. He loved looking at photos of her and her kids.  He sent her a Friend request and wished her a Happy Mother's Day for the next two years. She friended him back but it took her 2 years to start a conversation. They found themselves in similar situations and the Facetiming, texting,  messaging commenced. Four months later they met in person. It was instant attraction and the feeling of being home again. But, he lived in Florida and Reecha in Raleigh so they endured a 4½ year long-distance relationship. He proposed on her birthday in 2017 and the wedding planning began in earnest!

I asked them each to tell me in confidence what they love about each other and what they are looking forward to in marriage. During the ceremony I revealed to the other what their beloved has told me.

Time for their vows and the exchange of rings. 

Heath places the ring on Reecha's finger.

They each poured in their sand then each of their children came forward and poured in their container of sand creating one big happy family.

A closing blessing then I pronounced them married and invited them to share their first kiss as husband and wife.

Sealed with a kiss! 

Married at last! 

So happy for them! 

My friends Rubin and Pam were their guests. I had no idea that they had known them since high school! 

The sand sculpture in a glass brick with all their names on it. 

Our cute little flower girls who finally can dance and sing without being shushed as they were during the ceremony! So adorable!

Reecha and Heath! Congratulations! It was a long time coming and I am so thrilled to have joined you in matrimony! I wish you and your family all the best forever!

A Spectacular Wedding for James and Jhon at Rose Hill Plantation!

I knew that Jhon and James' wedding would be extraordinary when their Wedding Planner, Chad Biggs, called me to see if I was available for their wedding June 18th, 2016 at Rose Hill Plantation. I am so happy that I was because it was truly a delight to officiate their wedding. Chad, of course, had assembled an amazing team of vendors: Brandon with Southern Love Studios, Expressions of Love Florist, Island Sound DJ and his own staff.  

Pablo with Island Sound brought along Island Sound "tekkie" Shawn who can solve any problem that might arise.

A friend of the couple, Chris Shayne, set up his gorgeous harp inside the gazebo. 

My dear colleague and bilingual wedding minister, Rev. Ana Quintana Bird, arrived to get wired up to do the translation. On pondering how to solve the problem that many of Jhon's guests from Colombia, South America spoke only Spanish, I remembered from a cruise that I had been on that the tour guide wore a headset with a microphone and her voice was transmitted to those of us on the tour via battery-powered receivers we hung around our neck and plugged in ear buds. A system like that would allow me to speak the ceremony in English while Ana spoke the words in Spanish simultaneously from the script. Cool. Now to find the equipment. Our innovative and persistent director, Chad, set about scouring the universe for this equipment and found it could be rented. He got twenty sets which worked perfectly. Thank you, Chad. To have alternated the English and Spanish would have doubled the length of the ceremony.

View from the gazebo up the aisle decorated by beautiful flowers by Expressions of Love Florist. 

This is Nathan Hall where the reception was being set up. 

Pablo and Shawn had the DJ set up and uplighting done. This gorgeous table for the wedding party is luscious! 

The rest of the room is taking shape. Almost time to remove that step ladder! 

View from Nathan Hall to the Manor House where the guests are assembled on the back porch out of the sun.

Looks like everything is ready!

Chad meets Ana for the first time.

The guests have been seated and now time for the processional.

Such a pretty sight!

Our flower girl, Diana, makes her way down the aisle sprinkling a few flower petals.

Our best men stride right on down!

James and Jhon each came from a different side of the house and met in the middle and started down the aisle together! 

The guests are standing in their honor!

And so we began the ceremony. 

                                   Welcome to all who have come from very far and very near too. 

Then a sweet prayer followed by acknowledgement of the love of their families. 

We remember the loved ones who could not be with us. 

As I finished speaking a section, I would glance at Ana and when her mouth stopped moving, I would begin the next section so we would be together. So cool! 

Then I got to tell their story which was really about destiny and these two souls who are meant to be together. Jhon grew up in Colombia. James grew up in the US and was living in Atlanta. They met on a chat site on line in 2011.  James was on the site to meet people and Jhon was on the site to practice his English. Jhon saw James' photo and could not resist sending him a virtual wink. He was pleasantly surprised that James winked back at him. Chatting led to Skyping. This went on and off for 3 years and they gradually developed a good friendship not knowing where this relationship was going.

In 2014, Jhon had the opportunity to travel to the US and cleverly arranged to come to North Carolina to meet James just in time for his birthday. There were a few glitches in the plans along the way but IT HAPPENED! When they met, they just stood there in pure amazement just gazing at each other, then hugs, then the world stood still!

Two months later they were engaged, long before marriage equality came about in the US. But they both agreed that although many obstacles stood in their paths, they were going to push through them and get married!

After jumping through many legal hoops, Jhon was finally granted permission in 2015 to move to the US and they embarked on planning their amazing wedding. They definitely had a vision and hired Chad to bring it into reality which he did!

Then they got to hear what the other had told me in confidence about what they love about their partner, why they want to marry and what they are looking forward to in marriage.

Chad is keeping an eye and ear on the ceremony! 

They exchanged their vows and sealed them with their rings. 

After a closing prayer, I pronounced them spouses for life and invited them to kiss--and they did! 

It was my privilege and delight to present to the guests for the very first time as a married couple: James and Jhon! 

They round the corner to go to the front of the house while the guests were directed to the porch of Nathan Hall for cocktails.

James and Jhon, what can I say? This was one of the most amazing weddings I have had the privilege of officiating. You are two amazing people who love each other so much and that love simply radiates  all around you touching the lives of so many. Thank you for choosing me to officiate. I loved every minute of it!!