Brooke and Chase's Wonderful Wedding at Solas!

Brooke and Chase chose Solas in Glenwood South downtown Raleigh for their wedding venue. The wedding date was September 22nd 2018. They live in Greenville NC but Brooke's parents live in Raleigh. Brooke's mother was helping her line up her officiant and contacted me. We did all the planning by email and text without meeting in person until the rehearsal.

And so the day finally arrived and all is set. 

Fresh Affairs erected this beautiful backdrop of drapes and flowers for the altar area. 

Looking down at the side walk in front of Solas. Little did we know at that point that there was going to be a block party going on during the ceremony with lots of very loud music.

Jenni, our DJ with Stylus, wisely pumped up the volume of my microphone so everyone could hear my words over the music playing on the streets below. Thanks, Jenni! Brad with Big Dog Little Bed was our videographer and Tracy Timmester was our professional photographer. Dionne with Carolina Fete was the planner and director and had her team taking care of everything. A great team of vendors!

On the second floor the space is ready for the reception. 

Love Cake furnished this beautiful cake. Just putting the flowers on for the finishing touch.

The guests are ready for the ceremony to begin on the open air rooftop. 

We have all processed in and are awaiting the entrance of our bride. 

Brooke and her father, Michael, enter and head down the aisle. 

Love the carpet runner. The only kind of runner that really works! 

Michael transferred Brooke's hand into Chase's hand and the guests were seated. We began with a welcome to all, a prayer and remembrance of loved ones not with us.

Then I stepped out to address the parents of the couple and thank them on behalf of Brooke and Chase for all their love and support.

The really fun part was getting to tell the story of how Brooke and Chase fell in love and their journey to their wedding day.

They enjoy hearing for the first time what their partner told me in confidence that he or she loves about them, why they want to marry and what they are looking forward to.

Tracy gets a shot of me wiping Chase's forehead. It was hot that day and he was sweating a bit! 

Then we continued with the vows which they read to each other from my book then placed the rings. 

Chase goes first. 

Our pretty bridesmaids all in a row!

The significance of the rings. 

Brooke places the ring on Chase's finger.

They had written love letters to each other the night before the wedding which they placed in the Anniversary Box during the ceremony where they will open and share them on their first anniversary.

A closing blessing came next.

The pronouncement of marriage!

Aaah! The sweet kiss! 

Chase and Brooke! Congratulations! I loved your wedding (except for the loud music in the street) and I appreciate your working with me to create the perfect ceremony for you. I wish you all the best forever! And thanks for this wonderful review: Reverend Kayelily Middleton is an expert at what she does. She comes very highly recommended by several vendors, and stellar reviews. We didn't meet Ms. Middleton in person until the day of the rehearsal. We communicated via email and phone prior to that. She sends you a detailed questionnaire that you and your fiancé fill out together about your story and then has you write secret paragraphs about each other. She melds these together to tell a beautiful love story on your wedding day. Somehow without even meeting us she made it seem like she had known us forever! She customizes the ceremony exactly to your liking. All of my guests ranted and raved about how beautiful the ceremony was. Thank you so much for everything Reverend!!

Fabulous Wedding for Jonell and Scott on the Rooftop of Solas!

Jonell and Scott contacted me last May about officiating their wedding.  They wanted a wedding but did not want to get caught up in the "swirl" of it all and decided to do things a bit differently and definitely "out of the box." They chose a non-traditional setting where they could really celebrate with their closest friends and family who were coming in from all across the country for the big day. So, on Sunday September 5, 2010 of Labor Day weekend on the Rooftop of Solas, a restaurant, lounge and bar in downtown Raleigh in the area known as Glenwood South they got married. Together the three of us created a very unique and fun ceremony for them that also incorporated their strong faith. 

This is the area set aside for the "altar" and a commanding view of the city of Raleigh looking north towards Peace Street. Here the sunshades are retracted. The area has sofas and chairs with lots of low tables and pretty plants. So comfortable.

Jonell was getting ready in the lounge of the second floor where the guests would come for dinner after the ceremony. They were invited for cocktails on the rooftop an hour before the ceremony began.

Scott and I were waiting in the first floor bar for Amanda with Solas to come get us when it was time to begin. Scott was a bit nervous which is natural. I would worry a bit if the groom was not nervous! I told him I would calm him down once the ceremony started and he would be fine. And he was, no sweat!

Here we go down the "aisle" as it was! 

Jonell's friends from Minnesota provided the music for the ceremony. 

After Scott and I came in, Scott's mother was escorted in by his brother. Then Daniel, our best man, escorted Jonell's mother in, then stepped over to join us. Then it was time for Margaret, Maid of Honor, to process in. 

And now, here comes the bride with her father, Roger. She is so beautiful. Also her dress was amazing. It had diagonal swirls of wispy fabric that flowed and floated so easily around her. 

I could see out of the corner of my eye that Daniel had his hands in his pockets. When we have rehearsals, I tell the guys that is forbidden! But, since we did not have a rehearsal, he simply did not know and did what all men do when they don't know what to do with their hands--put them in their pockets. Women should be so lucky to have pockets! And, since I had on a microphone, I did not want to say anything to embarrass him!  It's okay, Daniel! Jonell and Scott probably never noticed. They were completely focused on each other and that is how it should be! 

This is how it looked. Note that the sunshades had been drawn for shading from the sun. The weather was just perfect for this wedding. A really nice spot for a wedding! 

Telling the story of how they met was so much fun. They actually met on Match.com. Jonell had a lot of trepidation about this impersonal system of meeting someone without being able to sense their energy but her friends pushed her into it. They both were transplants to the area and wanted to meet some friends. Scott was prepared with a plausible exit plan on their first date in case it didn't work out. But it really, really did work out! They are so compatible and have truly found their soulmate in each other! I was so thrilled to marry them. 

 

Celebrating their marriage with a kiss! 

Here they are folks, the newlyweds!

Jonell and Scott, what a great wedding you planned--your way!! Everything worked very well, just as I knew it would. Have a wonderful marriage and many exciting adventures along the way!