Great Wedding for Cassie and Michael at the Compass Rose Brewery!

On August 15th, Cassie contacted me and wrote: "My fiancé and I have been together for four years and have been happily committed to each other yet too busy to plan a wedding. We've had such an amazing year though that we agree there would be no better way to end such an amazing year than to get married! So we are forcing time to plan our day! Our wedding will be small and intimate, at most 75 guests....." They were looking for a venue that would work for them and originally targeted December 12th as their wedding date. But things changed and their wedding date got pushed out to January 16th, 2016 and they were so excited when they discovered Compass Rose Brewery in North Raleigh near the intersection of Gresham Lake Road and Capital. It fit them to a T! I met with them on October 6th and we began planning their ceremony.  

Having made a trial run the day before following a bridal show at Landmark Hall and Garden to find out where this brewery was, Dave and I arrived at the brewery on the wedding day to find the room with the beer tanks all set up for a wedding. It was spotless of course--as required by sanitation standards for a brewery. The space adjoined the bar and restaurant area but it was quiet and private. I am not certain but this wedding might have been the first for this venue.

Our musicians, Anthony and Mariah, were positioned over on the far side from this photo and were warming up.

In the public area the tables were set up for the wedding guests with pretty flowers by Sharon Coulter, co-owner of Compass Rose Brewery. She also served as their wedding director.

The guests were given bracelets to identify them as wedding guests for the food and drink.

The buffet for the wedding guests was catered by Cannon Catering in Wake Forest. 

A note from the bride and groom! 

A very unique guest book: a beer keg for them to sign in on! 

The cupcakes were by Sweet Traditions in Wake Forest. 

Michael and I are going over the logistics for the ceremony since I was not part of their rehearsal. 

And it was time to begin. After the parents were seated, Michael and I took our places up front. 

The bridesmaids snuck in the back door and got in line then processed out one by one. All of their attendants were their children.

Cassie was escorted in by her son, Jordan. 

The bride and groom turned and faced each other, holding hands, centered in front of me and we began! 

I welcomed everyone and thanked their parents for all their love and support. 

Then it was time to address their children, Alexis--Michael's daughter, and Cassie's daughter, Kaylee, and her two sons, Jordan and David.

For a community blessing, I asked the guests to stand and answer these questions: "Will all of you do everything in your power to preserve this marriage? Will you give them your love, your blessing, and your support?" Of course they answered "We will."  

After a brief but humorous wedding address, the couple read their vows to each other from my book.

Then they exchanged rings. 

Then they legally became husband and wife! 

I invited them to kiss for the first time as husband and wife! 

"Family and friends, it is my great pleasure to now present to you for the first time, Michael and Cassie Wheeler, husband and wife!! Go forth in love, joy and peace and drink beer!!"

They exited with their wedding to a private area out of sight of the guests so we could get the witnesses to sign the marriage license and take some photos together.

Michael and Cassie, what a fun wedding. It was truly YOU! I loved being a part of it and having the honor of joining you in marriage! I wish you all the best forever!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To contact me:

Email me

919-345-4608

My Website

Pinterest

Facebook

Or leave a comment below!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laura and Reid's Sweet Wedding Celebration at Caffe Luna!

Laura and Reid are an amazing couple. Their relationship grew very slowly as they both wanted to be sure of each other and their feelings. So they established a very strong relationship before they moved in together knowing that they would marry at some point in the future. Well, when Laura came home one day last December with the wonderful news that they were going to be blessed with the birth of their first child in July, the plans to marry speeded up and Reid proposed in January. They chose the wedding date of May 10, 2015 for their wedding at Caffe Luna. I met with them shortly thereafter and we began planning the ceremony.

The wedding day arrived and when Marty and I arrived, everything was ready. The wedding took place in the large front room and the guests spread out afterwards into this lovely dining area.

They had some photos of themselves scattered around and I particularly liked this one! 

Their cake and cupcakes were baked by Sweet Traditions and look yummy!

Eric with All Around Raleigh DJ was all set up in the back of the room. Love working with Eric! 

Laura's brother John was proud to escort her in! 

Laura and Reid love children and have lots of nieces and nephews who were in the processional. Unfortunately they moved so fast all the photos of them processing in were just a blur!

John's father, Bill, stood up for him. Laura chose not to have any attendants.

"Life is so much more fulfilling, meaningful, and beautiful when shared with family and friends.  Therefore, your presence adds meaning and sanctity to this blessed occasion and represents a precious gift to them. "

The welcome address was followed by a blessing for the couple then a tribute to their families.

Then we had a blessing for their baby girl, Grace, as they placed their hands on her: "Children are gifts entrusted to us.  Today, we ask that this new family be blessed with the gifts of patience, flexibility, humor, and understanding.  And we ask that their daughter Grace be blessed so that she may grow up healthy and strong with an open mind, a loving spirit, and a happy heart."

Laura's sister, Susannah, shared a poem "True Love" by an unknown author. 

And then I told their wonderful story. Reid was such a good sport as we had a few good laughs about his slowness in realizing that Laura was the woman for him.

Then they heard for the first time what they each told me in confidence that they love about each other. 

They read their vows to each other from my book.

Laura says her vows to Reid.

The symbolism of the rings.......

Reid repeats the words after me as he places the ring on Laura's finger.

Laura places the ring on Reid's finger.

The pronouncement of marriage! 

A little laugh of joy before the kiss! 

And here they are! The newlyweds!

Married at last!

Their photographer was Steve Exum with Exum Photography and he really liked the idea I told him about from another wedding--arrange all the guests in the shape of a heart and put the bride and groom in the middle then shoot from the elevated stairs at the end of the courtyard by the bus station. It took a while but we got it done!

As the bride and groom kissed, their guests cheered!

Among the guests were two couples that I married; in fact, they told Laura and Reid they had to get me to officiate for them. Thanks, guys!  On the left are Andrea and John whose wedding was 2007 before I started this blog. I also did a baby blessing for their daughter Rhyan and will be doing another one soon for their second daughter Madelyn. On the right are their friends April and Dave who married in November of 2011 at The State Club. Andrea was in their wedding. So good to see them all again! 

Laura and Reid, I loved your wedding! So filled with love and sweetness--and laughter. Congratulations and I hope you will let me know when Grace is born. She is a lucky child to have you for her parents! I wish you all the best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To contact me:

Email me

919-345-4608

My Website

Pinterest

Facebook

Or leave a comment below!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~