McKayla and Omar's Beautiful Wedding!

McKayla and Omar's wedding was so pretty. All the flowers by Embellished Blooms and colors were gorgeous. Of course the setting in the courtyard of The Umstead Hotel and Spa is so elegant. The perfect place for a beautiful wedding. The date was August 30th, 2019 at 5:30 PM.

This sign greeted our guests along with bottles of cool water for a hot August day.

I post this photo to show you the shadow line. The courtyard is on the east side of the hotel and as the sun sets on the west side, the shadow grows so that by the time the ceremony starts, the ceremony area will be in the shade.

My sweet husband, Dave, was unable to come with me to take photos of this wedding so I brought along my daughter's sweetheart, Johnny Kusnic, who was happy to go with me and take pictures with my iPhone. He did a really good job too. Thanks, Johnny!

Triangle String Quartet was tuning up to play for the wedding. A superior set of musicians! 

This arbor is beautiful and the knock-out roses behind it are in full bloom. 

Close-ups of the florals.

Flowers on the chairs and rose petals flanked the aisle. 

The pretty fountain in the lake behind the courtyard is a stunning backdrop. 

As you can see the shadow line has made it up beyond the chairs on the front row. 

The professional photographers for this wedding were with Moving Mountains Studios. They did still and video. 

And now the guests are taking their seats and the ceremony area is completely in shade. 

Megan Gillikin with A Southern Soiree was our wedding director and cued me when to make my entrance.

I asked the guests to please put away their cameras and phones and truly be with our bride and groom in their hearts as they joined their lives in marriage.

Omar and our maid of honor and best man entered and joined me up front. 

Our sweet little flower girls! 

This is Mia, the little daughter of our bride and groom. She is so cute! 

Now the bride starts her walk down the aisle as Megan lifts her train to straighten it. (I officiated Megan's wedding to her hubby Jason back in 2015.) 

What a beautiful bride! Please notice that amazing bouquet which is all white orchids!

She handed her bouquet to the maid of honor who rearranged the train as the guests were being seated.

And so we began. The first segment was a welcome to all their friends and families. 

I stepped out to pay tribute to their parents and tell them how much McKayla and Omar appreciate their love and support.

Then I spoke to Mia telling her how important she was and how much her parents love her. 

Then some words on love and marriage.

I asked them each a series of questions to which they each replied "I do." 

The best man handed me the rings and McKayla and Omar joined left hands. 

Omar placed the ring on McKayla's finger as he said the words after me. 

Then McKayla did the same. 

A closing blessing followed but the pronouncement of marriage was next. 

I invited them to seal their vows with a kiss! 

Introducing the newlywed couple to their friends and families! 

Their guests stand as they walk out into their new life together! 

McKayla and Omar! What a gorgeous wedding! I am honored to be a part of your big day.  I wish you and Mia the best always!

The Wonderful Wedding of Jaime and Zac at The Umstead!

The beautiful courtyard/garden at The Umstead Hotel and Spa is ready for Jaime and Zac's wedding on 9/13/14.

The temperature is pleasant but it has been raining on and off all day. The earlier wedding  at The Carolina Inn was forced indoors. But, amazingly the weather slightly improved and held for Jaime and Zac to have their dream wedding!

The musicians from Triangle String Quartet are setting up while I apparently am either watching the sky or looking at all the onlookers from the balconies of the hotel rooms overlooking the garden. When I arrived for this wedding I was spotted and greeted in the lobby by Sarah and Jason, a couple I married at the Shady Wagon Farm a year ago. They were at The Umstead celebrating their first anniversary. It was great to see them again! And during the wedding ceremony, I could see them standing on the balcony watching the wedding! Fun!

Gina Anaab with A Southern Soiree is our very capable wedding director. Great job, Gina! 

Meanwhile my assistant, Marty, located the reception room. The flower arrangements were provided by the aunts of the bride. Beautiful! 

 Also in the reception room was Steve Stow with Joe Bunn DJ Company, getting ready for the reception. 

This beautiful cake is by Ashley Cakes. 

Back in the garden, our musicians are all set up and tuning up. Our photographers for this wedding are Emily and Gary with Big Star Photography.

 The processional has started. 

 Jaime's mother, Linda, was escorted in by Jackson, Jaime's son, and Olivia, Jaimie's niece.

 There were seven groomsmen and seven bridesmaids. 

 Watching the bridesmaids enter one by one. What are those groomsmen on the right laughing about?

 Serving as her mother's maid of honor, Jordan, makes her walk down the "runway!"

 Now for the bride. By this time there are many hotel guests watching from their balconies.

 Here comes our gorgeous bride and her proud father, Bruce! 

This is Jaime's second wedding. I officiated the first one too. So happy she called me! 

And so we begin the ceremony with a welcome to all, prayer, community blessing, then I got to tell their love story! 

 Their story was filled with sweetness and quite a bit of humor! 

 On a trip to the beach it hit them both at the same time that they were meant to be together!

 The proposal story was funny! 

  I love seeing smiling bridesmaids! 

Telling Jaime what Zac loves about her, why he wants to marry her and what he is looking forward to in marriage.

 Then telling Zac the same from Jaime.

 They read their vows to each other from my book where the words were printed facing them.  

They exchanged rings then it was time for the family unity sand ceremony. I invited Jackson and Jordan to the table to join us in pouring their sand.

The hole the sand had to go through was small and the funnel was slow to empty, so we just got to put token amounts of sand in with the rest to be added later.

 Who says guests don't read programs?

Jaime and Zac had an amazing wedding program. It was designed by her cousin, Carl Broaddus, who was a reader in the wedding. 

Jaime's cousin, Carl, did a fantastic job reading the Irish Blessing before the pronouncement of marriage. 

 The legal moment when they become husband and wife! 

 Jaime had on very high heels so Zac did not have to bend over too far when he kissed her!! 

 Applause and cheering from their guests when I announced them!

Aaah! Jaime and Zac, what a great wedding! I am so happy the rain held off and we could have your wedding outside as planned. Despite your height discrepancy (!), I know you are a great match and I wish you all the happiness in the world! Thank you for choosing me for your officiant again; it was my honor!

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revk@aweddingminister.com

919-345-4608

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Post Script from Jaime after viewing blog: 

We are back from our honeymoon. Paris was fabulous!!! Your blog post is great!! :)  Thank you so much for everything you did for us!! It was perfect, and the credit is all yours for the wonderful ceremony. Thank you again!