Sarah and Dustin married at Hudson Manor!

Dustin and Sarah have been together for seven years and created a special ceremony to celebrate their marriage on May 11th. Sarah is a gorgeous bride and her bridal gown was beautiful. In the ceremony we remembered Dustin's father who has passed on and then paid tribute to his mother and Sarah's parents. They asked me to read a favorite passage from The Velveteen Rabbit called "What is Real?" and a lovely poem by Kelly Spehn entitled "The Meaning." They read their personal vows from my book and then we closed with the Rose Ceremony and a prayer. Best of everything to you, Sarah and Dustin!

Hudson Manor is a wonderful location for a wedding. It is in Louisburg, about 40 miles north of Raleigh. Melissa and Glenn Cogliati, the owners, have done a lot of enhancement of the historic estate in the past few years. Melissa has added a reception hall and now has an second outdoor patio just outside the reception hall for weddings with a view of the lake where we were supposed to have Dustin and Sarah's wedding ceremony. Rain was threatening and it was chilly so we decided to have the wedding inside the reception hall where it was elegant, dry and comfortable for everyone.

I was delighted to see Marilyn Weinand there. She is one of my favorite harpists and I enjoyed doing another wedding with her.

It was good to see Rob Seelye again. He was the photographer for the wedding and I see him often at Hudson Manor. He is so easy going and takes a whole lot of pictures!

Lenny Fritts, Touch of Class DJs, is one of my favorite DJs and since we were inside, he plugged my wireless mike into his system and the sound was perfect.

Rainy Sunday Wedding moved inside.........

Larisa and Karl planned to have their small intimate wedding at a special spot on the campus at NCSU where they met but the pouring rain forced us to do their ceremony at their home. Nevertheless the wedding ceremony was no less meaningful and beautiful. Their wedding day, May 11, 2008, was exactly seven years to the day since their relationship began. Karl's mother and Larisa's parents were present as well as their beautiful and brilliant sisters, Casselle and Anna. Karl and Larisa included personal "speeches" to each other in their ceremony that celebrated their 7 years together. Karl smashed a glass in tribute to Larisa's Jewish heritage as we all shouted Mazeltov! Then Karl kissed his bride and I presented the newlywed couple to their families! Larisa and Karl, I wish you many happy multiples of 7 years together!

Elegant wedding at The Umstead Hotel and Spa!

Matt and Ruth were married May 10 at 6:00 in a beautiful and funny ceremony they created that fit them perfectly. After welcoming everyone and paying special tribute to their parents, James, Ruth's brother, read a very funny poem called "He Never Leaves the Toilet Seat Up" by an anonymous author. And, if that was not enough, Ruth's grandmother, Frances, regaled us with a reading entitled "Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog" by Taylor Mali. So, after two good laughs we got down to the serious part of the ceremony and got those two hitched! At Ruth and Matt's request, their photographer, Kevin Milz, then got everyone together for a group shot taken from the terrace above before the guests went on to the reception inside.

I am looking forward to seeing that picture, Kevin!








Joe Bunn, one of my favorite DJs, provided the ceremony music and got my mike all plugged into the Umstead system so that the sound was absolutely perfect and everyone could hear all the words of the wonderful ceremony Matt and Ruth put together. The staff at The Umstead is so wonderful, always attentive and super organized. I love doing weddings there. I can count on them flowing smoothly as every detail is taken care of. I was happy to see Ami Wheeler there this weekend. She is in training under Laura Grissom the Catering Director and then will be taking over all wedding events in June. (I married Ami and Dan several years ago when she worked for CateringWorks. Small world, isn't it?) Thanks for all your help Saturday, Ami, and I look forward to seeing you often!

"Under the spreading oak tree......"

Kennon and Franklin's wedding took place on Franklin's family's farm in Apex on Saturday May 10. In the front is a huge oak tree that formed a beautiful canopy over the wedding site. It felt like we were way out in the country! Kennon was "delivered" to the ceremony in a Bentley and was escorted down the aisle by her father. It was quite windy but the temperature was very pleasant and as Franklin said, the breeze kept the bugs away! Franklin and Kennon, you are a delightful couple and I hope to see you again some day for a renewal or vows or baby blessing ceremony--better yet, both!

Franklin's sister Shana made the couple the most beautiful hand-fasting cord I have ever seen. She wove together ribbons and cords of different colors, attached little fairy bells, and at the ends she had charms for peace, serenity, dreams and wishes. Shana will make one for you just the way you want it. Call her at (919) 559-6335. For the ceremony I wear the hand-fasting cord in, during the ceremony it is looped around their clasped hands and then removed and symbolically replaced by the rings. I then place the cord around the groom's jacket and he gets to wear it from that point on.

"Green" wedding at Magnolia Cottage!

Nichole and Donald planned a small wedding for their families and closest friends on May 10. The weather was ideal! The wedding took place out on the deck of Magnolia Cottage at Lake Johnson in Raleigh. There was a runner and someone had wisely thumb-tacked it in place! They had the sand ceremony in the wedding and had gotten a lovely engraved glass and silver container. Their theme was oranges and even the wedding cake had little oranges on it (I think they were kumquats that look like miniature oranges--clever!) The centerpieces were oranges and limes. For gifts for the guests, each family got a blue spruce seedling to take home. All the best to you, Nichole and Donald!