Kimberly and Michael's Wedding--A Dream Come True!

Kimberly and Michael have one of the sweetest love stories I have ever heard. They have known each other all their lives and grew up together.  Kimberly was born when Michael was two years old and he and his family visited them two days after her birth. Their families were so close all the kids thought they were related. Kimberly fell in love with Michael when she was a little girl but being the little sister of his childhood friend, Michael paid her no mind. She still felt the same many years later but Michael was too shy to respond to her asking him out. So, she finally gave up her dream and decided to go on with her life without him. Turns out their lives both followed similar paths and they had the same experiences in love and life. Many years later Michael took the initiative of contacting Kimberly on Facebook to apologize for his shyness and assure her that his rejection had nothing to do with her personally. He had to try really hard to get her to respond but finally at her sister's urging, Kimberly finally responded to Michael's requests. The sparks that had been buried so many years ago began to fly, starting with a 14 hour phone call! It was not long before they became a couple. Kimberly's childhood dream finally came true when they married on August 18, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Crabtree.

Embassy Suites in Crabtree has an open atrium with waterfall and area for the wedding. The bride descends the stairs on the left to enter.

Upstairs on the mezzanine level, the reception area has been set up but the centerpieces had not yet arrived when this photo was taken.

Quite an unusual wedding cake, wouldn't you agree? It was made to the couple's specifications to resemble a castle with moat and bridge. Veronica of Southern Gold Leaf Cakes created it for Kim and Michael.

Set up for the Unity Candle. If you look closely, the central container has a Celtic Trinity Knot engraved on it.

The processional began with the parents of the couple entering then the groom, groomsmen with me from the lower level while our DJ, Joey Browning with Joey's DJ Service, played "Sunrise, Sunset."  The bridesmaids followed to the tune of "I just want You" by Ozzy. The bride was escorted down the steps by her brother, Ben, to "Ours" by Taylor Swift. At the foot of the steps, Michael met her and together they walked down the aisle to be married. The pretty flowers were done by Gingerbread House.

And so we began with a warm welcome, prayer, remembrance of those who could not be with us, and a tribute to their parents.

Then I asked the guests to stand for a community blessing: "Do you promise, from this day forward, to encourage and love this dear couple, to give them your guidance, and to support them in their new life together?" Martin Kropf, photographing for BlueBox Weddings, was front and center getting the good shots!

Then it was time for the handfasting ceremony as the couple joined their hands together forming the symbol of infinity.

I looped seven different cords around their hands.  

 With each loop of the cord they answered a question and the binding was made. 

 The exchange of rings.....

 The lighting of the Unity Candle.....

The pronouncement of marriage fulfilling the dream of a lifetime for Kimberly now that Michael is finally on board!!

 Yay!

 

 Chatting after the ceremony.

Kimberly and Michael it was so much fun and so gratifying to be a part of your wonderful wedding and your touching story! You know I wish you all the best forever!

Another great wedding! Kyle Adams with Embassy Suites and I work together often and enjoy being a team to make a couple's wedding the best possible experience for them. Thanks for all you do, Kyle, and I am looking forward to working with you at the Sheraton in Chapel Hill soon! 

Don and Eva Tie the Knot in Fuquay-Varina!

Don and Eva were visiting his mother in Fuquay-Varina and decided it was a good time to get married. So on Tuesday August 14th he called me about getting married on Saturday August 18th. Fortunately I had the morning open and so we got started on the ceremony. I sent him a proposed ceremony to review. They loved it and only wanted to change one little thing. No problem. I advised him how to get a marriage license and we were all set. On Saturday morning Marty and I arrived at Don's mother's gorgeous home built 15 years ago on an old tobacco plantation.

What lovely grounds and gardens. However, the weather was overcast and they decided to have the ceremony in the great room.

 What a happy groom! Don was ready to get married! 

 Eva glided down the steps in the front into the foyer. 

 Then through an arched doorway into the great room.

What a gorgeous room for a wedding. They had hung the white wedding bells and put down a runner secured nicely with tape!

Juanita, Don's mother, is holding the bouquet and enjoying the ceremony. 

Eva is from the Philippines and I believe Don told me they met in Canada. Her dress is stunning and she looked so pretty.  

 

One very happy bride! 

 

Don and Eva, have a wonderfully happy marriage! Congratulations to you both!

Brittany and Jerry's Wedding in the Rain!

Brittany contacted me by email in February about getting married in my wedding garden instead of at the courthouse. She was thinking April, May or June. We discussed some open dates on my calendar then I did not hear from her until July. She said that they were buying a house and things got delayed but they wanted to get married in my garden in July or August. We agreed on August 11, 2012 at 6:30 as I had a wedding earlier that afternoon at 5:00. So she and her fiance, Jerry, came to see me on July 7th to look at the garden and discuss the ceremony they wanted. Because they are expecting a baby boy in the near future, I suggested we also do an unborn baby blessing during the ceremony as well as a family unity sand ceremony with Jerry's two kids, Dacian and Julia, and include the baby as well. They loved the idea and Brittany got busy coming up with a very unique idea for the sand container.

The week of the wedding the weather forecast was for rainstorms on Saturday so Marty and Dave and I set up the chairs in the family room but miraculously it held off until about 6:15. Jerry and all the guests arrived and since it was only barely sprinkling, we all grabbed a chair and moved out to the garden. Then it started pouring so we moved the chairs back inside! I had about 7 or 8 umbrellas and the guests went to their cars and rounded up some more. In the meantime, Brittany and her sister Bethany arrived and were getting dressed when the rain ended. She requested to have the guests move back outside for the ceremony. I was okay with this but we did not want to move the sand ceremony back outside in case it rained suddenly. So, they ended up with an outdoor-indoor wedding!

 Back inside...That pretty woman in the pink dress is Jerry's mother, Maria finding her seat.  

 While waiting for the bride, the rain stopped... 

 Here comes the bride and we are back outside and the umbrellas down! 

 All the guests were such good sports! 

 And we begin! 

The Unborn Baby Blessing.....

Making their vows to each other.....

 

Now the rings are in place so let's go back inside and do the sand ceremony and pronouncement of marriage!

Brittany came up with the clever idea of pouring the layers of sand representing each of them and sand from Wisconsin where she grew up and sand from Mexico where Jerry grew up into a shadow box frame in which she had glued a photograph of the two of them and Jerry's kids.

I provided these glasses made in Mexico for the sand vases. 

 

 Dacian and Julia pour in their sand. 

Then sand for the baby and for Jerry and Brittany to top it off. All went very well until the sand got in between the photograph and the glass.

 Finally, married at last! 

I want to thank Ryan, Bethany's husband, the young man on the left next to Bethany holding their daughter, for brilliantly running the "umbrella brigade" and kept us all as dry as possible. Those are his parents on the right who are like family to Bethany and Brittany since their parents have passed away. We were glad to have them with us for the wedding. They were really good sports about the moving back and forth too. In fact, no one complained at all!

Here is the whole gang except for one little boy. This is the largest number of guests I have ever had in the garden. These children were so well-behaved it was impressive!

Brittany and Jerry, congratulations and best wishes forever! So glad it worked out despite the inclement weather. You were both champs and I know you are sooo happy!

2016: A Footnote!

Brittany and Jerry have joined Unity of the Triangle which is the church I am a member of. Brittany also sings in the choir with me. It is so nice to be able to see them on a regular basis!