Raleigh Wedding Blog

Friday, October 11, 2013

Tonya and John Tie the Knot at RDU Observation Park!

John and Tonya have the sweetest love story. They met many years ago when she was 16 and he was 22. There was instant attraction but they did not connect and went their separate ways. They both raised families and lived their lives. When circumstances changed and Tonya found herself single again, remembering John and that spark that was there so many years ago, curiosity got the best of her, and she found him on line and sent him a note asking if he remembered her. Well...of course he did and it just so happened that he was single again too. Although he was living in Olympia WA, it did not take long for him to arrange a trip to Raleigh. Upon meeting again, they found that mutual attraction was still there after all the years. Some things are just meant to be, you know! Over the next 3 years they met each other's children and the bond was so strong that they decided not to waste another minute and get married! So, Tonya called me on September 24th and we got started on preparing the ceremony for the wedding on October 5, 2013. Tonya is passionate about aviation and John has become passionate too and is taking private pilot lessons, so the obvious place was at RDU Observation Park which, until then, I never knew existed although I have driven by it so many times!

Observation Park!

Tonya and John collaborated on how to get the video feature of the camera to work.

That is Ellie, Tonya's daughter on the left, and Bryce, her son, on the right. In the pink is Ellen, one of the witnesses. John's daughter, Larissa, was unable to be with us for the wedding. Up on the observation deck with us were about 20 other people watching the planes. They kindly moved aside so we could perform the ceremony and I thank them!

Obviously it was a short ceremony what with all the planes landing and taking off but we managed to get in a very abbreviated story and their feelings about each other. Here they are just about to exchange the rings.

A very happy new family!

Taking care of the legal details of signing the marriage license--their friends Ellen and Sam.

Such a sweet wedding filled with tender emotions and joy! John, Tonya, Ellie, Bryce and Larissa, may the miracle of this marriage extend throughout your families and bring happiness, contentment and love to each of you and all the lives you touch!

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To contact me:

mailto:kayelily@aweddingminister.com

919-345-4608

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A Lovely Garden Wedding for Roberta and Christian at the Raulston Arboretum White Garden!

A week ago Jennifer Kidd and I attended Roberta and Christian's wedding at the White Garden of the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh--the first of 5 weddings that weekend for me. The date was October 4, 2013. Jennifer was their photographer and I officiated. Here we are clowning around. We discovered last year that we are both Georgia gals.

When it was time to begin, the guests took their seats and the bride and groom with his two adorable little girls, Mary and Allison, processed in together.

The girls are ages 6 and 4 and really did not grasp the idea of processing in and would prefer to just go pour the sand right away!

Part of the ceremony was the children's blessing. Roberta said some very sweet words to both of her step-daughters to be and they sat quietly and seemed to be taking her words in.

Then she presented them each with a necklace and put them on them. That got their attention too! That is Christian's father, Bob, grinning at his granddaughters.

Since it was an intimate group of mainly relatives and a few close friends, we decided not to tell their story because everyone knew it, but we did include in the ceremony what they love about each other and what they are looking forward to in marriage.

I did not get a photo of the girls pouring their sand in but they did a great job! Roberta and Bob poured the remaining half of their sand on top of Mary and Allison's sand.

After the wedding, the newlyweds and their guests headed over to Bloomsbury Bistro for the reception. I know they had fun and ate well.

Roberta and Christian, I wish you many, many years of happiness!

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To contact me:

mailto:kayelily@aweddingminister.com

919-345-4608

My Website

Facebook

Or leave a comment below!

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Sunday, October 6, 2013

Beautiful Wedding for Jackie and Stephen at The Umstead Hotel and Spa!

Jackie and Stephen went to high school together and have known each other for more than one-half of their lives. But, it was not until they went off to college and hung out with their friends when they came home that they gradually began to sense there was a little bit more than just friendship between them! So, four years ago they began dating and not soon after they both knew this was the person they were going to marry. Stephen proposed during a trip to Costa Rica in August of 2012 and they began planning their wedding which took place on September 28, 2013 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa--a gorgeous and elegant setting where all guests are treated like royalty!

And, speaking of the great staff, here is George Zellers, our sound man, and Kelley Ann Ward, our catering manager and wedding director! We were hanging out waiting for the guests to arrive and the photographer, Cara with f8 Studios, to finish with the wedding party photos.

Inside was this unusually colored cake of teal and brown. It was really quite stunning. Sweet Memories Bakery baked this up for our couple.

The ballroom was ready to go with uplighting and the beautiful florals by Tre Bella Florist.

Meanwhile, the Arioso Strings quartet was tuning up and ready to begin as the guests began arriving.

Stephen's parents, Kay and Jim, process in first.

Mother of the bride, Chom, was escorted in by her nephew Gee Won.

Stephen then walked down the aisle followed by his groomsmen.

The bridesmaids followed and now we are waiting for the bride!

Jackie was escorted in by her Uncle Ben who came for the wedding from Korea. Unfortunately Jackie's father is not living.

Jackie's dress was simply stunning and was so perfect for her!

We began with a welcome to everyone and a prayer.

This is where we are blessing and thanking their parents for their love and support.

This is where I told their story. Love doing this and having the guests enjoy it and laugh a little bit! This moment that is captured in the photo is when I was telling about the little white rabbit in Costa Rica that "led" Jackie to the pond where Stephen proposed. I was commenting to Stephen how well he set that up! Ha ha!