Raleigh Wedding Blog

Friday, March 18, 2016

A Destination Wedding for Glenda and Charlie!

Glenda and Charlie live in Arizona. Glenda's daughter and family live in North Carolina and Charlie's sons live in Virginia. So they decided that Raleigh would be a good place to have their wedding. They found me on line and thought my wedding garden would be perfect followed by a delicious celebration at Vivo Italian Ristorante near by. And so we made the arrangements, The wedding day was Sunday March 6, 2016 and the day dawned with wonderful weather. Even the azaleas decided to bloom early!

Glenda's daughter, Dawn, watches her son Daniel pose for a photo. Daniel was very curious about the wedding and had a lot of questions. A very inquisitive and smart little boy!

Dawn and her daughter, Natasha, pose for a picture. You might think it was Easter Sunday!

The garden is ready and we are waiting for guests to arrive.

When everyone had arrived, it was time to get started getting these two married! Dawn stood up for her mother and Charlie's son, Joe, stood up for his dad. Fallons Flowers provided the pretty boutonnieres and the bouquets. Kate Pope was our photographer. She has photographed many weddings in the garden.

We welcomed everyone and then began with a prayer based on First Corinthians. Then we recognized the couple's adult children and their grandchildren.

And now they make their promises of marriage to each other.

Charlie places the ring on Glenda's finger.

Glenda puts the ring on Charlie's finger now.

The pronouncement of marriage makes their marriage legal.

Charlie goes in for the kiss!

Glenda and Charlie, thanks for finding me and my garden and allowing me the honor of joining you in matrimony. I know your families are excited about your relocating "back East" soon! I wish you all the happiness in the world.

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To contact Kayelily:

Send an Email

919-345-4608

Kayelily's Website

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Or leave a comment below!

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Thursday, March 17, 2016

Stephanie and Joshua Happily Married in Kayelily's Garden!

Stephanie and Joshua came to see me to plan their wedding in April. Within just a few days we changed the wedding date to February 20, 2016 in my wedding garden. As I am sure you all know, the weather in February can be just about anything with little to no warning. But God was smiling on these two lovebirds and their blended family for their wedding day.

Riley, Joshua's daughter, and Austin, the sweet little son of one of our bridesmaids, were ready to get this show on the road!

Our DJ (son of our Maid of Honor) and Groomsman Glenn hanging out before the ceremony starts......

Meantime I am filling the vessels with the pretty colors of sand.

We are almost ready to begin! Notice the weather is really cooperating--no precipitation or freezing!

After the bridesmaids and flower girl and ring bearer got into place it is time for the bride! Stephanie is escorted in by her mother, Kathy, and her son, Matthew.

The transfer of hands is made and the guests are invited to take their seats.

So here is the whole wedding party: on the left is Morgan (Stephanie's daughter), Nicole (bridesmaid and mother of Austin), then Melanie (Maid of Honor), Austin and Riley, the couple and me, Patrick (Best Man) and Glenn (groomsman). There really was not enough room for Matthew to stand so I invited him to sit with his grandmother.

The view from the upper deck.

The ceremony included blessing the children and both Joshua and Stephanie having words for each other's children. Stephanie got down on Riley's level to make sure she understood.

Speaking to Stephanie's kids, Morgan and Matthew.

We also remembered Stephanie's father who passed away 3 years ago. A memorial candle was burning during the ceremony in his honor.

Exchanging their vows and rings......

Stephanie puts the ring on Joshua's finger.

For the family unity sand ceremony I poured in a layer of white sand representing God as the foundation for this family, invited Stephanie and Joshua to pour ½ of theirs in, then it was Riley's turn to pour in her sand.

Morgan poured hers in.

Matthew's turn.

Then Stephanie and Joshua poured the remainder of theirs in together.

Making the pronouncement of marriage.

I rang the bell as they shared their first kiss as wife and husband!

There is that sweet after-kiss moment!

Introduction of the newlywed couple!

This beautiful family is now official!

The customary pose of the couple with me!

Stephanie and Joshua, I am so happy that you found each other and found me to marry you! I think you are a wonderful match for each other and wish you all the happiness in the world!

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To contact me:

Email me

919-345-4608

My Website

Facebook

Or leave a comment below!

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Sunday, March 6, 2016

Sarah and Alex's Surprise Wedding at The Stockroom!

Sarah and Alex contacted me by email last September having been given my name by their wedding planner, Katie Dunn with Events by La Fete, about officiating their surprise wedding on February 19th, 2016 at The Stockroom downtown Raleigh. They live in Charlotte but they met in Raleigh and most of their family and friends live here. Their families knew they were getting married but it was a surprise wedding for their friends who thought they were coming to an engagement party, not a wedding!

The Stockroom was all decked out by their florist, Heather Miller with Eclectic Sage. Tables of candles and florals flanked the back of the chairs and floating candles lined the aisle.

Looking from the "altar" area back to the steps.

I don't know who did the nice chalk lettering but it is a wonderful way to announce a couple.

Heather and her team framed the window with a magnolia garland then hung clear glass lights. The yellow glow is from the uplighting. So creative.

On the upper level of the room is the cake table. The center coconut cake is very special cake for Sarah and Alex from the Peninsula Grill in Charleston. The two white cakes are by Edible Art.

The cute handprinted wine glasses for the bride and groom!

Randy Bennett with Joe Bunn DJ Company is ready to begin! Always a pleasure working with Randy. We have got hooking my mic not his wireless body pack down to a science!

Catching Katie off guard as she is running around making sure everything is ready to go.

Alex and Sarah greeted their guests as they arrived and it was fun to watch their friends' faces as they noticed Sarah was wearing a wedding dress and the dawning of the realization they were here for their wedding! After all the guests had arrived and were seated, the ceremony began with the entrance of Alex's mother, Peggy, escorted by Tyler, our best man.

Then the mother of the bride, Kathy, was escorted in by the father of the bride, Ralph, who circled back to bring in Sarah.

Alex, Tyler and I then entered down the aisle.

Jennifer, maid of honor, makes her walk down the aisle.

And now for Sarah and her dad.

And so the ceremony began--a surprise and warm welcome to all and an opening prayer.

A tribute to their parents was next and then the story of how they met and fell in love and the journey to this day.

The big reveal of what they each told me they loved about each other and what they are looking forward to in marriage--along with some good humor too!