Deb and Matt's Wonderful, Heart-warming, Peacock Wedding New Year's Eve!

Marty and I arrived at Matt and Deb's home at around 7:30 PM on New Year's Eve and the celebration had already begun although the event being celebrated had not yet happened! Downstairs Matt was entertaining the guys--mostly standing around in the kitchen laughing and having fun.

This cute little cake was in the dining room. Deb's friend Pam made it. Upstairs all the girls were getting ready.  So, I went upstairs to meet Deb for the first time. The room and hallway were filled with a bevy of very excited little girls running around getting ready to be in the wedding--they were all flower girls. It was quite chaotic to say the least but very normal!  Deb's friend Michelle had outfitted all the little girls in glittery black dresses with sashes with peacock feathers in the back. (They were adorable and I regret that we did not get a photo of the back of their dresses.) Meanwhile Deb was putting the final touches on her matching black dress with a birdcage veil (also by Michelle) with, of course, a peacock feather in it.

So when everyone upstairs was ready, we gathered in the living room in front of the fireplace. As everyone took their places, I realized that all but one or two people were in the wedding party! Notice that the guys in the wedding party were all wearing peacock boutonnieres pinned to their shirts.

Here is a closer look at the little flower girls and their colorful peacock bouquets made by the bride. The blond beauty on the left is Mallory, Matt's daughter. The brunette beauty on the right is Grayson, Deb's daughter. (Not in this photo is Colin, Matt's son. He was standing with the guys on the other side.)

 I decided to turn the bride and groom and myself around for the ceremony so everyone could see. 

After the opening prayer, was the Children's Blessing followed by hugs. You can see that Matt bent over Deb to embrace them all and in the process, snagged his boutonniere in Deb's birdcage veil!

Deb's friend jumped in to assist with the unsnagging but Matt reached in and wrenched the feather from his boutonniere from the veil! And that solved that except Matt was left with only the pin and stalk of the feather on his shirt! Not a big deal!!

 So, we moved on with the ceremony! 

 They exchanged their vows......

 Then exchanged their rings......

The Family Unity Sand Ceremony was next as the three children and their parents gathered around the table to pour the jars of sand together.

 A closing blessing followed then the pronouncement of marriage!

 What a kiss! 

 We're really married!!!

 Congratulations to the happy couple! Pretty bouquet! 

I wanted a photo with all the kids too. So now you can see Colin. What a fabulous blended family!! It was so obvious that they all adore each other and fit together so well. Deb, Matt, Grayson, Colin and Mallory, congratulations, I wish you the best of everything!

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Karen and Frank Tie the Knot on New Year's Eve Morning at My House!

Karen contacted me on November 5th about officiating her wedding to Frank on New Year's Eve. She was not certain of the place but they finally  settled on the comfort of having it at their home and I reserved their date on my calendar. Then they went on vacation only to come home to find that a water pipe had broken requiring extensive renovation of their home which meant postponing the wedding. But, since she and Frank had been together 30 years, they wanted to marry in 2014 anyway and she told me they would probably go to the courthouse for the license and get married there.

Upon hearing this, I insisted that they get the license but instead come to my home in N. Raleigh with two witnesses and I would marry them in a much warmer setting with a much more meaningful ceremony. They jumped right on that and indeed, on New Year's Eve morning, Karen and Frank with his brother John and his wife Miriam who were in town visiting appeared at my house and we did it! So we gathered in my living room for the ceremony. 

Karen had found these adorable sexy high glittery wedges to go with her silvery fitted jeans and top which she certainly has the slim and lithe figure to wear. As a consequence though, although she is probably the same height as we are, she towered over me and John! I am glad Dave got a photo of these wonderful shoes! 

I took the ceremony that we had agreed on originally and cut it down to the bare basics. They plan to have another "wedding" with their friends later on in 2015 and then we will do the full-fledged ceremony.

 Talking about their rings.....

 Frank puts the ring on Karen's finger...... 

 Karen puts on Frank's ring...

 A few words of well wishes to conclude.....

 And now they are husband and wife!!

Kiss, kiss, kiss! One for each decade!

 Yes!! 

 Wow, 30 years is a long time to wait!

 John and Miriam were taking wedding photos too and we did the typical ring/hands pose!

Karen and Frank, congratulations! Your relationship stood the test of time BEFORE you married! I look forward to your "next" wedding with your friends later on. I am so happy this all worked out for you. Getting married is the icing on the cake!

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A Sweet Home Wedding for Bryony and John!

December 30th, 2014 was a cold blustery day so we were all happy that Bryony and John had chosen to have their wedding ceremony indoors in their lovely home. After greeting everyone, including Nicole Faby, who was there to photograph the wedding for the couple, and getting John's sister, Sydney, to sign the marriage license, I stepped into place before the fireplace. (The photos on this blog were taken with my point and shoot camera, not Nicole. BTW, Nicole is a fabulous wedding photographer I have done many weddings with and I officiated the wedding of her sister a couple of years ago in my garden. Here's a link to that post.)

Waffles, obviously sensing that I am a dog-lover, came forward to give me some kisses! Such a sweetie he is and because I used to have a dachshund, I have a really tender spot for him.

And so we are all gathered round for the ceremony and waiting for the bride. John's family is on the right.

 Bryony's dad, Tom, escorts her down the stairs and into the living room. Uh oh, tears starting already!

 But then the smiles came out immediately as they looked around at their loving families. 

 We started with a prayer then words of love and thanks for their parents and siblings. 

John and Bryony each sent me words about why they love each other and what they are looking forward to in marriage and they are hearing these words for the first time in the ceremony. And the tears started again! Bryony's cute dress had pockets in which she had some tissues which I exchanged for a hankie I was carrying just for that purpose. (I collect antique hankies to give to brides and grooms who need them during the ceremony.)

 They had also written vows they kept secret from each other and sent to me that they read to each other.

 Bryony's turn....

 John places the ring on Bryony's finger as he repeats words after me. 

 Bryony's turn.....

 A closing blessing then the pronouncement of marriage!

 You did good, John! We got great pictures of that sweet kiss!

 Our new wife and husband!

 Congratulations all around! Then Jenna signed the marriage license as the other witness. 

What's all the fuss about?

Bryony and John, you are a great couple and I love how well-matched you are. It was my honor to join you in matrimony! I wish you all the best forever, Waffles too!

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