Maureen and John Surprise Their Guests When a Housewarming Turns Into a Wedding, April 2, 2011

Everyone thought they were coming to celebrate Maureen and John’s lovely new home in Cary but little did they know what a momentous occasion this was going to turn out to be.

I had been contacted by John a couple of weeks before the appointed day and we put together all the necessary arrangements so I could arrive right before they made the announcement to their guests. But I guess Maureen and John just couldn’t contain themselves any longer and when I arrived someone opened the door and said, “And here’s the preacher!” so I knew they had already told the plans.

You can imagine the excitement level in the house as we waited for Maureen and John to get their children and grandchildren ready for the ceremony. None of them had known they were to be in a wedding so of course there were thousands of questions about what their part in the ceremony was to be... not to mention all the happy guests coming up to me to chat about what a great couple Maureen and John are and what a surprise this was and wasn’t it great. A woman with a beautiful voice even volunteered to sing for the wedding processional. It was all done on the fly and it touched my heart completely.

John calls Maureen “Betty Boop” and his grandkids call him “Hip” so we used those names in the ceremony, except for the vows. You could tell the guests loved this and the grandchildren giggled whenever they heard me say, “Hip.” Very cute.

John had somehow found a Betty Boop doll in a wedding dress and, as we were to stand in front of the fireplace for the wedding, we placed her on the mantle as a unique wedding decoration. It was a perfect addition!

For those of you too young to know about Betty Boop - or if you are just curious - here is a Wikipedia link with lots of good information. She was a cartoon creation of the 1930s whose fame was reignited in the 1950s when TV was in its infancy. All the old movie cartoons found their way onto early TV and that’s how I became familiar with her. This is the first time she’s ever been at a wedding I’ve done, though, and there were many of us at the ceremony old enough to remember Betty Boop fondly.

After the ceremony there were more rounds of hugs and kisses and much joviality. I got a couple of shots of the happy couple and this one always makes my heart smile. Notice the fingers behind their heads, courtesy of John’s son. Yep, families are families no matter what the occasion and kids will certainly be kids.

Maureen and John, you created a memorable ceremony. With your family standing with you and your friends encircling you, there was so much love all around you. What a happy start to what is sure to be a very special life to come. May you have many, many happy years together. 

And, as Betty Boop herself would say, “Boop boop ee doop!”

April and Harry Surprise Their Guests with a Wedding, December 18, 2010

April and Harry have a Christmas party at their home every year but this year there was going to be a difference; they were going to be married at the party and nobody was going to know until it started!

First, the guests started gathering for the party about 2 hours before the wedding was planned to begin. About an hour before the start time, April and Harry left to go get ready and hoped that nobody would miss them while they were gone. Then, once they had returned, their friend was to make an announcement about how important everyone there was to April and Harry and then tell them that they were actually there for a wedding! At that point, lights would come on in the back yard and we would enter from the side of the house where we had been hidden during the announcement. My goodness, you should have heard the cheer that went up when the guests learned they were to witness a wedding!

photo by Diana Matthews of Creative Moments Photography

It was a beautiful ceremony, all about their love for each other, their friends, and most especially their families. It couldn’t have gone off any better no matter what and the roar that went out from the guests when I pronounced Harry and April husband and wife was absolutely deafening. My eardrums were vibrating like I was standing in front of a giant speaker! Then the Confetti cannons went off and there was confetti coming from everywhere. It was WONDERFUL!!

photo by Diane Matthews of Creative Moments Photography

After the ceremony, everyone was hugging and kissing and laughing, having the time of their lives. April and Harry were beaming and so was everyone else. They really put one over on their guests and nobody will ever forget this amazing wedding. It was a special treat for everyone there and what a tremendous way for April and Harry to share their love with the people who mean the most to them.

Here are some photos...

With friends immediately after the ceremony.

With her Great Aunt.

Confetti was everywhere!

The little sailboat in their yard was festively strung with lights.

photo by Diana Matthews of Creative Moments Photography

Love this photo of them with Harry’s niece, who was also having the time of her life.

 April and Harry, thank you for allowing me to be a part of such a special time in your lives. That deafening cheer when you were pronounced husband and wife will stay with me forever; there was such love and happiness in it.

___

The professional photographers for the event were Diana Matthews and Monica Dechene of Creative Moments Photography. I can’t wait to see their photos when they are online and Diana has graciously provided some to add to this post. Thanks, Diana!

Dale Surprises Sharon with a 15th Anniversary Vow Renewal at The Umstead Hotel and Spa - June 18, 2010

Dale loves Sharon. There is no doubt. 

Dale contacted me about being a part of a surprise for his wife for their 15th wedding anniversary. Every year they like to go to The Umstead Hotel and Spa for some R and R at the spa and this year he wanted to do something different and unexpected as well. We set it up where after a day at the spa, when she thought they were heading to dinner, he would suggest a stroll by the lake where I would be waiting for them with their twin daughters and their very best friend. Nobody would know about it except for Dale, myself, their best friend, Kathleen, and Ami Wheeler, the Social Catering Manager at The Umstead Hotel. Ami put it all together for him and even set it up for some champagne to be delivered by the lake for a toast after the ceremony. (Nice touch, Ami.)

Everything went off as he had planned. He and Kathleen were even able to find the weddings rings Sharon and Dale had used when they were first married and we used them for the ceremony. (what a romantic guy!) 

Needless to say, Sharon was blown away and their twin daughters, who had just learned of the ceremony moments before I arrived to meet them at the hotel, were beaming with excitement. 

Most of the photos here were taken by Kathleen’s young son, Anthony. Looks like they’ve got a budding photographer in their midst!

The ceremony...

And after the ceremony, hugs all around.

And here is the handsome, happy family.

Thanks, Dale, for contacting me so I could be a part of such a special anniversary gift. I will always smile when I remember the sweet love you all have for each other.

___

Gillian and Louis surprise their mothers with a wedding at Second Empire Restaurant in Raleigh - May 15, 2010

The original plan had been to have an engagement party for friends and family and then to sail off to a romantic destination for a private wedding. But their moms, when hearing of this plan, were so disappointed that they weren’t going to be able to see them get married that Gillian and Louis just couldn’t do that to them. So they came up with a new and improved plan; they would turn the engagement party into a surprise wedding!

They had been working with Tracy Thorpe, the very capable and caring events manager of Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern in Raleigh (a wonderful restaurant with delicious food), who helped them put everything together. She even arranged for their wedding cake for them.

When they contacted me and told me of the plan, I was so happy to be a part. The party was to begin at 11 am in the beautiful downstairs atrium and I was to arrive at 11:30 and wait upstairs until the appointed time. They wrapped up their wedding rings to give as gifts to their moms at the party. Right after the moms opened the rings and were wondering what in the world they meant, Gillian and Louis were going to spring it on everyone that in fact they were there for a wedding. Tracy was to come tell me when it was time for me to go downstairs, but by the cheer that came up the stairs from the guests when they were told the news, I could tell it was time for me to go down to the appointed place. Gillian and Louis brought all the guests to where I was standing and the moms were the ring bearers. It was an incredible surprise and all the guests went into festive overdrive from that point on.

Of course, the witnesses for signing the license could be none other than their beaming moms.

I learned later that day that the wedding ring set Gillian was wearing had been Louis’ grandmother’s wedding set, which made the special family day even more special.

Thank you Gillian and Louis, for including me in such a remarkable surprise for your mothers. It was great to play a part in making them so happy and in your showing yet again what a special couple you are.

(that’s me smiling behind the glowing newlyweds)

___