Michelle and Chris Have a Glowing Wedding Day at Caffé Luna in Raleigh

Chris and Michelle met when they both attended the same college, as did Michelle’s older brother. Chris was Michelle’s brother’s roommate and Chris says the first time he ever saw Michelle he was watching through a window as she was yelling at her brother. Not the most auspicious of starts to a relationship, but he was soon to learn about Michelle’s many strengths and as they got to know each other better, eventually their friendship flowered into something deeper. This has turned into a very good match indeed.

Michelle and Chris wanted their ceremony to reflect their relationship with each other and I wrote it based on what they had told me about themselves. To them, love and marriage are about real partnership and commitment. Those themes ran throughout the ceremony and are sure to be a powerful foundation in their life to come.

The wedding day was extremely hot but luckily Michelle and Chris had chosen to have their ceremony indoors in the light, airy and air-conditioned interior of the Caffé Luna in Raleigh. They are such a lovely couple and this bright and cheery setting for their happy wedding was perfect for them.

The photographers for the event were the husband and wife team of Sarah and Josh Barnett of Carolina MediaStar. All of the photos used in this post are by them and you can see more of their skills on display on their website and blog. Thanks, Sarah and Josh, for allowing me to use your photos here.

There was a sweet resonance throughout the room during the wedding and Sarah and Josh have captured it beautifully in their photos. I love photos that catch the heart as well as the activities of the day and you can definitely see all the love on display in these photos.

Notice the way they are looking at each other in this photo.

This is one of my favorites. Proud grandparents always touch my heart.

After the ceremony, Michelle, Chris and the Bridal Party headed outside for some photos in the park across the street and in some of the urban environs nearby. Despite the heat, everyone was still glowing all day.

Back inside Caffé Luna, the guests were enjoying the hors d’oeuvres and the cool air and awaiting the bridal couple’s return from the photos.

This beautiful wedding cake was created by Once in a Blue Moon Bakery and Cafe in Cary.

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Other wedding professionals on hand to make Michelle and Chris’ wedding day so special;

DJ - Phil Crowson of  A+ DJ Services
Flowers - North Raleigh Florist
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Michelle and Chris, you are a great team and your partnership is sure to provide lots of fun, laughter and creative problem-solving. I can see you in my mind’s eye, forever holding hands and facing the world together. Your happy, glowing faces will be with me always.

Sherry and Mark Marry on Mark’s Birthday, January 9, 2011, at Caffé Luna

Because of timing, it worked out that Sherry and Mark were planning to marry on Mark’s birthday. They gathered with their family and friends at Caffé Luna in Raleigh, a wonderful wedding location, full of bright, cheery light. And perfect for this happy wedding celebration.

Their daughters were their bridal party and held the rings for them during the vows. As the girls entered, they lit candles for their parents to combine later in a Family Unity Candle ceremony. This is always a nice touch to include in a wedding and even more so when there are children of any age. Families are about love and it was certainly in evidence here.

The wedding took place in the front portion of the Caffé Luna and the tables were set up in the next room, waiting for the guests. Sherry and Mark had chosen lovely silver and cobalt accents for the table centerpieces. I loved the “Bluebirds of Happiness.”

The favors at each place setting were porcelain bird salt and pepper shakers - a very unexpected and useful gift with a sweet message on the box.

The DJ for the event was Eric Hodgden of All Around Raleigh DJ Company. He was very nice to work with, had a great song repertoire and a winning smile. He also did extra duty on some last minute maintenance work for Mark’s suit. I’ll be looking forward to working with him again.

Before the wedding began, Mark was getting nervous because the cake had not arrived. Little did he know that the cake was there, just hidden in the back to be brought out during the reception. The reason? Instead of a wedding cake, Sherry wanted to surprise him with a birthday cake, made by her friend.  I was so sorry I wasn’t able to stay and see his face when he saw it. Before I left, I was able to get a quick shot of it - not yet fully decorated - as it sat in the box waiting for its presenation. 

Sherry and Mark, as I watched your faces while you said your vows, your feelings for each other were glowing in your eyes and your smiles. I hope those smiles remain in your lives forever. Thank you for including me at your very sweet and happy wedding.

Tara and John celebrate their wedding on top of the world at Marbles Kids Museum, April 3, 2010

Tara and John were so much fun to get to know. They had some unusual ideas for their wedding and I loved being a part of something so out of the ordinary.

To begin with, John told me all the groomsmen were wearing Converse high tops for the wedding and that his in particular were to be embroidered with their wedding date. Love the idea.

And Tara’s father was going to play trumpet for the Bridal Party processional before escorting his daughter down the aisle. A terrific addition!

They planned their wedding to take place in the Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. By day this incredible place hosts hundreds of kids of all ages in the various play exhibits on its grounds and by night it transforms into a great, urban event location with a tremendous ambiance. Tara and John took full advantage of this in their decorations.

Here is where we stood for the ceremony.

This is the world globe on the floor of the museum, on which the tables and dance floor were located.

Here is the lobby area, set up for the festivities. A full bar is to the right, out of view.

And here are the clever decorations around the room, mixed in with the museum decor.

This is their festive cupcake tower, provided by Square Rabbit of Raleigh.

Right across the street was the Caffé Luna, which hosted the rehearsal dinner and catered the food for the wedding reception. They offer excellent Italian cuisine and are always a big hit with guests.

Others on hand to make the event a success;

Flowers - Fallon’s Flowers
DJ - Zack Martin, AKA DJ Allwayz
Photographer - Tara’s brother
Trumpet - Tara’s father
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It was a special wedding and promised to be a fun celebration into the wee hours of the morning. Here’s one of my favorite photos taken that night, of John and his Groomsmen (his dad and brothers) wearing their famous high tops.

Tara and John, may you have a wonderful life together doing things the way you like them best... unexpectedly.
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Kerry and Ken combine families with their vows on February 28, 2010

Marrying and combining families can be a difficult transition for some people, but for Kerry and Ken this has luckily never been a problem. The children, Hannah, Taylor and Ethan, became their own family almost spontaneously once they met. Since the most important thing for Kerry and Ken is to create a happy, loving home for themselves and their children, this was a wonderful development.

The children were the Bridal Party and they were every bit as excited as their parents to be a part of such a special celebration of family love. Hannah even read the final blessing of the ceremony. Here are two great photos, taken before the ceremony, that show them all beaming. Makes my heart smile.

Kerry and Ken decided to include a Family Unity candle ceremony where they and the children all joined in with the lighting. Representing that all of them were creating a family together, it was a sweet and touching moment, especially with everyone’s faces lit by the glow of the candles. 

The whole evening was a celebration of family, love and caring and I was so happy to have been asked to be a part. At the end of the ceremony, the first kiss as husband and wife was met with cheers from all those gathered for the wedding and the joyousness continued on into the night. 

The ceremony was held at the Caffé Luna in downtown Raleigh and the musical backdrop, so important for a wedding and reception, was provided by George Salmi of DJ George!. The terrific photos you see here were provided by Jennifer Bunn, a coworker of Ken’s, whose wedding gift to Kerry and Ken was the photos of the event. Thanks, Jennifer, for allowing me to use your great photos here.

This family has a great life ahead of them, with so many wonderful personalities making up the mix. I hope all their dreams come true!

Christine and Kenny marry September 13, 2009 at Caffé Luna in Raleigh

Christine and Kenny are such a nice couple! They are the kind of people you know would be great friends to you and to each other. And with both having a twinkle in their eyes, they are surely a lot of fun to be around. It was fun to watch them tease and joke with each other.

They added many clever and witty touches to their wedding day, including a great piece of bling that the Ring Bearer carried as he came down the aisle. What looks like a round crystal is actually the giant diamond on the top of the big ring he carried proudly as he entered.

Christine and Kenny are building a new family and they wanted the ceremony to include their beautiful daughters, Brittany and Brooke. They decided to use a Blending of the Sands ceremony to symbolically show this element in their lives. Each person chose their own color of sand...

and when poured together one at a time, they ended up with this wonderful wedding keepsake. They will always remember which color of sand is theirs and this special memento will always be at Christine and Kenny’s home as a reminder of how important they are to each other and to their family.

The ceremony was held at Caffé Luna in downtown Raleigh. I love doing weddings there because no matter the time of day, the light always has a bright and cheery feel in the three rooms of the Caffé. It always feels happy in there.

The wedding favors provided for the guests were a full table of candy delights - enough to make Willy Wonka jealous. Figuring prominently on the table was an invitation to take all you like and they had monogrammed boxes to put it in. The children’s eyes must have lit up like crazy when they saw it. And I must say, I was pretty partial to the gummy bears myself.

What a cute way to let you know which were Christine and Kenny’s favorites.

Purple was the accent color of the day and their wedding cake, provided by Ashley Cakes, picked it up in the simple ribbon that wrapped around each layer. Accented with purple flower petals and a clever “We Do” sign they had placed in front of it, the cake made a great presentation.

The DJ on hand for the music was Jill Phillips of All The Right Grooves. I always look forward to working with Jill and her partner, Bethany, because they are just so much fun and very professional. That day there was a special treat - Jill’s mom had decided to come with her to watch her in action. What a nice lady.

Deftly handling the photographs was Scott Zelenka, lead photographer for Crystal Eye Photography. I had never worked with him before so it was fun for this amateur photographer to watch him work. His photos should be terrific!

Christine and Kenny, it was an honor to be a part of such a sweet wedding and to watch you and your family interact with each other. I know you will have many wonderful years ahead and I add my congratulations to the chorus of your family and friends who wish you all the best.