Carmen and Tim Marry at The Highgrove Estate in Fuquay-Varina

 Carmen and Tim are a quiet couple who really live life to the fullest, enjoying everything that comes their way. They have a great slant on the world and are sure to have a wonderful time together as husband and wife. They have a black cat they got on Halloween and named “Thirteen.” They took swing dance lessons to surprise everyone for their first dance at the reception. And Tim surprised Carmen by proposing to her at a Hurricanes hockey game, complete with the full proposal photographed on the jumbo tron and the team’s mascot, Stormy, standing beside him. The audience was cheering for her to say, “yes” and her parents were hidden in the stands, making a video of the whole thing. (I wrote a blog post about it and you can read it here.) Yes, I’d say this is a couple who intend to have a rich, full life.

During their ceremony, they wanted to honor Tim’s dad, who had passed, and they did a beautiful Candle of Remembrance for him, with a globe that had been engraved with his father’s name and a memorium. It was beautiful and very touching.

They also included a Unity Candle during the ceremony to indicate the combining of not only their lives, but also their families. Their Unity Candle was very unique in that it appeared to be stones of rock that were actually stones of wax, layered in a black and white pattern. Very pretty.

Because it was a hot summer day in July, the Groomsmen all wore lightweight tan suits - which surely must have been a Godsend to them in that heat - and the Bridesmaids wore these lovely purple, polka dot dresses. First time I’d ever seen polka dots used for Bridesmaid dresses but they were perfect for the day and the ladies will surely be able to wear them for many more special occasions to come. Great choice, Carmen!

The ceremony took place under the pergola in the back of the wonderful Highgrove Estate in Fuquay-Varina. All of us who do weddings in the area are in love with Highgrove and their staff. It’s a great location for weddings and other celebrations and the staff and food are always first rate. They have their own wedding planners there and for Carmen and Tim’s wedding, Angela Wright was at the helm. I always enjoy working with Angela and know she will make sure everything goes perfectly for the couple. (I also learned that Angela is expecting her first child in November of this year. How exciting! My hearty congratulations - motherhood is the best job in the world.)

Here are the front of Highgrove’s main house and the brick patio in the back. The pillars are the front entrance to the new ballroom.

This is the entrance to the new ballroom with its neat chandelier in the front and the equally charming post light that leads down the stairs to the pergola.

Inside the ballroom, where the reception was to be held, everything was in readiness for the celebration to come.

Unfortunately, I was not able to stay and see Carmen and Tim’s first dance but I am sure they must have wowed their guests with their swing dance routine.

As I was leaving, I noticed the sun shining on the gift table in the front dining room of the main house and couldn’t resist getting a photo of it. It struck me that it perfectly matched the feel of the happy, sunny wedding and the hopes and dreams of this special couple for their future.

Others on hand to help make this wedding day so special for Carmen and Tim;

DJ - Aaron Kinne of Anything Music
Photographer - Dustin Naderhoff of Halo Photography
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Carmen and Tim had a great idea for their wedding programs; they included a Celtic design entitled, “What Tree Did You Fall From?” and it showed the name of the tree for each birthday and the symbolism of that tree. I, of course, had to look up myself and all my family members to see if it was accurate and it was - uncannily so.

Carmen and Tim’s wedding date was symbolized by a fir tree and in reading the meaning of it, I found this;

“extraordinary taste and dignity, sophisticated, loves anything beautiful, cares for those close to them, rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious, many friends, very reliable”

Yes, I’d say that about covers it.

Carmen and Tim, I loved being a part of your wedding day and know you are going to have a fun and amazing life together.
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Jess and Nick Exchange Vows in the Artistic Artspace of Raleigh, March 12, 2011

Jessica is an interior designer and Nick is a hairdresser.  They met many years ago when Jess first sat down in Nick’s chair as his client. He was so good at his craft that pretty soon her family and many of her friends became his clients, too. Fast forward a couple of years and they finally went out on a date - and have been inseparable ever since. That was almost 8 years ago and along the way they moved here from Maryland and had a charming daughter, Dilan, who was our cute little flower girl.

Here’s a photo of Dilan sitting with her Granddad while we were waiting for the festivities to begin. Quite the charmer, I fell in love with her the first time I ever met her.

With two such artistically gifted people, you would expect them to choose an artistic backdrop for their wedding and sure enough, they chose Artspace in Raleigh. A gallery and working haven for artists in all kinds of media, it has a great urban feel to it. All of the proceeds they earn go directly toward furthering art education here in our area. It’s quite an organization and one that is dear to Jess’ heart.

The reception was held upstairs in one of the galleries, which is currently exhibiting art-on-cloth works by Andrea Donnelly. The artwork perfectly suited Jess and Nick’s style and was an extra asset for the evening.

The wedding took place in the front lobby of Artspace. We stood on the stair landing, with the Groom and Best Man entering from the ground level and the Maid of Honor, Flower Girl and Bride with her dad entering down the stairs. Candles ringed the whole area where we stood and it felt alive with all the candle glow.

After the ceremony, the guests went upstairs for refreshments while the family and Bridal Party joined the happy couple for some photos. I so enjoy watching everyone interacting with love and happiness. That’s always been one of my favorite parts of weddings.

Jessica’s dress was not the usual wedding dress style. Beige and reminiscent of the 1920s, it was simple, elegant and unique and it suited her perfectly.

Here’s Nick proudly showing off the beautiful pocket watch Jess gave him as a wedding present.

Their friend, Micah, performed the wedding music on guitar and vocals and did a great rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on ukulele. Later, I saw him setting up upstairs to be the DJ as well. Now that’s a great friend.

The photographers for the evening were Rebecca Schlieman and Brody. Both professional photographers, they were everywhere that night and their photos are sure to reflect the happy feelings on display from all directions. They are also friends of Jess and Nick and the photos are to be a gift. What an amazing wedding gift!

Update 4-12-11: Here are two beautiful photos Rebecca sent me from the wedding. I just love the looks on Jess and Nick’s faces.

Nick reading his vows
photo by Rebecca Schlieman

photo by Rebecca Schlieman

The caterer for the celebration was Rocky Top Catering and they put out an unbelievable spread. The smells coming from everything were so enticing. Here are some of their treats on display, creatively set up in the hallway between galleries.

Now, whenever you see this truck on the highway, you will know it is carrying some great food.

As I write, Jess and Nick are still on their honeymoon, touring London, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. What a romantic start to what is sure to be a very happy marriage.

April and Paul Marry in NC State Colors at All Saint’s Chapel in Raleigh, March 5, 2011

April and Paul met at a mutual friend’s birthday party over five years ago and finally started dating about three years ago. Their relationship is all about their love and partnership and everything about their ceremony reflected how much they love each other and their families. It was very touching.

Their beloved NC State plays a large part in their lives so it came as no surprise when they told me their wedding colors were to be the NCSU colors. They did a beautiful job of combining the red, white and black of the Wolfpack. It was everywhere throughout the ceremony and beautifully captured in the Bridesmaids’ dresses, shoes and jewelry, the Flower Girl’s dress and shoes, the bouquets, the suits and ties of the Groomsmen and Ring Bearer, and even the colors of the Sand Ceremony. It really was a perfect use of such radiant colors, made even more radiant that day by all the love that was so much in abundance from everyone.

All the florals and wedding decorations picked up the color theme and were created by the artistry of Gregg Kennedy of Brides and Bouquets. I have been seeing his work a lot at weddings and events lately and his creations have a classic elegance about them that is just lovely. Here are some more examples of his work for April and Paul.

The ceremony was held at the historic All Saint’s Chapel in Raleigh. Built in 1875 and recently moved to its new location, it is a charming little chapel with beautiful stained glass windows that reflect romantic, multi-colored light into the room. It is so reminiscent of an era gone by and I am very happy to see it is still alive today after having been restored to its former glory.

This is the interior of the chapel, lit by all the candles, chandeliers and aisle lanterns April and Paul used for decorations.

Our photographer for the day was April Sirit of Evoke Photography, very capably assisted by her second
shooter, Beth Jarvah, of  b. Jarvah imagery. I have worked with April before at weddings and her photos are just wonderful. Here is a link to her blog post about April and Paul’s engagement photos so you can see her skill as a photographer as well as learn a little more about April and Paul. Can’t wait to see the wedding photos from April and Beth - they are sure to be spectacular.

Our extremely talented musicians for the day were a trio from Arioso Strings, composed of David on cello and Emi and Mary on violins. They created an amazing sound in the little chapel and the musical selections were a perfect touch for the wedding, as always. They are consummate professionals and I always look forward to hearing them play. Mary wrote a blog post about April and Paul’s wedding and you can read it through this link. She has a really nice perspective from a musician’s point of view.

April and Paul, you have built such a happy life for yourselves and I know you are going to have many more happy years ahead of you.

Go Wolfpack!

Cheri and Kelley become Life Partners, February 13, 2010

When Cheri and Kelley contacted me to be a part of their commitment ceremony in their home, I was so pleased that I could be there for them on such a special day in their lives. The love between them had come shining through in their emails and it always warms my heart to be around people so deeply in love. That’s one of the best things about my work and it feeds my soul to see love manifest in so many ways for so many lives.

Cheri and Kelley have a deep and abiding spiritual faith and know for certain that God brought them together. They have been friends since childhood days in the same neighborhood and when Life brought itself full circle, they visited each other again after six years and that friendship bloomed into an amazing love that has transformed both their lives.

This ceremony and gathering of friends and family was all about love and being there for each other. The Unity Candle was engraved with a wonderful saying that speaks perfectly of their love and the box that held their rings said all the rest.

    

They had an altar set up, holding their personal vows, the rings and the Unity Candles. Set into one of the most interesting wooden bowls and pedestals I have ever seen, it made a beautiful presentation of the love it was there to represent and contain.


All around the altar were photos of beloved family members, which put a special glow into the room. An Aunt and Uncle even called during the ceremony so we included them by having them offer their blessings to the happy couple while they were still on the phone. 

As you might expect, with so much love in abundance, there were tears of happiness and moments of sweetest tenderness. Cheri had written a poem to Kelley but she was so overcome with emotion that her sister, Angie, had to read it for her - as Kelley wiped Cheri’s tears away. By the time they read the sincere and beautiful vows they had written to each other there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

After the ceremony was over and the photos were taken, Cheri and Kelley took a moment to snuggle with their dog, Barkley. He’s their baby and he seemed very happy to have his parents making everything official at last - and now get back to paying him some attention.

I learned after the ceremony that they had designed a logo for the 3 of them (Kelley, Cheri and Barkley) and had it tattooed on their ankles. Notice the Roman numeral 13 in the tatoo. Thirteen is very significant to them and it is why they chose to have their ceremony on February 13. While some consider 13 to be an unlucky number, in ancient times it was an auspicious omen of good things to come and a firm foundation under your feet. Seems most appropriate here.

Cheri and Kelley are quite a special couple and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of their love on that day. I now have two more very kind friends. Here is a photo of us all together.

Because it was important to Cheri and Kelley that God be present at their ceremony, I wrote the ceremony around a quote from The Song of Solomon; “This is my beloved, and this is my friend.” Here they are with their hands on that verse in their Bible. I love this photo. It captures who both of them truly are. My compliments to the photographer.

Ladies, you have touched my heart. The sweetness of your ceremony and the kindnesses you have shown me I will carry with me always. You are sure to have a blessed life together.
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