Krista, Drew and Carter Become a Family at The Arrowhead Inn in Durham, March 25, 2011

Krista is a teacher and Drew is a policeman. They are obviously a couple who care about their community. They care about each other so much that Krista moved she and her son, Carter, from Minnesota to start a life with Drew. They are in sync with each other in so many ways and their personalities were definitely shining through in charming ways on their wedding day.

They chose as their wedding location the wonderful Arrowhead Inn in Durham. With two cottages and the main house to choose from, they chose to stay in the quaint log cabin and stage the wedding entrances from there. The wedding itself was held in the beautiful white gazebo across the lawn from the cabin. It is a sparkling property and a delightful bed and breakfast and I can highly recommend it.

Here are some photos of the modernly rustic interior of the cabin;

 For her something old and new, Krista wore her Grandmother’s wedding ring and pinned her Grandmother’s beautiful brooch to the inside of her dress.

As the wedding began, I saw immediately how their perfectly honed senses of humor were going to come into play. Drew pushed a button on the iPod player and Adam Sandler’s voice started singing “I Want to Grow Old With You,” which was Krista’s cue to enter across the lawn, escorted by Carter. As she got closer to us I could see she and Drew were looking at each other, mouthing the words. It was the only time I have ever seen that song used as a Bridal Processional and it was absolutely perfect for them.

After the ceremony, as they stepped out of the gazebo together for the recessional, they stepped off on the same foot and started singing, “We’re off to see the wizard...” as their son and the Best Man’s daughter, Brittany, ran along beside them taking photos. It made my heart smile watching their happiness.

Eventually they all came back to the gazebo for some formal photos and enjoyed looking at the back of Brittany’s camera, checking out her handiwork, which led to more fun photo ideas from everyone. Note Drew’s retro shoes and the cool dude leaning against the post, not to mention that steamy kiss!

As a special wedding gift to Carter, Krista and Drew had given him a watch they had made with a photo of the three of them together and their wedding date at the bottom of the photo. It was a great gift and Carter was so proud of his new watch.

One thing you can’t see in the photo above, unfortunately; Krista had her manicurist paint, “I do” on her wedding ring ringer. Now that’s a way to help the groom not get confused which finger the ring goes on!

Here is Carter reading the engraving on the back of his watch. 

Krista and Drew, your beaming smiles, your adorable son acting so grown up, your happy friends, the beautiful location and especially your obvious love for each other completely made my day. Every time I watch The Wedding Singer from now on I will always think of you. May you continue to have a happy life together, taking care of each other and helping Carter grow to manhood.

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.

Susan and Mike Have a Romantic Wedding at Their Home, August 28, 2010

I hear a lot of romantic stories but sometimes one comes along that just has to be told. A case in point; the story of how Susan and Mike met .

Mike is a lawyer by trade and a poet and sailor at heart. He had planned to sail solo from Maryland to Nassau but while out at sea a mechanical failure required him to put into port for repairs. He sailed into Charleston for repairs, not knowing that while in Charleston he would meet the woman who would one day soon become his wife. Meeting Susan changed the direction of his sail and the direction of both of their lives.

Fast forward a bit and now Susan and Mike live in Raleigh and work together, sharing work and life duties while enjoying the love of both of their children. They even bought their home with their wedding in mind and what a perfect backdrop it was for the romantic and heartfelt ceremony they designed.

Piping the couple in and out of the ceremony was the incomparable bagpiper, Robert J. White. He and I have worked together for other weddings and I always enjoy his company. Because it is so important to him that his music be traditionally correct for the ceremony, I have learned a lot about Scottish traditions and his attention to detail always enhances the calibre of an event. Here’s a photo of him, taken after the ceremony, standing by the arbor where Susan and Mike were married.

The ceremony that Susan and Mike created was traditional, heartfelt and beautiful and included scripture readings from three of their children. Mike had written Susan a wonderful song as a wedding present and she and I both wanted him to sing it during the ceremony, but in the end he surprised her by recording it on a CD. He created an album cover for it and they made copies of it to give to the guests as thank-you gifts for being a part of their special day. I also received a CD and the song is so touching that I have added it to my iTunes playlist. Every time I hear it I will think of Susan and Mike and the glowing love coming out of their faces that day.

Another thing Mike did for Susan; he wrote a poem for her as a wedding gift. They printed it in the programs and it speaks so beautifully of the relationship they have together that I just have to include it here. So all you die-hard romantics and Hallmark card commercial softies, enjoy this sincere token of love from a groom to his bride.

“On Our Wedding Day”

He sailed for Nassau, a man alone,

But a Siren’s song he heard.

She called to him from Old Charles Town,

And his voyage was deterred.

Hull and heart did find repair,

Where the lovely Siren sang.

Enraptured by her beauty there,

He felt love’s old sweet pang.

Hold fast now, lads.

Let the rollers run.

Let the sea her treasures bear.

But of all the pearls beneath the waves,

There is none so fine or fair.

She takes her place now at his side,

On this, their wedding day.

The sea’s brightest jewel is a blushing bride,

And the captain is come home to stay.

                                                                _ Michael C. Hurley

Michael and Susan, may your sail through life be free of stormy seas and safe from the monsters of the deep. May you sail together into the sunset of your life, perfectly matched for the voyage ahead, the Captain and his Mate.

___

Update - 9/14/10 - Mike just sent me an email that he had included this blog post in his firm’s website on the “News” page, and when I went to check it out, I found he had included more information there about Susan and also a link to the “Lawyer’s Weekly” article about his 1000 mile, life-altering sailing trip from Annapolis, MD to Nassau, Bahamas. I also learned there that he is a highly respected author of poetry, so it is no wonder his wedding gifts to Susan were so amazing! (He had not mentioned before that he is a published author, humble man that he is.) For those who would like to learn more about this very special couple, here is a link to Mike’s website.

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!

Jenna and Chris celebrate family with their wedding at Parizade in Durham, October 11, 2009

Jenna and Chris are a fun couple and I was very much looking forward to being a part of their wedding. When we got together to create the framework for their ceremony and I was hearing all the things they had been working on, I couldn’t wait to see it all come together. It was all very beautiful, heartfelt and special, just as I had imagined. Jenna’s dad had even written the music to which he escorted her into the ceremony, appropriately entitled, Jenna’s Song.

Their adorable little Jr. Bridesmaid and Flower Girls were waiting to have their photo taken after the ceremony and I couldn’t resist taking this cute shot.

The ceremony was held in the courtyard of the Parizade restaurant in Durham. What an amazing place this is and it would lend itself perfectly to any kind of event. We all stood in front of the statued waterfall for the ceremony and what a magnificent backdrop it was!

Guests lingered in the courtyard while the photos were taken and the Bride and Groom were presented and had their first dance.

One of the Bridesmaid’s husbands had carved this magnificent monogrammed pumpkin to be the centerpiece of the head table. How very clever! The glow it put out in the dim light of the evening was just beautiful.

Jenna is an educator at the Museum of Life and Science so she knows a thing or two about how to entertain children. Since all the children guests were little girls, Jenna and Chris created this amazing kids’ table, complete with balloons, feather boas and fairy wings for each girl. The crayons came out almost as quickly as the wings went on. I even saw one of the waiters flirting with the girls when they got him to put on a white boa to match his uniform. It was just adorable.

Jenna and Chris wanted to celebrate their families - both those who were with them and those who were not - so we included those not able to be with us with a mention of their names and a moment of silence during the ceremony. It was very touching.

Jenna’s parents married in 1975 and Jenna and Chris used the cake topper they had used for their wedding so long ago.

Jenna also carried an exact duplicate of her mother’s daisy bouquet, made lovingly by the woman at a Lowe’s Grocery floral department. Jenna told me the woman had taken so much time to make it exactly right and I am sorry that I didn’t get her name to sing her praises here. I don’t think I ever remember a bride carrying a bouquet exactly like her mother’s before and it was such a sweet and touching homage to her mom.

She also wore her grandmother’s necklace as a bracelet. This necklace was always worn by her grandmother and her two sisters have also worn it at their weddings. That is fast becoming quite an heirloom.

To further show the heart of the event, check out Jenna’s wedding shoes.

The music for the event was provided by Jason Eder of Complete Music. What a great professional for someone so young. During the ceremony, my lapel mic went out and Jason had given a hand mic to a reader. She handed it to the end groomsman and one by one they all handed it up to me so I could be heard. How thoughtful of them all! Many guests came up to me afterwards to tell me how happy they were to have been able to have heard the ceremony so kudos to you all for saving the day.

I think the thing that touched me most about Jenna and Chris’ wedding, though, was their unique take on wedding favors for their guests. Many loved ones have been lost to major illnesses in both their families so instead of a favor, the guests were asked to choose a charity and drop their place cards in one of the boxes provided and a donation would be made in their name to that charity. I lost my dad a few years ago to cancer, so I chose that box, and I must say it was a very moving moment to add my card to the box.

Here is the explanation card they had displayed with the donation boxes.

And these are the boxes with the names of the charities and the family members in whose honor the donation will be made. Very touching.

They had wanted to have their dog, Dieter, with them, but it just wasn’t practical. He was there anyway, though, because someone had taken a photo of him wearing a bandana that said, “Congratulations, Mom and Dad.” (Unfortunately, my camera skills are lacking in being able to read his bandana, but it was really cute.)

It was a magical evening with lots of love flowing all around and many special elements coming together to make it moving on so many levels. It was an honor to be a part of it and I will happily add my congratulations to Dieter’s... WOOF!!

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