Christina and Chad marry August 1, 2009 at The Umstead in Cary

It was another beautiful day at The Umstead Hotel and Spa and so perfect for Christina and Chad’s very special wedding. They are such a great couple and it is obvious they are going to have a happy life together. Everyone was talking about what a perfect fit they are for each other and I heartily agree. They have been living their lives in separate states for quite a while and it is going to be so nice for them to be together at last. After the honeymoon they plan to reside in Iowa, where Chad is part of his family’s business.

Ami Wheeler, the Social Catering Manager for the hotel, made sure all was perfect for them in the beautiful wedding garden where the ceremony took place and the elegant Salon Room where the reception was held.

Christina and Chad provided these engraved fans for their guests during the ceremony. This very thoughtful idea provided some much-needed respite against the summer heat and humidity and the engraving on the fans was an elegant touch.

The reception was held in the Salon Room where everything was exquisitely presented and the food was delicious.

All the flowers for the wedding and reception were provided by Steven Taras of The Watered Garden, who is one of the florists the hotel uses for its own floral displays. He is quite an artist and his handiwork was beautifully displayed everywhere. I wish my photo did them the justice they deserve.

Over by the cake was a beautiful, intriguing goblet that looked like a woman carrying a bucket above her head. It is called a Nuernberg Wedding Cup and was a wedding gift to Christina and Chad from a friend who had traveled in Germany. According to the German story (said to be true), in 1450 there was a young goldsmith who shared a love with a wealthy man’s daughter. The father, most disapproving of this affection, had the young man thrown into prison. After seeing his daughter wither away from her grief, he told her that if the young man could make a chalice from which two people could drink at the same time without spilling a drop, he would free him and allow them to marry. He was certain, of course, that this was an impossibility.

But true love is a marvelous motivator and the young man rose to the challenge, cleverly creating two goblets in one. The larger goblet is the woman’s skirt and the bucket she carries is the smaller one. The bucket is ingeniously designed to swivel at her hands, which then allows the bride and groom to drink at the same time. The father had no choice but to allow the couple to marry. (Ingenious young man!) You can find the full story of this charming legend here.

How can we ever resist the look of love on the faces of the bride and groom as they dance their first dance as husband and wife.

Or the gleam in their eyes as they decide if they should be nice as they feed the cake... or not.

Speaking of the cake, this beautiful creation was provided by Donna Ford of Sweet Memories. I have seen many of her cakes before and they are always exquisite. Her cakes are works of art and she has provided cakes for national and international celebrities. Obviously her talents are renowned.

Their photographer for the event was Chris Perez of Azul Photography. Chris’ work is amazing! He has won many photographic awards in his career and the photos on his website and blog show abundantly why this is so. To say they are excellent photos is an understatement so I can’t wait to see his photos from Christina and Chad’s wedding!

The DJ for the reception was Kevin Majoros of Joe Bunn DJ Company. Kevin was a great DJ with an amazing playlist and all of us at our table were constantly talking about how good all the songs were. He also had two slim, cylindrical speakers that put out some high quality sound. Very impressive technology.

And lest I forget, the woman whose job is a necessity and who did such a great job on all the hair and make-up (which was no small feat in the heat and humidity) was Page Berse of About Face Make-up Artistry.

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The legend of the Wedding Cup states that love, faithfulness and good luck await the couple who drink from this cup... I see a wonderful marriage ahead for Christina and Chad.

Colette and Iain exchange vows at the J C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, August 1, 2009

When Colette (a political science major at UNC-Chapel Hill) went to Ireland 18 months ago to study at the University of Ulster, little did she know she would meet the love of her life, Iain, who was a music major studying there at the time. They became inseparable - or at least as much as possible with the Atlantic ocean between them and the occasional romantic trip through Europe! They have at last managed to become husband and wife - and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

The vibrant orange of the Bridesmaids’ dresses was matched by the vibrance of the hot summer sun and the beautiful bright flowers of the bouquets, which Colette and her Bridesmaids had made themselves. They were stunning!

The ceremony and reception were held in the lovely White Garden of the J C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh. The White Garden is a little gem tucked away in the back part of the arboretum and it was perfectly suited for the special celebration that Colette and Iain shared with their family and friends.

The ceremony took place at the gazebo...

And the Bridal Party entered through the romantic arbor opposite the gazebo.

Being the first day of August - and seemingly the hottest and most humid day of the year - the old-fashioned fans they provided their guests were a much welcome aid against the heat of the sun. This old-style fan is a tried-and-true mainstay and using one again for the first time in a long time it was easy to see why they have remained so popular - they are effective! And the “Colette and Iain” tag that was attached to each one added a genteel touch.

The music for the event was provided by violinist Emi (pronounced “Amy”) Hildebrandt of Elegant Violin Duets. Although she was solo that day, she normally performs with her husband, Udo, also a violinist. She is an excellent musician and she and her husband perform with the NC Symphony.

Although it was a hot day, it was such a special wedding celebration with folks from both sides of the Atlantic getting to know each other that I doubt many of them even noticed the heat. They had brought in tables of food and beverages and it was obvious they were going to have a grand time in this quiet little haven in Raleigh.

Their cute little flower girl was just adorable and very shy and I couldn’t resist including a photo of her here. (That’s mom’s skirt she is leaning into.)

So Colette and Iain, I would love to know where your lives and your wanderlust will take you from here! It is sure to be fun and exciting no matter what. May your lives provide all the gifts that Life can bring.

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Abby and Seth exchange vows July 31, 2009 at The Doubletree Guest Suites in Durham

It had to be one of the hottest days of the summer so far but it was also one of those beautiful days when even the air has a sparkle to it. Abby and Seth had decided to marry at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Durham beside the lovely little lake at the back of the hotel. There is an arbor on a dock on the water and that is often where weddings are held in good weather, which we had in spades. You can see in the photo below, taken by our DJ, Lenny Fritts, what a beautiful setting it is.

On hand to make sure all went well for them was Amy Acosta, Director of Catering for Doubletree Guest Suites. She always cares so much about her clients and I love working with her for that very reason.

To help the guests deal with the heat, Abby and Seth had the very practical idea of fans for the guests to use. The fans with the Abby and Seth tags were waiting at the entrance to be picked up as the guests entered for the wedding. Sitting in white baskets, they made a nice presentation with the bows picking up the bright pink accent color of the the printed tags and the color scheme.

The beautiful and elegant wedding cake was provided by Cake Dreams by Sally.

And the goodies for the reception, provided by the hotel, looked delicious!

The air-conditioned tent for the reception was an oasis in the heat and beautifully set up for the day with the white, black and bright pink color scheme. Everywhere there were splashes of the pink and black in the elegant table arrangements, the bouquets and boutonnieres and the simple, floating flowers of the arbor. All the flowers were pink or white gerbera daisies and they were beautiful! The pink daisy on Seth’s lapel was striking against his black jacket. Mary Rumph of Amazing Floral Events did all the florals.

And of course where would we have been without a good DJ? We had one of the best with us that day, Lenny Fritts of A Touch of Class DJs. He also thoughtfully took some photos during the wedding and one of the ones he sent me is included above. (Thanks, Lenny.)

The photographers for the day were the husband and wife team, Bob and Nancy Pendleton of Pendleton Photography. They were quite a tag team and I will be looking forward to seeing their photos when they are posted online. They are sure to be excellent.

Abby and Seth, you were both glowing with happiness all day! I so enjoyed being a part of your beautiful wedding. What a great life you are going to have together.

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