Marta and Greg’s Romantic Love Story, Chapter 2 - A Fairy Tale Wedding at 1705 Prime in Raleigh, March 19, 2011

Marta and Greg met through eHarmony.com and the chemistry was there immediately. Had they been in a Disney movie, stars would have been coming out of their eyes on their very first date!

This is quite the romantic couple and Greg had always wanted to see Rome with the woman of his dreams so they planned a romantic get-away to the fabled city last October, to coincide with Marta’s birthday. What a great birthday present! But little did Marta know that Mr. Romantic had something else in mind as well - a proposal of marriage. When the time came for him to ask her... I’ll  tell this part of the story in Marta’s words; “Greg said he wanted to give me my birthday present and told me to close my eyes. When I opened them, he was holding a white gold engagement ring; he smiled in a way that was equal parts nervousness, relief, and confidence. “Marry me?” he asked. “Hell yes!” was my response. I kissed him and tried on the ring. It was several sizes too big and I ended up wearing it on a chain around my neck for the rest of the trip. He confessed shortly after that he had been planning the events for some time and had sneakily purchased the ring at Zales the day before we left.”

I can just imagine the two of them walking around Rome for days with their feet never even touching the ground.

For their wedding they naturally wanted to continue this romantic theme and used it in their vows that they wrote to each other, the decorations, the readings for the ceremony, the music, and most especially in the wedding cake. Created by Ashley Lattier of Ashley Cakes, it was a marvel of all things fairy tale.

Here are Ashley and her husband standing proudly beside the cake. And well they should be proud; it was one amazing cake!

The cake is designed to look like a cake is sitting on top of an open book of fairy tales, but that book is actually the bottom layer of the cake. Each successive layer tells of their romance and the elements they want to incorporate into their marriage. And the topper is a Cinderella slipper in red - Marta’s favorite color.

And here are the “sugar photos,” reproductions in sugar of photos from their relationship. The top one was taken by a local citizen on The Spanish Steps in Rome the day they became engaged. The ones on the other three sides (only 2 are shown here) were photos from their relationship through the years. 

They chose as the setting for their special wedding the very adaptable restaurant, 1705 Prime. Located in Raleigh, it sits off the main road and is a special little spot of tranquility in the city. Alison Purdee, the Catering Sales Manager, was in charge of making sure everything went off perfectly for Marta and Greg. With so many of us going all over the place, she did an impressive job of keeping us all on track and on time. Thanks, Alison!

Here is a photo of the lobby of 1705 Prime and one taken standing in the lobby looking up into the interesting chandelier-as-art hanging in the 2-story entryway.

Before the wedding began, I was lucky to get to watch Marta giving all the Bridesmaids their gifts of unique jewelry she had chosen to suit each one. They loved them! 

While this was going on, the photographer, Heather Swanner of Heather Swanner Photography, was taking some cool shots of the guys in the bar. Quite a handsome bunch.

Incidentally, Greg and Marta’s proposal story was so special that they won a free engagement photo session with Heather because of it.

The DJ on hand that day, creating the musical backdrop for this romantic wedding day, was Randy Bennett of Joe Bunn DJ Company. I love working with Randy... he knows how to do everything exactly right without being the center of attention. Great job as always, Randy. (Update 4/14/11 - Just learned that Randy has been chosen as the DJ of the Month with Joe Bunn DJ Company because of all the great feedback the company got from Randy’s happy clients. Congratulations, Randy!)

For their honeymoon, Greg and Marta went to Orlando to immerse themselves in Harry Potter World (they do have cats named Ginny and Weasley, after-all) and Disneyworld. What a fun time they are going to have. Greg’s niece gave them this little statue of Mickey and Minnie as a bride and groom and it was proudly displayed on the gift table.

The last reading in their ceremony was a fun rendition of “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” written by Dr. Seuss. It suits Greg and Marta’s approach to life perfectly so I’d like to end with a little excerpt from the poem;

Step with great care and great tact and remember
that Life is a great big balancing act.

Just never forget to be dextrous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed!

(98 and three quarters percent guaranteed.)

Kids you’ll move mountains!

So... get on your way!

Jane and Zac marry with elegance at Barclay Villa, March 20, 2010

Jane and Zac knew each other in high school and then went their separate ways after graduation. But while Jane was in college they ran into each other again on MySpace and the friendship renewed, culminating a few years later with their beautiful wedding celebration.

The event was planned as a black and ivory, 50’s-style wedding and the color scheme was picked up in everything from the attire of the Bride and Groom and their Bridal Party to the table decorations, guest gifts and wedding cake. It was very elegant.

Here is a table set up for dinner and you can see on it the black and ivory monogrammed cookies and the black and ivory handmade calendars standing by the goblet. I’ve never seen handmade calendars as gifts for the guests before but it was a lovely touch and very handy to tuck into a pocket or a purse. They are sure to be used by everyone who got one.

And here’s the elegant wedding cake, provided by Ashley of Ashley Cakes.

This wedding incorporated a lot of handmade elegance and everything was beautifully done. The Bridesmaids’ necklaces and Jane’s wonderful necklace and earrings were made by one of the Bridesmaids. They were perfect for everyone and Jane especially looked like a Russian empress in her gown and jewelry... which was perfect because she is of Russian heritage.

The wedding and reception were held at Barclay Villa, one of my favorite wedding locations in our area. Sitting out in the countryside in Angier, NC, it looks like a castle as you approach it and the ambience inside is a lot of fun. The great hall is a giant ballroom with a grand staircase for making grand entrances and the back of the villa is a beautifully landscaped wedding garden. This particular day all the pink cherry trees were in bloom - including a magnificent one by the wedding gazebo - and the sun shining on it made it glow even more. First time I’d done a wedding there with the cherries in bloom and it was spectacular!

Overseeing everyone and making sure everything went off without a hitch were Cathy Hunneycutt and Cindy Ebersbach of Barclay Villa. With both of these professional ladies at the helm, we were sure to have a very successful event. One of the great things about Barclay Villa is that they offer so many amenities in-house so it makes it very easy for couples to plan their weddings with them.

Other wedding professionals on hand to help make the day a success;

Photography - Rob and Amy of Emory Lane Photography
Flowers - Linda Wallace of Garner Florist
Music - ceremony/Alice Merle - DJ for the reception/Ross Merle - of Just Music! DJ Service
Hair and Makeup - Jessica Williams of Lather Hair Salon
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Jane and Zac, it was a treat getting to know you and being a part of such a special wedding. It was obvious how much heart you put into everything and if that is the way you live your lives always, you are going to have quite a special life!