Tonya and Frank at The Fearrington

Tonya and Frank show it's possible to have the most romantic wedding with just two people in a setting that most people think of as only suitable for larger gatherings.

On Sunday evening July 26th, with three guests in attendance Tonya and Frank were married in the landscaped garden at The Fearrington. The only others present were Jerry Dillard, their professional photographer, friend and owner of Dillard Studios, who provided all the excellent pictures here,

Ruby Prescott, owner of Blue Sands Music and a wonderful and versatile violinist, three friends, and me.

After the ceremony, the signing of the license,
and many thank you's and hugs,
we wished them well and
Tonya and Frank had dinner
at The Inn at The Fearrington.













When the wedding party is so small and makes such a small footprint on a setting, many locations charge little or nothing. I've walked with couples and their friends into Duke Gardens, Yates Mill Pond, gardens in downtown Hillsborough, the botannical gardens in Chapel Hill, and lots of other locations to officiate at small ceremonies. We meet in a parking lot and find a beautiful spot, most often chosen by the couple beforehand.



The only drawback is that you can't ensure privacy because the space isn't reserved. But with a typical ceremony lasting only about 20 minutes (especially if there are few formalities), this is seldom a problem.

Frank and Tonya had just the wedding they wanted,
celebrating their love in the words and setting that meant most to them.

And all of us in attendance relished our time with them.