Nick and Nicky Marry at The JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh on May 22

Sometimes weddings are so busy that I can only get a few moments for pictures.  These are all mine,except for the ones with me in it.  Those are from photographer, Visions in Bloom Photography.  They're not local but came down from Pennsylvania for Nick and Nicky's wedding because they're family friends.  Thank you for these wonderful shots!

Nick and Nicky were a delight to work with.  They had a definite vision for their wedding, and they were busy people, with Nick finishing up a PhD program just before the wedding happened.  And the JC Raulston Arboretum was a versatile, and lovely venue for them.

With their names so similar, I immediately felt a kinship with them,  Ruben and my names equally similar and distracting to people we meet.  They chose wonderful and unique music for their ceremony:  'Gymnopedie' for the seating of the parents, 'Dawn, Stars, and Butterflies, for the processional and 'Humming Chorus' for the bridal processional.  It set the mood for everyone knowing that this would be a unique wedding of two individuals.

Here is our photographer taking photos after the wedding just away from the ceremony site in the shade and with a leafy backdrop.

This is who she was photographing,  Nicky's mother and her attendants.

 Notice, too, Nicky's flowers.  I don't know that I've ever seen a more striking bridal bouquet before. They were designed for her by the The Blossom Shop.

Keith Ward, our DJ operated an IPOD for the ceremony which was great because everything had to be brought in to this garden site.  I've often done ceremonies at the gazebo before, and had done smaller ceremonies in this location but never seating for 80 plus people.  It worked well however.  Yay!  He was also the DJ for their reception at The Red Room just down the street.

Here is the ceremony site as if you're standing where they were married.

Here is the ceremony site facing the arch they were married in front of.





 They have a move across country waiting for them now.  I wish them all the best in their new life and new adventures.