Matt and Ashley Marry at The Barclay Villa With Much Joy

Matt and Ashley are planners and that's good.  You could see the result in their beautiful wedding that not only celebrated their love and their marriage but the family they create with Riley.

Thanks to Justin Cook Photography, our wonderful professional photographer for these images.  He was so good at capturing their fun personalities and their joy.  I had never been to Barclay Villa before.  It's an hour and 20 minutes from my home so I rarely travel that far.  I was glad to experience it.  It's wonderfully elegant inside and out, as these pictures showcase.  It was just the atmosphere that Matt and Ashley wanted.  They also wanted to honor their family who had passed on and have a special ceremony with Riley.  

Ashley and Matt booked me for only the ceremony, not the rehearsal, which is only possible in a venue like that with professionals who will see to every aspect of the rehearsal, and do it flawlessly.  (Thank you, Cindy, staff member at the villa.)

Matt and Ashley did all the flowers themselves.  Kudos to them.

We performed a Celtic Handfasting Ceremony for Matt and Ashley.  Then we customized the sand ceremony to include Riley in a special way and so that Matt said vows to Riley and that Matt and Ashley gave Riley a family medallion as a part of the ceremony.  I'm so glad the photographer got such wonderful pictures of the moment.

Now you can see how lovely the wedding garden is.  And the day was gorgeous and not too hot.  A gift to NC in early September.

After the ceremony everyone relaxed a lot more!  Justin has a quirky sense of humor which made it easy for everyone to smile and relax.

The main staircase at the villa.  What an entrance!

She'll never live this one down.

Their first dance, of course.  I love this aerial view for photographs.

The Villa at night.  Now you can see how lovely it is, too.  And quiet.  I've officiated at other lovely venues where lawn mowers or radios, or even Harley conventions created lots of distracting noise.  This is out in the country and was joyfully quiet.

 I'm so delighted for Matt and Ashley.  They found me because I had married friends of theirs Laura and Matt, in 2007.  It's so much fun when life weaves in weddings from the past and I can hear that couples I've married are doing well.

Thanks to all the other great professionals who ensured that Ashley and Matt had the perfect wedding.  Joe Bunn, of Joe Bunn DJ, and Not Just Cakes in Raleigh for their cake.