Matt and Jennifer Marry Twice at The Rigmor House in Chapel Hill

 Jennifer and Matt are just plan fun.  And their wedding was designed to ensure that everyone else had fun, too.  The lawn of the Rigmor House in Chapel Hill was scattered with toys for the kids and the adults to be played with before and after the ceremony.  Matt and Jennifer wanted to ensure that they had fun, too, and were concerned that their nervousness from being the center of attention during the ceremony would distract from their ability to be present with each other.  So they came up with a unique idea.  

Before their official ceremony with everyone around, Matt, Jennifer, and I, and of course their wonderful photographer from Hartman Outdoor Photography, went down a path away from the house, and away from everyone else.  They wanted a quiet place to share informal vows with each other and to exchange rings just by themselves.  This is how they captured the intimacy of the time for them as well as with their family and friends, just a few moments after.

 It was wonderful to be a part of this special moment with them.

 Thanks, too, to their photographer for this great shot of me.  

 At their larger ceremony, Matt and Jennifer and I stood under an arch made my Jennifer's father just the day before.  It was really lovely.  Their private ceremony didn't detract at all from the joy and celebration of the ceremony with their families and friends.  Each were unique.  At the moment in the picture below, Matt and Jennifer are putting their love letters into the box with the wine for their Box, Wine and Love Letter Ceremony.  We did this ceremony in a different way that is generally written.  I wrote the words below to reflect the sentiment that they had requested:

'Author Germaine Greer writes, ‘Successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.’  Throughout your relationship, you have already fallen in love with each other many times. And you will many more times.  To remind you of the love you share today, choose a time that calls to both of you to open this box, sit and drink the wine together, then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another on the day you were united as a couple. When you read these love letters, cherish anew the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other, share with each other how your love has grown and deepened and let this small ritual be a renewal of the commitment and love you share.  You might like to write new letters and get new wine and let the ritual continue through all the years as a way to honor each other and your marriage.'  I love what we created for them and will offer this version, too,  to all the couples I marry who choose this ceremony.

I love the picture after their wedding as we stand in the doorway of the gazebo in another section of the large lawn at the Rigmor House.  It was a joyful day for them, and for me, as I saw how, even with wedding stress, they were a loving, gracious and kind couple to each other and to everyone there.  They chose excellent professionals to make sure their day was stress free, too.  Whole Foods in Chapel Hill catered their meal and the Happiest Hostess provided the service for the catering.   Maple Spring Gardens provided their flowers, and Jen's sister Sheila (lucky them)  made their cake.   I wish them many many years of continued happiness and love that grows and deepens through all their years.