Carol and Erik Marry at Brier Creek Country Club With Love All Around Them

Erik and Carol were disappointed at first that they had to move their wedding indoors because of rainy cold weather this October.  But their ceremony was elegant and comfortable in this room at Brier Creek Country Club. As soon as they saw the room they knew that everything would be fine.   Riley MacLean was their wonderful photographer.  I've worked with Riley before and he and his assistant have a wonderful eye for what is just the right photograph.  I was so glad he was here because this room presented some lighting challenges that he was able to overcome.

Carol and Erik experience the divine through their relationships with the people in their lives who are close to them, and the room was full of friends and family there to wish them well, and to bless and support their marriage.

Their friend, Erika, gave the funniest liveliest rendition of Taylor Mali's 'Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog' that I have ever heard.  Everyone loved it.

Over the five years they've known one another they have spent more time together in those years than many couples spend together in a lifetime.  They work together and live together and yet this has brought them closer together than they ever thought possible.  

They've created a strong loyal partnership and a deep and abiding friendship.  We celebrate that, too, in their wedding.

A special part of Erik and Carol's exchange of vows was the Celtic Handfasting ceremony.  Carol had beaded their handfasting cord in the mauve and green colors of their ceremony and it was gorgeous.  I forget how many thousands of beads Carol told me was in it.

With each 'I will' response to the questions I ask them in the ceremony, I tie another knot in the cord, in essence 'tying the knot of their marriage' or 'binding their hands together in marriage.'

Here's a picture of their cord next to the vase that held Carol's bridal bouquet.

When Erik and Carol exchanged rings as a token and symbol of their vows, they said to one another, 'I give you this ring as a pledge of my love and as a symbol of our unity.'

After I pronounced the married with the words, 'You have formed your own union, in friendship, in respect for one another, and in love, and is it therefore my joyful task to pronounce that you are married,'  they shared a wonderful kiss.  My photographer friends ask me to tell the couple that a 3 second kiss is just about right if they want to get a good picture.  And they got a great one.

They're a dear couple and it was a joy to watch them celebrate their marriage in even those very first moments.  As a happily married woman myself who is still celebrating after thirteen years I relish the joy other couples find with each other.

Their mothers signed the marriage license.  Both lovely ladies.  Carol's mother also created her wedding program to look just like a Broadway playbill.  It was very creative and lots of fun.

My favorite picture of them is the first one on this blog, but I love the one below, too. Thank you again, Riley for finding just that calm after the rain to capture some lovely outdoor pictures, too.  Carol and Erik are special people, openhearted and kind.  I'm so glad their wedding was just what they wanted.  And I send them much love for many years of happiness.

To give credit to some other wonderful wedding professionals at their wedding:  The English Garden was their florist, and Eric Hodgden of All Around Raleigh DJ was their DJ for the reception and the ceremony music.  I've worked with Eric a lot, too, in one case where the bride hadn't chosen the music but left it up to him at the last moment and he was wonderful.  It's also a joy to work with him.  Their Maid of Honor, Beckie, made their cupcakes.  Wow!  What a huge and lovely gift for them.