Chad and Jennifer Wed Between Rain Drops on May 7th at Duke Gardens

On May 6th it was my delight to marry Chad and Jennifer.  They're such a fun loving couple who had been together 10 and 1/2 years, both with a large group of close friends and both very close to their families, and each others' family.  It was a celebration that everyone took joy in.  They also are close to their 2 dogs and 2 cats, but they had to stay home.

Thank you to Jeffrey Minnish of Jeffrey Minnish Photography for the good shots.  The bad shots are from my DROID.  I really admire how Jeffrey found all the beautiful backdrops at the Sarah P Duke Center to use for the photos after the ceremony when it was pouring down.  Here's a photo of the rain after the ceremony.  NC has such amazing rain storms.  No dainty showers here.  The skies open and it pours.

The photo above is from my DROID.  In Jeffrey Mannish's photo below you can see how we were trying to keep Jennifer's veil from blowing into her bride's maids.  It was a windy day!

 More wind evidence in the processional.  But we were all soooo glad that we got to have the wedding outside at all.  It was touch and go.  And it worked!  Here Jennifer is processing with her father.  His grin is almost as big as hers.

 

Here I am trying to get out of the way when they kissed.  I like to keep from being the floating head behind the shot that the photographer has to try to photo shop.

This is a lovely shot that Jeffrey took from the back of the gardens during the ceremony.  I hope it can be enlarged because it's such a unique angle and the reflections in the pool are so lovely.

It's so easy to rely on nature, but photographer Jeffrey Minnish's eye for architectural beauty to border his pictures was really lovely. 

 

We were VERY lucky that Friday evening to JUST have enough time to have the wedding outside before the skies opened and the rains poured for the whole rest of the evening.  But it didn't dampen their spirits at all.  I loved the sunshine that they brought into the ceremony with their wonderful colors of coral and mint.  In an outdoor setting you need colors that will show up against all the greens and browns and these did, with all the exuberance of their joy and playfulness.

A special treat for me at Jennifer and Chad's wedding was their Maid of Honor, Hayden.  She handled all the planning details with aplomb and it was a huge gift to Jennifer.  I loved seeing that friendship and Hayden's clear way of handling all the details with such grace.


The above picture is from my DROID. You can sure tell can't you.  (I'm shopping right now for a little good camera that I can keep in my pocket.)  I just had to capture their colorfulness.  It was so lovely and livened up the room tremendously.  It just looked so celebratory I bet it overcame any rainy day doldrums that might have tried to sneak in. 

Randy Bennett of Joe Bunn DJ Company was, as always, impeccable.  Some of his equipment got soaked in the rain during the reception.  I sure hope it wasn't ruined.

So many professionals help to make the event seamless.  The staff at The Sarah P Duke Center were great.  Jennifer and Chad's cake was by Savory Fare Catering in Durham as was their food.  Classic Party Rentals provided their linens, and Deb at Watered Garden was their florist.



They brighten up my day just by looking at these pictures.  I wish them every happiness and feel sure they'll have it.

Curt and Jessica Marry at The State Club

Last Saturday, January 22nd, I had the wonderful joy of marrying Curt and Jessica at The State Club on NC State Centennial Campus. Pardon the picture quality you see. All of these are from my little DROID since I generally want to post my blog before the professional pictures are ready. And it takes so long to take the DROID picture that my hand sometimes shakes. Sigh. Thank heaven's for professional photographers! You'll hear more about that below.

In the picture above are Jessica's parents on the left and friends Alyson and Andrew on the right. Alyson is in the attendant's dress color of charcoal gray.

The State Club was a treat so I want you to see some pictures of it. Here's the foyer as you walk into the building. The ceremony was upstairs to the right, the cocktail hour was in this foyer, and the reception is straight back on the ground floor.

Here's that room, through the double glass doors you see in the photo above, set up for their reception with their colors of red, black and white.

Their ceremony was held in this wonderful sunny room. And the arch was wonderful. They got it at Holland Rent All in Raleigh for $50. It was sturdy and has gorgeous lines for all those couples who want a trellis to serve as a focal point for their ceremony. I made sure to put this in the blog because I want to remember it. I love the Japanese lines of the arch and the bronze finish. It was a classy touch.

The State Club is archiecturally elegant and the staff is impeccable in their service and attention to detail. Wendy Dorman, The Banquet Director, pictured below, couldn't have been more helpful and was upbeat and friendly to boot. That makes so much difference in helping all the small details go smoothly. For instance, she knew just how a runner would work on the carpet of the ceremony room. And runners can be tricky. Thanks, Wendy!

North Carolina Strings led by Molly Olah provided the beautiful ceremonial music, Bach's 'Air on the G,' and Purcell's 'Trumpet Voluntary.' Thanks to them for the 'spot on' timing, too.

Jessica and Curt have a delightful story about how they met and fell in love. It was fun to add this playfulness into their ceremony which was rich in heart. And their playfulness continued after the ceremony where they 'high-fived' each other and shared in a celebration beer. Here they are with Paul Stallman, one of their photographers from Wake Forest Portrait Shop. He teams with his wife Melissa in their work. I've worked with Paul and Melissa before. They're great.

Jessica got all those fabulous roses from Theresa at Fallon's Creative Flowers in Raleigh.

Below is the room on the second floor next to the ceremony room where Curt and his attendants waited before the ceremony and where we all went after the ceremony to wait for the guests to go downstairs before returning to the ceremony room for pictures.

As I left I knew everyone was in good hands with Mitch Woodard with joe bunn dj company. I trust they all partied well into the evening.

And of course, they enjoyed cake.... this one by Edible Art Bakery in Cary.

As I write this Jessica and Curt are enjoying themselves in Las Vegas, then they're traveling on to Oahu, Hawaii for another 5 days. I loved being a part of their wedding. As did all of the other professionals I worked with. This is a delightful couple. Openhearted, playful, and considerate. They'll have a great marriage.

Ryan and Jenna at The Matthews House on May 15 at The Matthews House in Cary

There are times when I miss getting photographs of a wedding and regret it. Some couples just linger in your memories longer than others. For me, its the couples whose generosity of spirit just shines from them. The ones whose love for each other seems to touch all those around them. Ryan and Jenna are like that.

So I was sad that I had somehow let getting pictures of their ceremony slip from my awareness. Most times at a wedding I'm just too busy making sure that everything is going smoothly that I forget to take a few pictures of my own. I'm pinning on boutonnieres or taking instructions from one person to the other, or double checking with the musicians or the venue or providing safety pins or putting out a guest book. Or finding a quiet place to read through the ceremony one last time so that I can be completely present with the bride and groom during their ceremony.

Jessica Key, their wonderful photographer from Jessica Key Photography, offered me these pictures when I emailed her and I was delighted. Her manner was easy going and fun and she got some great shots. And there were many great shots to be had. Jenna and Ryan had their wedding May 15th at The Matthews House in Cary.


It's a lovely restored house with a separate building for receptions and a lovely side yard with a trellis at the end which makes a perfect ceremony site.


The DJ or musicians can set up on the covered porch which is also ideal. For Ryan and Jenna's wedding Gregg Ramsey of DJ Bunn did the reception music, and Florian Music provided the string trio for the ceremony. They were great. Jill, of Preston Flowers in Cary was the florist. Ryan and Jenna had been friends in a close group of friend for four years before their friendship caught fire and deepened into love. And it felt natural, like coming home. These three years later, it still did.

At their ceremony we said, 'And now you stand before your family ,ready to acknowledge to God and to the world: this is my beloved, the one with whom I choose to create the rest of my life.' It never felt more true.

They had their close group of friends all with them on their wedding day, all celebrating that two of their own had found such happiness.


After their ceremony I got this wonderful email:


Hi Robin! Yes the wedding was so nice and we were very glad that you got to be a part of it. You did a wonderful job and everyone that I talked to had really nice things to say about the way that you handled not only the ceremony, but the moments before/after the ceremony as well as the rehearsal. Thank you so much for all that you did and I'm so glad that we chose you to be our officiant. We'll be seeing you again in a few days for Jolie's wedding!' (Which I officiated for them at the Shrine Club in Raleigh, and which is also a part of this blog.)

To give credit to some other wonderful wedding professionals: Their cake was made by Sandra at Edible Art Bakery in Raleigh, and their limousine was from White Horse Transportation in Raleigh.

I love it when I marry friends of couples I've met. It feels like the connection is never broken. A treat for me.

Scott and Meghan Celebrate Their Love on Sept 5th at The Carolina Inn

I had the privilege of marrying Scott and Meghan in The Bryan Courtyard of The Carolina Inn on Sunday September 5th of this year. It was a wonderful time. First of all, they had great weather. Then they had great help. Rachel from Bliss by Sam coordinated with the easy charm and wonderful efficiency that I've known her always to have.

Then they had a group of young string musicians from UNC who provided excellent music, and Allison of Sandfoot Photography was also at her regular best. I was grateful to the Carolina Inn for sending them my way.

Meghan works in maternal and child health and Scott has set up a web site for charitable giving. They both have strong commitments to creating better lives for others. They inspired me and gave me much hope for the future of our planet.

They wanted their wedding to celebrate their faith and their delight in each other. They both found peace in being with each other and complement each other well. They love watching slapstick comedies (my kind of folks), cooking and taking their dog for walks. They relish in the simple pleasures.

Meghan's Bridesmaid's beautiful Iris bouquets was designed by Margaret Pender of Victoria Park Florist to honor their colors of purple, blue and silver. All her flowers were stunning.

This gives you a great long view of the Bryan Courtyard which is sometimes hard to find. Thanks Allison for this.

And here we get to enjoy Meghan and Scott exchanging their vows.

Scott and Meghan had their reception in the Hill Ballroom to the music of Joe Bunn DJ Company, with Randy Bennet as their DJ.

Cinda's Creative Cakes created their cake. I sampled her cakes at the Carolina Inn bridal event that they have every January. They were beautiful, great, and she's the consummate professional.

Scott and Meghan told me that they have found their home in each other. May their hearts always cherish this great gift. I wish them many blessings!

Amanda and David at Crenshaw Hall

I love it when you can tell a couple is really having fun at their wedding. Not just after the ceremony but before and during the ceremony, too. Amanda and David were like that. They didn't let any nervousness dampen their delight. And it was a wonderful occasion.

Just look how David is beaming as he's watching Amanda enter.


Crenshaw Hall was lovely and set just the right tone for them.

Not only the ceremony site but this beautiful restored home gave them the classic feel they wanted.



Another thing that they did is to hire great people so that they didn't need to worry.
Gail Stephenson and Heather Irvin at Premiere Catering were a joy to work with. Gail had even guided the rehearsal, and on that Saturday, she and Heather were everywhere checking on details. Here they are as the couple are getting pictures taken after the ceremony, checking on final details for the reception.


Michelle Gunton took these marvelous photographs of their wedding and gave me some to show to you. She is always wonderful to work with, skilled and patient. Their DJ was from Joe Bunn DJ, Co. whose staff always does a great job. Their cake was from Ambrosia Cakes and their florist was Darryl Senter, who I think is related to Amanda's mother.

David and Amanda have known each other for ten years. They began dating in high school, and bought a house together in 2008. They're comfortable easy going, genuine people who didn't want anything stuffy or boring or drawn out. And I agreed! They wanted a comfortable fun ceremony that people would enjoy, especially their families, who they're both very close to. In fact Amanda's Matron of Honor was her mother.


They asked for classy but simple and this seemed to be their theme all throughout their ceremony.

Their personality really shone in their music and their words of commitment to each other, which they wrote themselves. These words, so like them, were loving and tender, and simply beautiful, and were the heart of their ceremony. I loved how they were fully present to each other and to the moment. You can see the strong foundation of love this couple has built together.


And the music! Everybody loved it. With their music they immediately brought smiles to everyone and they brought their unique and joyful personalities into the setting. From the first measure, you knew it was their wedding, their celebration of their love. Yay!

The first processional was 'Feeling Good,' I think the rendition was by Muse. It was fabulous. Their flower girl came in on the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars. Amanda came in on a song by a band called Morbid Angel called 'Desolate Ways.' The recessional music was from the band Unearth, the song was Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos. If you haven't heard 'Feeling Good' play it right now while you read this. Just Google it and you'll be feeling great, too.

They were surrounded by close friends and family at their wedding and you could tell they were well loved. I'm not surprised. This couple exudes joy of life and of love. I wish them many many blessings for all their years.

A May Day Ceremony to Remember for Kelly and Dean

On May 1st, Kelly and Dean were wed at Crenshaw Hall in Wake Forest. They were wise in so many ways in their planning. Somehow they knew it would be hot, so asked guests to wear Hawaiian attire. Everyone was grateful and cool. And I'm so glad for Dean. You don't often see grooms in comfortable attire.

There were also wonderful professionals helping them keep their day as stress free as possible. Kara Zuehlke and Laura Sandwick from A Southern Soiree were wonderful planners, Lynn Harris, their professional photographer, took this great shot. (The rest are my shots of Crenshaw Hall that I got while I wasn't busy marrying Dean and Kelly), their florist was Venetia Genztler, their awesome cake was by Swank Cake Design in Cary, and their DJ was Damien Maass from DJ Joe Bunn DJ,s.

Everyone was set for a good time.

Here's the side yard at Crenshaw Hall set up for their ceremony. We all processed from the house. The only drawback to their location was the road construction nearby. Nothing that affected their day, but it took me about 10 extra minutes to figure out how to find the parking lot.

Here is a photo of the yard on the other side of the house where folks were having cocktails after the ceremony.


Dean and Kelly met at Halloween in 2005 but didn't know it. They were at the same party, but, of course, were in costume. Then they really met the next February and shortly thereafter just knew they were with the right person.

They love to go to amusement parks each year for Dean's birthday so we made a mention of the ups and downs of their relationship in the ceremony, but then added that these were mostly on Dean's birthday on the rides at the parks.

Families mean a lot to both of them. We included that in their ceremony, too describing how they love each others' family, as well as their own and that in itself is wonderful to celebrate in a marriage.

They wanted their wedding and reception to be relaxed, casual, and a wonderful party. And it was. This is a couple who love to play and I'm delighted that they chose this for their wedding, too.

There was an easy elegance to the table settings inside the Hall. And, then there was that wonderful cake!

Here's another shot from Lynn Harris' blog that gives you a feel for the couple and the place.

Dean and Kelly were a couple that wanted a short sweet ceremony. And with well chosen words, we created just that.

I wish them a long sweet marriage with more ups than downs, and the downs only at amusement parks.