Dalton and Cameron Marry in August Amid Great Love

I have not written a blog entry all fall but couldn't let the year end without honoring this wonderful couple.  I married them in August at the Quarry Hill Golf Club in Graham, NC.  Thank you to photographer Jerry Dillard for these wonderful photographs.  He introduced me to Cameron and Dalton for which I'll ever be grateful.  They are one of those couples who inspire others.  They've been sweethearts a long time and have supported each other through sorrows and trials as well as finding the joy in each day.

We missed Cameron's grandfather, Poppe, who had recently passed, but he was with us in spirit and with so much love for him.  Cameron cherishes the memory of him as a dear friend who she talked to every day. Cameron thanked her mother for being the first person to show her what love is, for always putting her first and raising her better than she could ever imagine.  Dalton thanked his parents for putting him in this world because if they had not he wouldn't have met Cameron.  He also thanked his granddaddy for helping him so much throughout his life.

I love this opportunity to let others know how we loved them and how they have shaped us through their love. Dalton and Cameron are a couple who are grateful for the joy and the love in their lives.   It shows in their generous natures.

Cameron and Dalton, had the unique pleasure of growing up together, from their first meeting in fifth grade.   Even in 5th grade Cameron was attracted to Dalton’s silliness and his ability to make her laugh, no matter the situation, and Dalton, thought Cameron was pretty and very nice.

They still love being together, whether it be doing daily errands or sharing large adventures.  If they’re doing it together, they’re happy.  You are best friends.  

They are each committed to the other’s happiness as well as their own.  Cameron values Dalton’s being the calm to her crazy.   And Dalton, so appreciates how Cameron has supported him through both the ups and downs of the past years, Dalton calling it ‘one heck of an adventure.’  

I loved the words we used to describe their wedding rings:  'These rings are an outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible grace, which unites your two hearts in love.  They are especially significant because the circle of these rings is a symbol of the unending and enduring quality of the love which Cameron and Dalton are sharing today.'

Let us pray: Bless, O God, these rings, that they who give and wear them may abide in Your peace, and continue in Your favor, unto their life’s end; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

It was a joy to invite them to share their first kiss as husband and wife.

 And to introduce them to one and all for the first time as a married couple.

 

They are wonderful proof of the power of love. 

Dalton proposed to Cameon by writing ‘will you marry me’ in the dew on her car at 6:30 in the morning before she left for work, then successfully snuck up beside her and got down on one knee holding an engagement ring.  That sense of play is part of what makes them special.  I trust that it will ground their love and their friendship for a lifetime.  I with them many many blessings.

Tonya and Frank at The Fearrington

Tonya and Frank show it's possible to have the most romantic wedding with just two people in a setting that most people think of as only suitable for larger gatherings.

On Sunday evening July 26th, with three guests in attendance Tonya and Frank were married in the landscaped garden at The Fearrington. The only others present were Jerry Dillard, their professional photographer, friend and owner of Dillard Studios, who provided all the excellent pictures here,

Ruby Prescott, owner of Blue Sands Music and a wonderful and versatile violinist, three friends, and me.

After the ceremony, the signing of the license,
and many thank you's and hugs,
we wished them well and
Tonya and Frank had dinner
at The Inn at The Fearrington.













When the wedding party is so small and makes such a small footprint on a setting, many locations charge little or nothing. I've walked with couples and their friends into Duke Gardens, Yates Mill Pond, gardens in downtown Hillsborough, the botannical gardens in Chapel Hill, and lots of other locations to officiate at small ceremonies. We meet in a parking lot and find a beautiful spot, most often chosen by the couple beforehand.



The only drawback is that you can't ensure privacy because the space isn't reserved. But with a typical ceremony lasting only about 20 minutes (especially if there are few formalities), this is seldom a problem.

Frank and Tonya had just the wedding they wanted,
celebrating their love in the words and setting that meant most to them.

And all of us in attendance relished our time with them.