Jordynn and Ryon Marry at The King's Daughters Inn

In July, I was go glad that Jordynn and Ryon decided to marry indoors.  They were, too.  They both looked cool and relaxed at this sweet intimate ceremony for only family and close friends.   Since they were joining families from two cultures they had elements of both cultures in their ceremony.  

They're a delightful couple.  They seemed so calm and easy going that they were able to just concentrate on each other and drink in the power of this moment.  I love it when a couple can be present at their ceremony because they let go of the nervousness and know that nothing can go wrong in such a moment of love.

While the ceremony was in the format and style of a western ceremony, they served tea to their parents in the ceremony.  While they served the tea, their friend read the section 'On Children' from Kahlil Gibran's wonderful book 'The Prophet.'

Their friend offered this lovely poem from Marge Piercy's book, "The Art of Blessing the Day"

======================

The day I forget to write

the day I forget to feed the cat

the day I forget to love you

the day I forget your name

and then my own.

Until then I will not cease

this spinning pattern: part weave

of skeins of soft wool to keep

us warm, to clothe our too open

flesh, to decorate us –

and part dance, through woods

where roots trip me, a dance

through meadows of rabbit holes

and old ribs of plowing hidden

under thick grass.

Until then I will whirl

through my ragged days.

Like a spindle, like a dreydl

I will turn in the center

of my intricate weave

spelling your name in my dance

in my weaving, in my work,

your hidden name which

is simply, finally,

love.

Then they exchanged vows and rings, with the lovely classic sentence, ' I give you this ring ....as a pledge of my love ....and as a symbol of our unity.'

They created a unique ceremony blending a wine ceremony with a red string ceremony customary in China.  According to Chinese legend, our fates regarding marriage partners are determined by the Old Man Under the Moon, who uses red string to link the feet of boys and girls who are destined to become marriage partners. This ensures that they will ultimately meet. This explains the popular saying, “Those whom fate binds together will find each other though separated by a thousand miles.”

This was such a lovely ceremony that another couple where one member of the couple is Chinese requested this same ceremony in their wedding.

They had wonderful professionals helping to make their wedding special.  Their photographer was friend, Christopher Chao.  Their florist was Victoria Park Florist, in Chapel Hill.  Their cake was from Miel Bon Bons in Carrboro, their catering was by Extravagant Fare, in Durham, and their musicians were from Big Woods Music and their DJ was Bill Smith from Bill Smith's Magic of Music.

I loved being a part of their wedding.  It was a privilege to see our world growing smaller in distance and yet larger in love before my eyes.

Anthony and Jessi at the Franklin Hotel in Chapel Hill

Jessi and Tony were such an easy couple to plan with.  They were playful and easygoing in all of their planning.  I knew they'd have a good time at their wedding and they did!  Their neutral colors were elegant at their reception at The Franklin Hotel in downtown Chapel Hill.

Most of these photographs were provided by Mike Phongsa of MP Photography, a fabulous photographer who's relocating to San Francisco in just a few months.  Thanks, Mike!  We'll miss him here but I sure do understand the call there. 

The other amazing thing about Anthony and Jessi's wedding, besides them, was the flowers!

The atrium at The Franklin is a neutral space and this really created a lush resplendent atmosphere.  On my form they put Richard Grille as the florist but not who he's with.  I just have to laud him for an amazing piece of artistry.

Before the ceremony.... looking out from where the DJ, Eric Hodgden, of All Around Raleigh DJ had his equipment. 

And here's Eric.

Jessi was so casual about the music that Eric, Katie and I were deciding on what we thought would be best a half hour before the ceremony.  Thanks to them both, it turned out wonderfully!

These flowers were on the end of each row....

I loved marrying these two.  Jessi has a bubbly high energy personality that infuses everything, and also has the generosity of spirit that makes it infectious.  Anthony is low key in balancing Jessi's ebullience.  

Katie at The Franklin Hotel was the perfect staff member to make sure all went as planned.

The only oddness that happens with weddings in the atrium at The Franklin is that other non-wedding guests may have their hotel room off this space.  That means the during the ceremony someone may be coming back to their hotel room and if they're not really all that thoughtful or set to patiently wait, they will be unlocking and entering their room as the ceremony is happening.  Luckily they rooms are at the back wall so the distraction can be minimal.  It's just an odd feeling.  This happens at The Embassy Suites near Crabtree Valley Mall, too.


This was taken while pictures were being organized.  It was one I took.

And then their reception was elegant in one of the ballrooms on the second floor.

Bonnie with Miel Bon Bons made their cake and their food was catered by Catering Works.  

I love doing ceremonies at The Franklin.  Their staff does a great job and they're right in my neighborhood,.  Just be aware that if it's a football weekend in the fall with a home game, that you have to let your guests know beforehand.  Luckily it wasn't!  I'd just been caught up in that confusion the Fall of 2009.


Mike captured this wonderful photo of Anthony and Jessi after the ceremony.  It fits them to a 'T.'
I wish them all the best for a wonderful life.  I don't doubt they'll have one.

Gary and Rosemary Wed at The King's Daughters Inn

Rosemary and Gary contacted me just one month before their ceremony.  They were planning a courthouse ceremony but then decided that they wanted their ceremony with their families at The King's Daughters Inn in Durham where their reception would be held.


I'm glad for them.  While I honor a courthouse ceremony has it's own sweetness, it is really short. And in some places the building isn't very festive or welcoming.  The King's Daughters Inn is a wonderful place for a small intimate ceremony.  The above picture was taken by Samantha, one of the staff members there during the ceremony.  The living room is in soft greens and neutrals and proved just the right size for their small group of about 25 people.  The group would get larger that evening for the reception.


Gary and Rosemary were moving up from Florida to New York but their families lived here.  They wanted a simple, warm, spiritual ceremony that honored their love for each other and it was a delight to created that with them.

Here's just one picture after the ceremony in the sun room at the inn.  This room is perfect for those ceremonies where there are only 5 or 6 people.  The light is amazing.  Here's a picture of just the room.

The inn is so lovely, and the staff so great, that I want to show it off to you.  Here's the living room before the guests arrived.  

We used an IPOD for the music, Bea at Floral Dimensions created Rosemary's flowers, and Bonnie at Miel Bon Bons in Carrboro created their cake. Terri at The Catering Company in Chapel Hill provided the food.  (I married Terri and her husband, Dave, years ago.  I love these connections.)  Their friends were their photographer and videographer.  I took these pictures.

In less than a month they created a lovely ceremony and reception.

By now they're just really getting settled in NYC.  I send them love and best wishes, and my hopes that they really enjoy all the adventures that NYC has to offer.

The Rigmor House, The Highgrove Estate, The Matthews House, and The Rand-Bryan House

Sometimes I get photos of venues that I'm unable to use because I don't get pictures from couples of their wedding. I thought you might like a closer look at four of them - all lovely - all in the Raleigh Durham triangle. I have other blog posts on some of them with more pictures.

The first is the Rigmor House (in the picture above) just off of I-54 going west out of Chapel Hill. I've done several ceremonies here but this is the first time I got pictures. It's a great location for an intimate lodge wedding. It's off the road, quiet, with a large center room and rooms to stay upstairs. It has a big well stocked kitchen, a large veranda and a large lot. While the lot isn't all that scenic it is spacious and easy to use with room for a tent and lots of different possibilities. It also has great parking and a fabulous kitchen. They turn the place over to you and you either cater in or do it yourself.

Their website is a really good one, too. At Christi and William's wedding below, they did the decorations themselves with the help of family and friends and did a fabulous job. Both grad students at UNC, their families all came up from Mississippi and pitched right in. They've been together 7 years so everyone worked well together to make the place literally sparkle.

The main room at the Rigmor is two stories high and is in wood paneling. The upstairs rooms rim this two story room. There's an inset in the front wall, behind this wall in the entry foyer and the front porch. This inset is a great place for a buffet. Christi and Williams' guests faced this wall. They had a slide show of pictures of them before the ceremony, then this decoration, with the unity candle for the ceremony.

They used silver metallic wide ribbon for the table decorations. Here is the head table set up right after the seating was removed after the ceremony as they're setting up long tables for the reception dinner.

Here's the well stocked kitchen they relied on.

And here is the main room looking toward the back wall while folks are setting up tables for the reception. At this time William and Christi were having pictures taken.

You can see the trellis that Christi and William entered under as they walked down the aisle.
Since their wedding was only two weeks ago I hope to get more pictures to show you of this great couple and their charming hands on wedding. And I'm glad to finally have some pictures of Rigmor House to share with you.

The Highgrove Estate in Fuquay Varina is also a great venue. Their staff is fabulous is helping everything run smoothly. Justin and Kerry married on a busy Saturday in June and I needed to leave right after the wedding. This front porch is a favorite location for pictures.


This is the long hallway where the wedding party gathers before they process straight out to stand on the brick patio facing the lake. The couple and their attendants can dress in the house, but receptions are held in a tent behind the house. As you look out this door the tent is to the right. The website for The Highgrove has great photos of the tent for several different weddings.

This is the room where you can get dressed. Gotta love that mirror. It's a huge room with a private bath of course and it is roomy enough for lots of attendants.

The final picture is the lower patio which is the ceremony site. The upper patio to the left of the outside door is where guests go for the cocktail hour. My only concern ever with this great location is that at 5:30 on a hot summer NC evening the sun is shining directly on the ceremony site. It hits the couple full force. They're facing away from the sun but it's still pretty hot. At The Highgrove Estate we make an effort to keep everyone in the cool of the hallway as long as possible. Yet the site is so lovely that it's a great venue. And many days it's just perfect. And the tent is air conditioned.


The Matthews House in Cary is an elegant house in which to stay and/ or have cocktails, a walled lawn with a trellis that's great for an outdoor ceremony and a side building connected to the house via a covered patio. Both the patio and the side building can be used to suit your needs.


The above pictures is from Ryan and Jenna's wedding in May of 2010.
On October 1st I married Jim and Debbie here. I'd never officiated a wedding in the reception room before so I wanted to show you those possibilities. I got a couple of fun pictures that might help. BTW - the web site for The Matthews House is really spectacular.

In the picture below you see at the right where Brian McGuire set up the DJ equipment for both the ceremony and the reception. He is a consummate professional and lots of fun. It was a delight to work with him again.

Here are the place settings for the reception in keeping with her colors of Hydrangea blue and silver gray. The Matthews House also did the catering.


This is Debbie and Jim's cake made by Miel Bon Bons in Chapel Hill. Their desserts are delicious as well as gorgeous.

This is the where Debbie dressed with Graham Terhune the photographer taking pictures of Debbie dressing. A fun part of being a female wedding minister was getting to visit Debbie while pre-wedding pictures were being taken.

I never got a pictures of Jim and Debbie together after the ceremony. It must have been a busy day. I loved this couple. They exemplify all that falling in love a little later in life can bring. The amazing joy of finding someone just right for you and the playfulness that brings out in you.

Below is a picture from Tim and Kristina's wedding in 2009 at The Matthews House. Another wonderful picture. This one by Diane McKinney Photography.



The Rand-Bryan House is another versatile and lovely venue. Set off the road in Garner it's a restored house with a wonderful openness. Every wedding I do here carries the unique stamp of the couple since the white on white decor and the amazing large picture window. Martha Liles and her husband are gracious hosts, very knowledgeable and very helpful.

They have a big front porch with rocking chairs that's perfect for the cocktail hour. And I've done beautiful weddings on their side lawn, but my favorite room is the one in the picture below which is stunning.

Here it is decorated for Lauren's and Brian's November wedding on a gorgeous day. You can see the lush green side lawn outside the window better from the picture below.


The next picture is taken from that window looking back into the main room. This room would be transformed for reception seating after the ceremony. At the back right is the entrance to the kitchen and there is a door to the back yard from the back right, too.

The large double doors go into a square room that is off the front hall which is a great room for displaying the cake or for smaller weddings for serving hors d'oeuvres.



This couple used only two of these wonderfully creative decorations in the front of their ceremony. It was plenty and lovely.

This couple got their delicious food catered by Whole Foods in Raleigh and served by The Happiest Hostess. They found that this was a much less expensive way to have excellent food catered for their size reception.

These weddings all went smoothly and elegantly - in large part because these venues are so suited to the needs of a wedding and are so well cared for and loved by their staffs. It's a treat to be the minister at a wedding at any of these locations. And I hope you enjoy these pictures.

Thomas and Rebecca Marry at The Barn at Valhalla

You can tell the couples that are sincerely devoted to each other and that have been through life experiences which have deepened their trust and friendship. I felt that strongly with Rebecca and Thomas. Two very different people, he seems to have a perpetual twinkle in his eyes, and she seems to be one of the aspects of life that puts it there.

In their ceremony on Oct 16th, we described their love as friendship caught fire in 2005. Since then they have traveled in distant countries in which Thomas had to rely on Rebecca's fluency in Arabic and Rebecca had to rely on Thomas' keen sense of observation, they've moved from Washington D.C. to settle and buy a home in Durham, and they have planned all the many logistics of their wedding at The Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill, NC.

The Barn at Valhalla has lots of great sites for a ceremony, but this is a fall favorite since it's so surrounded by trees and the fireplace is such a wonderful backdrop. That's a pond further back in the pictures.

It's a great place and I've been there often. And once again, it did not fail to inspire. You can tell by the wonderful photographs that photographers Melissa and Stephen Carter from Two Carters Photos Photography in Washington, D.C. captured for the couple. They loved coming down to our Autumn beauty and said they'd come down again if asked.

Jim Baird and Jane Peppler gave us wonderful fiddle and strings music which fit the outdoor fall atmosphere. They played one of my favorites, 'Ashokan Farewell' as the last song while guests were being seated and 'Chelmsford House' for the recessional as well as the more traditional 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' and 'Purcell's Voluntary' for the processional. Live fiddle music is such a treat and NC has such a tradition of good musicians.

These two have played at many weddings at which I've officiated and always been a great asset in making the day sing. Jane and another musician also play klezmer music at other weddings. They're equally wonderful at that, too.

Their friends read wonderful poetry, then I got to read 'Blessing for a Marriage' by James Dillet Freeman which is exquisitely beautiful. I always love it when a couple want that blessing. We also passed their rings through their guests, each guest offering a silent blessing upon their marriage. I was of course concerned that the rings drop from the beautiful wooden box in which they were displayed, but everyone else must have been concerned, too, because they made it back to me, and then to their hands in find style.

Rebecca and Thomas have learned how to be there for each other - caring, supporting and listening. They are adults who know themselves and their desires, grounded and sure.

They had friends, family, and professionals who all enjoyed their thoughtfulness. And Rebecca and Thomas wanted to make sure that I recognized their contributions to their wedding, too. Below are their creative favors by M.Z or emdotzee Designs. They also did their invitations and other printed materials.

This gorgeous cake was from Miel Bon Bons Patisserie et Confiserie in Chapel Hill.


They held their reception in the barn and were fed by Durham Catering. Their flowers were by Rachel Preston of Preston Landscapes. Hair and make up by
Hair and Make-up - Claudia Gunn of Haven Beauty Sanctuary Salon.

I was glad that Thomas and Rebecca had a few moments alone before the reception. There were so many well wishers and I knew the day would go so quickly. The Barn is a good place to get a few moments just for yourselves.

They're a very loving couple, rich in spirit and with generous hearts. I wish them all the best that life holds - spending time with their dog Stanley and all those they love.

Koen and Martha Wed at La Rez

La Residence in Chapel Hill, fondly known at La Rez, was the joyous scene of Martha and Koen's wedding on June 26th at 11am. A perfect time for a lunch reception. They met over two years ago in Chapel Hill and took their time, knowing what they felt between them was special and not wanting to mess it up.

They share a joy of life and the arts and a wonderful awareness of the precious gift that love can be. I was delighted for them. They wanted their friends and family to feel secure in the knowing that their love would last and that it is right, and they wanted their ceremony to radiate this. They had both faced some rough years and difficult losses but they had weathered them and found that life opened up to new and wonderful love on the other side of their sorrow. They were ready to celebrate this amazing grace of their love for each other.

Graham Terhune Photography was our wonderful photographer. He provided some of these photos. The good ones. The others I took when I had the chance. You'll be able to tell the difference.
And here's a picture of Graham taking a picture of Koen, his brother, and his best man.

The staff at La Rez was fabulous! It's a wonderful setting for about 50 people. The staff at La Rez operated the IPOD for the prelude and ceremony music and went out of their way to ensure that everything they could do to help make things perfect was done.


And from the restaurant on the right:

I remember years ago when I did a ceremony here. The couple I was marrying played in a klezmer band that also played for the wedding. It was wonderful and the place rocked. It's an indoor outdoor space that can take on lots of different personalities. It's cooled by ceiling fans so you get rain protection but you do have the heat. After the ceremony everyone got cool inside, then had a delicious lunch.


This beautiful and delicious cake topped with fresh cherries was from Miel Bon bons in Carrboro.


The fresh lavender that Martha carried, and that was the decoration at the ceremony site, and that guests threw on the couple as they recessed, was provided by Sunshine Lavender Farm in Hurdle Mills (in Northern Orange County just north of Hillsborough). I hadn't known they were there. Now I'm glad I do.

We put the following in their ceremony, and these words fit them so well: 'Today we honor this seasoned love that brings together two mature people whose experiences have shaped them to recognize the grace of love that is peaceful, trusting, and rich in sharing - a love that will continue to grow and deepen through each new discovery and adventure - a love that will last a lifetime.'

Their joy radiated from them. I felt blessed to be a part of it on this special day.