Kristen and Brandon and Their Kids Celebrate at Beltline Station in Durham

I took a winter hibernation break from writing about ceremonies to ensure that I was fresh for couples in the new year.  Then I realized that there were some 2013 weddings yet to honor. 

Brandon and Kristen were a joy to marry.  Not only are they dedicated to each other, they are equally dedicated to all the children in their loving combined family.   Thank you to Heather Swanner of Heather Swanner Photography for letting me use her fabulous pictures.  And a special thank you to Nicole Conder of Premier Party Planners for all her assistance in making their day special.

And the Belt Line Station in downtown Durham was a perfect place for them to celebrate their marriage. They delighted that we were here in this old train station for their wedding.  Beltline Station was the station for the Lynchberg, VA to Durham NC run.  Brandon is from  NC and Kristen is from VA, making this an auspicious place for their joining together in marriage.

It was a joy to tell their family and friends how much they love each other.  In the ceremony I had the pleasure of saying:  'Kristen was first attracted to Brandon’s gentle spirit. She loves his calm and patience, especially with their kids!  He is very funny, witty, musically talented and very smart.  Brandon loves how Kristen is so easy being herself as well as how kind, smart, and understanding she is.   They share the same sense of humor and make each other laugh constantly.

A poet writes that love at its best is friendship caught fire.  Kristen and Brandon met under difficult circumstances and supported each other as friends during the hardest of times.  Their friendship strengthened and deepened.  They became best friends and fell in love.  They are still best friends, still in love, encouraging each other to go for their dreams, supporting each other at all times.

Together with their children they have created a life they cherish.  Each person able to be themselves fully, finding a partner in crime for all of life’s adventures, trusting each other with their hearts, looking forward to all of the steps of each child learning who they are in the world of adulthood, grateful each day for the love they share.' 

Their ceremony was filled with family love.  After Kristen's father walked her down the aisle, I asked him:  'The loving relationship between a parent and their child, no matter how old the child is, is cherished like no other.  In the love is interwoven protection, guidance, support and caring.  So I ask Kristen’s father, as he escorts her down this aisle on her wedding day:  Who presents this woman to be married to this man?

(He responds:  Her mother and I do.)  Then I asked their combined kids:  'As Kristen begins this new journey with Brandon, she wants to also acknowledge her profound love for all five of their children.   Her life could not have reached this day of such joy without these five additional loved ones who have helped to make her into the person she is.  So I ask Carter, Hayden, Jack, Ali and Jake. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?  (All five children say, we do.”)'

Their daughters Ali and Hayden sang for their ceremony.  What a treat!

Kristen’s ring has special significance, doubly powerful on their wedding day.   The ring that Brandon placed on Kristen’s finger is her grandmother’s anniversary band that Kristen received when her grandmother passed away.  Their wedding day was also her grandmother’s birthday!

Much play was had after the ceremony, too.  The architectural highlights of this venue make it a unique, funky, and extraordinary space with lots of opportunities for fun.

We said the following in their ceremony and it really fits them:  'Kristen and Brandon have found in one another someone who cares deeply about honesty, integrity, loyalty, kindness and caring.  These values nurture and inform their love, and they guide all aspects of their lives.'

I wish them all the joy in the world and I have no doubts they are loving being married and being an official family.    There were lots of other professionals who made their day special:  Beltline Station created all their gorgeous bouquets.  Simply Cakes made their cupcakes and Triangle Catering - Belt Line handled their catering, their DJ was Garrett Lamm of Touch of Class DJs.   Many blessings to Brandon, Kristen and their kids, and many thanks to all the other professionals for whom their wedding was a labor of love.

Shawn and Regan Find the Bright Spot in the Day for Their Wedding

This was the weather that greeted us at Snipes Farm on the mid-August day of Shawn and Regan's wedding.  The one thing that Regan really wanted was to be married outside.  So we all put our hopes and prayers together and watched as the clouds darkened, wondering if it was possible.  And amazingly, and joyfully, it cleared up enough, for long enough.

There is a wonderful huge tree near the bottom of the meadow at Snipes Farm that is a long treasured spot to hold a ceremony.  The tree seems to offer strength and roots and a center to the ceremony.  I loved how Shawn and his men looked dapper on this warm day, eschewing formality for comfort.

Shawn teared up when he saw Regan enter.  They are a delightful couple, cherishing each other, delighting in finding each other, relishing their love.

They met when Regan visited NC from CA to see cousins.  It was love at first sight and a hard parting but it didn't take long for Regan to come back for good. 

Thanks to our photographer Dana Dillahunt of Dana Dillahunt Photography from Greensboro for these wonderful images.  She captured the feel of the day and the love that surrounded Regan and Shawn beautifully.

 Their cake was designed by Lori at Simply Cakes.  And it was uniquely them.

 I've always loved how Snipes Farm can transform into such an elegant setting.  The yellows, Chinese lanterns and the twinkle lights were a perfect contrast to the stormy day.

 Regan and Shawn closed a love lock as part of their ceremony. Regan's mother bought the lock in Florence Italy when she heard of the custom of putting a lock on the Ponte Vecchio bridge and throwing the key into the Arno River so that you are destined to return to Florence.  For Regan and Shawn, their love lock means that they have given each other the key to their heart - for good and forever.

In our blessing I said, 'May the love that warms our hearts today and the love that flows between Shawn and Regan always be strong.'  They may not have had a sunny day but the strength of their love did seem to chase the clouds away. 

Here is a 5 minute clip of the video of their wedding.  Enjoy!  And thank you Adam Coker, from Authentic Explosure.

 I loved having Shawn and Regan in my life and wish them many many blessings! 

Allie and Erik at Elodie Farms

Erik and Allie chose well when they chose each other, and when they chose Elodie Farms.  One thing in choosing each other - they both are in the field of healthcare and understand each other's work stresses.  If we had a medical emergency at their wedding we wouldn't have had to worry.  Luckily we didn't.  And in choosing Elodie Farms, they chose a comfortable, beautiful location with lots of personality and sweetness.

Patricia Suzanne, of Patricia Suzanne Photography, captured both the sweet spirit of Allie and Erik and of their wedding.  Thank you, Patricia!

I know it was a little hard for Patricia to get pictures on the porch since we weren't in the sunlight and she had to shoot upward.  Thanks to her for these great shots despite the difficulties.

They raise goats at Elodie Farms, and classic frame house fits right in,  Here's a picture before the wedding of Allie centered against the upstairs front hall window.

Allie and Erik wanted a friendly warm and intimate ceremony with their 50 family and close friends.  They told me that they were delighted that they could rent Elodie Farms for the whole weekend with a lighted tent for $1800.  And that they were going to have Foster's Market cater the hors d'oeuvres.  Most of the couples I marry are on a budget so I always want to pass on good ideas and information when I hear it.


This shot of Allie and her attendants shows the beautiful soft colors she chose for her day.

It was a beautiful October day.  Allie and Erik chose classic music that a friend managed from their IPOD. They really worked to minimize stresses to their day and weekend.  Here is Allie entering on the arm of her father.

One lovely touch they had was the Unity Candle Ceremony that was perfect on this breezy day under hurricane glass.   And it was nice that Patricia had such a great shot of this since it was on the side of the porch.

Although you can't see her gorgeous bouquet, Ninth Street Flowers did all their flowers, and Simply Cakes, their wedding cake.  The reception was held in the tent behind the house to the right.  You can just see it in the picture of the house.

I wish Allie and Erik all the happiness in the world.  I got to know them a little and in that time came to respect their intention and commitment to growing their love.  In their ceremony we had the following... 'You are entering a sacred covenant as life partners.  As in tending the flowers in a garden, the quality of your marriage will reflect the effort you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind and tender relationship.  We bless you this day.  It is up to you to keep the blessings flowing each and every day of your lives together.'

I have no doubt they will nurture their garden and their relationship well.

Jon and Diana Warm up a Cold November Day to Marry at Rosedown Plantation

Jon and Diana were delighted to find Rosedown Plantation in Smithfield just south of Raleigh. It had the wonderfully majestic feel they were looking for, they could stay there for the weekend to make things easier for them, and it fit in their budget. I was surprised to learn when I was there that all of their 2011 weekends are already booked. And they did do a fabulous job. It was a cold November day. Really chilly. But the skies from the weather system that had moved through had cleared and so it was a 'go' to have the wedding outdoors. It was really Diana's and Jon's brilliant smiles that warmed everyone up.

There were a bunch of great professionals contributing to their wedding. David Solis Olson came all the way from Charlotte to play classical guitar for their ceremony. He was amazing. Randy from Joe Bunn and Co DJs did their reception music, Brett Arthur Photography got most of these great pictures. Here he's taking pictures of Diana with her attendants in the plantation house before the ceremony.

I took a couple of these pictures with my DROID in moments between happenings. Greg Warren Flowers did the bouquets and the lovely garland at the gazebo, Unforgettable Food Affairs from Garner catered their reception, and Simply Cakes in Raleigh did their scrumptious looking chocolate cake. You'll see pictures of many of their efforts. I never stay for the reception, preferring to come home to my own Sweetheart. But I do get to see the behind the scenes preparation that goes into making it all look effortless. I laud Diana and Jon for creating a welcoming and loving experience from the first moment the guests entered the plantation and saw their photos, to the real elegance of the reception.

Jon and Diana were clear that they didn't want the same old words they'd heard so often at ceremonies. They wanted a ceremony that wasn't stuffy or uncomfortable or formal. And they wanted their ceremony to have an intimate feel. They also wanted it to include their son Jaden who is now 7. All this was music to my ears. I love creating ceremonies for couples so that they can have fun and it be loving, wise and warm at the same time.

It was so chilly that I had a quilted vest under my robe. Thankfully nobody knew, and I was warm. I bet the men were appreciating their formal wear. Where it's so often too hot in the summer, here it helped.
I loved Jon's expression as he watched Diana walk down the aisle.

We began their ceremony with the words, 'Love is a quality of spirit and an attitude of the emotion, but a marriage is a life's work, a spiritual art form. Therefore, this is an occasion of both profound joy and great responsibility, and we who partake in it bind ourselves as witnesses to the labor of love that Jon and Diana are undertaking here.'

You can see their son in formal wear and a little out of focus as he's watching his mother enter, too. I don't know what the big smile was about in the next picture, but we had lots of reason to smile. Their ceremony was beautiful and a delight.

As you leave the ceremony area at Rosedown you climb stairs up to the plantation building where the reception is held. This is what you behold as you walk up those stairs.

Congratulations, Simply Cakes! Your cake below is one cake I would have loved to taste.

Here is the main room in the plantation in which the reception was held.

Soon these tables would be filled with the many people wishing Jon and Diana a wonderful marriage and a wonderful life. And there were many!

I wish them all the best! It was a treat to be a part of their special day.

Talitha and JC Wed on Nov 4th at All Saints

Talitha and JC married on November 4th on a Thursday evening at 5:45pm at All Saints Chapel in Raleigh. This was a special date since Nov 6th would be their 5th anniversary of being together. They had their dinner reception in the reception room there at All Saints, catered by The Pit. Their cake was supplied by Simply Cakes. That way all of their 80 guests would be in one place, wouldn't have to find another location in the dark, and JC and Talitha could maximize enjoying everyone there. And everything went wonderfully.

I think that a good part of it must have been their wonderful nature - as well as good planning on their part, of course.

Thanks to J and J Photography from Chapel Hill for providing these wonderful pictures of their ceremony.

I love All Souls Chapel for the warm and stunning architecture, the great lighting, the beautiful camera angles and their great staff.

Coming from different faith backgrounds, Catholic and Baptist, Talitha and JC were sure they wanted a non-denominational ceremony but weren't sure of the options possible for their ceremony. It was fun planning their ceremony with them. They're fun people who are sure to be successful in their marriage because they are so easy going and generous of spirit.

From my resources they chose a beautiful poem by an anonymous author:

True love is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And non can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love hold with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.

We pronounced them wed with the words, 'And so, JC and Talitha, having chosen one another from among all those in this world, having declared and witnessed your love before us, and having bound your pledge with the exchange of rings, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.'

Then we allowed time for everyone to get in place so they could be thoroughly bubbled on the way out of the chapel.

Then before almost anyone had a chance to go anywhere, we got a group photo. This is another great asset to this venue - the balcony where musicians can play and photographers and video-graphers can get great shots.

I got this sweet email from Talitha after their ceremony. 'I just wanted to send a quick email thanking you for the wonderful job you did for our ceremony. We both really liked the way that it turned out and you were so easy to work with and follow throughout the ceremony. We really appreciate the energy and time you put into making our ceremony the best that it could be.
Thanks again for everything!
Talitha and JC'

I so appreciate it when a couple sends a thank you. For all the wedding professionals I know, including myself, it's a labor of love to be a part of their wedding. And it's so thoughtful of the bride and groom to be aware of that. I wish them all the best. And I'm sure their next 50 years will be like their last 5 - full of love!