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.
The Highgrove Estate is a beautiful restored home just south of Fuquay-Varina and about 20 minutes drive south of Raleigh. It's perfect for a summer evening wedding. The vista from the ceremony site overlooks Laurel Lake, the patio catches any breeze that is possible, the house has a classic winding staircase that's perfect for pictures and ...
the estate has multiple wonderful settings for perfect photographs.
Stacy Borelli from Swank Photo and Studio took all the pictures you'll see in this posting. Jenna's parents came all the way from Tampa, Florida and Tim's were luckier to come the short distance from Zebulon, NC. In all, over 150 guests joined them on this special day.
Jenna and Tim were surrounded by family and close friends with 6 bridal attendants, 2 honorary bridal attendants, 2 flower girls and 7 groom's attendants in attendance. But the wide patio accommodated everyone beautifully. We even had room for a unity candle table and a small bottle of water stashed behind it just in case on this particularly hot day. (TIP: Noticing where the sun will be in the sky for your ceremony is especially helpful for North Carolina summer weddings.)
After making sure that the right person had the rings and the mother's knew how to light the candles for the unity candle ceremony, we were ready to begin. Angela, from The Highgrove, was great in helping make sure every logistical detail was taken care of. We were also glad for the last moments of air conditioning as we lined up in the house before we entered into the hot sunshine. Aware of this possibility, Tim and Jenna chose ceremonial words that were rich in spirit and full of heart and warmth, and weren't long. They wanted a ceremony that was beautiful, romantic, elegant and family oriented. And this tone came through in their ceremony and in every aspect of the evening.
Music for the ceremony and for the reception was expertly provided by Ryan from Island Sound DJs and Video. He also provided a lapel microphone for me, which always makes it easier to be heard in outdoor settings.
I left while guests were enjoying cocktails at the many outdoor groupings on the patio, and the wedding party were having pictures taken - just before everyone entered into the elegant air-conditioned tent for the rest of the festivities.
Everyone had a great time.
