Damien and Nicole Wed on April 1st at The Weathervane in Chapel Hill

I loved meeting with Damien and Nicole and being a part of their wedding. They're two very different people who thoroughly enjoy and love each other and each others' uniqueness. They moved up from South Carolina and decided to have their wedding here and I'm glad they did.

They were delighted to find The Weathervane at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill.

It has a fabulous patio for their intimate wedding and would do the catering with fabulous food plus the flowers (there is a picture a little further down of Nicole's attendants with their really distinctive bouquets,) and their cake. Here are some more pictures to better show you the patio space.


Nicole and Damien loved that The 'one stop shopping' of The Weathervane would make their planning so much easier. And A Southern Season does everything well and elegantly. They're a well respected Chapel Hill institution. Thanks so so much to Sarah Mackiewicz who is the Special Events Coordinator at The Weathervane. She was fabulous in making sure everything went well through all the last minute adjustments we had to do for the strong winds that day. The Weathervane is a newer venue in the area and they are doing a wonderful job.

Liesl Cowley of Myrtle Beach, SC, and Liesl Diesel Photo took these fabulous pictures. It wasn't an easy venue to photograph!

Damien and Nicole are both lovely considerate people who asked me in the ceremony to first thank all those people who gave them the gift of coming to their wedding. We said: 'Let us appreciate our surroundings, our connection with each other, and our connection with loved ones unable to be with us today physically but who are nonetheless with us in spirit and memory.' They've known each other for fourteen years, and the last six years have been growing their love.

Nicole and Damien chose the wisdom of Madeleine L'Engle in 'The Irrational Season' which speaks of the moment when a decision must be made whether to take the risk to love deeply, which comes with no guarantees. Many people think this is a rejection of freedom but it really demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom. To create a love that is participation and not possession. If you'd like the full reading, let me know. It's beautiful and it's in my wedding book.

They affirmed their desire to marry, creating a marriage that is participation not possession, forging a shared life, accepting the risk that come with this commitment, moving into their future with an open hear and shared hopes, promising to love together for a lifetime. At their request, I wrote this portion of their vows to match the reading. I love it and will keep it. It's very powerful and speak to love where we each honor the bless the freedom of the other knowing that this is the path of loving partnership.

They chose the wonderful poetry of Pablo Neruda and then had several friends stand and each read three or four lines from Taylor Mali's 'Falling in Love is Like Owning A Dog.' Every one loved it.

They wrote them own vows and didn't show them to each other. I loved how their vows seemed just like them. Then I brought them to the ceremony printed large in my wedding book so that they could continue to hold hands, while I held the vows for them to speak to each other. They also took part in the Celtic Hand fasting Ritual before I got to playfully say: 'Damien you may kiss your bride, and Nicole you may kiss your groom."

The only challenge was the wind. I hope it didn't limit the guests ability to hear the ceremony. Luckily is was a small venue so people were close by.

The wind was a challenge for my microphone and, as you can see, Nicole's veil. Also our trellis had fallen before the ceremony. It was really windy.

Luckily everyone was right there for the reception. They told me that DJ Chuck Hedrick, djchuckels@aol.com, from Charlotte and Rock Hill was wonderful and their dinner was in the dining room right off the patio.

After they got back from their honeymoon I got this great note from Nicole: 'Hi Robin, Thank you again for being a part of our wedding. You received so many compliments from our guests, who were all convinced we've known you for years because of how personal our ceremony was, how well we seemed to know you and get along with you, and the sense of connection that you built during the ceremony. They also just loved your delivery, the pauses, your infectious smile, everything! "

I love to pause during the ceremony - not too long so that it loses it's rhythm and flow but enough so that the couple and guests can drink in the moment and savor it. I am glad to know that others appreciate this, too.

I do feel like I know Nicole and Damien in a very small but very special way. I wish them all the best in the world and know that they'll have a wonderful life together.