Dallas and Allison at Delightful Inspirations

On October 24th, Allison and Dallas got married at Delightful Inspirations in Raleigh! (Dallas and Allison chose Delightful Inspirations partly because it everything could be in one spot and they provided the catering, too. Thanks to Anne Caspar there for all her help that day.) It's hard to believe that it's been almost 4 months. I'm so glad Allison sent me these pictures so that I can relive their wonderful day.

It turned out to be one of those October weekends where the rain comes and goes. The ceremony was meant to be outside and the weather held even through the rehearsal. But as so often happens in October, we had to go to Plan B. Luckily, we had rehearsed for that possibility, too.

I was glad because it freed them to just celebrate. And there was much to celebrate. Allison and Dallas' love developed slowly while partnering together on long shifts as they became friends who could count on each other through thick or thin. And that support has been important. During these years Dallas had learned how to be attentive and romantic, and Allison had learned how to accept and appreciate Dallas' playfulness and easy going way.

Allison and her father were piped in by bagpiper, Robert J. White, who is a US Army Special Forces Retired Sergeant 1st Class. (919-772-4231, apiper1@nc.rr.com). We all felt especially grateful that Allison's father could walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. And it was an especially special moment for him, too. Now both she and her sister, Carolyn, her Matron of Honor, would be married to good men that he knew.

We honored this in the classic way of honoring a father's closeness to his daughter and his peace knowing she has a husband and partner she can rely on. I asked him, 'Who gives this woman to be married to this man?' And he answered, 'Her mother and I do.'

Dallas' playful manner was evident in their ceremony, as Dallas interjected soft playful kidding all through the ceremony. You'll see it in the twinkle in both their eyes.


Family and friends were in abundance, with even a cousin of Allison's coming all the way from Glasgow, Scotland to be at their ceremony. Another wonderful note of her Scot's heritage.

Thanks To Annie Harrison of Annie Harrison Photography for all these great pictures. They had another light touches in their ceremony with the short Ogden Nash poem 'To Keep Your Marriage Brimming,' which goes: 'To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the loving cup, whenever you're wrong admit it, whenever you're right shut up.'

These light moments were joined by with the deeper heartfelt moments in which we thanked Dallas and Allison's parents for their unstinting support, and in which we honored the way that Allison and Dallas had grown their love through the daily choice they had made to prioritize their love for each other and to find the sustenance within it to grow as individuals and partners.

They had a sand ceremony within their wedding ceremony to symbolize the inextricable joining of their lives.

Then I got to offer the Scottish Wedding Prayer in their names, Lord, help us to remember when we first met and the strong love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so that nothing can divide us. We ask for words both kind and loving, and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, we put our marriage into your hands.

And of course, we can't forget the kiss.














And the joy in their eyes as they recessed with just the partying ahead of them. After having eaten well, they all partied well into the night with the help of Jason Eder of Complete Music Disk Jocky Service.


I wish them tremendous happiness! This is a couple who have helped and encouraged each other to grow in love, confidence, courage, and generosity of spirit. It's shown itself in their professional lives and in all they touch.

They witness to the power of love in their own and in our lives. Blessings to them all ways and always!

Phil and Christina's Wonderful November Wedding

On November 7th, with much love and support, Christina and Phil celebrated their marriage at The Berryhill Estate in South Boston, Virginia. It was a gorgeous fall day and everything seemed to fall into place beautifully to celebrate Phil and Christina's love.

Christina and Phill planned well beforehand and I could see as their day unfolded that it all was paying off. Berryhill estate is in a quiet spacious setting with a modern inn attached so that all the festivities could be in one location. There's no road noise yet its easy to get to. Once there all the guests could relax and enjoy the wonderful separation from the reminders of every day tasks.


A note about weddings in Virginia: Officiants must register with the state of Virginia in person and only those ordained clergy who can prove their ordination by a valid ordaining body are authorized to perform weddings. Make sure that the officiant you choose is licensed to perform weddings in VA! Also in VA only the minister signs the license, while in NC you need two people to serve as witnesses.


Thanks for Shawn Mary Tomkinson of Shawn Mary Tomkinson Photography for these wonderful pictures. She and her associate were so easy to work and brought such skill to the day in this setting which could be tricky because of its grandeur.

The New Hope Players, the string quartet on the veranda with me, led off with the Air from Suite #3 in D Major by Bach, providing an elegant entrance for Christina and Phil's grandparents and parents. Then their Best Man, Patrick (Phil's brother) and their Maid of Honor, Valerie entered with Phil and Christina's dogs, Hailey and Rex. I remember Hailey romping in the long expanse of front yard before the ceremony. A dog's idea of heaven.

Rhonda van der Schagt from The Berryhill Estate was in wonderful charge of the procession as the wedding party entered from the right of the beautiful ante-bellam estate. Christina entered to Pachelbel's Canon in D navigating all those steps in her beautiful floor length gown. Phil was there to help her and you could see his respect for her as he escorted her carefully up each step. I knew it boded well for their marriage.

Before they spoke their vows, Christina's grandparents, Nanny and Pappy read from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, from the New Testament. It was touching to hear those classic words about love from people whose marriage bore witness to their truth . Then two friends read excerpts from 'The Bridge Across Forever' by Richard Bach which speak of finding our soul mate and what that means to our lives.


I was amazed at how well our voices carried easily in this larger than life setting. And I'm glad they did because Phil and Christina each wrote their own very personal vows to each other that were heartfelt, tender, down to earth, and timeless. They'll be able to draw upon them at many points in their journey together. They each sent me the vows they'd written beforehand so that I had them but they hadn't seen what the other had written. They're close to their families and all of us were touched by the very real and open affection they expressed to each other.

So often couples are shy. With Phil and Christina, I saw them take the power of the moment to let everything else fall away but each other and the love they wanted to express. I was so glad they claimed this for themselves. It will live forever in their hearts.

I got to say the following wonderful words of blessing upon their marriage at the end of their ceremony: "May the love that has brought you together continue to grow and enrich your lives, bringing peace and inspiration to each of you and to those who know you. May you meet with courage the problems which arise to challenge you, may you meet with strength the troubles that beset you. Phil and Christina, may your marriage be one of ever growing depth and meaning, understanding and love which you give to one another in the life you share. May you find far more in life than either would have found alone. May you find tolerance for the prejudices, reverence for the beauties, and respect for the truths you will encounter as you go forward together. Amen."

Then I had the fun of introducing them as a married couple. As everyone cheered, so did they.
I could tell that the reception would be a great celebration. And I was delighted for them adding silent blessings and delight in addition to those I formally offered in their ceremony.

True to who they are, they were gracious in their thanks to me, and I appreciated it a lot.
I got the following wonderful note from Christina after they returned from their honeymoon in Belize: 'Thank you so much for everything leading up to the wedding and on the big day. We received so many compliments from guests about our ceremony and how personal and meaningful it was, and I can't thank you enough for helping guide us through the process! I wanted to let you know I've posted a rave review to OneWed, and I wish you the very best!'

I seldom stay for the reception, preferring to come home to my own Sweetheart, Ruben. (We just celebrated our 10th anniversary!) Yet I know that many many more professionals work hard to make each couple's wedding special. I love to honor them and their efforts. For all of us this is a labor of love.


Phil and Christina's beautiful cake was made by Lisa Guadagnini of Tier Bella. The cranes were made by Christina. Christina's love and skill with origami was also evident in the amazing origami bouquets for the reception.

Christina's and her bride's maids flowers were done by Tre Bella Florist in Durham, NC. Notice the big lush hydrangeas. They were gorgeous.

And not to be forgotten, the DJ for the celebration was Greg Ramsely of the inimitable Joe Bunn Dj Company.

I wish Phil and Christina all the joy that marriage can bring.

Just thinking of them now brings a smile to my heart.

What Does It Mean To Be Spiritual?

Couples often come to me telling me that they're not religious but they're spiritual. And while many fear judgment, I say, 'Yay!' The 'Yay!' isn't a dis on religion. It's my pleasure that they consider the matters of the spirit important to how they define themselves.

The word 'spiritual' has a much broader definition than it did even twenty years ago. Then, the word spiritual was linked only to religious expression. Today that's not the case.

Our sense of spiritual aliveness can be found in religious ritual and at sacred sites .... and also all around, between and among us.

One writer I love defines our spirit as the 'non-negotiable core of aliveness that lies at the heart of who we are.' Our spirit is the vital animating part of us that sparks our loves, passions, and enthusiasms ('en theos' deriving from the Greek meaning 'with God.')

I encourage couples to express their enthusiasm, their spirit in their ceremony. I encourage them to put language to that part of who they are, to think of what's most important to each one of them, and to explore why these values touch them so deeply. This is what connects us to each other and to the larger life, the life beyond the self. Not only is it wonderful to express in a couple's wedding ceremony, but it provides wonderful opportunities for them to explore with each other these aspects of their lives.

We often love the passion for life that we find in our partner - it enhances and expands our world and through it we grow larger in experience and spirit. This is a lot to celebrate.

Some couples tell me that they most value family and friendship, others speak of nature and their desire to cherish and preserve it. Others speak of service to their community and the respect that they have for each other in the life choices they make. Other couples love cooking and entertaining with friends, creating beauty, traveling the world, or playing sports together. I love listening to couples speak of what they love about each other and the joy they find in life. It uplifts me and through each couple I learn more about how amazing we humans are as we grow and celebrate life with each other on this amazing planet.

This picture is of the Jurra Region of Switzerland, from which the word Jurrasic came. It was taken by a Swiss friend.

Our spirituality can show up in ways that we don't attribute to this sense of the larger life. Here are a few examples from my life. My daughter is a supervisor in a department that ensures that welfare recipients get fair treatment. She's a wonderful supervisor and she sees her work as a calling to serve those who are less fortunate. This is a connection of the heart and spirit.

My ex-husband, a good and loving man, used to experience his spirituality in umpiring softball games. Not the usual expression, but he brought his love of the game and the best of who he was to ensure fairness. On the ball field his world had purpose and made sense, and he could offer that with grace and clarity to others.

My Sweetheart of ten years, Ruben, is a 6th and 7th grade science teacher. He glows when he talks about his kids (his over 100 students) and his love for the planet. Put those two passions together and you see a man on a mission. His kids share his excitement and delight as he makes science come alive.

This picture is of the Goosenecks of the San Juan River in Utah.
I find this picture inspiring. My life hasn't been a straight line and these beautiful twists and turns affirm that my life, in its convolutions, has held beauty and strength that I don't often acknowledge. I bet this is true with your life, too.

What delights and inspires you?
What calls to your heart?
What parts of this amazing whole of Life want to live through you?

Sometimes all we need is a walk in the woods to bring us in touch with our spirits. Sometimes even a Youtube video can help our hearts expand to find the spaciousness within us that reminds us how good it is to be alive and connected to the mystery and wonder of all of life and Love.

Yesterday Ruben sent me this Youtube video called 'Suppose the Earth Got Saturn's Rings'. Enjoy it. It's not long. You've got time.

And this next Youtube is about as expansive as it gets. It's called 'A Small Glimpse of The Universe.' We are each only one person on a small planet in a small galaxy. But we are graced with the miracle of loving. For this we can only be grateful. And appreciation is the heart of the spirit.

And the heart of a good marriage!

Blessings to you!

The Wedding of Holly and Paul at the Aqueduct Center in Chapel Hill

I'm going back to the Fall of 2009 - November14, to be exact, to tell you about Holly and Paul's wedding because I want you to see their wonderful pictures and I wanted you to get to know them just a little. They are what make weddings fun for me.

And they seemed to be having fun at their wedding, too. As you can see in the playful spirit of this 'American Gothic like' photo above.

Paul and Holly met through Holly's friend Nadine. Holly teaches yoga and Paul needed a yoga instructor. They immediately liked each other and have shared interests in vegan food, hiking, cooking together, biking and just enjoying life. And they have four cats.

In their wedding they wanted to honor both the public aspect of the ceremony - it is their public declaration of love to their family and friends - but they also wanted to keep the private side of their ceremony and their day. So they made very active choices to do just that.

They invited about forty people the Aqueduct Center in Chapel Hill to share their wedding day. It has this gorgeous view from the deck. We were all grateful for this radiantly beautiful Fall day.


This is the room off the deck where their ceremony was held in front of the fireplace.

High Strung Celtic (919-933-7624, Art and Sarah) were their wonderful musicians whose instruments included a hammered dulcimer and a fiddle.

Holly and Paul wanted their ceremony to be representative of their tastes and to have a participatory and community feel. And it did. Their attendants were their brothers, Scott and Kevin.

Their friend Albert read the poem 'Love' by Roy Croft. Then their friends Wes and Betsy read the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. It's a gentle and loving piece that begins: 'Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story....' Google it to read the whole thing. It's worth it and will gentle your spirit whatever mood you're in.

We all had a special treat when Holly's brother, Scott, played a gyil (pronounced geel). It's an African instrument (that he made himself!). The song he played was one he wrote especially for Holly and Paul called 'When Walking, We Walk Together.' It was absolutely captivating and had a purity of tone and musicality that was memorable. Holly told me afterward how special the piece was for her.

Paul and Holly's vows are ones I love. Each person's vow begins first with the following question:

'Holly will you love Paul when you are together and when you are apart, when life is peaceful and when it is disordered, when you are proud of him and when you are disappointed in him, in times of leisure and in times of work? Will you provide trust and respect, and gentle understanding, encourage his personal growth and place him above all others? Do you promise to keep an open heart and mind in time so change and growth and to find compromise in times of conflict. Will you honor Paul's dreams and help him fulfill them?'

I love being the minister at weddings because I am reminded every time of the daily art of loving deeply. Wonderful words like these have helped me grow my love for my Sweetheart, Ruben.

After Paul and Holly exchanged their vows and rings, and i pronounced them married, I got to say the wonderful blessing: 'Always remember that we can expect nothing from love except what love gives. We cannot choose what chances and changes may befall us, but we can shape the spirit with which we shall meet them. My prayer for you is that your love will grow stronger and richer as the years so by......'

Robin Lin of Robin Lin Photography took all these wonderful pictures. She always seems to find the shots that are perfect for each couple.











I loved leaving Paul and Holly in the loving hands of their friends and family. My final words in the blessing in the ceremony for them were: May the years deal gently with you, walking together, may you find life richer for journeying through it together.'

They're both people who live life with a twinkle in their eye. They fit well together. I have no doubt that they will continue to find life delightfully enriched in their journey together. Many blessings to them!

The Rand-Bryan House in Garner Decorated for the Holidays

On December 19th I had the joy of performing the marriage ceremony of Kristin and Adam at the Rand-Bryan House in Garner. In my next post I'll show you pictures of their ceremony.

But I wanted you to see the beautiful Rand-Bryan house on its own. It was the childhood home of Martha Liles and she and her daughter, Audrey were wonderful hosts for the wedding, ensuring that all went smoothly.

It's an elegant and open space, warmed with holiday decorations, and perfect for a small wedding.


The broad expanse of windows and the simple architectural elements maximize the light and the natural beauty, making you feel as if you're outdoors when you're much more comfortable inside.



As you enter into the front door, the stairs are in front of you to the left. The room to your left is the room that you can dress in. As you can see it has lots of room for all the stuff needed for the day.












It was a chilly day so we stayed inside. But I imagine it's even nicer when the day is warm and sunny and you can take advantage of that wonderful front porch and the wide expanse of lawn. Oh, and they have lots of parking.

Enjoy these pictures and see if it's the right place for you.

Thomas and Jessica, best friends for ten years

November 14th is the day Jessica and Thomas got married. From the time they were fourteen, they had known that theirs would be a forever friendship. At that time they'd gone to two different schools, but even then they'd had known that what they had was special. Everyone thought they were too young and a little crazy. But over the last ten years they've grown up, and grown their love, even through the difficulties of a long distance relationship while she was in college and he learned the family business.

To their friends they're an inspiring example of a good relationship. And while their friends said, 'It's about time!' when they announced their engagement, to Jessica and Thomas, it was just the right time. On November 14th, with all their friends and family gathered at Bay 7 of the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham, they honored their special love.

Jessica's friend, Angela, was the honorary wedding director. She was fabulous and essential to the day. She kidded that she could apply her skills as a medical student to this occasion. But kidding aside, she gave a special gift to her friend in the grace and attention she brought to coordinating the many logistics of the day.

Thomas and Jessica come from two different faiths, and in their ceremony we honored both traditions. Melissa Cherry, a photo journalist from Greensboro took all the wonderful pictures you see here catching the occasion beautifully. Many thanks to her!

After Thomas and I entered the ceremonial space,
four attendants carried at huppah created just for the occasion. (These four friends remarked to me after the ceremony that they had loved being able to see Thomas and Jessica's faces so clearly during the ceremony.) The huppah, in Jewish faith, represents the promise of the home they'll create together. Its sides are open, symbolizing the importance of community, participation in each others lives and what is beyond ourselves.

Jessica entered with both her parents to the Canon in D by Pachelbel played on a great sound system by Jill Phillips of All The Right Grooves. She was fabulous. This is a large, wide-open and difficult place to get the sound just right, but she managed it.

Thomas and Jessica used the architecture of the setting well, too, holding the ceremony on a landing of the stairs with a backdrop of silver tile, which created a wonderful platform and effect by which everyone could see more easily.


Thomas and Jessica's exchange of rings had special meaning. Thomas proposed on New Year's Eve at mid-night in Asheville, NC on the grounds of the Grove Park Inn. It was a symbol of the forever commitment they'd both grown toward all these years. Now they were formally declaring this commitment in the eyes of all who love them.




During the ceremony they shared a glass of wine as part of the 7 Jewish Wedding Blessings Jessica's brother Jacob recited for them. The first is 'We praise you God, ruler of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.' The next six are just as lovely.

They also thoroughly enjoyed their kiss, taking the time to savor the moment. Yay!



Thomas broke the glass and everyone yelled 'Mazel Tov' at the end of the ceremony to wish them congratulations and good luck. It's not really hard to break the glass if you step on it right and then of course you have to remember to have it in a white cloth napkin so that shards don't go flying. It's a wonderful way to signify with a good shout that everyone is with them in spirit and that the ceremony is completed. Traditionally this ritual holds the prayer that says 'may your bond of love be as difficult to break as it would be to put together the pieces of this glass together again.'

I call the final moment before the Recessional the Basking Moment. It's the time when a couple is reentering their community for the first time as a married couple, seeing everyone who is there because they love them and wish them all the happiness in the world. It's a time to relish and drink in all this love and support.

So often couples seem to run out down the aisle. I say, 'Relax and enjoy all those faces turned to you in love.'


Jessica and Thomas had a special tradition for their wedding cake. Jessica's grandmother and mother had both had these same Kewpie doll's on top of their wedding cakes. And now so did Thomas and Jessica. The picture on the table is Jessica's parents cutting their wedding cake almost thirty years ago with the same small dolls on top of it. This beautiful cake was made by Ashely Lattier of Ashley Cakes.



Cydney Davis-English from The English Garden in Raleigh was responsible for Jessica's beautiful bouquet and the Cala lilies for her bride's maids.















I didn't stay but Jessica reports that they had to kick people out at eleven because they were still going strong on the dance floor. Durham Catering Company must have been a hit with the dinner, too. Thanks to Tom Ferguson.

I appreciate it so much when a couple lets me know that their ceremony has been what they wanted. Jessica send me the following note, which I'll treasure: "We are back home from our honeymoon now and starting to settle into our life as a married couple. We wanted to write and thank you for doing such an amazing job at our wedding last week. The ceremony was so heartfelt and honest - it touched both of our hearts and was able to transcend to reach all of our friends and family in attendance as well. Standing on that stage, listening to you deliver the words we worked so hard to choose, everything else truly faded away.

We really appreciate everything you did to make our wedding day so wonderful. You took so much care to craft the exact ceremony we wanted and we could never thank you enough for being part of the most important day of our lives. ... Thank you again! We are so glad we were able to share the day with you. Meeting you and having you officiate our ceremony was truly a blessing for both of us.'

It's a blessing for me, too. Jessica and Thomas were very clear in their appreciation and affection for each other and their family and friends. I felt privileged to be a part of it with the special role I had in their wedding.

Jessica and Thomas story was written up in the Harold Sun. It's wonderful. Click here to go the the Herald Sun site and the story.

Helping them honor a generous and inclusive love such as theirs is why I love what I do.

Melanie and David, with family and closest friends

I've always loved a December wedding. My parents were married on Christmas Eve in 1937. So for all my life, Christmas and weddings have been intertwined.

It was a treat to see the festive white Holiday lights surrounding the Celebrity Dairy in Siler City as I drove down the long driveway on the already dark Saturday evening of December 12th.

I've officiated lots of summer weddings at Celebrity Dairy over the years. I've always loved the cats rubbing your ankles, even during the ceremony, and the contented clucking of chickens in the background. But this evening, it was all about the warmth inside.

After having worked together for over seventeen years, and after each had each gone through a divorce in the last few years, David and Melanie's friendship caught fire.

For their wedding David and Melanie wanted to emphasize the future and to unite their families: Melanie has two daughters and David has two sons, and the four were their attendants.

Here David and Melanie and their children are looking up to the balcony while their professional photographer, Wendy of Wendy Savage Studio snaps a shot from above.

These are just my photographs taken by my Droid. Pardon their quality as I get used to its eccentricities.

This is the small room off the main dining room where the ceremony was held for about 12 close family members and friends. It was just the right size for this group so that the wedding felt intimate and close, but not crowded.

Melanie and David chose to include their children in their vows. I'd never done this before and it was lovely and powerful. The first words of their vows were: 'I love you and choose to share my life with you and your children.' I enjoyed meeting the children to whom these words applied, and they were all great!

David and Melanie's reception dinner was held in the big dining room and was catered by Celebrity Dairy staff while their cake was created by Once in a Blue Moon Bakery in Cary. Celebrity Dairy has wonderful art work all over its walls and with the added Christmas decorations it sparkled.

















Melanie and her daughter's bouquets were created by Blossom in Pittsboro.

I left as family and friends were being called to the table for dinner to drive back to my home and my Sweetheart, Ruben. As I did, I delighted that these two people and these two families were now joined.

I've always believed that you can never have too many people in your life who love you. And that the blessing of divorce and remarriage, if we can remember that love takes many forms, is the power of new bonds being formed and the possibility of new love arising.

I wish this new family all the best, and a Happy Christmas!

Maggie and Kevin Light Up The Doubletree

Kevin and Maggie met in college when they lived across from each other in their sophomore year and began dating in their senior year. That was almost four years ago. During all this time their love has grown. They came to see me because they wanted a relaxing, 'not too serious' wedding that was family oriented and joyful since they're both very close to their families, and love that about each other. They're the first two to be married in either family so everyone was delighted to be invited to help them celebrate.

They thanked their friends and family on their wedding ceremony program and added these words just for their parents: 'We both admire and aspire to have the marriage that you have and hope that we can live up to all that you have taught us to be. We love you!'

Amy Acosta at The Doubletree Inn in Durham was masterful in making the adjustments needed to move the wedding indoors. She's always great to work with.
And Thanks to florist Lyn Graves from Fresh Affairs for his beautiful offerings.

Mitch Woodard of joe bunn dj company was great, attending to the careful timing and volume needed for this enclosed room Maggie and Kevin chose the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin for their Bridal Processional and the Wedding March by The O'Neill Brothers for their Recessional. Couples have been asking me lately for suggestions of music so I'm paying more attention to make a note of what is played. I love how I'm surprised by the really lovely choices that I would never have thought of.

Kevin entered with his father, Gary, and with two brothers and a good friend standing up with him, there were hugs happening all through the ceremony, which was wonderful to see. Here Kevin is hugging Maggie's father after he escorted her down the aisle.

We'd planned for their wedding to be outside, but with the rain on October 24th it had to be moved indoors. But even inside, their smiles and joy lit up the room. We have Stacy Borelli from Swank Photo Studio to thank for these great pictures. She had a difficult job in this room, filled with guests, to get just the right pictures. These wonderful photos show that she skillfully accomplished it!


Kevin and Maggie chose the poem 'Love' by Roy Croft, read by Maggie's brother Andrew as part of the ceremony, which begins: 'I love you, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.'

Right after they exchanged rings, they shared in the wonderful custom of Celtic Handfasting. They even invited their guests to participate in this custom with them in their own way. "If you're here today with your beloved or a dear friend or family member, please hold their hand now and know that these timeless words are also true for you. If those most special to you are not here today, please bring in to your mind and heart the love you share with them. They they too will be with us in spirit."

The power of the moment brought tears to many eyes.

Maggie and Kevin really savored their first kiss as husband and wife. I'm glad. Sometimes a couple kisses so briefly that the photographer doesn't have time to get a picture. I know that it's unusual to kiss in front of family and friends, but the day is celebrating your wonderful affection.



I very rarely go to a reception, preferring to come home and be with my own Sweetie, but I decided to investigate a little further about Maggie and Kevin's cake since it was made by Cinda Putnam, of Cinda's Creative Cakes, and she also did the fabulous cake for another couple I married this fall.

Sure enough, it was beautiful and topped, symbolically of course, by Maggie and Kevin's puppy Jacey. I know they wanted her to be a part of the wedding and here she is.









After Kevin and Maggie got back from their honeymoon, I received a wonderful note from her with these words, 'I am sure you noticed - but everything really "hit" me as I walked down the isle. I hadn't cried once all day but when the ceremony actually started - I was overwhelmed to say the least. I will never forget how calm and warm your smile was and it was you that let me know it was okay. I really can't thank you enough for that - and for the tissues :)

Many of our guests stopped me during our reception and commented on what a wonderful ceremony it was and how wonderful you were. it seemed to me that the ceremony was short but even then you definitely made a lasting impression on our guests and our families and I am so thankful to you for that.

Thank you so much for all of your help and guidance over the last many months in putting our ceremony together. I think it is truly amazing how you can guide a couple through the process and the result is something they put their hearts in to - which makes everything that much more meaningful and special on your wedding day.

Thank you again Robin for all of your help and support. You were a huge part in making our wedding day so special and we cannot thank you enough for that. Please keep in touch and if there is anything I can ever do for you - please just let me know."

It was a joy to be a part of Kevin and Maggie's wedding. They have a generosity of spirit that shines brightly, even on the rainiest of days.