Beth and Mike's Fabulous Wedding at The Stockroom!

WOW! What a great wedding! Beth and Mike married at The Stockroom in downtown Raleigh on March 8, 2014. They assembled a great team to pull it all together. Kailey with A Southern Soiree was their wedding planner and director. Her boss, Megan (a former bride of mine), came to the wedding as Kailey's assistant because she was friends with one of the bridesmaids and wanted to see this beautiful wedding.

Expressions of Love was the florist. The wispy silver branches dripping with bling and flowers made a wonderful backdrop for the ceremony. In the middle is the table holding their Wedding Wine Box.

The ceiling lights were hung in a starburst pattern with a lovely chandelier in the center. Get Lit Special Events Lighting created this along with some up-lighting along the walls for the reception. 

The Stockroom@230 has become a very popular and special place for weddings. It is right downtown--230 Fayetteville Street. The art gallery next door serves as the holding area prior to the ceremony for the bridal party and after the ceremony it is where the guests go for cocktail hour while The Stockroom is being flipped for the reception.

Beth and Mike chose the Wooden Wedding Box Ceremony. This beautiful box holds a bottle of wine and during the ceremony they add sealed hand-written love letters about all the qualities they love in each other.

Flower petals and floating candles lined the aisle. (So much better than an aisle runner! If you read this blog you will know I have a thing about aisle runners and how dangerous and messy they can be!)

Elegant Ensembles provided the beautiful music for the ceremony.  

Their photographers, Charo and Mike, provided photographs for their guest book where the guests could write notes to the couple.  Belle's Catering and The Cupcake Shoppe provided the food and cake.

 Andraya is our sweet little flower girl and she did her job perfectly! 

This is the sign she is bringing down the aisle. I bet Beth got that idea from Pinterest. In fact, she told me that is how she found me! Pinterest! 

 Mike and I are laughing as Andraya comes down the aisle.

 Our gorgeous bride and her father float down the aisle while the guests are standing in her honor. 

 Beth had the most exquisite dress that fit her to a tee. 

Andraya is holding her mother's bouquet while her mother, Shannon, Matron of Honor, holds Beth's bouquet.  

The ceremony begins. They each had 10 attendants. The guys were dressed in medium gray suits and navy blue ties. They were so handsome.

 Beth and Mike worked hard getting their story worded just right. I loved it. And so did their guests. 

There was quite a bit of laughter as you can see. Especially when I told of Mike's predetermined steps a relationship must go through before making a permanent commitment, being the orderly, detailed engineer that he is!

 Then what they each told me in confidence they loved about each other was revealed for the first time. 

 They read their vows to each other from my book. 

Beth shed quite a few tears during the ceremony and we passed the hankie back and forth. Here I am going to dab the tears that were running down her cheeks during her vows.

They exchanged rings and it was time for them to place their letters in the wooden box with the wine and lock it.

 Phil and his associate with 21 Films was videoing the ceremony. 

 Their friends Heather and Erica presented the Irish Wedding Blessing. 

 The pronouncement! 

 KISS! 

 "We're really married!"

Yes! Throughout their courtship, Mike was a persistent and patient pursuer of Beth. Now, it's done! He got THE girl of his dreams! Of course Beth would tell you she got THE man of her dreams!

 Taking the scene in! 

The bride and groom and wedding party and parents disappeared into the stairwell to wait for the guests to clear the room. Then we came back in to take a few photos.

I wanted you to see how gorgeous Beth's wedding gown is. It is one of the prettiest I have ever seen and I see a lot! It was a soft champagne with just a touch of blush. So perfect for this beautiful bride!

Mike and Beth, you were a joy to work with and your love is so inspirational. You are just perfect for each other and I think you know it! My best wishes for your happiness forever! 

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To contact me:

mailto:kayelily@aweddingminister.com

919-345-4608

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Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

Megan is sneaking the bride down the back steps so the groom cannot see her!

Back in May of 2010, I officiated the wedding of Megan and Jason Gillikin. At the time, Megan was the Catering Manager at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in North Hills. She and I had worked several weddings together at that venue and I was honored to officiate for her and Jason. Shortly after getting married, Megan stepped out on her own and acquired A Southern Soiree, a wedding planning company, and her expertise, hard work and the wonderful staff she put together have made A Southern Soiree one of the most desirable and popular wedding planning companies in North Carolina today.  Go here to see some of the weddings on this blog that Megan and I have worked together on. Since she has seen both the venue side of wedding coordination and the independent wedding planner perspective and because she planned her own wedding, I asked her to write an article to share on my blog. I also asked her to explain the difference between a venue wedding coordinator and an independent wedding planner. So here it is! Thank you, Megan! 

Guess who thought to bring scissors!

Have you ever had a married friend tell you, “The wedding day was a blur and it was so difficult to take it all in?”  Well, let me tell you that your friend is absolutely right! The wedding day, the ceremony, and the reception will be over in the blink of an eye.  Before you know it, you’ve opened a few gifts and you’re off on your honeymoon. Hiring a planner won’t slow that time down, however by hiring an experienced wedding planner, you’ll be able to let go and enjoy your day – your unforgettable special moment – and the entire planning process!

Even though all brides truly want to let go and enjoy, some believe that hiring a wedding planner is a frivolous expense.   The reality is that a good coordinator can keep you on budget and make sure you spend your money wisely.

Wedding planners pin on boutonnieres. 

Most brides don’t understand the difference between a venue coordinator/catering manager and an independent event planner.  I spent four and a half years working for Marriott in various catering coordinator roles before A Southern Soiree, so having done both jobs I’ve done my best to explain some of the main differences below: 

An independent event/wedding planner has worked at multiple venues in the area, knows the ins and outs and rules of various venues, and is experienced in negotiating contracts with your florist, photographer, DJ, etc. So what might seem like a “frivolous” expense can actually save you money – and is guaranteed to save you time!  There are a few (really just a few!) venues here in the area which offer complete coordination of all details and in these cases, it is not always necessary to hire an outside planner. 

If you have a “wedding coordinator” from your reception venue, in most cases it is not the same as hiring an event planner. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing coordinators at the local venues in the area, but that individual’s job is to make sure that everything relating to the facility (set-up, food, staffing) runs properly. A planner will be a second set of eyes at the event and will make sure every detail is covered – even the little things like making sure the champagne is poured before the toasts start or loading your gifts into your family’s car at the end of the night. 

Gina was "day of" wedding coordinator for this small wedding. 

Some other things to consider:

·      Many venues do not offer ceremony coordination as a part of the package.  Many local officiants also request that you have a dedicated person to handle the ceremony logistics.  This is where it’s key to consider hiring an outside coordinator.   We will work with you (and your officiant) closely on all of the ceremony details including the processional, recessional, special reserved seating, dealing with unique family dynamics and current ceremony etiquette.

·       The planner is the “go to” person for the event (so that you or your close friends and family do not have to be this point person). Many times weddings can have 20+ vendors involved in pulling off an event. When you factor that number in with your entire wedding party, your family, and your guests, you have lots of people with questions and concerns! As your planner, we can provide answers to all those people and ensure that you only have to think about the love and joy of the day, not the details!

·       What if the cake doesn’t arrive on time or your getaway car at the end of the night doesn’t show up? Whether you like to admit it or not, most big events involve some type of crisis – and this is not typically the responsibility of the venue coordinator. Our experience gained from working in the industry allows us to anticipate challenges that our clients may not see coming.

Kailey is getting the wedding party at The Carolina Inn all lined up to process in.

      Special guests at this wedding were the Clef Hangers who made a surprise appearance at the end of this ceremony. Kailey is watching to see when to cue them to enter. 

·      A planner will attend all of your initial consultations with you and will help you select your vendors. We will review and negotiate contracts for you and will remind you of upcoming payments due to all your vendors as well.  Although a venue coordinator is often happy to provide you with vendor recommendations, they will typically not get involved in the contract or payment process.

   Even for couples who don’t mind the long hours or really enjoy being hands on, having a planner can still be beneficial to you. A planner is not hired to take over and make decisions for you, but instead to guide and assist you in making informed decisions. The event is supposed to be about you and making your dreams into reality.  The MOST important reason for you to hire a planner is to avoid all of the stress! A lot of people who plan a wedding without a professional planner become so stressed that they cannot wait until the event is over. We want you to enjoy the process of planning, then relax, be at your best, and take it all in on your big day!

If you need a wedding planner, please check out our website at www.asouthernsoiree.comand contact us for a complimentary consultation.

Sophisticated Intimate Family Wedding for Amanda and Jess!

Jess and Amanda attended the same college but never met there and for several years "danced" around each other in social groups until they finally connected at the Jingle Ball in 2010. The spark that was ignited that fateful evening grew into the love they have for each other today. Jess proposed on a trip to the Keys last February and they started planning the wedding they both envisioned. The date of October 20, 2012 was set but the venue not yet selected. They first considered the new Nature Resource Center in Raleigh but that did not work out. Then they discovered Flanders Art Gallery on S. West Street in downtown Raleigh. It was perfect. The three of us met on March 22nd and got started creating the ceremony.

The big day arrived and Flanders Art Gallery had been transformed for the wedding!

Irregardless Cafe was catering but I don't know if they also provided the beverages or not.

Amanda asked me for recommendations for a day of coordinator to help her on the wedding day. I recommended A Southern Soiree and so Gina Annab was there to greet Marty and me when we arrived. She had everything under control! Thanks, Gina!

Don't those cupcakes look delicious? They were provided by Blue Moon Bakery.

 A photo of the couple was on every table. 

There were nice little personalized touches everywhere. 

Our DJ was Nikko Terzieff with NCT Entertainment. Nikko and I had not worked together but had met each other at the Professional Wedding Guild luncheon recently.

The bride had arrived and so we began the ceremony by entering and taking our places after the guests were seated.

Our beautiful bride was escorted in by her beaming father, Darrell. 

Amanda and Jess just couldn't take their eyes off each other. They were so happy and ready to be husband and wife!

John Rodgers was photographing this momentous occasion for Jess and Amanda.

After the welcome, their sisters, Alysun and Kirtan, sprinkled flower petals around the couple forming a "circle of love" in which they stood for the ceremony.

Everyone enjoyed the personalized parts of this ceremony and had a few good laughs too!

They made their vows and sealed them with their rings. 

The serious legal moment of the pronouncement of marriage!

And away they go! (Notice Amanda's bouquet and Jess' boutonniere are made of cotton bolls.)

Congratulations, Amanda and Jess! It was a wonderful wedding and I hope you are off somewhere honeymooning! All the best to you!