Wonderful Warm Wedding for Karin and Craig at Caffe Luna!

Karin and Craig met with me in July to officiate their wedding at Caffe Luna on November 10, 2013. They wanted a cozy, casual but elegant wedding with their families and closest friends. Caffe Luna certainly provides this warm and inviting ambience. They also wanted a personalized ceremony that reflected their love and commitment and that included their baby son, Cameron. No problem!

When Dave and I arrived for the wedding the sun was setting and the inside of the restaurant was all aglow. 

Their florist, MEWS-Design, had set the centerpieces and were working on the "altar" area. 

Jennifer with Ambrosia Cake Creations delivered the cake and got it all set up. So pretty!  I have seen their gallery of cakes and they are amazing!

I collected the marriage license from Craig and got his father, Garland, to sign as one of the witnesses.

When Karin and Craig told me they needed a DJ, I suggested they call Lenny Fritts. I can count on Lenny to be on site early, set up and ready to go long before most vendors at weddings. He and I conferred on the order of the processional and enlisted someone to relay the signals to him.

 I think we are ready! 

They had a very simple processional because there were no attendants and they decided to be creative. So when it was time to begin, I walked in first. Lenny's cue to begin the music.

Craig's father, Garland, escorted in his wife and Craig's stepmother, Kathy. Turns out she is the mother of Devon Schultz, a former wedding events manager at Hilton RTP and The Carolina Inn! She recently relocated to Charlotte but had come back to Raleigh for this wedding. It was great to see her and what a surprise!

Karin's mother, Ruth, was escorted in by her son, Rich, brother of the bride.

Craig and Karin have an adorable son, Cameron, who is very much a part of this wedding and they decided that the three of them would enter together.

 He was so precious! 

And so we began with a warm welcome, prayer, remembrance of those not with us, a community blessing and a tribute to their parents.

Then it was time for Cameron to come forth for his blessing. 

Karin and Craig met at work over 12 years ago. In 2008, they ended up in the same department and started hanging out with fellow workers after work. They gradually gravitated toward each other and discovered similar values and a comfortable kind of compatibility.

When Craig finally got around to kissing Karin which she was wondering would ever happen, the sparks ignited and they have been together ever since. Two years later they found themselves the happy parents of their sweet little boy and decided to make their family official by getting married and the wedding planning began.

 Hmm, someone's cell phone got in the photo! 

 The moment their marriage becomes legal! 

 Sealed with a kiss! 

Craig is not a smiler, can you tell? But I happen to know he was extremely happy in that moment even though it does not show! Karin, you can see how happy she is!

One very happy family! Karin and Craig, what a pleasure you were to work with. So easy going and laid back and letting everything just flow naturally. I can tell you are really good together. And, thank you for your generous gratuity! It is much appreciated. I wish you the best life can bring your way! Cameron too!

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Paula and Steve's Fabulous Wedding at Chateau Bellevie!

Paula and Steve are a laid-back and fun loving couple. It was such a pleasure to work with them to get their ceremony just right with lots of humor and then marry them! The Chateau Bellevie, a stunning wedding venue, is a beautifully appointed French mansion that is like nothing else in this part of the country and fit Paula and Steve's style perfectly.

Their wedding day of April 30, 2011 was about as perfect as you can get. Here is the back deck where our ceremony took place. I have done one wedding inside the Chateau which is gorgeous. There are many sites on the property where weddings can take place. You can see beyond the portico that there is a pretty gazebo on the other side which is a good place for a small wedding.

The arbor was so tastefully decorated and the fountain in the back added just the perfect sense of tranquility.

This is the Chateau as you drive down the driveway. It is so elegant and the gardens are perfectly manicured.

This beautiful cake in the pale lavender color of Victorian Lilac was baked by Ambrosia Cake Creations.

Paula and Steve love this sweet photo and had it on display. They are so happy they found each other.

Our photographer, Jennifer Kidd, was taking photos of our beautiful bride upstairs before the wedding ceremony. Paula looked stunning in her beautiful dress.

It was the day after the Royal Wedding, you know, and Jennifer decided she should wear a "fascinator." You know, one of those cute little hats that sit perched on the side of the top of you head that were SO popular at the Royal Wedding! Jennifer is so much fun and I love doing weddings with her. She was certainly a perfect fit for our couple.

Craig Hanemann and William Stewart with Arioso Strings were on hand to provide the heavenly ceremony music. Craig has played at more ceremonies with me than I can count. This is the first time William has played with him at a wedding.

Upstairs the dining room was ready for the dinner reception.

This is the Wishing Tree. You fill out a note on a string with your wish for the couple and hang it on the tree!

Roxana with the Chateau was our wedding director. Here she has us all lined up and ready to go after the mothers were seated. 

This is Lexi, our flower girl. She did a great job sprinkling the petals. She must be one of Paula's nieces because I can definitely see a family resemblance.

Paula was escorted in by her brother, Phillip.

 

There was some good laughing going on as I shared the couple's story of meeting on line and not thinking they had made good first impressions then finding out that they were absolutely perfect for each other and wishing they had met 20 years earlier. Then telling of some funny adventures they had together along the way. Love those stories. 

 

 I think Steve was saying "I do" at this point!

 Now he puts the ring on Paula's finger as he repeats the lines after me.

 Paula's turn.

Their mothers poured in sand representing their families as a foundation for their marriage.

The rest of the container is filled with the couple's sand.

 

 

 That's it! They are married and begin their new journey from this point in time!

Paula and Steve, thank you for finding each other and finding me. I was honored to join you in marriage. I wish you all the happiness in the world!

Wonderful Fall Wedding for Lia and Steve at Barclay Villa!

I met Lia and Steve last March when they came to see me about officiating their wedding on November 13, 2010 at Barclay Villa in Angier. I had not done a wedding there in about 3 years so I was delighted for the opportunity to be there and work with Cathy Honeycutt again. She and I go way back! In addition to being in charge of the catering (Barclay Catering and Event Planning), Cathy assembles and directs the wedding for the couple. Also on hand  was her assistant, Cindy Ebersbach. With both of them running the show, all bases were covered and we had a great rehearsal on Friday assuring that the wedding processional flowed smoothly.  So, when Marty and I arrived an hour before ceremony start time on Saturday at 4:00 to set up my sound system, the chairs were all in place and the musicians were arriving as well.

The opposite end of the aisle from the gazebo is the ballroom with the balcony overlooking the garden. The grandparents, parents, bridesmaids and bride and escort enter from this area. The Villa was all decorated for Christmas and looked so festive.

This is a new pool and fountain that had been installed since I was last there. It was so pretty and tranquil.

Here we are down at the gazebo getting all set up. Barclay Villa is like a setting of a fairytale with its castle-like features and beautifully landscaped grounds.

Ambrosia Cake Creations provided this striking wedding cake decorated with the wedding colors of black and red.

Above is the ballroom all prepared for the reception dinner. I once did a winter wedding in front of the massive fireplace between the Christmas trees.

This is the front entrance of the estate. Our photographer, Craig Carpenter with Luster Studios, had the groom and groomsmen out front taking some photos before the wedding while the bridal party was sequestered inside in the exquisite parlors.See Craig's preview photos on his Facebook page.

This is the pool and fountain where the guests gathered after the ceremony for cocktails.

We were graced with the lovely music of Florian Music thanks to their founder and coordinator, Sherry Lattin. We have done a lot of weddings together recently and it is always a pleasure to work with Sherry and her musicians. Sherry is the violinist on the left. The musician on the right played the trumpet for the bride's entrance. Steve and Lia had selected mostly contemporary music for which the group found sheet music and learned for the wedding.

It is almost time to begin so the guys and I gathered on the side of the ballroom from where we entered. I entered to a piece from Pirates of the Caribbean! It was very majestic!

After all the groomsmen entered, it was time for the bridesmaids who carried topiary balls of black and white tulle with red Christmas ornaments and some red feathers. (The two people standing to the side are guests who arrived after the processional began and were seated after the bride entered.) Lia and her sister, Jenna, Maid of Honor, made all the floral arrangements and wanted something out of the ordinary and succeeded beautifully!

 Lia was escorted in by her mother and grandfather. It was very special for them all.

 

Lia and Steve met in 2003 when one of Steve's friends, Matt, also a groomsman, introduced them and they hit it off. They dated for 5 years having all kinds of fun and adventures then Steve proposed at a very special place on their 5th year anniversary of dating. Lia was truly surprised but said yes, of course. Their story was included in the wedding ceremony and the guests loved hearing it and laughing at the funny parts. 

 

They loved creating their own ceremony and writing their own personal vows to each other which is what Lia is reading to Steve from my book. They both put in a few funny lines.

 The pronouncement of marriage was next and then....

Steve nailed Lia with a kiss.Thanks to Craig Carpenter for this fine quality photo!

After I presented the newlyweds to their guests, they recessed up the aisle and into the ballroom, up the stairs and out onto the balcony where they watched the wedding party and parents and grandparents recess.

 

Then I asked all their guests to stand and move to the center then turn around facing the balcony  for a group photo which I know will really be good because Craig had the vantage point of shooting from the balcony. Can't wait to see those shots.

 

Steve and Lia, what a fabulous wedding. Your hard work and careful planning sure showed in every aspect. I really loved writing your story. You are a remarkable couple and I know you will have a great marriage! Congratulations!