Wedding Story Writer Debut at Saks Fifth Avenue!

Michelle McMurray de Luces has birthed a very novel idea and quite the entrepreneur! She actually attends the same Unity church I do but I did not get to know her until last year when she wrote the story of the wedding of one of my couples. Her service is to attend your wedding from start to finish and then create a wonderful story of it, all the details, things you may not have noticed or would remember, in fascinating style. She then has an artist of your style and choice illustrate it and eventually it is bound into a beautiful leather book. It is a treasure, a legacy. Truly something very unique to enjoy and pass down in your family.  Her business is called Wedding Story Writer.

Michelle herself with a display edition of a Wedding Story she has done. She will travel all over the globe for weddings. Beautiful floral display by The English Garden.

The launch party for Wedding Story Writer was held on March 21, 2013 at Saks Fifth Avenue in Raleigh's Triangle Town Center. It was quite elegant reflecting the high-end style of  Michelle's one-of-a-kind service and product. I was thrilled to be invited!

Guests were greeted by lovely young women holding examples of the artwork possible and by Bartending Unlimited servers bearing delicious glasses of champagne.

Eric, Michelle's husband, told me that they have illustrators/artists from all over the world. In fact, Michelle is contacted quite frequently by artists wanting to be included in her service to wedding couples. Here are some examples of the different styles that couples can choose for themselves.

 More examples......

 Michelle, your elegance reflects the heirloom quality of your beautiful bound volume. 

 Title page...... 

Had fun chatting with April Maness, owner of The Oaks at Salem, a beautiful wedding venue in Apex, center, Jenna Olender, co-owner of Southern Bride & Groom magazine on the left, and Amanda Scott, owner of A Swanky Affair, wedding planning services, on the right. Brian McGuire, DJ with McSound Productions, Contonna Peterson with Bartending Unlimited were providing the music and the champagne.

A new cake bakery, Artylicious Cakes, was on hand providing these sweets! Their bakery store front officially opens May 1st. It is located at the intersection of Six Forks and Morning Dove next to Vinnie's in N. Raleigh. The owner and chief baker is Iriene Wangsawidjaja.

April, Angie Wright with Chic Details  and Mica Parekh with IWP Photography who was covering the event were trying out these goodies.

 Iriene and her beautiful wedding cake! 

So many artists were represented and each with a different style of illustrating. I am sure that Michelle is going to be in demand more and more as couples discover what a wonderful service she provides. Congratulations, Michelle!

Gorgeous TableTop Extravaganza at Fresh Affairs!

This is the time of year that weddings slow down and I am busy meeting with lots of couples to plan their wedding ceremonies. Consequently I don't have many weddings to post on this blog until March when the wedding season cranks up speed!

When I read on Facebook about Lyn Graves' Fresh Affairs TableTop Extravaganza co-hosted with Rocky Top Catering on Sunday afternoon February 24th, I decided to pay a visit, take some pictures and post them on this blog for you to see. Lyn's creations are always breath-taking but a whole warehouse full? WOW!

Total Productions did the spectacular lighting which transformed the space into a magical fantasy castle and Steve Stowe with Joe Bunn DJ Company provided the upbeat music.

Steve Stowe with Joe Bunn DJ and Rick Bryda of Total Productions.

Alexia of Alexia's Bridal Boutique was there greeting guests and I saw Angie Wright with Chic Details, wedding planner there too. And wouldn't you know, Jen, my bride getting married this May at North Ridge Country Club and her mother, Susan, were there. She spotted me first and I was so surprised to see her. She lives in VA but was down for the weekend planning her wedding. I was happy to meet her mother for the first time. Later on she introduced me to a couple she had met there who are marrying next January and need an officiant. I was most happy to meet them and discuss their wedding which will combine American and Chinese wedding customs.

Then a couple that I had met at the Carolina Inn Bridal Show in 2012 recognized me and thanked me for helping them find a church that would host their wedding which is also coming up in May. (I was already booked for their day.) Wow!

Kevin DeHimer and his crew with Rocky Top were all over the place offering up delectable hors d'oeuvres and drinks.  Here are some more photos. I wish I had brought my "real" camera. These were taken with my iPhone and not a sharp as I would like but you get the idea.

Party Reflections did all the place settings and decor. Beautiful! It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! 

Celia and Scott's Wedding to be Featured in The Knot Magazine and Website!

The Knot called me this morning to tell me that one of my weddings will be featured in the fall issue of The Knot magazine and website. It is the wedding of Celia and Scott whom I married last May at The Umstead. I remember their beautiful wedding so well. Their chuppah that was simply spectacular. Here is a link to the post on this blog for that wedding. Below are the photos taken with my camera at that wedding. James and Meridith Walters of Walters and Walters Photography were the professionals whose photos of this wedding The Knot is using, of course. Here is another look at this beautiful wedding!

 This gorgeous canopy and all the floral arrangements were done by Lynn Graves of Fresh Affairs.  

The groom's brother escorted in their mother who exclaimed to me before the ceremony that it was the most gorgeous wedding venue she had ever seen.

Mother of the bride enters followed by the rest of the guys and me!

What pretty bridesmaids dresses with the pink bouquets. A stunning combo.  Angie Wright of Chic Details was the wedding planner/director.

 Here comes the bride! 

 The guests stand in honor of our beautiful bride. 

Notice the pretty knock-out roses were in full bloom and look like they were planted there for just this wedding!

This was a good sized wedding. Many more people were watching from their balconies overlooking the courtyard.

 The rose topiaries were on pipes painted black and attached to wooden stands then decorated. They could be placed wherever wanted. Clever. (I need to remember to Pin this one!)

I have a dress that is the color of "watermelon" that matched the decor perfectly! 

 

 

 

The new Mr. and Mrs.! They have been married almost one year now!

What a great couple with a spectacular wedding!