Caffe Luna Wedding for Jen and Chris!

Last December Jen and Chris asked me to officiate their wedding on August 14, 2010 at noon at Caffe Luna, a great place for a casual fun wedding in downtown Raleigh. I am practically "resident minister" there! I was delighted and so we began work on their ceremony. We had the rehearsal on Friday afternoon and figured out how we would enter, the logistics of the ceremony and the recessional. Everyone was so focused and attentive that we finished in a record 35 minutes! The bride's family had traveled from Michigan for this wonderful occasion.

When Marty, my "roadie," back from vacation, and I arrived, our DJ, Daniel Clodfelter with Anything Music, was busy setting up the sound for Jen's Uncle Mark on guitar, his daughter Maddie and Mark's wife (not in photo) who was the page-turner and sound check tester! Then he plugged my theater microphone and the handheld microphone for the reader into the system and we were set.

Here's Daniel, all dressed and ready to begin the ceremony. He was so helpful. We worked together at another wedding at Preston Woodall House last spring. Thanks, Daniel!

Marty looked around and found this lovely wedding cake that was provided by a friend of the bride. What a nice tribute to a friend. The flowers for the bouquets and boutonnieres and centerpieces were by Flower City.

Another table held these two photos of the couple's parents on their wedding days. I could definitely recognize their younger selves. Nice tribute to both parents who are still married today and provided wonderful models of long lasting marriage for this couple. We paid tribute to them in the ceremony and they were very touched.

After the parents entered--see both mothers (Debbie and Peggy) on the right--the groom and groomsmen and I entered from the front of the restaurant and took our places in the archway and waited for the bridesmaids to come in. Uncle Mark and Maddie provided really terrific music for the processional and recessional. They apparently came in from Michigan for this wedding. Thanks, you two!

Five lovely bridesmaids in pretty "fern green" dresses and the sweet 6 year old flower girl, Ellal. She did a great job coming down the aisle and sprinkling the petals. The bride and her father are making their entrance at this moment.

Here comes the bride and her loving father, Ron, floating down the aisle!

"Ron, as Jen's father, do you and her mother, Debbie, bless and support her as she comes to join in marriage with Chris?" Of course his answer was "We do."

Chris' sister, Kathryn read a poem during the ceremony. It was a poem written by a bridegroom I married in 2003, Sean Brosnahan, for his own wedding. The title is: "A Fairytale Potion for a Modern Day Wedding" and is wonderful. Kathryn did a great job presenting it. Then  11 of the bride's friends each stood and read a quote from some of Jen's second grade students and former students on love and marriage. They were quite amusing, to say the least.

That was followed by the story of how the bride and groom met and how they got to this wedding today. Chris jokes around saying that match.com should use them for a commercial! Then they read their vows to each other from my book.

Jen and Chris chose to include the rose ceremony where they give a rose to each other as their first gift to each other. Nice and touching ceremony.

The pronouncement of marriage as Chris is grinning with happiness!

Followed by the kiss they had been practicing!

The presentation of the newlywed couple to their guests as the music begins and they take this sight in before exiting.

And out they go for photographs as the guests are instructed to go to the reception area.

Our very capable photographers, Nancy and Mark Ruggirello, of Simply Creative Photography, and their third camera-woman, Ashley, set up some great poses in the grassy area behind Caffe Luna. I really enjoy working with them and they do many weddings at Caffe Luna.

Final photo with the happy couple. Jen and Chris, you were a delight to work with and I am so happy you found each other! Congratulations and I wish you a lifetime of health and happiness!
(Whoopee! I am all caught up on my blogs until next weekend! Enjoy!)