Michelle and Kevin's Lovely Wedding in the Rain at Duke Gardens!

Michelle and Kevin planned their wedding at Duke Gardens pergola for July 31, 2010 and never thought it would be a rainy day. But it was. Not a hard driving rain but a soft gentle drizzle so we proceeded with Plan A instead of Plan B which would have moved their ceremony to An's, a wonderful Asian restaurant in Cary. Marty and I arrived at the gardens, brought our three umbrellas, the table for the sand ceremony and the sound system and got set up. 

 

The musicians from Arioso Strings were doubtful that they could play because their instruments would be ruined if they got wet. 

 

But, we got them arranged on a bench and recruited some umbrella holders to shield them. The young lady with the blue and white umbrella, Mykia, was the assistant to April Pyatt of Your Socialite Events, their wedding planner/director.  April and I decided to move the guests up into the pergola. Although the pergola is covered with wisteria vines, it is by no means waterproof but drier than sitting out under the sky. So with the help of the staff at the gardens we got the chairs set up in a semicircular arrangement facing the beautiful vista of the gardens which was a lovely backdrop for the wedding. Most of the guests were holding umbrellas and there was just a small center aisle from which Kevin and I would enter. The rest of the wedding party and parents would enter from the area below the pergola, just as we had rehearsed the day before.

The two sweet flower girls, Theresa and Quynh were ready and had the bottles of bubbles ready to give out. 

So, I cued the musicians and we began.

That is April on the left getting everyone lined up and cuing them in. First in were Michelle's grandparents from Vietnam. Then father and stepmother of the groom, then mother and father of the bride. Her father circled around to bring in Michelle.

When everyone was in place, it was time to send the flower girls but I did not see them. I turned around and they were sitting behind me and had not been taken to the line up. I signaled them to walk down the steps then turn around and come back. Sure did not want them to miss doing their flower girl duties!

They were so cute and were old enough to understand what they were doing and take directions, unlike many flower girls who are 4 years of age and under.

Michelle had a gorgeous wedding gown and luckily she was not fussy about it getting wet as she entered and as she left. Dad had to hold up the dress while Michelle held her bouquet and the parasol.

Look at that beautiful train. Notice the photographers. I felt bad for them because they could not get shots of the wedding from the aisle because the aisle had closed in with people and umbrellas. So they had to shoot from the steps.

See what I mean about all the umbrellas? My roadie, Marty, traveled around the pergola looking for ways to take photos of the wedding and it was a challenge.

 I am probably telling the couple's story here. It was so sweet. They actually met in high school and felt the attraction but both were too shy to act on their feelings. It was not until many years later when Kevin offered to tutor Michelle in physics that they really got to know each other. Later Kevin moved back to NC from MD to go to graduate school and the commitment to each other was set. (Here the photographer is really close. I normally do not like for the photographer to "invade the ceremony" space because it is distracting to the guests but this was certainly an exception because of the rain and the arrangement of the guests inside the pergola.)

Our main photographer is Thien La from Charlotte and that is her on the right. Notice that we switched sides for the groomsmen and the bridesmaids but then I forgot to get the couple to exchange places and only realized it after the ceremony began, too late to change. So, Michelle ended up on the side with the groomsmen and Kevin with the bridesmaids. Oh well, it was different!

Kevin is reading his vows to Michelle from my book here. They had written beautiful vows to each other.

Michelle is saying her vows to Kevin. Notice her gorgeous dress!

They did kiss but just as Marty snapped the photo, the photographer stepped in front of her camera so I don't have a picture. I made the pronouncement of marriage, introduced the newlyweds to their guests and the recessional began. Here they go down the steps with Kevin holding the bouquet. Right after they descended the steps I took the parasol to them because it was still drizzling rain.

And away they go into their new life together! I sent the guests to the reception and then the wedding party and parents reassembled for photos.

Yay! We did it in spite of the rain and everything went very well. Congratulations, Michelle and Kevin. You are a great couple and very well matched with a very bright future ahead of you. I wish you all the best!