Laura and Dan's Sweet Wedding at Duke Gardens!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Laura and Dan's wedding was the first wedding after my hiatus and vacationing in August. It was time to get back in the wedding mode! September 3rd was a beautiful day at Duke Gardens, especially for a wedding. The Gardens had done some drastic landscaping since earlier this summer. As I was driving into the parking area, I could see the spires of Duke Chapel peeping above the trees and thought to myself "why have I never noticed that I can see the chapel from here before?" When Marty and I walked up to the gate, it was obvious that I could not have seen that view before because of all the trees lining the walk to the rotunda which were all gone!

The entrance into the gardens is all opened up and the concrete edging is new too.

As we walked further in, I noticed that all the roses in the center were gone. The new egret fountain has been there a few months but the surface around it used to be a rose garden and is now terrazzo. It is quite beautiful. There are still some roses in the perimeter bed though. The steps have been widened and new pillars set in place. And, instead of a ramp down each side of the steps, there is a new ramp that forks off to the right leading down to the rotunda--handy for wheelchairs and the golf cart buggies they use to transport people who cannot walk far.

We turned left at the circle and then left again into the Blomquist Gardens. I had never been back in there before and wondered what beautiful garden was hiding there!

The gravel path and pretty foliage beckoned us to come on in!

Around the turn in the path appeared this beautiful pavilion on a pretty little lagoon with stepping stones across it. Laura's sons, Quinn and Ian, ages 7 and 5, and their cousins, Gretchen and Gwen, were having fun on the stepping stones. It was the perfect place for a small intimate wedding.

Laura's sister had all the kids lined up on the stones taking some great shots!

The dedication plaque for this lovely garden.

Our photographer, Jennifer with Acorn Photography, arrived and set up this great family photo before the ceremony. Jennifer and I have worked together before. She is so good and so creative. She can get the best shots!

Gradually other family members and a few friends arrived and we were soon ready to begin the ceremony.

Quinn and Ian were eager to get their hands on the sand and pour it! There was a pretty water fountain in the center of the pavilion that made the perfect table for the family unity sand ceremony.