Heather and David live in San Francisco. They are both environmentalists and met at graduate school at Duke. Heather's parents live in Virginia and David's parents live in Massachusetts. So, they decided to have their wedding in North Carolina at Duke Gardens amphitheater. They contacted me by email last fall and we made all the arrangements by email and USPO. I did not meet them in person until their rehearsal. Their wedding day, May 9, 2010, was a gorgeous day, pleasant temperature, and a gentle breeze. The park was quite crowded with folks who took advantage of the nice weather so the parking was difficult for the wedding guests but we managed to start pretty much on time after all.
Dave and I processed in first.
Then David's parents, Judy and Dave, were next.
Heather's mother, Susan, is escorted in by Tom, David's brother and our best man. They were followed by the maid of honor, Davids' sister, Lisa..
Heather was escorted in by her proud father, Mike.
Her wedding gown was stunning. I wish the photo did it justice. The detail in the back of the dress was amazing.
Because it was Mother's Day, Heather and David wanted to pay special tribute to their mothers. I carried in two white roses which I gave to them to give to their mothers as I said: "Mothers plant so their children may harvest. Mothers rejoice when their children are happy. Mothers cry when their children hurt. Mothers’ hearts begin to smile from the moment they see their child’s eyes for the first time. Mothers welcome pain and burden to give their sons and daughters the gift of life. Heather and David will now present their mothers each with a white rose, as symbols of their enduring gratitude for their unconditional love, their unyielding strength in times of hardship, and for the selfless sacrifices they have made for their children."
David's cousin, Mark, read First Corinthians during the ceremony.
Then Heather's aunt, Holly, presented a reading from Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
The Wedding Address was next and we included the story of how David and Heather met and fell in love, what attracted them to each other and what they look forward to in marriage. Then it was time for the vows. David is saying "I do."
As he places the ring on Heather's finger he said the ring vows to her.
The pronouncement of marriage!
The KISS!
The new Mr. and Mrs.!
After the guests had departed for cocktails and refreshments at the Doris Duke Center, the bride and groom and their wedding party and parents returned to the amphitheater for some photos. Here I am congratulating the bride by calling her by her new married name. I am usually the first to surprise her with that!
Heather and Dave, you did a fabulous job of planning your wedding from afar. You even did it without hiring a wedding planner which is amazing. And, it turned out so beautifully. You are a great couple. I enjoyed working with you to create your special ceremony and I know you will have a long and happy marriage!
Our Vendors who made this wedding so fabulous!
First of all, the venue, the Doris Duke Center and amphitheater at Duke Gardens for a wonderful setting for a wedding. One photo is of the reception center inside and the other is the terrace where cocktail hour takes place.
Heather and Dave made the most unique and interesting place cards and favors. Here hung on the branches of small trees are medallions that they engraved on one side with the guest's name and on the other side, the name of their table. Each table was named for a flower.
This beautiful cake was made by Guglhupf Bakery in Durham.You can see how it follows their color scheme of pink, orange and white.
Triangle Catering provided all the good eats and drinks. Thanks to Jeff Eisenhuth and Theresa Syros who were very busy making sure everything was perfect.
Elizabeth Myers of Sweet Life Photography and her husband Frank assisting her documented the event completely. It was good to work with them again! Always a pleasure!
Our musicians who provided the ceremony music were the John Brown Entertainment string trio.
