Sudden Downpour Forces Jon and Rose's Wedding Inside at the Carolina Inn!

Well, I did two weddings at Duke Gardens earlier this day and we avoided the rain. But, about 15 minutes before the guests were to be seated in the Bryan Courtyard for Rose and Jon's wedding, the sky grew very dark very quickly, the wind whipped up ferociously and then the big raindrops began to pelt the ground. This is how the wedding setting looked before the storm. Greg Ramsey quickly moved his DJ equipment indoors!

We were so grateful that this did not happen mid-ceremony! As usual, Ashleigh Collins at the Carolina Inn had already foreseen this possibility and had the Alumni Room all set up and ready to go for the ceremony. So, in the end, it was no big deal and we had a wonderful wedding despite the weather.


Rose and Jon live in New York City. They hired me last summer to officiate their wedding day on May 22, 2010, and then when they were in North Carolina last September, we met for the first time. They are such a fun and delightful couple. I loved hearing the story of how they met and fell in love. They had gone to elementary school together then to separate high schools but their paths crossed again when they were both students at UNC and the chemistry was undeniable and many memories were made in Chapel Hill. Hence, their wedding at the Carolina Inn. With the help of their event planner, Melanie, they put together an impressive team of vendors and I am proud to have been in such great company.

Despite the rain, we did start the ceremony right on time. After the guests got seated, the grandmothers then the parents were escorted in. Then it was time for Jon, Mike (his brother and best man) and I to enter followed by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. That is Mike in the background right, and Melanie in the background left, cueing us all in.

Then it was time for the bride! Rose, being the independent woman that she is, wanted to enter solo and not be escorted down the aisle by anyone. But we had a surprise for the guests and the wedding party! After she entered and started down the aisle, Jon began walking toward her from the front, met her in the middle of all their guests who were standing, knelt down on one knee in front of her--don't know what he said, I forgot to ask him!--then together they walked down the rest of the aisle to the front. I asked the guests to be seated and we began.

Everyone enjoyed the ceremony so much, especially when I told their "story" of how they met, fell in love, how Jon proposed, what they have been up to and their plans for their future. We honored their parents. They made their vows to each other which they had written with a bit of humor thrown in, and then exchanged rings. I made the pronouncement of marriage.

The big KISS moment!

And out they went to the tune of "All We Need is Love" by the Beatles.

I met up with them afterward outdoors under the drive through portico. It had stopped raining! They were jubilant and so happy! Jon and Rose, my best wishes and congratulations to you both. You are remarkable people and I know you will have a great marriage and bright future together. Please stay in touch.

Our Vendors

The Carolina Inn, one of the most prestigious places to get married in NC and so well equipped to handle multiple weddings and rain plans! Thanks, Ashleigh and your staff! 

Melanie Ingool with Kate Foster Productions kept us well organized and had everything under control so that this wedding, despite the rain, flowed smoothly without a hitch. Thanks, Melanie! 

Greg Ramsey, with Joe Bunn DJ Company, did a superb job of handling the music for both the ceremony and the reception.  Thanks, Greg! 

Our photographer was Jason with Azul Photography. A very talented young man who was everywhere at once and I know got some great photos for Jon and Rose. It was a pleasure working with him. 

Donna Ford's Sweet Memories Bakery furnished the stunning flower-studded cake and Lyn Grave's Fresh Affairs did all the beautiful flowers. In fact, Fresh Affairs did the flowers for three weddings that I did this weekend.