Stephanie and Jay Wed at Angus Barn Pavilions!

When Marty and I arrived at The Pavilions at Angus Barn on Saturday April 19, 2014 for Stephanie and Jay's wedding, it was threatening rain, chilly and windy. The call was made to move the ceremony indoors. No problem at this venue! It is gorgeous outside and inside.

So, Kelly Joslin and her staff at Angus Barn had transformed the interior of The Pavilion into a beautiful ceremony space. Nearly 200 chairs curved around the huge stone fireplace.

 The tables were pushed to the sides and after the ceremony were pulled back into the room and the chairs placed around them. 

 The ceiling was filled with white lights and the chandeliers hung with sparkling cascades of beading.

The stone hearth was decorated with candles and beautiful white lilies. In the middle was a bench with the sand ceremony set up. Florals were by A Watered Garden. 

The cake by Sugarland was ready! 

Andrea Blanchfield, our harpist, was set up and warming up.

Great food! 

They displayed photos of their loved ones who had passed on. 

Behind the chairs was the stage and the band was being set up.

Our beautiful bride was escorted in by her son, Josh. 

They made their way down the aisle to a beaming Jay! 

We opened with a warm welcome to all and a prayer.

Stephanie took Josh's hand right before the children's blessing.

Telling Josh how loved and important he is!

Then it was time to tell their story of how they met, fell in love and decided to marry.

Yes, Stephanie and Jay's fun loving natures really came out during the ceremony as it was peppered with lots of laughter. The guests had a great time!

Jay's father, Jim, was his best man. Looks like he is enjoying the ceremony as well. 

Then it was time for the vows and the rings..

Then the pouring of the sand.......

Before the pronouncement I asked the couple to look around at all their loved ones who had gathered in their honor. 

The pronouncement......

Ha ha! Look at Josh covering his face for that "mushy stuff!" The KISS! 

After the ceremony we went outside for some photos. Josh quickly found this big rock to climb onto! He is such a cutie! Our photographers were Laura Simson and her second shooter Rebecca of Captured Moments Photography.

Stephanie, Jay and Josh, what a fabulous family you all are! It was my honor to join you together in marriage. I wish for you only the best life can offer!

***********************************************

To contact me:

mailto:kayelily@gmail.com

919-345-4608

My Website

Pinterest

Facebook

Or leave a comment below!

************************************************

Samantha and Shawn's Beautiful Wedding at The Pavilions at Angus Barn!

Samantha and Shawn met one day in February of 2006 when they were both students at UNC. They were instantly attracted to each other and have been together ever since for the almost 6 intervening years. They finished their undergraduate degrees, Shawn law school, and launched their careers--Samantha is a school teacher and Shawn an attorney. Shawn loves Samantha for her exceptional thoughtfulness and unconditional positive regard for people. He is also happy that she is willing to accompany him fishing on Jordan Lake or watching sports. Samantha loves that Shawn is so romantic, keeps her laughing, and often will surprise her with his "seize the moment" spontaneity although it sometimes drives her crazy because she is used to being organized and following a schedule!

Their wonderful wedding was at the prestigious and spacious Pavilions at Angus Barn which is set on a beautiful lake with lovely landscaping and amenities. I love doing weddings there. The date was October 8, 2011 at 5:00.

They wisely hired Megan Brewer Gillikin (center, above) who owns A Southern Soiree to help them plan their wedding and direct it. I know Megan well because I officiated her wedding in May of last year to Jason. She is really good at what she does, loves doing it, is so fun to work with, and I can count on her to have every detail handled. She had her summer intern, Michelle, with her at the rehearsal and wedding to assist her. Pictured above on the left is Kelly Joslin who is in charge of the weddings at The Pavilions and a joy to work with. Thanks, Kelly and Megan!

Mitch Woodard with Joe Bunn DJ Company was our very capable DJ for the ceremony music and the reception. Mitch and I have worked many weddings together and he has the routine of plugging my mic into his system down to a fine science. Thanks, Mitch, the sound was perfect!

Wayne, owner of Swank Cake Designs, a well known wedding cake bakery around here, was putting the finishing touches on this gorgeous cake!

A clever way for guests to commemorate their presence was to leave their fingerprints on this lovely drawing of a tree. There were different shades of green ink pads to choose from. This will make a very unique piece of art to grace the couple's home.

When the guests were seated, we started the processional. First the grandmothers and parents were seated by our groomsmen who returned to the line-up to come in with me. Then our cute little flower girl and ring bearer  who made it all the way with assistance! Then the Father of the Bride proudly escorted in our exceptionally beautiful bride -- quite a long walk which makes an elegant entrance!

Samira, Maid of Honor, presented a reading of "The Art of Marriage" by Wilferd Arlan Peterson.

 

Shawn and Samantha read their vows to each other. Their promises of marriage were very touching: 
“I choose you to be my partner and best friend for life.
You accept me for who I am, and I accept you just as you are.
I trust you and respect you, and cherish every moment we are together.
I promise to love you with all of my heart.
I am committed to you and will never take our love or friendship for granted.
I promise to bring out the best in you, as you do in me.
I promise to make you smile and to support your dreams, forever and always.”

"Please accept this ring as a symbol of my love and the promises I make to you today."

As Shawn and Samantha joyfully recess down the aisle they are closely followed by their fabulous photographer, Robin Lin! Robin and I have also done many weddings together and she is so good at what she does. She had a second shooter, Penny Noelle Fuller, and even a third shooter, Sara Jane, with her for this wedding so I know she got exceptional coverage of Samantha and Shawn's special day. Tre Bella did the beautiful floral arrangements for the arbor, the bouquets and boutonnieres, and the centerpieces.

Fabulous wedding, Samantha and Shawn! I feel so honored to have been a part of it. Your love for each other is so evident and I know you will have a very rich and full marriage. I wish you all the best!

The Pavilions at Angus Barn Hosts Tanja and Jeff's Fun Wedding!

Tanja and Jeff have been together for 10 years! Tanja came to see me on February 26th to find out about my services for their wedding Sunday May 22, 2011 at The Pavilions at Angus Barn. We immediately hit it off. She loved the idea of creating her own wedding ceremony and including the story of their relationship--and what a great story they have! Tanja is so laid back, straight-forward and smart. She graduated from law school the week before the wedding. I did not meet Jeff until the rehearsal but from writing their story I knew they both were very special people. They really are two peas in a pod! This was not the first wedding for either of them and they definitely knew they wanted to be surrounded by their families and closest friends. They called in favors from several friends (photographer, DJ, and flowers for the arbor) and planned a really festive celebration of their marriage. Cydney of The English Garden provided the bouquets and boutonnieres.

The Pavilion was all gussied up and ready for the reception and Ashley Whittington was on hand to direct the wedding and reception as well as handle all logistics. The lovely aromas from the kitchen wafted through the air and made us all eagerly looking forward to the reception!

 

This large metal bathtub originally graced one of the bathrooms in the historic Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel built in Raleigh in 1923. It was salvaged by the owners of the Angus Barn and is now filled with huge wooden apples and serves as the place the guests put their gifts for the couple! 

Isn't this a wonderful old bird cage? The guests slide their envelopes through the wires into the cage. How they get them out is another story!

I was the keeper of the rings until I gave them to the best man. I loved them and had to get a photo to show them to you. They were both Celtic rings with "Anam Cara" engraved on them which means "soul friend."

The fire pit was prepared for the fire later on in the evening. After the ceremony the wedding party gathers here while the guests go to the pavilion for cocktails. It was a beautiful day.

It is time to begin. After Tanja's mother. Marianne, was escorted in, Jeff and I, followed by the groomsmen made the long walk from the fire pit to the ceremonial arbor in front of the lake.

 Waiting for the bride!

Tanja's Uncle Volker escorted Tanja in. Her mother and Uncle Volker came from Germany to the wedding.

As I started speaking the part of the ceremony where we remember the couples' fathers who have passed away, I heard a plane coming--see it in the photo. I then said something like, we arranged to have this plane fly overhead at this precise moment in memory of Tanja and Jeff's fathers so that we know that they are here in spirit. The guests and the couple loved that. (Despite the plane, the guests can hear me speaking because the venue has a sound system into which I plug my microphone.)

Thanking Tanja's mother and uncle for being with us that special day and for all the love and support they have given Tanja all her life. Tanja grew up in Germany and still has her lovely German accent, one of the things that definitely attracted Jeff to her.

Jeff and Tanja felt that their finding each other was serendipity and we wrote that into the ceremony. They are both such charming and witty people that their ceremony was full of both sweetness and humor. We all had many good laughs.

Wish I could remember what I was saying to Tanja at this moment! Probably something about Jeff's clever proposal. 

More laughs!

Getting down to the serious business of the ceremony: vows and rings. 

 The pronouncement of marriage!

 

 The deed is done! Let's have some fun!

 

Tanja and Jeff, it was my pleasure to work with you and officiate your wonderful wedding ceremony. We all had so much fun with it and your guests I know had never heard anything like it. It was such a great expression of the two of you. I am so glad serendipity was at work and that you attracted each other into your lives and knew you were meant for each other. I wish you the most happy marriage ever for ever and ever!