Here comes the bride!
Kate and her dress were beautiful and she was so serene and calm!
Have you guessed the wedding color theme yet?
The rings.
I think they must have been practicing!
Kate and Matt Wed at All Saints Chapel!
Kate grew up in Maine and moved to Raleigh with her friend, Erica, in 2008 after college graduation just for the adventure of it and a change of scenery. Little did she know that two weeks later she would meet her future husband, Matt, at a party where they connected. Matt is from South Carolina and was living in Raleigh after college graduation. Since then they have become inseparable, gone on some exciting adventures, and decided to get married. They started planning their wedding for August 11, 2012 at All Saints Chapel. Kate checked out officiants on line and told me she was so impressed by my multiple excellent reviews she contacted me and we all met in March. We decided we were a good fit and so we got started on the ceremony. They chose the ceremony parts and wording that they loved and wrote their own vows to each other. From a questionnaire they completed separately, I put together their love story for the ceremony. Before long we were all set. The wedding day arrived, threatening rain, but it held off and besides, they had chosen an indoor venue and were so happy they did! They had the ceremony upstairs in the chapel, the cocktail hour downstairs while the upstairs was filled with tables and chairs for the reception. Luckily it was not raining right after the ceremony and we were able to scoot outside for photos.
The always wonderful Arioso Strings trio were there providing the lovely music!
Kate and Matt crafted this wooden box which holds a bottle of wine and into which they put love letters to each other during the ceremony.
Cateringworks provided not only the food and drinks but also the flowers for the wedding party and the centerpieces, and the wedding cake. We did not get a photo of the cake because it was not brought in until after the sanctuary had been set up for the reception.
Downstairs is the bride's dressing room. Kate and her bridesmaids were ready to go. I got her sister and Maid of Honor, Megan's, signature on the marriage license then went upstairs to find the best man, Aaron, Matt's brother, for his signature.
Meanwhile upstairs guests were trickling in and signing the Jenga pieces. I did not know what Jenga was so I googled and found that they are wooden blocks that you stack as high as you can before it falls over--a game for children and adults. Matt and Kate asked each person to jot a short note and sign one. In the green top on the right in the photo above, that is Diane with the chapel, who held off the rain (she told us at the rehearsal she would not allow it to rain until after the wedding!) and served as our wedding director. Thanks so much, Diane, you are a powerful woman!
Their photographer, Sonya Ewing, and her second shooter, Kate, were getting some good photos of the groom and his guys in the chapel.
Wedding favors were little jars of Wild Maine Blueberry Champagne Jam. How fitting since the bride and her parents are from Maine.
Kate's father, Peter, on left, and Matt's father, Doug, on right, are having a good chat before we start.
Peter places Kate's hand into Matt's, she gives daddy a kiss and he is seated as the bride and groom step up to the top of the altar to join me and the wedding party.
Before the ring exchange, I pulled out my hankie to wipe the sweat off Matt's face! He was most appreciative as you can imagine.
The wooden wedding box ceremony....the couple are to open it on their first anniversary, pour each other a glass of wine and read the other's love letter to remember the way they felt at their wedding.
We closed with a blessing before the pronouncement of marriage and kiss.
Kate and Matt, you were wonderful to work with! I loved every minute and wish you all the best in the world!
