Wedding at Champion Hills, Hendersonville

I must admit I've never played golf but after this weekend, I may just take up the sport.

 

Isn't this beautiful? And what a wonderful backdrop for a wedding.

And the great part is, you have a wonderful view yet the wedding is held inside. 

The best of both worlds.

 This was smart planning for this past Saturday.

To be honest, when I checked the forecast for Saturday I was very happy that Stacy and Philip decided to have their ceremony inside. We were talking before the wedding and Stacy said she just didn't want the stress of worrying about the weather.

Guests were asked to sign a heart embossed plate rather than a guest register. 

What a special wedding keepsake.

Stacy was escorted by her father, who offered his blessing for her marriage to Philip.

In joining your lives may God grant you both...
Love... to afford each other a special quality of time together.
Joy...in the accomplishments of one another.
Understanding...that your interests and desires will not always be the same.
Friendship...based on mutual trust.
Courage...to speak of a misunderstanding and to work on a solution before the setting of the sun.
Compassion...to comfort each other in pain and sorrow.
Foresight...to realize rainbows follow rainy days.
Imagination...to keep with you part of the child you used to be.
Mirth...from your sense of humor.

It's always a nice touch when a family member or friend participates in the ceremony.

Love this picture. Julie, Philip's mother, is checking out the rings.

Here's the happy couple. 

And... as luck would have it. The rain stopped long enough for photos!

Tim and Melissa are Married at RiverMist

Do these guys look happy or what.....

And they had good reason. Sunday was not just a wedding day. It was a day to celebrate the joining of two families. We took a few pre-wedding photos.

Here's Tim, the groom, checking the wedding rings tied on a family bible.

Here comes Melissa, the beautiful bride.

 Tim is watching his bride, seeing her beautiful gown for the first time.

 

Lighting the unity candle was a bit of a challenge. It was a windy day and I decided it was best to use a floating candle.

 

Here's the happy family.

 Tim and Melissa looking forward to a life of love, laughter and happiness.

Wedding at Chestoa View - Blue Ridge Parkway

When planning an outdoor wedding, you just never know what the weather will do. So many brides keep their fingers crossed, hoping for a beautiful sunny day. (truth is, cloudy days are best for photos!)

I remember when my daughters were planning their weddings, both outdoors. Luckily, the weather cooperated and their weddings happened as planned. We did have a inside backup plan, in the event of rain.

When Cee Cee and Ed contacted me about officiating their wedding along the Blue Ridge Parkway I asked about their backup plan. Umbrellas was the plan. They found the perfect location for their wedding and it would take more than rain to keep it from happening. Ok by me.

I started checking the 10 day forecast. Hum... things weren't looking too good. 80% chance of rain. As the day got closer the chance of rain decreased. Finally, I could check the hourly forecast. Rain was predicted at the exact time of their ceremony. I grabbed my umbrella and headed out the door.

 

When I arrived, the sun kept peaking from behind the clouds. I wandered around to take a few photos of the area.

Even though it was overcast, the view of the Linville Gorge was beautiful.

 

And a very short walk to the overlook.

 

And a little graffiti on the trail sign.

'RM loves TT

with all my heart and soul, 

to the moon and back quadrillions of times and into the next life.'

Now, that is love!

Here's a view of Table Rock from the overlook.

 Just a little about Chestoa View. (Chestoa is derived from the Cherokee word for rabbit.) The overlook is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Linville Falls. Elevation 4090 feet. The trail to the rocked overlook is short but there are quite a few steps. Not so good for high heels.

After just a few photos, guests started arriving and I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the overlook. Hopefully, I will have one to post soon! (posted below, thanks to Travis Pulling, the photographer.)

You never know what to expect when traveling. On Saturday there was a detour and road construction, which caused the bride a slight delay. But you can't have a wedding without the Bride! So Ed paced a little and joked with friends. And we were all watching the sky. The clouds were moving quickly.

Before long Cee Cee arrived, wearing a beautiful wedding gown (and flats, smart woman). Her father helped her down the steps. 

 Once everyone was in place, with cameras ready we began their wedding ceremony. And the weather cooperated. There were just a few drops of rain but I'm not sure Cee Cee and Ed even noticed. 

 

All I want is to grow old with you...

To watch our life unfold,

Our dreams, one by one, come true.

All I want is to love you forever.

 

Private Wedding - Grace and Todd Together Forever

I'm a romantic at heart and just love hearing stories about how couples meet. I respect everyone's privacy but always give couples the opportunity to tell me their story. Grace and Todd have quite a love story. She told me that she was crazy about him when she was in middle school. He was in senior high and evidently didn't pay her any attention.

 

Years later, Grace's sister arranged for a blind date and to Grace's surprise, it was Todd.

 

And this time he noticed!

 

Without beginning or ending and no point of weakness, these rings are simple yet strong. 

It was a happy day for these two.

After a few days at our guest house they headed home to begin the rest of their lives...

Ahhhh, love sweet love.