WEDDING PLANS: Bob and Jennifer Get Married!

Quite a few couples these days are waiting beyond their twenties and thirties to marry and I think it is because they are more self confident, independent men and women who are reluctant to just jump into marriage because it is expected by society. Instead they are willing to live their lives happily solo until the perfect one appears in their lives. And so it is with Jennifer and Bob. I was delighted to join them in marriage and loved feeling that self-assured kind of love radiating between them. And, like a lot of couples these days, they chose to do a small intimate kind of wedding at home instead of a more formal glamorous wedding. I did not meet them until I arrived for their wedding on September 13, 2013 although they booked my officiant services back in May.

I learned that Jennifer had grown up in Apex and when her parents passed away, she inherited her childhood home which is set on 10 acres of land. Turns out she is quite the "handy-woman" around the house and is diligently restoring and renovating the family homestead. Bob fit right in because he is handy around the house too. They have really done a nice job on the house!

Before the wedding, I enlisted the assistance of a very nice and capable young man to take photos with my iPhone. I asked him to pretend that he was a wedding photographer and go for it! Turns out he is Jennifer's nephew, Rob, and was there with his fiancee, Leslie. She is sitting here holding a fan next to Rob's empty chair. Of course I asked them when they were getting married and when they both shrugged, I slipped him one of my business cards! Thank you, Rob! Maybe I will see you and Leslie at your wedding!

Our lovely bride walked around from the side of the house on the wrap-around front porch to make her entrance.

Like many love stories, Bob and Jennifer's paths crossed at work. At an orientation meeting one day, he made the comment that "female cats don't spray." Jennifer adamantly disagreed and almost ended the beginning of this love story! But a few weeks later Bob appeared at her desk with a photo of his tuxedo kitty, Winston, who amazingly resembled her kitty, Sebastian, whose photo was sitting on her desk. Then one day while rounding a corner at work, they literally and physically ran into each other. I guess that is what it took to "knock some sense" into them because after that they began spending time together outside of work. And the relationship developed into a great friendship and then love.

Right across the street from their home is the CSX/AMTRAK railroad tracks. Bob told me the trains come through 8 or 9 times a day and they had been hoping one would come through during their wedding and right on time, it did. We all turned and waved and the engineer blew the whistle for us!