WEDDING PLANS: Fabulous Wedding for Heather and Jed at Highgrove!

It is always a thrill for me to join two people in marriage who really cherish their amazing compatibility and are deeply in love. Both Heather and Jed had tried marriage before and they are so thrilled to have found each other. Their love definitely radiated from them on their wedding day.

It was a glorious day at Highgrove Estate in Fuquay Varina on October 27, 2013. A sign of the wedding greeted us when we arrived for the wedding.

Always a gorgeous setting for a wedding and especially with all the fall colors around Lake Laurel in the background

A marvelous table was filled with old family photos to view.

Each guest placed a colored leaf note on one of the wishing trees.

This is the new pergola on the patio at Highgrove. A beautiful improvement over the tent that used to be there to protect from sun and rain.

And the bar area was impressive with granite countertops and all the amenities for cocktails after the ceremony.

Inside the garden ballroom, the place cards were ready to be picked up by the guests.

Heather and Jed are both sports fanatics and so each table was named for a favorite athlete!

These colorful bouquets were ready for the bridesmaids and bride. The couple took my suggestion and hired Kelly Kennedy with Teacup Floral to be their florist. She uses bright colorful flowers to make beautiful bouquets, boutonnieres and displays just perfect to make the wedding area festive.

Jay Ladd was their DJ. He hooked my microphone into his system and the sound was perfect for the ceremony.

When you have your wedding at Highgrove, they provide you with your own wedding director who guides you through the process and is in charge at the rehearsal and the wedding day. It was great working with Amber for the first time!

This is the memorial candle lit during the ceremony in memory of Jed's parents and other family members who have passed on.

Time to begin so Amber cued me to start walking to the pergola overlooking the lake.

Jed followed carrying flowers he placed in chairs where his parents would have been sitting.

Waiting for the bride!

Heather was escorted in by her handsome sons, Nelson and Tyler!

Instead of the traditional "presentation of the bride" Jed and Heather chose to be blessed by their "tribe." The words go: "There is an old tradition that the elders or the wise ones of the tribe or family give the beloveds to one another as an acknowledgement of their support for this union. I believe all of you here qualify as the tribe of Heather and Jed. So, please all answer "We do" when I ask "Who has the privilege of presenting this woman, Heather, to this man, Jed?"

Jim, Jed's brother lit the memorial candle and gave the tribute to those loved ones passed on.

Our two readers, Elizabeth and Darcie, presented a witty poem "Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog" that our bride and groom wanted to include since they are canine aficionados! Elizabeth is a former bride of mine and her husband Chris was one of the groomsmen (far right). Jed was a groomsman in their wedding as well! Here is a link to their wedding at Hudson Manor. It was wonderful to see them again!

Jed and Heather have a great story and I was so happy to share it with their guests. It was filled with laughter and joyful tears. As part of preparation for the ceremony, I asked the bride and groom to tell me in private what they love about their partner, why they want to marry their partner and what they are looking forward to in marriage. Then I share that with their partner during the ceremony. Such a sweet moment hearing that for the first time.

They made their vows to each other and exchanged rings.

Making the marriage legal with the pronouncement of marriage!

Heather and Jed, I know you are immersed in wedded bliss. You have both been through a lot and come out on top and life is great. I wish you all the best in the world.

Highgrove has this wonderful swing hanging from a giant tree in the front where some great photos of the bride and groom are taken. I have often wanted to take a swing and this time I did!