Wedding by the Water
I had a wonderful wedding this weekend at the bride’s family’s summer home. It is right on the river in North Carolina and provides a beautiful backdrop for the reception. The church is the same church the bride’s parents and grandparents were married in. How often does that happen? Everyone in town knows the bride and her parents and everyone in the community want to help make this a memorial wedding. It harkens back to a different time in our country. A time when community meant everything and your neighbor was there for you. It was like a step back in time to do this wedding.
Everyone in town knew about the “Big doings” and all were happy about it. Everyone wanted to help in any way they could. Since she was a little girl, the bride had spent her summers here. She has fond memories of riding her bicyle all over town and not having to be home until the street lights were on.
How wonderful to be married in the community where you have spent so many happy days of your youth?
Almost Labor Day!
Hard to believe it is almost Labor Day. I remember as a kid the excitement of school, getting new school clothes, new book bag, new pencils, pens and notebooks. Everything was possible now ~ starting off with a clean slate. Fall always seems like the beginning of the year to me.
I am encouraged too by the reports that the economy is turning around. Talk about new beginnings! This has been such a difficult time. But like the first day of school, we can look forward, with anticipation, to a new beginning. The American people are resilient and resourceful. We always find a way to make things work.
Couples are still getting married. My wish for us all is that we rebound but with a wiser knowledge of what we need to do to provide for our families.
Call me a cockeyed optimist but I have faith in our country.
Filed under Summer Weddings | Comment (0)The Dog Days of August
Every year, in July & August, I’m thankful if I don’t have an outdoor wedding and/or reception to do. North Carolina in these 2 months is definitely NOT conducive to outdoor events. It is not just the temperature but the extreme humidity. Brides sometimes forget this in their desire to have the “perfect” outdoor wedding. They often think only of the image of what it will be like especially when looking at the wedding magazines that show lovely outdoor venues and happy (cool) guests visiting, laughing and NOT wilting. Unfortunately, this is the Hollywood, glamorized version of things that they see in these magazines that inspire them forgetting the realities of life in the South.
While I never want to burst any one’s balloon, I also feel it is my job to let the bride know what the ramifications of an outdoor wedding will be in these humid months. For example, if it will be under a tent and very hot, you have the choice of having side walls down and air conditioning the tent or leaving the sides up and having large industrial fans circulating air ~ either way, it defeats the purpose of outdoor wedding receptions, which is to be able to enjoy the outdoors, the flowers, gardens and trees that surround the venue. If the tent has side walls (even with windows in them) it takes away from the intended atmosphere. It just requires some thought as to what time of year will be best for an outdoor wedding/reception and plan accordingly. This is way October has become so popular because (for the most part) the weather is cooler and provides the perfect time for an outdoor wedding and/or reception.
…….. Food for thought!
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