Ten Year Anniversary Renewal of Vows for Leesa and Gary!

On January 4, 2003, at the Carolina Inn, I joined Leesa and Gary in marriage. Leesa's daughter as well as their parents were with us too. It was a sweet and simple ceremony that reflected exactly what they wanted. Here is one reading they chose for their ceremony (the author is unknown):

“Marriage is a commitment to take that joy deep, deeper than happiness, deep into the discovery of who you most truly are.  It is a commitment to a spiritual journey, to a life of becoming in which joy can comprehend despair, running through rivers of pain into joy again.  Thus, marriage is even deeper than commitment.  It is a covenant, a covenant that says:  ‘I love you – I trust you – I will be here for you when you are hurting, and when I am hurting, I will not leave.’ It is a covenant intended not to provide haven from pain or anger or sorrow.  Life offers no such haven.  Instead, marriage is intended to provide a sanctuary safe enough to risk loving, to risk living and sharing from the center of oneself.  This is worth everything.”

They also had their mothers present readings as well--The Key to Love and An Old Wedding Blessing. They wrote their own personal vows and read them to each other. It was a beautiful wedding and a very happy day. Unfortunately, for some reason, I don't have a photo of Leesa and Gary on that special day.

So, for almost ten years I had no inkling of how they were doing and what had happened in their lives. Then on August 20, 2012 I got an email from Leesa telling me that they wanted to do a renewal of vows ceremony exactly ten years from their wedding date at the Carolina Inn in the same room--the South Parlor. I was delighted to hear from them and that I was available and that I would be honored to preside over their ceremony. She firmed up the plans with the Carolina Inn. I sent her some sample renewal of vows ceremonies as well as their original ceremony and told her and Gary to put their heads together and come up with what they wanted for their renewal of vows ceremony. And they did. With a little editing back and forth we had a very beautiful and heart touching ceremony which also highlighted their adventures for the past ten years and a blessing for their three children too. They decided to keep their vows secret from each other and they each worked with me separately to get them just right. They kept the same ring vows they said to each other in their wedding.

On that Friday afternoon at 4:00 we all gathered in the South Parlor with Gary's father as their only guest and I met their two sons ages 7 and 9. Their daughter is now a lovely teenager who presented a reading during the ceremony. And Gary and Leesa look exactly the same as they did on their wedding day! I did not know if I would recognize them but no problem once I saw them. It was so sweet and very private. They did not want any photographs of their children but I got one of the three of us with my cell phone and their permission to post on this blog!

Leesa and Gary, congratulations again! See you again in ten years but if you want renew your vows again sooner, just email me!!

Romantic Surprise Ten Year Renewal of Vows!

This is such a romantic story I have to share with you! 

On September 9, 2000, at 2:30 in the afternoon at the historic Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill, I officiated the wedding of Joy and Jason. I remember it so well. It was down on the lawn in front of the big, and I mean big, magnolia tree. The tree is so big that Jason and I and the best man waited for the wedding to begin underneath it completely shielded from the guests. Then when it was time for us to enter, we stepped through the low ground-touching branches to take our places in front of the guests. Joy's father was supposed to escort her down the aisle but not long before the wedding began we found out he would not make it. So, it was decided that Joy would walk herself from the house across the lawn to the back of the chairs. When she got there, then Jason who was with me in front would start walking toward her and they would meet in the middle. 

And so that is how it happened except that when Jason reached Joy, he knelt down on one knee, in the midst of all their guests standing around them. Then when they walked together to meet me, tears were streaming down her eyes. It was a magical, Camelot moment! I have told that story to so many couples and so many have decided to enter that way too. I always wondered what Jason said to Joy when he knelt down. He is from Australia. They had met somewhere, Tahiti, or somewhere like that, and had fallen in love. They came back to the States to marry. I believe Joy had been a student at UNC and that is why they chose Chapel Hill as neither her family nor his lived here. I regret that I have no photos of their wedding. It was long before I started taking a camera to weddings.

Well, a few weeks ago, out of the blue, I got an email from Jason. He wanted to know if I could perform a renewal of vows on their tenth anniversary. He wanted to surprise Joy and have it at the Horace Williams House on the tenth anniversary date and time to boot!  I was thrilled to be a part of this wonderful surprise for Joy. I could not find my copy of their ceremony so he transcribed it from a DVD of their wedding and sent it to me. I then used it to create a renewal of vows using the same vows and some of the same words I spoke at the wedding.

When Marty and I arrived on Thursday for the ceremony, we found Joy's mother, Lynne, the only parent present at their wedding, and their adorable 2 1/2 year old daughter, Sidney, waiting for us. After Joy and Jason moved to Cary from Australia, Lynne moved down to Cary from Connecticut to help with Sidney and be involved in her life. It was good to see her again!

 

Sidney looks just like Joy. She is so cute. Jason had gotten her a white dress for the occasion and tried to find white shoes too but had to resort to her pink sandals. He had also gotten two bouquets. What a romantic guy! Above we are standing underneath/inside the huge old magnolia tree waiting for Jason to arrive with a blindfolded Joy. 

 

Joy told me she had no idea what was up. When they approached the tree, I stepped out and said "Hello, Joy!" She lifted the blindfold and squealed "Kayelily!" Then she put two and two together and figured out what we were doing. After hugs all around, Jason took off his ring and Joy hers and handed them to me and we began the ceremony.

Sidney stood with them and kept saying "we're getting married!"  What a sweet moment to be standing in the very same place as 10 years ago. How often in your lifetime does that happen?

They exchanged rings and said the same vows to each other. I proclaimed them recommitted to each other! 

They sealed their vows with a kiss as Sidney watched. 

They are expecting another daughter in November and so I suggested that we do a baby blessing ceremony the beginning of next year and include Sidney too.  I am so excited about keeping in touch with this wonderful couple and their family after all these years.

Joy and Jason,  what an honor and privilege to be a part of your wedding and your tenth anniversary renewal of vows. Your marriage has stood the test of time and it is refreshing to witness. I wish you all the best and I will see you early next year.

Ellen and Gerardo Renew their Vows at Raulston Arboretum!

Ellen and Gerardo were married in a civil ceremony last December with no fanfare. But, they also wanted to make their vows to each other in the presence of their families. So, they arranged a "wedding" for Sunday June 6, 2010 in Raleigh which was technically a renewal of vows.  During this year of 2010, they plan to share their joy with their families who are scattered across the Americas by going to where they are. Gerardo is from Venezuela and Ellen is from Boston.They like to say they met in the middle between Boston and Caracas. They scouted out shady places in the lovely J.C. Raulston Arboretum and located a wonderful spot under a canopy of two huge oak trees, one a Japanese Blue Oak with larger leaves and the other an Urbane Oak with smaller leaves. The ground was a thick carpet of oak leaves. A cathedral in the trees.

Ellen's sister, Anne, was her Matron of Honor, and Gerardo's eldest son, Luis, was his best man.

Their families gathered around us for this special occasion.Ellen and Gerardo had written special words thanking each one of them for being there.

Anne presented a reading with some humor.

Luis, on the right, with his wife, Megan, in the middle, were joined by Emma, from Ellen's side of the family, to sing a song for the couple.

They wrote their own vows to each other and read them from my book.

The rings..........

The kiss...........

The happy couple........

Ellen's older brother, Kevin, surprised us with two songs, one in memory of their father taught to him by his father, and the other for the couple. They are an Irish family and he sang with the Irish accent. He was really good! We all enjoyed this treat.

Out in the sun, everyone gathered for a group photo which I took with Gerardo's camera. This one Marty took with mine. They were off to Chef Mario's for a private luncheon with Ellen and Gerardo, then to their home for more visiting. It was a wonderful day they planned. 

Ellen and Gerardo, I am so happy for you that you found each other! You were meant to be together. May all your dreams come true, and if they don't may new dreams arise............