The Altar
This was beautifully done, with a trellis of flowers above at the edge of a hill. The harpist was the first thing we heard.
Mother Of the Bride, Matron Of Honor
Cheryl did double duty for this affair. Nick's father was also the best man. There were no other bridesmaids or groomsmen.
Davis Carries the Load
Davis Fain pulls a wagon holding the sleepy flower girl - Nick's niece, Nikki Thompson. Seems someone had woken her from her nap to go to work, which left her a bit fussy... :-)
Grandpa To The Rescue
Our flower girl is taken into Nick's dad's arms for awhile. This was family at it's best if you ask me.
Walking Down The Aisle
Loree and father Melvin take the walk down the aisle to join Nick, Rick, and Cheryl. Boy, don't they look happy?
First Kiss
And it was a doozy. I think they meant it!
Man And Wife
That's that look. But they're not walking down the aisle just yet...
The Pipes, The Pipes!
Right after we heard the words "man and wife," a piper appeared out of nowhere and began playing. He led the way for Nick, Loree and the rest of us back to the ruins of Barnsley Manor where the reception would be held.
The Ruins
There is a good bit of history here at Barnsley Gardens. The brick walls of the ruins are all that's left of the beautiful mansion that was built here back in the 1800's. It made a terrific setting for the formal reception.
Private Dining
While we were helping ourselves to the bar and the tables of gourmet food, Nick and Loree were being served at their own private table under the altar where they were married.
Good Friends
Colleen and her lifelong friend Helen Rue were seated right in front of us at the ceremony.
The Trees At Sunset
This was taken right at sunset, just as the band was starting to play. It's right in the middle of spring and you can see some of the colorful foliage from the area.
First Dance
Beautiful, is all I can say.
Father And Daughter
When it came time for the father of the bride to dance with his daughter, it was not your father's father's dance at all. Melvin and Loree "cut the rug" with some Carolina beach music.
Everybody Dance!
This was how the dance floor looked for pretty much the entire night.
I, Robot
Blake shows the moves that can still draw all eyes to him. He does a pretty convincing "robot." Another boy about his age got down on the floor and did some break dancing.
Cigar Cake
Check out the groom's cake! It's not a box of cigars at all, but they sure looked real! I expected it to be chocolate, but the flavor was very unique. Needless to say, this disappeared rapidly.
Music Provided By Octavia Jones
David did a couple of gigs with Octavia when he played with his friend Mack McKibbon in Covington, GA for the city's July 4 celebrations. She is a local legend, and she and her band did a great job all evening long.
Lauren Gets In The Swing Of Things
Diane shows Lauren the "triple-step, triple step, back step" thing. She picked it up right away.
Is That A Bouquet In Your Hands, Little Girl?
Lauren's big sister Megan actually caught the bouquet. Then, realizing that the magic of the bouquet just might come true, she immediately gave it to Lauren.
Ooh, Feels So Good
Gary and David both got new suits for the wedding. But Gary went one step further with a silk shirt, too.
Room 5505
Didn't get the torch-light send off for Nick and Loree, but afterwards we all met at room 5505 and joined Cheryl's friends Randy and Janice for the after-party party. Remember, brunch is at 11:00... :-)
