Nicole & Edson | September 27, 2013

Bilingual wedding ceremonies are a great way for couples to honor their culture and overcome a language barrier (especially if the guest list includes family from other countries) however, as I learned from Nicole and Edson, a good bilingual ceremony requires a bit of pre-planning. I was really impressed with how smooth their ceremony progressed and I thought it would be good to share some helpful hints I learned from their wedding.
The ceremony was preformed in Spanish, and headsets were provided for English speaking guests. A representative from the church set-up next to our sound guy and provided the English translation in tandem with the minister. Because they spoke at the same time everyone was able to follow the ceremony and we didn’t end up with any awkward pauses. The translator utilized a printed copy of the English ceremony as well as visual queues to keep on pace with the minister. The ceremony was easy to follow and well executed on both ends.

The bride wore a stunning chapel length mantilla, which worked, extremely well on the beach. The intricate lace detail not only added a bit of weight to the veil but also provided some friction against the bride’s dress. As a result, when the wind blew the mantilla hugged the contours of the dress rather than blowing across the brides face as many elbow length veils do. Beautiful and functional!

Location: Wrightsville Beach, Access #43

Courtney & Andrew | September 21, 2013

The party began a bit early as guests were treated to a ‘celebratory beverage’ pre-ceremony while the wedding party finished up their photos nearby. At their photographer’s recommendation, this fun and party-minded couple opted to do most of their pictures before the wedding. This allowed them to take advantage of the best lighting and freed them up to enjoy cocktail hour with their guests. Courtney’s two requests were that we run the wooden walkway right off the boardwalk (so she didn’t have to step in the sand) and that we arrange the chairs in a clover pattern (with guests seated on all sides of the pavilion). With the coolers empty and the ‘I dos’ said it was time to really celebrate. If the ceremony was any indication of what was to come I’m sure the reception must have been a blast!
Location: Courtyard Marriott, Carolina Beach

Melissa & Michael | September 21, 2013

Melissa and Michael’s wedding was both sweet and sentimental. The bride’s Uncle Chris delivered a beautiful ceremony full of laughter and tears, which touched the hearts of everyone there. The families rented several large beach houses in the cul de sac a block from the ocean in order to enjoy a few days in the sun before the big day.

I loved the fact that Melissa and Michael’s parents are still married and that the two families’ got along so well. Believe it or not, is rare that we do a wedding where both sets of parents are still together. Impressive and inspiring!
Location: Topsail Island