Scott & Lygia's Wedding, Wequassett Inn, Chatham, MA

Scott and Lygia and their wedding guests were completely coordinated, all decked out in deep reds, pure white and black. This bride had all of the particulars arranged with her own sense of style, down to the beautiful flower girl dresses and the satin decorated wagon that carried a baby with Mickey, Minnie Mouse, and their wedding rings! I am sure the baby wondered what the fuss was all about.

Scott and Lygia had fine weather despite the cape's predictions, and all of the romance of the event was that much prettier on the gorgeous grounds of the Wequassett Inn overlooking the sea. The happiness of this couple was not missed when I announced their being "husband and wife" under the trellis. A very happy, romantic kiss for this newly betrothed couple!

May your lives together be blessed with much joy and may each holiday and special event be filled with the laughter of friends and family, as it was on this day. Congratulations Scott and Lygia!

Patrick and Alicia's Wedding, Wequassett Inn, Chatham

What a beautiful Friday evening for a wedding at the Wequassett Inn; the weather held out despite unsettled predictions, and the bridal party was absolutely positive that all would go well - and it did! This couple truly enjoyed themselves both during and after the ceremony. As the

photo-

grapher

took photos

with the beach as a backdrop, Patrick and Alicia took a brief break to partake of the delicious appetizers delivered by the Inn's hospitality personnel to their oceanside photo session.

What impressed me during and after the service is that this couple "took care of one another". It was the little intimate movements of one partner touching the others' shoulder, or checking to see that all was fine with the "other"...those subtle day to day nurturing gestures that couples make. Add this quality to their sense of humor, and you have a truly charming, elegant couple that lights up any venue in which they participate.

When my wife, Lianne, took a few photos, she did not think she'd capture these qualities, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Here, Patrick's saying, humorously, "Why do I have these (flowers)?" and then a moment later, he assisted his new beloved wife by feeding her hors d' oeuvres.

May you both have a wonderful life together and may you always continue to nurture and care for one another in the years ahead! Congratulations Patrick and Alicia! Thank you for making me a part of your special wedding day!

Timothy & Aron's Wedding, Private Home, Harwich, MA

Timothy and Aron held their wedding service and reception at Timothy's father's home overlooking a lily filled pond in Harwich, MA. What a lovely, intimate gathering place for family and friends. The family's ring bearer, Thomas, was all decked out in his "wedding clothes" he told me, and he was enthusiastically expressive about his important role and how he "loved weddings!" Well, I love weddings, too, and this one was no exception!

Family and friends gathered at the pond side where Aron and Timothy exchanged their vows with one another under the white trellis. Pictured here, I am reaching for the wedding rings, while Timothy and Aron share one of those intimate moments couples have; their own special communication of love and connection.

After I declared Timothy and Aron "husband and wife", and they recessed back up nature's aisle, bubbles were blowing in the caress of a soft breeze as they ascended the yard's hilltop. Under the tent, Aron and Timothy created a receiving line as their guests, one by one, shared their warm congratulations for this new married couples' life together. May your path together be filled with happy times like this day, filled with friends, family, music, the beauty of nature and love exchanged.

Jim & Kathryn, Winslow House, Orleans, MA

I knew as soon as I arrived at the "Winslow House" in Orleans, MA, overlooking the Pleasant Bay, that this couple had found a gem of a venue tucked away on Cape Cod.

My first service at this particular locale, the view from this private family home was absolutely breathtaking. Once again,

the weather was as good as it gets, with salt-filled breezes, the aromatic sweetness of the smells of spring, and the sounds of the tide below hitting against the shore. Children were skipping across the lawn in their classy wedding outfits, climbing the fence to look out over the gorgeous scene. It was a fairy tale location for a special couple.

The house itself was built in the early 1900's as a family retreat, and has been passed down through the generations; it is of a Spanish style and decor, and one feels transported in time as the sounds of family and friends' laughter permeates the gardens.

Kathryn and Jim stood peacefully, smiling at one another during the service. Kathryn's mother and father each gave both personal and sacred readings for their daughter and new son-in-law, each showing the depth of emotion they felt on this very special day. Their custom messages gave extra meaning to this lovely couple's wedding vows.

My wife, Lianne, said that this wedding made her think of "White Satin"; Kathryn wore a classic, elegant white satin dress, and the phrase speaks to everything done in a simple yet sophisticated manner.

Congratulations to Jim and Kathryn! I considered it a privilege to perform your wedding service.

Mark & Lisa's Wedding, Ocean Edge Resort, Brewster, MA

Mark and Lisa had so much FUN during their wedding service, that I had to include one of the photos of their laughing together to give you a sense of how relaxed they were on their special wedding day. What a lovely venue, and in perfect weather conditions, too. The Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster is pictured here; a throwback to the turn of the century, complete with grand foyers, stucco buildings and beautifully manicured lawns overlooking the Cape Cod Bay. All was perfect and one could not ask for a better day for this lovely couple!

Mark had gone deep sea fishing with his family earlier in the day, returning from the sea with a nice Cape sea bass or two, along with a sunburn to match! Mark did not realize the strength of the sun behind the morning fog.

What a wonderful, humorous, and engaging couple Mark and Lisa are - what a gift for me to be a part of their wedding day. May your days together be filled with the laughter and love you showed as you exchanged vows on the lawn of a beautiful mansion by the sea.

Congratulations to Mark and Lisa! As they say amongst mariners, I wish you "fair winds and calm seas".

Brian & Kristin's Wedding, Wequassett Inn, Chatham

My wife Lianne happened to capture on film an intimate moment between Kristin and Brian, and she chose to call this photo,

"Devotion". It started me thinking about the uniqueness of each and every couple I marry, and about those quiet, private moments that married partners share.

It was a beautiful venue at the Wequassett Inn, near the outdoor pool that overlooks the ocean; an amazing blend of chic and casual. Families looked on as this couple exchanged vows, canopied by the beautiful flowered trellis that embraced this lovely, happy couple. Yes, there were tears, but they were tears of joy, punctuated by Kristin's laughter, the sweet sounds of the violinists they'd hired from Boston, and the seagulls flying overhead.

Kristin's friend, Patty, gave a special reading selected for her friends, and I thought I would share it with you here, entitled, The Key To Love: "The key to love is understanding, as it is the little things that say so much by themselves. The key to love is forgiveness, to accept each other's faults and pardon mistakes. The key to love is sharing. Sharing and facing your good fortunes as well as the bad, together, both conquering problems, forever searching for ways to intensify your happiness. The key to love is giving. Giving without thought of return, but with the hope of just a simple smile, and by giving in but never giving up. The key to love is respect, realizing that you are two separate people, with different ideas; that you don't belong to each other, that you belong with each other, and share a mutual bond. The key to love is inside us all. It takes time and patience to unlock all the ingredients that will take you to its threshold; it is the continual learning process that demands a lot of work but the rewards are more than worth the effort...and that is the key to love.

Congratulations to Brian and Kristin! May the devotion in your eyes, and the happy smiles on your faces be with you, together, always.

Jeffrey & Justine's Wedding, Willowbend Country Club, Mashpee, MA

Jeffrey & Justine show exuberance at my declaring them "husband and wife" for all of their family and loved ones to witness for the first time; I don't think I've seen a couple so expressive!

This was such a beautiful pair, with their "daughter", DJ, in a floral wreath around her neck, bestowing the rings to the best man, Ken, as part of their customized service. DJ did a wonderful job! Justine walked down the aisle with her dad, misty tears of joy in her eyes; there was that unique sacred space that occurred where time stands still while friends and family members stand in awe of Justine's dramatic beauty. The vows were said with such emotion of the love Jeffrey & Justine have for one another. During the service, when I asked Jeffrey if he took Justine to he his wife, "to have and to hold, from this day forth," Jeffrey confirmed with the most enthusiastic "Yes!" I'd heard in my years of performing wedding ceremonies. All in attendance laughed, including Justine, Jeffrey's commitment so adamantly clear! This was certainly a very lovely wedding, complete with the lush green view of the country club's gorgeous golf course, the singing birds, the soft cape cod breeze, and the love, humor and joy of friends and family.

May you both always experience the playfulness, the depth of your love together, and the closeness with friends and family that you showed on your wedding day.

Congratulations to Jeffrey & Justine. May your days ahead be filled with joy!