Katherine and Ian - December 1, 2012

 

 

 We celebrated the marriage of Katherine and Ian on December 1, 2012.  And what a celebration it was. 

 

I love the way wedding plans begin and evolve and then truly take on the personality of the couple.  Katherine and Ian have fun together.  They wanted a small wedding with a big wedding party and they really brought the party with them.  

 

Both Katherine and Ian have large extended families.  And they have a lot of friends.  When Katherine and Ian make friends it is evident that they make friends for life.   So the wedding party itself was full of friends and family who have loved them throughout the years from childhood, through school, college and in the working world.

 

I took a lot of pictures and wish I had taken more because it was such a happy occasion in a beautiful setting.  The entire weekend was spent with everyone gathered together at the Berry Hill Plantation in South Boston, Viriginia.  Being at the Berry Hill was like coming to the old family homeplace for a reunion.  And even though we were meeting many of the people for the first time everyone was united in joy for Katherine and Ian.  

 

 

 

The weekend was kicked off with a bridesmaid's luncheon in the historic Berry Hill mansion that was built in the early 1800s.  Here is the beautiful bride with her equally beautiful mother-in-law, mother and grandmother.   Someone at the luncheon pointed out that, with this group, the Berry Hill hardly needed decoration.

The luncheon hostesses paused for a group picture with Katherine and Lynn.  As a hostess from afar, I wasn't much help with details and planning, but friends from Raleigh helped in a big way and the luncheon was a great start to the weekend.  Betsy provided a thoughtful devotional and then each guest toasted Katherine with a Bible verse that Jeannie had written on each placecard.   It was a very sweet way to include everyone in wishing Katherine well in her new journey.    

 

Ian's parents hosted a really fun BBQ, Brew and Reggae party after the wedding rehearsal.  It was a fun way to get together.  The reggae band came up from Charleston and they started off the night with Share the Shelter.   Which is possibly the most perfect of all reggae tunes for a wedding -  "I wanna love ya - every day and every night."    Many personal and sweet toasts were made from friends and family and then Will presented everyone with a commemorative Kat and Dogg Wedding Tradition Scarf sported here by Sister and David. 

The grandmother, brother, nephew and father of the bride at the rehearsal party.  I loved it when Tommy presented Katherine with a special pair of pjs for her honeymoon. A onesie! 

 

 

It was wonderful to take a picture of David, Lynn and Sister at such a happy occasion.  The wedding was held in a pretty methodist church in South Boston and was a beautiful and holy ceremony. Lynn and Tommy hosted the wedding reception at the Berry Hill with elegant flowers, tasty food including shrimp and grits and of course a really good band if you happened to have happy feet. Which most of us did.

 

It was fun to celebrate the weekend with Quinn and Wil.  They had let MK and Robert spend the weekend with family in NC.    Our boys were not able to come to the wedding either and I'm thinking Quinn and Wil may have missed their sweet children as much as we missed ours. 

Love this picture of Julia, Sister, Katherine and Quinn. 

 

Will, Anna, David, Laura and Thomas at the reception.   With Tradition Scarves!

 

 

.It was a touching moment when the groom danced with his mother.  I loved the song they chose - "I Hope You Dance".  After getting to know this family a little bit over the weekend I can see why this was a special song.  They are a fun family and a joy to be around.  When given a choice to sit it out or dance there's no doubt the McCullen family will dance.

 

 

Katherine, backed up by Thomas, surprised everyone with a song at the reception.  She has a powerful voice and nailed it with her rendition of Angel of Montgomery.  She is just pure joy in this picture.

.Sparklers were a festive send off at the front of the BerryHill.   It was a spectacular weekend and as Lynn quoted from Ephesians 3  "immeasurably more". 

 

Here's to Katherine and Ian for a lifetime of joy and happiness!