What a fun and crazy summer it's been! I've been running in and out of town-- to help care for an injured friend, to move my son to Brooklyn, to whale watch in Canada and now to catch up with old friends in the Pacific Northwest. I love how much flexibility I get with my job-- summer is pretty slow for weddings so I could take long breaks. But in between trips I returned home to perform weddings-- just last week I did five. Sure, it was warm, but we still had a great time. Now, Super Busy Season Part II is about to arrive (Part I is in the spring) and I'm already reminding myself strategies to stay well rested and fully present. Here are some pictures from recent weddings. Stay tuned for more in-depth updates, advice, and everything wedding when I return. 

Robert the DJ is super awesome. He had everything ready to go and the sound was perfect.  

Mercury Hall added a paved walkway from the chapel building out to the big trees.

Another lovely cake.

Mayfield Park-- this couple is so calm, cool and collected we didn't even feel the 100 degree heat.

But my phone confirmed that it really was 100.

I love creative centerpieces. 

Getting ready to say I Do at Umlauf Sculpture Garden.

Groom's cake. Hilarious. 

Even the flower girl got in on the photo action.

This is Evelyn. She is an amazing, amazing wedding planner. So chill. Click here to go to her website.   

Coffee and tea in the garden at Umlauf. 

They do!

Getting the Skype ready for an Austin wedding with a Tennessee bride and Spanish groom.

I love a barefoot bride.

I also love mixed culture weddings.  

The wedding party rented an entire B&B so everyone could stay together. Great idea. 

I never tire of the Caswell House-- so classic.

So ready she got married before start time. Really.

Whoever came up with this cupcake tower idea-- thank you! 

Sand ceremony to symbolize uniting of bride, groom, and bride's daughter.  

Congratulations!

View from the top of the stairs at Caswell House.

Slowing Down the Pace, Stilling Having Fun

St. Paul Lutheran Church at Cave Creek near Fredericksburg.  The church was built in 1883

On May 28th I performed wedding #50 in a two-month period. Maybe it was actually #51 or #52, but let's just say it was a LOT. The whirlwind was super fun and, yes, wore me out a bit. But I had the good fortune of going directly from that last wedding to a two-week retreat way out in the country. I came into town for a couple of weddings in the middle, and then I got a call from a couple needing an officiant in Fredericksburg on a Friday. As fate would have it, I was planning to be driving through Fredericksburg that day, and this is how I wound up performing an elopement in a tiny, very old church way down a country road.

I love all the opportunities this job brings. I love meeting all sorts of people. I love all the beautiful venues. I love the huge weddings and the tiny weddings. But there's something super exciting the times I find myself driving down some long, abandoned, dusty road. I feel like a JP in the olden days, traveling from town to town, helping out where I'm needed. I feel like a character in a James McMurtry book. It's so fun. Here are some pics from my latest adventures. 

A small, elegant wedding at the Four Seasons

Yay! 

Getting ready for the big moment at Caswell House.

This was wedding #2 in a 3-wedding day. I got there at precisely the start time, got out of my car, and mysteriously a man in a golf cart appeared, told me to hop in, and drove me straight to the ceremony site.

Lovely bride at Villa St. Clair

This is Mark Cruz. Mark and I have been doing weddings together since 2007. He is a magnificent guitarist and he is super chill. He just shows up, knows exactly what he's doing, and his energy brings a calm joy to weddings. You can find out more about Mark at his website.  

Great wedding at Mansion at Judges Hill. This year I have lots of weddings with couples that have been together eight years. This couple is one of those-- they met in junior high. 

Okay, can you say STUNNING dress? OMG. I LOVE IT. It's green! I told the bride that her classic beauty combined with this utterly unique dress was just unforgettable. 

Wedding #50 at Memory Lane Event Center in Dripping. 

All you need is LOVE. Well, that and CAKE.

Super elegant wedding at Green Pastures. That place is so classy and so classic. 

I've been seeing this more and more lately-- receptions featuring long tables so that all the guests can sit together. This was a the Hotel St. Cecilia.  

Outside at St. Paul Lutheran in Cave Creek. 

This is Ravner, another wonderful guitarist I've been seeing at weddings for six years now.  Like Mark, Ravner is a  total professional, really amazing guitarist. He shows up, sets up, plugs in and plays beautifully. You can find out more about his music at his website. 

House on the Hill is one of my very favorite venues-- often the wedding party will stay the entire weekend. It's a great idea because it let's everyone settle in and get some rest the night before. This was such a joyful wedding-- bride and groom swapped high fives during the ring exchange. 

If you'd like to know more about my wedding services and to hear what couples have to say about my work, please visit my official wedding website. Thanks!