One Dog of a Couple

This has to be a ShutterBooth first. At Felicia and Roderick’s wedding at the beautiful River Landing Country Club  on Saturday, they were the couple to watch. But for a few minutes during the reception, another couple took center stage.

Mr. and Ms. Wuf, the official mascots for North Carolina State University, made a grand appearance and stayed for awhile – long enough to jump in the ShutterBooth. Yes, it was the first time a pair of Wolfpack was in the booth.

Felicia, a NC State grad, was probably the happiest to see Mr. and Ms. Wuf. But I have to admit, the Wuf couple certainly made my life hosting the booth more interesting.

The Most Unique Wedding of the Year?

Hats off to Felicia and Roderick for making their wedding possibly the most unique one I have attended this year. From the appearance of Mr. and Ms. Wuf (see next blog), to an ice sculpture with martinis flowing through it, to a dance-off during the Bridesmaids/Groomsmen introductions and much more – this wedding was certainly memorable.

The couple also had 28 people standing in their wedding party which kept me busy at the ShutterBooth. The ShutterBooth was definitely a hit. It was also fun to work with photographers Christian and Amanda of Bill Marr Photography. Between us and the photographers, we had every possible photo covered.

What I’ll remember about the event was the unique touches put on everything by Demetris Faison and Candace Springs of Creative Touch Designs in Raleigh (www.creativetouchevents.com). Demetris is not your typical wedding planner/designer and seems to always have something different up his sleeve. We definitely look forward to doing more events with him and his crew.

And finally, this was our first trip to the River Landing Country Club in Wallace, NC. The locale is a perfect spot for couples that are looking for a place between Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington. The new clubhouse has only been hosting weddings since April but you certainly couldn’t tell as they did a spectacular job. For more information on events at River Landing, contact Del Baron at 910-285-1039.

Heather and Tyler Receive the Royal Treatment

I’ve heard about Castle McCulloch in Jamestown, NC, but I had to see it to believe it. WOW.

The Castle has quite the history. Following the discovery of gold in North Carolina, an enterprising Cornish engineer named Charles McCulloch came to the gold fields of Jamestown to build a gold refinery. He brought with him the architecture of England and the latest technological development, the steam engine.  The McCulloch Gold Mill was built in 1832 and operated many years as an integral part of the history of gold mining in the state and in the nation.

In 1849 discovery of gold in California began the Gold Rush, and eventually the mines began to draw miners to California. The original Mill structure also served briefly, as a makeshift hospital for soldiers during the Civil War. (If you are interested in booking an event at the Castle, contact Karen Douglas at khdouglas@castlemcculloch.com).

The famed castle was the backdrop for Tyler and Heather’s wedding. The two received the “royal” treatment as Merrymaking Events (www.merrymakingevents.com or 336.207.0041) had everything organized. Like usual, Kat and Kristin were on top of every detail and the wedding turned out to be beautiful.

It was also a real pleasure to meet Heather’s parents. Her dad was hoot and danced one of the most memorable father-daughter dances of all-time. The two started slow dancing but soon broke into their version of the “evolution of dance.” Hopefully someone captured that on tape!

Congratulations Heather and Tyler!    

Our First Pinehurst Event a Hit

Lenora and Brett got married in style at the gorgeous National Golf Club in Pinehurst last Saturday. Lenora looked fabulous — and so did Brett in his military “dress blues.”  The two are moving to Kansas where Brett is being stationed.

It was ShutterBooths’s first — but definitely not last — event in the Pinehurst/Sandhills area. And we couldn’t have asked for a better host than the National Golf Club. They do an amazing job there with their weddings and Vickie Fletcher was on top of every detail. If your interested in having an event at the National Golf Club, contact Vickie at 910-603-5102 or vfletcher@nationalgolfclub.com.

Congratulations Lenora and Brett!

♫

Andrea and Daniel — “Kids at Heart”

The Marble Kids Museum was the site for Andrea and Daniel’s reception. Situated in the heart of downtown Raleigh on Moore Square, the Marbles Kids Museum offered a spectacular space and a unique setting for Andrea and Daniel’s reception.

And to top it off — Joan Jett was performing a free concert to a few thousand people just outside the doors of the Museum!

What made the ShutterBooth interesting was that many of the couple’s friends were in theater. It was pretty obvious to tell as some of the photos taken were classic. Check out the event gallery to see more.

For more information on renting the Marble Kids Museum (www.marbleskidsmuseum.org), contact Kelly Harrison at 919-834-4040, ext. 1042.

And, once again, John Carter of a Perfect Day DJ (www.perfectdaydj.com) kept the tunes going all night.  Another great job by John.

Congrats again to Andrea and Daniel!

Come Check Us Out At Upcoming Bridal Shows

If you haven’t seen a ShutterBooth yet, here is your opportunity. We will be displaying at the following upcoming bridal shows…come say “hi” and check us out!

Sunday, August 9, 2009: The Carolina Weddings Show, Greensboro Coliseum (the Pavilion)

Saturday, August 15, 2009: Sandhills Bridal Fair, National Golf Club, Pinehurst

Sunday, August 16, 2009:  Southern Bridal Show & Expo, NC State Fairgrounds, Raleigh

Sunday, September 13, 2009″ Autumn Elegance Fall Bridal Show, The Clarion Greensboro Airport Hotel

Amber and Scott Celebrate at The State Club

The State Club on the Centennial Campus of NC State University was the site for Amber and Scott to kick-off their life as one. The Club, which overlooks Lake Raleigh, was gorgeous. And, of course, Amber and Scott looked great too!

Amber and Scott’s friends and family kept the ShutterBooth busy all night long. The couple also chose black and white photos for all their guests which has become a popular choice among those getting married in North Carolina.

We hope to do many more events at The State Club as Wendy Dorman and her staff were great to work with. Wendy can be reached at 919-515-0553 or wendy@thestateclub.org (her preferred method of contact). For more information on The State Club, go to www.thstateclub.org.

Heather and Ryan Party High Atop Greensboro

Heather and Ryan celebrated their big day with an awesome reception on the Kress Terrace — the rooftop of the old Kress Building on Elm Street in Greensboro. The scene was very cool and the the weather couldn’t have been better.

Like usual, the ShutterBooth was a big hit and the couple’s guests were quite entertaining.

Todd Pegram of MTP DJ Productions did a great job getting the party started and is one of the best I have seen at interacting with the crowd and emceeing a wedding. If you need a DJ in the Greensboro area, you have to give Todd a call (336-992-3518 or mpegram1@triad.rr.com).

Matt and Rachel Celebrate at Rigsbee Hall

Rachel and Matt’s wedding continued a trend I’ve been seeing a little more of lately – props at the wedding. We brought our boas, silly hats and other props to their reception at Rigsbee Hall, located in the heart of downtown Durham. Rigsbee Hall’s modern architecture sets a distinctive ambiance unlike most event and meeting spaces in the area.  Matt, Rachel and their families and friends did an amazing job decorating the facility and it looked great with the vaulted ceiling, polished concrete floors and exposed brick walls.

Their guests had a blast with the props in the ShutterBooth and kept us busy all night.

Rachel also did a great job selecting vendors. I was very impressed with John Carter of A Perfect Day DJ (www.perfectdaydj.com or 919-676-6027) who definitely kept the party going once they left the ShutterBooth. And the food and service, provided by Gregory Lewis of Catering by Design was amazing. If you’re looking for an outside caterer, definitely give Gregory a call at 919-481-2366 (www.catering-by-design.com).  Glenn and Lynn Roberson of Glenn Roberson Photography (www.glennroberson.com) were all over the hall taking photos and their work is really awesome. The couple is out of Charlotte but travels the entire state – and event out of the state.

Finally, if you are going to get married in the Triangle and looking for an intimate, yet sophisticated and modern atmosphere, you may want to look at Rigsbee Hall. Contact Jacqueline Edwards (919-682-6360 or www.rigsbeehall.com).

The Knot Party: Full of Great Resources

I had the pleasure of hosting a ShutterBooth at last week’s vendor party for The Knot. I met some great resources for any bride — as well as having the chance of seeing the beautiful Wakefield Plantation for the first time.

First, the Wakefield Plantation. I’ve driven by it many times but never had the opportunity to check it out. The facility overlooks a TPC golf course and some houses that I wish I owned. And the food was amazing. This is a must see for brides who are considering Wake Forest for their wedding. Contact Jacklyn Parks for more information (919-488-6105 or jaclynparks@pgatourtpc.com).

The rest of the event went smoothly thanks to the awesome coordination of Sam Dockery of Bliss by Sam Weddings and Occasions (www.blissbysam.com). Sam introduced me to Randal Calloway who not only was a very cool guy, but he played some great music all night.  Randal will DJ events from Raleigh to Atlanta and everywhere in between. You can learn more about him at www.dj360nc.com).