As Shawn's sister, I (Michelle) have worked with Shawn since her first wedding nearly 12 years ago, but this past summer I had the opportunity to plan and orchestrate my first wedding for a longtime friend of my family.
In June, Cindy (the mother of the bride) came to work telling us that Cara was engaged. I knew I wanted to be a part of this from the beginning. Shortly thereafter we learned that Cara wanted to get married in September – not in 15 months, but in only three months. After working with Shawn, I knew this was possible, but I also knew certain things had to fall into place.
This wedding and marriage are meant to be. Cara was able to find the dress of her dreams on her first day of shopping, and it fit perfectly. The dress had just arrived at the shop, and only needed minor alterations to be perfect.
Next, we needed a venue. (Did I mention in September, one of the busiest months of the year, and only 3 months away?) Cara and Robb found Poplar Grove Plantation in Wilmington, N.C., where they live, and it happened to be available on Sept. 24. The plantation has several scenic ceremony locations on site and a barn that turns into an excellent location for your reception.
The only must-have we still needed was a minister, and that proved to be trickier. Cara and Robb attend a large church in Wilmington, but none of their pastors was available on such short notice. They were able to attend premarital classes through their church, but we still did not have a minister. Fortunately, through Your Special Day Weddings and Special Events, we were able to secure a minister who had performed many weddings for us in the past. Cara and Robb met with him, and we were set to proceed with all the puzzle pieces necessary to allow them to start their life together.
As July and August passed, a florist, baker, photographer and caterer were selected, forming a team of vendors from both Wilmington and Raleigh.
The weekend quickly approached, and before I knew it, Sept. 24 was here. Unfortunately, the rains of September did not know they were supposed to stay away this weekend! We planned to move the wedding inside if we absolutely had to, but on Friday, the rain cleared for us to rehearse by the gazebo. When we arrived at the plantation, I noticed a white tent that was there for a corporate event they were having that same night. We were able to contact the rental company and have the tent left for our use on Saturday. I was so grateful. I did not want to move our ceremony inside, away from the natural beauty of the plantation, but I also did not want a soaking wet bride, groom and guests.
After postponing the decision until the last possible moment on Saturday, we made the decision to move the ceremony under the tent. What a blessing! Our florist was able to incorporate the flowers Cara wanted for the gazebo inside the tent instead, and our guests were able to stay dry. The skies cleared soon afterward, allowing our couple and their guests to enjoy the grounds for the cocktail hour.
It was a night of fun, food and dancing for everyone. Cara, Robb and their parents were all thrilled with the evening.
I am so grateful for the experiences I have had over the years as Shawn’s assistant. Those experiences are what enabled me to make Cara and Robb’s wedding dreams come true. I can only imagine the stress the bride’s parents would have been under if they had not had a third party to orchestrate their first daughter’s wedding day. They were all able to enjoy the wedding with their friends and family.
Congratulations, Cara and Robb Turbeville. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your special day!
Photography: Photos by Kristopher
