duke gardens wedding: hannah+derek 06.20.10

earlier this spring, i had the pleasure of meeting hannah and derek for the first time for their engagement session. we had so much fun the day of their session, i just knew their wedding was going to be fantastic, and that it was!

on one of the hottest days of the summer (and we've had plenty!), my assistant pam & i headed to durham for hannah and derek's afternoon wedding at sarah p duke gardens. we first made a stop at the washington duke inn to capture preparation shots of the gals, before heading over to the gardens.

many hebrew traditions were included in their wedding throughout the day. prior to the ceremony, hannah and derek met with their rabbi, their immediate families, and witnesses in order to sign the ketubah, which was beautifully handmade by hannah's mother.

the couple chose to have their outdoor ceremony on the patio at the center gardens, with views of a large koi pond and many of the lush flora in bloom. derek's aunt provided the fabric for the chuppah in which the couple stood under during their vows. immediately following the ceremony, hannah and derek went into seclusion, also known as yichud, for a brief period of time.

the reception was held indoors at the elegant doris duke center. catherine katz, of cherished celebrations, made things go smoothly throughout the day. she was great! from the delicious mediterranean cuisine provided by catering by jasmin, to the excellent adrian duke band, it was truly a joyous celebration. all throughout the reception, i was hopeful that hannah and derek would participate in the dance called the hora, where the guests lift the couple up in chairs and dance around while holding them up high above the dance floor. in fact they did and the photos tell all!

my instincts were right on, this wedding was so much fun! LOVED working with hannah and derek and hope that i get that opportunity again in the future. after taking a wedding trip to the napa valley, they are now settling in as newlyweds into their home in california, where they are both in graduate school.

venue-ceremony+reception: sarah p duke gardens
wedding celebrant: rabbi john friedman/judea reform
ceremony music: cellist, brian howard
bridal consultant/coordinator: catherine katz of cherished celebrations
floral arrangements: "diy"
caterer: catering by jasmin
cake: sweet memories bakery
reception music: the adrian duke band {booking via sam hill entertainment}
hair+makeup: claudia gunn {contact via email: claudia.eyelashes(at)gmail(dot)com}
accommodations: the washington duke inn