In Asheville NC

A GUIDE TO ALL THINGS ASHEVILLE

ASHEVILLE, Any Way You Like It  - local restaurants, services of all kinds, wedding venues, fun events. This website is a comprehensive guide to all things Asheville.
http://www.exploreasheville.com/

CATERERS:

The Colorful Palate – restaurant and catering. Exquisite! Contact them at  828-684-7470

The Sweet Monkey - Delicious and healthy! Catering for weddings and all events. Hollie West – chef,   828-301-0238

Filo Pastries: A great place to get a beautiful and delicious wedding cake and pastries for every occasion in Asheville NC.

D.J.s 

Can’t go wrong with Don Von Meters

DJMC & Cherished Memories

donjuanmusiccompany.webs.com

We are a full service Entertainment and Event Services. We specialize in disc jockey service for weddings, receptions and all types of events.

Photographers: 

Olivia Marone Photography – Beautiful wedding photographs and also photo booths for your reception. These are fun for the guests and Olivia and her husband bring along hats and masks! 828-515-1517

Flowers:  Party Envy

WHITE DOVE RELEASE:  Incorporate a professionally coordinated white dove release into your ceremony.  This is a  a breath taking experience remembered by all in attendance. Call 828-582-9115 now

Wedding Planners: Party Envy 

Stress Relief, Relaxation, Massage, Energy Balancing:  HeartLight Healing Studio - 828-242-8621

NEW ORLEANS :

Visit this link to view wonderful spots for your wedding in Audubon Park, New Orleans.

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/outdoor-wedding-ceremonies

Benachi House: A beautiful and historic venue in mid-city New Orleans, perfect for the wedding and reception

Rosy’s Jazz Hall: Indoor and Outdoor wedding venue in New Orleans with great space for a reception with dancing and a big stage for the band.

Welch Photo and Video: These photographers/videographers doing a splended and professional job. They are creative and caring. You know your weddings pictures will be beyond beautiful with Welch photographers.
Providing their services in New Orleans and the North Shore.

Online sites to help you plan your wedding:

Decidio: This site assists you in finding professional services for all your wedding needs anywhere in the country. A very helpful and trustworthy site.

Web for Weddings: All the information and contacts for your wedding planning.

The winter months are Rev. Hannah’s favorite time to be in New Orleans. The mild winter and early spring are perfect for an elopement ceremony in the French Quarter,  a simple wedding under the Oaks in the park, a garden wedding or an elaborate Plantation wedding.

Jazz Fest weddings!  World class music and food and the biggest party on the planet, a perfect venue for fun loving couples to say “I DO”.  Rev. Hannah is available both weekends of Jazz Fest to perform your ceremony at the fair grounds.

Rev. Hannah provides the waver for the 3 day waiting period. You can buy your marriage license and get married the same day with Rev. Hannah as your officiant.

Rev. Hannah was the owner of Crescent Star Tours, a French Quarter based tour company, for many years. She offers her services to the bride and groom, their friends and family members who may want to take a walking tour through the French Quarter, cemeteries or garden district. 828-242-8621

Jazz Fest weddings!  World class music and food and the biggest party on the planet, a perfect venue for fun loving couples to say “I DO”.  Rev. Hannah is available both weekends of Jazz Fest to perform your ceremony at the fair grounds.

Rev. Hannah provides the waver for the 3 day waiting period. You can buy your marriage license and get married the same day with Rev. Hannah as your officiant.

Rev. Hannah was the owner of Crescent Star Tours, a French Quarter based tour company, for many years. She offers her services to the bride and groom, their friends and family members who may want to take a walking tour through the French Quarter, cemeteries or garden district. 828-242-8621

Relax with a therapeutic massage

Deep Relaxation and Balancing Session for Brides: The days leading up to the wedding are filled with excitement and some stress. Take time before your wedding day to enjoy  deep relaxation and renewal in the HeartLight Healing Studio, a small in-home healing space.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE with Amber, LMBT 7271

Amber Desmond, a licensed Therapeutic Massage Therapist, incorporates warm stones and essential oils into your massage for deep relaxation, healing and rejuvination.

1 hour deep relaxation massage $50.

90 minutes deep relaxation massage $80

CALL AMBER TO BOOK YOUR MASSAGE – 504-939-1274

Massage sessions can be combined with the Deep Relaxation and Balancing Sessions for total relaxation and balancing of mind, body and emotions.

Hannah  offers  a special deep relaxation and energy balancing session for brides.

These sessions include:

• A deeply relaxing guided healing journey
• The use of gem stones,  essential oils, and tuning forks  to energize the chakras and auric field
•  A full Reiki session using both Usui and Karuna Reiki techniques for healing and balance. 
• A  session with Hannah prior to your wedding days assures that you will be relaxed, present, grounded, and joyful on your wedding day. session fee: $80.
  

Hannah Desmond is a Holistic therapist trained in Gestalt therapy, Transformational Hypnosis, Polarity Therapy and Aromatherapy. She is  a  Reiki Master/Teacher in both Usui and Karuna techniques

COMBINE YOUR RELAXATION AND ENERGY BALANCING SESSION WITH A  MASSAGE

ONE HOUR $120

90 MINUTE  $150

CALL AMBER TO BOOK YOUR MASSAGE – 504-939-1274

CALL HANNAH TO BOOK YOUR ENERGY BALANCING SESSION – 828-242-8621

visit: http://usmarriagelaws.com   for in-depth information on acquiring your NC marriage license.

Register of Deeds – Vital Records / Marriages
60 Court Plaza Room 110
Asheville, NC 28801-3563
(828) 250-4300

North Carolina Marriage Laws

(Effective 10-1-2001)

Marriage license and certificates of marriage can be purchased in this office. Buncombe County Marriage records are on file dating back to 1891.Both parties to a marriage should appear in person to obtain the license. If one of the parties is unable to appear, the other party to the marriage must appear in person and present a sworn and notarized affidavit from the other member of the party, prior to the issuance of the license. Once the marriage has been performed and both copies of the License returned to the Register of Deeds Office, a Certificate of Marriage may be obtained upon request. Each certified certificate is currently $10.00.

When to Get a NC Marriage License

Operation: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
When arriving for a marriage license we ask that both parties arrive prior to 4:00 p.m..Appointment ProcedureNo appointments are necessary.

What to Bring With You to the Asheville Register of Deeds

North Carolina law requires all applicants to present their Social Security Card. If a Social Security number has never been issued or the applicant is not eligible for a Social Security number, the applicant will be required to present a completed affidavit, signed and notarized, at the time of applying for the marriage license. The affidavit form is available in the Register of Deeds Office.

The Register may accept a Social Security Number from one of the following with their name and number on it if they do not have their card.
•    A W-2 Form
•    A paycheck stub containing the Social Security Number
•    Military discharge
•    Medicaid/Medicare Card
•    Voter’s Registration Card containing their Social Security Number.
•    Health Insurance Card containing their Social Security Number

All applicants, including those not present, must provide a form of identification certificate.
•    Applicants 18 to 20 must present a certified copy of their birth certificate.
•    All Applicants 16 and 17 must have consent proved by either a parent, individual, agency or institution having legal custody or serving as the legal guardian of the underage applicant, and must accompany the applicants when applying for their license.
•    The consenting individual must present proper identification showing proof of their capacity to act on behalf of the underage applicant and sign an affidavit to that effect.
•    Each underage applicant must also present social security cards, and a certified birth certificate.
•    Applicants 14 and 15 must provide a certified copy of the Court Order authorizing the marriage as well as a certified birth certificate and a Social Security Card.
•    A marriage license may not be issued to applicants under the age of 14.
FeesNotice: Effective September 1, 2009, the Marriage License fee will increase to $60.00.
•    The License cost is $60.00
•    Certified certificates of marriage, after the license has been completed and returned to this office, are $10.00 each, and must be requested in person or by mail.
•    You may pre pay for a Certified Certificate when you purchase the license.
•    We accept Checks made to the Register of Deeds or Cash.

Asheville Register of Deeds

Room 110, Buncombe County Courthouse
60 Court Plaza
Asheville, N. C. 28801-3563

Vital Records Section
Buncombe County Register of Deeds Office
60 Court Plaza
Asheville, N. C. 28801-3563

Birth, Death & Marriage Records
(828) 250-4301

Main Register of Deeds Office
(828) 250-4300

Fax: 828-255-5829

Email: register.of.deeds@buncombecounty.org

THE WEDDING JOURNEY, A Guide to Your Ceremony, Personal Vows and Joyful Marriage

Part 1, The Components of the Ceremony

Page 3

Your wedding is the foundation of your marriage. The most important component of the ceremony is the exchange of your marriage vows. The second most important part is the decree of marriage by the celebrant, making the sacred union legal.  The rest of the ceremony provides an opportunity for the creative expression of your love for one another, the statement of your intentions for your life together, gratitude to family and friends, spiritual blessings, poetry, music and cultural traditions.

YOUR WEDDING DAY, YOUR WAY

Part 1, excerpts from page 12-13

…As the bride and groom begin to create their ceremony, the questions are:  “What have you always dreamed your wedding ceremony would be like? What components do you want to include? Do you have a certain song, poem or cultural tradition you want to include? What words or sentiments have you dreamed of expressing to your beloved?” Incorporating your authentic selves and expressing your love in your own words, creates a ceremony that is powerful, deeply meaningful and memorable….

Traditional weddings are beautiful, but which traditions have meaning to you?  Create your wedding filled with the people, words, songs and rituals that are meaningful to you. Each couple is unique and your ceremony should reflect your personalities and beliefs…

No matter what your budget, no matter where you are having your wedding, the key ingredient is loving relaxation.  As the Beatles said, “Let it be.” Enjoy the event as it unfolds and embrace the day, savoring every minute.  The minutes add up to memories you will enjoy and share with your children and grandchildren….

part 1, page 16,

A DEEPER LOOK: HEART CENTERED LIVING AND YOUR WEDDING VOWS

The exchange of vows is the heart of the wedding ceremony. The words you speak to one another on your wedding day are the expression of your deepest feelings. When you are speaking from your heart, your true voice is accessed. Your true voice carries creative potential which gives energy to your beliefs and the dreams and visions you intend to manifest in your married life…

…As we move into the new paradigm of thought in the 21st century the way we live and think is shifting to an awareness and responsibility for the thoughts and words we incorporate in the creation of our lives. This same awareness is an important factor in the ongoing co-creative work of marriage. Recognize the emotions that arise from your heart as you think different thoughts, use different words and give attention to the actions that follow.

THE UNITY RITUALS

part 3, page 85

The Planting Ritual

……A decorative shallow planter with some soil in it is placed on a table near the wedding site. Surrounding the planter are small plants which have been removed from their containers and placed on paper napkins surrounding the planter. A small trowel is placed next to each plant.  Plants can be chosen for the traits they symbolize such as; sage for wisdom, rosemary for remembrance, thyme for steadfastness and fern for undying love. The bride and groom, their parents or any other friends or family they wish to include, gather around the table after the celebrants address or invocation.  This is in the middle of the ceremony before the vows and ring exchange, or it can be added after the ring exchange.   Each person places a plant in the planter takes the trowel puts the soil around it. As each person places a plant, they can choose to make a statement of support for the couple.  The celebrant may state the attributes of each plant and explain briefly that the family is creating a unity planter which the bride and groom will nurture as it grows. Another option is to have a small tree to plant. The bride and groom participate in this ritual in which they plant a small tree in a container.  The tree may already be planted and the bride and groom can water it together.

Ken and Glenda Cahill constructed Wildberry Lodge out of full-length red pine logs, hand peeled, notched and assembled by the handcrafters of Maple Island Log Homes (stained and chinked by the Cahills).

Situated on 45 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains, This mountain lodge sits at 2700 ft. in elevation, and just minutes from downtown Asheville, NC and the Biltmore Estate. Visit and enjoy the spectacular mountain views and sunsets from the sundeck, flagstone patio or screened porch. They really have what you come to the mountains for…

Wildberry Lodge has 5 guest accommodations (4 rooms and 1 luxury suite) in the Main building.  The building of the main lodge was completed in 2002 and the Lodge opened in May of that year with 3 guestrooms.  1 additional room and the Blackberry suite were added in 2003.

The second building “The Cabin at Wildberry” was completed in 2009 and houses 2 Suites.  The Top floor suite is the Honeymoon Suite and is the most luxurious accommodation – with a spa bathroom that cannot be beat. The first floor of the cabin houses our Wineberry Suite.

Visit the Wildberry Lodge website to find out more about this perfect reception and wedding venue. Be sure to call Rev. Hannah to perform your ceremony at the Wildberry Lodge. 828-242-8621

A beautiful venue.  I have performed several weddings on the large deck with a mountain view and indoors in front of the glass wall looking out on the mountain view. There is a large fireplace, and all the amenities that make a venue truly special. check out their website at http://www.thecrestcenter.com  Be sure to call Rev. Hannah to perform your ceremony at the Crest Center 828-242-8621

When a romantic weekend turns into a marriage proposal, HeartLight Weddings provides a beautiful and meaningful ceremony. The fee for a short notice wedding or a wedding that is planned a few days in advance is $150.  The fee includes witnesses, if needed, the ceremony and filing of the license. This price is good for weddings in the Asheville area only. 828-242-8621

Outdoor Weddings in North Carolina

Asheville Botanical Gardens – located in Asheville. There is a gazebo which can be rented through the botanical gardens and also a

Tips for Writing Your Personal Wedding Vows

Here are a few suggestions to help you get started. No one can tell you exactly how to write your vows. They must come from your heart. I have included suggestions for preparing yourself to create the vows and words and phrases to help you begin the process.

Tip 1: Before you begin to write your vows, go within and allow your emotions to guide you. The feelings that arise, the statements that ring true within your heart are the essence of the vows you want to make.

Tip 2: Your vows do not have to be long, witty or poetic. You may want to include information about the first moment you saw her or him, celebrate the love that has grown between you and state your intention as a husband or wife.

Tip 3: It is okay to write your vows together and share them with one another as you plan your wedding ceremony or write them separately and read them to one another for the first time during your ceremony.

Tip 4: Words such as loving trust, appreciation, respect, cherish, support and encouragement may be used to express your feelings and the promises you wish to make.  The idea of sharing dreams and building a life together, offering strength and comfort, respect and laughter are wonderful sentiments to include.

Tip 5: Promises to grow with one another in mind and spirit, to be open, honest and faithful are often included.

Tip 6: The vows can end with a statement such as “I am overjoyed to be marrying you and thank you for becoming my wife/husband.” “I give you my hand, my heart and my love forever.”

Tip 7: The most important ingredient in your personal vows is your authentic voice.  Speak to one another as if you were alone, for indeed, in that moment time stands still and you are in sacred space where no other can distract you or judge your words.