Their Place on Earth

Today we went to our good friends' Carden & Courtney's wedding. They run a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm together in Henry county. Their wedding/reception was held at the Smith-Berry Winery near their farm, A Place on Earth. It was the nicest wedding ceremony! I didn't take any pictures of the ceremony because I was practically sobbing. We sat inside a barn that opened up onto a pasture with sheep in the background. Carden's parents together walked him up to the front of the area where we were seated, then Courtney's parents walked her up from the other side. Carden's dad's a minister so he performed the ceremony. Courtney's family brought soil from her maternal grandparents' house in California, and her paternal grandparents' house in Lexington. Carden's family brought soil from the two towns in Tennessee where his two parents grew up. They poured their soils together into this decorative urn while Mr. Willis spoke about the four families coming together for their wedding and now Carden and Courtney will have that soil to plant on their farm --it sounds hokey but was really moving. After Mr. Willis' homily, several family members read different poems, and Carden's brother Damon sang a song. Once the rings were exchanged, Carden's other brother and his wife sang a song while playing their guitars. Then Carden and Courtney exchanged their vows --which they'd written themselves --it was just so nice.
The reception was a potluck, and about 30 seconds into it, Pete and I were asking ourselves why we hadn't had a potluck --the food was so good!
All the flowers were from their farm --really pretty wildflowers. Courtney's mom made the cake --the wedding topper is from her grandparents' wedding cake sixty some years ago!

The lovely bride and groom

The music during the reception was from a bluegrass duo on guitar and mandolin. (I think it was a mandolin -you'd think of all people I could identify musical instruments, oh well) We sat with all of Pete's old friends from high school --it was a mini cross-country team reunion for them.

That's mostly it, I just wanted to share what I could of such a special day. I am so happy for Carden and Courtney and so proud of how they live their lives.