Ronnie and David marry in Williams House parlor

We had our second wedding of  2011 this week whenRonnie and David shared vows with pastor Jim Tippins presiding.  It was a “just the two of you” package and held in the Williams House parlor in front of a glowing fireplace.  It was actually pretty warm so we had to keep lowering the flame during the ceremony.  Bride and groom were both well dressed and were married with Pacabell’s cannon as background while they recited vows, exchanged rings and performed a sand ceremony to signify joining their lives.  Deborah and Byron were the official photographer’s recording the ceremony on the couple’s camera and Byron’s used here in the blog.  We enjoy weddings of all sizes and the smaller one’s like this are intimate and personal.  Hope all enjoy the attached pictures.

Bride and groom hold hands during vow recital

Ring boxes and sand ceremony

Bride and groom join sand in ceremony

Completed sand ceremony

Newly weds with pastor

Wedding bands

Wedding couple on WH stairs

WH main hall

Relaxing in WH swing

Rose garden

Cinnamon gets in the picture

Sharing the WH live oak with cinnamon

Final pose by KOI fountain

Bride and groom on Williams House stairs

Byron marrying couple in parlor

Bride and groom pose in parlor

Byron marries another couple in parlor

Newly weds pose in parlor

Bride and groom with daughter

Champagne and wedding cake in WH dining room

Bride and groom cutting cake

We have had several weddings during the holidays and found it  enjoyable to marry couples so near to this season and see them begin life as newly weds.  It is a highly decorated time at the Williams House so no additional flowers are needed, except for the bride and groom themselves. Most of the weddings are  in the parlor this time of year, particularly with some of our unseasonably cool temps in early December.  We also have had our first wedding of the year on 1/1/11.  Easy to remember and a great way to kick off the new year!

Boomer and carriage with bride Jaime

October has as usual been a fantastic weather month on Amelia Island with virtually no rain and temps in the 80′s and limited humidity.  A perfect setting for weddings at the Williams House.  Jeremy and Jaime, a local couple were married on 10/10/10, a special numerical date and we understand it was a busy wedding date throughout the world.  Family and friends joined Jeremy and Jaime from across the U.S. to celebrate this special day in their lives and had a great time participating.  The bride was brought in by Boomer the carriage horse all decorated for a wedding.  The groom waited patiently on the front porch of the Williams House where the couple eschanged vows.   The reception was in the courtyard where guests enjoyed some of Deborah’s fine cooking while music played in the background. The wedding cake chosen was “whimsical”  and different according to local bakery Chez Lezan (also quite tasty!).  This special day was worth waiting for and everyone  enjoyed their special time with Jeremy and Jaime on Amelia Island.

Bride and groom recite vows with Byron

Jeremy and Jaime enjoy carriage ride after exhanging vows

Williams House courtyard awaits reception guests

Name tag fans await guests

Jeremy and Jaime enter reception

Jeremy and Jaime cut their wedding cake

Joann and Kenneth enjoy carriage ride

We started off October with our first fall wedding of the season. Joann and Ken, a couple from the Atlanta area had been planning their special day with family and friends for a year.  The weather cooperated well with temps in the upper seventies and no rain in sight.  They were married on the front porch by Byron with about 30 family and friends in attendance.  The bride arrived en carriage pulled by Boomer, a beautiful French Percheron owned by Amelia Island Carriages.  The reception followed in our romantic courtyard under an ancient oak tree strung with tiny white lights. Some Enchanted Evening it was.!!  An elegant 7 course meal was catered by 29 South, a local farm to table restaurant from our historic district.  Scotty (the owner) was on hand to put just the right touch on all the courses.  The cake was two tiers with one choclate and the other vanilla, so guests enjoyed a slice of each.  A champagne toast from Joann and Ken thanked their guests for travel, friendship and sharing in the joy of their marriage.  

Beautiful setting starts a memorable reception

Guests enjoy reading the evenings menu

Elegant Reception in courtyard awaits guests

Refreshment station awaits near KOI pond

Boomer's hair is braided for the wedding

Joann prepares to enter via carriage

Boomer and owner Cindy are ready

Joann and Ken after exchanging vows

A beautiful cake for a beautiful wedding

Friends and family join bride and groom

Joann and bridesmaids

Cinnamon always enjoys a good wedding

Guests enjoy the reception

Ken and Joann on Williams House stairs

Guests surprise Joann and Ken with pink flamingos

Joann introduces Scotty to her guests

Deborah with photographer Kenneth Cain

Joann and Ken cutting their cake

Bride and groom share cake

Bride and groom on williams House stairs

Byron performs wedding ceremony at Williams House

Richard and Lillian were married at the Williams House in September on a bright,sunny and rather warm September day.  Already decorated for fall, the Williams House was ready for our first wedding of this season with more to come in October and November. Byron performed the ceremony and exchange of rings.  After trading vows on the front steps, Richard, Lillian, friends and family enjoyed a reception in the back courtyard.  They shared a champagne toast, delicious food and a beautiful and tasty wedding cake. The bride and groom enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife and enjoyed time with family and friends in celebration of their special day!

Wedding cake looks beautiful with fall coloration

The Reception is set in back courtyard

Wedding guests sign "memory" frame for Richard and Lillian

Cinnamon enjoys the wedding and waits for food

Richard and Lillian enjoy first dance as husband and wife

Richard and Lillian share cake at recption

Friends and family enjoy reception

Wedding couple takes a close look at their cake

Byron with Victor, Cassandra and guests

We have had two small weddings and a vow renewal at the Williams House this July and they were enjoyable even with the hot weather.  First came Victor and Cassandra from New York who braved the elements for a warm wedding and reception in the courtyard beneath our 600 year old live oak.  The next day, Frank and Mary Anne from Georgia  enjoyed a “Just the Two of You” wedding and elected for the comfort of the indoor cooling and a parlour vow exchange.  Soon thereafter, Ray and Ronna shared a vow renewal ceremony, also in the parlour.  They try to renew vows every 2 years to keep the excitement and commitment to each other fresh and foremost in their lives.  We enjoyed all of these events and meeting the couples and hearing their stories of meeting, falling in love  and joining together for life’s journey together!

Exchanging vows in the courtyard

A beautiful (and delicious) wedding cake

Victor & Cassandra as husband and wife

Ready to cut their cake

Reception setting

Frank and Mary Anne exchange vows in the parlour

A beautiful wedding cake

Mr. and Mrs. !

Lovely couple on Williams House staircase

Another view

Cutting their cake

Feeding eachother "nicely"

Awaiting their carriage ride with Boomer

A favorite wedding picture at the Williams House

Byron with Ray and Ronna after their vow renewal

The happily "renewed" couple

A beautiful wedding cake

Paula and David cut their wedding cake

May of 2010 has set a record for wedding frequency at the Williams House with one just about every weekend and extends even into early June.  Paula and David were married on the front porch by Byron with guests on the front lawn. The reception was held in the court yard on a warm sunny day.  So far virtually no rain on Williams House weddings this year. 

Guests enjoy the reception

Bride and groom cut their cake

Feeding each other "nicely"

Our next couple, David and Kimberlee were also married on the front porch on another beautiful warm early June day.  Kimberlee utilized the horse drawn services of Boomer, the large white draft horse with the personality of a human.  Of course treats are required before performing for the wedding, but then it’s a great ride.  Guests enjoyed Deborah’s excellent food with cool drinks for a warm day.

Kimberlee steps into her carriage

Ready to go!

Reciting vows on the Williams House porch

Bride and groom in front of the Williams House

Family and friends join the proud couple

A beautiful wedding cake

Guests enjoy the reception

Peter, Gretchen and friends in rose garden

May’s first wedding was for Peter and Gretchen who were joined by friends for a casual wedding at the Williams House.They chose do have the ceremony in the rose garden with Byron presiding and friends gathered around.  It was a beautiful day with decent temperatures and a bright sunny sky. The reception was held in the courtyard beneath the large live oak where cake was served.  It was a small and intimate event which seems to be a trend for weddings these days.  Our best wishes to the bride and groom! 

Gretchen in the Williams House parlor

A beautiful spring wedding cake

Bride and groom cutting the cake

Gretchen on the William's House porch

                                                                                      Our second wedding in May was last wekend for Bill and Marion.  Family and friends joined from around the country to see them wed at the Williams House. It was again a great weather day, a little warm but sunny with a bit of breeze.  Their wedding included a Harpist for the ceremony and a DJ at the reception with around 60 guests. Many of their guests enjoyed a few days with us before the wedding so we got to know many of the family members and wedding participants.  Deborah provided the food which I can personally attest was very tasty.  Pork tenderloin, crab cakes, fruit, rolls, deviled eggs…some of my favorites!  A champagne toast and cutting of the cake were followed by garter tossing and some pretty wild dancing for all ages.  It was a great time for family and friends to share in this special moment for Bill and Marion.

Bride and bridesmaids just before getting on carriage

Bride and bridemaids on the cariage

Guests await the Bride's arrival

Bride and bridesmaids arrive

Harpist brings in the bride to Pacabell

Bride walked down the aisle

Bride and groom exhange vows

Wedding participants on front porch

Guests begin arriving in the courtyard for the reception

Beautiful three tier wedding cake with flowers

Guests enjoy the fixins

Cindy and Boomer await the Bride outside Hearthstone cottage

We have had three delightful weddings in April at the Williams House, and fortunately good weather for all of them.  Michelle and Colin started us in early April followed by Kendra and Arash and finally Ashley and Robert.  It’s a great joy for us to be part of a couple’s special day whether we are officiating, providing the ceremony, catering the reception or all three.  Michelle chose to be married in the rose garden so Boomer brought her to the back garden gate and she entered to meet her groom under the arbor with pink rose petals all over the walkways from the blooming roses overhead.  Kendra also used the rose garden while Ashley chose the  front steps at the Williams House with guests arrayed on both sides of the walkway.

Michelle ready to join her groom

Wedding guests take time for family photo-op

Michelle and Colin cutting their cake

Wedding guests enjoy Deborah's creations

Regardless of size, we adjust to make this special time fit with each bride’s budget and desire for her special day.  We enjoy meeting the relative’s of our Bride and Groom’s families and seeing their delight during the ceremony and reception.  Cutting the cake, champagne toasting and growing up memories from friends and relatives make the moment special and memorable.  At our last wedding we learned that cinnamon our resident cat will eat leftover wedding cake in addition to shrimp and other goodies from our typical reception.  Who would have thought!

Byron helps Kendra and Arash complete their vows

The ring bearer gets a hug after the ceremony

Ring bearer in action

Ashley and Robert on the Williams House porch

Guest momentos

Cutting the cake takes skill!

Cinnamon enjoys wedding cake!

Bride Amanda just before the wedding

We love weddings at the Williams House and this weekend we had another beautiful event.  Amanda and Oleg were married  with family and friends gathered for a small intimate ceremony and reception.  We had a few sprinkles early in the day, but it began clearing just before the event and the sun emerged during the reception.  The ceremony was held on the front porch and the reception in the dining room since it was a cool day with highs only in the low 50′s.  Boomer, the white carriage horse was decorated for a wedding and brought the Bride to the front of the house along with her sister and father.  She was escorted down the aisle by her father with the bride’s sister and groom’s brother as attendents. 

Bride ready for Boomer to bring her to the wedding

Bride arrives

Bride and Father arrive

Exchanging their vows

 The reception included shrimp, ham pineapple sanwiches, creamy pestodip with garlic toast and of course wedding cake. The cake was a beautiful green fondant with a crown of white flowers with a narble base.  A champagne toast ushered in the newly married couple with appropriate toasts and cheers.

Reception in the main Williams House dining room

The newlyweds enjoy their reception

A beautiful green wedding cake