Sunday Oct 24 kept me in Chapel Hill for the Sunday portion of this very fun two wedding weekend. There must be something about the Chapel Hill area that brings out great weddings. Both had amazing locations and both had seriously fun receptions.

I started the morning off with Jamie, her bridesmaids and the mom’s at Posh Salon in Durham. They opened up just for us on Sunday morning, so Jamie and the girls had the place all to themselves. Afterward we headed off to Fearrington Village in Chapel Hill, NC for the rest of the day’s events.

Fearrington Village is a gorgeous farm converted to a mix of shops, overnight rooms and a wedding venue and reception site. The weather was perfect for the outdoor ceremony and it was great to see Jamie and Michael’s pup Layla included in the wedding party. After the ceremony, we got some great group photos and took a nice walk with Jamie and Michael to get a few photos before they joined up with everyone for the last half of the cocktail hour.

The converted barn where the reception was held was a perfect spot for the joining of these two families. With Iowa representing Jamie’s side and New Jersey representing Michael’s side, these two families brought the best of both parts of the country together for what turned out to be an amazingly intense, fun and wild Sunday night.

I have to give special props to Jamie’s younger brother John. Most 13 year old’s at weddings usually take more of a back seat to the day’s events, finding recluse in an iPod or PSP. John, on the other hand, decidedly took control and set the pace for the wedding. While no doubt, the moms and dads gave some very emotional and heart-felt speeches; I have to say, I believe John’s was, if anything, the funniest toast I’ve heard to date. Without exaggeration, he was funnier than most stand up comedy I’ve seen live. Imagine a mini version of the late, great Chris Farley, with a bit of Steven Wright, and a whole lot of originality, and you’ve got Jamie’s younger brother. With a mic in hand, he went on what seemed like a 10 minute monologue that had the entire reception dying laughing. The band leader couldn’t get the mic away from him – he kept going for it, but John, a natural on stage, was able to block the advances. I really hope someone was recording it. Although I believe we’ll see him on TV or the movies,  John’s an aspiring pilot, so I wish him the best and remind him to always remember: when you pull back, the houses get smaller, when you push forward, they get bigger.

After the toasts and cakes, the band banged out some serious rock n roll to get the party going. Whether the singer was in the crowd, or the bridal party was on stage taking the mics, everyone was on the dance floor having an amazing time – myself included of course :). For those who think Sunday weddings are more laid back and quiet, I need only to point you here to prove otherwise. It was a long weekend, and well worth it. Thanks for Jamie, Micheal and the families for having me. MazelTov!