A Wedding In the Foothills of the Blue Ridge

The journey to Charlottesville was so beautiful. First I made my way to Farmville where Allie and Drew jumped in the van after we purchased some unbrellas. The day was gray and we didn't want to take any chances of getting soaked.
We REALLY took some backroads as we traveled north to Charlottesville....skimming along the foothills of the Blue Ridge until we reached our destination......Ashlawn-Highland, the home of President James Monroe. Guests trickled through the gift shoppe and followed the hedge and brick pavers to a huge outdoor building overlooking the skyline. Originally the ceremony was to be held in the gardens, but everything had been cautiously moved under roof. There were sheep, cows and peacocks....
Attending from the workcamp family.....the Philipkoskys & Adlers from Grace Lutheran in Chester, Daniel Taylor and the Fields from Norfolk.
Eliza was stunning in her "antique" dress....her hair adorned with a small peacock feather and her great grandmother's cameo was pinned to side of the dress. The ceremony was a mixture of new age and pagan..... readings and small ceremonial rituals from around the world. None of us had been to a ceremony quite like it. The music for the ceremony was a flute, cello, mandolin, violin and dobro......
At the end of the ceremony the two mothers opened a box and released butterflies. As Eliza and Bruce kissed for the first time as husband and wife, the monarchs fluttered in the air around them.
Al, Drew and & had lots of fun traveling together...lots of laughs and singing.
I've gotta learn how to use the Picasa web album so u can see more photos!