~ Fall wedding at Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough NC ~
Kate and Cassie's wedding day was a beautiful and emotional celebration of love, commitment, and equality. The couple, who have been together for many years, exchanged vows at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina in front of close friends and family. The ceremony was simple yet meaningful, a reflection of the couple's desire for an intimate and authentic celebration of their love.
Before the ceremony, we headed to River Park in downtown Hillsborough to take a few photos. The park, located behind the courthouse, provided a stunning backdrop for the newlyweds' photos with its lush greenery and new arch art-piece.
They also got a couple photos with their friend who arrived early to help.
The day was a little overcast, but the weather was beautiful, not to hot or too cold, and the greenery in the park was still flourishing.
The Orange County Courthouse, with its historic and timeless architecture, provided the perfect setting for the couple's special day. The location was also significant, especially after recent Supreme Court decisions 😒. Their marriage at a courthouse makes a statement, and highlights the ongoing struggle for equal rights and recognition for the LGBTQ+ community.
The ceremony was filled with touching moments and heartfelt vows. The joy and happiness on their faces was evident as they exchanged rings and sealed their union with a kiss.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests celebrated with a glass of champagne, toasting to the beginning of the rest of their lives together. The celebration was filled with laughter and happiness, as the couple's friends and family showered them with love and well wishes.
As they embark on this new chapter in their lives, I wish them all the happiness and love in the world. May their marriage be filled with joy, laughter, and endless love for many years to come. Congratulations, Kate and Cassie, on your beautiful wedding day!
A FANON series that tells Buck & Eddie's FANON love story! Starts with their First Love Confession and will continue until their firsts are complete. They got married in Part 13.
Parts 12 & 13 are now available on AO3.
Their Firsts, At Last - 224K Words; Currently 13 completed works: A multi-part fanfic series about the romantic “firsts” Buck and Eddie share as they journey through life in an established relationship and their lives as a couple will include some of Buck’s individual “firsts” too. It’s filled with the FANON love, romance, fluff and domesticity their relationship should have been allowed to experience in CANON. The second part of the series title was adapted from the song “At Last” by Etta James.
This series of FANON future speculation fanfics is being written on a continuous timeline that begins with the start of season 7 (if it were to start in September 2023). Each part ends at a specific point in Buck and Eddie’s relationship so the next part can begin with the ending of the previous part. Therefore, parts 1-10 should be read prior to reading part 11 and the series will continue in that manner until it’s complete.
First Love Confession -Buck and Eddie share their first real and meaningful love confession.
First Date - Buck and Eddie go on their first date.
First Kiss - Buck and Eddie share their first kiss.
First Argument - Buck and Eddie have their first argument.
First Couples Therapy Session- Buck and Eddie go to their first couples therapy sessions.
First Time - Eddie and Buck make love for the first-time.
First Morning After - The night after Buck and Eddie make love for the first-time, they spend their first morning after together.
First Relationship Reveal - Buck and Eddie’s first relationship reveal.
First Mourning - Buck and Eddie experience their first mourning after a loss together.
First Marriage Proposal - Eddie and Buck’s first marriage proposal.
First Fiancé Introductions - Buck and Eddie’s first introductions as fiancés.
First Wedding Planning & Preparation - Buck and Eddie’s first planning and preparation for their wedding and honeymoon.
First Civil Marriage Ceremony - Buck and Eddie’s first civil marriage ceremony.
Archaeologists in the Peruvian Andes have discovered an Inca bathing complex built half a millennia ago, which they believe may have served the elite of the sprawling empire than once dominated large swathes of South America.
Found near the "House of the Inca" in the Huanuco Pampa archaeological zone in central Peru, local archaeologists believe that the bath may have served a religious purpose for high-ranking members of the Inca empire, which 500 years ago extended from southern Ecuador to the center of Chile.
Luis Paredes Sanchez, project manager at Huanuco Pampa, said the structure was similar to "more hierarchical, restricted and sacred spaces within the Inca administrative centers, because rather than having a utilitarian or hygienic function, they also served for religious functions and worshiping ancestors."
The "finely carved" bath averages some two-meters in depth, with independent pools and spillways and a central passage taking water into a drainage duct that divides the room into two small platforms, or "benches" for the Inca, Peru's culture ministry said in a statement.
The Huanuco Pampa archaeological site is part of the Qhapaq Nan project, a complex 25,000-kilometer-long road network that linked Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. The road system was declared a World Heritage Site in 2014.
Peru is home to hundreds of archaeological sites across the country, including the Machu Picchu citadel in the Inca capital of Cusco, and the Nasca lines, massive designs drawn in Ica's coastal desert region over 1,500 years ago.
J.L. Laynesmith taking the 'Buckingham Did It™' route for the murder of the Princes in the Tower AND the rumors of Edward IV's bastardy ... I have to laugh
You know, we all make jokes about Sol/Frederick and Jack-O'/Aria being married (myself included), but they never actually refer to Aria as Frederick's wife in Begin (or anywhere else, afaik) and definitely not with Jack-O' anywhere.
I think the closest they got with Aria has been 恋人 (koibito; lover/boyfriend/girlfriend), which was kinda tricky to render in English when it was used gender neutrally. I ended up translating it as "partner" at least once for the Begin translation.
This summer Wren and Ciel headed to the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough to elope in the presence of their friends and family. It was a beautiful day, with an air of excitement, anticipation, and a bit of chaos/spontaneity.
It was a DIY wedding, with the couple hand-making their outfits and floral bouquets for their party, and staying up late the night before the wedding to finish!
After everyone arrived, we headed inside for the usual process of the witnesses signing the license and paying the fees.
Once that was completed we rejoined with the group to head to the ceremony location and divvy up the flowers.
They had their ceremony in the courtyard under the large tree between the old and new courthouses. You really could feel the love and excitement from everyone.
The orange county courthouse offers three options for ceremony language/script. To be honest, I don’t remember the variations and differences in the options. If you were curious, I’m sure you could ask when you called to schedule your appointment. Since Wren and Ciel are non-binary and go by they/them pronouns, they chose the option that didn’t specify gender or bride/groom.
After the ceremony we separated from the larger group to get some couple’s portraits. The newly installed River Park Arch made a beautiful backdrop, and a quiet spot for a private vow exchange.
River park is one of my favorite parks in the Triangle (Pullen, Dorothea Dix, and Eno River Parks are all also on my list of favorites). For a park in the middle of downtown, it has a lot of wide open space, trails, and amazing huge trees. The river walk boardwalk is also a great greenway that takes you along the Eno River. Durham’s American Tobacco trail is great, but nowhere near as scenic as Hillsborough’s River Walk.
Their rings were so beautiful. I have a soft spot for things that are fantasy and nature inspired, as well as the non-traditional.
While we’re on the topic of attire, I want to bring up their clothes again. I was so blown away by their outfits, before I even knew they made them themselves. Both garments were historically inspired; Wren’s waistcoat was based on an Edwardian pattern. Not to deviate too far from the topic of this blog post, but I love historical fashion and arts & crafts (sewing, crocheting, painting). And Edwardian/Art Nouveau are one of my favorite time periods in art/fashion (along with rococo and Italian renaissance). My point being, I really loved and appreciated their attire.
We then headed to meet back up with the group, who were having some sorbet at Matthew’s Chocolates. I had some too and it was delicious! The chocolate flavor was so rich and delightful.
Before they headed off to dinner reservations we got some group photos and had a bouquet toss.
Vendors:
Ceremony Location: Orange County Courthouse, Hillsborough, NC
Long one, not an attack but something to provoke. Take what you need and reflect on the rest.
If you marched this week or even shared something on socials, you pledged to pay a debt to First Nations people of this country. Adding your voice and support was that pledge to commit to real action.
Every time you say Meanjin or Naarm, every acknowledgment to country is that pledge to work on the debt. These aren’t tick box moments because you’re told you should, they are chances to do more.
A debt to to listen and centre the voices of First Nation people not just the ones who agree with your point of view.
A debt the use your privilege to push for real change whether that be economic, political or broader community impacts.
To participate and engage with what it means to decolonize our society. To do the hard work so that maybe one day this country and others will actually demonstrate the equity it so often pats itself on the back for.
This is the quiet work that will look different for every single person, that no one will see but will help create meaningful impact. And it’s the work that everyone should be doing year round not just when it’s trending.
Photo taken at BLM protest at King George Square, Meanjin. June 2020.