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| Video See video from the Almkuist- Denton Wedding, by Mari Kittredge Video. Windows Media Player is required to view video. Getting Ready Almost Time Cake Cutting and Dancing |
Photo by Erin Whittle / EW Photography |
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| Cape Fear Trends Once upon a time, there was a girl who had no family. By the time she was grown and went out into the world, her parents and grandparents had all died. At Barton College, in Wilson, N.C., Kim Denton met Ralph Almkuist III. When Kim and Ralph became engaged, Ralph’s parents knew what needed to be done. Because Ralph was their only child, Durwood and Gloria Almkuist of Wrightsville Beach never expected that they would play hosts to a wedding. But they didn’t hesitate to become surrogate parents of the bride for Kim. The couple had always loved Airlie Gardens, and hoped for a September 2004 wedding there. “We didn’t start the process until the end of February, early March,” Gloria Almkuist recalled. “We were behind and we struggled. I’d always heard that you needed a year. I thought that was so ridiculous. Now I know better.” Because of the scale of the celebration they wanted, the family hired coordinator Tonya Boulware of A Carolina Wedding. To handle the logistics of a huge tent -- 60 by 120 feet, to hold 340 guests -- they also called on Lewis Bordeau, a Raleigh event planner. For food and flowers, they relied on vendors they already did business with: Azalea Coast Florists and Jerry Rouse Catering. Kim and Ralph played a major part in the planning -- “All four of us did this together” -- but even so, “Every single thing was a challenge. When problems came up,” Mrs. Almkuist said, “I said, ‘Tonya, I’m having trouble,’ and she said “I’ll take care of it,” and she did. We couldn’t have done it without her.” Among the special touches at the reception were lavish use of mini Christmas lights and luxurious draped greenery; twin chocolate fountains (white and dark) and a separate tent for the cake. Mrs. Alkuist admitted that, having no daughter of her own, the chance to produce such a storybook event “was fun.” For the bride, who had no family of her own, “It was really like a Cinderella thing for her.” |
 Photo by Erin Whittle / EW Photography  Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting / EW Photography  Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting / EW Photography 'Cape Fear Trends' index | Tents and rentals | Your flowers |
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 Photo by Erin Whittle / EW Photography Table settings including napkins tied with lily grass and green button flowers, and centerpieces of salmon French tulips and standard white tulips. Flowers by Azalea Coast Florist.  Photo by Sara Willis / EW Photography Food by Jerry Rouse Catering. |
 Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting / EW Photography Sculpted-ice Champagne bar by Michael Kowalski of Ice Sensations. Music by guitarist Marc Siegel.
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 Photo by Erin Whittle / EW Photography |
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