To the Gardens and Chapel we will go...

The Sarah P. Duke Gardens was created in the 1930's.  There are 5 miles worth of allies, walkways and paths to meander...  It's meticulously cared for and it's quite amazing as you will see.  Each year, many weddings are arranged at Duke Gardens (and Duke Chapel).  There are only so many slots and only have a calendar open one year to the month in advance.  For example you want to get married in April 2013, the slots for the entire month will open for the future dates on April 1, 2012.  With that being said, brides will wait in line the morning (or night before) outside to get their first pick at a date (same for Duke Chapel).  It's quite crazy, but you can see why there are several months (esp April) which are are ideal.  Can you imagine walking up the stairs to the pergola or down to the pond of the first image?

Joe and I were married at Duke Gardens in August of 2008 in a private ceremony spot at the top of the Gardens (different location than any of the images below).  Somehow we didn't have to wait in any lines to get a Saturday date, it just by chance was open?  Maybe someone cancelled?  Who knows...

My parents were in town the first weekend of April (for the Husbands baptism) so I thought I'd share some pictures.  I didn't want to bore you with the 100 pictures I had taken, so I tried to collage some of the better ones and narrowed it down to 11 groupings.

The Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham NC

  

Duke Chapel was constructed in the 1930's and completed in 1935.  This church attracts many people due to the large stone piers, pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, which allow the creation of vast open spaces, uninterrupted by columns for support.

Duke Chapel, Durham NC