I believe that this is the first time in the five years of existence of this forum that we have had the opportunity to send warm wedding wishes to two of our members.

Dave Taylor and Kate Ramirez will become man and wife tomorrow afternoon at the 1850s Baptist Church in Virginia that was the home church to the Garrett family. The reception will be held back in Maryland at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House, where Kate is a volunteer.

I believe that Jim Garrett of this forum is in the wedding party, and Betty O and I will be in attendance. Take a few minutes wherever you are to silently wish them well.

Dave and Kate...Best wishes for a joy-filled future together.

Dave has added a wonderful photo to his Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/BoothieBarn/status/9...arn.com%2F

This is great news! Best wishes, Kate and Dave!

Congratulations! Will they be married in period attire? I trust photos will be forthcoming.

(04-14-2018, 08:40 AM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote: Congratulations! Will they be married in period attire? I trust photos will be forthcoming.

I did ask Dave a few months back if Kate would be in hoop skirts, and the answer was "no." I assume he will not be either. Dave does wear period attire when he narrates the Surratt Booth Tours. Some of you may know that he proposed to Kate at Ford's Theatre. When you love history, you love history!

Congratulations! The weather here today in NJ is beautiful so I am sure it is just as lovely in VA. I very much enjoyed Dave's presentation at the conference. Best wishes! "Love is Eternal"

Reignette - It was so good to have you at the conference this year, and congratulations on your new contract with a publisher to get the story of Lincoln's great coat out to the world. Keep us posted on the progress.

Congratulations Dave and Kate!

(04-14-2018, 04:53 AM)RJNorton Wrote: Dave and Kate...Best wishes for a joy-filled future together.

I wish the two of you the same! (I admit I'd love to see a photo...)

Congratulations, Dave and Kate!

Went to the wedding - it was splendid! A beautiful, touching ceremony in a wonderful, historic church circa 1852. The church, Enron Baptist Church, was that of the Garrett family who are buried in the church yard. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the reception. Among those present, our own Laurie, Bob Cooke, Jim Garrett, who was a Groomsman, Mike Kauffman and yours truly.... more later....

Happy for you both
Best wishes.

WHAT! I didn’t know that you two were there!!! Noooo! I would have loved to have met you! Ugh, I wish I’d thought to ask who else was going to be there. I met Jim - he is the most interesting, hilarious guy - and he gave my mother and I a tour of the Garrett family graves behind the church.

It was such a memorable wedding! Kate and Dave are destined for great things.

I'm back home after a great afternoon and evening in the peaceful countryside of the Northern Neck of Virginia with a beautiful, personalized wedding in a beautiful old church and then on to the equally peaceful grounds of the Dr Mudd House for a great reception under a large tent. Despite temperatures in the 80s, the church was air conditioned and there is always a cooling breeze at the Mudd farm.

Like Betty, I'll try and fill in more later and hopefully have some photos from my grandson's phone to share. It was hard to get clear shots of Dave and Kate, but I sure hope we got one that shows her elegant, classic gown -- modern, yet a historic feel to it. Some very creative touches that I'm sure Dave and Kate originated: lapel "roses" made from pages cut from American Brutus, small tins of candy with a label of a garden scene with bride and groom on a bench, table centerpieces that consisted of American Brutus as a base, a special little bag weighted down and containing a candle, which was lit as the sun went down, and a floral centerpiece created with a chia pet Lincoln head and a hole drilled at the top so that a floral display of pink silk flowers and more Brutus roses could be displayed (the planting of the Lincoln head could be done later), and each had a Lincoln saying on the side of the bust. The overall theme for the day was "The Rest is History," which was imprinted on the candle bags along with the garden scene of bride and groom, and a large banner displaying the motto graced the skirting of the head table.

The Lincoln theme was reinforced when the wedding cake was cut with a hatchet to symbolize the rail-splitter's axe! Very unique.

Also in attendance was Tom Fink, director of Tudor Hall, and Carolyn Mitchell-Voss from California, who attended the Surratt conference last weekend and remained in the area for the wedding. My grandson and I enjoyed the company of Henry Mudd from the Mudd House staff and Robin Garrett, wife of our Jim. Kate's 19-year-old brother gave a wonderful toast by recalling his childhood under the tutelage and support of his big sister. This was definitely not one of those "cookie-cutter ceremonies;" this one was definitely personalized for Dave and Kate.

Dave and Kate... congratulations.
Illinois and Plainfield schools miss you. Our loss!

FYI Fifty years ago my wife and I stopped at Ford's theater on our honeymoon and I purchased the book Twenty Days; that started my interest.

Again best wishes. a little advice.. "Happy wife, Happy Life".