THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 26, 1996 TAG: 9609240174
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SANDRA J. BARKER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 52 lines
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth.
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
This verse by Dorothy Gurney came to life on a recent Saturday afternoon when Portsmouth residents Tiffany Cheryl Woody and Carl Frederick Winckler Jr. were joined in holy matrimony in the Renaissance Garden at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.
Sunshine graced the occasion and birds harmonized with the sweet, lilting strains of harp music. Trees and caladium plants painted the scene with the lush green of nature, while pink frothy netting intertwined through the balustrade of the low Italianade fence, and stone cherubs held pedestals spilling forth with arrangements of flowers.
``We were going for the Victorian, English garden look to blend in with the gardens,'' said Jean Woody, the bride's mother.
Like a diamond solitaire set in a band of gold, the wedding's simple elegance was complemented by the natural beauty of the garden setting.
Begun in 1938, the 155-acre Botanical Garden is host to nearly one hundred weddings each year. Twenty theme gardens, such as the Renaissance, the Rose, Colonial Herb, Wildflower and English Border, provide a variety of backdrops for any occasion.
``It's a beautiful place, surrounded by the City of Norfolk,'' said Jill Doczi, the garden's public relations coordinator. ``A lot of people don't realize what they have here.''
Tiffany Woody Winckler, the Garden's newest bride, was one of those people. Winckler searched from seashore to small parks for just the right setting for an outdoor wedding before she discovered the Botanical Garden.
``I thought, why did I never come here before,'' she said. ``It's a case of never going to see the places in your own city. The gardens are breathtaking. (Facility coordinator) Kim Buckman was absolutely wonderful to work with, and they were able to provide the space I needed for a large wedding.''
The beauty of the area is reflected along the 12 miles of meandering pathways of the Botanical Gardens. Canals and lakes, statuary and fountains, azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and roses by the hundreds of thousands, all give a picture of Hampton Roads at its best.
Mother Nature cooperated with the weather and the Winckler wedding went off without a hitch - except for a few passing jets from the nearby airport during the service. MEMO: The Norfolk Botanical Garden is available for weddings, business
meetings, receptions and other events. For information, call Kim
Buckman at 441-5932, Ext. 22. by CNB