When WRAL assignment editor Mary Alice Boliek began planning her wedding, she immediately knew who she wanted to officiate her ceremony – WRAL anchor David Crabtree.

“Ever since I started at WRAL, he has been a great friend and co-worker,” said Mary Alice. “He was the first person outside of my family to take a huge interest in my artwork, and continues to encourage me. I wanted someone who knew me and my fiancé and knew the kind of people we are.”

Besides their friendship, it also helped that David and the bride-to-be were both Episcopal.

“That made my mama happy,” said Mary Alice.

David was ordained in 2004 as vocational deacon in the Episcopal Church, according to his biography on WRAL.com.

“We wanted a ceremony full of love, and stories. David gave us all of that and more. I consider him a great friend and mentor,” said Mary Alice.

But the WRAL connections to the wedding didn't stop there.

Mary Alice and her husband, Bryan Bell, were married at American Tobacco Campus in Durham, which WRAL’s parent company, Capitol Broadcasting, has a real estate interest in.

Also, WRAL broadcast technician Jeff Reeves served as the wedding photographer and took the beautiful photos featured in this blog.

Many thanks to Mary Alice for sharing her story and photos.