Love Wedding Planning

Brides frequently ask us about wedding centerpieces for their reception.

The list of options is long and varied but these are some of the most often used by brides.

If your florist is providing centerpieces for your reception, work closely with him/her to be sure that the theme or color you have chosen for your wedding continues to the reception area.  We have seen weddings where one theme dominates the ceremony and another is chosen for the reception.  If the two are complimentary, it is soothing.   If the choices are worlds apart, it can be jarring to move from one to another.  Complimentary themes are comfortable.

Continue Reading…

We know that many if not most men prefer casual clothing styles.  And when it comes to choosing their wedding attire, an amazing number of men spend some time “grousing” about getting “dressed up”.  But once in their tuxedos they seem to relax and notice how good they really look. While traditional rules are used as guidelines, we feel there are many options to accommodate personal preference in the area of men’s wedding attire.

One of the most noticeable influences is the increase in color as an accent. Today’s couples are getting married in a classic, yet contemporary style.  Choosing colored cummerbunds, ties and pocket squares to complement bridesmaid dresses provides a unique flair to the entire wedding party.

Continue Reading…

Are you a big fan of Halloween? Would you consider Halloween for your wedding? If so, then you’re going to love this inspiration board!

And what better place to consider having it than Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is particularly popular during October, with month-long Halloween celebrations featuring tours of haunted houses, a narrated stroll through Salem’s oldest graveyard, séances, costume balls and street fairs.

Click here for the Haunted Happenings Guide

You might want to consider having your wedding at The House of Seven Gables, located in Salem, Ma. It’s the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England, and was the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of the Seven Gables.” The mansion’s Seaside Lawn is a beautiful site for a wedding, wedding reception or both, and can accommodate 200 guests seated for dinner, including a dance floor.

Or how about the Salem Waterfront Hotel?

The Salem Waterfront Hotel & Marina is Salem’s newest boutique hotel with a nautical, contemporary decor.

They’re Wicked Night on the Wharf is an annual sell-out Halloween Costume Ball. This year, it will be on Saturday October 29.  Click here for more info.

No place in the world celebrates Halloween like Salem, Ma.!

Before Kim K. few ever used the words “disinvited wedding guests”. The news said that she had to cut 50 of the previously invited wedding guests due to “space issues”. How is this possible? How awkward is this! But it’s happened to brides before, but it doesn’t usually happen that close to the event day. Kim K’s solution seems to have been to cut from her stepfather’s extended family and to review those now famous “plus ones”. (“Plus ones” refer to single guests who have been given the approval to bring a guest of choice unknown to the bride or groom.)

Continue Reading…

With all the planning that must happen, and all the details of a wedding to consider, taking pains to keep the process flowing and your planning more joyful, we  advise brides to consider the following tips for avoiding wedding planning stress: Continue Reading…

Did you know that along with our wedding products we also offer some adorable things for the sweet babies in your life?

With Halloween on the way, we thought we’d share these adorable, fun outfits. All are in size 0-6 months.

Continue Reading…

Seems like a simple question, right? But do you know what the role of a bridesmaid entails? Or where the tradition of bridesmaids came from? There are all sorts of resources that discuss the history of bridesmaids, but here are two traditions. Continue Reading…

You receive an invitation to a friend’s or relative’s wedding. Hooray, you’re invited! Here’s a little advice for being a considerate wedding guest. Continue Reading…

Photo: www.beau-coup.com

We’re frequently asked about the “rules” of guest seating. Brides want to know if it’s okay to ignore traditional ceremony seating etiquette when it doesn’t suit their particular situation.

For instance, at a traditional Christian ceremony the bride’s friends and family sit on the left side of the aisle facing the altar, and the groom’s friends and family on the right. (The opposite for Jewish ceremonies). But what if one family is significantly larger than the other? Continue Reading…

We all know that when you’re planning a wedding, cost is a big factor! The average cost of a wedding in Massachusetts is $25,000 – $30,000. As a wedding planner, I focus on the wedding expenses of the bride and groom and their families, but never really think about the cost of being a wedding guest. Have you ever thought about what it costs your guests to attend your wedding? Continue Reading…