Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

credits (clockwise from top right): Milkpod Studios, Fantasy Floral, Hot Pink Petticoat, Princess Lasertron, Cindy Dryer, eplume, Martha Stewart Weddings

Your trip down the aisle may have started with an engagement ring, but your jewelry journey doesn’t have to stop there. From dainty earrings to statement bracelets and chic necklaces, options abound for wedding day adornment.

Be sure to take a peek at Viv and Ingrid, an accessories and gift store founded by two Bay Area gals who met as kids and later dropped careers in science and marketing to reunite in the name of “accessible luxuries for the modern woman.” Browse their wedding baubles for brides and bridesmaids by color, and find these fun hoops ringed with indigo crystals and delicate peachy drop earrings. Or shop the shades of white featured in the shop’s “For the Bride” collection, and marvel at the simple beauty of the teardrop necklace and pearl clusters of these hoop earrings.

Viv and Ingrid’s classic silver posts are the jewelry equivalent of the little black dress, making them the perfect gift for bridesmaids. The store will even attach the earrings to a thank you card wrapped up in a dainty monogrammed box for a mere $12!

To those with more eccentric taste, check out Anthropologie’s collection of layered necklaces, chunky bracelets and head-turning rings. The metallic glint of this bib necklace could add just the right amount of glamour to an understated strapless gown, while these chandelier earrings are sure to add sparkle to an up do. Even bolder is the store’s hand-crocheted spun gold bracelet, a cuffed work of art that shimmers in the same golden hue as this elegant Calla Lily ring. The store’s unfussy petunia posts, meanwhile, are a steal on sale at only $9.95.

So ladies, don’t be afraid to add a little bling to that ring.

Brides tote around three-ring binders during the weeks before their weddings for a reason: There’s a lot to remember.  But one of the nation’s most upscale retailers can help you thin that baby out a bit.

Let Nordstrom’s Wedding Shop handle the wardrobe needs of your big day from start to finish. Your parents and entire wedding party can get expert help from the shop’s stylists in pulling together an outfit.  For the bride, the shop offers gowns galore in sizes from petite to plus, from an $138 Maggy London sheath dress to an $880 Nicole Miller charmeuse and chiffon gown (Don’t know the difference between organdy and organza? Check out their handy online glossary). But they also go beyond the basics, offering advice on jewelry, accessories, hosiery and fragrances.

And that’s just the bride. Even the most fashion backward groom can dress to the nines in one of Nordstrom’s zero-guesswork ensembles that feature a suit, dress shirt, tie, belt, shoes and cufflinks.

The stylists devote the same attention to your bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents and even flower girls and ring bearers. Your toddler cousins could throw a tantrum in the aisle or drop the rings, but all will be forgiven when you see them in this tea-length tank dress or teeny tie.

For after the wedding, honeymoon-ready swimsuits and sunglasses await, along with sandals and sultry lingerie. And speaking of undergarments, there’s another reason the store’s wedding stylists are so sought after. Tailoring, bra fittings and aisle-ready makeup services are part of the package — they’ll even steam your gown or teach your fumble-fingered best man how to knot his bowtie.

For couples who can’t hop in the car and drive to one of Nordstrom’s participating wedding shops, live chat with a stylist or ring one up at 1-888-300-1295. Online videos can school you on taking your measurements and finding the right fit.

If you and your sweetie are committed to buying local, selecting a wedding registry can spell the undoing of good intentions. As much as you’d like to furnish your post-nuptial nest with goods not made in China, smaller merchants tend to lack the online sophistication of Target’s Club Wedd.

But for those marrying in Maine, a surprising number of the state’s retailers and craftspeople can be found among the registry ranks. So whether you’re a native or an out-of-towner looking to boost the state’s economy, consider these options.

Even the husband and wife duo of Andrea and Joe Ford, owners of Cabin Pottery in the tiny town of Edgecomb near coastal Boothbay, offer a wedding registry. The pair crafts hand-painted, wheel-thrown stoneware pottery featuring various patterns, including a folksy moose design and a striking raven motif. And their story is just as inspiring as their art. The Fords grew up 10 miles apart from each other, “each of us not knowing that our life-long partner was in the neighboring town,” explains the bio on their website. Andrea, originally a painter, calls clay her second true love, “after Joe, of course.”

Another small-town favorite is Rooster Brother, an eclectic kitchen goods shop overlooking the Union River in Ellsworth. Housed in a stately Victorian building, the store is chock full of specialty cookware, tasty treats including blueberry jam and maple syrup, linens and some of the most amazing coffee you’ll ever taste. With Costa Rican and Colombian blends, organic beans and a bevy of grind options (whole bean, paper or mesh drip, French press and electric or stovetop espresso!), it’s a java junkie’s delight. Click here for the skinny on their wedding registry.

And why not curl up with a mug of gourmet coffee in stylish new sheets? Angela Adams, an inventive textile artist who skyrocketed onto the international design scene from her little shop in Portland’s East End, has earned a presence on national retailer’s websites. Check out Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond for her signature rugs, bedding and even funky shower curtains. And she’s just launched a new collection for Anthropologie, which includes a stunning honeycomb-patterned wool rug. Sweet.

Although it seems like a crime to cover up any part of Angela’s fantastic floor art, an exception could be made for the iconic Maine furniture maker Thos Moser.  Famous for graceful designs that elevate the natural beauty of their sustainably harvested Black cherry wood, Thos Moser artisans pledge that their chairs, bed frames, bookcases and cabinets will last as long as the trees they’re harvested from took to grow. Any of the furniture maker’s items — the Vita bed is a modernistic marvel — would add simple sophistication to your coupled home. After all, one of their Harpswell chairs was good enough for Pope Benedict to relax in during a visit to the White House. Find registry information here.

Stay tuned for more registry ideas in coming weeks, including a look at an intriguing site dubbed The Man Registry. Think remote-controlled coolers (the top seller) and a grilling accessory that sears the name of the groom’s favorite NCAA team into a hotdog. The men strike back.

On the same block of Middle Street as Portland, Maine, favorites Hugo’s, Duckfat and Pepper Club is the equally noteworthy Dean’s Sweets, a husband and wife chocolate shop. Walk slowly, or you might just pass it by as you head toward the Old Port or the waterfront. It’s the perfect place to tickle your taste buds and perhaps discover a great local gem to treat your wedding guests. Dean’s wife Kristin shares a bit about their operation as well as their favorite local spots in this week’s inside peek. Here’s a fair warning that it will likely make you want pull up a chair, nibble some chocolate and share a glass of red wine with these two to learn more.

L&L: Tell us a little about you, your background and the history of Dean’s Sweets.

SWEETS: Dean, an architect by training and profession for 30 years, started making truffles about a decade ago, just for fun. He loves chocolate and loves cooking, so it was natural that he’d find a truffle recipe and try it. Since then, Dean has adapted and improved the recipe many times over to produce our current 22 flavors of truffles and caramels. Dean is still an architect and he still has fun making truffles, he just makes a lot more of them now, with some help from his trusted team.

I entered the picture about eight years ago. The scandalous truth is that before I became Dean’s wife, I was his business coach. I helped Dean formulate the business side of chocolate making, including the website, packaging, and marketing. Once I realized Dean’s talent as a chocolatier, I decided he would make a good husband. Dean is a good husband, and I am still a business coach, and we work together on our growing family chocolate business.

L&L: Describe the range of yummy goodness you create. What is the bulk of your business?

SWEETS: Dean’s Sweets currently has 22 varieties of truffles, plus a to-die-for salt caramel. The truffle flavors range from traditional rum and raspberry to more exotic concoctions such as cayenne and Tequila lime. Our newest truffle is one that was inspired by a Slow Food event at the Museum of Art in Portland. Our task was to let ourselves be inspired by a painting from their collection. We chose a 16th century still life with lemons and apricots. From this, Dean created a lemon apricot chevre truffle which has become instantly popular. The lemon is refreshing and bright and balanced perfectly with the chocolate ganache, followed by just a hint of apricot.

The greatest portion of our business comes through our retail store in Portland, as well as through our website where people can order online. And because chocolate travels well, we also take our show on the road to do chocolate tastings whenever we can. We get to do really fun events, such as wine and chocolate pairings, all around Maine and New England. One event we have coming up next year is a wine and chocolate evening on a schooner in Casco Bay. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.

L&L: Your truffles are the perfect classic wedding favor. What is your most popular flavor?

SWEETS: The salt caramels are probably our most popular flavor. They’ve got that yummy sweet and salt combination, and it’s Maine sea salt, of course. Then again, everyone has their favorites. We had a couple recently who ordered two flavors for distinct reasons: the first flavor was blueberry because the bride wanted to augment the Maine theme, and the second flavor was Scotch because the groom and his friends were single-malt Scotch aficionados. Another match made in heaven it would seem. Our Champagne truffle – a white chocolate and Champagne center dipped in luscious dark chocolate – is very popular among wedding couples.

L&L: How do you make a truffle, anyway? How long do they typically stay fresh?

SWEETS: A truffle has two basic components, the center, or filling, and the shell. The center is a chocolate ganache – in its most basic form this is chocolate and heavy cream, plus whatever flavor ingredients are required. Dean follows the premise that simpler is better, so he sticks pretty close to this formula. The precise proportion of chocolate to cream varies depending on the other ingredients being used. To keep from having the cream separate, Dean usually heats the cream and uses that to melt the chocolate. This combination can then be mixed with a rubber spatula, immersion blender, or food processor. Dean uses all three processes at different times. The flavoring, be it brandy, rum, scotch, coconut or blueberries is usually added at the end of the mixing.

The ganache is then allowed to rest for anywhere from a few hours to a day or more. In this time, it goes from being quite liquid to reasonably firm. Dean has an ice-cream-scoop-like tool which he then uses to scoop roundish balls of ganache and place on wax paper covered baking sheets. These are further rounded off and allowed to sit for another day or so to dry out.

Finally, Dean dips the centers in a 70% cacao Belgian bittersweet chocolate which is carefully tempered to create a properly crisp quality and shine on the completed truffle or caramel.

We use a fine 56% cacao Belgian chocolate for the ganache, and an equally fine 70% cacao Belgian chocolate for the shell. Our heavy cream comes from Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, Maine, a local farm that uses sustainable agricultural practices in all of their farming operations. We use natural and organic ingredients for most of our flavorings and flavor ingredients, sources from Maine whenever possible. We use a variety of high-quality liquors and liquers for flavoring and flavor enhancements. What we do NOT use are any preservatives or ingredients that you can’t pronounce. We also use no nuts or nut products in any of our truffles. (Folks with allergies can rest assured.)

Our truffles keep for four to six weeks from purchase. However, truffles are always best enjoyed fresh. We don’t generally recommend refrigerating them, but if you plan to keep them longer than a few weeks I would suggest that.

L&L: What sort of packaging do you offer for wedding favors? Do most couples present one, two, or more truffles to their guests?

SWEETS: For wedding favors, we offer a one, two, or four-piece box, with any choice of truffles or caramels. Our usual boxes are clear tops with frosted bottoms, but we can also supply white or gold boxes in the favor sizes. These come with a custom label (the bride and groom’s names, plus the date, for example), as well as a ribbon matching the color scheme of the wedding. Most couples choose to offer their guests two or four chocolates. Sometimes there’s some pretty heavy negotiating going on on the reception floor – “Hey, I’ll trade you a coffee truffle for your peppermint truffle.”

Some couples also choose to put packages of Dean’s Sweets in the hotel room welcome gifts or as a special thank you to people who have helped with the arrangements. We offer boxes of eight or sixteen for larger gifts.

L&L: How much do your treats cost? Is there a bulk order discount?

SWEETS: We offer wedding and special event prices that are significantly discounted from our retail prices because of the (usually) large size of the order. For weddings and events our two-piece box (with label and ribbon) is $4.50 and our four-piece package is $8.50. We are very happy to work with couples to make the packages affordable.

L&L: How far in advance should a couple place their favor order with you? Do you require their order be picked up, do you deliver or do you ship? Once received, do the truffles need to be stored in any particular way until the wedding day?

SWEETS: A safe rule of thumb is to order your truffles about three to four weeks in advance (more time is great, less time is doable but challenging). That gives us time to make sure we have all the information, all the necessary ingredients, and to make, package, and ship the truffles by the big day. Couples can pick up their order, or we regularly ship Priority Mail (USPS). In the warmer weather, or to warmer destinations, we ship with insulated boxes and cool packs. No one wants a melted truffle for a wedding favor.

Once received, the truffles simply need to stay in a coolish (non-sunny) place. Refrigeration is not needed, nor even desired.

L&L: What was the most memorable wedding you have made truffles for or attended and why?

SWEETS: We don’t usually attend the weddings that our chocolates attend, but our most memorable response was from a bride who selected cayenne truffles as one of her favor flavors. A week after the wedding she said that everything went perfectly, and the favors were extremely well received – perhaps too well, in her opinion. She was disappointed that after everyone departed there were several bottles of Veuve Clicquot Champagne remaining, but there wasn’t a single truffle left for her! Be sure to order enough, or at least keep some out for yourself!

The most memorable wedding I’ve attended, was of course our own. Spectacular place, spectacular music, great food, and great chocolate. We opted to have two-piece boxes on the tables in a random selection of flavors. This allowed people to pick the flavor they liked best, and ended up with some of the truffle-trading mentioned above. We had additional truffles available with dessert, creating some interesting situations with children eating the chocolates in their box and then refilling from the plates. Great fun!

L&L: What “must-see” places and eateries do you suggest folks from out of town check out while visiting Maine?

SWEETS: Dean and I love a glass of red wine or a beer on a Friday night. Our favorite cozy bar for that is Local 188. Our favorite multi-sensory venue is Grace (Dean was the architect of this spectacular renovated 1860s church). We especially recommend sitting in the balcony for one of their specialty drinks and watching the goings on below.

Our go-to place for a great meal without spending a fortune is Thai Veranda. It’s inauspicious and unassuming and just a short hop from downtown Portland. We always get the fresh spring rolls. And there’s always plenty from our meal to take home for the next night.

For very special evenings, we go to Fore Street. I could be happy eating the bread and drinking the wine, but every bite of food is amazing. Dean, who doesn’t usually like mussels, has not stopped talking about the mussels in wine we had there last time. Another equally amazing gustatory experience, and a splurge for us, is to have a small plate or two from Hugo’s. Just a little goes a long way and is completely satisfying.

On a hot summer night, we love ice cream at Beals at the end of Exchange Street. I always get the black raspberry chip frozen yogurt with chocolate sprinkles. Dean changes his up more often, but is very partial to the coconut almond ice cream.

A favorite music venue, for anyone staying around for a few days, although a bit out of the way, is Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield – a wonderful repurposed barn serving up great music and excellent food. Also occasionally available for weddings. (Full disclosure, this is where Dean and I got married so we’re extremely biased!)

L&L: Thank you for giving us an inside peek into Dean’s Sweets. If readers want to get in touch with you to inquire about tasting and purchasing your chocolates, what is the best way for them to reach you?

SWEETS: We are always happy to have folks visit our store at 82 Middle Street to try any of our chocolates. We know it’s important for brides and grooms (and family) to be able to sample and find out what they like most. If that’s not possible, we are always available by phone (207 899-3664) or through our website.

Lucky readers, Kristin and Dean are extending 10% off for any size wedding order with mention of this blog. Thank you, thank you!

credits (clockwise from top right): emilie inc. photography, Ned Jackson, Erin Hearts Court, Shyla Photography, Pure 7 Studios, emilieinc.com, Shyla Photography, Shyla Photography, Erin Hearts Court, Justin Marantz