Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

Elopements aren’t what they used to be. Sure, impulsive couples still jet off to Las Vegas for quickie weddings before an Elvis impersonating officiant. But the term has also come to define planned, scaled-down events that can even include a few guests — dashes to the altar and exotic destinations not required.  With many vendors offering “elopement packages” for weddings with 15 or fewer guests, it’s officially become a trend.

Katherine Jameson of Katherine’s Event Planning in Bar Harbor, Maine, has helped dozens of couples to elope. She gives us the lowdown on hightailing it for the big day.

L&L: Are elopements becoming more common?

KJ: I am finding that elopements are becoming more popular and I have seen the increase over the past three years. The economy has played a large factor in the decision for couples to elope. It is certainly a cost savings when you don’t invite as many guests. Another factor is due to the fact that many couples older than age 30 are marrying, and could be on their second marriages and don’t want the added expense of a larger wedding.

L&L: Why do some couples choose to elope?

KJ: Many couples choose elopements for the convenience, romance, slow pace and stress-free feel of it all. Many will even make a vacation out of it and stay the entire week to enjoy all the beauty that Maine has to offer.

L&L: What forms do elopements most often take?

KJ: Half of the elopements I have planned are just the couple, and others will bring their parents on each side as well as a couple of close friends. It can range from the couple up to an intimate number of 10 guests.

L&L: Tell us about helping a couple plan an elopement. What goes into it?

KJ: I custom create anything that the couple wants. It can be a boat in the middle of the bay saying their vows to a country inn during a snowstorm. Many couples like the idea of an elopement because all of the details are taken care of. How stress free and relaxing!

L&L: What advice would you give to a couple considering elopement?

KJ: Pick a date, make a call and sit back and relax!

A bride-to-be can do so many things from the comfort of her own home — shop for a gown, craft favors for guests, pick out the best spot for that area rug on the registry. Oh and what else? Learn some sexy dance moves with a few of her closest friends.

Pole dancing — that’s right, stripper-style, but less X-rated — is enjoying a surge of popularity beyond the gentlemen’s club, popping up in gym classes, workout videos and even living rooms. Meet Stacy Burns, a Maine mother who brings the power of the pole right to your front door with at-home parties.

L&L: Tell us about Pole Parties by Stacy.

SB: Pole Parties by Stacy comes to your home (or wherever!) to give you and your girlfriends a fantastic evening with an in-home pole dancing party/lesson. I bring my own portable pole and stage, along with music and fun props to give the ladies an unforgettable night.

L&L: Are the parties are popular for bachelorette celebrations?

SB: ABSOLUTELY! I’d say that’s probably at least 95% of my business. Many of the ladies use this to kick off their night, then they hit the town feeling all sassy, I love it! Others use it for a great girls’ night in. It can also make fast friends — many brides have friends from different parts of their life who are meeting for the first time at their bachelorette party. But by the end of the evening, I can never tell who didn’t know who at the beginning of the party!

L&L: How long have you been doing the parties and where do you travel to?

SB: I’ve been doing in-home pole parties for 4 years. I’ve traveled as far north as Rockland, Maine and as far south as Connecticut. If I can make it work, I’ll be there!

L&L: What’s your background?

SB: This is a question I get a lot. I wish I could say I had some fabulously naughty former life but no, I saw pole dancing on Oprah! It was many years ago and I was intrigued and determined to get my own pole someday. Then I came across a Canadian-based company that was offering in-home pole dancing parties. There was no one in my area doing them, so I decided to become an instructor myself. They trained me and I also took classes in Boston and I have attended “Pole Camp” in Canada as well. I got a late start in life on this one — I took up pole at 38 years old with 2 kids! Perhaps if I had known I had the talent earlier in life, who knows.

L&L: What can women expect during one of your parties?

SB: They can expect to have a great time! I teach simple moves that just about anyone can do, and to see them just light up and let loose is so much fun. I get such fabulous comments after the party, I love hearing things like, “I was so nervous, but you made us feel so comfortable, we had a great time!” The night belongs to the party girls, I just give them the basics and let them do their thing. What the ladies usually take away from it are very sore cheeks … the ones on their faces, from laughing so much! But not only do they have a great time with their friends, I think they also leave with a little swagger in their step. Knowing you’ve just had a night of being a little naughty and surprising yourself with the sexy moves you didn’t know you had in you puts a little mischievous twinkle in your eye!

L&L: So, how racy do things get?

SB: It all depends on the crowd. I go in teaching the same moves to everyone, what they do with it and how they give their “final performance” is all up to them. I’ve never had anything too out of control, I’ve only had one or two guests actually perform in her underwear!

L&L: Is it something more reserved women can try?

SB: Absolutely! In all honestly, those are the ones I’m prying off the pole by the end of the night! I always say, watch out for the quiet ones. As I said, I teach the same basic moves, and I have been told many times that I’ve surprised people at how classy and tasteful the parties actually are. Remember, I’m a 40-something-year-old mom, so I understand peoples’ preconceived notions and can calm their fears and usually get them to come out of their shell.

You and your beloved will make the gift of a lifetime to one another on your wedding day, the promise of lifelong love and commitment. But that doesn’t mean you can throw in a little something extra to mark your special day.

Many brides and grooms are exchanging gifts to celebrate their wedding — a pair of cufflinks delivered to the groom the night before the ceremony, an engraved cake serving set presented during the reception, or even scuba gear for the bride to unwrap during the honeymoon. If you’re on the hunt for that perfect present, check out these ideas (or save them for your anniversary!):

• Turn your wedding day into a timeless piece of art. Tell Frame the Date the day, month and year of your wedding and they’ll turn it into a wall-worthy keepsake, plus add a photo of you and your beloved. Bookmark that link, there’s a version for baby, too.
• Prefer letters over numbers? Write a love note to your other half and have it printed on a framed canvas photo courtesy of Etsy artist GeeZees. Or try song lyrics, a meaningful poem or your vows, you wordsmith you.
• If the way to your man’s heart is through his stomach, win him over with customized treats from Eleni’s, a New York dessert shop. Have a cookie made in his handsome image, or order cupcakes topped with your monogram or a photo of the two of you.
• Fellas, you know how much she swooned over the first ring you slipped on her finger, so why not recreate that memory with a just-as-sweet (but far more temporary) candy ring? Artesanal Sweets’ bejeweled confections put those plastic candy store rings you remember from childhood to shame. She’ll say “yes” all over again.

8.14.10 Neena and Sam

Blue Hill, Maine ~ John Peters Estate

Sam and I had a lot of guests travelling from all over US, including many people that had never been to Maine. So we planned our wedding with two themes in mind…first, we wanted to spotlight the beautiful downeast coast of Maine, and second, we wanted to create an atmosphere that would allow our friends and family to relax and be able to be themselves.  We held our ceremony outdoors at Our Lady of Holy Hope and our reception at the John Peters Estate – both venues worked perfectly and were absolutlely stunning (and we were lucky that the weather was amazing!). We heard over and over again from our guests that they fell in love with the area and hope to return… mission 1 accomplished! And then the vibe of the party… we were so grateful to the incredible DJ Jon, who did an excellent job of keeping the music fun and fresh.  My family is from India, so DJ Jon mixed bollywood and American hits!  We also encouraged our friends and family to literally play games – we had a croquet and a bocce set out, which allowed different groups of people to mingle and get to know each other.  And my new husband and his friends don’t need an excuse to take a quick dip in the ocean… and the John Peters Estate had a beautiful dock that allowed anyone to take a pre-reception or a late night after party swim!

Photography: Scott Lewis
Ceremony: Our Lady of Holy Hope, Castine, ME
Reception: John Peters Estate, Blue Hill, ME
Event Designer: Diane Bianco
Flowers: Dan’s Flower Farm, Sedgwick
Caterer: Cleonice, Ellsworth
Dress designer: Elizabeth Fillmore
Shoes: Badgley Michka

Credits (clockwise from top middle): New York Food Company, Scott Clark, Betsy White, Lauren Blythe Designs, Norajane, We Made This Ourselves, kiss the groom

Many of us consider Google our very own virtual personal assistant, helping to organize our days and connect with others. Now, we can add another job description to the list: wedding planner.

Meet Google Weddings, the search giant’s just-launched planning site for brides and grooms to-be. Couples can create their own wedding website, design announcements and save-the-dates with Picnik, share photos in Picasa, plus use Docs to draw up a budget, manage the to-do list, set up a seating chart and more. Partnering with Google on the new portal is New York wedding planner extraordinaire Michelle Rago, author of “Signature Weddings: Creating a Day Uniquely Your Own,” who shares her tips for design options. As part of a sweepstakes offer worth $25,000, she’ll also design one lucky couple’s trip down the aisle.

Much of the content on Google’s new wedding site isn’t new – it started offering wedding templates through Docs a year ago – but it sure is handy to have all those resources in one place, accessible from anywhere.

Getting on the cloud while you’re on cloud nine… seems it was only a matter of time, doesn’t it?