Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

The artists at Etsy and Wedzu have been busy sewing, painting and beading their way into our hearts lately, so it’s time for a roundup of our latest finds.

This striking gift tag says welcome to Maine, literally, with a bright red lobster against a navy background personalized with your names and wedding date. Tie the tags to tote bags for out-of-town guests or add a ribbon and slip them around guests’ door handles at your hotel.

These silver cuffs, stamped with “Soon to be Mrs. ___”, make a perfect gift for an engagement party or shower. Have the inside stamped, too, for a more personal touch. (Speaking of cuffs, these watch-inspired cufflinks would look timely on plenty of grooms-to-be.)

Going for a rustic look at your reception? Go against the grain with this wooden cake stand, which can do double duty as a decorative accent on a coffee table or bookshelf.

Leaving your honey a to-do list just got way more fun with these cheery blown glass word balloons. “We need trash bags” sounds so much more amusing comic strip-style.

And just to make all these finds look even better by comparison, don’t miss this “Tie the Knot” wedding gown made entirely of… you guessed it, ties, for a mere $495. When even the model looks embarrassed, you know you’ve got a winner.

8.7.10 Marcy and Bobby
Scarborough, Maine ~ The Landing at Pine Point

We live in Austin, Texas, but our family lives in Maine. We wanted to really have a New England coastal feel to our day since what we miss the most about Maine is friends, family and the ocean. We had a Catholic Nuptial Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Portland with our reception at a brand new venue- The Landing at Pine Point in Scarborough, Maine- located near Pine Point Beach. After dinner we snuck away with one of the photographers to take some photos on the beach at sunset and put our toes in the ocean. It was nice to have a moment to ourselves to let loose a little and laugh without being “watched” by all the guests to just reflect on the ceremony and look forward to dancing the night away together. It was a special moment and certainly a much needed break away from the crowd.

The little details:
- My husband sent a card and flowers to the home where my bridesmaids and I got ready at… It was the best part of the day!
- Our favors were starfish ornaments with navy blue ribbon.
- Bridesmaids had blue hydrangea bouquets.
- The seating chart was a frame made by a family member out of driftwood. Each table was named a different coastal Maine place of interest (ex: Portland Head Light).
- On the back of the table name on each table was a little history/background about the place of interest that the table was named after.
- As a sort of play with words we named our table “The Maine Table” and we sat with our parents.
- Centerpieces were 25inch glass cylinder vases with blue and turquoise seaglass covering a small blue LED light in the bottom. Inside each vase was also a callalily and floating candle. Seaglass and starfish were little details on the tables. Our card box was a lobster trap.
- We had a small cake with chocolate starfish and seashells and for the guests we served marble flavored cupcakes with teal chocolate starfish candy on top.
- Everyone danced the night away to a locally known 80′s cover band called The Awesome.
- We took a trolley instead of a limo since it could comfortably hold the entire bridal party and dates.
- We took the trolley to a nearby lighthouse, Bug Light, to take photographs near the water with the city of Portland in the background.
- The guys wore light tan 3 piece suits with navy silk ties.
- The girls wore chiffon navy blue dresses.
- Pinned to the inside of my dress was a family lace handkerchief from Ireland which dates back to the very early 1800′s.
- The venue has two winding grand staircases that go from the upper mezzanine to the ballroom… our bridal party was introduced to the “Dancing with the Stars” theme while walking down the stairs (as they do when introduced on the show).

Photographer: Rhonda Farnham

Venue: The Landing at Pine Point
Florist: Minott’s
Caterer: York’s Catering
Cakes: Edible Delights Bakery
Reception band: The Awesome
Hair: Michele Lehr Studio
Makeup: Rebecca Morrell
Trolley: Portland Discovery
Rehearsal Dinner: Saltwater Grille

Credits (clockwise from top right): Constellation & Co., Heather Kincaid, Person + Killian, Jenny Liu, Simply Bloom, Sarah Beth Events, Bella Pop, Jessica Claire, Adrienne Gunde Photography

In just one short month, Kate Middleton will exchange “I dos” with Prince William at Westminster Abbey. They’re really not so different from any other crazy kids in love, except, well, their walk down the aisle is expected to attract the largest television audience in history. In fact, Kate and William have quite a lot in common with your average lovebirds, until you look a little closer.

Britain’s most famous bride and groom have to deal with guest list drama just like the rest of us … but their invite pool included the Beckhams and Kanye West (in) and the Obamas and Sarah Ferguson (out).

Many couples today are opting for nontraditional desserts, like brownies or pies … Kate and William have their very own royal doughnut, heart-shaped and all.

Designer gowns once exclusive to the rich and famous are now available to commoner brides everywhere … but not every gal gets dozens of unsolicited sketches from top designers for her dream dress. (Kate ended up tapping Sarah Burton, creative director for Steve McQueen.)

Thanks to YouTube, any couple can post their wedding video online, and even watch the views climb into the millions … Kate and William get a Lifetime movie devoted to their nine-year courtship.

Apps for the iPhone and iPad, like Wedding Date, have made wedding planning a snap … buuuut more than a dozen new apps make following Kate and William’s even easier.

The moment when a man asks a woman to be his wife ranks pretty high on the list of life’s most memorable moments. But not all brides-to-be remember it fondly.

A new survey of more than 3,000 people by The Knot.com and AskMen.com finds that 1 in 4 women didn’t love how their man popped the question, saying they wished their fella had been more romantic, more original, more private or less over the top. In a likely related finding, nearly 80% of men said they planned the proposal without any help. We’re guessing these are the same men who hate asking for directions.

Thirty percent of men also said they went it alone in picking out a ring, but according to brides, it’s only about 18%. Still, grooms-to-be hit the mark in the ring department, with 96% of brides saying their bling is exactly what they wanted. Maybe those ring finder apps are coming in handy.

Men shied away from showing off the ring online though, with nearly 30% saying it’s a tacky move on social networking sites. The majority of couples did post the news of their engagement on Facebook, however, after calling their parents first. Getting Mom and Dad’s blessing is still a do for most, with 57% of men and 63% of women saying it’s important. Guys also kept to tradition by getting down on bended knee to pop the question, a custom only 49% of women feel is essential.

While some brides were less than thrilled with how their guy proposed, one leading man would get a “Yes!” from 43% of women, no matter how he asked: Jake Gyllenhaal. Men, on the other hand, would ask for Jessica Alba’s hand in marriage if given the opportunity. Fellas, she’s already taken!

Have more matching towels than you know what to do with? All set in the nesting bowls department? If you and your honey have already created a home together, registering for traditional wedding gifts may leave you stuck with a pile of well-intentioned clutter.

Many couples are instead turning to honeymoon registries, which allow loved ones to contribute to your dream vacation with the click of a mouse. But with so many sites to choose from, how’s a busy bride to pick just one? Keep in mind a few factors as you weigh your options:

Services: Make sure you know what’s included in each site’s offerings. Traveler’s Joy, for example, encourages couples to make their own travel arrangements and also features your honeymoon registry in the WeddingChannel.com registry center and on TheKnot.com. Honeymoonwishes.com and Honeyluna.com, meanwhile, steer couples to one of their travel agents to help plan the trip. If you already have a destination in mind, resorts including Disney and Marriott also offer registries. Most sites accept contributions by phone, so less computer-savvy guests aren’t left out.

Fees: These can include both a service charge and a fee for credit card transactions shouldered by your wedding guests. Traveler’s Joy deducts 7.5% of the total amount of funds contributed, while Honeymoonwishes.com charges guests a 3% credit card transaction fee and a 7% service charge, which couples can either add to or deduct from each gift amount.  Traveler’s Joy also allows couples to donate up to 3% of the funds to a charity of their choice through the I Do Foundation.

Payout dates: Check to see when you’ll receive your honeymoon funds. Traveler’s Joy will send you a bank check or direct deposit the money upon 72 hours of your request, while The Big Day does forgetful couples a favor by automatically sending a check 5 days before the wedding unless directed otherwise.

Privacy policies: Find out how the sites will use your personal information. Some keep all information confidential, while others may use it for marketing purposes.

Accreditation: Registries listed as members of the Better Business Bureau, like Traveler’s Joy and Honeymoon Wishes, come with an extra layer of assurance that their practices are trustworthy.