Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

When the Maine Wedding Company website launched in November, a fresh light was cast on the state’s top-notch but often under-appreciated wedding resources. Encompassing articles and blogs about Maine weddings as well as a searchable vendor directory, the site has become a can’t-miss destination for couples planning to tie the knot in Maine.

But what makes MWC different from other online wedding resources in the state? We checked in with founder Beth Fitzgerald — also the brains and keen eye behind Blush Imagery in Portland, Maine — to find out just that, and more.

L&L: Why did you decide to launch Maine Wedding Company?

MWC: I started planning this website over three years ago. As an established photographer who was new to Maine, I had a hard time finding info on what I was going to photograph during my first wedding season here. While driving up to an obscure wedding venue on the northern coast of Maine, I thought: 1. Maine is so beautiful! 2. How lucky I was to have landed in such a destination wedding state! and 3. How come I couldn’t find info about these cute towns and resorts online, other than the venue’s own typically basic website? How frustrating for brides! I started planning The Maine Wedding Company on those long drives that summer. I felt Maine’s fantastic wedding industry deserved more of a spotlight.

L&L: What’s been the reaction from couples so far?

MWC: The reaction has been huge from Maine wedding vendors and brides alike. Most telling, brides are booking our MWC vendor members. That means we are making connections that count. People are enjoying the site and finding what and who they need. We’ve received emails thanking us from destination Maine brides (one most recently from Germany) for putting more info about Maine weddings on the web. Our web traffic has been great too. At launch, we were on page 26 on Google for the term “Maine wedding.” Today we are on page 3 (and higher in other terms) and climbing. I’m happy with the results we’ve shown in the short time we have been online. I actually thought this would be a slow growth project, taking years to develop. But I was very wrong! The site has been received well.

L&L: What does MWC offer that’s unique from other online wedding sites?

MWC: Many websites offer a listing of wedding vendor members but they don’t allow for member participation. We think our vendors know the most about the area and wedding ideas that really work well in Maine. We get great articles, photos and blogs from members that add so much to what information a bride can have at her fingertips.

Also, our site is 100% Maine. Everything on our site is searchable by specific Maine cities and regions, seasons and topics. Simply search “Kennebunkport” and you’ll get vendor profiles, pictures, blogs, videos and articles about the area. It’s helpful for smaller cities that may not have any info at all on a national site.

L&L: Do you screen the vendors listed in the site’s directory?

MWC: The professional fee to belong to the MWC is enough to keep the Johnny-come-lately wedding-hobbyist off, but allows a true wedding pro, who knows the cost of doing business, to invest with ease. We do reserve the right to boot anyone off the site for any abuse — ethical or other. Luckily, we have great people working in the Maine industry and our members are all top notch.

L&L: What kind of couples do you cater to?

MWC: We cater to destination Maine brides mainly but also to local Maine brides. I think the information on the MWC site is more helpful for people not from the area. It gives them a sense of location, trends and culture here in Vacationland. That’s something they can’t get on the national wedding websites.

L&L: What kind of information tops the list for couples planning weddings in Maine these days?

MWC: For our MWC site, the “vendor directory” section is the most popular, but following a close second is our “Maine wedding stories” idea section. Brides hunger for pictures and articles about their desired Maine wedding location. People want to see real events with real brides.

L&L: What do you think makes Maine such an ideal place to get married?

MWC: In Maine, our wedding vendors will work so much harder, stretch your dollar so much farther and treat your guests so much nicer. Add our ocean, mountains and lakes and it’s just magic.