Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

L&L reader Ann P. recently sent us a note about her daughter’s search for a garter. Could we point her to a vendor that makes garters with a Maine theme, she asked?

Our first thought was The Garter Girl, aka Julianne Smith. A craftswoman known for her adventurous creations incorporating everything from feathers to recycled plastic bottles, Julianne also works directly with brides to fashion custom garters.  We’re sure she could dream up a lobster or lighthouse design that any Maine bride would be proud to wear around her thigh.

For this specialty item, it’s clear custom is the way to go. On Etsy, we found Peterene Design and La Gartier Garters, two lovely shops that specialize in made-to-order garters crafted by hand.

Will you wear a garter on your wedding day?

Best of luck Anne! Please let us know how your daughter’s garter hunt turns out!

L&L reader Tiffany F. recently wrote to us with a question about reception music:

I am getting married this July and I am trying to find a slower song to dance to with the wedding party. Any suggestions?

We polled a few local music pros for their ideas.

Bob Charest of the Bob Charest Band said three songs came immediately to mind:

• Someone Like You by Van Morrison, for an older tune
• Back At One by Brian McKnight, a killer ballad in a more modern genre
• Everything by Michael Buble

Johnna Dionne, manager for the band Wavelength, said couples often choose a song with a connection to their wedding party. Based on the band’s experience, she suggested:

• Lights by Journey
• Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
• Beautiful Day by U2

DJ Danny DeBruin of Northeast DJs & Northeast Event Design came up with a number of great options:

• Lean on Me
  Traditional flavor: Al Green
  Modern Twist: Club Nouveau
• You’ve got a friend by James Taylor
• Rich by Lyle Divinsky
• I’ll be there by The Jackson 5
• In my Life by the Beatles
• Stand by Me
  Traditional flavor: Ben E. King
  Modern Twist: Seal
• Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
• Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks
• Don’t stop believing by Journey

L&L reader Emily C. writes to us with a question about lighting:

“Just wondering if you have come across any vendors in the area that rent various types of chandeliers?”

Chandeliers are lighting up the world of interior design these days, so it’s no wonder brides are smitten with their ornate look. Whether you can get your hands on one of these fancy fixtures depends greatly on your venue.

If you’re renting a tent, chances are good that the rental company will offer a selection of lighting options. Here in northern New England, we found chandeliers for rent at Marshall Tent and Event Rental and One Stop Party Shoppe. The wonderful Sperry Tents is well known for their custom lighting work, as well.

Your chandelier options get more limited absent a tent rental, but we did track down a couple of possibilities. Timothy Shields of Ambience Lighting Services incorporates chandeliers into his lighting design services (not as a straight equipment rental). Check out his stunning work here.

The one and only chandelier rental we found was through New England Country Rentals, a gem of a vendor we gushed about in February. They rent a wrought-iron chandelier in black or white as part of their vintage collection.

Shields says you might have luck inquiring at a theater house that’s open to renting out their stage equipment. Best of luck Emily C.!

Know of other chandelier options? Share with us in the comments!

Reader Sarah G. writes to us with a question we’re sure many couples are curious about: “We would like to serve our own homebrew at our wedding in Maine. How can we find out which, if any, venues would support this?”

Supplying homebrewed beer might seem like a great way to not only add a personal touch, but also simplify your bar menu and possibly save a few bucks. But as it turns out, there’s a whole host of legal issues involved in serving up those bottles of homemade ale.

We checked in with Maine’s liquor bureau, and discovered that vendors holding Maine liquor licenses are prohibited from handling home-brewed alcohol. So if you’re hiring a caterer or venue to serve your frosty beverages, you’re out of luck. An official with the bureau says he’s heard of caterers abruptly packing up and splitting from wedding receptions after couples break out the homebrews, fearful of being stripped of their licenses.

If you’re marrying at a private establishment, such as someone’s home or a rental hall, and you’re not hiring a licensed vendor, you can supply and serve your own alcohol, store-bought or home-brewed. But, you can’t charge for it, including asking for donations, and you’ll be assuming a fair amount of liability. (For a handy primer on Maine’s liquor laws, click here.)

Also consider gifting your home brews as favors or as tokens of thanks for your bridal party. Technically, the bottles shouldn’t share the premises with a licensed vendor, so it’s ideal to set up a table in a nearby room or hand them out as guests leave. Wedding receptions aren’t exactly high on the authorities’ list for raids, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If all this legal talk has you discouraged, the easiest way to share your homebrews is probably to serve them at a private party the night before the ceremony or after the reception. That might not be what you had in mind, but then the only license you’ll have to worry about will be your marriage license.

We’re always excited to hear from followers of L&L, and this week brings us a question from reader Maria. She asks: “Are you considering a vendor section on your site? It could be a great resource.”

It just so happens we’ve been pondering that very idea, Maria. Rounding up all of the wonderful vendors we feature on L&L into one, easily searchable directory certainly has its appeal. If brides and grooms to-be could search for florists, caterers, photographers and other wedding professionals by category or geography, perhaps they could spend less time surfing the Web and more time making their dream day a reality. With contact information, our vendor highlights and more at their fingertips, couples could potentially connect with vendors with less hassle and more success.

Readers, what do you think? Would you like to see a vendor directory on L&L? And vendors out there, what’s your take on the idea? Please leave us comment below, or shoot us a note at hello@loveandlobster.com.

Our recent post about liquor laws prompted a question from reader Heather F., who’s trying to sort out what insurance coverage she needs on the big day.

Heather wants to know:

• What would reasonable wedding insurance cost and cover?
• Where can Maine brides look for comprehensive coverage?
• Should brides consider purchasing general wedding insurance? What kind of insurance do couples need to protect them if they plan to purchase and serve their own alcohol?

Here’s the 411:

• For general information about wedding insurance, including what it covers and how much it costs, give this previous post a read.
• Check with the company that handles your renter’s/homeowners insurance first. Even if they don’t offer “wedding insurance,” they may offer special event insurance, or your existing policy may already protect you (more on that in a minute). Heads up: Heather found that Travelers’ Wedding Protector Plan doesn’t cover liquor liability in Maine (state regulators haven’t approved that part of the plan). One alternative is WedSafe, one of the most popular wedding insurance providers, which is offered through Aon, a company with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. WedSafe does offer liquor liability coverage in Maine.
• Wedding insurance is most appropriate if you’re investing a fair amount of money in your event and if uncontrollable events, like bad weather, would really ruin your day. But don’t assume you need it, especially if you already carry personal insurance, warns Scott Simmonds, a Maine insurance consultant. If you’re mostly concerned about liability — damage or someone getting hurt — your existing homeowner’s or renter’s policy may provide all the coverage you need. “Your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t differentiate between a barbecue at your house and wedding at a rental hall,” Scott says. That includes liquor liability, but be very careful if you choose to purchase and sell liquor at your event, he says. In fact, the liability attached to selling alcohol yourself is so significant that Scott advises couples against it. Let licensed, insured vendors handle charging for the drinks, he says.
• A final tip from Scott: If your insurance agent says your existing policy won’t cover basic liability, and encourages you to buy additional insurance, ask the agent to cite where in your policy that coverage is explicitly denied. Sometimes misinformed or overly cautious agents steer consumers in the wrong, more expensive direction.