You’ve probably attended a wedding where the bride and groom weren’t the only ones feeling romantic. Maybe the maid of honor flirted shamelessly with the groom’s brother, or two single guests hit it off singing along to “Sweet Caroline.”

But what if your guests could get to know each other before the wedding? A new company called Weduary lets couples build custom wedding websites with the added bonus of social networking features.

Along with the typical location and registry information, brides and grooms to-be can help their guests connect through Facebook. Guests can see which friends they have in common with other attendees, tell personal stories about the couple, and use a “Flirt” feature to pinpoint other single guests they might want to meet based on common interests.

Real social butterflies can even edit their personal profile page to share their cell number and let others know where they’re staying and when they’ll arrive.

After hearing about dating websites for married couples and Instagram photo sharing for wedding guests, Weduary should come as no surprise. New technology, whether in the wedding world or the wider world, is all about helping people connect.

Who knows, maybe your guests can find love while they help you celebrate yours. What’s not to “like” about that?

One day when Nick and I were in the early stages of wedding planning, we sat over coffee at our favorite local breakfast place sketching out a list of expenses.

We threw out some “estimates,” which I now realize were really “random shots in the dark,” for some of the big-ticket items like food and rentals. Then we got to clothing.

Nick wrote down “dress,” and looked up at me thoughtfully. “What do you think?” he said. “Maybe $250?”

Had it not been for the coffee, I might have snorted in his face. “Poor, sweet, naïve Nick,” I thought to myself, taking in his innocent expression. “He has no idea how much wedding gowns cost.” I hoped the corned beef hash on its way to our table would take the edge off the harsh reality he was about to face.

Nick loves him a good breakfast hash.

“Oh honey,” I said. “No. No no no. I spent that much on my prom dress. Wedding gowns are expensive. It’s going to be a lot more than that.”

“OK,” he said, sensing trouble. “What, like $400?”

As it turns out, Nick’s tendency to underestimate the cost of clothing runs in the family. I know this because I gleefully recounted our breakfast budget session to this mother a couple of weeks later.

“Isn’t that just too funny? $250!” I said to his mom. Nick smirked at me, all pretend offended.

Nick’s dad, his mom told me, will see her return from a shopping trip with bags full of clothes and peg the price tag at roughly a quarter of what she actually spent. New jeans for $20? Sure, that still happens.

Little did I know at the time how this would all pan out. A few weeks ago, I found my dress. I absolutely adore it. It has a sweetheart neckline with a simple, elegant drape and I love how I feel in it. I had that “this is the one” feeling about the dress before I’d even finished zipping it up.

Here’s the thing: It’s a bridesmaids dress, which I ordered in white. I never would have thought of getting one, but the lovely Sadie at Madeleine’s Daughter in Portsmouth, NH — knowing I was looking for a simple, classic look — brought me a few to try on.  I hadn’t realized that retailers are increasingly offering their bridesmaids dresses in white and ivory now. Thank you, Pippa Middleton.

Since it’s not a “wedding gown,” my dress was significantly more affordable than other gowns I looked at. How much more affordable, you might be wondering? Well, all told, the grand total for my dream dress came to … $250. Yep, Nick was right all along.

I do still have to get the dress fitted. And I could argue that the cost for gas to drive from Portland to Portsmouth to pick it up counts toward the total, right??

As for Nick, he’s planning to buy a custom suit from Indochino, an online menswear shop. That’ll probably run us quite a bit more than my dress, which makes sense since he’ll wear the suit for years to come.

I might be hearing about how he was right for years to come, too.

Read the previous posts in Jackie’s wedding planning series:

The proposal

Will you be my maid?

Dress shopping

Engagement portraits

Torn between virtual planning tools

The food

Planning snags

L&L: Tell us a little about the history of the KRC. Whose idea was it to collaborate, and how was the collection formed?

KRC: When co-owner Tim Harrington was a child, his family would vacation in Maine and Cape Cod, fun memories of which are mingled with how much work it was for his mother. She liked a clean house, so would spend quite a bit of time tidying up their vacation spots upon arrival and departure. This helped shape the idea of Hidden Pond – a beautiful vacation destination with luxurious amenities coupled with basics, such as housekeeping services. He joined forces with long-time hotelier, Debbie Lennon, who had purchased and was renovating local landmark, the Kennebunkport Inn. Tim is the creative mind, working with local designers such as Louise Hurlbutt (interior) and Ted Carter (exterior) to bring each property to life in its own way, with a unique vibe. Debbie has been working in hotels for 25+ years – she was one of the first General Managers for Sheraton – so has a fantastic grasp on operations and the behind-the-scenes details. The partnership is a perfect marriage of fashion meets function. The goal of the Collection is to create exceptional guest experiences in our classic, New England town – each with distinctive accommodations, thoughtful, luxurious amenities, excellent guest service and ranging in price.

L&L: What specific services do you offer to couples to help them plan their dream wedding in Kennebunkport?

KRC: We have six distinctive event venues within the KRC – ranging from a small, intimate affair in town Kennebunkport, to a dream ocean front wedding, to a weekend destination wedding in the woods at Hidden Pond. With Hidden Pond and The Tides Beach Club, we also offer a property buyout option, which would allow couples and their guests to have the property entirely to themselves. We also offer a catering arm as part of the Collection, Fete Event Catering, featuring custom, gourmet menus and beverage packages. We have a long list of vendors we’ve worked with that we can recommend or, can provide Event Management services if the couple would like us to facilitate. I think what’s really different about us is the variation of venue options and menus we can offer. We truly have something for everyone and our team is sincerely dedicated to ensuring this will be the absolute best day of our clients’ lives. I’m working with our company for the F&B component of my wedding…and I’m a total foodie…and very fussy…so it says a lot!

L&L: Which venues are part of the collection and how do they differ from one another?

KRC:

Kennebunkport Inn
The Kennebunkport Inn offers traditional coastal New England accommodations with modern amenities and a prime location in the heart of Dock Square. One Dock, the Inn’s onsite restaurant, showcases fresh Maine seafood and local fare with an inspired twist. Host an intimate wedding ceremony and reception on our patio, where twinkle lights and lanterns create a warm glow, or choose our dining room, which can be configured to accommodate groups of varying sizes. Our onsite team of event planners will ensure every detail is looked after. Steps away from world-class dining, art galleries and shopping, the Kennebunkport Inn is the ideal venue to host your coastal Maine event. Seating Capacity: 60

The Coastal House
The Coastal House offers a premier venue for Maine weddings, conferences, business meetings, and social events. With a superb location minutes from Kennebunkport, Wells, and Ogunquit, the Coastal House has an elegant, classic New England ambiance and offers flexible event space. One of southern Maine’s largest wedding venues, the Coastal House also features state-of-the-art meeting facilities and a team of expert event planners who will ensure your special event is nothing short of spectacular. Seating Capacity: 200

Chase Hill Meetings & Events
Located waterfront on the Kennebunk River, Chase Hill has been hosting events for years, ensuring yours will be flawlessly executed and positively memorable. Natural sunlight and excellent water views create a warm, inviting atmosphere, making it a lovely spot to host smaller, more intimate Kennebunkport weddings. Our staff, facilities and experience will create an exceptional affair. Seating Capacity: 60

The Tides Beach Club
Prominently situated overlooking pristine Goose Rocks Beach, The Tides Beach Club offers a breathtaking setting, chic atmosphere, luxury amenities, and exceptional service—the ultimate choice for your Maine beach wedding. Two Jonathan Adler-designed suites feature ocean views and private decks, and all of our guest rooms offer a spacious yet cozy environment where every detail has been considered. Onsite dining room and vibrant bar feature menus bursting with fruits of the sea and fresh garden vegetables, skillfully prepared in an uncomplicated manner to emphasize the great quality of the food and loving attention of the chef. Seating Capacity: 80

Old Fort Inn & Resort
Tucked a short distance from Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, the Old Fort Inn offers classic New England ambiance, modern elegance, and a private setting. Once a “grand dame” Kennebunkport Resort in the 1800s, the Old Fort Inn’s well-appointed guest rooms are housed in the original stable and carriage house. Enjoy an afternoon cocktail in our “gallery,” featuring plush leather furniture and a stone fireplace—or bask in the sun’s rays on a comfy chaise lounge near our heated pool. Our screened porch is the perfect place to hold your intimate wedding or business meeting. Beautifully landscaped grounds create a lovely, tranquil environment perfectly suited for your special occasion. Seating Capacity: 40

Hidden Pond
Nestled throughout 60 acres of birch forest and sweet fern, Hidden Pond offers three event venues, with the option of hosting events in one or more locations. In addition, we offer two-bedroom cottages and one-bed bungalows, a lodge, two pools, our Tree Spa, the Sand Bar Grille & Back Porch Bar, nightly bonfires, and much more for overnight guests.

EARTH
Created in collaboration with famed chef and James Beard Award-winner Ken Oringer, Earth focuses on “farm to fork” freshness, with a menu that features organic vegetables and herbs from two onsite gardens, and the freshest local seafood and meats. Earth’s décor brings the outside in, with a soothing rustic palette, walls dotted with “pickles” of tree trunk, a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, and open-air patio overlooking gardens and pond. Earth is the perfect location for your Maine destination wedding. Seating Capacity: 80

THE EVENT BARN
Across from Earth is the Event Barn, a 1,400-sq-ft facility featuring a soaring ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the forest floor. A short walk to the Balsams, Serenity Pool, and Tree Spa, the Event Barn is at the hub of Hidden Pond’s activity, and is the perfect location to accommodate your special event. Mercedes Benz chose Hidden Pond’s Event Barn to host press members for the launch of their 2012 C Class in 2011. Seating Capacity: 80 / Cocktails: 100

THE FARM
The largest of two onsite organic gardens at Hidden Pond, the Farm is a breathtaking spot in which to celebrate your special day. Ornamental grasses, colorful flowers, and rustic buildings create perfect photo opportunities. Weddings at the Farm may be tented. Seating Capacity: 200, for tented events

L&L: Do any of the venues offer rehearsal dinner space? Or overnight accommodations for guests?

KRC: Yes; all offer rehearsal dinner space. The Kennebunkport Inn, Old Fort Inn, The Tides Beach Club and Hidden Pond also offer overnight accommodations. Depending on the time of year and availability, room blocks and a possible block discount may be available.

L&L: Is it possible for couples to arrange a time to tour the venues to see which might best fit their needs?

KRC: Of course…they should reach out to Colleen Geary, our Events Manager. She can be reached at 207-641-8300.

L&L: Can you explain the catering process. Are there particular menus that couples choose from, or can couples request particular items?

KRC: Both…each venue offers its own, distinct menu, as each has a different personality if you will. Chefs at each property will work with the bride and groom to design their perfect menu, building off a base list of offerings. Fete Event Catering has a la carte and packages created, which clients can peruse and choose from as well. So, per venue menus will be available, as will Fete Event Catering menus.

L&L: If couples are curious to learn more, do you have a website or any printed materials that they can look through?

KRC: For more info online, they can visit http://kennebunkportresortcollection.com/weddings.html. This will link them to Fete Event Catering’s website, the Kennebunkport Resort Collection website – where they can explore all our properties – and to the event venue options.

L&L: Off topic, what “must-see” places and eateries do you suggest folks from out of town check out while visiting New England?

KRC: We list a lot of our favorites on our new website, Destination Kennebunkport… if someone is visiting, don’t miss:

Burger at the Ramp
Dinner at Earth – ANY of their pastas or pizzas
The Wine List at Hurricane
Cocktails and a Small Plate at One Dock
Organic and vegetarian fare at Bandaloop
Carnitas nachos at Pedro’s
Lunch at The Tides Beach Club – lobby roll or fried clam roll!

L&L: Thank you for giving us an inside peek into the KRC. If readers want to get in touch with you to inquire about your availability, what is the best way for them to reach you?

KRC: Destination Kennebunkport, Kennebunkport Resort Collection, any of our Facebook pages.

We would like to offer your readers a free night’s stay, the evening of their wedding, at their chosen property. If they host their event at Chase Hill or the Coastal House, this would include a stay at either the Old Fort Inn, Kennebunkport Inn or the Grand Hotel. Minimum stays apply.

Wow! Thanks so much, Beth, and the KRC!

Clockwise from top Center: Jessica Peterson, Rifle Paper Co., Amelia Lyon Photography, Lane Dittoe Photography for Wedding Chicks with floral design by Oak and the Owl, Ellen Ho, Austin Gros, KelleyDeBettencourt.com, One Love Photo

Etsy Weddings, plus a registry!

Our infatuation with Etsy has officially grown into true love. The online marketplace for all things vintage and DIY has just launched a new section on its site that gathers all of its wedding-related goodies in one convenient place.

Etsy Weddings features the doggie bowties, handmade fascinators and other items brides know and love, but in curated collections coupled with how-to’s, trends, expert advice and stories of real couples. Just recently, the site was brimming with décor and paper goods ideas, a feature on the monogram necklace trend for bridesmaids, and modern takes on the ancient Jewish tradition of ketubahs.

And in another exciting development — brides everywhere are squealing “FINALLY!” — Etsy has launched a wedding registry. Those handmade ceramic mugs, personalized pillows and vintage kitchen utensils can finally be yours, courtesy of your generous guests. (Over on Etsy Weddings, check out the blog post with advice about setting up a registry, and avoiding gift-grab guilt).

Etsy Weddings, where have you been all our lives?

A recent New York Times article got the wedding world buzzing about a new trend: the staged elopement.

Falling somewhere between a quickie wedding in Vegas and the typical all-out affair, the staged elopement is a reflection of the times. Couples who would rather avoid the stress and intense planning of a standard wedding, but who still dream of the fairytale locale and the dream dress, are fashioning a new middle ground. Rather than a last-minute scramble to the altar, brides and grooms-to-be are planning romantic getaways with music, photos, flowers and food – but no guests.

If the elopement packages being offered at Maine inns and resorts are any indication, the trend has made its way to the Northeast.

Here are just a few of the spots catering to elopements:

Berry Manor Inn, Rockland: The inn will arrange for the officiant, flowers, cake, witnesses and a professional photographer. Celebrate with a meal at a downtown restaurant, and return to a room bedecked with rose petals, chocolate-dipped strawberries and chilled champagne.

Beachmere Inn, Ogunquit: Enjoy a two-night stay in an oceanfront suite, plus flowers, a justice of the peace, dinner for two at a local restaurant, and a relaxing couples massage at the inn’s spa.
Inn by the Sea, Cape Elizabeth: In addition to two nights in a room with an ocean view, the inn’s package includes long-stemmed roses, wine and a three-course dinner. Wake up to your first day as a married couple with an in-room honeymoon breakfast.

Sebasco Harbor Resort, Phippsburg: Choose from a variety of indoor and outdoor coastal ceremony sites, and let the resort supply the officiant, a wine and cheese platter, and flowers.

Noble House Inn, Bridgton: The inn’s all-inclusive package features welcome mimosas, a two-night stay in a luxurious suite, an officiant, a bouquet and boutonniere, professional photography, a multi-course dinner and a petite custom cake. The next day, feast on a gourmet breakfast. (Ready to say “I do” right away? The inn is offering $200 off spring 2012 bookings.)

The results of TheKnot’s annual wedding survey are in, with a few surprises this time around.

The survey, conducted with WeddingChannel.com, lifts the veil on the trends and tastes of engaged couples during the previous year.  In 2011, cupcakes and the color purple remained all the rage, but a new trend also emerged: bigger budgets.

• For the first time since 2008, the typical wedding budget grew. An average couple spent $27,021 on their walk down the aisle, compared to $26,984 last year (not including the honeymoon). 29% of brides said the economy affected their budget, a dip from 31% in 2010. Boston made the list of the 20 most expensive wedding locales, where couples shelled out $35,560 on average.

The wedding winds are shifting in a few other areas, too:

• Brides got a jump on planning. One in three started prepping more than a year ahead of time. Think that’s ambitious? 16% of women reported planning their big day before getting engaged.
• Couples fell for fall. Only 37% of weddings took place in the summer months of June, July and August last year, down from 41% in 2010 and 2009. The numerically auspicious dates of 9/10/11 and 11/11/11 gave autumn an edge.
• Love went digital. Nearly 70% of couples created a wedding website and 45% shared wedding details with guests through social media. Three out of five brides tapped her trusty smartphone to share wedding-related photos, look up vendors and manage a registry.

But not all trends are on the way out:

• Couples kept it casual. Most brides planned semi-formal affairs, but fewer opted for black tie. In 2011, 16% of brides described their wedding as casual, compared to 14% in 2010 and 12% in 2009.
• A preference for purple. It’s still the fastest-growing wedding color. Brown weddings are falling out of favor, though, after the countless espresso-toned weddings that popped up in 2008.
• A soft spot for cupcakes. These sweet treats aren’t going anywhere. Their popularity swelled from 13% of weddings in 2010 to 17% last year. Watch out three-tiered cakes, you’ve got some pint-sized competition.

September 10, 2011

Private Residence ~ Little Compton, Rhode Island

The best part of our wedding was that all of our friends and family contributed to making our dream wedding become a reality. Everyone brought their individual talents and creativity to the table the weeks leading up to and the day of the event. Friends from all stages of our lives were coming together with family members to setup for the wedding- and it was a blast! All of the worry and stress went out the window the morning of the wedding, it was just a beautiful day from start to finish. Seeing family and friends all working around the house I grew up in was just such a perfect image.

There had been a hurricane the weekend before, which we usually look forward to (my husband and I, as well as most of our friends and bridal party are surfers), but this was a little close for comfort. It rained everyday for a week until the wedding, and the forecast called for rain the day of. I had to make the call about the ceremony tent (whether or not to have one), on Wednesday. It was raining and my maid of honor and I had just unloaded a truckload of mulch for the house, which my sisters in law were spreading with us. I’ll never forget that.  The morning of the wedding we woke up to the radio saying…”it’s a picture perfect day.”

My favorite movie is Jurassic Park… so I had the string duo play the theme song as I walked down the aisle as a surprise for everyone.

The bridal party came from on top of the hill in the yard, but made a surprise entrance with my dad up from the beach where Alex proposed.

photography: Olivia Gird Photography
catering: Easy Entertaining RI
florist: Sayles Livingston Flowers
music: Felix Brown Band

Clockwise from top Left: Emilie Inc., Tara Parekh Photography, Georgi Anastasov Photography, Jake Holt Photography, Kelly Chandler, Root Photography, Kate McElwee Photography, Dave Richards Photography

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