Kelley and Jarred's Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center Wedding

On Sunday, August 21st, I had the pleasure of being the coordinator for Kelley and Jarred's wedding at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center. The bride and her bridesmaids got ready a few blocks away at Hotel Marlowe, with hair and makeup by Sarah Bortner. The bride wore a gorgeous ruffled Melissa Sweet gown, and carried a bouquet of garden roses in shades of pink with accents of mint. The bridesmaids wore short navy blue J.Crew dresses and carried bouquets similar to the bride, but in lighter shades of pink.

The bride & groom decided to do a first look at the venue prior to the ceremony, which was followed by a Ketubah signing ceremony with immediate family. Due to a high chance of rain and passing showers, we set the wedding ceremony indoors inside of the theatre. Gold chiavari chairs were set for 130 guests and Petalena, who created all of the florals for the day, created a beautiful gold bamboo chuppah with sheer organza fabric at the front.

Following the ceremony, there was a cocktail hour held in the Upper Gallery. Guests enjoyed an open bar along with passed hors d'oeuvres such as mini portabella mushroom burgers, poutine, and grilled cheese with a spicy tomato dipping sauce. The bride and groom took a few more portraits together during cocktail hour, and I just had to share a little preview of the gorgeous couple from their photographer, John LoConte of John Lo Photography.

Photo by John Lo Photography
The main theatre was transformed into an elegant reception after the ceremony, with gold chiavari chairs surrounding tables with sea foam green linens, and lush floral centerpieces in mercury glass, milk glass, and silver antique tea containers from Petalena. Guests found their names on an escort chart with hanging keys, and packaged cookie favors were set at each place setting. Colorful pennant flags were hung in strands on the wall and pinned into the front of the sweetheart table along with an antique lace runner from the bride.

Guests enjoyed food prepared by Wildflour Catering, which included a mesclun green salad with fresh berries and raspberry vinaigrette, and a choice of chicken or grilled salmon for an entree. The wedding cake was served as dessert and included red velvet, carrot, and key lime custard flavors. Ari of Beat Train Productions provided music for the evening, and one of the craziest things that I've ever seen at a wedding happened during the hora dance immediately after dinner.

Everyone participated in the hora by dancing in large circles, the bride & groom were hoisted in the air on chairs, then parents were hoisted on chairs, and more dancing... then I notice that the middle group of the dancing circle isn't really moving anymore, and then all of a sudden, I see the groom literally flying in the air and then he drops to the ground... and then he is flying through the air again way over guests' heads and drops to the ground. Some guys had taken a linen off of one of the high top tables in the cocktail hour area and used it like a giant trampoline bed to hoist the groom up in the air over and over and over again. I was so afraid that the linen would rip or someone would lose a side and the groom would crash hard on the floors head first! But, who would I be to stop the fun and possibly distract one of the linen holders, so I just had my back against the wall and a hand over my mouth to cover the look of fear & shock on my face... After around seven times in the air, it was finally over and one of the guys came up to me with the linen in his hands and a huge smile on his face and said "here you go, sorry we borrowed a linen!" I just said "I'm just glad you didn't drop him!" and that was the start of a very fun evening!

Kelley and Jarred, it was a pleasure working with you both and I hope you had an amazing honeymoon in Paris!!

~Emilie

Megan and Billy's Engagement Photos by Alicia Schneider Photography

This Saturday, I'm so excited to be coordinating Megan and Billy's wedding at Nantasket Beach Resort in Hull, Massachusetts. It's such a beautiful spot right along the beach, and they are going to take the beach into their reception venue with starfish, sand, and sea glass as components of their decor. To give you a small preview of the couple, I thought I would share some of their engagement photos taken this past winter by Alicia Schneider Photography.

Photos by Alicia Schneider Photography
~Emilie

Michael & Tricia Films: Kim and Adam's Wedding Trailer

Earlier this week, I received an email from Michael of Michael and Tricia Films with a link to the wedding trailer for Kim and Adam's August 6th wedding at Spring Valley Country Club. It's a very short and sweet trailer that shows how in love and how gorgeous this couple is!! I can't wait to see the longer highlights video!


Kim + Adam's Wedding Trailer from Michael and Tricia Films on Vimeo.

Michael, you were incredible to work with on the wedding day and thank you so much for sharing your work!!

~Emilie

David and Justin's Lenox Hotel Wedding

On Saturday, August 20th, I had the honor of coordinating David & Justin's wedding at the Lenox Hotel. This was my second ever same-sex wedding, and let me just say that there was just an overwhelming feeling of joy at this wedding that I don't think I've ever seen or felt before. The reaction from their friends and family during many points of the day was incredibly moving and brought many guests to tears. Just as an example, when David and Justin were introduced into the reception, guests were making as much noise as they possibly could (clapping, yelling, screaming, you name it!) and this went on for quite a while as the couple just soaked everything in and cried happy tears on the dance floor. I'm so excited to be writing this post!

The day started off with the two grooms enjoying a three hour massage together at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Boston. If only every wedding couple could start their wedding day with pure relaxation like this!! Then they joined their four groomsmen and nine groomsmaids in a suite at the Lenox Hotel for lunch and got ready for formal portraits before the ceremony with their photographer, Kelly Griffith of Closed Circle Photography.

The ceremony for 76 guests was held at in the Dome Room at the Lenox Hotel, and was set beautifully with walnut chiavari chairs and white draping from Rentals Unlimited. Warm amber uplights were placed around the room from Groove Entertainment, and alternating green and blue square petal envelope programs were placed on the chairs. The aisle was covered with a navy blue lamour runner, with 10 giant hurricane vases with ivory candles lining the aisle along with yellow rose petals and violet orchid flowers from Orchids N' Blooms, who created all of the flower arrangements for the wedding day.

The Amherst String Ensemble played "Claire de Lune" by Debussy for the last part of the processional where Justin came in with his mother, and then after they made it to the front, the doors re-opened and David came in with his mother. It was one of those moments where everyone watching held their breath... loved it.

After the ceremony, guests walked across the hall to the Heritage Room for cocktail hour. There was a framed guestbook tree where guests signed a leaf and stuck the leaf on a tree branch in addition to many old wedding photos of generations past, and two large canvas prints of the couple's engagement photos. Along with an open bar of beer, wine, and "Bostonian" signature drinks, there was a stationary artisan cheese display as well as passed hors d'oeuvres such as vegetable spring rolls and mini crab cakes with an orange-chipotle aioli.

Guests found their table assignments on an escort chart propped on a bed of wheat grass in the foyer as they made their way back into the Dome Room for the reception. Navy blue pintuck ruffle linens and lemon bengaline napkins adorned the tables along with gorgeous centerpieces from Orchids N' Blooms. Tables were named after places in Boston like The Esplanade and Beacon Hill, and there was a mini jar of wild blueberry Stonewall Kitchen jam as the favor at each place setting. The entire room looked spectacular with tons of candles and deep violet uplighting along the walls and the columns.

For dinner, the starter was an oak leaf lettuce salad with warm hazelnut crusted goat cheese, pecans, red grapes, and balsamic vinaigrette. It was then followed by a choice of three entrées: filet mignon with garlic whipped potatoes and green beans, vegetable risotto, or roasted statler chicken breast with tarragon and roasted tomato veloute and roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary and olive oil. For dessert, there was a wedding cake from The Icing On The Cake with chocolate covered strawberries on the side, as well as a milk & cookies bar with cookies baked by one of the groomsmaids.

Going back to the wedding cake, the cake cutting was definitely interesting! The grooms cut a slice of the cake together and once it was on the plate, David cut the slice perfectly in half... (my thought was, hmm.. that's a rather large piece to eat) then he placed the knife down, and in the next second, each of them grabbed a half and totally smashed chocolate cake in each other's faces! It by far was the best cake smashing of all of my couples =) Guests danced the night away with music by DJ Deja, and here are some photos that I took of the day!

David and Justin, you two are truly one of the sweetest couples that I've ever known and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to work with you both. You were surrounded by so much love on your wedding day!! I wish you both the very best in your marriage together and hope you had an amazing honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta.

~Emilie

Anne and Justin's Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel Wedding

On Saturday, August 13th, I was the coordinator for Anne and Justin's wedding at the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel. This modern hotel is right along the water, and the bride and groom got ready here as well. The bride had her hair and makeup done by Caitlin Murphy, and wore an elegant dress by Mikaella Bridal of Paloma Blanca with a romantic chiffon bow on the back of the dress. The hand-tied bridal bouquet was made of white mini calla lilies and freesia on a bed of green hydrangea.

The ceremony for 45 guests was held in the Old North Skylight Room. It was set with Chiavari chairs and had two large arrangements in the front made of large white calla lilies. Justin saw Anne for the first time on their wedding day as Anne and her father descended down the staircase and down the aisle for the processional.

Following the ceremony, cocktail hour was held in the Old North Foyer, with an organic rainbow crudités platter as well as a variety of passed hors d'oeuvres such as mini grilled cheese and roast tomato soup, bacon wrapped scallops with a Vermont maple glaze, and blue crab in lettuce cups with lemon and aioli.

The Old North Skylight Room was transformed into the reception space during cocktail hour, and the tables were set with Frette charcoal linens, and beautiful low floral centerpieces. All florals for the day were created by Jeri Solomon Floral Design. For dinner, guests were treated to a delicious buffet that included caesar salad, crabcake station, risotto station, Jamaican jerk chicken with mango salsa, New York strip loin with caramelized cabernet soubise, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. For dessert, there was a gorgeous wedding cake from Jenny's Wedding Cakes. This three tiered square cake was covered in fondant with sugared white roses as accents, and had two flavors: key lime coconut and pistachio buttercream.

Music was provided by Ari of Beat Train Productions, and the professional photographer for the day was Edson Dias of Dias Photography. Pro photos will be coming a bit later, but for now, here are some that I took!

Justin and Anne, it was so nice working with you both, and I hope you had an amazing honeymoon in Tahiti!!

~Emilie

Jen & Joel's Barn at Gibbet Hill Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty

Happy to share that Jen & Joel's May 2011 wedding is featured on Style Me Pretty today! They got married at The Barn at Gibbet Hill, and Shang Chen of Shang Chen Photography captured their day beautifully.

Photo from Style Me Pretty
Check out all of the details of the feature here!

~Emilie

Kim and Adam's Spring Valley Country Club Wedding

On Saturday, August 6th, I had the honor of being Kim and Adam's wedding coordinator. Kim actually contacted me at the end of 2009, so I have been waiting for their wedding day for quite a while!

The bride and her five bridesmaids got ready at Kim's family home in Sherborn, with hair and makeup done by Special Event Beauty. The bridesmaids all wore matching strapless dresses and carried bouquets of white calla lilies. The bride wore a beaded white gown with a sweetheart neckline, and carried a bouquet of green hydrangea, white & purple callas, soft orange roses, and yellow cymbidium orchids. The groom and his nine groomsmen got ready at Courtyard Marriott Norwood, and traveled by a party bus from Black Tie Limo to Kim's family home.

Kim and Adam decided to do their first look at the house, and photographers, Melissa & Kjeld from Kjeld Mahoney Photography captured this special moment, as well as videographers, Michael & Tricia from Michael and Tricia Films.

Afterwards, everyone traveled to Chestnut Hill for the wedding ceremony at St. Ignatius on the Boston College campus, where Kim & Adam went to college together. Since there ceremony location was approximately 30 minutes away from the reception site, the couple decided to offer three coach buses from Local Motion as transportation from two hotels in Norwood, to both the ceremony and reception venues. In addition to the party bus for the wedding party, there was also a white stretch limo and towne car for the parents. Lots of vehicles to coordinate! =)

Following the ceremony, guests were driven to Spring Valley Country Club for a cocktail hour and reception. Cocktail hour was held in the lobby area as well as the outdoor patio, complete with fire pits, tiki touches, and cabanas. A sangria cart was available, as well as a full open bar and a pear mojito as their signature drink. In addition, there was a cheese & fruit station, silders & chips station, and vegetable crudité station along with passed hors d'oeuvres: vegetable spring rolls, scallops wrapped in bacon, baby lamp chops, shrimp cocktail, bruschetta, and Jamaican jerk chicken. Cards for the couple were put into a very cute mail box, and there were old wedding photos of generations past as well as memorial candles displayed on the piano.

The reception in the dining room had so many gorgeous details: hanging chandeliers, purple uplighting, Chiavari chairs from Rentals Unlimited, and stunning floral centerpieces from The Tangled Web. All of the stationery was created by the bride such as menu cards, donation cards, and also table numbers which were framed photos of Kim & Adam at the age that matched the table number!

For dinner, guests enjoyed a plated baby spinach salad with candied walnuts, gorgonzola chese, crisp Asian pears, and dried cranberries tossed in a sherry vinaigrette, followed by a choice of four entrées: goat cheese, spinach, & sun dried tomato filled chicken breast, grilled beef tenderloin, pistachio crusted Chilean sea bass, or walnut brown butter ravioli. For dessert, the groom's aunt made one of the most spectacular wedding cakes I've ever seen. It was a seven tiered cake that was covered in beautiful fondant flowers, pearls, and swirls. Also, there was a very impressive cookie bar which covered nearly 25 feet of tables - all homemade by the couple's friends & family, along with little takeout bags available if they wanted to save some for later!

The dance floor was packed all night with music by band, Eye 2 Eye, and if guests weren't dancing, they were probably enjoying the cigar bar out on the patio, which was Kim's surprise to Adam because he loves cigars! Photos and a highlights video will be coming a bit later, but for now, here are some photos that I took.

Kim and Adam, it was such a perfect day and I hope you are enjoying married life!! I loved working with you both and wish you the very best.

~Emilie