islandweddings
DESCRIPTION
W Island 2010 IslandWeddingsOnline.com engagement ring is on your finger and everyone is excited for you. What type of wedding ceremony and reception do you want? Where do you want them? ceremony • rehearsal dinner • reception Most of you are reading this because you have decided to have a destination wedding and the destination is Nantucket Island! What a magical location. Your guests are going to feel as if they are on vacation and you get to come back to celebrate your anniversary!TRANSCRIPT
locat ion
You know who you are going to marry, theengagement ring is on your finger and everyone is excited for you. What type of wedding ceremony and reception do you want? Where do you want them?
Most of you are reading this because you have decided to have a destination wedding and the destination is Nantucket Island! What a magical location. Your guests are going to feel as if they are on vacation and you get to come back to celebrate your anniversary!
If the ceremony is to be in a church, now is the time to see if the date you have in mind is available. Or you may want a beach ceremony, or for it to be at your reception site. So book the venue and the minister! I guarantee that once you reserve this, you will start to feel like a real wedding is going to happen!
Then you can start to think about other things, like music, photographer, caterer, rehearsal dinner site, guest list, gown and oh, so much more! But one step at a time in creating your perfect day!
ceremony • rehearsal dinner • reception
seaside
Having a seaside ceremony is very “Nantuckety,” and why not take advantage of the beautiful backdrop? Half of your decorating is done for you! A beautiful arch or canopy of flowers or urns filled with cascading flowers and beach grass is all you need.
Your aisle can be made by chairs alone set directly on the sand. It can be marked by shells or starfish. You could have a boardwalk for an aisle, very beachy indeed!
Since the setting is informal, you do not need a full complement of chairs for your guests. Some of the younger guests can stand behind the rows of set-up chairs.
Think about supplying flip-flops for your guests to wear onto the beach. Provide dip buckets of water or just face cloths that they can use to dust the sand off of their feet as they leave the beach.
tent
A white tent on your property or at the beach has the makings of a fairy-tale wedding. An excellent array of tents are available, and the owners of the tent companies are willing to consult with you to determine the size and style that will suit your wedding budget.
Since many couples choose to have an outdoor reception, tent rentals are an important consideration with unstable Northeast weather. An Island spring, for instance, is unlike springtime on the mainland. The weather in April and May can be like a continuation of winter – or the sun may shine on delicate flowers and tender new leaves and grass.
Summertime, on the other hand, is a safer time for weddings. The weather is more predictable and pleasant, but having a tent on reserve is a must. Be sure to have space heaters and sides that roll down should the weather take a turn for the worse.
location, location, location . .
venue
A wedding location can be as varied as colors chosen for brides for their weddings. After October, receptions are generally moved indoors due to the cold and inclement weather. On Nantucket, it can be an in-town restaurant, a historical site (the Nantucket Whaling Museum, the Lifesaving Museum in Polpis, the Atheneum library garden) or on the lawn of a seaside resort such as the White Elephant or The Wauwinet. Not to be forgotten is the true beach wedding at The Galley.
There are a variety of indoor reception sites, ranging from restaurants and waterfront hotels to intimate historic inns. All are familiar with brides and grooms, and will go out of their way to meet your needs. In fact, many establishments even have their own coordina-tor on staff. The site should be booked as soon as the date has been set and the church or wedding location has been reserved.
at home
Some brides are lucky to have parents with a summer home or one of their own. It seems only natural that they might want to have the wedding ceremony at home either inside or out on the lawn.
Depending on the number of guests and the size of the house, it is a comfortable place to have things set up. Just call a party rental company to provide chairs and you are all set. The florist will come to you.
If you choose to have the reception there also, you are spared the expense of transporting guests from the ceremony to the reception. It is more relaxing and intimate to be at your family home.
Having a home venue can, in fact, be a choice just for the rehearsal dinner. Something to consider!
invi tat ions , guests & attendants
Who do you want to celebrate this milestone with you? What best friends and relatives do you want by your side to attend to you? Who do you want as guests to affirm your vows with you?
Is it to be just your party, or will your parents have a complement of their friends? Most often it is a nice mix of both. After all, they are probably paying for the event! The best approach is for everyone to write out who they want to be invited and then compare lists. Each list should have two sections, the “must have” and then the “hope to have.” Once this is done, look at the size of your venue and the money in your pocketbook, and that will tell you if everyone can come or if the lists need to be cut.
invitations • guests • attendants
invitations
The invitation should be simple yet elegant. Remember to include all of the people involved in the wedding itself, and to address them properly. Be sure to indicate if you’re inviting the children of the family or if a single person can bring a guest.
Engraved invitations take at least four weeks to print; order 8-10 weeks in advance of wedding date and mail 4-6 weeks before the wedding. Save-the-Date cards should be mailed 6-12 months ahead of the date.
Order a few more invitations than you think you will need - they can be used for keepsakes and last-minute guests.
Try to get the envelopes before the invitations so you can start addressing immediately.
Buy romantic / appropriate stamps.
Order stationery at the same time you order invitations - thank-you notes and personal stationery engraved with your new name or initials, place cards, napkins and matches.
guests
The number of guests invited is mainly dependent upon finances. If you have a huge family and multiple friends between the two of you, cutting costs somewhere else should be considered so that everyone you want can be included. Are children to be invited? Are all single friends allowed to bring a guest? Are parents inviting the golfing buddies and your mom’s bridge cirle? There will be tough choices. If faced with too many on the guest list, you can look at a category that could be cut on both sides of the family, such as every-one from work - just the ones you socialize with all the time is enough.
In the end, you will end up with a spe-cial group that will share the day. Consider what your guest book will be. Be creative to remember who was there.. How about your invitation with an over-sized mat that guests can sign or a photo booth with the shots pasted into an album and messages signed next to their photos?
invitations, guests & attendants ...
attendants
These are the friends or family who are closest to you and who will be supportive during the planning process. They do not need to be the people whose wedding you were an attendant in. It may be your sister or brother or your best friend. Your maid of honor and best man will be your “go to” people, helping you with tasks and decisions throughout the palnning process.
Plan on giving all of them a gift. This can be done at the bridal luncheon or the bachelor party. If not then, do this at the rehearsal din-ner when all of them are present. Try to give something useful yet personal. It could be something monogrammed or the same gift but in different colors. Bridesmaids could be given necklaces to wear on the day of the wedding.
Try to have an even number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. If you don’t, have them walk down the aisle singularly. Don’t leave someone out just because you think you need pairs.
children
In England, the wedding attendants are primarily children. Remember Princess Di-ana’s wedding and the multitude of children who preceded her down the aisle?
Children add charm to a wedding, but they can also add the unexpected. For that reason, you need to have a back-up plan and a sense of humor. They may refuse to walk down the aisle, run instead of walk or just refuse to do what is expected of them. Have someone in the wings to help in case they panic.
Consider a support system for them. Maybe a younger child holds a junior bridesmaid’s hand, two children hold hands together or a parent walks down with the little one. Giv-ing children a task also helps. Dropping rose petals, holding a flower and putting it in a basket at the head of the aisle - all will keep them focused. Have them stay in place if the ceremony is short, or else go to a seat. Expect the unexpected, but only if you can laugh.
what to think about ...
What if I have planned a ceremony on the beach and a reception in my fam-ily’s garden? What if the weather doesn’t co-operate?
You have dreamt of your wedding on the beach, it has always been that way in your mind. But what if the weather doesn’t co-operate? You need to have a “Plan B.” You can’t just set up a tent on the beach, so an inside venue for the ceremony must be in place.
You may have room inside the house or at the reception location. Just have “Plan B” ready to go hours ahead of time. And let your wedding planner assume this responsi-bility. That is why it is worth hiring one. You or your family do not need to worry over this!
If the ceremony is to be outside in the garden, same senario; set up a tent in the garden.
The tent rental companies will accommodate you by having a tent on stand-by! Watch the forecast and let the tent people know the day before if they are to set one up. Yes, there is a “stand-by” fee, but it’s worth it!
If it rains, how do I get guests from one location to another or just in and out of cars without getting wet?
Buy umbrellas ahead of time and give them out to special guests if they are not used. You can have a bridal com-pany (find one online) that will monogram your wedding date on them. Have people ready to hold umbrellas over guests’ heads.
If you are trying to figure out how to get yourself from one spot to the next without ruining those white satin Manolos, put on a pair of rain boots in a crazy design and walk through the puddles with your gown held high! Make sure the photographer gets a photo of that! It may seem stressful at the moment, but you will laugh at it later!
Should I pay the bill for my guests’ rooms since I am having a destination wedding?
Absolutely not! You will offer suggestions for how to travel to the wedding location, where they can stay, eat or what they can do, but you are not responsible for their bills. You are only responsible to feed them for the wedding lunch or dinner, and possibly the morning brunch.
Set up a wedding website (find companies for this on-line) where you can give sugges-tions for accommodations (list approximate price range and distance from ceremony site). Another suggestion is to include this information in your Save-the-Date cards. Some hotels or guest houses will block off a number of rooms for your guests until a certain date. Ask if this is possible and then let your guests know the deadline.
On Nantucket, a group of people may find that renting a house together is very cost effective and a great deal of fun to all be together.
Everyone will have a different price point, so let them book their own accommodations.
How do I get guests from one locatin to another?
Nantuket is capable of many senarios. Have an in-town church wedding and choose an in-town reception site, and then guests can walk from the church. This is a festive event. You can give guests balloons as they leave the church to carry down the street; bottles of bubbles to blow in the wind; or delicate bells to ring as they walk. The bride and groom may choose to walk ahead of them. It certainly is an event to see a bride and groom walking down the street. Some brides have been known to pause in the middle of Main Street for a memorable photograph. Of course, all traffic is happy to stop!
There are many companies available to transport your guests comfortably from one location to another. Vans, buses and antique cars are available depending upon the number of people needing transportation.
What type of activities do I plan for my guests when they are here for the weekend?
Have a welcome basket or packet for each guest and have it delivered to wherever they are staying. Appoint people that want to help you to do this, or your wedding plan-ner will make arrangements for this. In it, you should have an itinerary for each day of the wedding weekend. Let guests know the time and place of wedding events, and the rest of the time is their free time. Offer a list of suggested activities and places to eat their meals.
Include a guide for them, and they are sure to discover many things they will want to do on their own. Suggestions: sightseeing toursbike rentalsharbor tourswhale watchesmuseum toursfishing charters
There are a number of ways to get to Nantucket. Should I give my guests this information?
Getting in your car and driving to Nantucket is not an option, and the Island has its own quirks, such as fog, high winds and high seas, that can deter even the locals from getting on and off “The Rock.”
Your guests need to watch the weather (not a problem in the summer!) as boats and planes can be canceled. Be sure they are aware of this.
One can take the plane from Boston, New York or Cape Cod. Another option is to take a boat. There are two boatlines: the Steamship Authority or the Hy-Line. Either will bring you here “quickly” on a fast ferry, which takes one hour from Hyannis, MA. The other option is the slow boat (which also car-ries cars). This trip takes two hours and fifteen minutes. Even thought it may seem long, it is very relaxing and it eases you into the slower pace of life that you will find once you are here.
Boats will go if it is foggy, but planes will not. Planes may fly in high winds, but boats may be canceled. Watch the weather forecast.
Are there historical places to get married on the Island?
Since Nantucket is steeped in history, having a historical location for your wedding only makes sense. There are many locations for this. Check out our reception guide, located on the last few pages. You will need to provide your own ca-terer for these locations.
The Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum in Polpis is a serene setting that looks out onto emerald green marsh grass that softly dances when a gentle breeze blows. Guests can enjoy the inside of museum while cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served.
Another facility steeped in history is the Nantucket Whaling Museum, which hosts weddings throughout its entire space. Tables can be set up a number of ways for your guests. The use of the space is yours.
The Nantucket Atheneum has a large space, in which functions can be held. This building is located right in the middle of town. If you are married at an in-town church, it would be convenient to walk to your reception if held here.
idea #2
Booking in the shoul-der season may save you some money. Yes, the weather is a little risk-ier, but what the heck, it’s going to be a joyous event no matter what it’s like outside. Besides, rain is supposed to be good luck for a marriage!
If you can be flexible, this may save you some money. Ask the venue manager and see if there are any discounts. It never hurts to ask. If not, I am sure you will find some other ways to cut some costs.
idea #1
Getting guests to the ceremony and then to the reception requires hiring transportation services. There are lim-ousine services and buses available. One of the most unique is Nantucket Island Buggies, where you have multiple antique cars to choose from (including a vintage New York taxi).
A Long Weekend
One must think of the church, Save-the-Date cards, the invitations, the reception site, the caterer, flowers, the gown, shoes, attendants’ dresses, tuxedos, rings, special ribbons, the garter, hairdos, manicures, the trousseau, party favors, tabletop linens, the wedding cake, thank-you gifts and, finally, something borrowed and something blue. Once all the planning is done and the wedding comes off without a hitch, what remains is a dress, rings, an album of photographs and, most importantly, memories. With a weekend wedding, you will have many memories.
Wedding planning actually begins in childhood, when little girls are read fairy tales. Weddings take on a magical quality, and every little girl anticipates hers. Years later, in middle and old age, through many anniversary celebrations retold, the day is relived. A wedding is an event of magnitude, a life milestone! Can you imagine this much planning for a three-to four-hour event? That is why planning and preparing for a wedding consumes months, if not years. The task is nothing short of monumental!
“Nantucket style weddings” are the best. They span three to four days,
not three to four hours. What a wonderful way to remember this
milestone in your life!
Nantucket wedding lets the wedding couple, their family and friends enjoy each other and the Island in a relaxed manner. To plan a long weekend away from work and family, your guests definitely need advance notice. This is where Save-the-Date cards are a must. Plan to send them out nine to twelve months before the wedding. Nan-tucket is a resort, and rooms book far in advance of the season. With notice, family and friends can plan their mini-vacation on Nantucket! Ask lodging establish-ments to block off a group of rooms for you for a certain length of time. Most are willing to do this. Personally check out any place that you are recommending. You can then send a list of these places (along with a price range) with your Save-the-Date card.
Your special weekend begins with the arrival of your guests to the Island. They will come to the Island by plane or boat, and definitely at various times. Be sure to designate a few people to pick up special guests. Let the others make their way to hotels via taxi. You may be able to greet some of your guests, but their arrival time may occur during your bridal luncheon, facial, manicure or final consultation with the wed-
ding planner. Don’t feel pressured to be everywhere at once. “Nantucket By the Sea,” an event-decorating business (508-228-3866), does personalized welcome packages for wedding or corporate guests. Attach a personal note to the package so your guest feels welcomed by you, even if you can’t be there to greet them. Be sure to include this magazine in your welcome packets. It provides a wealth of information for your guests. You can order them on NantucketOnline.com.
Remember that you want to relax before your wedding. If you don’t, it will show in your wedding photos!
One day before the wedding, plan an early morning fishing trip for the groomsmen (at the dock by six or seven a.m.) and a morning at a spa for the bridesmaids (along with a catered continental breakfast). After a relaxing morning, the bridal luncheon will take place and then you can meet up with your husband-to-be.
Arrange activities for your guests to enjoy that are unique to Nantucket. Try to find free or inexpensive
A
things for guests to do. A list of suggested activities can be included in the welcome basket placed in each guest’s room prior to their arrival.
If there are events that need pre-booking, add a list of them to your Save-the-Date card or do a separate mailing. Have guests respond back by a certain date, so that you can book it. If a group event is offered to all guests, they should not pay for it, you should. A relative or friend may offer to host an event for all guests. What a nice gift that would be!
Everyone has arrived! The festivities begin with the Friday night welcome party, usually hosted by the groom’s family. It can be a simple yet elegant event, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; casual with a clambake; or elaborate with a candle-lit sit-down dinner. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that both family and friends get acquainted. Make sure the music is not too loud, as you want to promote conversation. Softer background
music is best. No one needs to dance tonight; they will at your wedding tomorrow! Think about starting early, so that you can go out and party at some of the local establishments afterwards. There are some great local spots!
A wedding is history, a new family’s history. The beginning of a new life with someone and all that comes after it. It is one of the three main events of life, keeping company with birth and death. Many tears are shed at all three, certainly happy ones at the wedding.
The wedding ceremony dates back through the ages. It is celebrated with many traditional components: the veil (symbolizing chastity and submission), the ring (a vein was thought to go from the fourth finger to the heart), bridesmaids and groomsmen (reinforcement when weddings were done by capture), flowers (a symbol of fertility) and food (a celebration feast). All of these are carefully planned and chosen for your wedding day, assuring that your wedding has your
personality.
Time seems suspended when one sees the bride in her gown and veil before she takes that first step down the processional aisle, be it at a church, on a lawn or at the beach. It is a moment in time never to be forgotten by all who witness it.
A breakfast is held on Sunday morning. The bride’s family or a close friend may host it. This is the last opportunity to thank all who have come to share your personal day. Family and friends can say goodbye to each other. Let guests know that a breakfast is part of the wedding itinerary when you send out your Save-the-Date cards. If you want a sit-down breakfast, you will need a reply card.
If you want it to be casual, plan a breakfast buffet that spans a three-hour time period (8-11am), allowing guests to eat whenever it is convenient. Guests leaving early will come at the start and others will arrive later, wanting to sleep in.
Your wedding will be memorable if done in a Nantucket style ~ a long, leisurely event
that spans several days!
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mid-week
The bride and her family arrive to finalize details with the florist, ca-terer and wedding planner. Have your mother or maid of honor with you. Maybe go out for a nice lunch before you go to some of the appointments, as you do not want to be stressed. The details you are attending to now are the final ones. These final touches personalize your wedding. All the “little things”seem more important now that the date is finally here!
saturday
The day has finally arrived! The wedding ceremony is today or tonight. Evening weddings do make for a more relaxing day for the bride and groom. There is more time to have hair done or play a round of golf! Guests can do their “thing” in the morning. Some guests may even arrive mid-day.
If it is a morning wedding, then a luncheon will probably be the menu that is planned.
sunday
A farewell breakfast is held to say goodbye to your guests and to thank them for sharing your wedding with you. This time is relaxing, no formalities and no specific time for all to be there. Set a time that breakfast will be served and guests can arrive at their leisure (from 8-11am). This time frame will allow guests to come if they are getting an early plane or boat, and some can sleep in if traveling later.
thursday
The wedding party arrives. The bridesmaids and groomsmen should spend some time alone with the wedding couple before guests arrive later in the week. Make these people feel how special they really are to you. You have decided to make these few the most important at your wedding. Plan a day at the beach. A beach picnic to Great Point during the day then a trip to Madaket in the early evening with a picnic dinner to watch the sunset. After that, hit the bars for a fun evening. This night will be one for all of you to remem-ber. Maybe this will become an an-nual event with these special people.
friday
All the guests arrive and they are welcomed at a cocktail reception or dinner party (or clambake!) after the church rehearsal. The rehearsal dinner is customarily given by the groom’s family. You may find that they will pay, but ask that you make all the arrangements since you know and have been dealing with ven-dors. I know, just one more thing, but it is hard for out-of-towners to make plans when it is a destination wedding. Your wedding planner can call them directly once you have a venue chosen, and they can decide on some of the details (food, music, etc.).
a nantucket wedding is days of fun
f lowers
Flowers will make your wedding beautiful, so spend extra on them! They will add beauty and fragrance. There are not many events that are so punctuated by flowers as a wedding. Put them everywhere for impact. This does not mean that they need to be overpowering, but just beautiful, subtle statements tastefully done. No matter how you use them, flowers will be something your guests and you will remember!
Flowers in tall urns, glass vases on the table, kissing balls or cascading topiaries are but a few of the ways flowers can enhance your wedding, whether it be at the church or the reception. Choose some flowers that are fragrant to fill the air with scent and others for the impact of their form or color. Having a single color palette, used in different shades, is a sophisticated presentation.
Soft colors for spring, vibrant fresh colors for summer, warm tones for autumn and crisp or crimson colors for winter. These are but a few ways to choose. But there are no real rules, so let your desires dictate something that you will love. Your florist will guide you to what is available in your season.
bouquets and boutonnieres • church • reception
bouquets
Your wedding bouquet should have elements that tell about your personality. Should the bouquet be traditional (round and compact) or have the feel of a looser design, as if the flowers were just picked from the garden? To make a dramatic statement, you can choose a few stems of calla lilies tied with a ribbon or a bouquet made up of all one type of flower such as hydrangeas, the Nantucket favorite.
Your color palette will influence your choice of flowers to some extent. We are lucky to have most flowers available to us year-round, but check with your florist first if you are really set on something. It is best to choose three colors to start with and then add to that if need be. If you have decided on a one-color palette, choose flowers with different textures to keep bouquets and arrangements from looking flat.
You will, of course, be confined by budget, so talking with your florist about costs of dif-ferent flowers will help you to make the final decisions.
boutonnieres
The groom and groomsmen will wear a single flower, usually one chosen from the bride’s bouquet. Make the groom’s boutonniere different from the groomsmen – his should be more personalized, as a gift from the bride to him.
Consider boutonnieres for fathers, grandfa-thers, readers, siblings and anyone else that is special to you who you want to distinguish. These do not have to match the bridal bouquet. It is a nice gesture and will make that person feel special.
Corsages or wrist corsages are given to the mothers and grandmothers, as well as to anyone else that you want to remember. These can coordinate with their outfits rather than matching the wedding flowers.
flowers, flowers, flowers . . .
down the aisle
Flowers decorating the aisle (ends of church pews or the outside chairs) add beautiful color and festivity to the ceremony. You can choose to decorate each row, every other row or just the front rows where the family will be sit-ting. When chairs are placed in a yard or on the beach, it looks pretty to swag the entire back aisle with ribbon, tulle or a flower gar-land. It makes for a pretty photograph.
Will your flower girl drop petals on the aisle as she walks in front of you or should they already be sprinkled on the aisle? An aisle on the beach can be marked by starfish or white clam shells.
Do you want guests to have rose petals to throw at you as you walk out of the church or down the aisle after being married (only if an outdoor wedding)? They are biodegrad-able and look pretty as they float down and settle on your veil. Birdseed, although nice, does hurt when tossed, and sometimes goes down your gown!
on the table
Who would think that choosing something so lovely as flowers would cause so much of a dilemma? The reason for that is that there are so many shapes and colors to choose from, not to mention that it is a huge component of the look and feel of your wedding; flowers set the tone for the whole event. An orchid would look out of place at a casual wedding, just as wildflowers would look out of place at a formal wedding. Let your floral consultant guide you even when you think you have some definite ideas. They will be able to add some additional ideas that you may not have thought about. When you meet, bring color swatches (go to the hardware store for paint chips) to better coordinate the colors you want.
Also think about re-purposing your wedding flowers. Think of places you can send them: a hospice program, a hospital, a nursing home, a Meals-On-Wheels delivery program. See if you can get someone – perhaps even your spe-cial floral person – to deliver them. All your ef-forts will be appreciated by those that receive them.
summer
spring
fresh of springtime
brightsof summer
autumn
winter
crisp of winter
warmth of foliage
I ’ve known Eric Verney since the two of us were, well, younger.
A lot younger, in fact. The kind of “younger” when you did things your
mother wouldn’t have approved of – and I’m sure that neither of our
mothers would have approved of what we were doing, if they’d known
what we were doing.
September
by Andrew Spencerphotos by Cary Hazlegrove
Jenne Atherton & Eric Verney
and pretty maids all in a row
’sconset chapel
the casino
and then they danced
of things, the Verneys were very fortunate to be locals who knew the island as well as they did. That gave them the insight into what venues that they wanted to use for the various components of the celebration. The couple chose to make their wedding a three-day event, with a family get-together on Thursday night, a rehearsal dinner Friday and the wedding and reception on Saturday, all at different locations. Again, because they were local, they knew the locations they wanted. If you’re unfamiliar with the island or don’t have the experience that Jenne and Eric did, you’ll want to rely on your coordinator, who is an important addition to your event.
The Thursday night family dinner was hosted at Jenne’s family home in Squam. Though they had the perfect setting, they needed the perfect caterer to provide the meal, something with which Nantucket is blessed to have an abundance. The Verneys chose Kim Reed from A Taste of Nantucket, who had worked with Eric’s family for many years and of whom Jenne said, “We felt especially taken care of by Kim. The whole dinner was amazing.”
For the rehearsal dinner, the couple chose the Straight Wharf Restaurant, which Jenne said struck them both as “very Nantucket.” The benefit to having the event at a restaurant is that the food, liquor and venue are all taken care of.
And then came the big day. The wedding was planned, the band was hired and the flowers were gorgeous. They say it’s good luck to have rain on your wedding day, and assuming that’s accurate, Eric and Jenne might be two of the lucki-
So having known Eric for as long as I have – and to the degree that I have – it was pretty Earth-shattering for me to learn that he was getting married. And to a very nice girl, at that.
Not one to pass up sharing a sentimental moment with an old friend, I asked Eric about his experiences with getting married on Nantucket, as their experiences as Nantucket locals who live and work on the Island can add valuable insight into anyone’s plans that include a wedding on the Faraway Isle.
First off, Jenne sang the praises of her wedding coordina-tor, Aisling Glynn from ACKtivities. “She was amazing,” Jenne said.
It surprised me, to a degree, that a girl who’d grown up on the island and knew the place inside and out would need someone else to help organize her wedding. But, as Jenne pointed out, there are just so many things that need to be done prior to the big day, it’s easy to forget. “Aisling was super helpful, as we were both a bit preoccupied in the weeks leading up to our wedding,” Jenne explained. “She thought of things that we would have definitely overlooked or just wouldn’t have had time to do properly.” Remember: a wedding coordinator does this for a living. Unless you’re Elizabeth Taylor, you don’t. A good wedding coordina-tor can save you both headaches and heartaches, so think about hiring one. Said Jenne, “I’d recommend a wedding coordinator to others. Definitely.”
In terms of the logistical planning involved in these sorts
Wedding Vendors & Venues
Rehearsal Dinner Straight WharfCeremony ’Sconset ChapelReception ’Sconset CasinoCatering A Taste of NantucketFlowers Flowers on ChestnutTents Nantucket TentsTransportation Cranberry TransportationCake Jodi LevesqueCeremony Music Mollie Glazer & Andy BullingtonReception Music Bob Lehman TrioDress Pressing Pressed for TimeBrunch Nantucket Yacht ClubWedding Planner ACKtivities
est people on the planet. As Jenne put it, “The ceremony and reception were originally planned to be at Eric’s family’s home, but then came the monsoon.” So an outside event was off!
One of the unfortunate realities of life on Nantucket is that the weather is, at times, less than predictable. But as Jenne said, “Part of loving Nantucket is loving the unpredict-ability of the weather.” Quick thinking by their coordina-tor and caterer got them relocated to the ‘Sconset Chapel with a reception at the nearby ‘Sconset Casino, and the change was seamless and uneventful. From there, the cer-emony went off without a hitch, including a cake from Jodi Levesque that pleased even the most discriminating palate of my friend Eric.
There are a lot of difficulties associated with planning any wedding, but those difficulties are definitely more pronounced on Nantucket. Housing for guests is an issue that has to be dealt with. The Verneys solved that conundrum by relying on their wedding coordinator to reserve blocks of rooms at various inns and hotels on the Island, keeping in mind that not everyone was on an unlimited budget. Her insider’s knowledge allowed her to pick the best spots for the best prices, and everyone who traveled from off-Island found a place to stay. And, as Jenne said, the weather provided those off-Islanders with
a bonus: “Getting to the Island was difficult because of the weather,” she said, “but it was an adventure for everyone!”
Travel issues reared their ugly head on Sunday after the wedding, just to add a little exclamation point to the weekend. The rough weather continued, and many of the guests had trouble getting off-Island in the morning, the wedding couple included. But being Island-savvy, the Verneys were smart enough to forego the flight to Boston and instead opted for a ferry ride and a rental car to get them started on their honeymoon.
The message here is that Nantucket is an idyllic place for your wedding, but that pastoral scene doesn’t come with-out its own set of challenges. Jenne’s advice to any would-be Nantucket brides is to hire a wedding coordinator and let them do their job, and be prepared to be flexible with your plans. If you’ve got the right attitude, the experience can be second-to-none. “We wouldn’t have done it any differently, weather included,” Jenne said. “Eric and I love living and working on Nantucket, and we were proud to show it off to our guests.”
As for me, I’ve finally managed to wrap my mind around the fact that my ferry-wake-jumping partner in crime is now married. The first baby announcement, though, is going to take a lot more time to get used to.
your style
The details of your wedding should reflect you and your groom. Combine your personalities into parts of this special day, whether it be the style of the wedding invitation, the menu or the decorations. You want people to know they are at “your” wed-ding.
Be happy if your groom contributes to the planning. This is the beginning of listening to what each other cares about. Sometimes you will have to stand firm on your ideas. Yes, it is hard if your family is paying the bill, but remember it is your day. Let them know that in a nice way. If they are insistent on some things, try to understand why they are. Maybe this is becoming the wedding your mother al-ways wanted, but her family could not afford. She wants for you what she may not have had. If that is where she is coming from, it may make you more understanding about some of her wants for the event. Be sensitive. Even though it is your day, it is meant to be a time for all to enjoy, especially the loved ones in your family. They will always be your family - keep that in mind. These are the people who will always be there for you; let them be the ones to share it with you.
style • colors • friends
be yourself
Let who the two of you are come through in all that you do ... right down to your shoes! Everyone has a style, and your wedding is one of the best ways to use that style to show who the two of you are. Do you love to do the unexpected, or are you prim and proper? Either is great - just be who YOU are.
Also, think of how to entertain your wedding guests, similar to how you would entertain them in your own home. This is the begin-ning of your life as a couple, so start your en-tertaining style now. Just be sure to relax and make this party be what you both enjoy. If that is in place, your guests will enjoy them-selves, too.
We have all seen some amazing new things on YouTube this year (you may not want to do acrobatics down the aisle) and they have received so much attention because people appreciate fun being had at a wedding!
getting there
However you arrive or leave, do it in style. On Nantucket, there are many options. Rent an antique car, as there are many to choose from. They certainly do get attention on the ubiquitous trip up Main Street so all the locals and tourists can applaud you! If your family has an old jewel, polish it up and deck her out in flowers.
A horse and carriage is romantic for the bride to arrive in. Nantucket has some beautiful ones. They look so pretty with flowers tied on the back. The horses may even get their tails or manes decorated for the affair! An-other fun option is to have white balloons flut-tering off the back of the carriage.
If you are having an in-town ceremony, it is traditional to walk into town for a few photos on Main Street. Sit on one of the sidewalk benches, stroll down the bricks or stop traf-fic while crossing the street. Everyone loves a bride, so no one will not mind if photos are taken.
details, details, details . . .
colors
Choosing colors for your wedding is one of the hardest things to do, but once done, you will breathe a sign of relief and then the dreams begin!
Everything will evolve from your color palette. Invitations, bridesmaids dresses, flowers, table linens and even the bar napkins imprinted with your names. Choose three colors to start. Let one of these colors cre-ate the drama. Or you may opt for the subtle sophistication and simplicity of a single color used in different tones.
Your colors may be influenced by the season. Winter brides can choose frosty white or liven things up with red! Summer and spring brides have the full range of the color wheel. Fall brides tend to choose warm yellows, peach to orange or yummy chocolaty browns. But the most important factor is what colors you love.
friends
Think of all the wild and crazy times you have had with the girls you have chosen to walk down the aisle in front of you. You have all shed many tears together over the boys that have come and gone - always being there for each other.
Remember the best friend you had since childhood. He has helped you with the “wedding jitters” and is now standing next to you. You chose him for your best man.
Finding a gift for these special people needs a lot of thought. Nantucket has such beauti-ful gift shops with unique items. On one of your trips here while making arrangements for the wedding, look for ideas. Special order something for the guys that can be personalized: a key chain, a set of bar glasses or a tie with a Nantucket motif. For the girls, how about a necklace that they can wear with their gowns? Give these gifts at the bridal luncheon or on the fishing trip you planned for “your guys.”
seaside colors ......................................When you fly or boat into Nantucket, you see all the colors of the ocean brought to life by the sunshine as it shines on the water. The light blue hues of the shallow water reflect and the beige sand comes through at the shoreline. Walking the beach lets you appreciate the greens of beach grass and seaweed.
This color palette is one most often used on Nantucket, but it can have unlimited variations by playing up one color as the primary and the others as accents. Use the sand-tone for a fall wedding along with the deep blue. In summer or spring, use the aqua and kelp to liven the senses.
aqua
oceana
seafoam
kelp
sand
weathered grey
inspiration for blues & greens: beach glass, seaweed, waves, kelp, beach grass
inspiration for grey & beige: shells, weathered snow fence, starfish, beach rocks, sand castles, sand dollars
ice cream cone flavors ..............................Childhood is filled with wonderful memories! Why not bring them forward to your wedding? One delicious, creamy, sweet summertime childhood indulgence was ice cream. If you want a cool summer look in your wedding decor, think of ice cream cones in luscious flavors.
This color palette is beautiful against the skin of any bride: tanned skin, dark skin, peaches-and-cream skin or milky white skin that has been protected from the rays of the sun. These colors complement all brides’ skin tones.
lemon
pistachio
peach
strawberry
inspiration for cool colors: ice cream, sorbet, peaches, pistachio, lamb’s ears, butter, lemons, limes, peaches, butter cream frosting, pastel roses, mint
the menu
food • drink • cake • toasts
Perhaps you’ve envisioned a clambake on the beach, a cozy 18th- century inn or a garden brimming with deliciously fragrant flowers as the site for your reception. While your wedding ceremony may be determined by tradition, your reception is entirely up to you. The season in which you choose to marry can determine the reception’s location and the food that will be served.
On Nantucket, the sky is the limit. From simple to simply elegant, there is an array of exciting and romantic possibilities for wedding fare. And Nantucket is well known for its restaurants and its chefs that are some of the best-trained in the world. Catering companies on Nantucket are top-notch, offering the purest to the most elegant food preparation and presentation.
Whatever the season or location, a wedding reception on Nantucket is unique. It will be a memorable and, most importantly, a delicious experience that you and your guests will not soon forget.
hors d’oeuvres & cocktails
Small or large, your reception can be made up of hors d’oeuvres alone, especially if the hours are in between lunch and dinner.
Go over the top with your choices, letting the caterer lead you to the most elaborate and varied that they offer. Be sure to have enough staff constantly offering a variety of choices. Your guests will feel well taken care of.
After the cake is cut by the bride and groom and while it is being plated, offer tempting light finger desserts that are so beautiful that no one can refuse. Then bring out the cake!
This type of reception will help to cut costs, but it will still allow you to have impressive food for your guests.
buffet
A more casual approach to your reception can be a buffet. Guests choose what they want to eat and then sit down. The food can be as distinctive as the Island location you have chosen for your reception.
Springtime menus can include scallops, smoked salmon, baked cod or stuffed fillet of sole, along with the first tender greens and vegetables of the season. Summertime is filled with local Island produce. Seafood is most requested because it is a fresh and appropri-ate dish for the region. The ocean harvests include succulent lobsters, tender sword-fish, tuna steaks, savory bluefish, fresh clams, mussels and steamers. Fall and winter menus, on the other hand, afford more “comfort foods,” such as hearty chowders, dishes made with freshly harvested cranberries and, of course, Nantucket bay scallops.
food, food, food ...
sit-down dinner
If pampered and intimate is what you want, then plan to have your guests served. This is also more formal.
You have a choice of sitting your guests across from each other at long tables or at more intimate, smaller individual tables. Seating can be assigned with place cards at each seat or guests will be assigned a table and they can sit wherever they want at that table.
the toast
The first toast is usually made to the bride and groom at the start of the reception. If it is a sit-down dinner, this can be done before dinner begins or, at a more casual reception, any time at the beginning is acceptable. The host (usually the bride’s father) will welcome the guests and honor the bride and groom. Then the best man and maid of honor will follow. After that, it is open to whomever you want ... best friends, family or those that mean something special to you. There is no rule! The groom may even toast his new bride, certainly a touching moment for all.
Champagne is, of course, traditional, but it need not be the only choice. The glasses of the bride and groom can be a special gift and be embellished with flowers or ribbons for the perfect photo op!
music & memories
Music is not only the food of love, but also a distinc-tive part of both the wedding ceremony and the reception. Today, couples have many choices for music, allowing for more creative and personalized affairs. The music chosen for the ceremony and reception should reflect the location and formality of the affair. Fortunately, Nantucket has many talented groups and musicians who can help plan the wedding music from start to finish. Many couples find planning the music one of the toughest wedding decisions to make. Being comfortable with the music and musicians you have chosen will make your special day emotional and enjoyable – just the way you’ve dreamed it would be.
Capturing memories isn’t easy! Find someone who is the best at what they do. Love their style and your comfort level with them when you first meet. Family photographs, especially wedding photographs, are cherished family possessions. Considering that they will be looked at for years to come, choose wisely. Want something your grandchildren can watch years later? Have a video made. It im-parts the real feel of the event, the music, the toasts, the joy and emo-tion of the day. Use a photographer and videographer in tandem. Then you will have it all!
music • photographers • videographers
at the ceremony
The music used in the wedding ceremony varies widely according to religion, loca-tion and formality. If you are unfamiliar with the differences among Baroque, Classical or Romantic periods of music, fear not. If planning is being done over the phone, ask the mu-sician to send you a tape of a performance. Some may even play a few bars over the phone!
Generally speaking, ceremonies held outside of churches have more flexibility in terms of musical selections. Since many weddings on the Island are held outdoors or at the recep-tion location, this allows for more creative selections. If the wedding is in a wide-open area, consider using woodwind and brass instruments, which carry a fuller, richer tone, to compensate for the area. If the wedding is taking place in a smaller, more intimate setting, two or three musicians can create a lovely sound. Consider using flute and vio-lin mixed with a cello or piano. An electronic keyboard, harpist or a classical guitarist will provide entirely different feels. Vocalists can be used to complement all music.
at the reception
When looking at bands or orchestras, consider the mood you want for each part of the reception. For example, the cocktail hour music should be upbeat but unobtrusive – such as classical, jazz or swing. This mood should follow into the dinner segment, with light ballads, light jazz and folk music, which encourages conversation. After people are finished eating, the band can break into rock, big band, calypso or Dixieland – anything the couple wants for lively dancing. However, it is important to remember that the reception has a wide variety of ages and levels of music volume tolerance. Take this into consider-ation when planning your repertoire with the musicians.
Today, receptions are a healthy mix of contemporary, big band, classical and ethnic music. Like many other aspects of planning a wedding on the Island, early booking is key to securing the right musical entertainment for the reception. Ask questions ahead of booking your group. Finally, make a list of songs you want played and when.
music & memories ...
photos
Choosing the right photographer depends on both their photographic style and their personality. The blend of these two will be what you will come across in their photos. Look carefully at their portfolio and their website, and look at what you see on the pages of this magazine, where we showcase photographers. Do you want posed photos or candids that capture you and your guests naturally? When you meet for the first time, see if it feels relaxing after a while, as this is the person you will be spending a minimum of six to eight hours with on your wedding day. Probably more time with them than any friend or family member! So you must feel a connection. Remember, you are going to have to tell them about some of your awkward family dynamics ahead of time so that they can navigate through them when shoot-ing. You can’t share this information with someone you don’t easily relate to. If that instant chemistry is not there, move on. The right photographer is out there for you - guaranteed!
videos
Most brides and grooms say their wed-ding was one big blur. Capturing the entire event on video will let you re-live the day over and over again for generations to come. Traditional photography is a must, but a video captures the life and movement of the day as it unfolds. You’ll hear voices, see tears, listen to toasts, watch children and friends dance, capture laughter and see the tenderness between the two of you many times during the day. The videographer you choose will work in tandem with your photographer. The videographer can also take still shots and weave them into the fabric of your video, whether childhood photos of the two of you, family photos or just ones from the wedding day. Their creative talents are endless.
The wedding is not the only event that can be archived on video. Consider the bridal luncheon, the groom and his men out on a fishing trip and the rehearsal dinner. Think outside the box by capturing it all. You only have one chance to create magic!
melissa berluti & dave hoggard
september 12, 2009fenwick • old saybrook, connecticut
reception site: private property in Fenwickfloral: Hana Flower Design (Mystic, CT)caterer: Coastal Gourmet (Mystic, CT)gown: Nicole Miller from White Dress By the Shore (Clinton, CT)
photos by Maggie Conley Photography
Nantucket has always been home to Melissa,
growing up here at the family’s Madaket sum-
mer house. Nantucket is where she and Dave met
while both were working summer jobs. They chose
to have their wedding closer to famliy in Connecticut,
but have chosen to make Nantucket their home.
The setting for the cerem
ony was a historic sea-
side church, Saint Mary’s By the Sea, on the
grounds of Fenwick, a private summer community
where Melissa’s family lives in the quaint seaside
town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
The dark aged wood of the church’s interior and
the smell of pine from the trees outside drifted
in through the screened church windows, whose
windows had been pullied up toward the ceiling.
Two small sections of pews created an intimate
feeling for the guests. Those present certainly felt
they were important to this couple in such an
intimate setting.
The reception tent was set up along a waterfront
marsh near Melissa’s parents’ property. The salt
air wafted in and the dancing with family and
friends went on into the wee hours of the morning!
Memories certainly were crea
ted.
fenwick
nantucket friends
seaside chapel
ivory tafetta
neices & nephews
green orchids
maria park & steve lafontaine
june 13, 2008white elephant • nantucket
wedding planner: Dolce Parties (New York)floral: Soiree Floralreception site: White Elephantcaterer: White Elephantcake: A Piece of Cake - Pamela Goddard
hair & make-up: Darya Hair Salon & Spa
photos by Kristina Ransom Photography
Far from Nantucket, in the off-island world of New York, this couple were
best of friends. Freindship developed into love and nothing could be more
wonderful than getting married on an island the couple had grown to love.
Steve had often brought his boat to Nantucket. The island was familiar to
Maria after vacationing here with Steve. Getting married here just seemed
natural, and the perfect location for a small, intimate wedding far from the
hustle and bustle of New York City was found at the White Elephant at
Brant Point Grill.
After the ceremony on the lawn, guests were esco
rted to a private, elegantly
set table on the White Elephant deck, which overlooks the harbor. It was
beautifully decorated by Soiree with calathea leaves and mini cymbidium
orchids. The bride carried calla lilies, and hydrangeas decorated the cake.
Flowers were everywhere. Even the seaside shrubs of rosa rugosa were in
bloom. Love was definitely in the air on this perfect day in June.
new york • nantucket
white elephant
little girls
rose petal filled cones
love
orchids
on the harbor
intimate
jocelyn moore & charlie gailliot
june 13, 2009 first congregational church • nantucket yacht club
weekend-wedding planner: Caroline Hillflowers: Flowers On Chestnutreception site: Nantucket Yacht Clubcaterer: Nantucket Yacht Clubcupcakes: Nantucket Bake Shopguest transportaion: Nantucket Island Toursmusic: The Sultans of Swinggown: Melissa Sweet (Priscilla of Boston)hair: RJ Miller Salon
photos by Ron Lynch Photography
Jocelyn had dreamt of having her wedding on
Nantucket since her childhood, during which time she
spent summers on the island. In fact, both she and
Charlie vacationed here with their families. The couple
fortuitously met in New York then moved to Hong
Kong for two years, where they became engaged, and
then moved back to the states. There was no doubt
that Nantucket was where they would wed. Included
in the wedding guests were over a dozen friends who
traveled from Hong Kong. The bride wore a sapphire
ring that her grandfather had given her grandmother,
since she could not be with the family for the event. This
was Jocelyn’s “something blue.” A treasured piece made
in the 1950s for her grandmother while her grandparents
lived in Asia.
The wedding was at the First Congregational Church,
and after the ceremony, the guests followed the bride
and groom to the Nantucket Yacht Club via a path
marked by balloons. Jocelyn wanted her flowers and
those of her attendants to look as if they all had just
gone out into the garden and picked them; since she
always loved peonies – which her grandmother grew
– they were the mainstay of the bouquets. The entire
weekend was meant to be fun and relaxing for all, just
as Jocelyn and Charlie remembered their childhood
summers. The best part of the reception was the old-
fashioned photo booth! Everyone popped in and out of
it all evening, and the guestbook was made up of photo
strips with personalized notes and well wishes.
This wedding weekend just added to all the wonderful
memories of times the couple had spent on Nantucket
as children.
congregational church
yach
t clu
b
photo booth
fam
ily &
frie
nds
june 13, 2009 first congregational church • nantucket yacht club
melanie marshall & sparky brooks
september 26, 2009st. paul’s church • cisco brewery • nantucket
wedding planner: Nantucket Island Eventsfloral: Flowers On Chestnut reception site: Cisco Brewerytent: Nantucket Tentscaterer: Nantucket Catering Companycupcakes: Nantucket Bake Shopcookies: Wicked Good Cookies (Boston)guest transportation: Cranberry Transportationantique car: courtesy of John Evans, a friendmusic: Boston DJ hair: Darya Salon & Spa
photos by Brea McDonald Photography
It made perfect sense to have a wedding on the
Island. The bride’s family has a summer home here
and they have always enjoyed their time here, with
a true love for the ocean. The colors for the wedding
were celery green with an accent of light teal, found
in the ties the men wore. What a beautiful Indian
Summer day on Nantucket. Beautiful Saint Paul’s Church on Fair Street was
the setting for the ceremony. Family and friends
were plentiful in the wedding party, along with a
young flower girl and ring bearer. The bridesmaids
wore a pale shade of celery green. From the ceremony, the couple rode in a friend’s
1968 Jeepster to Cisco Brewery, where the recep-
tion was held. The couple loves this place, having spent
many an afternoon here after the beach. The strains
of a bagpipe, played by the bride’s brother, greeted
all and lent a magical moment to all the happiness
that was present at this memorable celebration. The
Brewery was the perfect setting for cocktails and
hors d’oeuvres before everyone was seated for dinner
in a tent on the property. He’s a Red Sox fan and she roots for the Yankees.
Red Sox and Yankee “shirt cookies” were given as
favors to the guests. Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes
were a treat for everyone’s sweet tooth. Sparklers lit
up the night as guests waved them in celebration at
the bride and groom as they left the reception.
boston meets new york
cisc
o br
ewer
y
cupcakes
whitehydrangeas
St. Paul’s Church
bagpipes
sparklers
174
ashley sage & david moran
september 6, 2008polpis • nantucket
day-of-wedding planner: Lauren Balsbaughfloral: The Magic Gardenreception site: private estate in Polpistent: Nantucket Tentsparty rentals: Nantucket Party Rentalscaterer: Nantucket Catering Companycupcakes: Nantucket Cake Companyguest transportation: Milestone Taxi, A-1 Taxi and All Point Taxiceremony music: Mollie Glazer & Andy Bullingtonreception music: Jamie’s Junk Showgown: Pronoviashair & make-up: Tresses & the Day Spa
photos by Wayne Chinnock Wedding Photography
Being married on Nantucket was something Ashley and
David always knew they would do. As children, they
had spent many summer vacations on Nantucket with
their own families. Since the island had so much meaning
for them, it made perfect sense to make this the location
of their marriage.
Friends and family arrived on the island ahead of a
major storm, spending the entire weekend with the couple.
A tent was set up on a private estate in Polpis, making
planning the event a little easier. It also provided the
backdrop they were looking for: a serene, casual setting
amongst the natural beauty they had grown to love on
the island.
The weather wasn’t entirely co-operative. A storm was
brewing and it was very foggy. But nothing was going to
dampen the joy that was present for this event. Just an
hour before the wedding ceremony, the fog lifted. It was
as if a bride had lifted her veil for a kiss to seal her vows.
Yet again, the magic of Nantucket was there for them.
fam
ily a
nd fr
iend
s
hydrangeas
children
rose petals
polpis
magical
fogged in
176
leila balsley & stephan newhouse
june 27, 2009first congregational church • squam • nantucket
wedding planner: ACKtivitiesreception site: private property in Squamfloral: Soiree Floraltent: Nantucket Tentscaterer: A Taste of Nantucketcake: Jodi’s Cakesgown: Vera Wangshoes: Jimmy Choohair & make-up: RJ Miller Salonaerial photography: Nantucket Aerial Photography
photos by Claudia Kronenberg Photography
The day was perfect for this June bride, as spring
was in full bloom on Nantucket. The lawn of the
Congregational Church where they were married was
emerald green, and white hydrangeas framed the
entrance arch.
Leila and her maids got ready in a house across the
street from the church. Soft ruffles on the bridesmaids’
gowns fluttered in the breeze, looking like delicate pet-
als on the spring flowers that had just blossomed in
Nantucket gardens.
After the ceremony, the couple was transported out to
Stephen’s grandparents’ waterfront house in Squam,
where the reception was held in a tent on the property.
Pale pink and white paper balls floated above the guests
in the tent, and the tables had centerpieces made up of
of pink roses, peonies and snapdragons.
The perfect touch was having the event captured from
the sky by an aerial photographer.
congregational church
squam
sparklers
pale pink
waterfront
ruffles
roses & peonies
seaside
180
anne garofalo & topher paterno
october 11, 2008st. mary’s of the isle • nantucket yacht club • nantucket
The bride wore white and her shoes were red. Judy Garland would have been envious! Ever since she was a little girl, she thought of wear-ing red shoes at her wedding. Since Anne loves jewel tones, her bouquet was comprised of the most luscious warm red roses. The bridesmaids’ dresses were crimson.
Anne and Topher met on Nantucket while visiting their families and the rest is history! After being married at St. Mary’s, the couple took a walk around town, celebrating the joy of their marriage with the Town. They were sure to stop at the taxi stand in front of the Club Car where they had their first kiss. Porter Gifford, their photographer, took full advantage of the beautiful background Town provided. The bride was stunning and the groom ever-so-handsome.
Since they are both eco-minded, their wedding programs and place cards were printed on seed paper. Instead of throwing them away, guests took them home and planted them, producing wildflowers. Guests sent pictures later of “how their love grew” from this day in October.They were driven in an antique car to the
Nantucket Yacht Club, for their reception. Along the way, a bit of a push was needed to get the car going. Truly a memorable moment, when bystanders gladly lent a helpful hand.
wedding planner: Jeanne Garofalo day-0f-wedding planner: Jim Jacsikfloral: Lori’s Flowers and family and friends’ gardensreception site: Nantucket Yacht Clubcaterer: Nantucket Yacht Clubcake: A Piece of Cakemusic: Sultans of Swinggown: Les Habitudes (Los Angeles, CA)hair: R J Miller Salonmake-up: R J Miller Salon
photos by Porter Gifford Photography
nantucket yacht club
Main Street
red roses & butter cream frosting
red high heels
antique car to the church walk in town
emily broeman & whip farnum
september 19, 2009’sconset chapel • the summer house • nantucket
photos by Zofia Photography
wedding planner: Nantucket Island Eventsinvitations: Parchment (designed by Marty Kelly Paper)floral: Soiree Floral reception site: The Summer Housetent: Nantucket Tentscaterer: The Summer Housecake: Jodi’s Cakesantique car: Highland Driversguest transportation: Cranberry Transportationmusic: Perry Rossi Orchestrasecond photographer: Joe Ciarcia, Symphony Photographygown: Carolina Herrerahair: Darya’s Salon & Spamake-up: ’Sconset Flair Studio & Boutique
The setting was serene in the ’Scon-
set Chapel, where Emily and Whip were
married as the sun shone outside.
The bride wore a beautiful white eyelet lace
gown, and her bridesmaids were dressed in
coral dresses and carried white bouquets.
The bride and her attendants got ready
for the wedding at the Union Street Inn,
on Union Street in Nantucket town. The
groom and his groomsmen wore navy blue
blazers, pale yellow pants and pink Vineyard
Vines ties.
After the ceremony, the wedding party and
guests strolled through ’Sconset, over the
Codfish Park bridge and on to the wedding
reception, held in a tent set up on the water
at the Summer House. The guests signed
a coffee table book about the ’Sconset Cha-
pel.
“All things Nantucket” were completed with
blue silhouettes of the island on the menus,
Bartlett’s Farm tomatoes in the salad and
a grouping of blue hydrangeas on each tier
of the wedding cake. A monogramed linen
runner adorned the cake table. This
beautiful linen will be a family keepsake.
The band was fantastic and everyone
danced into the night. It was a day to
codfish park
hydrangeas
siasconset
see you in september ...
walk down front street
Romance evoked by nature, endless mountainous scenery of snow-peaked mountains, wandering valleys, tropical rainforests, beaches and a rich Hawaiian heritage to top it off. A honeymoon in Hawaii, specifi-cally The Big Island, can take your breath away and take you to a place of ultra relaxation or get your adrenaline pumping with an array of adventures at the Volcano National Park. Imagine flying over fiery lava spews of the Big Island’s active volcano, Kilauea. A moment to be assured neither of you will ever forget. Kilauea is currently active at two locations; the Summit and East Rift Zone (where the lava collides with the ocean).
Gaze out at the Kohala Coast on a helicopter adventure, with its chiseled coastal cliffs and thunderous waterfalls, dubbed the second most amazing scenic adventure on the Big Island. The National Volcano Park of Hawaii renders over 70 million years of volcanism, migration and evolution, and can be exciting discovered through hiking.
Explore the island via rental car (or all-terrain vehicle for those inland excursions) and lose yourselves in the off-roads, discovering signs of ancient Hawaiian villages. Cruise the Hamakua and Kona Coasts and check out local eateries, shops and watering holes. Be sure to stop by Huggos on the Rocks in Kailua on the Kona Coast. Get there early (nightly entertainment begins at 6:30), grab a table on the edge and enjoy a tremendous sunset with your favorite island concoction. Get a taste of Hawaiian culture at a luau, or “Gathering of the Kings,” which combines a theatrical performance on the colonization of the South Pacific with traditional island cuisine, a roaring bonfire and star gazing.
Romantic accommodations on the Big Island come in an array of extravagance and budgets. Stay in a secluded Treetop Suite nestled in the rainforest just outside the gates of the Volcano National Park, free from Internet, phone and cable. Treat yourselves and upgrade to an ocean-view suite at Fairmont Orchid, and let yourself be pampered in their self-proclaimed “Spa Without Walls.” The Spa at Fairmont Orchid can offer you and your significant other a couples massage. The Fairmont and other nearby resorts offer championship golf, private beaches, world class dining, private beach dinners and luxurious accommodations. Looking for the crème de la crème for a honeymoon suite? There is only one, and it typically books up to two years in advance. The Makaloa Villa will treat you both to ultimate seclusion in this stand-alone villa with endless breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy your large private pool and jacuzzi and 2,600 square feet of designer amenities.
Combine a visit to the Big Island with a stopover in Maui, Kauai, or Oahu. Inter-island flights are gener-ally moderate in price (about $80-$150 per person each way) and direct flights are readily available mid-day. Each Hawaiian island offers travelers their own unique personality.
I would recommend starting your Hawaiian honeymoon with two nights in Oahu staying directly on Waikiki Beach. Be sure to hit up Duke’s on the Beach, snorkel at the world famous “Diamond Head,” visit Pearl Harbor and lastly rent a Jeep and hit the North Shore’s hip beach towns. Maui, or “The Val-ley Isle,” radiates a natural elegance with miles and miles of soft sandy beaches, astonishing Sunsets and superb diving and snorkeling.
No matter what your fancy is for travel preferences, it all can be found on these islands of love!
For more information contact [email protected] or call 508-228-6307.
By Kristin O’Reilly
Big Island, Hawaii
the ceremony
Retired MinisterReverend Ted Anderson508-228-2730
Justice of the PeaceBette M. Spriggs 508-228-4819
Town Clerk Catherine Flanagan Stover 508-228-7217 / 508-228-7841
ChurCh of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints (Mormon) 508-325-0583
Congregation shirat hayam
(Pluralistic) Box 1145, 02554 508-228-6588
first Baptist ChurCh (Baptist) 1 Summer Street (Mail: 4 Trotter’s Ln.) Nantucket MA 02554 508-228-4930
first CongregationaL ChurCh(Congregational) 62 Centre Street, Mail: Box 866 508-228-5738
reLigious soCiety of frienDs meeting house (Quaker) 7 Fair Street 508-228-4449
st. mary’s ChurCh - our LaDy of the isLe (Catholic) Federal Street508-228-0100
st. pauL’s episCopaL ChurCh (Episcopal) 20 Fair Street 508-228-0916
siasConset union ChapeL
(Interdenominational)18 New St. • Siasconset MA 02564 508-257-6616 (summer only)
uniteD methoDist ChurCh
(Methodist) 2 Centre Street 508-228-1882
unitarian universaList ChurCh
(Unitarian) 11 Orange Street 508-228-5466
Who Can Perform Your Ceremony (other than the ministers or priests at the churches above)
Below we have provided names of churches, ministers, Justices of the Peace and Town Clerks,
along with their phone numbers and addresses. Marriage licenses can be obtained at the
Town Hall in the Town Clerk’s office if you have not applied for one in your city or town.
A license may be used in any Massachusetts city or town, but it is not valid outside of the state.
Once obtained, it is valid for 60 days. Each partner must present a medical certificate
when applying for a marriage license.
All wedding ceremonies are enhanced by music. Musicians who are hired independently by the
couple are welcome to perform in the Island churches. Please extend the courtesy of informing the
church musical director of your plans to have a musician playing at your ceremony. Illustration by
Tharon Anderson Designs
bride • physical exam and blood test
• groom’s wedding band
• wedding gift for groom
• gifts for bridal attendants
• personal stationery
maid of honor• her wedding attire
• bridal shower
• gift for bridal couple
• all obligations listed for bridesmaids
best man • his wedding attire
• bachelor party
• delivery of the clergy’s or judge’s fee
• charges for sending telegram of thanks in the name of the groom to the parents of the bride (delivered just after the couple leave on their honeymoon)
• all obligations listed for groomsmen
bridesmaids • their wedding attire
• travel and lodging expenses
• bridal shower
• gift for bridal couple
guests • travel and lodging expenses
• gift for bridal couple
groomsmen • their wedding attire (groom may furnish accessories)
• bachelor party
• travel and lodging expenses
• gift for bridal couple
groom’s family • rehearsal dinner
• travel and lodging expenses
• gift for bridal couple
bride’s family• bridesmaids’ luncheon • invitations and announcements (including mailing costs)
• bride’s wedding attire
• bride’s trousseau
• total wedding ceremony, including costs for premises, music, aisle runners, canopy, etc.
• bridal attendant bouquets
• transportation to wedding and reception for bridal party
• total reception costs, including site rental, decorations, flowers, entertainment, wedding cake, food, beverages, gratuities for waitstaff, bartenders, coat checkers, etc.
• photographs (engagement and wedding)
• gift for bridal couple
groom • marriage license
• physical exam and blood test
• engagement ring and wedding band
• gift for bride
• bridal bouquet and going away corsage
• corsage for his mother and bride’s mother
• boutonnieres for best man, ushers and fathers of bride and groom
• gloves, ascots and ties for best man and ushers
• clergy costs
• accommodations for best man and ushers
• honeymoon
who pays for whatIn years past, the bride and her family have paid for the majority of the wedding expenses.
Today, however, it is not uncommon for the groom’s parents or the couple themselves to share in paying. The following are traditional guidelines for who pays for what, but remember they are just guidelines
that are flexible according to your situation and modern day standards.
Illustrations by Tharon Anderson Designs
party & reception guide
Sites for Corporate Events, Receptions or Rehearsal Dinners
21 Federal21 Federal Street 508-228-2121
A Taste of Nantucket 19 Boynton Lane 508-228-9200
American Legion Hall 21 Washington Street 508-325-6677
Arno’s41 Main Street 508-228-7001
Boarding House12 Federal Street 508-228-9622
Brant Point Grill 50 Easton Street 508-325-1320
Cambridge Street 12 Cambridge Street 508-228-7109
Cap’n Tobey’s 20 Straight Wharf 508-228-0836
Cinco5 Amelia Drive 508-325-5151
Faregrounds Restaurant 27 Fairgrounds Road 508-228-4095
Fifty-Six Union56 Union Street 508-228-6135
Galley on Cliffside Beach54 Jefferson Avenue 508-228-9641
The Gardens - Nantucket Wildflower84 Egan Lane 508-228-2093
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
N0
No
50
100
250
50
86
230
90
150
75
165
85
250
250
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Limited
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
May-June & September - December
Year-Round
September - June
April - January
April - December
May - November
April - December
May - October
Apri l - December
Year-Round
September - June
May - June & September - October
June - October
Guest Capacit
y
Outside C
aterer P
er-
mitted Dress
ing Rooms Avail
able
Outside C
ake Vendor P
er-
mitted Outdoor T
ents
Outdoor Seating
Months Avail
able
Cisco Brewers5 Bartlett Farm Road 508-325-5929 250 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Year Round
Sites for Corporate Events, Receptions or Rehearsal Dinners
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
120
50
500
150
75
150
100
200
75 Café90 Theatre
160
110
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
June - October
April - October
June - September
April - October
June - September
May - October
May - October
Year-Round
Year-Round
May - October
April - November
Henderson’s at Miacomet Golf Course12 West Miacomet Road 508-325-0335
Harbor Wok29 Broad Street 508-325-1300
The Jettiesat Jetties Beach 508-228-2064
Nantucket Inn27 Macy Lane 508-228-6900
Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum158 Polpis Road 508-228-1885
Nantucket Lobster Trap23 Washington Street 508-228-4200
The Pearl12 Federal Street 508-228-9701
Rose & Crown23 S. Water Street 508-228-2595
Starlight Theatre & Café1 North Union Street 508-228-4479
Straight Wharf Restaurant6 Harbor Square 508-228-4499
Summer House Restaurant 17 Ocean Avenue‘Sconset 508-257-9976
The Muse44 Surfside Road 508- 228-6873 400 Yes No Yes No No Year-Round
Nantucket Atheneum1 India Street 508-228-1110 125 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Year-Round
Nantucket Historical Association 15 Broad Street 508-228-1894 Varies Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Year-Round
The Wauwinet120 Wauwinet Road 508-228-0145 200 No Yes Yes Yes Yes May - October
The White Elephant15 Broad Street 508-228-2500 300 No Yes Yes Yes Yes April - October
Months Avail
able
Outdoor Tents
Outdoor Seating
Guest Capacit
y
Dressing Rooms A
vailable
Outside C
ake Vendor P
ermitte
d
Outside C
aterer
Permitte
d
154
them
let
eat
cake