FEATURE-February Special Wedding Issue 2012

Photographs by Brea McDonald, Sharyn Peavey, Stacey Kane, Corbin Gurkin

Drawing from natural settings, rich interiors, and a host of Maine landscapes, stateside stylists collaborate with teams of wedding professionals to create five beautiful and wonderfully different looks that will inspire your own celebration.

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CONTEMPORARY COOL

Styling + Creative Design by Kate Martin
Photographs, Styling + Design by Brea McDonald

Maine weddings are not all about barns and wooded backdrops! To create “Contempoary Cool” we brought together a dream team of fantastic wedding pros to create an inspiration shoot that blends the raw historical elements of Portland’s waterfront with modern and traditional elements. The Portland Company was the perfect backdrop to inspire a setting for a contemporary wedding celebration. A wedding party would surely enjoy saying cheers around a table set with a mix of stylish, crafty, and textural elements. We included a decadent sweets table and a cozy place to lounge while rocking out with a cool DJ.

1) Event rentals from Leavitt and Parris combined with handmade, custom-crafted flower by Paper Posey accent the placesettings; mercury and glass details and flowers from Beautiful Days 2) A decadent Dobos Torte from Aurora Provisions 3) Simply romantic, simply modern: A bridal bouquet of white carnations and a gray dusty miller cuff from Beautiful Days 4) Lazaro wedding gown and tux through Madeleine’s Daughter; hair and makeup by Hair That Moves and Joya Beauty inspired by ’40s pinup; shoes from Tania Spinelli and vintage jewelry from Nelson Rarities 5) Sweets table with Russian tea cakes and dark chocolate cake with Tahitian buttercream from Aurora Provisions 6) Custom letterpress invitation suite from Gus and Ruby Letterpress with envelope calligraphy from Elizabeth Porcher Jones through Gus and Ruby  7) DJ Jon Tron spins it for real!  8) Custom escort cards designed by Gus and Ruby Letterpress with calligraphy by Elizabeth Porcher Jones and custom silver gilt display by Beautiful Days

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MAINE MAPLE SUGAR

Styling + Creative Design by Meagan Gilpatrick
Photographs by Sharyn Peavey

The “Maine Maple Sugar” wedding design was inspired by childhood winters spent collecting sap from maple trees and boiling it down into maple syrup. In translating this memory into a wedding design, I incorporated wool plaid coats, classic hunting boots, old snow shoes, and sap-collecting tools. Maple tree bark inspired a black, green, and amber color palette achieved through the use of black ticking fabric, my vintage enamelware collection, amber and green glass plates, and faux horn flatware. On the real maple farm where the shoot was held, the farm’s two work horses made an appearance. The day was cast in the clear, late-winter light that reflects off the last snow, creating shadows everywhere.

1) On him: Vintage check shirt, wool vest and coat, and fingerless knit gloves by Maine Seasons Events / On her: Vintage coat, boots, and Monique Lhuillier dress from Sweet Love 2) Boutonniere of pussy willow, balsam, and pine tied with black ticking fabric 3) Flora Fauna bouquet of anemone, black pussy willow, balsam, pine, and hemlock 4) Favors with watercolor hang tags by Griffin-vites 5) Maple farm horses offering a ride to the sugar shed 6) Table design and styling by Maine Seasons Events and floral design by Flora Fauna 7) Pussy willow place cards from Griffin-vites 8) Custom menus from Griffin-vites 9) Wedding bands by John McVeigh Designs

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CITY MEETS COASTAL ESTATE

Styling + Creative Design by Brooke Sheldon
Photographs by Stacey Kane

This inspiration shoot aims to showcase the casual yet chic styles that turn up in vacationland. Mixtures of whimsical neutrals like silver and gold can be seen in everything from the tablescapes to the bride’s dress to the stone surfaces of the elegant Kenneth Roberts Estate. The classic property showcases urban sensibilities within a varied pastoral setting. Sensible, sophisticated decor picks up on that aesthetic as well. Soft peaches and yellows in the bouquets and centerpieces bring out the warm tones in the gold and off-white linens. Quirky additions like unexpected foods and jolts of color liven the scene and make the space feel more playful and approachable, ultimately reflecting the eclectic sensibilities of the bride and groom.

1) Table adorned with silver flatware, crystal glassware, and crisp linens;  table and chairs provided by Marshall Rentals; design and decor by Lilybrooke 2) Flowers include garden roses, ranunculus, anemones, and hypericum berries; created by Fleurant 3) Kennebunkport’s Village Dog hot dog cart 4) The bride and groom depart in a vintage MG convertible 5) Displays of fresh fruits and cheeses 6) Lemons, limes, sparkling wine 7) Bride’s best friend 8) A decadent display of Chase Hill Bakery’s multi-tiered desserts

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GILDED GLAMOUR  

Styling + Creative Design by Meagan Gilpatrick
Photographs by Corbin Gurkin

Initially inspired by the texture of a Swiss dot wedding dress, this design began with a palette of robin’s egg blue, peach, and gold. Props such as gold-framed mirrors, cake stands, and plates came together with yards of pale blue and raw muslin, which were sewed into fluffy ruffles to adorn the tables. Against an heirloom estate backdrop, the gold ballroom chairs, a crystal chandelier, and crystal stemware add glamour and sophistication to the tablescape. Luscious flower arrangements and bouquets by Flora Fauna include the spring’s best picks, arranged in a mix of gold and pale blue glass containers. Custom letterpress stationery from Gus and Ruby adorned with hand-painted edges, tulle posies from Paper Posy Designs, and a ruffled tiered cake from Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott complete the look.

1) Lula Kate dress with bouquet of David Austin roses, tulips, and ranunculus by Flora Fauna 2) Dessert table details and flowers by Flora Fauna 3) Custom stationery by Gus and Ruby 4) Letterpress stationery by Gus and Ruby with calligraphy by Neither Snow on vintage plates from Maine Seasons Events 5) Dessert display by Maine Seasons Events and Flora Fauna, cake by Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott and fabric table ruffle by Maine Seasons Events

French’s Point served as the backdrop for this shoot

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TYING THE KNOT

Styling + Creative Design by Emily Carter
Photographs by Sharyn Peavey

This shoot was inspired by organic texture and formed out of burlap, sheet metal, and wood. Panels of burlap hang with circular cutouts allow natural light to stream in and reflect off of metal flowers with yellow craspedia centers. Birch trees are propped within the barn in an effort to bring the outdoors in, and the bride and groom are surrounded by a circle of rope, detailed with smilax and peonies, to allude to the old phrase “tying the knot.” The tablescape incorporates reused and vintage materials: it is adorned with tin ceiling tiles as chargers, antique silver creamers and sugars, and wood containers for flowers. The centerpiece is made of distressed wooden planks and moss-wrapped votives atop a burlap runner, and the seating is an unexpected mix of hay bales elevated on old wooden drawers with a linen covering.

1) Burlap-wrapped invitation by Papier Gourmet 2) Lush, slightly organic-styled seasonal bouquet by Emily Carter Floral Designs consisting of tree peonies, David Austin roses, garden spray roses, sweetpeas, pieris, and viburnum 3) Emily Carter Floral Designs boutonniere consisting of a single craspedia ball accented with a chocolate fiddlehead and green pieris with stems encased in natural raffia 4) Emily Cater Floral Design custom burlap panel backdrops with metal flowers hanging within cutouts and an interior tree installation 5) Tablescape by A Family Affair Event Planning and Design, 111 Maine Catering, and Emily Carter Floral Designs