Weddings & Events Go Kennebunks
Everything you need to know about planning the perfect wedding or event in the Kennebunks
Wedded bliss starts here
Dolce Executive Director
Kennebunk
Kennebunkport Arundel Chamber of Commerce
We have never seen a more picture-perfect backdrop to a dream Maine wedding!
Cover photo by Brea McDonald Photography
KWhat’s
hot in the Kennebunks right now
Kaileigh Drake, Weddings by Kaileigh
• Late-night snacks like pizza, doughnuts and popcorn.
• The color red in décor and accessories.
• Greenery is HUGE and being used to decorate everything from tabletops to tent tops.
• Brides choosing a color palette and letting bridesmaids choose a style dress – even a print – that works for them.
• Cutting cakes and dessert tables.
• Content creation in addition to videographers.
• Outdoor ceremonies.
Danielle Frechette, River’s Edge Spa
• Wispy natural, but flawless updos or half up. Very much looking more whimsical, flowy and effortless.
• A healthy skin look rather than hiding the skin with make up.
• Treatment plans like peels and facials leading up to the wedding day both for the bride and groom and bridal parties.
Calling all bachelorettes and bachelors!
As Nantucket and Newport have become popular destinations for bachelor and bachelorette parties, so, too, have the Kennebunks seen an increase. After all, beautiful, drivable locations are always in demand. We’ve got great options for both, frankly.
For bachelorettes, what about some pampering at River’s Edge Spa or any one of our beautiful local spas, along with a charcuterie box from Port Box and some bubbly from Winehouse on Main, followed by candle making at Sea Love and dinner at The Tides or Chez Rosa?
For bachelors, picture a Sanford Mainers game and/or a ride on New England Eco-Tours’ rib boat, followed by craft brews and cigars at Maine & Vine, beer and lunch at Alisson’s or Fed’s, and then dinner – big, meaty steaks –at The Lost Fire or Mexican at Pedro’s. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.
Ariel Taschereau, Nonantum Resort
• Champagne toast at the ceremony
• Live oyster shucking
• Dessert cocktails
Peggy Liversidge, Kitchen Chicks Catering
• Informal welcome parties with casual pick-up food like sliders, lobster rolls and tacos and just beer and wine or one cocktail, like our Wild Maine Blueberry Lemonade. Lobster bakes are STILL popular so that guests can be treated to the “Maine experience.”
• Mocktails! It’s important to always offer mocktails and maybe non-alcoholic beer and wine. It’s a growing segment of the liquor industry.
• Smaller wedding parties.
• Food served in a local and traditional way, whether it’s lobster bibs with lobsters or barbecues at picnic tables.
Gina Sawtelle, Above & Beyond Catering
• More couples are requesting casual weddings with easy foods and not so many formalities.
• Quiet / private cake cuttings and less ‘hoopla’.
• First look photos that allow couples more time with their guests at the reception, along with also being able to enjoy cocktail hour.
• Bourbon!
• A lot of my brides are wanting some focus on their mothers, so we have been incorporating special moments for mom in our event planning with our couples. Some of the special moments we have planned: bride’s bouquet going to the mother at the reception, the mother and daughter having an opportunity to dance together, the mothers of the bride and groom bringing the rings up to their daughter/son during the ceremony at the time of the ring exchange or the mother walking down the aisle with the bride/groom.
Laura
BEAUTY SERVICES
207 LASER
45 Portland Road, Unit 9A, Kennebunk (207) 807-9376
207laser.com
Get wedding-ready with glowing, radiant skin through personalized treatments for brides, grooms and the entire wedding party.
River’s Edge Spa & Salon
83 Portland Road, Kennebunk (207) 985-3400
riversedgespaandsalon.com
We are a full-service day spa and salon located along the picturesque Kennebunk River.
Turning Heads Hair Studio
73 York St., Kennebunk (207) 204-0006
turningheadshairstudio.net
Hair salon in Kennebunk.
CATERING / BAR SERVICES
Above & Beyond Catering
49 Shaw’s Ridge Road, Sanford (207) 459-4351
aboveandbeyondcatering.net
Full-service catering & bar / vintage mobile bar / event planning / offering our own venue or will travel to yours!
Kitchen Chicks Catering
41 Water St., Kennebunk (207) 985-0252
kitchenchicks.com
Full-service catering/event management, weddings, corporate, social, lobster bakes and BBQ. Food for every occasion.
Lady Shuckers
South Portland (207) 899-9121
ladyshuckers.com
Mobile oyster shucking classes, food truck events and raw bar catering supporting women-owned farms.
Mobile Musette
Kennebunkport (207) 204-0707
mobilemusette.com
The Port Box Company
Kennebunkport (207) 468-6650
theportbox.com
Luxury portable charcuterie boxes, curated artisanal cheeses and charcuterie made daily and delivered to your door.
Rustic Taps & Catering
186 Brackett Road, Unit 1, Gorham (207) 776-8991
rustictaps.com
Vintage beer truck and mobile bar services along with a variety of catering options ideal for weddings, events and festivals.
Smoke BBQ
58 York St., Kennebunk (207) 502-7311
smokebbqkennebunk.com
Serving regional BBQ classics smoked in a 100% wood fired smoker. 16 beers on tap. Everything is made from scratch.
DESSERTS / SPECIALTY CAKES
Chatterbox Bakery
Arundel (207) 752-2335 chatterboxbakery.com Award-winning bakery.
Mobile Musette
New England styled food with a French flair
WWhen you hire Mobile Musette for your wedding or special event, you aren’t just getting a food truck.
Instead, you’re getting celebrated White Barn Chef Jonathan Cartwright’s elevated food sensibility and Le Cordon Bleutrained Chef Selena Roy’s dining approachability, all in one beautiful package.
Billing itself as “New England style food with a French flair,” Mobile Musette offers on-site dining and service at locations throughout the area, as well as at Caring Community Cuisine, formerly Musette restaurant, at 2 Pier Road in Cape Porpoise.
MOBILE MUSETTE
(207) 204-0707
While Caring Community Cuisine is now a non-profit venture utilizing the café space to offer breakfasts, lunches and special events to help families battling cancer, it can also be rented out as event space, Roy said.
musettebyjc.com/ mobile-musette/
“When you rent The Café space, you get use of the whole downstairs areas. A popular layout is canapés and cocktails on the lawn overlooking the marsh followed by a plated dinner inside the cozy restaurant,” she said, of the location at the heart of Cape Porpoise.
Roy said they love to focus on local food, like scallops, haddock and salmon, but also offer dishes like braise short ribs and Coq Au Vin. And a lot of vegetable-based dishes!
We were always lovers of the versatility of vegetables and special notes they add to proteins,” said Roy. “Our menu was never carb-heavy, which allowed us to make an easy switch to a delicious, gluten-free menu at our Café location”
What they are, though, is versatile. Roy said they can organize rentals and servers for an event, serve elegant, multi-course plated dinners and handle the bar, with their bar truck. The bar truck has a kegerator, wine and specialty cocktails. They’re also licensed and will bring their own bartenders. They also have a refrigerator and freezer trailer, that can hold not just their food, but a wedding cake, flowers and more. And it will all be beautiful. “Because of our fine-dining background,” Roy said, “‘We focus on approachable finesse to our services.”
Picture-perfect weddings
We asked photographer Brea McDonald of Wells to share with us her favorite wedding photography tips. From technology to timing to tall centerpieces, she has great advice to offer!
When hiring your photographer:
• Consider how comfortable you are with them and if your personalities work well together. How do they make you feel? This is someone you will be spending your wedding day with so feeling at ease and having a good rapport with your photographer is important.
• Does their portfolio reflect your wedding day priorities? Do you love lots of wild dance floor photos? Or are you pouring your creative energy into every detail of your day and want styled detail photos? Be sure you see that in their portfolio both on their website and social media channels.
• Ask all the questions! Don’t be shy. There are truly no wrong questions and you want to be certain that you are on the same page. Better to ask the question than to assume anything.
• Editing style. Every photographer has their own editing style and they might even call it something different. It’s not about getting the perfect verbiage for the style but more about making sure you see what you love in their portfolio. Do the photos represent a true to life color? Or are the greens less saturated? Are the black and white dark and moody? It truly doesn’t matter what it’s called as long as you love it and that is what you want for your wedding photos. Style is always subjective so find the one that feels right to you!
Wedding day tips:
• Consider having an unplugged wedding.
This could be a simple announcement at that start of your ceremony to have your guests tuck away their phones and cameras and be present with you as you say your vows. Arms with phone everywhere are not ideal for your professional photographer but also consider what you want to see when you look out at your guests. You will want to see the smiling faces of family and friends over their phones.
• Gather any important elements that you would like photographed for your photographer during your pre ceremony time. This could be family heirlooms, your invitation and rings or even personalized elements from your reception.
• Check sunset times! You won’t want to miss sunset and neither will your guests. Be sure to review this and allow for a few minutes before and after sunset to capture couples’ photos and allow your guests to soak it all in.
• When curating your family photo list steer clear of any “must have” photo list you see online. Think about the photos you want in your wedding album, framed in your home
and want to gift to others. Rather than some arbitrary list, consider who your people are and what is most important to you. And then of course communicate that to your photographer!
• Consider that backdrop for your ceremony. Everyone knows to think about the background for where you will be married but also think about the backdrop for walking down the aisle. What are your guests and photographer seeing behind you? The goal is for a scene without distraction so you can remain the focus. Avoid setting up a bar, having cocktail tables or for staff to be lined up in the back. These thoughtful details make a big difference in your photography.
• Speaking of details consider floral and centerpiece placement on your table. As you sit and listen to toasts can your photographer capture your reactions? Can you see the person toasting you? There is nothing worse than having to awkwardly move around while someone you love is toasting you.
Brea McDonald can be found at breamcdonald.com
Photos by Brea McDonald
Do you love lots of wild dance floor photos? Or are you more interested in styled detail photos? Pro tip: Be sure you see that in their portfolio both on their website and social media channels.
Brea McDonald
Wedding Guide of the Kennebunks
Gemini Cakes
158 Downing Road, Arundel (207) 494-0077
Find us on Facebook!
ENTERTAINMENT /
ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC
Absynth Entertainment, LLC
South Berwick (207) 690-1857
absynthdj.com Mobile dj, event photographer.
Central Maine Pyrotechnic
Hallowell (207) 623-9285
centralmainepyrotechnics.com
Music Man DJ Service (207) 468-7904
themusicmandjservice.com
The Music Man DJ Service provides DJ, emcee, lighting and photo booth services to your wedding or event in ME or NH.
EVENT PLANNING / SERVICES
Azalea Events
Kennebunk (207) 229-4255
azaleaevents.com
Inflate Maine
Kennebunk (207) 295-0697
inflatemaine.com
Inflatable bounce house rentals.
Mainely Experiences
Kennebunk (207) 910-7230
mainelyexperiences.com
Celebrate any occasion with a luxury picnic experienceperfect for proposals, bachelorette parties, or an intimate wedding.
Peak Event Services
169 Port Road, Unit 41, Kennebunk (833) 888-PEAK peakeventservices.com
New England’s leading event rental provider offering tents, tabletop, furniture and more.
Sharper Events and Tents
58 Smada Drive, Sanford (207) 337-4891
sharp.rentals
Serving Southern Maine with the best party rentals around. We feature tents, weddings and every inflatable there is. Weddings by Kaileigh
Kennebunk (207) 651-0989
weddingsbykaileigh.com
Offering day of coordination, partial planning, full planning and custom planning services for weddings and events.
EVENT VENUES / CEREMONY SITES
Highlighted Vendors
Above & Beyond Catering
49 Shaw’s Ridge Road, Sanford (207) 459-4351
aboveandbeyondcatering.net
Cozy modern farmhouse venue / indoor & outdoor space / ceremony areas, gardens / catering & bar.
Atlantic Hall
173 Main St., Cape Porpoise (207) 710-3560
atlantichall.org
A unique historic landmark available to rent for corporate meetings, seminars and social events.
Batson River Brewing & Distilling
12 Western Ave., Kennebunk (207) 967-8821
batsonriver.com
Blackrock Farm
293 Goose Rocks Road, Kennebunkport (207) 967-5783
blackrockfarm.net
Blackrock Farm offers fresh produce, cut flowers and the perfect backdrop for events of all kinds.
Caring Community Cuisine Cafe
2 Pier Road, Kennebunkport (207) 204-0707
ccckport.org
Church on the Cape UMC
3 Langsford Road, Kennebunkport (207) 967-5787
churchonthecape.org
Federal Jack’s Restaurant & Brew Pub
8 Western Ave., Kennebunk (207) 967-4322
federaljacks.com
Well-known for its spectacular views, creative pub fare and award-winning hand-crafted ales.
Johnson Hall Museum and Functions
2713 Post Road, Wells (207) 985-0015
johnsonhallmuseum.com
Historic tea room venue, lawn for tents, and vintage buildings for unique wedding photo backdrops.
Kennebunkport Conservation Trust
57 Gravelly Brook Road, Kennebunkport (207) 967-3465
kporttrust.org
We are a DIY venue set on a nature preserve; your event decor, caterer, entertainment, and schedule are completely up to you.
Kennebunkport Historical Society
125 North St., Kennebunkport (207) 967-2751
kporths.com
Motorland Maine Classic Car Museum
2564 Portland Road, Arundel (207) 602-6620
mainecarmuseum.com
Weddings | Welcome Parties | Groomsmen Experiences | Chauffeured Transportation | Engagement Photos | Wedding Staging Props
Nonantum Resort
95 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-4050
nonantumresort.com
The perfect setting for life’s special events. Rhumb Line Resort
41 Turbats Creek Road, Kennebunkport (207) 967-5457
rhumblineresort.com
Indoor conference space or outdoor lawn for tented events, plus lobster bakes, to fit every budget.
Wedding Guide of the Kennebunks
Rococo Artisan Ice Cream & Dessert Bar
8 Western Ave., Shipyard Shops, Kennebunk (207) 360-0804
rococoicecream.com
Host your small, intimate event in a chic dessert bar with gourmet desserts, craft cocktails, and an elegant atmosphere.
South Congregational Church
2 North St., Kennebunkport (207) 967-2793
southchurchucc.org
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre
53 Old Post Road, Arundel (207) 985-5552 vinhillmusic.com
Unique entertainment venue featuring outdoor concerts, special performances in the Barn and community events.
Wandby Landing
46 Western Ave., Kennebunk (207) 849-8849
Wells Reserve at Laudholm
342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells (207) 646-4521
wellsreserve.org
Rustic barn, spacious grounds, and stunning views. Your fees help protect and preserve this historic site.
White Sails Inn
61 Fletcher St., Kennebunk (207) 467-3599
whitesailsinn.com
Vendors
Arundel Wharf Restaurant
43 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-3444
arundelwharf.com
Bandaloop
1200 Portland Road (207) 967-4994 bandalooprestaurant.com
Beacon of Hope Cooperative Parish
2 Locations in Lyman & West Kennebunk (207) 499-7438
christchurchkennebunk.org
Breakwater Inn & Spa
127 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-5333 breakwaterinnmaine.com
Ideal for weddings and events.
Chez Rosa
2 Ocean Ave., Building D, Kennebunkport (207) 204-0183 chezrosabistro.com
The Colony Hotel
140 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-3331 thecolonyhotel.com
Dutch Elm Golf Course
5 Brimstone Road, Arundel (207) 282-9850 dutchelmgolf.com
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
114 Main St., Kennebunk (207) 985-3700 uukennebunk.org
Jillyanna’s Woodfired Cooking School
141 Wildes District Road, Kennebunkport (207) 967-4960 jillyannas.com
Wedding Guide of the Kennebunks
Kennebunk Baptist Church
77 Main St., Kennebunk (207) 985-4207
kennebunkbaptistchurch.org
A caring Christian community with grand piano and organ, beautiful stained glass windows.
Kennebunkport Resort Collection
Kennebunkport (800) 573-7186 kennebunkportresortcollection.com
Outlook Farm, Links at Outlook
310 Portland St., South Berwick (207) 384-4653
outlookgolf.com
Re-defining the wedding experience with full service planning and contemporary amenities.
Old Marsh Country Club
445 Clubhouse Road, Wells (207) 251-4653 oldmarshcountryclub.com
Old Vines Wine Bar 173 Port Road, Kennebunk (207) 967-2310 oldvines.net
Celebrate your occasion with craft cocktails, fine wine and a unique taste of Maine in the heart of Lower Village.
Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant
181 Port Road, Kennebunk (207) 967-5544 pedrosmaine.com
Pilot House Restaurant 4 Western Ave., Kennebunk (207) 204-0709 thepilothouseme.com
Rustic Taps & Catering 186 Brackett Road, Unit 1, Gorham (207) 776-8991 rustictaps.com
The Spirit Restaurant 4 Western Ave., Kennebunk Find us on Facebook!
St. Ann’s Episcopal Church 167 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-8043 stannskennebunkport.org
Summer chapel - oceanside.
Wallingford Farm 21 York St., Kennebunk (207) 985-2112
wallingfordfarm.com
White Barn Inn & Spa 37 Beach Ave., Kennebunk (207) 967-2321 whitebarninn.com
Wine House on Main
17 Main St., Kennebunk (207) 467-3462
winehousemaine.com
Our intimate setting is a perfect space to host special occasions for small groups.
Wedding Guide of the Kennebunks
FLORISTS
Copper Penny Flowers North Kennebunkport (617) 852-4214
copperpennyflowers.com
Floral designer.
HONEYMOON PLANNING
CIRE Travel (207) 805-3110
ciretravel.com
A concierge-style travel agency specializing in luxury honeymoons and epic vacations.
PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY
Brea McDonald Photography
Wells (207) 361-4806
breamcdonald.com
Timeless wedding and portrait photographer with a focus on beach portraits.
Lindsay Levin Photo
Kennebunkport (207) 205-3112
levinweddingphoto.com
High-end wedding and events photographer with a unique editorial and documentary approach.
POSE Photo Experiences
Kennebunkport (617) 439-3900
poseypose.com
Custom photo and video booths/experiences.
TRANSPORTATION
Intown Trolley Co. 21 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 967-3686
intowntrolley.com
Private charters available for weddings, group tours and transportation.
Motorland Maine Classic Car Museum
2564 Portland Road, Arundel (207) 602-6620
mainecarmuseum.com
Weddings | Welcome Parties | Groomsmen Experiences | Chauffeured Transportation | Engagement Photos | Wedding Staging Props
New England EcoAdventures 8 Western Ave., Kennebunk (207) 502-8040
newenglandecoadventures.com
Make your wedding unforgettable with the groom arriving or the couple making a grand exit on an eco-friendly RIB boat.
Brea McDonald Photography
Pineapple Ketch
95 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 888-3445
pineappleketch.com
RideMaine Kennebunk (207) 502-5067
ridemekpt.com
Safe, fun transportation serving the Kennebunks. Private transportation available.
Rugosa Lobster Boat Tours
95 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport (207) 468-4095
rugosalobstertours.com
Make your wedding unforgettable! Have the groom arrive or the couple depart in style aboard our classic lobster boat!
SP+/Metropolis
222 St. John’s St., Suite 214, Portland (617) 755-3438
spplus.com
Valet services and shuttle transportation services.
HIGHLIGHTED VENDORS
Above & Beyond Catering (207) 459-4351
The Atlantic Hall (207) 318-0975
Batson River Brewing & Distilling (207) 967-8821
Blackrock Farm (207) 967-4050
Caring Community Cusine Cafe (207) 967-6501
The Church on the Cape (207) 967-5787
Federal Jack’s Restaurant & Brew Pub (207) 967-4322
Johnson Hall Museum and Functions (207) 985-0015
Kennebunkport Conservation Trust (207) 967-3465
Kennebunkport Historical Society (207) 967-2751
Maine Classic Car Museum (917) 331-4949
The Nonantum Resort (207) 967-4050
The Rhumb Line Resort (207) 967-5457
The Rococo Dessert Bar (207) 835-1049
South Congregational Church (207) 967-2793
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (207) 985-5552
Wandby Landing (207) 849-8849
Wells Reserve at Laudholm (207) 646-4521
White Sails Inn (207) 467-3599
VENDORS
Arundel Wharf Restaurant (207) 967-3444
Bandaloop (207) 967-4994
Beacon of Hope Cooperative Parish (207) 499-7438
Breakwater Inn and Spa (207) 361-8755
Chez Rosa (207) 204-0183
The Colony Hotel (207) 967-3331 x 524
Dutch Elm Golf Course (207) 282-9850
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church (207) 985-3700
Jillyanna’s Woodfired Cooking School (207) 967-4960
Kennebunk Baptist Church (207) 985-4207
Kennebunkport Resort Collection (800) 573-7186
Outlook Farm, Links at Outlook (207) 384-1010 x 101
Old Marsh Country Club (207) 251-4653
Old Vines Wine Bar (207) 967-2310
Weddings &
&
&
&
Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant (207) 431-0235
The Pilot House (207) 632-6767
Port Fish and Chophouse (207) 361-8755
Rustic Taps and Catering (207) 776-8991
The Spirit Restaurant (207) 632-6767
St. Ann’s Episcopal Church (610) 310-4993
Wallingford Farm (207) 985-2112
White Barn Inn & Spa (207) 967-5457
Photo by Brea McDonald
Making the marriage legal
How to get your marriage license in Maine
So you’ve decided that you’re going to get married in the Kennebunks. On top of your venue and vendors, you’ll need a couple more things: A license and an officiant. Town clerks Merton Brown of Kennebunk and Tracey O’Roak of Kennebunkport offered these tips for getting your license and getting it right:
• Licenses are $40 and they’re good for 90 days.
• Give yourself 4-6 weeks for the process.
• Both parties must present IDs.
• If you were married before, you must show court annulment papers, a death certificate or a divorce decree.
• If you live locally, you must get your permit in
the town where you live. If you live out of state, you can get a license in any municipality.
• Some towns, like Kennebunkport, prefer you call and make an appointment. Others, like Kennebunk, take walk-in appointments.
• Couples need two witnesses for the ceremony.
• You can get married on a public beach in Maine, but you must take into account tides, parking and other things. Remember: You can’t stop the public from coming to your wedding on a public beach.
• Weddings can be performed by licensed officiants, clergy members, attorneys or anyone who has been licensed online.
Brown said he’s performed weddings at a number of different venues, including a gazebo in a town park, in and on the water, a hot air balloon, on the top of a mountain at Sunday River (and at just about all of Maine’s ski resorts), on a football field and in a ‘54 Chevy.
And he’s worked with cats, dogs, horses and llamas as part of the ceremony.
Brown has been marrying couples for nearly 50 years, but he said one still stands out in his memory. It was two gentlemen who decided to get married right after Maine legalized gay marriages.
“They were both 80 and had been together since they were 40,” he said. “They thought it was just a paperwork thing, then it hit them. I ended up being there for three and a half hours.
I’ll never, ever forget it.”
Photo by Johnson Photography