Green Mountain Weddings 2015

Weddings Green Mountain

COMPLIMENTARY 2015

No place like home for two local brides

Sublimely simple wedding ideas

Rustic barns, romantic receptions

WEDDING TOASTS

INSPIRING PROPOSALS

SOCIAL MEDIA ETIQUETTE

S PECIALIZING IN TIMELESS DESIGNS

91 MAIN STREET, STOWE 802.253.3033 ~ STOWE@F ERROJ EWELERS.COM FERROJEWELERS.COM/STOWE ~ FACEBOOK.COM/F ERRO.J EWELERS

Barrie Fisher Photgraphers

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Weddings 2015

C O N T E N T S

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WEDDINGS 2015

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Featured weddings:

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Marry me:

There’s no place like home. Two brides choose to get married at their family homes

Couples share romantic stories about getting engaged in Stowe

18 Big day, small budget:

Tips for planning a customized wedding without breaking the bank

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Spring into wedding season: A Vermont photo shoot offers inspiration for spring and summer nuptials

28 Social media wedding etiquette:

To tweet or not to tweet? Advice for using social media wisely

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From hay bales to cupolas:

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Leave them speechless:

Rustic weddings are hot and there’s no better venue than a Vermont barn

Planning the perfect wedding toast

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Weddings 2015

this is

Your Vermont Wedding do what you love

Publisher Greg Popa Editor Lisa McCormack Art Director Kimberly Whalen Designer, Advertising Katerina Pittinaro

Sales

Ed Brennan, Beth Cleveland, Mike Duran, Lou Kiernan, Lisa Stearns

Contributing writers

Tommy Gardner, Hannah Marshall, Lisa McCormack, Matt Mientka

Contributing Photographers

Barrie Fisher Photographers | bfisherphoto.com Daria Bishop Photographers | dariabishop.com Kristina Nalette Photography | kristinanalette.com Lauren Stagnitti Photography | laurenstagnittiphotography.com Lis Photography | lisphotography.com Orah Moore Photography | orahmoore.com Sarah Peet Photography | sarahpeetphotography.com Spencer Leonard Photography | spencerleonard.com Wesley Taylor Creative | wesleytaylor.co Green Mountain Weddings Cover photo by Lauren Stagnitti Photography Stowe Weddings Cover photo by Lis Photography

blueskyweddingsandevents.com 802-434-4483

Weddings is published by the Stowe Reporter, 49 School St., P.O. Box 489, Stowe, VT 05672.

Weddings 2014

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LOCAL BRIDES CHOOSE FAMILY HOMES FOR NUPTIALS

| Story by Lisa McCormack

No place like home

No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home No place like home Sarah Peet Photography

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Weddings 2015

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No place like home When it comes to choosing a wedding venue, some couples are finding there’s no place like home.

At-home weddings are romantic, intimate, and always memorable, especially when the property offers views of sweeping mountains, lush meadows, or rivers and ponds.

They usually come with some logistical chal-

lenges — parking, bathrooms, and a backup plan in case of inclement weather, to name a few. But, in some cases, it can be cheaper to host your wedding in your own backyard.

You’ll save on venue fees and you won’t have to worry about time limits or restrictions on how you can decorate. Most of all, you’ll create wonderful memories in a place that you adore.

N

atalie McKechnie Mannherz grew up in Stowe village in the historic circa 1855 Gothic Revival brick home on the corner of Main Street and Mountain Road.

She is the daughter of Jeffrey and Lucinda “Cindy” McKechnie. Jeffrey McKechnie DMD operates his dental office from a restored barn attached to the home.

Natalie met her husband, Todd Mannherz, in 2012 at a mutual friend’s barbecue while they both were living in Boulder, Colo. They were soon biking and skiing together and quickly became a couple.

Natalie works as a recreational therapist and piano teacher for children with disabilities and Todd is a software engineer.

They got engaged on Feb. 5, 2014, during a vacation in New Zealand.

They had spent a day driving across the mountains when Todd suggested they take a bottle of chilled wine to a pasture on a hill. Once there, he asked her to be his wife.

“I was very surprised,” Natalie said.

“It was really great.”

Natalie never considered a venue other than her childhood home.

“I was never one of the girls who thought about getting married or where I’d get married,” Natalie said. “When Todd proposed, I just assumed I’d get married at my house.”

Stowe is a popular wedding destination and the family has several acres of land abutting the Little River behind their home.

Todd, who is originally from Wrightstown, Pa., had come to love Stowe after visiting with Natalie. He liked the idea of being married there.

“It was what everyone wanted,” Natalie said.

Cindy McKechnie wanted to host the wedding that summer even if it meant she’d only have six months to plan it. She knew that a huge construc-

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tion project was scheduled for the area of Mountain Road that runs alongside her house in spring 2015 — the main bridge and the covered bridge will be replaced — and she didn’t want it to spoil the photographs.

She hired Nancy Jeffries-Dwyer of NJOY Event Planning to help her organize the event.

Within two days of the engagement, Cindy had reserved the Stowe Community Church for Aug. 2.

“My mom is the type of person who would do anything for her kids,” Natalie said. “She always makes things work. I knew that even if she was nervous she wouldn’t be deterred.”

Other than some worries about

whether the weather would cooperate, Cindy was confident that with JeffriesDwyer’s expertise — and the help of a team of landscapers, florists, caterers and other professionals — she could pull the event off.

“We have lived here so long,” Cindy said. “We knew and trusted the expertise of the people who were hired to assist with the final presentation.”

Cindy hired landscapers to level the land on the lower property behind the house to prevent flooding if it were to rain. She also pulled up knotweed to tidy up the riverbank.

She also had stone steps built to create a smooth path for guests as they walked around the house and to the backyard.

An avid gardener, Cindy embellished her extensive perennial and annual gardens, adding white alyssum, which resembles wedding bouquets, around the borders. On the wedding day, potted plants and flowers were placed throughout the property.

The couple chose an understated rustic decorating theme for their wedding with handmade wooden signs and lots of flowers.

“We didn’t want to do anything flashy,” Natalie said. “We chose blues and greens and let the florist piece together the other colors. We were trying to keep it simple — very Vermonty.”

Placecards at the tables bore the names of places in New Zealand that are special to the couple.

After the ceremony, the couple walked down Main Street to the McKechnie home for photos, posing on the front porch, the covered bridge next to the home, and throughout the gardens, which were in full bloom.

Neighbors and friends waved as they caught a glimpse of the just-married couple.

“The people in the neighborhood, the church, the Green Mountain Inn, it took a village to put the wedding together,”

Cindy said.

A cocktail hour area was set up behind the house on the upper level of the property. A large tent with a dance floor was set up on the lower level for dinner and dancing.

About 170 guests were in attendance.

Parking wasn’t an issue as most guests stayed at the Green Mountain Inn just across the street. “It was in walking distance so no one had to drive once they arrived,” Natalie said.

Susanna’s Catering provided hors d’oeuvres and dinner for the event. Entrees included lamb, salmon, and mushroom risotto. Along with a traditional wedding cake baked by Marion Peer of Vermont Sweet Tooth and decorated with real flowers, there was a selection of tiny treats for dessert.

“We got reviews from our guests that it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had,” Todd said.

Their first dance was choreographed to the James Bond theme song. “That was the most fun,” Natalie said.

Other than a five-minute rain shower during the cocktail hour, the weather held up throughout the day.

All of the planning and work that went into the reception was well worth it, according to Cindy.

“The house has so many memories for my children,” Cindy said. “To culminate with a wedding is a wonderful experience.”

Having the reception at her parents’ home made for a perfect day, Natalie said.

“Being able to get dressed in my home and get ready there was so natural,” Natalie said. “I wouldn’t change anything about it. I loved every part of it. It felt comfortable, like that’s where I was supposed to be.”

The couple did so much traveling back and forth to Stowe in the months leading up to the wedding that they decided to postpone their honeymoon.

They traveled to British Columbia in March to go backcountry skiing.

The McKechnie-Mannherz wedding was photographed by Sarah Peet Photography, sarahpeet photography.com.

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No place like home S arah Cochran and Aaron Crane were about to put a deposit on a wedding venue in Chittenden County — a rustic red barn.

Sarah had the check in hand when she turned to Aaron and asked if he would consider holding their wedding reception at her family home in Craftsbury instead.

“My dad would always joke, ‘I don’t understand why you don’t just do it here,’” Sarah said.

Aaron, who hails from Michigan and had fallen in love with Sarah during a summer spent with her family, didn’t need much convincing.

Before long they had set a July 5, 2014, wedding date and began putting the details in place.

“We immediately started to figure out to set things up,” Sarah said. “We knew we’d have to get a tent. As far as our ceremony went, I wanted it to be in a place where our guests were looking at the mountains.”

Sarah’s parents, Nathan and Avril Cochran, owners of the Great Outdoors sporting good store in Morrisville, were thrilled to host the event on their property, which has sweeping views of Hunger Mountain, large meadows and acres of woodlands.

Aaron and Sarah met during their sophomore year of college at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois.

Aaron was engaged to someone else at the time.

“Since he was engaged and a few years older than me, I didn’t think much of it,” Sarah said.

The two traveled in the same social

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circle and became close friends. Aaron eventually broke up with his fiancée.

“He started pursuing me and at first I wanted nothing to do with him in that way, but eventually he won me over,” Sarah said.

Once they became a couple, they looked forward to weekly Friday night dates. One Friday in November 2013, Aaron announced that they were going to do something “a little different.”

Turns out he had designed a scavenger hunt, using a series of notes to guide her to places where they had shared important moments together.

The first note led her to the place where they had enjoyed their first kiss.

The next led her to the place where he had given her flowers for the first time.

The final note directed her to the place where they had realized they were fall-

ing in love. There, Aaron was waiting for her with a ring and got down on one knee to propose.

While Sarah finished her senior year of college, her family worked together to prepare for the wedding.

Sarah’s father and uncle built a wooden trellis under which she and Aaron stood during the ceremony. They cut logs that were used to hold wildflower arrangements and they built an old-fashioned wooden lemonade stand that proved to be especially popular with younger guests.

“My dad was mowing the lawn every day,” Sarah said. “My parents were constantly running around trying to make it perfect. When the tent company arrived, my family was out there making sure it was a good spot.”

Several of their bridal attendants and

groomsmen arrived during the week leading up to the wedding and stayed at the Cochran house.

“It was so much fun and we had all of our friends we cared about with us,” Sarah said.

After the wedding ceremony, which was held in a meadow, about 200 guests gathered under a large Camelot-style tent for an Italian dinner catered by Hoagies in Morrisville.

Looking back, Sarah says it’s difficult to choose a favorite part of her wedding day.

One of the most magical moments was when the couple did a “first look” before the ceremony, allowing their photographer to capture the moment when they saw each other for the first time.

“Aaron was so sweet and he cried,” Sarah said. “It was an incredible moment to let soak in before we made the biggest commitment of our lives.”

Having her wedding at her childhood home made it unique in way that having it at a public venue where weddings take place every weekend could not have, Sarah said.

“It just made it so much more special

and individual,” Sarah said. “At my house, only we have gotten married there. It was such a beautiful and sentimental experience. It was the best day of my life.”

The couple honeymooned in Cape Cod and are living in Illinois, where Sarah is an admissions counselor and Aaron is completing his undergraduate studies.

The Cochran-Crane wedding was photographed

by Wesley Taylor, wesleytaylor.co.

Weddings 2015

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STOWE OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES GALORE FOR ROMANTIC PROPOSALS

| Story by Lisa McCormack

Photo by Kristina Ainsworth Nalette

I

t’s the most important question you’ll ever ask — or answer: “Will you marry me?”

Ask a couple how they got engaged and you’ll likely hear a story that fits their personality.

There are the bold public displays, such as those flashing signs sometimes seen on Jumbotrons at major sporting events.

Creative grooms-to-be have sent their girlfriends on a scavenger hunt, consisting of visits to special places they’d visited together and ending with a diamond ring.

Romantic types have made their beloved

Marryme 14

Weddings 2015

swoon by crooning a ballad or penning a poem, while adventurous suitors have popped the question on mountaintops or on trips to exotic destinations.

Some men take a simple approach.

Suzanne Zisselsberger laughs when she remembers how her husband, Ron, proposed to her in 2003: “He said, ‘If I asked you to marry me, would you say yes?’”

Despite the lack of fanfare, they’ve been happily married for nearly 12 years.

Whatever your personality, Stowe offers no shortage of opportunities to plan and execute an unforgettable proposal.

Here are three stories to inspire you.

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“She thought I was playing a joke on her at first.”

It takes a village When Stowe Middle School teacher Mike Pittinaro decided to get hitched last November, there was no question the proposal would take place in Stowe.

Mike met his fiancée, Kate Halladay, a paraeducator at Peoples Academy High School, while both were living in Colorado.

They met five years ago through mutual friends.

The couple lives in Elmore, but shares close ties to Stowe, making it the perfect place for Mike to ask Kate to marry him.

Rather than searching for a spot with romantic mountain views, he took a different route: the Main Street crosswalk.

“I wanted to do it in a place that we could always visit,” Mike said. “There was something about doing it on the crosswalk so that we could always drive through Stowe, and just for that moment, remember it.

Plus, Stowe is a beautiful town.”

He wasn’t worried about surprising Kate.

“She was convinced that I would never ask her to marry me,” he said.

Mike told Kate that he needed to take a photo of the Akeley Memorial Building, Stowe’s town hall, for a school-related reason. Then he parked at Green Mountain Inn and asked her to walk across Main Street with him.

Snow was falling as Mike dropped down on one knee and proposed.

“I did slow down and give people the stop signal with my hand,” Mike said. “I figured people would wait.”

Kate said yes, once she realized Mike was serious.

“She was so surprised and she was worried about being in the middle of the street,” Mike said. “She thought I was playing a joke on her at first.”

The couple will marry June 20 at a private residence off Moss Glen Falls Road. They are considering a European honeymoon.

The path to the rest of their lives The Stowe Recreation Path holds special memories for Michelle Towle of Waterville and Jonathan Stiles of Duxbury, Mass.

During their first summer as a couple, they enjoyed romantic walks there. It’s also the place they became engaged last New Year’s Eve. They met four years ago at Festival of Life, a competitive youth sports and arts event sponsored by the Nazarene Church.

At the time, John was a high school senior and Michelle was a sophomore at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, where she was studying nursing.

They stayed in touch when Stiles enrolled at Eastern Nazarene University as a psychology major.

“We were friends for three years,” Michelle said. “I didn’t want a long-distance relationship.”

In late 2012, Michelle visited John at college.

The following spring, John visited Michelle and asked her father for permission to begin dating her.

Soon after, they had their

first date at the Bee’s Knees in Morrisville.

When it came time to propose, John wanted a location that was meaningful as well as romantic, and the recreation path stood out. He enlisted a friend, professional couples photographer Kristina Ainsworth Nalette, to capture the event from a distance.

He settled on the second bridge on the rec path because he liked the idea of having the river and Stowe Community Church in the background of the photographs. He decided to propose on New Year’s Eve during a scheduled visit to Vermont.

“At Thanksgiving, we went for a walk so I could make sure that was the spot and I could describe it to Kristina,” John said.

Michelle, who wasn’t expecting John to propose until fall 2015, was surprised when he asked her to take a walk on a 20-degree day.

They were leaning on the bridge and taking photos when she asked, “Is there a reason why we’re here?”

“Funny you should ask,”

“Is there a reason why we’re here?” “Funny you should ask...”

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Weddings 2015

“It wasn’t until he pulled down his ski glove, pulled out the ring, and got down on one knee that I figured it out.”

The peak of romance

John replied. “I have a question to ask you. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Nalette, who was just several yards away, hidden from view, was able to photograph the entire proposal.

Afterward, Michelle and John went to Black Cap Coffee to celebrate. When Michelle excitedly explained that she had just gotten engaged, the barista offered them free hot chocolate and

Photo by Kristina Ainsworth Nalette

dessert.

John still had another surprise up his sleeve. After the couple left Stowe village, he drove to Piecasso. Both sets of parents were waiting there for them with cards and gifts and they enjoyed lunch together.

“It was very sweet and definitely a nice way to continue the fun of the day,” Michelle said.

The couple plans a 2016 wedding on May 16, with a reception at Jay Peak.

It was a whirlwind romance for Jessica Green and Craig Wilson, who met on the online dating site OkCupid in May 2014.

Before long, Craig, an independent consultant who hails from Westchester County, N.Y., moved into Jessica’s New York City apartment. By January of this year, he was ready to propose.

Meanwhile, Jessica, who works for the nonprofit Prospect Park Alliance, had planned to visit Stowe during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

“I had talked to Craig about joining us, but we ultimately decided it would

be a girls’ weekend away,” Jessica said.

Jessica and her friends drove to Stowe on Friday and skied all Saturday.

“I got a surprise Sunday when he showed up midmountain,” Jessica said.

Turns out Craig had been orchestrating the perfect proposal with help from Jessica’s friends, with whom he’d been texting all weekend.

Her friends recommended Sunrise Trail because they thought it was symbolic of the new life they would be starting together.

Jessica and her friends were snapping photos when someone skied up behind her and threw snow at her.

The mystery skier took off his goggles; it was Craig.

“It wasn’t until he pulled down his ski glove, pulled out the ring, and got down on one knee that I figured it out,” Jessica said. “It was perfect for us. We love skiing and doing outdoor activities together.”

Craig had sent Jessica’s friends rose petals, which they proceeded to throw at the couple in between snapping photos. Other skiers stopped to stare and offer congratulations.

Craig did well choosing the ring, a solitaire diamond in “a classic and elegant setting,” Jessica said.

The couple will marry July 11 in New York City.

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CREATIVE TIPS FOR AN AFFORDABLE WEDDING RECEPTION

| Story by Tommy Gardner

Sublimely SiMPLE Weddings are a joyous occasion, and not just for the two people saying “I do” before saying “See you later” and heading off on their honeymoon. But they can also be stressful, particularly when the trappings of the big day start happily-ever-after with a load of debt.

Really, what’s more stressful: Doing more things yourself on the cheap, or looking at your bank statements when the honeymoon’s over?

Here’s a secret — you don’t have to pay

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someone to do everything for you (which might explain why an otherwise available wedding planner we reached out to declined to return a message seeking budget wedding tips).

“It’s more work when you do it by yourself, but it pays off in ways, because you know you can get exactly what you want,” said Zoe Murphy, co-owner, with her nowhusband Jason Pacioni, of Black Diamond BBQ in Elmore.

continued on next page

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GOING WHOLE HOG

Black Diamond caters more than 30 weddings each summer, and offers something for all kinds of budgets — from dinner drop-offs and small backyard pig roasts to full-service plated meals with white linens and china. Murphy said the pig roasts and buffet-style meals are a much more affordable way to feed the wedding party and their guests.

When she and Pacioni decided to tie the knot, they knew what they wanted — and also knew how much work goes into these things. For instance, when they deliver a pig roast for an event, they stay up all night with the animal as it smokes, slow and low. So, how did the meatloving couple convince a bunch of their friends and staff to pick up the slack while they were otherwise occupied?

Beer. Plenty of beer.

“Ply them with food and some cold beverages and we’re good to go,” Murphy said. “It was all hands on deck the whole time, but we had fun with it.”

Since their own company was supplying the feast for 180 wedding guests, they made sure all their favorites were on the menu: smoked meats, lobster salad, rack of lamb lollipops, a raw shellfish bar, and plenty of salads and sides. As a bonus, after the celebration ended, they had plenty of food left over for late-night noshing.

PLANS, PRIORITIES

Murphy has some practical advice for creative corner-cutting for a large

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gathering: plan ahead and prioritize.

For instance, you might not want to drop a lot of money on party favors, because a lot of people forget to take them home. And here’s another no-sosecret observation: that big, traditional wedding cake hardly ever is completely eaten. The couple compromised by getting a small, decorative wedding cake from Vermont Sweet Tooth for the guests of honor, and cupcakes for everyone else.

As another creative and festive way to save money on decorating, the ladies held a craft-making party as part of the wedding shower. And how’s this for planning ahead: Murphy’s mother, aunt and friends did the flowers themselves, planting them in the spring so they’d be ready for the ceremony.

“They were pretty and colorful, whatever we could grow in the Vermont climate,” she said. “That saved thousands of dollars right there.”

SUBLIMELY SIMPLE

Kristen Miglinas and Elliot Rocheleau went even more bare-bones with their wedding last fall, and it was still a magical day for the couple and the 22 guests in attendance at a family member’s home in Hyde Park. Everyone had a role in their nuptials.

“We decided that this was about marriage, and not about me being a princess,” Miglinas said. “And we don’t have a single bill. No debt.”

Photos? The groom’s best friend,

Jeremiah Johnson, is a photographer, and he captured most of the moments — except for the parts when he was marrying the couple. That’s right, Johnson was also the officiant and allaround best guy.

Music? Press play on Pandora’s “dinner party” mix.

Décor? Pumpkins and hay bales and a built-in backdrop of Whiteface Mountain, something for which out-oftowners shell out big bucks.

Heat for the tent? The couple is friends with fuel oil dealer Griffin Corse, who donated a heater for the event.

The couple chose to splurge on a couple of things, such as flowers and decorations.

Food?

“Elliot’s dad really prides himself on his meat-cooking abilities, and my mom made ricotta pasta roll-ups, and she made mashed potatoes, because that’s my favorite thing to eat,” Miglinas said. “Everyone helped out with making food.”

One more money-saving tip: Get a really good local bakery, such as Sweet Crunch in Hyde Park, to make one of its regular cakes, and add a few flowerfrosting flourishes. If it’s a delicious cake that just happens to be served at a wedding, it’s a wedding cake.

“We were both very conscious about what this day meant, and we both just wanted our families there,” said Miglinas. “It was the closest thing to eloping without actually eloping.”

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Joint or separate bank accounts?

Debts. What are the outstanding debts of either or both parties?

Employment and retirement expectations.

Pre-Nuptial Agreement. Should there be one and if so, what should it include and should it have a limited duration?

Children. Whether, when and how many? How will parental responsibility be shared inn the new or blended family?

How to communicate effectively and respectfully, especially about difficult issues?

Is religion important to either spouse and , if so, how might that affect the relationship/family?

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Weddings 2015

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Weddings 2015

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SAYING “I DO” WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

| Story by Matt Mientka

‘Till hashtag do we part’

A

mong wedding guests, the Kodachromatic desire for instant gratification draws even older folks into the frenzy of paparazzi.

Flashes pop and video streams as the wedding photographer jockeys for position with bridesmaids, mothers, cousins and friends to capture the moment.

Soon, the entire experience is living online for the wider world to see, on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and into digital posterity. And although many couples encourage amateur social media use at their weddings, advisers to betrothed couples say guests should follow their lead.

Anna Post of the Emily Post Institute in Burlington says wedding guests should remember they’re your friend when posting media online.

At her own nuptials, she noticed guests taking lots of photos and emphasizes you should always pick a good one — these people love you, after all.

“I think the first thing any guest should do is take their cue from the couple,” Post says, noting that some brides and grooms choose to create private websites, while others go for the public hashtag.

But there’s a stark difference between the solemnity of the wedding ceremony — often a holy event — and the celebratory raucousness of the reception.

“I think it’s reasonable to ask people to put their phones away during the ceremony but I think it’s harder to control behavior during the reception,” Post says. “I also think it’s fair to ask people not to post to social media during the reception so the couple can see their wedding first.”

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Weddings 2015

Even without specific instructions on social media from the couple, guests should exercise common sense when sharing photos of the party.

“I think it’s important for people to remember what their role is at the ceremony,” she says. “People hire photographers and videographers to record their weddings, so while I understand

the impulse, I don’t think there’s a desperate need for that photo.”

In the event that common sense might be lacking, Post advises wedding guests to ask the bride and groom about their wishes — and to respect privacy.

As the average wedding cost rises in America toward $30,000, according to data from TheKnot, some affluent couples in New York City now even hire a social media concierge to handle the event’s online publicity.

Yet, at most weddings, the official social media campaign remains the purview of the wedding photographer. Orah Moore of Haymaker Photography in Morrisville says only once has she charged extra for social media — when her clients insisted on immediate turnaround.

“I’m taking photos and posting them and it is exhilarating but some-

times it’s exhausting,” Moore says, describing a few recent weddings in central Vermont.

On a recent occasion, the photographer helped to preserve an instant Vermont classic: a same-sex wedding.

The once unthinkable has now been a mainstay of Vermont wedding tourism for nearly a generation, and continues to attract young couples with ties to the area.

Just after Christmas, Moore photographed the wedding of Julian and Michael Vaughn, a same-sex couple who’d traveled from Washington, D.C., to wed at the Village Victorian Bed & Breakfast in Morrisville. For Julian, the occasion — fed by Susanna’s Catering across town — was less about the leading men and more about the supporting cast. The newlyweds planned for a party, but gave no explicit instructions to guests on how to have a good time.

“This was a gift he was giving to his friends: the meal, the reception, the weekend,” Moore said. “He felt it was about providing a beautiful experience to their guests.”

Screen shot

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ah Moore of

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otograhy.

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RUSTIC BARNS OFFER CHARMING WEDDING VENUES

|

Story by Hannah Marshall

From hay bales

to cupolas THE RUSTIC WEDDING TREND has been going strong for several years now — think burlap and blackboards, lots of natural materials and exposed wood, and a whole lot of mason jars.

For the ultimate in rustic chic, couples can take it to the next level with a farm wedding.

If you want to rusticate in Vermont, plenty of farms will deliver a beautifully bucolic setting for the big day. They range in size

and scope from single-barn family homesteads to sprawling buildings on hundreds of acres.

When picking a farm venue, it’s important to consider what you want out of the experience — and what your budget is. While many properties have a do-it-yourself vibe, with few restrictions on caterers, décor and rentals, some have exclusive vendor agreements and provide considerable support.

Prices reflect that, too — a small,

simple venue might run around $2,000 for a weekend; one large, elaborate property we saw had a base fee starting at $13,000.

Farms may or may not provide tables and chairs (or hay bales), sound systems, ceremony seating and décor, tents and staging areas.

Depending on the venue, you might need to rent portable restrooms.

Here’s a look at a few properties that provide unique amenities and an agricultural experience.

Above, “Growing up in Vermont, I knew I would return to my home state to tie the knot,” said Emily Freedman, who married Brian in a ceremony at Riverside Farm in Pittsfield in September 2014. “Riverside is a wonderful place to get married ... they went above and beyond for us on our special day due to the rain. You would have never guessed! Truly professionals, but warm and loving.” Photo by Barrie Fisher Photographers.

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Weddings 2015

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Photos by Lauren Stagnitti

Spotlight: lang farm celebration Elena Kostka-Murphy, 29, is a nursing student who grew up in Maine and moved to Lake Elmore with her family in 1998. She married Bryan Murphy, sous chef at an event and performing arts center in Colorado, in a small ceremony at the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Burlington. Their reception was held at Lang Farm in Essex Junction, with about 140 guests joining for a celebration on a beautiful July day.

The couple lives in Colorado Springs — KostkaMurphy’s parents in Vermont “did the legwork” looking at venues, she said.

When they saw Lang Farm, she said, “they called me right away and said they had found it.”

What did they love about the venue, which sports a plant nursery, antique store, golf course and, of course, a big red barn? It was “the whole package,” said KostkaMurphy, “Beautiful landscaping, attention to detail inside the barn was unreal … The owners were very helpful, always available for questions.”

Food was provided by Moretown-based Spice of Life catering, which creates custom menus with “elegant, wholesome foods” that focus on seasonality and Vermont’s “rich, local farmland.” Kostka-Murphy said the only challenge of using the Lang Farm barn was the lack of an on-site kitchen, but rented equipment solved the problem.

Handmade touches blended perfectly into the classi34

Weddings 2015

cally Vermont setting.

“It was a DIY wedding,” said Kostka-Murphy. “My mom and her friend did all the flowers, my dad made a photo booth, we cut tree slices with chainsaws (for table numbers and décor), we grew grass to place seat assignments in,” she said.

Kostka-Murphy cited several favorite aspects of the celebration — the atmosphere, the setting of the venue, the barn — and noted that hard work put in by friends and family helped make it a wonderful and memorable day.

ISHAM FAMILY FARM In an era where small farms in Vermont aren’t as prevalent or profitable as they used to be, hosting weddings and events can be a great way for beautiful and historic farm sites to stay solvent.

Mike Isham, a fifth-generation owner of Isham Family Farm in Williston, said that, after selling the dairy operation, his parents operated a bed-andbreakfast out of the farmhouse. When the maintenance became difficult for them, Isham decided to implement some fresh ideas.

“I thought with the location and beauty of the farm, I could do something with it,” said Isham. He started pick-yourown berries and cut-your-own Christmas trees, updated and doubled the size of the maple sugaring operation, and leased space to a greenhouse.

“The 200-year-old barn was at a crossroads of either needing to destroy or restore, and I elected to restore the barn for my daughter’s wedding,” Isham said.

The farm is now in its second year of hosting weddings, and has town and state permits to host six per year. Guests can pick berries and pumpkins in season, with pest control provided by a flock of chickens; there are hiking trails on the property, and sunflower and corn mazes in the summer and fall. The property is used year-round for photo shoots, said Isham, and wagon rides, feeding and petting baby calves and other farm experiences contribute to a picturesque and memorable setting.

For farms that would like to start hosting weddings, Isham suggests to “proceed slowly, and understand how weddings fit in with regular farm life.

I feel it’s important to work both together, which allows a unique experience for everyone.”

From hay bales

to cupolas Weddings 2015

35

intervale center The nonprofit Intervale Center in Burlington is known for its sustainable agriculture initiatives. The forsaken farming site was rebuilt and restored in the 1980s.

The 350-acre expanse of farmland and wildlife corridor now provides a home for 11 privately owned farming operations as well as a Food Hub and Conservation Nursery, which supports local agribusiness and promoties sustainable land use and stewardship.

The Intervale’s Community Barn is a renovated 1860s-era structure on the site of Burlington’s last working dairy farm, the historic Calkins Farmstead.

The 128-person-capacity barn is available for weddings and private events from May through September.

Two landscaped acres (with a frog pond and gardens) are available for party use; the working farms are about a mile from the events site.

Couples who choose the Intervale for their wedding “tend to be young, 20s or early 30s, and with some connection to Vermont — they grew up here, or went to school here, or currently live here,” said Chelsea Frisbee, development coordinator at the Intervale.

Intervale hosts about a dozen wed-

dings per year. Catering is not provided, but the organization is happy to provide a long list of suggested caterers, florists and farmers to work with, including Intervale-grown crops and flowers.

“Our space and policies encourage a ‘do-it-yourself’ wedding,” said Frisbee. “Most couples appreciate the fact that the Intervale Center is a nonprofit and that their rental fees are going to

Talia Crofut and Phil George were married at the Intervale Community Barn on May 5, 2014.

Photo by Spencer Leonard Photography

support our work strengthening the community food system.”

The barn rental is from 5 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Monday, giving couples ample time to set up (and clean up) and dine, dance and celebrate to their heart’s content. riverside farm

If one barn simply won’t cut it, the 700-acre Riverside Farm in Pittsfield has five restored barns, ranging in color, style and size from a small, natural “garden barn” to the traditional big red barn of lore.

Owners Courtney and Joe Desena bought the property 15 years ago and began renovating the various barns and

Photo by Barrie Fisher Photographers

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Weddings 2015

buildings dotting the land, even disassembling old barns at other locations and reconstructing them at Riverside.

They held their own wedding there, which drew outside attention.

As word of mouth spread, the Desenas put more effort into the wedding business (not that they do anything half-hearted — Joe Desena started the ultrachallenging Death Race, which spawned the ultrapopular Spartan Races). In the 12 years of hosting weddings at Riverside, they have grown from fewer than 10 weddings per year to more than 35, accommodating parties of up to 400 people.

Other arcadian features at Riverside include an on-site covered bridge, 50 miles of trails for hiking and biking (or snowshoeing, depending on the season), fire pits, and a large stone patio. A charming mile-long stone staircase that

leads up the mountain to a stone cabin was built by competitors in the 2013 Death Race.

Riverside Farm and partner/neighbor Amee Farm are also home to Sweet Georgia P’s, a family-run farm that grows organic produce, and has a herd of dairy goats and a flock of laying chickens. With advance planning, wedding parties can choose from a variety of agricultural experiences, including farm tours and cheesemaking demonstrations.

While the small farm doesn’t produce enough to feed an entire wedding party, the property works closely with the nearby Vermont Farms Catering to provide farm-to-table cuisine.

You might get your shoes dirty and a little hay in your hair, but you can’t beat the rolling fields, open sky, fresh air and pure Vermont charm of a farm wedding.

Weddings 2015

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Weddings 2015

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Please make an appointment to visit our showroom: 1453 Chelsea Rd., Williamstown 802-433-5303 • 888-898-3839 avalontents@aol.com weddingstentsevents.com

Weddings 2015

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TIPS FOR WRITING THE PERFECT WEDDING TOAST

| Story by Tommy Gardner

Photo by Spencer Leonard Photography. spencerleonard.com

Hey folks,

Photo by Barrie Fisher Photograpers

40

Weddings 2015

it’s so good to see everyone here gathered for this couple’s special day. I’ve known this lucky guy since eighth grade, and I remember the first time he laid eyes on …

Wait, wait.

Remember that time when we all went up to Montreal …

No, definitely wait. You’ve been selected as the best man or maid of honor and need to give a speech in front of everybody — a motley crowd that includes Grandma and Grandpa as well as frat brothers and sorority sisters.

You need to cover all the bases and not embarrass yourself or, more importantly, the bride and groom.

In giving wedding speeches, preparation and an ability to listen and observe are important, knowing the difference between letting the wedding guests in on some secrets about your friend and letting them in on some secrets about the couple’s future.

That’s the secret to a good wedding speech: predicting the future.

To do that, it helps to know enough about your friend’s past, and enough about his or her beloved, to imagine their trajectory forward. And when I talk about your friend’s past, I do mean leave the Montreal or Vegas trip on the cutting room floor. Or at least save that one for the bachelor party toast.

Leave them

speechless

HERE’S TO THE PAST:

escaped the perils of a life lived lonely without each other.

An off-the-cuff remark made just that day was able to become the hook, with the couple’s past and future ahead of them becoming the backbeat.

A speech I gave as best man at my friend Danny’s wedding ran the risk of sounding like a long-running inside joke.

After all, we’re the type of friends who can, and have, carry on entire conversations using lines from Seinfeld or slow-rap quatrains made up at 4 in the morning. For the first 20 years of our HERE’S TO THE FUTURE: friendship, we’d had blissfully few “serious” conversations.

When my brother got married, he became the stepfather But then Danny met Kelly, they got engaged, and she was to two amazing teenage girls, and he made sure that when diagnosed with cancer, gethe delivered his vows to his ting all the chemo and radianew bride, he also delivered a tion and surgery done and couple of small vows to them. even getting her hair to grow Not a dry eye in the place. back — she’s a hairdresser, I knew going into this speech so she was able to pull off that there was going to be a a fabulous short ’do for the whole lot of love going around big day.

— the kind he felt for his wife, The speech captured both the kind he felt for the girls. worlds, starting with the His wife’s brother talked about brief comedic insider parts familial love, and the loss of that a dozen or so close their father a few years earlier. friends might chuckle at, In fact, the whole theme was and ending with the pathos about the love of friends; their wedding had been scheduled and the inspirational bits for Cancun, but the resort was that everyone in attendance Photo by Barrie Fisher Photographers, bfisherphoto.com ripped up by Hurricane Wilma could appreciate. just a week before. Luckily, the bride worked as wedding coordinator, and her staff was eager to put on a big show. A HERE’S TO THE PRESENT: week later, the intimate destination wedding had become a The Catholic priest who officiated my friend Jason’s huge event at home. wedding noted with foreboding that “marriage is a perilI tried to capture all those types of love abounding that ous affair,” a dour note in an otherwise beautiful ceremony. day. I started my speech with a National Geographic moI wasn’t pegged to give a speech at Jason’s reception, but I ment: “Did you know the Eskimos have a thousand words grabbed the mic from the DJ after the other speeches were for snow?” My point was that English is sometimes so delivered, and began, “Ladies and gentlemen, marriage is limited that there’s only one word, love, to describe all the a perilous affair …” It elicited a hearty chorus of laughter, emotions the couple feels when they say “I do.” everyone remembering the priest’s speech, wondering, did he Remember, your speech needs to remember the past and really say that? predict the future. And always know your audience, both That was just enough of a laugh note to take the short toast the people coming to wish the newlyweds well, and the new couple themselves. Preparation and observation make a into a more poignant note. Riffing on the priest’s warning, speech profound.

I made it clear that Jason and his new bride had essentially

My point was that English is sometimes so limited that there’s only one word, love, to describe all the emotions the couple feels when they say “I do.”

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Wedding directory VERMONT

CAKES

Delicate Decadence (802) 479-7948, finecakes@myfairpoint.net, delicate-decadence.com We specialize in making your wedding dreams come true. Whether your style is modern, floral, fantasy, classic, whimsical or cutting-edge our full-service bakery takes pride and pleasure in creating your distinctive custom-designed cake. See our social media and find something you like!

CATERING

Skinny Pancake (802) 540-0131, nealy@haveyourcake catering.com, skinnypancake.com Welcome to Have Your Cake Catering! From breakfast through dessert, our local catering team will help make your big day unforgettable. Our staff will work with you to create a custom menu, sourcing the best of local Vermont ingredients. From the rehearsal dinner through the day-after brunch, our team serves up local food and professional service.

VENDORS

CATERING

Vermont Cakeworks (802) 793-8552, martinezj@myfairpoint.net

American Flatbread at Lareau Farm (802) 496-4949, americanflatbread.com/lareau-farm

At Vermont Cakeworks, we believe flavor must be equal to beauty. We work with you to create your custom cake. Our cakes are made fresh, the day of your wedding – never frozen. Schedule a tasting and discover the difference 20-plus years of experience makes.

American Flatbread at Lareau Farm offers a casually elegant catering and reception venue in the Mad River Valley. Celebrate at our Inn and Barn Pavilion, or we will bring our wood-fired traveling oven to your site.

Menus are tailored using seasonal foods, creating gourmet flatbreads to compliment your ceremony.

Ben & Jerry’s Catering (802) 882-2052, benjerry.com Peace, love and ice cream... Looking to add an extra special treat to your wedding celebration? Together we can plan a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream social to suit your catering and budget needs. From deluxe sundae parties to novelty bars or cups and cones, the endless options are sure to delight your guests. We’ll set it up, scoop it up and clean it up. We vow to make your day euphoric!

EVENT RENTALS

Spencer Leonard

Avalon’s Weddings, Tents & Events (802) 433-5303, weddingstentsevents.com Avalon’s Weddings, Tents & Events has more than 30 years of experience giving each of our wedding clients the personal attention that they all deserve while providing some of the best rental products in Vermont for the beautiful wedding of your dreams.

Hooray It’s Love (802) 730-0111, hoorayitslove.com Hooray It’s Love is your Vermont resource for vintage rentals. Our mission is to provide you with green choices and affordable prices. Wherever you choose to host your event or stage your photo shoot, the endless combinations of our furniture, china and props can create the perfect vintage style.

Northern Vermont Tent Rental (802) 744-6502, northernvermonttentrental.com For a beautiful reception, our extensive rental collection includes white wedding tents with window side walls; tables in many sizes; elegant white-wood padded chairs; ivory and white folding chairs; parquet dance floors; china service (square plates, white plates, embossed-style plates); glassware, linens and napkins; and specialty lighting.

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WEDDING DIRECTORY EVENT RENTALS

Sperry Tents (802) 279-2646, peter@sperrytentsvt.com, sperrytentsvt.com Sperry Tents are handcrafted by sailmakers and convey an elegance and romance that cannot be duplicated. Our sailcloth tents combine discernible craftsmanship, modern technologies, signature pennant flags, and mast-worthy wooden poles for a refined event experience.

FLORAL

Undercover Tents (802) 222-5601, undercover-tents.com, undercovertents@gmail.com

Vermont Septic Service (802) 728-3805, (888) 224-3426, vermontsepticservicescompany.com

From, Maria’s Garden (802) 345-3698, maria@frommarias garden.com, frommariasgarden.com

We have a large inventory of tents, tables and chairs and are adding new things every year, like our Mason jar chandeliers, French doors and a clear top tent. We take our time on every tent to make sure that it is safe, clean, tight and straight. We always overstake our tents to be sure that they stand up even in the windiest conditions.

We specialize in special events with our White Glove treatment – each wedding restroom exceeds your expectations for cleanliness. Portable restrooms or rent our special VIP trailer that includes separate facilities for men and woman, AC/heat, music, vanities and china flushing stools, and more.

Fresh floral design studio specializing in English garden, herbal and wildflower designs from our organic cutting gardens and beyond. Rustic, vintage and fun, or more traditional, all tailored to your personal style. Maria is committed to bringing her high standards, creativity and personalized service to your special day. By appointment.

FLORAL

GIFTS

Peck’s Flower Shop (802) 888-2332, pecksflowershopvt.com

Proud Flower 80 S. Main St., Waterbury (802) 244-6853, proudflower.net

Uncle George’s Flowers (802) 253-9900, unclegeorgesflowers.com

It’s your special day – whether you choose a rustic barn, a river-side field or an elegant resort, Peck’s Flower Shop’s creative designers will help you realize the wedding of your dreams. Simple or eclectic, with great attention to detail and unique floral design, let our superior skills contribute to making your day unforgettable.

Best wishes and congratulations! Nina Towne and her team at Proud Flower are honored to create fabulous floral designs to add to the splendor of your day. We hand select the beautiful blooms, textural embellishments and specialty greenery for your designs. The result is unique and special, personal to you!

Ute, the owner, creates floral arrangements with the professional expertise of 25-plus years of hands-on experience. Trained in Wurzburg, Germany, by a master florist, her talents are unparalleled. Hand-tied bouquets are her specialty and are crafted with unmatched creativity.

Good Stuff (802) 244-0800, goodstuffstores.com

Laura Macchia (802) 279-4063, lauramacchia.com

Good Stuff an adult toy store. With tons of adult items and tobacco accessories. Fill all your needs before and after your wedding.

With a friendly and knowledgeable staff to help with any question that may come up. Come visit Kayce and Joe at the local Good Stuff near Stowe and other stores in St. Albans, Burlington, Rutland, Derby, and Newport N.H.

Laura Macchia creates lovely and unique wedding invitations designed with you in mind. A passion for beautiful design combined with your vision inspires one-ofa-kind invitations tailored to your special occasion as well as your budget. Whether it’s simple or complex, digital or letterpress printed, the result is an extraordinary design for your memorable event.

Perfect Pear 8 State Street, Montpelier, Vt. (802) 223-3433

Artisans Hand Gallery (802) 229-9492, artisanshand.com Celebrate with Vermont crafts and handmade originals from our gallery in Montpelier. Make a statement with rings designed by Bill Butler of Nature & Myth or treat the bridal party to jewelry with handset gemstones or hand-painted scarves as memorable as the day. Fine Vermont crafts make special gifts and home-decor additions. In-store or online bridal registry.

GIFTS

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Weddings 2015

Perfect Pear has a huge selection of wonderful home décor, jewelry, candles and amazing gifts. Wedding, shower, bridal party, birthday, anniversary or just because, add Perfect Pear to your “Wish List.”

Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens (802) 253-8050, stowekitchen.net Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens offers a lifetime of experience and an exceptional team to service your wedding registration.

We offer the most exquisite collection of items for every room in your home. Have fun with your bridal registry and let us provide the gifts. Open daily on the Mountain Road in Stowe.

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GIFTS

Stowe Street Emporium 23 Stowe Street, Waterbury, (802) 244-5321, stowestreetemporium.com Now in its 21st year, Waterbury’s hometown store is a visual delight featuring a wide selection of greeting cards, women and men’s apparel, jewelry, kitchenware, seasonal items, home décor, baby clothes and accessories, novelties, wedding and bridal party gifts and more.

GOWNS

Fiori Bridal Boutique (802) 872-9663, fioribridal.com We are a locally owned bridal shop with exquisite gowns, reasonably priced, by Casablanca, Stella York by Ella Bridals, Essense of Australia, Justin Alexander, Wtoo and Love Marley. We carry unique headpieces, veils and jewelry as well as shoes and other accessories to complete your look, head to toe. Please come and experience Fiori.

GOWNS

Jess Boutique 98 Church Street, Burlington, (802) 660-4004, jessboutique.com Jess is a beautiful, locally owned designer boutique on the Church Street Marketplace.

We carry beautiful clothing, dresses and handbags from top designers such as Diane von Furstenberg, Nicole Miller, Trina Turk, Elizabeth and James, BCBG, 360 Cashmere and more! Jess has everything you need for any occasion day or night!

K’s Bridal and Formal (802) 476-7100, ksbridal.com At K’s Bridal and Formal we focus on bringing our brides the best customer service experience we can. We carry gowns for the entire wedding party, as well as special occasion dresses for mothers and guests, tuxedo and suit rentals for the guys and a small gift section for bridal showers and bachelorette parties.

JEWELRY

The Sewing Basket (802) 476-8389, sewingbasketvt.com

Sewly Yours (802) 660-9003, sewlyyours.com

Ferro Jewelers (802) 253-3033, ferrojewelers.com

Goodfellows Fine Jewelers (802) 476-4002, goodfellowsvt.com

The Sewing Basket, with locations in Barre, Montpelier and Essex Junction, specializes in formal and bridalwear alterations. They have been serving customers for more than 30 years with experienced and professional seamstresses. They also provide cleaning and preservation of your wedding gown for future generations. And don’t forget their embroidery and monogram services for gifts.

Sewly Yours Bridal is now located in a new studio in Milton, Vt. With over 30 years of experience, owner and designer Debbie Wells will help you select and design your perfect wedding gown and accessories in a private setting dedicated exclusively to brides. Featuring fine designer and original vintage bridal gowns.

Located at 91 Main St. in Stowe Village, Ferro Jewelers specializes in vintage and estate jewelry, fine diamonds, contemporary designer pieces and the custom design of engagement rings and wedding bands. As a family-owned business, and member of the American Gem Society, the Ferros have built their reputation on originality and quality.

Visit us on Facebook.

With two staff jewelers and designers, Goodfellows takes you from concept to the perfect piece of jewelry that strongly reflects your ideas and your personal taste. They can also redesign existing pieces to fit your needs. Serving Vermonters for more than 100 years.

Richard J. Wobby Jewelers (802) 476-4031, richardjwobbyjewelers.com

Stowe Craft Gallery & Design Center (802) 253-4693 or (877) ILOVEVT, stowecraft.com

Von Bargen’s: The Finest Diamonds & Artisan Jewelry (800) 841-8820, vonbargens.com

JEWELRY

Perrywinkle’s Fine Jewelry (802) 865-8390, perrywinkles.com Perrywinkle’s is Vermont’s premier fine jeweler. We have a single-minded passion for creating beautiful jewelry. We handselect the finest diamonds and colored gemstones for our inspired engagement ring and wedding ring designs. We can also help you find that special something for your bridal party, with our unique selection and custom creations.

In the tradition of a family-owned, full-service jeweler, Richard J. Wobby Jewelers in Barre combines expertise and caring to help make each gift and jewelry choice perfect!

From our wide selection of beautiful, instock diamond and gemstone jewelry and wedding bands, to custom creations made just for you, we can fulfill your dreams.

Be sure to visit Stowe Craft where you will find a jewelry collection as unique as you can imagine! Our gallery caters to discerning couples who appreciate exceptional, artisan jewelry handcrafted in the United States.

While here, ask about creating an online registry that reflects your individual style.

Von Bargen’s is a Vermont family owned, second generation fine jewelry business with five locations in VT and NH. Von Bargen’s specializes in the finest diamonds coupled with distinctive and meticulously crafted design. We have the capacity to create any design, start to finish, in our studio, and also showcase artisans from across the globe.

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WEDDING DIRECTORY MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

Best Bands (800) 639-6380, bestbands.com Vermont is the ultimate wedding destination; it only follows that your Vermont wedding should have the ultimate wedding band! Best Bands makes it easy. We can bring you the region’s very best wedding bands, from the cutting-edge to the classics; we can help you find a band that suits your tastes and your budget.

Dayve Huckett - Wedding Guitarist (802) 233-6618, dayvehuckett.net Customize your music selection to create the perfect mood for your pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner. Also available: duo with singer or bass; trio with singer and bass.

Northstar Fireworks (802) 229-9690, northstarfireworks.com

Peak Entertainment, Inc. (802) 888-6978, peakdj.com

Weddings are one of the ultimate celebrations in our lives. Fireworks are the ultimate expression of celebration. Northstar Fireworks has been lighting Vermont skies in celebration for more than 25 years – and will professionally plan, design and execute a fireworks display to fit both your vision and your budget. Take your celebration to the skies with Northstar Fireworks.

Professional DJs specializing in personalized, elegantly orchestrated weddings… without the usual DJ “cheese” factor. Serving Vermont, New Hampshire and the Adirondacks since 1995. The only Vermont DJ company listed in Modern Bride Magazine’s “150 Hottest Bands and DJs in the U.S.” Referred by every major inn, hotel and wedding venue in Vermont.

Duback Photography (802) 238-0392, vermontphotographer.com

Ever After Photography (802) 272-7356, everafterweddingsvermont.com, everafterweddingsvt@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Barrie Fisher Photographers (802) 777-5665, bfisherphoto.com Barrie uses all of her senses to observe, feel and listen as her subjects’ lives unfold. She lets her subjects move through their world as she captures moments as they happen, often using her experience to see the moments before they happen. The ability to tell these life stories, to preserve history through her lens, keeps Barrie inspired.

Chamberlain Photography (802) 238-3011, cathy@chamberlainphotos.net, vermontweddingphotos.com I am passionate about capturing the beauty in every situation! I love being able to capture that special day for a bride and groom.

Work with a native Vermonter and enjoy a picture perfect wedding.

Duback Photography has been tirelessly seeking the poetic, unscripted moments between free-spirited couples and those they love since 2000. See our website for more moments from Vermont weddings.

Ever After Photography specializes in capturing the real moments and true emotions of your most important day.

Contact Elysha at Ever After — so your love story can be told in pictures.

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Kim Martin Photography (802) 598-4007, kimmartinphoto.com

Lauren Stagnitti Photography (802) 888-5433, laurenstagnitti.com

Lis Photography 802-448-0832 lisphotography.com

Specializing in weddings, portraiture and life events, my photography is a window into the subjects’ lives and world, a slice of life.

On your wedding day, my role is to capture every special moment as it unfolds, whether it is a stolen kiss, a falling tear or a tender moment between guests, using a stylized, photojournalistic method.

When photographing your wedding, my goal is to take beautiful photographs while you and your guests have a great time. I will give you a beautiful collection of traditional and photojournalistic-style images to remember your day. I look forward to photographing your wedding!

Fine art wedding and portrait photographer Lis Companion is based in Vermont but travels all over New England and beyond for her clients. Her unique style to capture beauty and life’s unforgetable moments is an experience everyone deserves to have. She will capture your emotions in a breathtaking way, celebrating your love with art.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Orah Moore Photography (802) 888-2309, orahmoore.com Experience a passionate and artistic approach to wedding photography! Orah Moore brings 30 years of artistry to her wedding (and maternity and newborn) photography. Specializing in beautifully designed contemporary album/books. Call or visit Orah’s studio sharing space with her gift shop, Haymaker Card and Gift, 84 Lower Main Street, Morrisville.

Photobooth Planet (802) 598-3940, photoboothplanet.com, facebook.com/PhotoboothPlanetVermont

Spencer Leonard Photography Hinesburg, Vt., (802) 917-1509, spencerleonard.com

Providing photobooth entertainment that suits the elegance of your wedding. If you want the highest degree of excellence and fun, go with the best and most unique photobooth business in Vermont. Choose a beautiful vintage booth or a classic and groovy VW Photobooth bus! Owned by a Vermont couple that loves to throw great parties!

Though Spencer is not a traditional wedding photographer, through his documentary approach and eye for capturing unique perspectives, he has the uncanny ability of creating that complete picture story. Extremely creative and a joy to work with, Spencer truly loves photographing weddings and the emotion he captures clearly shines through in his images.

RECEPTION SITES & REHEARSAL DINNERS

Spencer Leonard

Barre Elks Lodge (802) 479-9522, elks.org/lodges (Lodge No. 1535)

Canadian Club of Barre (802) 479-9090, canadianclubincvt@yahoo.com

Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center (800) 274-5252, capitolplaza.com

We are conveniently located in downtown Barre. Hosting weddings, anniversaries and meetings, our spacious banquet hall accommodates up to 300 guests. The friendly staff, affordable menu, large dance floor and stage make us the perfect place for your special day.

Our outdoor gazebo makes a beautiful setting for any wedding, anniversary or special event. We have a spacious hall and large parking lots, the best meals and best pricing around. Full-service bar, large dance floor and stage. Handicap accessible.

The Capitol Plaza Hotel has been Central Vermont’s premier hotel and conference center since 1994. Our wedding expertise and affordable reception packages combine all that you need, including hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast, dinner, wedding cake, reception room with dance floor, hotel rooms and a full-service wedding coordinator.

Cork (802) 882-8227, corkvt.com Centrally located in Waterbury, Cork is a lovely, intimate wedding, rehearsal dinner, or bridal shower venue for up to 50 guests.

Perfect for wine and beer enthusiasts who want to share their passion with their guests. Event consultation with customized wine pairings. Off-site bar services also available.

RECEPTION SITES & REHEARSAL DINNERS

Crop Bistro and Brewery (802) 253-4765, cropvt.com

Edson Hill 802-253-7371, edsonhill.com

Where food and beer allow us to share our ideas and expressions. Lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. Crop Bistro and Brewery is the perfect setting for Weddings, Rehearsal dinners and corporate gatherings.

Located in the iconic resort community of Stowe, Vt., Edson Hill is set on 38 acres of rolling countryside, trout ponds, streams, and walking trails. This newly renovated boutique inn, with restaurant and tavern, offers an exquisite backdrop for weddings, rehearsal dinners, or any special occasion.

The Essex Culinary Resort & Spa (802) 764-1438 or (800) 727-4295, essexresortspa.com

The Fledermaus Teahouse (802) 635-7408, fledermausteahouse. com, info@fledermausteahouse.com

A superb Vermont wedding is yours to have at the 18-acre Essex Culinary Resort & Spa and on the 5,000 splendid acres of The Ponds at Bolton Valley. Along with our inviting accommodations, we offer mouth-watering catering from award-winning chefs and an ardent attention to detail from our seasoned staff.

A meticulously converted barn in the hills above Johnson village. Offering a unique space for smaller parties looking for an elegant, intimate setting to host showers, rehearsal dinners or wedding ceremonies. Majestic maples offer shade and a dramatic autumn backdrop.

Catering arrangements available, or full kitchen provided for parties wishing to self-cater.

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WEDDING DIRECTORY RECEPTION SITES & REHEARSAL DINNERS

Harrison’s Restaurant & Bar (802) 224-6952, harrisonsstowe.com Harrison’s offers full-service bar catering for weddings, rehearsal dinners and special events, with 10 years of bar/restaurant experience and professional staff members.

Fully licensed and insured. Call Andrew Kneale for information.

Inn at Round Barn Farm Waitsfield, VT, (802)496-2276, events@theroundbarn.com, theroundbarn.com Surrounded by lush gardens and serene ponds, the Inn at Round Barn Farm is the premier Vermont venue for your rustic yet elegant spring, summer or autumn wedding. Beautiful snowscapes make for loveliest backdrop for your New England winter wedding.

RECEPTION SITES & REHEARSAL DINNERS

Topnotch Resort (802) 760-6330, topnotchresort.com

Trattoria La Festa (802) 253-8480, trattoriastowe.com

Surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the Green Mountains, revel in a place where the scenery is softer, the air cleaner and the memories of your unforgettable wedding day so incredibly bright. The staff treasure you like family and everyone will enjoy their wedding event experience along with you at Topnotch Resort.

A chef-owned, authentic, country-style Italian trattoria, celebrating more than 25 years of family-style dinners. Old-fashioned, homemade food, a great wine list and lots of charm. It’s the best place for a rehearsal dinner – it’s fun, it’s entertaining and every day is a feast. Come and join us.

SERVICES

Milne Travel (877) MILNE-4U, milnetravel.com Milne Travel has the largest geographic footprint of any New England-based travel agency, with offices in VT, NH, MA and NY. Milne Travel works with American Express to provide innovative products and superior services. Additionally, the tremendous buying power of American Express enables us to provide special services and preferred hotel and car rental rates.

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Stowe Mountain Resort (800) 253-4754, stowe.com Stowe Mountain Resort offers Vermont’s finest wedding venues, including our luxurious Stowe Mountain Lodge, Great Room at Spruce Camp, Cliff House and more. From gala receptions to intimate ceremonies, our professional staff will ensure that every occasion is unforgettable.

Stowehof Inn (802) 253-9722 x208 stowe-wedding.com Amazing wedding venue in Stowe with spectacular mountain views on 26 acres.

44 charming guest rooms. Casual, fun atmosphere with exceptional cuisine and experienced, friendly service staff. Ceremony garden, poolside cocktails, tent meadow or private dining room. Professional wedding coordination to make you wedding unique.

SERVICES

Marital Mediation - Neal Rodar (802) 223-0690, nrodar@champlain.edu Neal Rodar has 21 years of experience as a professional mediator. Neal’s board and committee memberships include the Professional Responsibility Board of the Vermont Supreme Court, the Vermont Board of Bar examiners, the Environmental Mediation Center and the Oversight Committee of the Vermont Family Court Mediation Program.

Salon Salon (802) 253-7378, salonsalonvt.com Salon Salon is a world-class, full-service Aveda Concept Salon. For 29 years, we have offered an array of services to prepare brides for their special day. We offer blowdry styles, updos, makeup applications, manicures, pedicures, facials, massage and waxing.

We can accommodate large wedding parties and have an exceptionally talented staff to service every need.

WEDDING PLANNING

Blue Sky Weddings & Events (802) 434-4483, blueskyweddingsandevents.com Do you need help taking your dream wedding and making it come true within your budget and timeframe? Nick Alexander deTarnowsky has over 20 years of experience creating weddings and special events. Bring your vision to reality with Blue Sky, which can coordinate and manage all of the elements that make an exceptional party and a beautiful event.

Daria Bishop

NJOY Event Planning (802) 229-8665, njoyevent.com

Unforgettable weddings! Let us help you make your wedding the ultimate reflection of you! NJOY offers full event planning and design, day of coordination and production, destination wedding planning, a refined fashion background and custom decor options with owner/principal designer Nancy Jeffries-Dwyer.

Stowehof Inn (802) 253-9722 x208, stowe-wedding.com The Stowehof Inn provides full service wedding planning, day-of coordination, onsite catering and bar service with 44 rooms available for your guests. Experienced wedding coordinator, Saunie Sirch, along with professional, personable staff will assist you with all the details big and small to create a stress free and joyful wedding.

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