Ringing in the New Year

Lindsay and I just want to take one last chance to wish all of our 2007 brides and grooms our marriage congratulations!

Whether you have been married for almost 12 months or just 1, we hope that 2007 brought a year of love, joy, happiness and bliss.

We look forward to celebrating all of the beautiful weddings sure to come with our 2008 brides and grooms as well.

Happy New Year!

Love, Lindsay and Talia

The rise of the "Mini-Moon"

Ok so this idea isn't exactly on the cutting edge, but the "Mini-Moon" or shortened honeymoon concept is definitely gaining popularity both with our clients and across the industry. For many reasons, couples are not afforded the luxury of lengthly or expensive honeymoons, so introduce the shortened get-away, maybe a few nights, maybe a few hours away, to escape to a miniature oasis, a seclusion from your everyday world.

Well I happen to love these types of vacations. My husband and I just returned from Newport, a favorite childhood destination of mine as I was given a gift by former clients, Kristin and Michael to stay at the lovely The Admiral Fitzroy Inn right on Thames Street, and walking distance to all of the shops and restaurants.

We have a fabulous time, for December the days were warm and sunny, the shops and restaurants were bustling with holiday excitement, the chowder was as good as ever, and the mansions were absolutely glorious. Of course, if all of that activity isn't up your alley, the Fountain Spa next door to the inn is sure to delight.

So maybe Newport isn't your ideal "Mini-Moon" destination. I have a few others up my sleeve that are sure to please. I absolutely love visiting Manchester, Vermont. Any time of year is a wonderful retreat.


While both The Equinox and The Reluctant Panther (my favorite room, the "Florist Suite" shown above) are highly regarded, I happen to love the charm and pure luxury that the Reluctant Panther affords. The restaurants at each are delectable, but regardless of where you choose to stay, I recommend dining at both.

If summer weather brings you to Vermont, hiking, biking, boating and outdoor activities abound. If it is winter weather that warms your heart, Manchester is close to many of the major ski areas, particularly Stratton Mountain. Of course, the Manchester Outlets are a hot spot no matter what time of year and very close by to both of the hotels I mentioned above.

So maybe heading out of state seems like too much trouble. Connecticut offers so many options as well. My all time favorite, including their restuarant is The Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut.


I honestly can not think of a better Connecticut locale than this to retreat to even for the most discerning of travelers. The best time of year to venture to the Litchfield Hills is the peak of the fall foliage season. The landscape is so serene, the antique shopping is at it's best, and the wineries are fully operational, as it is the harvest season. My favorite in the area is The Hopkins Vineyard which overlooks Lake Waramaug.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to share with you a few of my favorite spots, and while I am no travel agent, I definitely encourage you to consider the concept of the "Mini-Moon" if escaping the realities of everyday life for the traditional one or two week honeymoon just isn't a reality for you!
Do you have a favorite nearby destination you would love to share? I would love to hear about it!

Beyond the bridal mag . . .

Quite often, it seems as if brides and wedding professionals alike become slaves to the obvious source of reference - bridal magazines (aka wedding porn). Taking a trip down memory lane to when Talia and I were both brides journaling our visions away on the Wedding Channel message boards (heh), I fondly remember how it was a great competition among all of us crazy brides to announce who had first spotted the most recent Martha, Elegant Bride, Southern New England Weddings or Grace Ormond issue at either her own doorstep, Borders or the local supermarket. I think sometimes we get so caught up in what is advertised in front of us that we forget other really terrific resources in which to stumble upon fabulous wedding ideas, such as fashion and decorating magazines.

Believe it or not, it was in fact the December issue of Cottage Living that inspired me to write this post, as I found within it the most adorable winter centerpiece that would look devastating in the best sense at any winter wedding:

Whats more, some of my all-time favorite bouquets were published in every fashionista's most swoonworthy magazine . . .Vogue, which of course obviously also has amazing ideas for shoes and bags.

For some reason I'm having issues putting in multiple photos in entry, but nonetheless the point is the same . . good style is as good style does. Keep your eyes open when reviewing non-wedding related resources. You may just come across something utterly spectacular when you are least expecting it. Even cooler, you'll probably never have a snarkly guest lean over to another at a table and say, "Oh, I saw that at another wedding too. . ."

Cheers!