What a beautiful morning this has been. I have been up since 4:00 a.m watching the wedding of Kate and William with my two daugthers. It was everything that I imagined it would be. Simply Gorgeous! A perfect day. What a wonderful couple. Congratulations Kate and Will. We wish you a lifetime filled with joy.
Personalizing Your Vermont Wedding
As you begin to plan your Vermont Wedding, keep these three questions in mind:
How can we make it feel like us?
How can we make it unique?
How can we make our guests completely comfortable?
Build Excitement for Your Guests
A few weeks before the wedding, send each of your guests a teaser via mail to get them excited for the upcoming events. Some ideas: a map/guidebook with the location of your wedding ceremony and reception highlighted/bookmarked or include a gift that’s super-specific to your destination: maple syrup, Lake Champlain Chocolates, gourmet roasted coffee fromVermont Coffee Company or a bottle of local wine or beer from one of our local breweries, Long Trail .
Help Guests Pack for Your Wedding
Add a section to your wedding website that makes prepping for the trip a piece of cake. In addition to giving guests a heads-up about all the special events they’ll be attending, include dress-code information and a list of things they won’t want to leave home without, such as sneakers, hiking boots or snow boots (if you have any hikes planned), a bathing suit and sunscreen (for a day swimming in one of Vermont’s pristine lakes), ski boot and skis (for a day of winter fun on the slopes) and a shawl for Vermont’s cool summer nights . It is a great way to lend a helping hand while giving your friends and family a sneak peek at the events you’re planning.
Connect Wedding Guests with One Another
Create a “Looking for Someone” directory to help your guests track someone down throughout the weekend. Make some extras and give them to your wedding party, family, and wedding planner to have on hand wherever they are.
Guest Newsletter
A newsletter will fill in your guests on everything they need to know about the wedding weekend, timeline of events, local hotspots and special activities they won’t want to miss.
Stock Your Guests’ Rooms
You don’t have to go overboard, but a few bottles of water and a handful of snacks that satisfy guests’ sweet and salty cravings is a thoughtful touch. And don’t forget the kids, milk and cookies and crayons and coloring books will definitely be well received. A local map, guidebook and a disposable camera will help create a great memento of the trip.
Serve a Bag Lunch
Work with a local restaurant to coordinate bagging up portable picnics that guests can enjoy on a hike or tote to a daytime excursion. Keep the fare simple, a sandwich, drink, snack and dessert that will not spoil. Toss in a handwritten “Happy Picnicking” note plus a napkin that matches your wedding palette.
Thank Your Wedding Party
If possible, take your bridesmaids and groomsmen on a surprise excursion, a kayak/canoe adventure, ride the gondola to the top of a mountain and have a picnic lunch waiting for you, mountain biking, fly fishing or perhaps a balloon ride overlooking the exquisite vistas of Vermont as a thank you for being in the wedding. Don’t have the time? Give them something they can use again and again. For the groomsmen: a fabulous barbecue set. Simon Pearce has exquisite hand blown glass that your bridesmaids will love.
Say “Good Night” to Your Guests
Arrange for hotel staffers to leave a different sweet treat on guests’ pillows every night. Think chocolate, truffles to dark chocolate chevre brownies (Bobby Flay’s Favorite!). Lake Champlain Chocolates, Laughing Moon Chocolates and Vermont Brownie Company are just a few of my favorites. For the kids, adding a gift of a different storybook each night is a sweet touch.
Postcards Instead of a Guest Book
Instead of a guest book, give your guests pre-addressed postcards before they leave for home. Ask them to jot down their favorite moment from the weekend, then mail the cards your way while you’re honeymooning. You will return home to a mailbox full of memories.
Thanking Your Wedding Guests
Friends and family have traveled a long way to celebrate with you and putting your personal stamp on everything they touch is a way of letting them know how much you appreciate their being there. Taking the time to incorporate a few of our ideas is a wonderful way to say “Thank You”.
Now that you are engaged, what are the next steps to planning your wedding day? Start with the big picture and work your way down to the details. The first issue you need to think about, as it will effect the rest of your wedding planning, is your Budget.
You need to set a budget. You’ve got to determine how much you can spend on your wedding and who is going to contribute to your wedding expenses.
With that in mind, your next step is to develop an overall framework for your wedding. Start by thinking about what kind of wedding you want. Do you want a small, intimate wedding or a grand, lavish celebration, or something in between? By making a few decisions about what you like and what you don’t like can really help narrow down the vast array of choices.
Here are ten questions for you to answer that will help you get started…
In Vermont, the beauty of each season can help create a one of a kind backdrop for your wedding day. With four exquisite seasons, you can plan your Vermont wedding for the time of year that best fits your personality and style.
Spring Weddings in Vermont
Each season has its own special charms, but springtime in Vermont holds the promise of all that is new, fresh and full of wonder. Green fields dotted with beautiful wildflowers and apple trees beginning to blossom, coloring the landscape with pastels reminiscent of Monet’s garden, creating the perfect backdrop for your wedding day.
Summer Weddings in Vermont
Summer is a time of lush, pastoral beauty, warm days and long, cool evenings. It is the perfect season to plan an outdoor wedding, whether you envision exchanging your vows in a beautiful garden or charming white clapboard church, lakeside or on a mountaintop. Vermont’s stunning summer landscapes are the perfect stage for your wedding celebration.
Fall Weddings in Vermont
Vermont in autumn has a glorious foliage that is unparalleled, brilliant shades of yellow, orange and crimson light up the trees. Imagine dancing your first dance in a beautifully restored barn set against the dazzling foliage decorating the landscape as you celebrate your new life together.
Winter Weddings in Vermont
Wintertime in Vermont is quintessential New England, its charming villages blanketed in snow. The sharp, fresh aroma of evergreens, the magic of new snow, the twinkle of white holiday lights…winter weddings in Vermont offer a quiet but dramatic beauty. Picture yourself arriving by a horse drawn sleigh, dinning by candlelight, surrounded by your family and closest friends at a romantic inn. Winter weddings are magical in Vermont.
Whatever season you choose, you will be glad you chose Vermont as the perfect setting for your wedding day.
