Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Wedding Story: Lindsay!

z - a wedding story

This week’s Wedding Story journeys from a backyard beach to a fabulous city landmark. Lindsay and Tom exchanged vows at the home of a family friend overlooking the water in Bristol RI, then gathered up their bridal party into a party bus and trekked up to Boston for an elegant affair at the State Room. Read more from Lindsay and check out these gorgeous photos…

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When did you get married?
June 26, 2010


Bride’s bouquet

bridal bouquet


Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony: Private residence, Poppasquash Road, Bristol, RI. Reception:
State Room, Boston, MA


bridal party2
What made you choose that reception location?
The view was spectacular and it offered the atmosphere and vibe I was going for.

Favor cards; with that spectacular Boston view in the background
favors

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
The great time that everyone had! (including me and my husband)

cake
What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The Knot

Guest book of engagement photos

guestbook
What's the one thing you would have done differently?
Nothing!

Bridesmaid bouquets

bridemaid flowers
Any advice for future brides?
It's not as stressful as everyone says...until a few weeks before the big day. Remember to have fun at your own wedding!

tickets

Photos courtesy of Relive Photography.


If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

“I do” Ideas: Honeymoon Ideas (Part 4 of 4!)

For the final installation of honeymoon ideas, I thought we could look at some ideas a little more closer to home, right here in the US! There’s lots of beautiful places in our country that make for great getaways!

Continental US

California

“Find yourself here”

Sue S visited California with her husband last year for her honeymoon. She says “We went to Northern California. Marin County is beautiful. I LOVED Muir Woods! Stinson Beach has a great laid back surfer type vibe. We loved taking drives up and down the coast line in our rented convertible...especially to Point Reyes National Seashore! Beautiful. The convertible really made the trip. Oh and riding the cable cars in San Francisco wasn't bad either.”

Cali - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: San Francisco (Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Ghiradelli Square), San Diego (Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Sicilian Festival, PETCO Park, The Big Bay, Legoland), Los Angeles (The Getty Center, Dodger Stadium, Paramount Studios), Sacramento (Railroad Museum, Discovery Park), Hollywood (Wax Museum, Universal Studios, Walking Tour, Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign), and more!

Cali - Pic

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For more info on California, visit here.

Florida

“Discover your Florida side”

Tana, who honeymooned in Florida last May, says “We went to Orlando, FL specifically Disney World. Jim and I are not beach people but we wanted to go somewhere warm, where we could eat great food, enjoy incredible wine, have fun, and swim with dolphins (my only request!). Orlando, FL has all that and more. We stayed on Disney property and had a great time exploring the theme parks as well as eating some of the best meals of our lives and enjoying a leisurely 10 day trip. The entire time we were there we were treated like royalty because it was our honeymoon.”

Florida - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Orlando (Walt Disney World, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, Everglades National Park), Miami (South Beach, festivals, trendy nightlife, Art Deco district, Little Havana), Fort Lauderdale (beaches, Las Olas Boulevard, gondola rides on the canals), Key West (watersports, nightlife, beaches, historic sites), Panama City Beach (deep-sea fishing, amusement rides, beaches, exciting nightlife), and more!

Florida - Pic

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Courtney B visited a different area of Florida for her honeymoon. She says “We took a mini-moon to Key West, it is so great down there, you totally feel like you are on a tropical island but you're still in FL.”

For more info on Florida, visit here.

Las Vegas

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”

LV - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Stay in some of the largest hotels (17 of the 20 biggest hotels in the U.S. are in Las Vegas), see a show (ranging from the Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, magician David Copperfield, performers Celine Dion, musicals Jersey Boys, The Lion King, comedians David Spade, Chelsea Handler), place your bets at the casinos, visits the shops at Caesars, and more!

LV - Pic

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For more info on Las Vegas, visit here.

South Carolina

“Made for Vacation”

SC - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand Beaches (over 100 championship golf courses, tennis courts, outlet malls, live musical theatres, nightclubs), historic Charleston beaches (Bull Island, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island), Hilton Head (42 square miles with broad beaches, nine marinas, over two dozen championship golf courses, largest outdoor, tented wine tasting event on the East Coast), Fripp (3.5 miles of beach, two championship golf courses, tennis courts, kayaking, seaside water park) and more!

SC - Pic

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For more info on South Carolina, visit here.

New York City

“I {heart} NY”

NYC - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, see a Broadway show, Times Square, American Museum of Natural History, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Museum of Modern Art, concerts, comedy shows, shopping galore and more!

NYC - Pic

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For more info on New York City, visit here.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

That wraps up all 4 segments of Honeymoons; I hope you were able to get some ideas for your own special trip!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

A Wedding Story: Rachel!

Today’s Wedding Story comes from Rachel, of the adorable blog Rachel & John. Rachel hails from Canada and is here to tell us all about her big day last August. Here’s Rachel:Bride and Groom


When did you get married?
August 30th, 2009 (After 9 and a half years of dating!)

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
We had our ceremony and reception at the same place: Liuna Gardens in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada.FanPrograms
What made you choose that reception location?
We knew we wanted our ceremony and reception at the same location. It's always been my dream to have a beach wedding at our family cottage. Unfortunately with the size of our families, that just wasn't an option. Liuna Gardens is right on Lake Ontario. Even though it doesn't have a sand beach, it still has a beautiful lake front area with beautiful gardens and a view of the lake from the reception hall. We also thought the staff at Liuna were great. We told them what our budget was and they made it work without pressuring us to spend more money.


Wedding Party
What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Do I have to pick just one? Well, finally being married was a great feeling! The love we felt not only from each other, but from everyone who came. It’s such an overwhelming feeling.


Cake Topper

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
Wedding Bells. It’s like Canada’s version of the knot. Not only do they have inspirational ideas and real weddings to look at, but they also have vendors listed by area. That’s how we found our band. A runner up would be my mom. We planned the wedding from Alberta, so my mom was the one who ran around looking for wedding venues and buying centerpiece supplies.


centerpiece

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
We didn’t turn to face each other during the ceremony, we just stood side by side. I think I would have liked to be looking at John head on, instead of out of the corner of my eye. But other than that, there isn't anything I would change!


Ceremony

Any advice for future brides?
(1) Let people help you. Ask people to help you. People want to be involved in your wedding, so let them!


(2) Choose functional favors. You wouldn’t believe how many people came up to me thanking me for giving them a favour that they could actually use! We gave out heart shaped measuring spoons.


Favors


(3) On the wedding day I told everyone I was done making decisions and that I didn’t want people asking me questions all day. It was so nice to just enjoy the day and not have to worry about anything!


Veil


Wow I had never heard of “Wedding Bells” before; I will definitely have to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Rachel! And I love the idea of a “wedding day point person”!


Photos courtesy of Rachelle Rousseau.

If you'd like to be featured as a Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wedding Wednesdays: Honeymoon Ideas (Part 3 of 4!)

Z - I do ideasThis week we have the third installment of Honeymoon Ideas. We’ve already gone over “Tropical” and “Local”. Now we have a few places on the other side of the Atlantic!

For Part 3 we have:

Transatlantic!

Italy

“Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life”

Kelly S honeymooned with her hubby in both Italy and France. About Italy, she says: “We got to enjoy the beautiful black sand beach, the delicious homemade pasta, and the excellent wine.”

 Italy - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Rome (ancient monuments, medieval churches, beautiful fountains, museums and palaces, excellent restaurants and nightlife, the Vatican), Venice (most beautiful and romantic city, Piazza San Marco, wandering along the canals), Florence (Medici palaces and gardens, famous paintings and sculptures, Duomo, Baptistery), Milan (stylish shops, galleries, faster pace, artistic and cultural heritage, La Scala), Naples, Verona, Turin, and more!

 Italy - Pic

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Christine M visited both Italy and France as well last October for her honeymoon. About Italy, she says “breathtaking, your eyes don’t stop!”

For more info on Italy, visit here.

Paris, France

“Paris in the Springtime”

Kelly said about France: “We went to Paris because I always dreamed of going there for my honeymoon. We loved all of the history, the sightseeing and of course, the food.”

 Paris - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Luxemburg Gardens, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre, walking tour of the Marais, The Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, Montmarte, Bateaux Mouches Paris boat tour, Champs-Elysées and the Arc du Triomphe, Rue Mouffetard, Pantheon, and more!

 Paris - Pic

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Christine M who also visited France says “ROMANCE, ROMANCE, ROMANCE! The landscapes/views are amazing!”

For more info on Paris, visit here.

China

“One World, One Dream”

 China - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Beijing (Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven), Hangzhou (China’s “Paradise on Earth” full of gardens, tranquil temples & pavilions and historic streets), Qingdao (most famous for their internationally exported beer, Tsingtao), Shanghai (Yu Garden and Bazaar, The Bund, the French Concession, Xin Tian Di, Jin Mao Tower) and more!

 China - Pic

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For more info on China, visit here.

Australia

“There’s Nothing like Australia”

 Australia - Map

Activities and sights to check out include: Sydney (spectacular harbour, world famous Opera House, wander the streets of The Rocks, kayak under the Harbour bridge, walk the sea-sculpted cliffs from Bondi to Bronte), Melbourne (famous shopping precincts, cute cafes, swanky bars, secret art spaces and off-the-beaten-track boutiques), Cairns (snorkel and dive at the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafting, Daintree Rainforest), Brisbane (cruise down the Brisbane River, ride a bike through the City Botanic Gardens, abseil the cliffs of Kangaroo Point), and more!

 Australia - Pic

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For more info on Australia, visit here.

Mediterranean Cruise

“A Feast for the Senses”

Lea M and her hubby took a Mediterranean Cruise for their honeymoon last September. She says: “The best part about the cruise is that you get to see so many amazing places, and your hotel moves with you. You never have to worry about what to eat because they have everything you could imagine. We viewed the trip as a once in a lifetime opportunity - who knows the next time we will be able to take that amount of time off and have the money and the health to travel Europe like that.”

 med cruise - Map

Ports of call range from: Barcelona Spain, Nice France, Florence Italy, Rome Italy, Dubrovnik Croatia, Venice Italy, Split Croatia, Naples Italy, Athens Greece, Mykonos Greece, Ephesus Turkey, Provence France, Amsterdam Holland, Bruges Belgium, Vigo Spain, Lisbon Portugal, Gibraltar UK, Cherbourg France, and more!

med cruise - Pic 

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For more info on Mediterranean Cruises, visit here.

 

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

 

Stay tuned in a few weeks for part 4 of Honeymoon Ideas!