La la la la la la la la

Wedding receptions are the most fun part of the wedding and the dances are the sweetest. 

So, I am going to make a list of the best wedding songs to play during those special dances. 

The Father Daughter Dance:

1) Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

2) What a wonderful world by Louis Armstrong 

3) Isn't she lovely by Stevie Wonder 

4) My little girl by Tim McGraw

5) Daughters by John Mayer 

5) It won't be like this for long by Darius Rucker 

The First Dance: 

1) Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton 

2) La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong 

3) I can't help falling in love with you by Elvis Presley 

3) As by Stevie Wonder

4) Crazy Love by Van Morrison 

5) I don't dance by Lee Brice 

6) Making memories of us by Keith Urban 

7) Look at us by Vince GIll

8) Hey pretty girl by Kip Moore

9) Come a little closer by Dierks Bentely 

10) All I need to know by Kenny Chesney 

Hope you enjoy! 

Harrington Farm

Writing a wedding blog, I am becoming more familiar with my personal taste. This week, I will be highlighting my favorite wedding venue and the special attributes it holds.

Harrington Farm is an estate in Princeton, MA (a town about 1.5 hours from Boston). It was established in 1763. Their mission statement, "One of New England’s leading destinations for wedding receptions, special occasions and corporate events, Harrington Farm offers a sophisticated combination of contemporary elegance and timeless country charm. Boasting full-service planning capabilities, restaurant-quality cuisine and a picturesque setting, the team at Harrington Farm specializes in creating events that reflect the distinct style and personality of each and every client."

It is a farm-like atmosphere, which brings in a cozy feel when you enter the home.

The Harrington Farm House

The dining area where the hosts can decorate as they please. The venue has family-style tables to use (family-style is the best).

Around the estate are multiple picture-perfect settings for the couple to take picture at. Old farm houses, rock roads and a garden.

To see more, go to their website; http://harringtonfarm.com/

See the packages they offer (seasonal) as well as they catering, event rental services and special features.

Father of the Bride

"I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong. That's getting married. A wedding is an entirely different proposition. I know. I've just been through one. Not my own, my daughter's. Annie Banks Mackenzie. That's her married name: Mackenzie. You fathers will understand. You have a little girl. An adorable little girl who looks up to you and adores you in a way you could never have imagined. I remember how her little hand used to fit inside mine. Then comes the day when she wants to get her ears pierced, and wants you to drop her off a block before the movie theater. From that moment on you're in a constant panic. You worry about her meeting the wrong kind of guy, the kind of guy who only wants one thing, and you know exactly what that one thing is because it's the same thing you wanted when you were their age. Then, you stop worrying about her meeting the wrong guy, and you worry about her meeting the right guy. That's the greatest fear of all, because, then you lose her. It was just six months ago that that happened here. Just six months ago, that the storm broke."

If you don't recognize this quote then you're doing it all wrong.

It's from Father of the Bride of course!

Father of the Bride was a movie that came out in 1991 (a little before our time) starring Steve Martin and Diane Keaton, written by Frances Goodrick and Albery Hackett and directed by Charles Shyer.

The story is about a girl who is getting married and dreams of a big fantastic, extravagant wedding while her father is going into debt trying to pay for it. This comedy also brings out the tears in some fathers' eyes who are watching their little girls grow up.

My dad, a pretty tough veteran, still cries whenever he watches this movie. He has three daughters who are all growing up dreaming of big fantastic, extravagant wedding. My sisters and I are still contemplating whether he's crying over us growing up or the debt he's about to be in...whoops!

I think ya'll should watch it!

Vintage Luxury

Fall of 2015 had held a lot of...interesting and some exciting new things in this world. Adele is making people cry, Donald Trump is making people cry harder and my personal favorite,  the 2015 fall edition of the The Knot is not open to the public (it's a wedding magazine, duh!) 

Looking through this magazine for a couple of weeks and marking it up with ideas that make my jaw drop, I am going to write about my favorite featured wedding. 

Barbara & Trevor

August 23, 2015. 

 Sands Point, New York

Photographer: KT Merry Photography          Event Design: Cheeky Details 

"For their Luxe Long Island wedding, Barbra Racanelli (28) and Trevor Ferguson (29 and an entrepreneur) were determined to make Hempstead House, a sprawling Gold Coast mansion, feel like home- and for their guests to feel like they were attending an intimate dinner party. To pull off their vision, Barbra and Trevor filled the vacant estate with vintage furniture dating back to the days when F. Scott Fitgerald used to visit. They even incorporated Barbra's grandmother's dining room table and her mother's vanity into the decor. With muted shades of gray, cream, blush and gold, they created a stylish aesthetic with just the right amount of gram to make Gatsby himself proud. -MO" 

The Dress:
An Oscar de la Renta gown accessorized with a dramatic cathedral-length veil. 

The invitations: 
Letterpress invitations with a custom crest and sketch of the Hempstead House; wedding venue. 

Ceremony Traditions:
The minister summed this wedding up perfectly. He sweetly said, "May your marriage be modern enough to hand the changing times, yet traditional enough to last forever." 

Cocktail Hour:
Between the ceremony and reception, the couple hosted a cocktail house in the backyard to enjoy the mansions beautiful scenery. Vintage couches were placed through the area, for guests to watch the perfect sunset.

The Reception: 
Family style is the best style. The tables were accessorized with neutral colored flowers to complement the stunning glass ceiling that took center stage.  

               

1988

My aunt hosted this past Thanksgiving, as usual. Thirty of my family members went to her house to have dinner, enjoyed each others company and share lots of laughs and memories. With my sister and cousin getting "almost" engaged, the marriage and love spirit was in the air that day. With nana being excited and the aunts looking at wedding dresses, memories of old weddings come up. Everyone, every single aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousin said that my parents, Kathleen Grady and Tim Gover, had the best wedding anyone has even attended. 1988. 

Let's start off with their story. On fathers day of 1987, my mother went to the bar with her sisters and friends for the night. Just across the room, she spotted a dashing young man in his coast guard uniform and asked him to dance. Although, my dad likes to change the story around so it doesn't make him sound too much of a chicken. A year later they were getting married.

My grandmother was a caterer and event planner so naturally, she took charge. She bought the wedding dress, booked the venue, picked the food and made sure everything went has smooth as possible. In fact, my mother did not even see her wedding dress until the day of. As you could imagine...that was an issue. 

Anyway, the wedding was hosted at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston's Back Bay area; top floor with a view of the city. With a whopping 400 quests, there was no dull moment. Yes, the camera man missed her walking down the aisle and the band was an hour late, but my grandfather bought a push cart of free alcohol so everyone had a great night. 

Weddings can go bad, so super awful. But as long as you have 400 of your closest friends, family, acquaintances and mailmen there with you, its will for sure be a great time. 

Here is my parents being super cute.

It's A No For Me

There are just a few things that a wedding should not have, things a bride and groom should not do and things that should not be expected from guests. Here they are:

1) Please do not have the wedding reception in a hall with purple light. Please.

2) Dear guests, don't wear white. Even if the bride isn't SUPER specific on it, don't do it.

3) Don't have a cash bar; let you guests have fun.

4) Have the actually wedding and reception right after each other. Don't make your guests wait.

5) Don't go crazy with the DIY. I'm sure your super crafty and what not but it's not shunned upon to buy a couple things. Also, super stressful on yourself.

6) Do NOT forget to eat! Things may seem more important than food on your wedding day but like...they're not.

7) Wear water-proof mascara. You're welcome.

8) At the reception, go around to every table and every guest to thank them for coming. My cousin didn't do that at her wedding and it turned into this whole stupid family feud thing.

9) For your first dance, pick a song that has some type of meaning or relation to you and your husbands life. Not just one of Ed Sheeran's newest hits.

10) I just asked my cousin what the 10th "don't" of a wedding should be and he said, "don't wear cam." So, don't do that I guess.

You're Welcome.

Say Yes To...Which Dress?

The moment he pops the question, the first thing a soon-to-be bride will think about is finding the dress. 
The dress marks the whole style of the wedding...so for the groom´s who question the admiration; it´s kind of a big deal! 
Lace or beaded, satin or chiffon, ballgown or form-fit? So many questions and I have the answer.

Anthropologie is a store that celebrates lifestyle, art, culture, design, discovery and personal style. Although, many people are unaware that Anthropologie has a wedding section called BHLDN! It covers everything from wedding dresses to mother of the bride dresses to all accessories needed and even reception dresses. The best part is, these stunning dresses are at reasonable prices for their amazing detail- $160-$2400. 

When you click on the dress that brings your wedding dress dreams to life, it gives a description of the dress, a description of the designer and even reviews from past buyers. 

My personal favorite is the Tamsin Gown- $1600. This dress comes in Ivory white of Blush colored. 

 Catherine Deane, born in Ireland and raised in South Africa designed this gown using her classic craft techniques that are often forgotten in today´s fashion. The Tamsin gown is detailed in a sheer v-neck with an embroidered Italian cotton bodice; which gives it a whimsical, fun flare to the dress. 

Here´s the link to check out more;http://www.bhldn.com/shop-the-bride-wedding-dresses?filter=&sortType=priceDesc