Nantucket Weddings Unveiled

Today Sarah from A Private Concierge is back to talk about wedding venue locations.  First up, Nantucket Yacht Club.  Take it away, Sarah:

You always knew you wanted to get married on Nantucket, even before you met Mr. Right.  You envisioned a September day with the harbor backdrop at the Nantucket Yacht Club for your pictures, but maybe you aren’t a member at the Club. There are two ways to go about getting your dream wedding venue. The first option is having a member sponsor or host your wedding event at the club. The Yacht Club can fill you in on all the details.

A Private Concierge offers up another great tip – did you know that even though you are not a member of the Yacht Club you can still get married on the property (except mid-June to mid-September due to club events).

The Ballroom offers enough room for all of your guests and a classic charm that welcomes parties of all sizes.  This is a flexible space perfect for your wedding of any size.  Located at the heart of the Yacht Club, the Ballroom has a breathtaking view of the water.  French doors open onto the waterfront patio and invite guests to enjoy the splendor of an evening under the stars.

A Private Concierge can help arrange your accommodation and book all travel and accommodations for you, the bridal party and your family.  Before anyone arrives we will stock your accommodations with food, wine/beer/spirits and any other item needed. A Private Concierge will also handle any dinner reservation, activities that you or your guest may like while on island.  If you are shipping any items for the wedding to your accommodations before you arrive, we can be on-call to receive the packages to ensure you don’t miss them!

A Private Concierge can arrange, manage and take care of all of your Weekend-Of wedding needs. Contact us at info@aprivateconcierge.com or call (508)-332-9422 for more information about our services and how we can tailor them for your wedding weekend.

Every detail of your wedding has been clearly thought out, the location, the venue, the flowers, your photographer, the invitations, the guest list, etc and now it’s the final little details that need to get done.

A Private Concierge has planned and booked all travel and accommodations for you, the bridal party and your family.  Before anyone arrives we will stock your accommodations with food, wine/beer/spirits and any other item needed.  A Private Concierge will also handle any dinner reservation, activities that you or your guest may like while on island.  If you are shipping any items for the wedding to your accommodations before you arrive, we can be on-call to receive the packages to ensure you don’t miss them!

A Private Concierge also offers services that go beyond preparation for your wedding weekend (travel, grocery shopping, etc.).  We are also available to be on-call for the day-of your wedding, rehearsal dinner or brunch. We understand that there are several last minute details that need to get done and we can be that point person that makes sure they are handled.

A Private Concierge includes preparation meetings (at least 2) in all of our wedding packages so that we know each detail a couple expects for their wedding weekend.

A few of A Private Concierge’s “Weekend-Of” Tips:

GET WEDDING ITEMS IN PLACE

Marty Kelly Paper created and completed all of your weekend itineraries, programs, place cards, and menus to complement every detail of your wedding perfectly.  A Private Concierge will pick up and deliver itineraries to the appropriate accommodations before your guests arrive on island for the Weekend-Of your wedding.  The Morning-Of we will deliver programs to the ceremony, and then deliver and set-up menus and table cards at the reception.  All of this will be done without you,  your maid of honor, your mother or your mother-in-law having to ask oneself  “did I remember to do this.”

photo courtesy of Brea McDonald

SHARE YOUR SIGNATURE-DRINK

You met your favorite bartender Tom Heiser sipping on an Espresso Martini at 56 Union almost 5 years ago on your first date with your now fiancé, it’s how you fell in love. Your love affair with the Espresso Martini (and your fiancé) are so strong, that even the night before your wedding you had to stop in the Boarding House to see Tom for one-last single girl Espresso Martini. A Private Concierge will make sure that before your Weekend-Of all the bartenders at your wedding reception can make you and your guests your signature cocktail such as the Nantucket favorite, Espresso Martini.

MAKE YOUR GUESTS FEEL LOVED

A Private Concierge knows that nothing says I love you quite like Chocolate.  We recommend some decadent party favors for your guests from The Cholive Company. These chocolates were developed to be unique, like a fine wine and when you and your guests taste them you will experience the difference.

photo courtesy of The Cholive Company

We love the Mini Mint Twists or the “Black Dress” & “Black Tie” packages. The individually wrapped, Mini Mint Truffles are filled with Vermont whole cream ganache and are perfect for filling an elegant martini glass at the bar or the tables.  The “Black Dress” & “Black Tie” packages, highlight the Cholive Company’s 3 signature Chruffles (Raspberry, Coffee & Caramerl Flavors) and their Cholive cocktail chocolate, perfect to accessorize your guest’s Espresso Martinis.

Whether you place these chocolates in your guests accommodations before they arrive or share them at the Weekend-Of events A Private Concierge will be able to order and deliver them appropriately.

These are just a few of our Weekend-Of Tips, we have many more to share, so be sure to check back each week for our advise.

A Private Concierge can arrange, manage and take care of all of your Weekend-Of wedding needs. Contact us at sarah@aprivateconcierge.com or call (508)-332-9422.

Our travel guru Kristin O’Reilly from Destination Affairs is back today with the dreamy honeymoon destination of St. Lucia

This past season of NBC’s “The Bachelor” took fans on a magnificent tour of the brilliantly colorful island of St.Lucia. Private beaches, exotic wildlife, energetic culture, and plenty of romance caught the attention of millions of day dreaming viewers. St.Lucia has always been known as one of the most romantic destinations for honeymoons and weddings, specifically by the World Travel Awards year after year.

With its true uniqueness to its neighboring Caribbean Islands, the vast scenery can be compared to that of the islands of Hawaii. Just a little more accessible from those traveling from the East coast, you can arrive to St.Lucia in about 6 hours from Boston or JFK via direct flight or through San Juan, Puerto Rico or Miami.

For honeymooners, St. Lucia lends its guests a naturistic backdrop for discovering hidden waterfalls, sulfuric springs, and some of the world’s best diving (beginner or advanced), and calm waters surrounding the island making it a perfect playground for watersports and eco-adventure! Let’s not forget Petit Piton and Gros Piton; two volcanic mountains that have been deemed a World Heritage Site. The Pitons may offer you and your significant other more adrenaline and adventure; such as zip-lining runs, ATV explorations, advanced mountain biking trails, hiking treks, and more!

After a day of non-stop activities, hit the lively town of Rodney Bay and sample the islands music, rum, and dance the night away! Most of the resorts provide nightly entertainment, however the islands friendly faces will welcome you with open arms!

On Friday evenings, head over to Gros Islet and take part in their celebration of local vendors, cooking up some yummy fresh local cuisine such as “lambi” fresh from the conch shell or sample a rum-laced concoctions! Loud music and steel drums will play late into the evening!

Thinking of a destination wedding? St.Lucia is a popular wedding destination not only for its natural beauty, but also for its ease of applying for a marriage license. Couples must only arrive two days prior to the wedding (most cases). A local solicitor can file the paperwork on your behalf prior to your arrival and usually takes about 4 days to be processed. You must be there in person to obtain the license.

With numerous resorts on the island, there is an accommodation for every wedding or honeymoon guest!

For a full destination package on St.Lucia, email Kristin at Kristin@destinationaffairs.com and view their site at Destination Affairs.

photo courtesy of Destination Affairs

With the holiday weekend fast approaching and wedding season about to be in full swing, we thought a little stress relief was in order.  Guest blogger Kristin O’Reilly from Destinations Affairs has found an amazing weekend getaway to relieve your stress and lose all your worries during this busy time of planning for your big day!  Take it away Kristin:

Planning a wedding, as we all know, can put your mind and body through a mental workout. Pack on some good old career stress, and everything else life seems to throw in there at the most inconvenient times, and you’ve got yourself being pulled in a million directions. We all wish we could time out and “beam ourselves” to that perfect picture perfect spa weekend. However, we instantly think back to reality when we consider the cost of a venture. Saving up for the luxurious honeymoon and everything else in between…who really has a couple grand to throw down for a spa weekend? So, we find ourselves plowing through our day-to-day dilemmas.

What we all need every now and again is to take our mind and bodies to a sense of “home.” An affordable, casual, and friendly setting in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Deerfield Spa is tucked among the Pocono Mountains, just two hours from New York. With this Spring weather upon us, take a drive with your windows open and your favorite music blaring!

Whether you need to regroup and jump start your fitness and daily wellness routine, or looking to rid yourself of those last few pounds before the big day, Deerfield Spa is a smorgasbord of health, fitness, lifestyle workshops, delicious cuisine, and spa indulgences. Offering numerous daily fitness classes from Cardio Salsa, Diva Dancing, and Disco Aerobics to Boxing, Pilates, and their signature, Yo-Wei (an exercise combining yoga and resistance training), a couple days here and your instantly back on track! Take a hike on one of the many hiking trails through the Pocono Mountains or partake in a cooking class. You are truly in for an enriching and healthy weekend!

Spa treatment prices are typical of any spa, starting at $115.00 for a signature facial. However, with your 2 night minimum stay (Rates starting at $380.00 for 2 nights, per person double occupancy), you receive 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, unlimited fitness classes, Deerfield’s celebrated hiking program, lifestyle education lectures, workshops, and demonstrations, evening activities, and 24-hour use of all facilities.

Yes folks, we have discovered that affordable spa weekend!

image courtesy of Destination Affairs

“Whatever your goal – from getting fit and managing stress, to bonding with friends or simply getting away from it all – a trip to Deerfield can get you headed in the right direction” -SpaVacations Review

Contact Destination Affairs to book your package today.

Guest blogger Kristin O’Reilly of Destination Affairs joins us today with a new honeymoon destination that is to die for:

The W Retreat and Spa: Vieques Island.  THIS JUST IN!

The island of Vieques, just six miles off the East coast of Puerto Rico is host to one of the world’s “Biolumincents Bay.” Arrive via Cape Air flight or take a 90 minute ferry. Either way you arrive, guests are promised to be dazzled and pampered by the staff, private beach, Chakra Spa, and award winning cuisine by star chef Alain Ducasse.

Be one of the first to experience the newest, hottest resort in The Caribbean. The W Retreat and Spa (a Starwood resort) is slated to open March 25, 2010.

photo courtesy of W Hotel

Standard room, dubbed “Wonderful rooms” come with king size beds, 350 thread count sheets and goose down pillows (pillow menu available!), oversized desk and chaise lounge (picture you relaxing on your chaise lounge with a chilled glass of wine and signature W robe gazing out at the Caribbean stars after a long soaking bath in your Urquiola designed old fashioned bath tub), 42″ flat screen LCD television, and private terrace or balcony. Rooms seem beyond par, but we haven’t gotten to the “WOW Suite.”

It sounds…..well,”wow!” Described on their site as a “sophisticated one-bedroom wonderlands of dimensions and amenities.”

This 1,440 square foot oceanfront suite is just steps from the beach and they sell you on their promise of panoramic ocean views and designer furniture and décor.

The Chakra Spa offers a new twist on the “destination spa.” Located as close to the waters edge as possible, indoor and outdoor treatment rooms will give you a peak of the ocean.

photo courtesy of W Hotel

Insider rates available and are selling out fast! Contact Kristin at Destination Affairs, Inc. for rates.

When hosting a Nantucket wedding you play not only bride/groom but also host/hostess.  How do you stay relaxed and enjoy your guests? Sara shares some thoughts on how to keep your groom and the guys organized and having a blast during your wedding week on Nantucket.  Thanks Sara!

So it’s your last couple of days of bachelorhood! You are your groomsmen arrived a day early for some “guy time” before you have to be at the altar. A Private Concierge has rented you the ultimate bachelor pad on the island and stocked it with all of your guy essentials, but what to do when you are not at the house?

We will also arrange for a full day of fun – golf, fishing, and dinner reservations! First, an early round of golf at one of our select island golf courses, the course we book will depend on guest’s membership with local private courses. Then it’s time to get down to the Straight Wharf for a mid-day (5) hour fishing adventure on the Absolute, a 40ft custom sport fishing boat operated by Captain Brian. Depending on the season and the weather, you can fish for Striped Bass, Tuna, Blue Fish or if you are up for it, Shark.

photo provided by A Private Concierge

After a long day of activities, it’s time to enjoy a great dinner and some nightlife with your friends at one of our favorite restaurants, The Boarding House. Chef Erin Zircher makes her signature (and famous) Chicken Under a Brick and Steak Frites. Don’t forget to ask about a great wine to pair with dinner, maybe the Ridge or Turley Zinfandel? And don’t stay out too late in the Boarding House bar; you have a busy weekend ahead!

photo provided by A Private Concierge

Now on the day of the wedding A Private Concierge will be there to help the groomsmen too. One of your groomsmen forgot to get his haircut? We will get him an appointment. Forget something at the house after you’ve arrived at the church, we can run and get it for you before anyone notices it was forgotten. “The Final Touch” package includes the needs of the groom and his groomsmen too.

A Private Concierge offers “The Final Touch” an all-inclusive wedding package of services, including but not limited to:

• Booking any travel to/from the island
• Providing transportation to/from the airport, or as needed on the island
• Booking your reservation at the Hotel Residences and other accommodations

• Stocking your kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, etc. with everything you need for the weekend

• Arranging pampering needs (hair, make up, nails, massage)
• Making dinner reservations for you and your guests
• Planning activities
• Run errands as needed for bride & groom

• On-call for your every need

Contact A Private Concierge (sarah@aprivateconcierge.com or (508)-332-9422) for more details about “The Final Touch” package and how we can tailor it to fit your wedding needs.

Stay tuned for Sara’s next blog about gifts for your guests.

Our travel guru Kristin from Destination Affairs has a little luck o’ the Irish for us in store today:

Tis’ the season for Ireland! If the buzz of St. Patrick’s Day last week didn’t sparked your interest, maybe this will!

Jaunting around the city of Dublin with your sweetie is a sure celebration of your new life together! If you can keep up with the friendly faces and non stop dancing and toasting in the cultural area (and liveliest!) of Dublin’s center “Temple Bar”, this is your answer for a perfect getaway or honeymoon. And as your Irish luck shall have it, rates are lower than ever. $679.00 per person can get you round trip airfare on Aer Lingus, 4 nights at The Burlington Hotel (4 Star hotel- standard room), full Irish breakfast daily, Dublin hop on and off bus tour, airline fuel surcharges, hotel taxes included, and a welcome drink!

While in Dublin, you can take a break from your celebrations and visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral or walk the cobblestone squares of Trinity College. Ready to head out and take the Irish Countryside head on? Rent a car (not included in package) and take the N3 towards Navan in County Meath. Visit the Hills of Tara, an ancient site and one of Ireland’s most popular attractions. This was the symbolic seat of Ireland’s High Kings until the 11^th century. Next, head to Drogheda, one of Irelands oldest and historic towns. Its history goes back to 2000BC with many memorable events such as The Battle of the Boyne, St Oliver Plunkett, Poynings Law, Cromwell’s Siege and the surrender of the Irish Chieftains to the English King.

No matter where your travel, having Dublin as your base, you will surely experience immense culture and endless laughter!

photo courtesy of Irish Tourist Board

“The locals have a loud, yet colorful sense of humor, illuminating your trip with laughs and memories every step of the way” - Brendan Vacations! Come to Ireland!

Call Kristin (508)228-6307or email Kristin@destinationaffairs.com at Destination Affairs for your honeymoon in Ireland!

It’s time…you and your girlfriends were up all night gossiping on the phone the night you met ‘Mr. Right’, and now you are getting married tomorrow! How is a bride supposed to sleep the night before her wedding?

A Private Concierge will make sure the accommodations we book for you and your bridal party come with the most comfortable beds on Nantucket for a good pre-wedding night sleep.  However, we will also make sure your accommodations include a comfortable spot to stay up and chat too.  Late night snacks? Brad Pitt movies? Magazines?  A Private Concierge will make sure that your place of stay is stocked with your bridal party’s favorite treats and needs.

Our recommendations include: The White Elephant Residences on Easton Street in downtown Nantucket. The White Elephant Hotel Residences are the newest Nantucket Island luxury accommodations. These accommodations provide a private residential experience with the amenities of a luxury hotel. You’ll find their premier guest rooms and one-, two-, or three-bedroom Hotel Residences perfect for a wedding weekend.

A Private Concierge offers “The Final Touch” an all-inclusive wedding weekend package of services, including but not limited to:

• Booking any travel to/from the island
• Providing transportation to/from the airport, or as needed on the island
• Booking your reservation at the Hotel Residences and other accommodations
• Stocking your kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, etc. with everything you need for the weekend
• Arranging pampering needs (hair, make up, nails, massage)
• Making dinner reservations for you and your guests
• Planning activities
• Run errands as needed for bride & groom
• On-call for your every need

Contact A Private Concierge (sarah@aprivateconcierge.com) or (508)-332-9422) for more details about “The Final Touch” package and how we can tailor it to fit your wedding needs. And we didn’t forget about the groom in “The Final Touch” package. We’ll talk about his, and his groomsmen’s needs in the next blog entry.

Considering a rental home for your Nantucket wedding reception and ceremony? We asked the team at Great Point Properties to share some insight on how to book a home for your island wedding venue.

Great Point Properties represents over 650 rental properties, but of those only a very small handful will even consider renting to a wedding party, so you need to plan well in advance. We do not want to be discouraging but our experience is that 99% of the homeowners run for cover when they hear that we are calling them with a wedding venue inquiry. If you are having a small intimate gathering than your odds get a bit better but it is still very rare that a homeowner will allow a ceremony to take place at their property. So, first word of advice: do not waste a lot of time looking on line at homes for your dream wedding; call us and we can steer you to a select few homes that may work for you.

One popular rental venue is Elliots Way in the Tome Nevers area of the island. There are three homes on the property and a breathtaking view of the water. You can house your family and wedding party on location and take advantage of the beach just below your bluff. This location works out well for couples looking for a tented wedding and outdoor ceremony. Your guests can take in the stunning view and your photographer can utilize the amazing location for your family and couples portraits. A stellar option for an island wedding venue but limited to only a handful of events a year so planning is key! Contact Great Point Properties to find out more about Elliots Way for your island wedding or to inquire about one of the other properties that may work for your wedding event.

The view from the deck of #1 Elliots Way

One of the bedrooms at #3 Elliots Way

#3 Elliots Way house and #3A in the background left.

We have lots to be thankful for in 2010.  Among them, the love and support from our sponsors, supporting vendors, amazing brides and couples.  One of our biggest supporters from the beginning was Krista and the staff at Wellwed magazine. They worked hard on the Spring/Summer 2010 issue and it does not disappoint!

photo by Brea McDonald

Within the pages, amazingly talented island vendors have their work showcased on the glossy pages.  Among them:

Marty Kelly Paper, Placesetters, Brea McDonald Photography, Griffin-vites, Soiree Floral,  Nantucket Photo Booth, Destination Affairs,Unique Nantucket, A Taste of Nantucket, Simply with Style Catering, Nantucket Catering Company, ACK Gift Bags, Cisco Brewers, Susan Warner Catering, Jodi’s Cakes, Nantucket Island Resorts, Claudia Kronenberg Photography, Zofia Photography, Nantucket Party Rentals, Darya Salon, Sperry Tents, A Piece of Cake, Jessica Hicks, The Atlantics, Nantucket Windmill Auto Rental, Nantucket Inn, Susan Lister Locke Jeweler, Parchment, Nantucket Event Media, Plum TV, Sultans of Swing, Chase Canopy, Jared Coffin House, Nantucket Bake Shop, Westmoor Club, Artist Jeanne van Etten and Jeweler Heidi Weddendorf.

Congratulations to everyone and hopes for a prosperous 2010!

Also, just a quick reminder the Cape & Islands Wedding Affair takes place this weekend at Ocean’s Edge Resort in Brewster, MA.  Wendy from Nantucket Photobooth said she will be on site and taking photos of all the festivities.  Be sure to stop by and say hello to her!