Nantucket Weddings Unveiled

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for many couples recently married, this will be their first holiday as a married couple.  Bring back some of that island flair with these adorable mini baskets by ACK GIFT BAGS.  If you are spending the holiday on island, be sure to call Kylie at 508-228-5316 to reserve yours today.  A great hostess gift or even to put at each place setting at your dinner table.  Choose from Chocolate Nantucket Cranberries or Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts.

photo courtesy of Ack Gift Bags

With their open, heart-shaped flowers and tropical disposition, it’s no wonder that anthurium have come to symbolize hospitality.  Also known as the Flamingo Flower, Boy Flower, Painted Tongue and Painter’s Palette – because of their distinctive shape and color – the name anthurium comes from Greek, meaning ‘tail flower.’  Exotic and compelling with bold, typically red flowers and shiny, dark green foliage, anthurium, like the hospitality they represent, are long-lasting and irresistibly beautiful.

flowers by Soiree Floral

WOW! The perfect modern, sophisticated and elegant way to get pink into your big day! We are loving this perfect color palette! It’s so fun to see our favorite colors used in a new way.

Board via Snippet and Ink.

A STUNNING fall setting for this Wauwinet wedding.

Designed by Soiree Floral with rentals from Placesetters Inc.

Photo courtesy Brea McDonald Photography.

Etsy… oh Etsy! What a fantastic place to find just about everything you want for your wedding day. We came across these fun personalized drink umbrellas and couldn’t keep them to ourselves.

These little lovelies are made at the Autumn Jo shop along with a collection of other little custom touches.  They can design them with your wedding colors for that added little pop at your reception or if your having cupcakes on your big day opt for a custom umbrella cupcake topper!

Whether you are a recently married couple, or about to tie the knot, at some point you will be hosting your first party.  With Halloween just days away (and a holiday that seems to be enjoyed by adults more than kids these days) – we thought we would take a departure from all things wedding related, and focus on being the host/hostess with the most.

We found this fun drink recipe over on Martha Stewart.  How great is this?  Your guests are sure to be wowed when they go to serve up a glass of cider and have these witch faces staring back at them.  You are sure to get a ’scream’ or two!

photo and recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Shrunken Heads in Cider

Serves about 30

• 2 cups lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 8 large Granny Smith apples
• 32 whole cloves
• 2 gallons apple cider
• 2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 2 cups spiced rum (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together lemon juice and salt; set aside.
2. Peel apples and cut each in half through the stem; remove seeds and core. Using a sharp paring knife, carve a face, as desired, on the rounded side of each apple half. Place apples in lemon mixture for one minute; transfer to paper towels to drain.
3. Place apples, face-side up on prepared baking sheet and transfer to oven. Let bake until apples are dry and begin to brown around the edges, about 90 minutes. Remove apples from baking sheets and press cloves into the “eye” sockets.
4. Combine cider, lemonade, and rum (if using) in a large punchbowl; float shrunken heads on top.

The weather map says that fall is in full swing and all those colors will soon fade away. So one last inspiration board to celebrate this beautiful season!

Board via Snippet & Ink

With many Nantucket weddings, the obvious choice is to play up a nautical inspired atmosphere for your big day.  Maybe using navy with a crisp white for your stationary and linens, seaglass on your reception tables.  You get the idea.  We found a fun way to create a nautical inspired escort display that has great visual impact and it’s interactive as well.

Using a rusty anchor and a buoy painted in the couple’s wedding colors gives the escort table character.  Setting out a coffee table book by photographer Cary Hazlegrove for the guest sign in book is a great way to have a keepsake after the big day.  Even better, you can keep the book out at home to look at over and over while enjoying the beautiful scenic pictures to remind you of your special day on this incredible island.

escort table by Soiree Floral

We sent out a note to ask past and upcoming Nantucket brides what music they played (or want to play) to get people up and out of their seats at the reception.  Regardless of having a band or a dj, some of the musical choices were a big standout.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Music to get the ladies out on the dance floor:

*I think we’re alone now (by Tiffany)

*Single Ladies (put a ring on it)

Songs to get Mom and Dad on the dance floor:

*The Way you Look Tonight – by Frank Sinatra

*Just the Way You Are – by Billy Joel

*Sway – by Michael Buble

Tunes to get everyone on the dance floor:

*Sweet Home Alabama – by Lynrd Skynyrd

*Hey Ya! – by Outkast

*Sweet Caroline- Neil Diamond

and the ALL TIME FAVORITE to end the evening -

*Don’t Stop Believin’ – by Journey

Anemones are one of those beautiful, distinct flowers that a lot of brides absolutely love and can’t remember their name.  They are often described as ‘the flower with the dark center’.  Anemones come in some fabulous jewel tone colors including red and deep purple (sometimes referred to as ‘blue’).  Of course, the most popular color is white which shows the stark contrast of the black center.  Read on for the meaning behind this incredible bloom:

The name anemone comes from the Greek word for “windflower.” According to Greek mythology, the anemone sprang from Aphrodite’s tears as she mourned the death of Adonis. Thought to bring luck and protect against evil, legend has it that when the anemone closes its petals, it’s a signal that rain is approaching. Still other mythology connects the anemone to magical fairies, who were believed to sleep under the petals after they closed at sunset. Perhaps it’s because of this magical and prophetic tales that today in the language of flowers, anemones represent anticipation