Doggie Hotel
It's hard to leave your sad-eyed furry friend behind when traveling to a wedding. If your out-of-town guests can't bear the thought of leaving their dogs at a kennel back home, encourage them to board their pooches at The Common Dog in Everett, 617-381-6363, commondog.com. Through the use of webcams, owners can check on their dogs wherever there's Internet access. A shuttle bus can be arranged to pick up pets and transport them to the cushy facility where staff plays with them inside and out. Grooming services are also available, and boarders need references from a similar establishment. (This is also a lower-guilt option for newlyweds leaving for their honeymoon.) Overnight rates start at $40; group discounts are available.
Photo Ops
For stylish, cosmopolitan photographs, head to Newbury Street (left) and have your photographer shoot you strolling in front of the famously posh boutiques. Or, hop over to Cambridge and pose in front of the Stata Center, a row of futuristic, angular buildings on MIT's campus that were designed by Frank Gehry. If you’d prefer a more natural backdrop, consider a spot along the Charles River (if you want some sailboats in the background, try the walkway along Massachusetts Avenue). And Brookline's Larz Anderson Park is breathtakingly beautiful, but you'll need a permit.
Personalized Aisle Runners
Walking on a plain, white aisle runner or a rose petal–strewn path may not be dramatic enough for your grand entrance. To give this moment a bit more fanfare, Lexington-based artist Lodia Roderick of Aisle Art creates stunning customized aisle runners. Whether you want to make a statement with a favorite poem or quote, or take your last steps as a single woman over your family crest, Roderick can elegantly hand paint anything you desire onto a fabric runner. Illustration options include monograms, flowers, castles and birds, and Roderick will even add embellishments like feathers and rhinestones. Many brides intend to pass down these runners to their children, who can then add their monograms and other personal touches.
New Ring Option
Palladium, a member of the platinum family, is a great new metal choice for wedding bands. It's almost indistinguishable from platinum, and has the same durability and strength. But at about $350 per ounce, palladium is more affordable than platinum, which costs about $1,100 per ounce. Plus, palladium doesn't yellow over time, which can be the case with white gold, another look-for-less metal. Another bonus: Palladium is lightweight. Men's palladium band, about $830; women's palladium-and-pavé-diamond ring, about $2,430, both by Scott Kay. Available at Bailey Banks & Biddle, Braintree, 781-849-1512, baileybanksandbiddle.com.
Fruit for Thought
Try fresh fruit for a beautifully decorated cake without the extra cost that comes with sugar flowers or fresh floral accents. Choose a plain white- or chocolate-frosted cake and let colorful pieces of fruit do the rest. While berries are logical choices to top your cake, fruits like figs, lychee nuts and apricots will add an exotic touch. For extra elegance, ask your baker to dust the fruit with sugar crystals. Wedding cake with fresh cherries, figs and plums (serves 125), $1,000. Enchanted Wedding Cakes, Shrewsbury, 508-845-1726, enchantedweddingcakes.com.
Distinguishing Features
Look for venues that have an interesting conversation piece like a beautiful fountain, a mural or a spiral staircase. These striking details provide unique backdrops for your photos and will give guests something compelling to talk about. The painted clouds-and-sky ceiling in The Fairmont Copley Plaza's famous Oval Room, 617-267-5300, fairmont.com/copleyplaza, is perfect for couples who want the Cinderella fantasy. Capacity: 330. Fee: catered receptions start at $150 per person; $2,000 for a ceremony.
Renting Digital Cameras
Many couples used to place disposable cameras on reception tables in hopes of getting great candid shots of their guests. Unfortunately, the quality of those photos can be lacking, plus printing the pictures is expensive. You'll get much better results with digital cameras, so equip a few trusted friends and family members with rented models from YouShoot, 877-7-YOUSHOOT, ext. 777, youshoot.com. The Cambridge-based company rents easy-to-use digital cameras for events, and will upload all the photos from the wedding to a Web site for your guests to view. Best of all, you'll get to choose which photos to print and which to delete. Cost: $20 per camera, plus $29 shipping fee.
Espresso Bar
Satisfy your coffee-loving guests, while bringing the dessert portion of your party to a whole new level with a rented espresso bar. This service can balance out a reception with limited bar options and end the party on a classy note. Marino's Espresso Catering Service, 617-567-4222, marinosespresso.com, will set up shop at your wedding and provide complimentary chocolate-covered espresso beans and pizzelle cookies, along with up to seven different kinds of European coffee drinks. $375–$450 for less than 100 people, about $2.50–$3.50 for additional guests; china available for an additional fee.
Lash Out!
One of the golden rules of makeup application is to play up your strongest feature. For many brides, it's all about the eyes, which means having eyelashes with maximum impact. Check out Shu Uemura's new Newbury Street boutique and its "Tokyo Lash Bar," 617-247-3500, shuuemura-usa.com, which features more than 20 styles of lightweight false eyelashes—and experts to guide you through the process. Dani Wagener, a manager at the store, says women who see themselves wearing false lashes in photos never want to be photographed without them again. "They make a huge impact while still looking natural," she says. False lashes applied on the day of the wedding (for about $20–$32) will last through the night. And if you want to keep the look for your honeymoon photos as well, try the longer-lasting extensions ($300), which can last up to four weeks.
Rehearsal Dinners at Home
You don't have to hold your rehearsal dinner at a restaurant. Your very own dining room (or your parents') can provide a much more intimate, laid-back atmosphere. But cooking for a crowd and cleaning up afterward can be a drag. Instead, invite chef Joe Maglio over. He'll customize a menu for you, teach your guests how to prepare it, and then serve an unforgettable meal on his china. You'll get more personal attention than you would at a restaurant, and you'll avoid paying inflated drink costs since you can purchase alcohol yourself. The best perk: Maglio takes care of cleanup, too. Cooking parties start at $60 per person. It's About Thyme, 508-238-3998, jmaglio@verizon.net.
Cool Getaways
A vintage car is a great substitute for a modern limousine if you’re having a retro-theme wedding, or just looking for a stylish way to make your getaway. Antique models from the '20s, '30s and '40s are the height of old-school elegance and are very old-Hollywood. (They'll also look fantastic in black-and-white photos.) Or, for pure kitsch, you and your James Dean can ride off in a candy apple–red '50s convertible. Clockwise from top left: 1940 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine, $800 for three hours, available through Christopher Limousine, Norwood, 781-762-2601, christopherlimousine.com; 1937 Packard Limousine, $900 for three hours, available through Christopher Limousine, Norwood, 781-762-2601, christopherlimousine.com; 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, $575 for three hours, available through Le Limo, Medway, 800-287-8970, lelimo.com.
Instant Video
If you can arrange for a video projector at your reception, hire a videographer who does same-day editing. The clever folks at Seaside Video, 617-365-2234, seasidevideo.com, can show the "movie" of your wedding prep and ceremony during the reception—including what your fiancé was doing before the event began. By shooting digitally and then editing on-site, these videographers provide you and your guests with instant gratification.
Customizing Craze
When you shop for invitations, keep in mind that many samples often can be tweaked to reflect your personal tastes. Look for styles that have customizable elements. "My clients choose from a variety of templates first," says Lauren Franklin, founder and creative director of All The Pieces, 617-501-3184, allthepieces.com, an invitation design company in Winchester. Her most popular style is the "Kate" (left). Why? "My couples really like that its side pockets neatly hold extra papers, like the response, direction and hotel accommodations cards." And with made-to-order elements like the front closure, paper color and ribbons, "Kate" (sets start at $9.50 each) can be personalized to coordinate with any wedding theme. For example, for a summer party, use bright colors like deep pink and orange. All-lowercase lettering keeps the mood playful.
Space Savers
Candles are a must for elegant reception tables, but add favors, place cards and menus, and there's barely enough room for guests' dinner plates. Maximize tabletop space with decorative candles that are favors, escort cards and menu cards, all in one. Recent Boston bride Debbie DePasse, who did this for her wedding (left), shares how: Print guest's name and table number on the left side of a strip of vellum and the menu on the right, leaving some space in-between. Wrap the vellum strip around the outside of a narrow frosted-glass votive (which houses a tea light) and place into a larger clear-glass votive. Guests will see their name and table number on one side, and menu selections on the other.
The Kids Are Alright
If you're inviting children to the reception, keep them entertained, so that they, and the adults around them, can enjoy the party.
Balloons: You've seen balloons twisted into poodles and flowers, but Twistin' Todd Neufeld is sure to please with his larger-than-life creations that include a kid-size car. The Twisted Balloon Company, 800-505-8947, balloonshow.com.
Magic: Let Mike Bent of AbraKidabra! show off his original magic tricks and unique spin. He provides costumes for the children and incorporates hilarious sound effects into his routines, all with a focus on kid-friendly comedy. AbraKidabra!, 617-484-8125, abrakidabra.com.
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