A KPW Island Wedding off the Coast of Portland, ME

When Isabel and Ben found us and told us their idea to incorporate her Venezuelan heritage into his Maine wedding location we were more than thrilled at the opportunity to combine the two very different cultures. Using the Venezuelan culture we were able to incorporate vibrant aqua's and oranges into a coastal Maine island setting and when the two blended it created a beautiful overall design. Take a look at some of the images below. . . KM

The people who made this wedding happen:

Wedding Planning and Floral and Event Design: KPW studio

Photography: Claris Photography (myKPW member)

Videography: MapleLoft Studios (myKPW member)

Ceremony Music: Copley Chamber Players

Cocktail Hour and Reception: Dj Ryan Parker for the KPW Studio

Reception: Combo Sabroso for Cuzin Richard Entertainment Associates (myKPW member)

Custom Runner: The Original Runner Co.

Rentals: Be Our Guest Party Rentals, Boston, MA

Table Numbers and Placecards: Jan Boyd Calligraphy (myKPW member)

Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Parish - Yarmouth, ME

Ceremony Transportation: VIP Tour and Charter

Bride Transportation: Grace Limousine (myKPW member)

Reception Location: Great Diamond Island, Portland, ME

Caterers: Diamond's Edge Restaurant (myKPW member)

Cake: Something Sweet by Michelle, Worcester, MA (myKPW member)

Hair: Hair that Moves, Berwick, ME (myKPW member)

Makeup: Joya beauty, Dover, NH (myKPW member)



All of the fabulous images are from Liesl Clark of Claris Photography.

The ceremony aisle was lined with simple galvanized buckets filled with white Hydrangea and miniature green Hydrangea. Notice the simple aqua banding to give the guests just a hint of what was to come.

This runner was absolutely gorgeous, we had it custom made by the Original Runner Co. to match the design of the wedding invitations.

Here is a close up the ceremony aisle adornments, very Maine with just a hit of Venezuela.

The Bridesmaids looked amazing in their aqua dresses and the contrasting vibrant orange bouquets of Mokara Orchids, miniature Calla Lilies, Crocosmia, and Milva Roses looked phenomenal.

Isabel looked beautiful in her gown (Love the orchid in her hair!), here she is leaving the ceremony in her antique car which was provided to us through Grace Limousine at the very last second after our original vehicle had a mechanical problem. We are so thankful that they drove all the way from Manchester, NH to Portland, ME to help us out!

We were so thrilled with Isabel's bridal bouquet composed of Cymbidium Orchids, white miniature Calla Lilies, white Freesia, white Polar Star Roses and white aqua gem studded Stephanotis.

The Maine Coast is such an amazing place for a wedding, despite a little bit of wind, Isabel looked stunning as she arrived on Great Diamond Island after the ceremony.

For the cocktail hour we made use of festive white feathers and green Monstera Leaves to bring in a little more of the Venezuelan feel.

Adding a signature drink to your wedding can be a fun little addition for your guests to enjoy. For Isabel and Ben we created a drink called the "Ocean" it was comprised of Hypnotiq, Coconut Rum, a splash of Pineapple Juice and a Splash of Club Soda, served on the rocks. A very festive drink with a aqua color to match the overall theme.

A small “cajita de paja” (straw box) that was hand-made in Ecuador held a Venezuelan chocolate. Venezuela is a major exporter of delicious cocoa, which is renowned world-wide. We paced the straw boxes inside the white boxes and adorned them with aqua ribbon and a custom quilled tag.

The wedding cake was comprised of two flavors, one representing Venezuelan culture, and one the Maine culture. Half of the cake was coconut based, with Passion Fruit frosting and Mango, all fruits that grown in Venezuela. The other half was a traditional lemon cake with blueberry sauce representing the famous wild blueberries that grow in Maine.

The table numbers were created by Jan Boyd Calligraphy, we loved the combination of having the table number and table name combined.

The glassware, china, flatware, linens and chairs were provided by Be Our Guest Party Rental out of Boston, MA.

These milk bottle lanterns are always a great addition to any wedding where your guests have to walk somewhere in the evening. Plus you can customize them to match any wedding by simple adding matching ribbon. These lanterns lined the road leading the reception site.

At Isabel and Ben's reception the guests had to walk a short distance from the tent to the rest rooms, the paper bag lanterns provided a nice pathway to direct the guests throughout the evening.

Here you can see the paper bag lanterns in the evening . . .

In true Venezuelan tradition Isabel and Ben wanted a Cotillion during there reception, take a look at the these masks!

A great way to add some depth to a tented wedding is to have custom lighting to uplight the ceiling of the tent. For Isabel and Ben we chose some warm oranges and pinks to create a warm and festive atmosphere for the guests.

Such a beautiful couple . . .


Hope you enjoy!

KM

Quote of the Day

"No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?" -Lee Iacocca

"Trash the Dress" Photographer Series: Candace Jeffery Photography, Part III

The concept of Trash the Dress is exploding onto the scene of wedding photography and there are endless concepts to consider and create for each photo shoot. Equally important to the thoughts and ideas of the photographers, are the thoughts and wishes of the Bride. Below we have summarized the experience of Selena, the bride from part I and II of our "Trash the Dress" Photographer Series with Candace Jeffery Photography. KM

Check out Part I and Part II of Candace's Trash the Dress display, including her thoughts on what Trash the Dress means to her and preparation images of the Trash the Dress Process.

How did you learn about Candace Jeffery?

I was visiting Brides to Be in Glastonbury, Connecticut, and the one item that I walked out of the store with was a postcard listing Candace’s information on it. Intrigued from her reading her postcard, I looked more into Candace’s work on her site and I saw this one picture of a bride in and old factory; it was a Trash the Dress photo and I loved it! Candace’s work is very artsy, and I loved, well all of her work! And she’s also very easy to get along with as she has so many great ideas.

I decided to have Candace not only do my engagement session and wedding, but also Trash the Dress. And I just have to say that I’m someone who’s never liked pictures of myself. Candace made me feel so good about myself especially after looking at the photos she has captured, so it made me more comfortable about doing something like Trash the Dress.

How did you learn about Trash the Dress?

I actually came across it on the Internet and saw photos of other brides doing it – some to the total extreme. And I thought many of the photos were artsy, fun and cool, and I loved the idea of preserving my dress with photos. And for me, my expectation was not to ruin my dress, but perhaps to get a little messy

What was the location for your photos?

We went to Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut. This was the place where we wanted to get married but it was a little too much for my wedding day, so this was a nice contrast.

How would you describe your Trash the Dress Experience?

It was so much fun! I wanted something that was outside the box and a little different, like a piece of art that I can hang in my home. Like I mentioned before, this was the perfect way to preserve my dress, rather than just having it sit in my closet. And on my wedding day, there were pictures that I wanted to take but I didn’t want to get my dress all dirty. And one of my favorite parts of the day was getting all glammed up again. Getting hair and makeup done makes me feel so pretty!

Selena - Bride

Candace Jeffery Photography
Phone: 860.227.2684
Website: www.candacejefferyphotography.com
Blog: www.candacejeffery.blogspot.com
myKPW State and Budget: CT $25-50k

Candace Jeffery Photography is a member of my Kate Parker Wedding, a new online wedding resource guide launching in January 2010 geared toward directing brides to quality vendors based on their price range and state.

Engagement Session by Val McCormick Photography

Check out Val McCormick's new blog post on an engagement session at Lyman Orchards in Connecticut. What a beautiful day! KM

Val McCormick Photography
Phone: 203.589.7099
Website: www.valmccormick.com
Email: val@valmccormick.com
myKPW State and Budget: CT $25k-$50k

Val McCormick Photography is a member of my Kate Parker Wedding, a new online wedding resource guide launching in January 2010 geared toward directing brides to quality vendors based on their price range and state.

Vendor Spotlight - Richard Esposito

Not only is Richard Esposito an incredible photographer, but he's truly an artist. Check out some of Richard's talented work in today's Vendor Spotlight!

Richard Esposito Photographer
Photographer: Richard Esposito
Location: North Haven, Connecticut
Phone: 203.676.3527
Website: www.photographer-re.com
Blog: www.photographer-re.info

Number of Years in Business: 6 years

Preferred Locations: Bushnell's Belding Theater (Hartford, CT), The Surf Club (New Rochelle, NY), and the Waterview (Monroe, CT).

Pricing Information: Most clients average $6,000 - $9,000

What makes me stand out in the industry? I am passionate about composition, which is an aspect of photography that I am well known for. My simple lighting techniques make a great impact on the images taken at wedding receptions. Also, I am well organized with everything from pre-planning with the couple to knowing the finest details of their wedding. Their confidence in our knowledge of their event makes them feel secure that we are prepared for anything.

What's the favorite part of my work? That I become part of my clients family on the wedding day, and stay connected with them through all the life events that happen after their wedding. I feel confident that I will capture the moment and that way I can allow them to relive that emotion again just by looking at the image from their wedding.

What do I like to do in my spare time? I do have spare time due to my post production workflow efficiency, so you'll definitely find me on the golf course or playing tennis with my wife. Making personal connections and spending time with my family are very important to me.

What charity am I supporting and why? I support the American Cancer Society because my grandfather died of cancer a few years ago and my wife has several family members who have been affected by cancer. This past year I photographed the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Promise Ball in Hartford, events for our local YMCA, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society to name a few. Our studio supports charities anyway possible, as we feel it is important to give back to the community we live in. We donate all our time and services for charities that work toward helping people live the best life possible. Being a pet owner and seeing how important a pet can be to a household, I support the ASPCA.