A real wedding: Betsy | Jim

New England wedding planner and wedding florist

This past August we had the pleasure of planning and designing an intimate wedding for around 80 guests up at The Barn at Moody Mountain Farm in Wolfeboro NH.  The bride and groom were a pretty relaxed couple, giving us full reign on the overall design of the wedding.  Other than purple being a favored color of both Betsy and Jim, we ran with a Summer palate of purple, magenta, coral, and green with a base color of grey.  Betsy did ask that we try to a "California-styled" reception which in New England means no tent for the outdoor reception.  Yikes.  Always a fear and something we don't recommend unless you have a structure on the property to house the guests if it decides to rain.  Luckily we had a beautiful barn that could have help everyone inside safely and it DOWN POURED all day on Friday, leaving Saturday to be just a spectacular day full of sun and warmth.

We used a variety of flowers including: hydrangea, mini green hydrangea, David Austin garden roses, lisianthus, celosia, dahlias, seeded eucalyptus and bay leaves.  The reception tables were long garlands of bay leaves and seeded eucalyptus.  We created 3" glass and 3" corrugated metal containers of flowers as well as individual blossoms in water picks and placed them down the garland.  Pillar candles of varying heights added some ambiance and drama to the overall floral design.  Napkins were a deep purple dupioni- which I normally do not like having- and they were wrapped in a matte charcoal grey fabric to hold down beautiful menus by Gus & Ruby Letterpress that served as a place card with each guest's name calligraphed on the top by Janis Snell Calligraphy.

We custom built the grey stained farm tables for Betsy and Jim and also provided the clear acrylic chiavari chairs.  We wanted to balance a farm rustic wedding venue with modern and clean lines. 

The barn served as our dancing, dessert and after party space- something that's not traditionally done at a barn venue.  People usually want to get married in the barn or have their dinner reception in such a pretty space, however, Betsy and Jim loved the venue and its view and wanted to use the barn as a rain back up and for dancing since you can't have amplified music at Moody Mountain in the evening.  It was the perfect spot to see guests learning how to contra dance as well as to relax in an intimate setting and enjoy a cup of coffee or some dessert.

Lastly, because guests were able to walk through an amazing field of grass to get to the ceremony and reception, in Wolfeboro NH at night it's pretty darn dark out so we helped guide guests to their cars with lanterns on shepherd hooks that held colored ribbons during the day to act as a design element as well as a safety and guidance element.

The final result was understated yet vibrant and we are so grateful for the opportunity to work with such a lovely couple.

Vendor Team:

Photography: Kendal J. Bush

Venue: The Barn at Moody Mountain Farm

Caterer: The Farmers Dinner

Planning, Floral Design, Lighting Design, Wedding Rentals: Malloy Weddings

Stationery: Gus & Ruby Letterpress

Calligraphy: Janis Snell Calligraphy

Music: High Range Band

Bartending: In the Mix

Transportation: Lakes Region Airport Shuttle

Wedding planning 102: Rain, rain we are ready for you!

Malloy Weddings- a New England wedding planner and wedding florist 

Rain, rain, we are ready for you!

Recently featured on Seacoast Weddings Magazine online, http://seacoastweddings.com/2017/09/28/rainy-day-elements/

I want to talk about the parts of wedding planning that may seem a little daunting or just plain not fun to think about.  Rain on your wedding day, if you're planning any outdoor elements to your wedding weekend, can be completely consuming and overwhelming to you.  Don't fret! Read on and through this series of posts I hope to alleviate a lot of that stress by putting you in control of your own plan so no matter what the weather throws your way, you're ready to tackle it head on.

No ones wishes to actually need their rain plan, but it’s important to have one and it’s even more important for you to like it.  I always tell our clients to have a plan b and sometimes a plan c and to love them as much as your fair weather plan. These plans of course usually occur when you’re hosting an outdoor wedding. This series of blog posts is going to help you create your rain plans, making sure you think of all the elements involved and what your options are in order to execute the plan if the rain does start to come down!

Today’s post will help you think about how your guests need to get from point A to point B or C without ruining their hairstyles.  There a number of ways to keep your guests dry which you may have thought of such as umbrellas.  We will touch on those briefly in this post, namely where they are best used and what size to have on hand.  We really dive into the walkways between your tents and/or buildings utilizing tent marquees.  What is a marquee you ask? Where do I rent one? Can you order them at the last minute?  All of these questions will be answered below and we even have a few images from past events showing successful rain plans in action!

GETTING GUESTS FROM HERE TO THERE

Image by Geneve Hoffman Photography

So, there’s rain in the forecast.  The kind of rain that’s going to stick around for a while and allows you to pre plan a bit.  If you have a wedding that’s spread out across a large plot of land, you’ll have to think of the traveling path of your guests in order to create a rain plan.  Start with their arrival, right where they park or valet their car.  If it’s close to a building or the main tent, you can offer oversized golf umbrellas to guide guests indoors. If it’s a bit of walk from one point to the next, consider renting marquee tents, which are usually 10′ wide and 10′ long structures that can be connected to each other to create any length you need.  They connect right to your main tent so guests never get wet. The challenge with marquees is they need to be reserved in advance to guarantee you have access to them if the rain does decide to show up during your wedding week.  Talk with your tent vendor during the initial walk through and proposal stage to see the cost of the marquees and their availability.  As an alternative, you can use a smaller tent such as a 32′ round or 46′ round Sperry tent as a marquee connecting two tents or connecting a building to your main tent.  Using a tent instead of a marquee will give you additional dry square footage for your guests to gather and use.  Marquees are really only useful as a protected walkway.  People will not hang out in them because they’re so long and skinny. In terms of your wedding budget, most tent vendors will allow you to pay a 50% deposit on your marquees and you only pay the balance if they install them on site, so it’s better to have them on your proposal, spend a little money up front, and be guaranteed dry guests if they’re necessary. Here are some photos

Tent companies who offer marquees:

Sperry Tents Seacoast: www.sperrytentsseacoast.com
Exeter Tents & Events: www.exetereventsandtents.com
Marshall Tent and Event Rental: www.marshalltentandevent.com

Malloy Weddings is a New England wedding planner and wedding florist located on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.  Offering full wedding coordination services to the most discerning clients, Malloy Weddings take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure each client is given the utmost level of customer service.  

Wedding planning Q & A- featured on Seacoast Weddings Magazine online

Q: Do we have to…?

A: It’s your day to celebrate. There are no “have to’s” or “shoulds,” says Kate Malloy. Do what’s meaningful to you and don’t be afraid to break your tradition. Malloy’s fiancé, Chris, initially wanted to abide by tradition and not see her on their wedding day until the ceremony. Brian Adams, their wedding photographer, talked him in to doing a first look. “It was the best thing we did,” Malloy says. “It gave us the breather we needed.” Accustomed to working alongside Chris daily, Malloy also decided to check in with him before the ceremony. “It’s really just the two of you so do what works for you,” she adds.

However you plan to celebrate your wedding day, be sure to add personal touches that create an event that is both memorable and uniquely yours.

Malloy Weddings is a New England wedding planner and wedding florist located on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.  Offering full wedding coordination services to the most discerning clients, Malloy Weddings take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure each client is given the utmost level of customer service.  

Vlog episode 3: Wedding flowers- what do you really need?

What flowers do you need at your wedding? Kate Malloy walks you through all the places you might want to have at your wedding.  From personal flowers to cocktail arrangements and reception centerpieces.

Watch Episode 3 Below:

Malloy Weddings is a New England wedding planner and wedding florist located on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.  Offering full wedding coordination services to the most discerning clients, Malloy Weddings take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure each client is given the utmost level of customer service. 

Vlog episode 2: What is a wedding designer?

What is a wedding designer? A wedding planner? Does a florist rent my linens? Kate Malloy talks about the differences between the three and what services you should expect to get from each of these vendors.

Watch Episode 2 Here:

Malloy Weddings is a New England wedding planner and wedding florist located on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.  Offering full wedding coordination services to the most discerning clients, Malloy Weddings take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure each client is given the utmost level of customer service.  

5 details not to overlook

Originally featured on New Hampshire Magazine BRIDE online: http://www.bridenh.com/5-Details-Not-to-Forget/

When it comes to wedding planning, there are some small details — remembering the rings on the day of, for example — that you definitely don't want to forget. But what about the less crucial things?

Remembering the things that other people would forget can elevate your wedding from great to unforgettable. Focus on the little things that will make the day better for everyone (color-coordinated pashminas for unexpectedly chilly nights, anyone?), and your big day will be a serious contender for wedding of the year.

Image by Brian Adams Photographics

1. Pre ceremony sips and snacks: 

Whether you have multiple bus trips to get your guests to the ceremony or you just want to lighten the mood pre-nuptials, consider offering a simple cocktail like prosecco with lavender or vodka with lemonade and mint. A non-alcoholic beverage like sparkling water with cucumber is another good option. 

If you're going to offer alcohol, make sure you also have something small to snack on. Simple one-bite options are best as people will have wedding gifts, purses, and will want to keep nice and clean before the wedding starts.

Image by Ned Jackson Photography

2. Above and beyond food signage: 

Many people create menus for their dinner and bar options, but why stop there? Go the extra mile and include signage for your passed appetizers, hors d'oeuvre stations, and your dessert display.  Not only does this make it easier for the catering staff to serve and guests to enjoy everything, but it also helps relieve the stress of being a guest with dietary restrictions at a wedding.

Image by Nelson Hancock

3. Boredom busters:

Your guests will have plenty to during the ceremony and during the dinner-drinks-and-dancing stage of the reception, but there will be some lulls in your day. Give your loved ones something to do during cocktail hour or even before the ceremony or during the reception that isn't imbibing, small-talking, or busting a move.

Hands-on activities can be a great way to bring people together who might not know each other. Try classic games like cornhole, lawn golf, or bocce, or, for an unexpected option, host a cigar bar.

Image by Katherine Jane Photography

4. Weather prep:

Help your guests be prepared for the weather. If you're having an outdoor ceremony, you are at the whim of the elements. It may be swelteringly hot out, chilly to the bone, or raining, or even snowing! Look at the weather report 3-4 days before your wedding to get an accurate idea of what's coming your way in the skies, and offer your guests some temporary solutions such as a parasol to keep the sun away, hand fans for hot weather, umbrellas to get from the ceremony to the reception, or even pashminas if the fall air is a bit too chilly.

Image by Stacey Kane Photography

5. Less than obvious lighting:

You've probably spent hours picking out the paper lanterns for your reception tent and plotting out the best photo lighting at your ceremony venue, but the areas you don't think about deserve some lighting love, too. People often don't think about how guests are going to find their way to the restroom or back to their cars at the end of the night. Adding walkway lighting is a great way to help keep people safe and to add an element of ambiance to the area beyond your wedding reception.

LEDs uplighting the trees, shepherd hooks holding glass lanterns, luminaria bags, and even tiki torches can all be used to create light sources for the far corners of your event space.

Malloy Weddings is a New England wedding planner and wedding florist located on the Seacoast of New Hampshire.  Offering full wedding coordination services to the most discerning clients, Malloy Weddings take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure each client is given the utmost level of customer service.