The Cod

Although this may be obvious, Cape Cod is named after the codfish, which swam in great numbers along our coastline. Its abundance lured thousands of immigrants to settle on this spit of sand, yet the cod is a much maligned fish and often said to be the most ugly. What do you think?

  (And I bet you're wondering how this is all going to relate to something wedding-y.)

Local graphic artist Andrew Newman (whose daughter had a lovely wedding a few years back) elevates the lowly cod with a unique tongue-in-cheek style and puts his clever designs on cards, totes, t-shirts, stickers, etc.  in his Cape Card line (also sold on Etsy).

How about this as a Welcome Bag:

Or this as a funny thank you note, or save the date?

And, well, this one just cracks me up. Can I register for this?:

(*This whole thing has gotten me wondering who was the judge in the Atlantic Ocean fish beauty pageant that determined the Cod was less attractive than the flounder. Perhaps it came down to the talent portion of the competition.
Ahh. Too much caffeine too late at night.)

Cape Cod Wedding Venue: Highfield Hall

Highfield Hall amazes me every time I go. Built in 1878 as the summer home of the prominent Beebe family, the Queen Anne stick-style mansion is nestled high in the woods of Falmouth. The Beebes used the home until the early 1930s, after which it changed hands a number of time, serving as a hotel and theater before eventually falling into neglect. In 1994 a local committee raised nearly $8 million to save and renovate the building, which reopened in 2007.

It has every modern amenity but the meticulous renovation maintains the building's historic character and architectural details. If the story of the building and its glorious return from despair doesn't intrigue you, maybe its covered porches, giant fireplaces and a swoon-worthy grand staircase will: 

{ via Hemlines & Heels ... Check out the blue petticoat, too! }

{ Tim Cook via www.highfieldhall.org }

 

 { The Casual Gourmet }

Let's do a Great Gatsby style wedding here, with croquet out on the lawn during the cocktail hour.  Or a warm & cozy winter wedding inside the mansion.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

The 114th season of Cape Cod Baseball League got underway last night, with the Wareham Gateman topping the Cotuit Kettleers 5-2 in the league opener. This storied league, with its wooden bats, glittering alumni (one out of every seven Major League players spent some time in the CCBL), and quaint seaside ballparks, is the preeminent summer league for top college players. If you haven't been to a game, you should go. Check out the schedule here. Admission is free to games (though players pass around a cap to collect donations).   

So now let's play ball with a baseball-themed wedding. 

{ Invites from Etsy seller Byvikink }

{ Pass around some snacks... From Rebecca Thuss }

{ Autograph the bat guest 'book' via Style Me Pretty }

{ Must-take photos from Rob and Lauren Photographers }

{ Tablesetting from Style Me Pretty }

{ Favor from The Well Dressed Cookie }

Cape Cod Wedding Venue: Heritage Museums & Gardens

Perhaps it's all the gardening I've been doing, but I've been spending some time thinking about a Cape Cod garden wedding. There's a few bucolic garden spots on Cape Cod that make pretty places for a wedding, but none are as dynamic as Heritage Museums & Gardens.

The museum is actually comprised of a handful of museums situated on more than 100 acres of gardens. They have spaces for indoor receptions, most notably a four-story Shaker round barn that houses an impressive antique automobile collection, and an art museum with one of the country's oldest working carousels. There's a windmill. There's a pond. And then there's the gardens. Award-winning, lush, verdant, vibrant gardens.

Find your favorite nook for your ceremony or tented reception.

{ Both above from The Casual Gourmet }

This is the pimp ride you get as the bride to drive around the property. 

Yeah, it's a Bentley golf cart.

In the background you can see some of the world-famous
Dexter Rhododendrons

The lawn in front of the Shaker Round Barn. Perfect for cocktails before moving inside for dinner.

{ above three photos from bride Sarah McCracken via Flickr  }

A Sweet Little Chapel: Kelley Chapel, a Cape Cod Wedding Site

Kelley Chapel in Yarmouth Port is just about the most darling little wedding chapel you'll find.  Down a secluded gravel path. Set in a sunlit meadow. Nestled in the woods. Surrounded by nature trails. With a charming little history.

The chapel was originally constructed in 1873 by Quaker David Kelley for his daughter Rosa after the death of her infant son. She used the non-sectarian chapel, which at the time was located in South Yarmouth near the Quaker Meeting House on North Main Street, to teach bible lessons to village fishermen and their families. The chapel was donated by a Kelley family descendent to the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth in 1960, at which time it was moved to its current location. The woods surrounding the chapel comprised the first-ever golf course on Cape Cod, created in the 1890s for private use by the Thatcher family. It's a short walk from the chapel to the heart of historic Yarmouth Port, including the Edward Gorey House and the Capt. Bangs Hallett house, which has the most amazing English Weeping Beech tree on the grounds.

Today the chapel is used for community events and can be rented through the historical society for weddings.

{ Christopher Setturland via Cape Cod Today }

Make no mistake, it is tiny. Only 60 or so people fit inside. In typical Quaker fashion, the interior is unadorned. A handful of pews, an old wood stove and a little organ dominate the space.

But there's something completely enchanting about it, don't you think?