2011

Happy New Year!

Newly engaged and still pondering:
When to Get Married on Cape Cod? 
Those trying to nail down a date, here's a nifty Cape Cod calendar of dates to consider (or reconsider):

January
15,16, 17 -  Martin Luther King Weekend

February
6 - Super Bowl Sunday
14 - Cupid hit you with his bow, but he can't do much about the astronomical price of roses around Valentine's Day, which falls this year on a Monday.
19, 20, 21 - President's Day Weekend

March
17, 18, 19, 20 - For basketball fans (or fans of betting), the first two rounds of March Madness take place Thursday through Sunday. That would be 48 games in 4 days. It's a lot of hoops.
17 - Erin Go Bragh. St. Patrick's celebrated this year on a Thursday. Hopefully enough time for groomsmen and guests to recover from any Irish Car Bomb-inflicted hangovers. 

April
1 - Red Sox start the season on this Friday. No Fools.
2, 4 - Your team make it to the Final Four? Root them on on Saturday the 2nd, with finalists playing the championship game on Monday the 4th.
8, 9, 10 - Red Sox open at home on Friday the 8th. Against the Yankees.  And play them again Saturday and Sunday. See all Red Sox-Yankee game dates here.
18 - Passover begins at Sundown Monday.
24 - Easter Sunday
29, 30 & May 1 - Brewster in Bloom weekend. Brewster is bursting with daffodils, parades and other home-town festivities.

May 
7 - Mint juleps and big hats your thing? Share your wedding with Kentucky Derby Day. 
8 - Mother's Day, always held on a Sunday
28, 29, 30 - Memorial Day Weekend. The traditional start to a Cape Cod summer. BBQs, Figawi, & beach stickers required. 
TBD - High school's across the Cape usually host proms in May. Although this ties up some function facilities, the most noticeable impact would probably be a lack of limos. 
TBD - Love the fluffy pink, lilac and white rhododendron that are found all over the Cape? They bloom for just a few short weeks in late May and early June.  
 
June
4,5 - High school graduations might tie up some of your guests.
10- Play ball! The Cape League season kicks off this Friday. Tell your guests to check out a game while they are on Cape. See here for the 2011 schedule.
19 - Father's Day. Honor Dad on this Sunday, even if you choose it as the day he gives you away.

July
2,3,4 - July 4th falls on a Monday this year. Hotel rooms are at a premium and traffic is a nightmare, but you'll get a free firework display!
16-23 - There's a fair in the air. Not that the livestock at the Barnstable County Fair smells all that bad, but for the duration of the fair, traffic on Rt. 28 and Rt. 151 stinks.

August
7 - Pops by the Sea. Spend a little more time with your guests on Sunday by inviting them to check out the Boston Pops play at the Hyannis Town Green. This is one the Cape's premier events.

September
3,4,5 - Labor Day Weekend. The Cape Cod summer's last hurrah. Traffic can be bad and hotels can be booked, but I've often found there's a lot of good deals for weddings for this weekend.
10 - Like a quirky (and easy to remember) date? How about Saturday 9/10/11?
11- Patriot's Day.  Joy might be hard to find this Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks.
23, 24, 25 - Bourne's 42nd Annual Scallop Festival. This old-time festival - it's not just about scallops - draws huge crowds that can tie up traffic on the Bourne bridge for the weekend. 
27 - Rosh Hashanah begins at Sundown Tuesday and lasts through nightfall on Friday the 30th

October
7 - Yom Kippur begins at Sundown on Friday and lasts until Sundown on Saturday the 8th 
8, 9, 10 - Columbus Day Weekend
15,16 - Enjoy some of the famed Wellfleet Oysters at the weekend Fest.
31 - Hallowed Monday Eve

November
11 - Veterans Day (A Friday... also another quirky date: 11/11/11)
24 - Thanksgiving Thursday 

December
7 - Pearl Harbor Day, this year on a Wednesday
20 - Hanukkah begins at Sundown on Tuesday and lasts through Sunday on Wednesday the 28th
25 - Christmas falls on a Sunday this year.
31 - For all you party animals who want to kick off 2012 with a new hubby at your side, New Year's Eve falls on a Saturday this year.

Cheers to 2011!

Cape Cod Christmas Wedding

{ Nantucket Wedding  via Claudia Kronenberg Photography }

Happy Holidays to one & all!

Inspiration: Mad for Plaid

I've gone a little mad for plaid.

Not in a plaid wedding dress kind of way:

{ via Style Me Pretty }

But in a Charlotte Marries Trey in a Wedding Infused with Subtle Tartan Details way, a la Carrie's maid of honor dress with a little tartan ribbon at the waist.

{ It is embarrassing how I got this photo. Let's not talk about it, OK? }

Think white rose bouquets tied with plaid ribbon, little flower girls in tartan dresses, groomsmen in navy suits with plaid ties.  A groom in a kilt is not required... but if you're a girl who loves a man in a skirt, be my guest.

What a lovely way to inject some holiday color without being overtly red & green. And a nice way to honor the family if you happen to be a MacSomething, Campbell or Stewart (like me!).
 

 { Top: Have one of these guys outside the church; Flower girls could carry evergreen kissing balls; Centerpieces in silver trophies tied with plaid ribbon;

Middle: Bouquet with amaryllis; Plaid takes the cake; Sweet little flower girl dress; 

Bottom: Red-domed centerpieces and hints of gold; Kilt hits the beach via Raw Photo }

Cold night. Hot Drink How-To.

Yes, yes. Cranberries are synonymous with Cape Cod. Any good Shoreside Bride would feature this crimson berry in a signature cocktail. The classic Cape Codder, The Cranberry Spritzer, The Cape Cod 'Rita... all a little summer.

For you winter Cape Cod brides looking to keep your guests warm, how about a Mulled Cranberry Cocktail?

Recipe:
Combine one quart of cranberry juice, 1 cinnamon stick and two whole cloves in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.

In another saucepan, combine 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of water. Warm over medium heat, gently stirring, until the cranberries pop and are well coated with sugar. Use these cranberries to garnish a toothpick or skewer.

{ Recipe & photo courtesy of Martha Stewart }

If you want to booze it up, add some fruity red wine to the juice as it is simmering, or top off the mulled juice with a splash of orange-flavored liqueur, like Cointreau or Triple Sec.

{ Alcoholic suggestions courtesy of yours truly }

Me making one of these to keep warm on this freakin' cold night. Snow? Where are you? Snow?!?

Eight Maids a Milking, Seven Starfish Hanging, Six Geese a Laying...

Err, no. Not quite the song. But me likey these starfish ornaments and thought they warranted a song.

Tie pretty little nametags to them (in silver or gold calligraphy), hang them from a Christmas tree, and aren't they just a darlin' Cape Cod Christmas Wedding escort card? 

{Is everyone trawling Etsy like I am for Christmas presents?!? 

These are from Etsy seller Hen And Chick 

but maybe could be a DIY project? } 

Tuesday Shoesday: Tied Up with A Bow

Dear Santa-

   These, please:

{ Christian Laboutins (already tied up with a bow) for every holiday-inspired wedding, holiday party, holiday caroling, holiday baking, holiday house cleaning...  }

Happy Thanksgiving

Signing off early this week to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Turkey! And thanks for reading!

{ via }

Happy Veterans Day

To all the men and women who serve: Thanks.

{ Really. Can a man in uniform be any more handsome? }

Happy 5th!

I spent my Fourth of July watching baseball, sitting at the beach, seeing fireworks, eating food off the grille, lounging in an Adirondack chair perched in the shade and licking ice cream cones. I hope your weekend was also full of fun, relaxation, and other good All-American things.

{ Via the amazing duo of Christine & Andy at Bello Photography }

  

I have to admit, a Cape Cod 4th of July wedding holds great appeal...The color palette, down-home wholesome food, fireworks and sparklers.

According to experts, a 28" sparkler is really the best option for weddings. (Who knew there were experts in such things, but there you go.) They burn longer, meaning they are safer and your photographers can get cool shots. Get some here. 

And go out and enjoy this warm summer night. 

It's a Grand Old Flag

Is there anything more quintessential than 4th of July on Cape Cod? I think not. The rest of the week we're going to focus on all Shoreside things red, white and blue.

Love this invitation from PaperTrails. Rehearsal dinner? Chic yet casual but 4th of July wedding? Lots of possibilities. Might just have to throw an Independence Day party just to use these.

{ Find them here }

Happy Father's Day

I have the best dad ever. The best. And he better be ready to do this:

Click to watch

The Best Father-Daughter Dance Ever

Happy Father's Day Daddy! Love you lots!

Memorial Day

I'm all about red, white and blue this weekend.

Love this cake.

{ Bride.Net }

Love this kiss.

{ Wedding Channel }

Love the troops.

 { Sky News }

Don't forget to thank them this Memorial Day. Enjoy the weekend!

Happy Mother's Day

To all the Mothers of the Bride and Brides Who Are Mothers and Mothers Everywhere:
Happy Mother's Day! (Belated... sorry... life was complicated for a minute there.)

{ Marcin Rusinowski for Dog N' Bird }

Happy Easter

We're so excited about what's in store here at Shoreside Bride. Next week we'll dive into all the Cape Cod wedding goodness with tips, tricks, vendors and loads of pretty pictures. In the meantime, Happy Easter!

cake topper from Jayne Williams Co.