Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Green Weddings Archives - Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning Green Weddings Archives - Flair Boston | Wedding Dresses in Boston MA | Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Accessories, Wedding Dress Cleaning

Camp Weddings!

So, I was watching Full House last night (yes, I stand by that statement… you know you love it too) and it was the episode where DJ, Stephanie and Michelle come home from summer camp. The family is bummed because the girls loved camp so much and didn’t seem to miss them. Cue sappy instrumental music as they have a chat about how much they love each other and all is well by the end of thirty minutes. Don’t you wish all problems could be resolved that quickly and easily? Even better, it would be amazing if all problems could end with Joey sitting on a plate of s’mores. A classic tension reliever!

Anyways, it got me thinking about summer camp. When we were younger it was this magical place where everything was fun, food that looked terrible actually tasted good, and you got to “flirt” with boys without your parents around. What could be better?! Then we grow up, and along with many other fun things, camp seems to become a thing of the past. Well, we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to stay in the past!

Camp1

 

Camp weddings are THE hot new trend! Imagine spending the weekend with all of your friends and family at a camp. Even this glam girl can admit that that sounds fabulous! While all camp venues have different policies, here are some of the pluses and minuses if you’re considering such an event:

Pluses:

1)      A camp provides a more intimate setting and often limits outsiders encroaching on your big day. Literally the only people around are the ones you invited, how nice is that?! While Boston weddings are FAB, I speak from experience when I say that it wasn’t that cool having strangers taking photos of us as our pro photographer tried to get shots in the public garden. Back off people!

2)      It’s unique! This is a new, new trend, so most of your guests won’t have seen anything like it. We’ve all been to a hotel ballroom wedding and there’s nothing wrong with them AT ALL, but it is nice to mix it up a little!

3)      Most camp locations allow you to rent the space for the entire weekend. More time with your guests is never a bad thing!

Camp2

4)      You can do your own thing! Forget those standard linens, forgo those over used chairs, and get exactly what you want!

 

Minuses:

1)      You can do your own thing! I know I said that that was a plus BUT it could also count as a minus, depending on your level of interest in DIY. Most camps provide next to nothing, so prepare to really do it all (real life example: one of our fave brides just had a camp wedding – shout out to the inspiration for the blog, Laura D! – and she and her mother got there days early to make all 170 beds for the guests, now that’s dedication!).

2)      SOME vendors don’t want to go all the way out to a more remote location. The great ones will though, so this actually might help you weed through the pack!

3)      Weather is a true issue. While most city and suburban venues have created a pretty great back up plan, the alternative may not be as chic at a camp.

Again, we can’t stress enough that all venues are different, so take these pluses and minuses with a grain of salt (and some tequila to go with it). Whether you decide on a camp setting or not, enjoy every minute of your planning and we can’t wait for you to tell us all about it!

<Cue Full House credit music>

Camp3

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

We really wrote this blog in honor of one of our favorite weddings we got to work on….our very good friend Laura!  Below is all the fabulous-ness from her wedding!

 

Laura’s Wedding Photo Blog  courtesy of the talented Leah Haydock Photography!

Part One:

http://leahhaydock.blogspot.com/2013/10/sandy-island-family-camp-wedding-lake.html

Part Two:

http://leahhaydock.blogspot.com/2013/10/sandy-island-camp-wedding-photographer.html

 

Videography By: Folster Video

http://vimeo.com/76271752

Spotlight on Devon’s Joyous & Bright Wedding!

There is nothing we enjoy more than hearing from our brides after their weddings. We truly love working with all of you and are so happy to see and hear how your big days went! Plus, the photos are always gorgeous eye candy, and today is no exception! Today’s bride spotlight is on Devon, a super sweet Flair bride.  Devon earned an A+ from Flair for being an uber prepared bride (ahem, future Flair brides take note). She contacted us in advance of her appointment and gave us a really good idea of what she was looking for. She even had a list of favorites from our designer’s websites, which is a huge help. Basically, Devon wanted something a little unique and something that her girls could wear again, and I think we hit the nail on the head! Check out her helpful comments below and as well as some absolutely stunning photos from her July wedding. Thanks and congrats Devon, you were an absolute joy to work with and we hope to see you and your girls again in the future!

What was the inspiration for your wedding?

We wanted our wedding to be JOYFUL. To us, joy is being surrounded by the people we love most, who come from many parts of our lives. We chose an intimate Vermont Inn for our wedding site because this setting allowed us all to spend the weekend together in one place.  We had the Inn entirely to ourselves and filled every room!  Joy for us is also fun and games. We had a wiffle ball tournament, a road race, and all sorts of yard games. We love these activities, and they also provided a fun way for people to get to know each other over the course of the weekend.  When I see bright colors, I immediately feel a sense of increased happiness and cheer. For our wedding colors, the inspiration came for a brightly colored scarf that my mom always wore on special occasions when we were growing up. This scarf has white background covered in large, vibrant hot pink, orange, red, yellow, and purple flowers with Kelly green leaves, and I carried it with me throughout the wedding planning process to make sure the colors I was choosing met my criteria for “joyful.”

What were you looking for in a bridesmaid dress?

I wanted a dress that the girls could wear again and that was not the classic cookie-cutter bridesmaid dress. So many dresses all looked “the same” and I wanted the girls to have something unique. Additionally, it was very important to me to find a dress that the girls actually liked, that flattered everyone, and that they would be comfortable dancing in.

What dress did you choose? What color?

Siri Bali dress in popsicle!

How was Lindsay most helpful?

So many ways…where to start? Lindsay was super organized! She knew her stuff, and went out of her way to be sure that our experience at Flair was highly personal. I traveled from Burlington, VT to visit Flair and before my trip, Lindsay had been really clear with me about what styles they had in stock by what designers and in what colors so that my trip was worthwhile. Beyond that, we ended up choosing a dress that was not even on my list to look at, so although all her legwork was “for nothing,” she was still SUPER accommodating, patient, and friendly! Furthermore, when scheduling prevented us from all coming to one appointment, Lindsay finagled the schedule so that I was able to have three appointments within 2 hours to get all of the girls in to try things on.

Any tips for brides when selecting their BM dresses?  Bridal Gowns?

DO get started early. Feeling rushed is no fun! Also, for all the online scoping out of dresses that I did, you never know until you actually get yourself or your girls into a dress. The logistics of getting people to try things on can be nightmarish, but it’s worth it!

How was your experience at Flair?

Fabulous!

Where did you get married?

Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, Quechee, VT

What three adjectives would best describe your wedding?

JOYOUS, BRIGHT, Relaxed

What was your favorite moment at the wedding?

Listening to my husband read his vows to me!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Quebec City, Quebec

What advice can you give any other Boston/New England Bride?

When deciding whom you would like to be a bridesmaid, ask yourself, “Which of the wonderful women in my life will be able to support me best on my wedding day?” I could not have asked for more loving, helpful, and fun bridesmaids! They bent over backwards to make the whole build up to our big day special—throwing showers and bachelorette events that were tailored just for me, and remaining unbelievably patient as I sent them thousands of neurotic emails telling them things that they could not possibly have cared about. Furthermore, on my big day they made things that could have been stressful into hilarious jokes. For example, the lovely buttons on the back of my dress were absolutely impossible to fasten and we were running rather late. Instead of stressing out, my girls started doing some cheers while my sister fought with the buttonholes. Every other day of your life is a good time to be in a balanced, give-and-take reciprocal relationship with the women you love, but onyour wedding day, it is all about you. Friends and family who understand and embrace this make the day that much more magical.

Vendors:

Daria Bishop Photography

Valley Flower Company

 

What a bright and beautiful wedding!

XOXO

Lindsay

Bridesmaids’ gifts made easy!!

Your Flair consultants really sacrifice for you. We took an hour out of our day yesterday to walk down Newbury Street in search of fab jewelry and gifts for your best girls. It was grueling but we were happy to do it for you .

Our new obsession is Bobbles and Lace at 251 Newbury Street. They have absolutely amazing pieces at even more amazing prices! The jewelry is for the most part current and trendy, but they have classic styles too. We fell in love with their collection of rose gold jewelry; it’s the perfect combination of classic with an interesting twist. Plus, they have gorgeous bags and clutches if you decide to forgo the jewelry route. There’s something for everyone!

BONUS: They also have a great selection of super cute shoes and clothes so you can reward yourself for finding such great gifts for your girls. Perfection!

If you want a more interactive gift for your ladies, take them to the bangle bar at Alex and Ani (115 Newbury Street). The concept is simple: pick a bangle and then add a charm from their wide selection. They make the perfect memory of your day together and of your appreciation for them. The charm/friendship bracelet has gone modern people and you heard it here first (OK, maybe not first…)!

We’re sure your girls will love whatever you give them but if you want to be 100% sure, take our advice and hit up these Newbury Street hot spots. You’ll thank us!

XOXO

Lindsay

 

Toms: Maybe the smartest wedding decision you’ll ever make?

OK that might be an exaggeration, but they should definitely be near the top of the list! Let’s face it, when all is said and done all you’re going to want to do at your reception is relax and boogie down. Well, there’s no more comfortable (and cute) boogie down shoe than Toms. Even better, they’re reasonably priced and totally re-wearable after the wedding!   Plus, they now come in sparkly hues fit for a princess bride.  It’s a no brainer ladies! They’d make a super cute bridesmaids’ gift too, so you can all ditch your heels and do the running man ‘til the cows come home (or atleast until the cleanup staff arrives)!

P.S. The BIGGEST Bonus about buying Toms is that they have an amazing movement/charitable spirit.

For every pair of  Toms you buy they give a free pair to a child in need! One for One!

 

 

Going green is the new black!!

Let’s face it, weddings take a lot of time and money to plan. As much fun as it is to plan a wedding, wouldn’t it be even better if you knew not only you, but the world, was benefiting from it? OK, a little over dramatic I know but if you plan your wedding to be a little more “green” then that is basically what you’re doing. Not only are you a bride, but a superhero for the world (sans uncomfortable looking leotard, tights and cape)! Want to learn more? Boston’s “Elegantly Green Wedding Showcase” can help you do just that!

This expo is like most you’ve probably been to/heard about, in that there will be tons of amazing wedding vendors at your disposal in one location. However, these vendors have met strict green standards and offer eco-friendly alternatives to the usual wedding fare. There will also be an eco-friendly fashion show, featuring one of our designers, Seams! Harper, the owner and designer, designs gorgeous, green bridal gowns that you can really feel good about. So, you can go see her there and also sample some amazing food and beverages, hear great live music and more. Need I say more?

The 411: The expo is taking place Sunday May 14th from 1-5 PM at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston. See the link below to register.

http://www.elegantlygreenweddingshowcase.com/

Go green brides!

Lindsay

Going Green for your wedding!!

Going green is a pretty common concept now a-days. After all, with studs like Leonardo DiCaprio leading the charge, who wouldn’t follow! You might think that going green for your wedding would be an expensive and time consuming process, but it doesn’t have to be! More and more brides are finding ways to make their weddings eco-conscious, and you can start with your wedding gown!
Seams, one of our lovely bridesmaids’ designers, also makes green wedding gowns (and we’re not talking the color green here ladies). Designer Harper Della Piana uses recycled materials and materials that can easily be dyed to be worn again in the future to keep the recycling going!
Need to see to believe? Check out Seams’ coverage on Fox News here to see and hear more! 
Congrats to Harper and Seams on a great concept!
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/morning/green-for-weddings-eco-friendly-dresses-20101214