1. Real Weddings

Amy & Kenneth: A Destination Wedding in Boothbay Harbor, ME

More than eight years after they first met, Amy and Ken planned a wedding with the beautiful Maine coastline providing much of the inspiration. The B

More than eight years after they first met, Amy and Ken planned a wedding with the beautiful Maine coastline providing much of the inspiration. The Bride Amy Leshin, 27, Senior Recruiter The Groom Kenneth Guiel, 30, Firefighter The Date September 5 Location was key for Amy and Ken. Their wedding's secluded spot on the Maine coast was reflected in nearly all of their wedding details. With a backdrop of the gorgeous Maine coast and the privacy of the wooded landscape, I selected greens and blues that would blend with the surroundings to showcase the natural qualities of the setting, Amy explains. Handmade details, from the programs and place cards (which featured a subtle shell theme) to the favors (conical gift bags filled with salt water taffy), also reflected the influence of the setting. At the reception, instead of a guest book guests wrote their wishes for the couple on Maine-theme, pre-addressed postcards which Amy and Ken received in batches for the next six months -- a charming way to keep the goodwill flowing.

The Formalwear
The bridesmaids dresses and bouquets picked up the palette of the décor and added in a few new hues. Amy's five bridesmaids wore tea length strapless dresses in a pale olive green. The flower girl wore the same hue, only instead of an olive sash hers was coral to match the wreath of roses in her hair.
Following the ceremony, guests lingered around a nearby saltwater pool and enjoyed cocktails while the sun set over the harbor. Afterward, everyone headed to the Inn's Pemaquid Hall. The newly constructed space was only a few pilings and concrete when we visited the site nine months before the wedding, Amy remembers. Luckily, she says, the results were exactly what I had envisioned. High, gabled ceilings and oversized hanging candelabra contributed to the elegant ambiance, and keeping the tables near the enormous windows allowed guests to continue taking in the spectacular views. Outside, guests could stroll beneath a tented pavilion that was lit with white paper bag luminaries Amy had created and stamped with the couple's monogram.
Amy walked down the aisle in a strapless, a-line gown by Venus. The silk shantung dress featured an embroidered overlay and a cathedral length train. She accessorized with a two-layer, cathedral length veil and a tanzanite and diamond pendant -- her wedding present from Ken, who had worked with a jeweler to design the piece.
The ceremony, which the couple created themselves, incorporated many Jewish traditions in honor of Amy's background. Amy and Ken exchanged vows they'd penned themselves on a deck at the inn that was surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic. The couple stood beneath a bamboo huppah draped with sheer ivory fabric and small bouquets of coral-colored roses. Our guests loved the ocean backdrop and the soothing sound of the waves lapping against the sides of the deck, but of course I was 'in the zone' and didn't hear it! Amy laughs.
The monogram Amy created was picked up in the wedding cake, which was a three-tier square confection covered in pale green fondant accented with sugar gardenias. Inside, it featured white cake with lemon cream and blueberry filling -- definitely a delicious way to end the night.
The Couple
The Flower Girl