Fun, sun and relaxation.  Saturday mornings are the best, don’t you think?  Especially when that sunny Saturday morning also happens to include a meet and greet with the brand new advertisers joining our SMP Family…now that’s just downright amazing.  And today’s lovely lineup?  Well, it’s one you just can.not.miss with swoon-worthy florals from Petal Floral Design and fabulous events from The Day Of here to seriously brighten your weekend.  Beautiful blooms, awe-inspiring soirees and some amazing special offers for you lovelies.  Happy, happy Saturday!

Up first in our day of pretty is the oh-so-wonderful Petal Floral Design, aka the masters of all things lovely.  Trust me, just one look at the gorgeousness below and you will be seriously hooked.  Done for. So, join us in showing them some major love – and make sure to check out the amazing promotion for SMP readers below!

From Petal Floral Design… Petal Floral Design was established in 2010. By emphasizing a boutique approach, Petal maintains a strong bond to its couples, their unique love and wedding. We believe every bouquet and arrangement should be romantic in texture, color, and shape. We also stay true to our style by using fresh blossoms and greens the way they naturally combine in a garden setting. With every couple, Petal keeps it simple, communicates constantly, and leads with heart.

We’d like to offer a gift of a bridal bouquet (a $275 value) to anyone who books Petal in the month of August for any month of the year of 2013.  Please just mention SMP when contacting us!

Getting married?  (Yep, that means YOU!) Then you’ll most definitely want to meet The Day Of, a team of beyond talented planners who will ensure your Big Day runs without a single hitch.  Yep… you sit back, relax and The Day Of handles the rest.  Fabulous.  So, join us in giving them a big SMP hello – and don’t forget the amazing offer below!

From The Day Of… What a concept. You do the planning and we do the rest. The process is simple. Communication, organization and collaboration.

Event coordination is no longer considered to be a luxury. It is the foundation of a successful event. And while planning a wedding can be fun and exciting, knowing that your plans are being carefully looked after the day of your wedding can be worrisome. A professional coordinator provides a sense of security and reassurance that your event will go off flawlessly. Our priority is to ensure that your vision comes to life and that everything runs as smoothly as possible.

Prior to your wedding day we will meet with you twice at your venue to do a walkthrough of the space and review all the details. We believe getting to know you is just as important as getting to know about your event. It’s a large part of our process, and allows our clients to experience the feel of a full service planner.

During our two meetings and continuous correspondence, we get to know you, your tastes, your style and your expectations. Along the way we are available to you, should you need advice, guidance, want to bounce an idea past us or just want to chat.

From there we organize a timeline and of course we are onsite to direct all aspect of your wedding. Our professional team of experts are there to oversee, manage and set up your event from the moment your first vendor arrives and we are the main point of contact so you don’t need to worry about what is happening behind the scenes. We greet and direct vendors, coordinate your wedding ceremony, ensure that your reception runs smoothly and much more! Let The Day Of fuss over the details so you can enjoy every moment.

The Day Of opened in the Fall of 2006 and I have 10 years experience as a full service event planner.  I have chosen “day of” as my focus to fill a void in the industry.

When I started The Day Of, full service planners weren’t offering “day of”. I noticed that after the economy plunged that many planners began to offer this as an option. I have continued to stay true to what I do. I love events. I love being onsite. I love guiding my clients as they plan their own events with the benefit of my experience available to them.

The Day Of is currently offering SMP readers $250 off of The Day Of’s services for any event booked by December 31, 2012*.  (Based on availability. Travel fees may apply. Value of service is $1500.)  Please contact Michelle for details.

Welcome to the family Petal Floral Design and The Day Of!  We are so happy to have you! xoxo

We’re approaching serious fairytale territory with this Lenox wedding.  This lucky couple enjoyed not only the gorgeous floral and foliage that goes along with a fall wedding but also perfect sunshine during their October wedding weekend.  The combination of a beyond elegant setting, amazing details and sweet-as-can-be moments captured by Lisa Rigby Photography is setting the romance bar for another fabulous week here at SMP Massachusetts!  See it all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

The couple wanted to put their fingerprints on this wedding from start to finish. It began with the search for the venue. Growing up in the area, you would think the bride suggested this dramatic location, but it took the groom’s diligence in research to realize this historical cottage had recently been restored after 50 years of vandalism and neglect. The home is still in the Vanderbilt family and became the inspiration for the theme. They wanted an autumn wedding to enjoy the vivid fall foliage, but Mother Nature had other plans in store. The abnormally wet summer and warm autumn that occurred in 2011 muted those colors, but had one very special surprise in store for the bride and groom. October 8, 2011 in Lenox, Massachusetts, was 75 degrees and sunny when it normally averages highs in the 50’s. All of Columbus Day weekend, in fact, felt more like Labor Day weekend. The bride and groom credit that stroke of fortune to the grandparents whom couldn’t be with us in body but definitely were there in spirit.

The estate was rented from Friday morning until Sunday afternoon, and we had our bridal party and close family members stay with us on site. Elm Court is 70,000 square feet, so there was more than enough room to accommodate 30 guests. The rest of the guests either lived locally or rented rooms at local B&Bs. That was also one of the goals of the weekend — to have our guests experience all that Lenox and the Berkshires have to offer.

The bride and groom took weeks of dance lessons to learn the waltz and after all that prep, there was a “wardrobe malfunction” during the dance at the reception. The brooch on her new Manolo’s broke off. That, in retrospect, was the only hiccup the day would bring. The food was excellent thanks to Castle Street Catering, and DJ Kahn set the stage with big band music during cocktail hour-and-a-half, crooners during dinner and dance music late into the night. It was all perfectly captured by Lisa Rigby of Lisa Rigby Photography. It took over a year of planning, one caterer change and interviews with dozens of vendors, but they truly had the wedding of their dreams.

Wedding Photography: Lisa Rigby Photography / Wedding Venue: Elm Court Estate in Lenox, Massachusetts / Floral Design: Fleurtacious Designs / Wedding Coordination: Lynn Wheeler /  Catering: Castle Street Café / DJ: Constantine Ptohos a.k.a. DJ Kahn / String Trio: Bel Canto Chamber Players / Rentals: Mahaiwe Tent & Party Rentals / Valet: Abbott’s Limousine & Livery Service / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Hair + Makeup: Seven Salon & Spa

We know Wednesdays can be a bit tough but we are going to help get you over this hump day with the loveliest of weddings by Judy Pak Photography.  The pops of peach and coral and the whimsical details are sure to brighten up your day but the sweet, joyful love is going to keep you grinning from ear to ear throughout the week.  Click here to see it all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… When my amazing husband and I started thinking about wedding venues, we wanted something that would reflect our personalities: a place where our guests would feel comfortable, welcomed and grounded, a place that would be just as memorable as the event itself. A barn wedding seemed to be the perfect union of everything we hoped for. Finding a site within our budget (that didn’t require cows being moved out) was a daunting task, until we found Gedney Farm in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Gedney was once a dairy farm but has been renovated into a quaint B&B and reception hall. It embodied the simple elegance and earthiness that we’d been searching for.

Steve and I, selfishly, chose not to share our “first look” with our wedding guests. We wanted that moment be ours alone. Gedney set us up at Mepal Manor, which is just down the road from the farm. The unparalleled brilliance of our photographer, Judy Pak, captured the enchanted spirit of the moment. We feel so lucky to have found Judy! Besides being fun to work with, she effortlessly finds beauty and life in what most people see as just ordinary.

Our ceremony was outdoors under a beautiful tree surrounded by family and friends. I chose a peachy-coral palette, which was perfect for August. Each of the bridesmaids were encouraged to choose their own dress style and color within the theme. Their choices highlighted the whimsical atmosphere, which was echoed by the playful flower arrangements and bunches of sunflowers we purchased from a farm near the wedding venue and a local farm near our home in Connecticut. Andrea Wadsworth of AW Confections infused the ambiance of our wedding into her cakes. Yes, cakes! Andrea made an individual cake for each of our tables; each was as beautiful and delicious as the next. Repeating the countryside theme, each cake was placed on blocks of wood, a DIY undertaking by the groom himself. To add a personal touch, our guests used their own wedding cake knives as a tribute to the relationships that have influenced us. Everyone involved, especially our family and friends, helped us pull off a truly amazing day full of love. 

Wedding Photography: Judy Pak of Judy Pak Photography / Second Photographer: Nilda V. Negron of Violet fotos / Wedding Venue: Gedney Farm in New Marlborough, Massachusetts / DJ: Scott Merkel of Mr. DJ / Makeup + Hair: Mepal Spa / Bride’s Bouquet: Bob Palmer of Wildflowers Florist / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various / Bridemaids’ Bouquets: DIY / Centerpieces: DIY / Wedding Cakes: Andrew Wadsworth of A.W. Confections