Planning a ‘Maritime-y’ wedding: Add local flair to your 2015 wedding

Meaghan Richards and Brandon Hart got engaged last January, and the Halifax couple is taking exactly a year to plan their January wedding. It was important that their big day reflect their personalities, and they’re also finding plenty of ways to incorporate the special city where they fell in love.

Richards knew immediately that she wanted to get married at Fort Massey United Church in Halifax’s south end, and she and Hart chose the recently-renovated Prince George for their reception because they love going there together for brunch. They’re also planning to take wedding photos at key Halifax landmarks like the old Brewery Market, Historic Properties, and the train station.

“I think it will be nice to look back and see these really identifiable parts of Halifax,” says Richards. “I like that our grandkids will be able to look at those pictures, too, and know exactly where we were.”

Trevor Allen, one of the province’s most sought-after wedding photographers, says many couples book their wedding photographer as soon as they get engaged. He’s already booking ahead for 2016, but has half a dozen Saturdays left for the summer of 2015.

He loves getting shots in iconic spots — like the Citadel Clock Tower — because it’s fun to see recognizable landmarks in wedding photos.

“One of my favourite shots is a Reservoir Dogs-style photo of a groom and groomsmen walking down the middle of Spring Garden Road,” says Allen. “I also took a very popular shot of groomsmen walking under the ‘Welcome to Cape Breton’ sign on the causeway.”

Allen regularly treks to Peggy’s Cove with his brides and grooms to grab iconic shots beside fishing boats and dilapidated wooden fishing huts to achieve the juxtaposition between the beautiful bride and the old weathered boards. He’s become known for a special shot in which he actually lies down in a puddle in order to shoot the bride and groom by the quintessential Maritime landmark.

“With that angle, I’m able to get a perfect reflection of the bride and groom — plus the lighthouse,” says Allen. “I love getting unique shots of very common sights.”

But he says it’s also fun to shoot wedding photos in hidden areas that aren’t iconic to Halifax, like a random back alley where the light is hitting the wall just right.

“There’s a stunning red-painted brick wall beside the McDonalds on Quinpool, and you’d never think to go there for photos, but it’s perfect,” says Allen.

If you’re worried about squeezing in all of your photos between the ceremony and the reception or you’re dreaming of a Maritime-y shot that involves a few hours of travel time — Allen says many photographers will be happy to take you out a few days after the wedding.

“It’s actually my favourite shoot to do, because we don’t have to worry about getting grass stains on the dress, or rushing off to the reception — we can just play,” says Allen. “They probably don’t have time to go to Lunenburg for photos on their wedding day, but we can go another day to get some relaxed shots that really incorporate Maritime flair.”

Claudia Habib of Simply Weddings says there are plenty of creative ways to infuse your wedding with local touches, like serving Nova Scotia craft beers and wines, hiring a Halifamous food truck for a late-night snack, or contracting the talents of a musician with an authentic Maritime sound.

She’s also a big fan of edible favours, and encourages her guests to choose delicious fare that’s made locally.

“Nova Scotian Sea Salt chocolates or Rum Runners Rum Cake from Sugah on the Halifax waterfront are good options,” says Habib. “Cookies, jams, olive oils, and vinegars are great, too. Try sourcing from your local farmer’s market.”

She’s planned weddings of all sizes — with varying budgets — but says hiring a professional doesn’t mean you have to outsource your entire wedding.

“We’re here to handle what you want us to, whether it’s day-of coordination, complete planning, or a combination of services,” says Habib. “This is the biggest party you will ever throw as a couple, so hiring the right people will allow everyone’s day to be as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.”

Richards says her January wedding is coming together nicely. Their bridesmaids’ dresses will be all different styles and tones that fit into the wine, plum, and silver colour scheme. They’re planning a candy buffet, a cake with fondant ruffles, and hot chocolate favours — which Richards describes as as a nod to the winter season “without going crazy putting snowflakes on everything.”

She says the best piece of advice she could give another bride is to calm down, and remember that 90 per cent of the little details are not going to make or break the big day.

“A friend told me this, and it really helped: ‘What do you remember about the weddings you’ve attended?’” says Richards. “Guests don’t usually remember the colour of the bouquet, but they might remember the centrepieces, or the food.”

“When you’re stressing about a tiny detail, remember that no one is going to say ‘What an awful wedding’ because you had mismatched ribbon on the bouquets.”

Five ways to add local flare to your wedding

1. Serve local wines craft beers

2. Choose a locally-made treat as your favour

3. Hire local musicians with a Maritime feel

4. Use local decor, like driftwood or beach glass

5. Incorporate a sand ceremony from your favourite Nova Scotia beaches, or the beaches in your hometowns

Source: Claudia Habib of Simply Weddings

Five trends for 2015 weddings

1. Marsala is the 2015 colour of the year. The deep burgundy tone will be incorporated in many weddings, from the invitations to he bridesmaids dresses to the table décor.

2. Strapless ballgowns aren’t as popular anymore, and more brides are choosing softer, flowing dresses with lots of lace.

3. Many brides have more than one dress, pick a convertible dress (that turns into a cocktail dress with the removal of a skirt) or choose to change into a funky bridal jumpsuit for the reception.

4. Make your own wedding hashtag (i.e. #NickAndJenTieTheKnot) so you can collect all of your guests’ social media photos in one place, or pass out a few GoPro video cameras so guests can capture the experience from their perspective

5. Consider non-floral items in your bouquets and arrangements, like berries, fruit, acorns, or paper cut-outs. Bouquets are less structured, and more casual — like you just gathered them from a garden.

Source: Claudia Habib of Simply Weddings

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