- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
New England bees like Mrs. Tiramisu, Mrs. Gloss, Mrs. Corn, Ms Potato Chips and Miss Starfish all gave a nod to what makes the Northeast so special. So how can I, a native New Englander, have a wedding devoid of the color navy, anchors, starfish, lobsters, men in khaki suits, and all things preppy and nautical?
We have all the elements of a New England wedding right at our fingertips. The autumn leaves. The venue by the water. The guests with the Rhode Island accents. Lovers of lobster and clam cakes. And inspiration like this:
As much as I adore my Rhody roots, a nautical New England wedding would have little to do with Mr. Seashell and I as a couple. We met and live in Chicago, and live a pretty urban life. Sure, we’d love to go sailing, but every time I try to get Mr. Seashell to buy a pair of boat shoes he gets irrationally mad.
(source)
C’mon, honey! They’re cute!
A preppy New England wedding would be more about me, and less about us. Similarly, Mama Seashell has been an integral part of the planning process, and New England prepster isn’t her scene, either. I think a lot of people assumed our wedding would go the traditional New England route because it’s such a staple of the region. However, it simply didn’t “fit”.
Did your wedding surprise anyone? Did you break a mold?
I am going very vintage with my wedding, not shabby chic, more like old world southern charm style vintage. The FI and I are normally very preppy (read: Marthas vineyard) people. But since we are getting married in Charleston, it just seemed so fitting to have that last century feel to things. We have really embraced it (and I now have a strange obsession with vintage lace, side effect I guess)
hehe, boat shoes! poor mr. seashell! they are cute though 
I live in Maine, and lobsters aren’t coming anywhere near our wedding!
After we got engaged, my parents gifted my fiance with a pair of boat shoes.
“There,” my dad said as he slipped on the shoes. “NOW you’re part of the family.”
My fiance actually loves the shoes, but he draws the line at bowties, haha!
We’ve gotten a bit of “…you’re having a wedding in December?” as if the definition of wedding is outside in the summer. That’s lovely too, but not what we wanted to do! On the nautical side, we’re getting married at a rowing club but ditching that theme completely.
You mean Mr. Seashell is not wearing boat shoes and Nantucket reds??? You are excommunicated from the region!
Kidding. I don’t even own Nantucket reds. Your wedding will be lovely and “you.”
People seem to be surprised that we’re going with a Friday night cocktail reception. I’m pretty sure it’s a first for our friends and family, so it will be interesting to see how they like the 8pm start time and hors d oeuvres instead of a sit-down dinner.
I’m hoping to be a trendsetter!
Our decision to have a destination wedding surprised everyone.
I’m from a small town in Georgia, and when I was little I would always attend weddings that were held in a church.
So, my people were a little surprised and a tad bit upset that we decided to get married in Jamaica.
When they realized we were serious, they backed off, but we still get little comments here and there.
Both of our families expected us to have a traditional Chinese and Cambodian wedding, but we’re not! Only thing Asian about our wedding is the reception style! hehe.
It’s okay to be different and make your wedding feel like “you” and not what others expect it to be. As long as you follow your heart, it will be wonderful no matter what others say/think.
Breaking molds - Aw yes I know a little too much about this. FH and I are both from sunny gorgeous CA, however we met in Seattle and have built our home here in this beautiful PNW Emerald City. Our wedding is in Seattle and I can’t tell you how many people ask why we aren’t getting married in CA…..Good for you for remembering its a day about the two of you, not you solo or Mr S solo, but the both of you 
I loved your intro to all things stereotypically Northeastern.
I agree with Miss Sunrise, if your wedding feels like you, it’s a total WIN. If it feels like a catalog, it’s just another one of those weddings.
our theme right now fits us, relaxed and unassuming but with touches of awesomeness. i can’t wait to start putting it together
I always imagined a New England beach side wedding with a clam bake ever since I was a little girl. When we got engaged I knew that would not work because it was not very “us” just as you said. We instead had a different type of New England wedding–a winter wedding in the Vt mountains. It was a lot more us since we love the mountains and hiking and we are both from cold states (Mass and Minnesota).
Ouch. I spent way too much energy trying to define my wedding as anything but beachy (grass skirts, white shells and kissing dolphins, no thank you) and definitely NOT nautical (not a knot nor an anchor in site at our affaire) to be labeled as typically preppy and nautical.
It was ‘Coastal’ (think natural grasses and blue water), which, I get it, still falls under the New England umbrella but was anything but typical…lobsters be damned.
- And yes, I get it, it doesn’t matter (really…three years after the event I can, and will, let it go) and no, I’m not actually offended -
[...] Not Another New England Wedding | Weddingbee [...]
I am loving what is up here for ideas. I’ve recently moved stateside from London after meeting my fiance while working as an air hostess. We are planning a Nantucket wedding and this is such an inspirational set of images!
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Mrs. Seashell, Chicago, IL / Providence, RI Age and Occupation: 28, Marriage and Family Therapist Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Electrical Engineer Engagement Date: September 3, 2009 Wedding Date: September 2010 Venue: The Glen Manor House About Me: Fonts and fashion, stationery and Sundays, photography and french toast... the beauty is in the details for this fun-loving Chicagoan who loves to plan plan plan! The soon-to-be hubs plays "Mr. Fix-It" in our new condo while I swoon over beautiful, personalized stationery and choose shades of aubergine for my bridesmaids' dresses... and thus begins my new fairy tale! Skirting to the East Coast for our September nuptials where my home state of Rhode Island awaits with fall foliage, I'm just a few dress fittings and bachelorette party away from saying "I Do" to a very happy ending!
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Latest Gallery Pics