Romance in Havre de Grace!

Intimate and elegant.

Simple and romantic.

Funky and fun!

Whatever your dream wedding might be, let the glow of the space enhance the romantic ambience of your event. For some, a romantic getaway wedding is their personal choice, while others prefer a hometown wedding with all of their family and friends. Begin your decision process with learning what your mate finds to be romantic.

Whether you are planning a destination event or look to exchange vows in your own back yard, choosing the wedding location is perhaps the most important decision you will make as you prepare for your big day.  But no matter your choice, your special day should be enjoyable, comfortable and romantic!

A good wedding plan enables you to obtain the location and all of the services you want including the perfect wedding site, caterer, photographer, video service and so on.  Historic buildings and locations offer old-fashioned ambiance and a unique wedding location. Outdoor locations, when planned well, can offer romance and beauty for memories as awe-inspiring as the perfect sunset!

Havre de Grace offers all of these and more. The array of beautiful locations throughout the city for the ceremony and the reception are limited only by your imagination. Indoors or out, Havre de Grace offers the services to support the most romantic day of your lives.

Your Wedding Day

Most couples desire to have their wedding stand out as the single high point of their lives. They want their ceremony and reception to reflect that in every aspect -- the food, the colors of bridesmaids' dresses, the floral arrangements, photography, music and their vows all contribute to the mood or splendor of the event. 

Location

Where will you have your wedding ceremony?  Whether you are planning a close and intimate gathering or a grand and lavish affair, a wedding in Havre de Grace sets the scene for romance and creating timeless memories.

From a garden wedding at one of our accommodating, historic B&Bs to a ceremony at the Concord Point Lighthouse, the grounds of the Lock House or in Tydings Park, there is a perfect choice for you. Some prefer to marry aboard the historic Skipjack MARTHA LEWIS – a unique experience to be sure!  Swan Harbor Farm also offers an historic mansion, beautiful

gardens and a water view.

Add to that a wonderful choice of fine restaurants that will cater your location, or offer to handle your reception on their premises. From small and intimate to large and elegant, the choice is yours.

Of course, the various churches in the area offer spectacular historic buildings that most certainly will complement your spiritual choice as well as the ambience that you desire. Many also offer the ability to handle your reception.

Themes

Some brides consider a theme for their wedding and/or reception. Your wedding flowers are more than eye candy; they set the ambiance for the entire event. Knowing your wedding style is a start in the right direction.

The theme pulls together the ‘style’ of your wedding through your vows, your setting, your music, the decorations and the reception’s mood. Be sure it reflects the personalities of the bride and groom. After all, it is your special day – the beginning of your lives lived together!

A Few Planning Tips

Are you planning a destination wedding from afar? Tip: If you are planning a destination wedding, you want to be sure there is someone located at the destination that can help you with planning, details and wedding arrangements. 

First you'll want to narrow down what kind of space is right for your wedding (outdoor, estate home, hotel, community setting, religious, etc).  You need to question what the weather will be like because rain will ruin an outdoor wedding with no tent, if you are freezing no one is going to want to stay, and make sure that your flower-girl isn't going to have to "hold-it" for four hours. 

Is it going to be a formal church wedding or a civil ceremony?  Ask if the officiate is an open-minded person who tries to incorporate your ideas into the ceremony, which would help you to decide whether you want him or them to officiate. Is it necessary to bring the license of marriage to the ceremony, or is signing it required before the ceremony? What is the fee for the ceremony?

If it’s going to be an outdoor wedding, what time of day is best?  Remember, with outdoor weddings you need to consider where the sun is in the sky at particular times of day.  Whether beside the riverbank or in a graceful garden, outdoor weddings can capture nature at its finest moment and weave it into your dream. 

I recommend that you visit prospective outdoor wedding sites at the same time of day you expect to hold your wedding.  If you have ever been to an outdoor wedding in which the guests were squinting into a glaring sun and mopping the sweat off their foreheads, you know what I’m talking about. 

Photography

A photographer who knows the area is certainly helpful. Otherwise, they should visit the location early enough to check out lighting and perfect settings for your photos. And making a list of photographs that are most important to you is a priority. If you want lots of candid photos, spontaneous situations, let the photographer know that as well.

Today, with everyone owning a digital camera, getting all those ‘fun photos’ at a reception are much easier. Friends will quite often catch some of those special moments as they happen. If you want to encourage photos, put a disposable camera at every table for them to take photos of their ‘group’. Ask the guests to leave the cameras on the table and designate someone to gather them at the end of the party. 

If you choose unique locations, pay attention to the surroundings. What’s behind the area where you’d like photos to be taken. It’s difficult to orchestrate everyone, but sometimes a slight rearrangement of a setting will eliminate any ugly backgrounds.

Determining from which direction your photographer will need to take photos, will also be important. If she’s looking into the sun, or the bride and groom are always in the shadows, the photographer has a great deal more challenge for getting great photos.

Music

Music has long been an important part of social ceremonies. If you are having a non-traditional ceremony, you will want to meet with your musician(s) early in your planning stages, so that all of you will have time to locate and select the music that will reflect your style of wedding.

Select a number of musician(s) to contact.  Do they play the style of music you are looking for?  Find the total cost to you including mileage, set up fees, rehearsal, practicing with other musicians, learning new music, etc.  Once you find the musician(s) that best represent your wishes, you will probably be asked to provide a deposit in order to secure the date for your wedding.  Once you have selected your musician(s), you will want to meet to plan your ceremony music.  The musician will appreciate some time to learn the music as well. Good choices for outdoor and/or remote music can be acoustic instruments like guitar, harp, brass or woodwind ensembles.

A Toast To Your Special Day!

Don’t allow wedding planning to overwhelm you. Striving for perfection will only make you crazy. Stop now and then and relax. Realize that the best-laid plans are often thwarted! Relax and enjoy each moment as you create memories that you’ll view differently in years to come.

Be aware that most of the BIG crises will appear funny as the years go by. Instead, strive for special moments that sing more beautifully than any small disappointments. Remember, only you know what your grand plan really is. Most will be too busy honoring your special moments to notice a flaw here and there. With this attitude, your day will be perfect. And everyone involved will relax and add to your special moments!

To you ~ may your lives be filled with

special moments filling your hearts with

beautiful memories to last a lifetime!