by Meg on February 27, 2010
Maine Seasons Events is a design and wedding planning company specializing in one of kind, creative and stylish Maine weddings. Owner, creative director and Maine native, Meagan Gilpatrick has been designing, planning and coordinating weddings and events in Maine since 1999. With an artistic background, Meagan believes each event design should incorporate unique style elements that reflect the personalities of her clients. With a special interest in vintage, handmade and one of a kind items, Meagan utilizes ordinary objects in extraordinary ways to create her signature designs. – Maine Seasons Events
The final shout out for the Style Me Pretty shoot I participated in goes to the mastermind herself, Meagan Gilpatrick. I think her comment “using ordinary objects in extraordinary ways” is the one huge lesson I learned from Meagan during the shoot. I couldn’t even believe the things she had come up with! It goes to show we each have our calling in life, and Meagan sure has hers nailed. Details ranged from choosing the right flatware/glassware, linens, chairs, antique and rustic chandelier, to the little blue eggs and roosters complimenting the farm/rooster theme. She delicately balanced many small details to pull together a great look. It was also fun for me to see the images Brea had taken during their trips to find props and collect the right pieces for the shoot. This is a behind the scenes look we definitely don’t always get to see! I have tunnel vision and have only really known wedding “films” so this was a huge learning experience! I have a complete new respect for event planers. I had no idea what went into this! Thanks for including me Meagan and I look forward to working with you (all) again soon 
You can click any of the photos to see them in full. And click here for the Film Recap of this shoot.
Shoot Participants:
Brea McDonald Photography,
Griffin-vites Custom Watercolor Stationery,
Soiree Floral,
Maine Seasons Events, and
Meg Simone Films.
by Meg on February 25, 2010
I find more and more that couples are really searching for creative ways to customize their wedding stationery sets. They want their personality and style to come through onto the papers – setting the tone for the event, but also conveying to their guests a bit about who they are as a couple. Oftentimes clients get married in such spectacular spots, that incorporating illustrations of the venue, or elements from the surrounding area, are fun ways of giving guests a glimpse into the big day. Customizing a stationery set can be such a blast in that each element (whether it be the save-the-date card, invite, menu, favor tag, thank you note . . . etc.) can tie together, carrying the theme full-circle from start to finish. It’s a nice way to keep things consistent and unique at the same time. – Sara, Griffin-vites
Until the Style Me Pretty shoot, I had little exposure to custom wedding invitation work. Now, I’m a huge fan! What Sara of Griffin-vites said is so true, the invitation will show the couples personality and often set the scene for the event. Most of the weddings I do are destination weddings for the guests, weather that’s rendezvousing in the mountains at the Mount Washington Resort, sitting lake side at Church Landing, or escaping to the coast, over half of the guest list is usually from out of town, and often other parts of the country. What a great way to visually set the mood for the weekends events. I no idea custom invitations could be so fun, so personal, and a work of art! Not to mention all the other fun pieces you can have her create – menus, name cards, table numbers, place settings, custom vow books (that was a personal favorite) such a keep sake!
It was fun for me to watch Sara, Dawn and Meagan interact and discuss all the small details, how to arrange them, and what their personal inspiration was. I give such huge props to these girls! So talented! You can hear them talk on their thought process for this design by watching the film, here. All images courtesy of Brea McDonald Photography.
Shoot Participants: Brea McDonald Photography, Griffin-vites Custom Watercolor Stationery, Soiree Floral, Maine Seasons Events, and Meg Simone Films.
by Meg on February 23, 2010
Soirée Floral is a floral and event design studio providing stunning environments and unusual arrangements for weddings, social occasions and corporate events.
I love that the opening line to Dawn’s bio sums up in one sentence exactly what I learned about her the day we worked on the Style Me Pretty Inspiration Challenge (see posts below). The barn provided a stunning environment with charming rustic details, and her personal touches were unusual in a unique and fitting way. Feathers added to the bouquet, a bit of pizzaz stemming from the arrangements, or an added fiddle head fern. Each piece was a signature of what Dawns work is all about. I loved listening to her discuss with the other team members their ideas. Her designs are like her personality, which I instantly loved – fresh, fun, extraordinary!
Dawn Kelly, owner and creative director, creates the unexpected with every bouquet, centerpiece and event she designs. Before any event, Dawn can always be found adding her dramatic touch and repeating her design mantra, “the little details turn an ordinary event extraordinary…after all it’s not a party until it’s a Soiree!”
While her designs may be dramatic, Dawn’s clients will tell you she brings a sense of calm, balance and sensibility to the creative process. She credits her ability to stay calm under pressure to her time spent working on Wall Street. Having left behind the world of dark suits and pinstripes, Dawn revels in an environment where color and texture are her signature. As Dawn guides you through the process of selecting linens, chargers, specialty lighting, and tablescape design she always has an eye toward a cohesive look and feel of the entire event. – Soirée Floral
I look forward to working with Dawn in the future and highly recommend her work to brides throughout New England, Nantucket, New York, and beyond! Stunning imagery provided by Brea McDonald Photography. Want to see Dawn creating these pieces? Check out the highlight film from the shoot, here.
Shoot Participants: Brea McDonald Photography, Griffin-vites Custom Watercolor Stationery, Soiree Floral, Maine Seasons Events, and Meg Simone Films.
by Meg on February 20, 2010
Rolling out the vendor series from the Style Me Pretty Inspiration shoot I worked on, lets introduce Brea McDonald of Brea McDonald Photography. I know all of us are extremely thankful for her absolutely amazing imagery. I was also thankful for the delicious Potato-Leak Soup she brought to share with us afterwards! With so many details on this shoot, she eloquently captured each aspect of the design. Her work clearly speaks for itself.
There is an anonymous quote that I love, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.” As a photographer my goal is to capture and preserve the real moments of life. If it’s your newborn baby’s toes, 1st tooth, senior portrait or wedding day I will approach your life event in a unique, authentic and personal manner that stays true to who you are. Your photos will bring to life those exciting occasions for generations, preserving those moments that take your breath away. – Brea
One of the things I loved about Brea from first meeting her was her love for natural light. We both arrived on site armed and dangerous with back up lighting not knowing how dark the barn would be. I think we were both excited and pleasantly surprised to find lots of windows and plenty of sunshine pouring in. All her images from this shoot were done with 100% natural light. Brea’s work will be featured all week here on the blog so check back for more of her images. If you haven’t found a photographer for your wedding yet, I urge you to visit Brea’s site immediately! Easy to talk to, super fun loving, she will be an instant friend! Don’t forget to see Brea in action, watch the recap film from the shoot, here.
Shoot Participants: Brea McDonald Photography, Griffin-vites Custom Watercolor Stationery, Soiree Floral, Maine Seasons Events, and Meg Simone Films.
by Meg on February 18, 2010
Some things are worth waiting for, right? That’s why I will be rolling out my series on the Style Me Pretty Inspiration shoot I worked on back in November, for the next week! To kick it off, the All Star Team was made up of: Brea McDonald of Brea McDonald Photography, Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien of Griffin-vites, Custom Watercolor Stationery, Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral, Floral Design and Creation, and Meagan Gilpatrick of Maine Seasons Events, Design, Coordinating, Styling and prop providing! And me, Meg Simone Films. I was honored to be a part of such a fun and educational experience, and I truly value the time I had working along side these talented ladies. I look forward to sharing with you a little more about each one of them this week here on my blogsite. If you missed the highlight Film from the shoot, you can see it here.
To see all the ideas from the Style Me Pretty Shoot in full screen check out the different write ups here: From Inspiration to Reality: The Board From Inspiration to Reality: The Design From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, II From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, III From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, IV From Inspiration to Reality: Translated From Inspiration to Reality: The Film
by Meg on February 11, 2010
Alison and Duane were quick to watch their wedding film, which means I can be quick to post their highlight recap. This was a one song highlight recap from a modified package. They tied the knot January 9, 2010 at The Omni Mount Washington Resort, so I am really excited that a month later they have their proof DVD to view and are ready to have me roll out the final copies I mentioned in their preview post below that Alison’s dress was exceptionally special… it was designed and created by her cousin, France Begnoche, just outside Montreal!
Notice the absolutely stunning details above the mantle, the flowers, and the table arrangements in the Presidential Ball Room by Carrie of Dutch Bloemen Winkel, Linens by Diana Ma Weddings and Events, and I’ll be posting some images from their day shortly by Elizabeth Bradford Photography. Their DJ was Peak Entertainment DJs out of Vermont.
Alison + Duane: NH Wedding Highlight Film
by Meg on February 4, 2010
by Meg on January 6, 2010
In a previous blog post, “I was booked, but…” , I referenced a bride, Kimberly Kidney (Hillis), who had inquired about my services. Low and behold I missed this unbelieveable event but she still took the time to share with me feedback on her experience with all vendors involved. I’ll jump start this promised wedding testimonal with the man who kept the party going all night long…. DJ Matt Spofford (He also did my sisters wedding). The wedding was at The Wentworth Inn, Jackson. More blog posts will roll out this week with feedback and photos of her local vendor picks. Thanks Kim for sharing! All photos by Lea J. Morgan Studio
Matt was more than fantastic….Scott and I planned a surprise first dance, a choreographed dance to Michael Jacksons ‘Beat it’ with my 2 brothers and my MOH….he was able to do exactly what we wanted, he played some cheesy song for the first 30 seconds, and then pretended to mess up the music, apologizing over the mike…..then Beat it came on loud and clear! He even brought costumes, and halfway through the night put on a mad scientist costume with flashlight glasses!!
I know from working with Matt at other functions, that he can be a fun and out going as you want, or as quiet and reserved as you need. He’s done a wide range of events and can cater to each couples needs. He’s fun to talk to and easy to get along with, so I highly recommend you get in touch
Photos: Lea J. Morgan Studio
DJ: DJ Matt Spofford of White Mountain Productions
Flowers: Dutch Bloemen Winkel
Lighting: A+M Daniel
Cake: Sugarmaker Bakery
Stay tuned for more vendor reviews from Kim! Cake, Venue, Flowers, and more!
by Meg on December 30, 2009
Katie + Eric were blanketed with good fortune and amazing weather for their picture perfect snow capped wedding day at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH. Stunning all around! Ladies must watch to see all of Katie’s details and to learn about their story… and see her dress in part 2! (Which does end abruptly, but her actual video continues on, this is just a snippet for web.) My new favorite quote from Eric’s sister, “Who doesn’t love Katie…” and it’s true, she was instantly a friend
You are really the sweetest person. I can’t thank you enough for the beautiful job you did on our wedding video. What an amazing thing to have to remember our wedding forever.
I can’t tell you the amount of people we have had tell us what a delight you were at the wedding and also that you blended in so well. Most people didn’t even know you were there. Thank you for doing such an amazing job!! To be honest, I never dreamt the video would be as amazing as it is. I knew it would be great, but this seriously surpassed that! You are a master at what you do! You really chose the right profession!
If you ever need me to give any referrals for future brides and couples, please let me know, I would love to let them know how wonderful you are. – Katie
Photographer: Brian Post
Dress: Elie Saab
Band: Clockwork (Boston)
Flowers: Mount Washington Resort, Kelly Brown
Invitations: The Write Place
JP: The Honorable Robert S. Hargraves
Katie + Eric: Omni Mount Washington Resort Wedding Open
Katie + Eric: Part 2, Omni Mount Washington Hotel Wedding
by Meg on December 18, 2009
The Style Me Pretty Inspiration to Reality Shoot that I participated in on 11/29 was exposed to the masses on Tuesday and Wednesday in FIVE different blog posts on SMP! To say I felt honored to be a part of this experience is an understatement. I was elated when Meagan of Maine Seasons Events asked me to join the team for the day. It was such a great opportunity for each of us involved to see what the other really has to do to make events come to life. I was humbled by the compliments from each participating vendor and equally impressed with their brilliant talent and ingenious ideas. They were all perfectionists at their craft, and beyond passionate about the task at hand. I hope to work with the girls again, as we really hit it off.
To end the day (unfortunately not shown in photos or video) we had a great meal with homemade soups, whoopie pies, treats, all gathered around Meagan’s super cool Shasta Converted “Camper”, which she took over a year to custom rebuilt with her husband! It’s a must see, and matched the days color palate just perfectly. We all agreed for a Farm inspired wedding, her “camper” would make the ideal bridal hang out – talk about one super chic detail! … and if not for the bride, how about the vendors
To see all the ideas from the Style Me Pretty Shoot in full screen check out the different write ups here: From Inspiration to Reality: The Board From Inspiration to Reality: The Design From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, II From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, III From Inspiration to Reality: The Design, IV From Inspiration to Reality: Translated From Inspiration to Reality: The Film
Again, the All-Star line up: Brea McDonald of Brea McDonald Photography, Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien of Griffin-vites, Custom Watercolor Stationery, Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral, Floral Design and Creation, and Meagan Gilpatrick, Design, Coordinating, Styling and prop providing! And The Film!
Style Me Pretty: Inspiration to Reality
by Meg on November 30, 2009
Style Me Pretty posted a challenge to readers to create a wedding inspiration board to be brought to life by Event Planners and their Style Teams. The above board was created by Becky Devlin of Back Bay Flower in Virginia Beach. Meagan Gilpatrick of Maine Seasons Events contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I would be available to video the Inspiration Board coming to life. Meagan hand picked the team, and in her words, here are the talented, creative, wonderous and delightful components of this style team:
Brea McDonald of Brea McDonald Photography
Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien of Griffin-vites, Custom Watercolor Stationery.
Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral, Floral Design and Creation.
Meg Simone, Videography
Meagan Gilpatrick, Design, Coordinating, Styling and likely prop providing!
I’m really jazzed because according to the Style Me Pretty website write up, this board is all about that picture perfect, Farm inspired wedding that is full of super chic details, and ironically I have a few farm weddings in my 2010 future
I can’t wait to meet and work with all of you! Thanks to Meagan for her hard work thus far, and for offering me a spot on her team
Credits: Rochelle Mort, Blooms by Martha Andrews, Twin Lens (3), Back Bay Flower Co. (2), Karen Wise, Jen Huang, Andrea Polito Photography, Inc., Carla Ten Eyck
by Meg on November 10, 2009
Dear Gus + Ruby,
I was on vacation but now I’m back, so I met with a client the other day and they said “what a great write up on the Gus+Ruby Blog!” I looked at them blankly as I had no idea I had been written up… until I clicked over to see for myself!! I was blushing! Thank you so much for your amazing and kind words towards the importance of hiring a videographer. Your perspective was honest, sincere, and very much appreciated. I am excited to be a part of such a loving and supportative industry. I look forward to seeing more of your work in person, and urge EVERYONE reading my blog to immideately click over to the Gus + Ruby Website. The imagery from emilie inc brings you right into the store, and for anyone getting married, or recently married, it’s going to make you want to change that home stationary set, like, yesterday!
Thanks again Whitney and Samantha!
Meg
by Meg on October 25, 2009
by Meg on October 19, 2009
Jamie and Joe had a magnificent September day celebrating their wedding at the White Mountain Hotel. I could have made an hour long preview with all the smiles and laughs from family and friends. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces… so stay tuned, you may not see yourself in this short preview, but the rest is in the works Thank you both for an unbelievable celebration. It was an honor to be there to capture your moment
Click to view full size in exposure room.
Jamie + Joe: 9/19/09 Wedding Preview from the White Mountain Hotel
DJ: Scott Langlois
Photographer: Julie Walker
Florist: Ruthie’s Flower Shop
Dress: David’s Bridal
by Meg on September 22, 2009
Well, now that it’s officially fall, it’s time to recap the last two months (read re-cap of early 2009 here). After learning about the bride and groom’s story, it is always fun to finally see the families come together. I love the adventure of being a documentarian as the wedding day is the one day all the most important people in couples lives are in one place, and it’s my job to capture it all. It’s un-scripted… it’s as “reality TV” as it gets. There are no second takes and no re-dos. There were many occasions during each of the weddings below I drove away from the party saying, “Wow, that would have been a shame not to have that on film,” referring to a toast, a special moment with a grandparent, or an ailing relative. For me it’s about the people and the memories… preserving them for years and generations to come.
*click links for clips: Some of the stand out, top notch vendors I worked with during the 2nd half of 2009 were of course the girls at Church Landing. Stacey and Hilary took care of so many details and behind the scenes planning that I’m sure most brides agree their day went that much smoother because another set of eyes was focused on their event. I saw mostly Live Bands for August and September, but I have to hand it to DJ Ernie from Loco Motion DJ’s for spinning one of the most intense dance parties I’ve ever witnessed 8/1 at The Wentworth. DJ Judy always adds a personal touch with her incredible voice as she sang “At Last” for Sarah + Aaron on 8/22. I think the most professional “dancing” came from Diana and Andy 8/15 – as she is a professional dancer! Have you seen anyone ball room to “Just Dance” – me neither! And it was UNREAL! Jeff from The Holy Cow Band also DJ’s and he had a great way of mixing tunes to make sure the party never stopped. I haven’t even touched on the talents of photographers Bharat Parmar, Tim Shellmer, Emilie Inc, and Authentic Eye, all with a different style and approach that fit each couple just perfect. Ironically most of the other weddings were family friends or say, an ESPN photographer on their day off! Stay tuned in coming weeks for more clips on weddings from throughout this summer, as I don’t always get to post until the couple has seen the clip first (take into account honeymoon time). So a huge “Thank You” goes out to:
8/1: Shawn + Kim | Wentworth Inn Jackson
8/7: Michele + Adam | Church Landing
8/11: Louise + Jay | Beachmere Inn – Ogunquit, ME
8/15: Min + Dan | Christmas Farm Inn (with Kelly)
8/15: Diana + Andy | Church Landing
8/22: Sarah + Aaron | Great Glen Trails
8/28: Christine + John | Church Landing
9/6: Thia + Mike | Castle in the Clouds + Church Landing
9/12: Andrea + Alan | Atkinson Country Club
9/17: Rebecca + Matthew | Pinkham Notch (private ceremony)
9/19: Rachel + Zach | Castle in the Clouds (with Kelly)
9/19: Jamie + Joe | White Mountain Hotel
9/25: Perry | White Mountain Hotel (private ceremony)
9/25: Bill + Elizabeth | Eagle Mountain House (small ceremony)
9/26: Colin + Rebecca | Country Club of Pittsfield, MA
10/9: Jennifer + Jason | Andover Country Club
10/10: Brock Bar Mitzvah | Church Landing
10/17: Carolyn + Volker | Whitney’s Inn, Jackson
more late fall/early winter! Stay tuned!
by Meg on August 26, 2009
Shannon and Ray had a wonderful day wedding at Church Landing, with some of the most unique and fitting decor I’ve ever seen! Ladd Hill Gardens did a great job tying in the use of succulents and birch trees to the Winnipesaukee Ball Room. You have to take a peak! Shannon dress, Ray’s suit and the Antique Model A Ford, were a perfect match to the venue and setting. I was only booked for three hours of coverage so we fit a lot into that time, which you can see in the full highlight below. To see the absolutely amazing photos from their wedding, check out Jennifer Stone’s blog post here.
Dear Meg,
We just wanted to let you know that we absolutely love the video package you sent us this week. Everything was beautiful and professional….You gave us such a wonderful gift- the gift of being able to see and remember our wedding! We cannot thank you enough. You are extremely talented and we are so happy to have worked with you.
Shannon
I recently met with Sarah + Aaron for their 8/22 wedding at Great Glen Trails, and they informed me that Chef’s Market was doing their cocktail hour Hors d’Oeuvres! My mouth started to water! This market is chef-owned and operated by Chef Bryant and his wife Patti, and I was lucky enough to be at two weddings last year where they did all the catering. You will have to peak at their website for full menu offerings, but I can attest the food is a fiesta in your mouth of flavors, cooked to perfection, and service with a smile.
I wanted to do a quick blog post about Chef’s Market because it’s one of those things I think couples could over look when planning a wedding that requires outside catering services. It’s not a big 25-50 person operation with a cook house in a strip mall, it’s a quaint North Conway Village stop off right on Main Street – you can pop in for lunch, for grab and go dinners, and more! “The Chef’s Market is a unique specialty food market and delicatessen offering a selection of fully prepared gourmet dishes, hearty sandwiches, homemade soups and made-to-order salads.” ~ www.ChefsMarketNorthConway.com
Here is a peak at Bryant and Patti at a July 5, 2008 wedding at the Nestlenook Farm.
The winter wedding season was busy, 2 events in January, 3 in February, and ReFrame in April. What a fun year this has been! It’s always sad to say “goodbye” to clients, as the culmination of their video draws near, and the anticipation of weddings not yet filmed sets in. I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many awesome vendors and venues so far this spring and summer. May was warmer then usual this year – all elopement and weddings lucked out with summer time temps and plenty of sun. June was a different story, as we only had about 4 days of partial sun from 5/31-7/5, but it did clear just in time for most ceremonies
Some of the super fun photographers I got to work with a long the way: Andree Kehn, Jennifer Stone, Bharat Parmer, Shawn Tompkins, Anne Skidmore, Les MacDonald, Daniel Reade . I saw some unique invitations and favors that went perfect with each event: Tasha Rae Designs, Sign, Sealed, Delivered LLC, Plum Island Cookie Company, and amazing floral designs by Jardiniere Flowers, Ladd Hill Gardens, Michele Bernard, and Dutch Bloemen Winkel. Looking for speciality gifts for your attendants? Maine-ly New Hampshire has a great selection, and customizable items too. My favorites for live music in May was Four N Debt (Tim Dion), and June the Tim Theriault Trio.
Congratulations go out to:
5/9: Jesse + Sarah | The Stonehurst Manor
5/15: James + Emily | Lake Waukewan (Private Ceremony)
5/16: Marianne + Tom | Publick House - Sturbridge, MA
5/23: Rusty + Genna | Church Landing
5/24: Megan + Dave | Rockport, MA
5/30: Juli + John | Mount Washington Resort
6/6: Carlie + Rob | Snowvillage Inn (Private Ceremony)
6/13: Ellie + Hannu | Mount Washington Resort
6/19: Emilie + Erich | Wentworth By The Sea
6/20: Dawn + Shawn | Snowvillage Inn
6/27: Cara + Tom | Mount Washington Resort (with Kelly)
6/27: Jill + Dan | Bethel Inn - Bethel, ME
7/5: Paige + Will | Church Landing
7/9: Cindy + Chuck’s Private Ceremony at Crystal Cascade in Pinkham Notch
7/18: Shannon + Ray | Church Landing
And more! Lots of video clips to post in coming weeks as I get the aok from clients. In the mean time here is the wedding “open” from Emilie + Erich’s wedding at The Wentworth By The Sea. I am choosing this one because Emilie was my camper years ago at YMCA Camp Huckins and it was a trip down memory lane for me to walk through the door and see her for the first time in 13 or so years!
The month of June was littered with Rain. Most weddings escaped with scattered showers, but it just so happened that one of them decided to break just as Jill was due to walk down the isle at The Bethel Inn, so… “It was so cool that the ceremony was IN the gazebo…it felt so much more personal and close.” Many wedding guests commented. I would have to agree We were all in on the action. On a personal note, it was surreal to see all the “UNH” friends! It’s been so long! Thanks for a memorable day, I look forward to sharing more. In the mean time definitely check out the super cool, always inspiring photography by Andree Kehn and stay tuned for photos of Jill and Dan’s wedding!
Jill + Dan: Wedding Preview By
Meghan SimoneView in HDVenue: The Bethel Inn
Photographer: Andree Kehn
Florist: Designs in Bethel Maine
DJ: On The Fly Productions
Cake: Stacey at the Victoria Inn
Dress: Davids Bridal
Guests traveled from all over the world for this destination wedding at Church Landing on Lake Winnipesaukee 5/22/09. An amazing day from the weather, setting, entertainment and more. Ladd Hill Gardens did a tremendous job with the ceremony details complimenting the new Sperry Tent and setting in an elegant yet natural way. The couple has significant ties to the lake so the location was fitting. They executed with ease many traditions throughout the day I had never seen, including special gifts from a “fairy godmother”, delivery of a special horseshoe, a log cutting ceremony and more!
This is the wedding video “open” leading up to the ceremony.
Genna + Rusty: Church Landing – May 22, 2009
View in HDDress: Paloma Blanca
Florist: Ladd Hill Gardens
DJ: Bob The Boogeyman – Bob Shaheen
Photographer: Shawn Tomkinson Photography
