Courtesy of Bethany Browne
Live Wedding Painting
Most couples have hundreds of photographs taken at their wedding , but how many can say they also had it captured on canvas ? Enter Bethany Browne , a Connecticut artist who masterfully creates gorgeous acrylic paintings of special wedding moments in real time . Her specialties include impressionist bouquets , modern landscapes of the venue ’ s grounds , back views of the bride and abstracts ( think : colors and feel of the wedding ) as well as recreations of the first dance , first look and the ceremony ( with additional subjects by request ). “ Seeing the reaction is my favorite ,” says Browne . “ It ’ s a really joyful moment to know that there ’ s this meaningful piece of artwork from their wedding day that they will get to keep in their home as a special reminder .” bethbeeart . com
Bonding Over Bands
Your wedding band search shouldn ’ t be stressful . In fact , you can treat it like a fun date night opportunity thanks to M . R . T . Jewelers . “ Our already beautiful 3,500 square-foot showroom recently underwent a transformation that rivals any environment one might find in the luxury retail centers of this country ,” says M . R . T .’ s president , David Audette . “ LED lighting improvements , an interactive watch boutique and a designated bridal bar are but a few of the additions .” In addition to the upgrades and M . R . T .’ s iconic customer service , you can expect to find new luxury timepieces from Frederique Constant , bridal offerings from FANA and the area ’ s largest selection of GIA-certified diamonds . mrtjewelers . com
For Your Entertainment
“ We are seeing weddings add many more experiences , including digital photo booths ( in fact , we just introduced our 360 photo booth — it ’ s comparable to the Hollywood red carpet where the camera drives completely around the guests as they stand on a platform ), hedge walls with the last name in neon , big marquee letters on the dance floor , slide shows , picture walls where guests send pictures to a TV and so on . We are also seeing the most active and fun dance floors as people are excited to celebrate after lock down .” – Luke Renchan , Owner of Luke Renchan Entertainment , lukesent . com
Come Full Circle “ Engaged couples are also getting creative with circle-shaped arches . Either full or asymmetrical , these designs take your breath away and create a beautiful backdrop . I love creating these beautiful pieces in an eco-friendly manner to keep them light and able to repurpose .” – Angela Rotondo , Owner of Bloom Back Flowers , LLC , bloombackflowers .
Get to Know the Area “ When planning a local wedding weekend , schedule a time to visit the destination before signing the contract to ensure that the venue and area meet your expectations . In addition , while it is imperative to schedule structured events , be sure to leave some room for resting , rejuvenation and exploring . For your guests ’ convenience , provide them with a list of local attractions or self-guided tours that can be disclosed on your wedding website , in addition to wedding welcome bags .” – Pearl Farquharson , Owner and Proprietor of Designed by Delsie , designedbydelsie . com
Trash the Dress “ After the dress goes on , I always tell the bride , ‘ This is the last time this dress will be clean today . Once you accept that fact , you will have way more fun .’ Spending time worrying about getting a huge white dress dirty takes away from some of the day ’ s most joyful moments ( why we haven ’ t trended away from white dresses yet is beyond me ). Truthfully , even if the dress does get visibly dirty , it ’ s never dirty enough to actually show up in the photos !” – Sara Smith of Sara Drew Photography , saradrewphoto . com
30 | ENGAGED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 2022