“I was made and meant to look for you and wait for you and become yours forever.”
― Robert Browning
Oh, how the world has changed. We realize that this is likely the understatement of the year, if not the century. But what hasn’t changed is your love for each other, or the dream of making a lifelong commitment in a meaningful way.
In a time when travel and large gatherings are don’ts, is there a way to say “I do” to your beloved in front of your loved ones? Yes, there is: with a boutique wedding on Cape Cod. As concerns and restrictions have begun to ease, we have had several couples who were planning larger Cape Cod wedding receptions this fall decide to hold off because of the continued uncertainty. Yet they didn’t want to delay actually getting married. Some have opted to move forward with a more intimate wedding and reception with a tented affair in the backyard of their family’s summer home, or at one of the vacation rentals on the Cape that permit outdoor weddings.
Safely Saying “I Do”
No one wants to be a Debbie Downer, especially when it comes to planning a wedding. But safety is, in fact, top of mind right now for everyone, and it’s important that you think about it as you plan your Cape Cod boutique wedding.
Of course you want your immediate family and closest friends to be there for your big day, but you are also concerned about their health. As you make your guest list, consider who can realistically travel to the Cape via car, especially when it comes to older guests. If you have a grandparent or great-grandparent who is concerned about traveling and being part of a large group, you might want to have a live feed set up to let them watch the ceremony from the safety of their home. A tech-savvy friend can take care of logistics on their end. Suggest they have a few friends over for a small party of their own.
According to the latest information, outdoor gatherings are best, which means you’ll likely need a tent. We are now using software that allows us to do a “socially distant” table layout. This will ensure that your tent is large enough to accommodate your guests.
Some of your guests may feel more comfortable wearing face masks. Rather than think “Ugh!” why not have face masks custom made for your wedding? And please, rest assured, all of our staff will be wearing face masks throughout the day. We’ll also be adhering to advanced cleaning and sanitizing protocols.
A Boutique Approach to the Big Day
Rather than focusing on what your boutique wedding won’t have, think about what it will have.
If you will be getting married at home, or at a vacation rental home, you will have time. Many wedding venues do more than one wedding per day, which means receptions are on a strict time limit. With time not a factor, your wedding will likely have a more relaxed vibe overall. And with fewer guests, you and your beloved will be able to enjoy spending time with everyone.
You can certainly have maids and groomsmen, but if you’re having fewer guests, you may opt to have a smaller wedding party. If you were feeling compelled to include a distant cousin in your party with whom you aren’t especially close, you now have the perfect out. Perfect, right?
With a guest list of 200, you may have been feeling like a buffet or stations were the more practical choices for your reception. With 50 or 60 guests, you can have that elegant sit-down dinner you really wanted. And will fewer tables, you’ll be able to really splurge on the floral arrangements.
And with 200 guests, including everyone in your rehearsal dinner and après-brunch may have been unrealistic. With a tent set up on the grounds of your home or rental house for the weekend, treating all of your guests to a weekend’s worth of wedding festivities becomes downright doable.
Small Now; Big Later
If your heart is set on hosting a large reception, yet you also don’t want to wait to get married, solve the problem with a “micro wedding” now, and then have the big blow-out reception next year, perhaps on your first anniversary. Keep the guest list to your nuclear family and just a handful of friends. Get as dressed up as you want, or be as casual as you’d like. Have a florist handle your bouquet and arrangements, or pick flowers from the garden and gather them in vintage vases or Mason jars. As with any wedding, there is no wrong way to do things, just your way.
With a micro wedding, you may be able to forgo a tent altogether. Consider renting a farmhouse table or two, and have everyone dine together on the terrace or in the yard. If it rains, move inside and let guests dine wherever they’re comfortable.
You may decide to fire up the grill and do the cooking yourself. Should you prefer an easy-yet-elegant approach to dinner, we can drop something off that you can heat up just prior to dinner. Whole roasted tenderloin of beef with sauce Madeira and potatoes gratin is one of our most popular options. We can also include hors d’oeuvres or a fruit and cheese display. A petite wedding cake, with one layer for serving and a top layer to freeze and save for a later reception or your first anniversary, is a sweet ending to your perfect micro wedding.
The Cape is one of the most popular locations for weddings in New England, which means that you’ll have your pick of world-class wedding vendors for your boutique wedding on Cape Cod. Even if you are thinking have a micro wedding now and then hosting a larger reception #WhenThisIsOver, you’ll certainly want special touches such as bouquets and professional photos of the day you said “I do.”
Please contact us for more information or if you have any questions. Thank you!
Top Photo: Leila Brewster
