A Lucky Little Baby!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! In honor of today, we thought we would share an Irish inspired baby shower we threw Liz and her lucky little baby-boy-to-be! The shower was held at the quaint and cozy Old Mill on the Falls bed and breakfast in Hatfield, MA where guests enjoyed a delicious brunch, complete with mimosas, bloody marys, screwdrivers, and bellinis, as well as a vast array of foods. (Our favorite was the peach stuffed french toast!)

We decorated the space simply with tones of green, white, and gold, including custom designed stationery, floral arrangements, and mini cupcakes—some were even gluten free! Two of Liz's good friends decorated cookie favors that matched the theme, which everyone enjoyed.

Check out some of the pictures from the shower and enjoy!

Photos by Eutopia Events

Want to throw a fabulous party but don't know where to start? Contact us for information on how we can help you with your next life celebration!

Mara and Adam's Commander's Mansion Wedding

We love traveling wherever we are needed for weddings, so we were excited to get the opportunity to go outside our usual "stomping grounds" into the city for Mara and Adam's September wedding. Though the Boston metro area is not too far from where we are based, it was nice to work somewhere a bit different.

Mara and Adam's ceremony and reception venue fit them perfectly! The Commander's Mansion in Watertown, MA is a beautiful historical building with a rich history dating back to the Civil War.

Channing Johnson Photography

The ceremony was held in the garden, surrounded by a trellis covered in grapevines. Guests could pluck a grape from the vine as they entered and they were quite delicious! Painted barn wood signs directed guests to the ceremony area, where they were greeted with a small table of refreshments to enjoy while waiting for the wedding to begin. A cellist played as guests made their way to their seats.

The ceremony incorporated many Jewish traditions, which took place beneath a beautifully adorned Chuppah. Three family tallits were draped over the birch poles of the Chuppah and were decorated with greenery and white and purple flowers from Whim Events. It was the perfect altar for Adam and Mara to exchange their vows.

Channing Johnson Photography

Channing Johnson Photography

After the ceremony was over, guests were directed to the front of the Mansion where passed hors d'oeuvres were waiting. Their bar was made up of 3 signature cocktails, wines, and an assortment of beers, one of which was brewed by the groom's brother and named "Alex's Brewly Wed Ale." Guests sipped on their drinks and enjoyed the late summer sun before heading inside for the dinner reception.

The dining room was dressed in silvery shades of gray and white mixed with purple accents. A mix of vintage glass vases dressed the tables, along with seeded eucalyptus, lithianthus, dahlias, succulents, ranunculus, hydrangeas, hyacinth, and wildflowers, which added texture and color to the monotone palette.

Channing Johnson Photography

It was important for Mara and Adam to create a wedding reception that felt like an intimate dinner party. They opted not to do a formal introduction and had a much more relaxed approach to doing speeches. After the breaking of the bread, guests enjoyed a fabulous dinner put together by Season to Taste Catering. Talk about exquisite food and top notch service! One of our favorite moments of the night was watching the parade of staff bringing plates to the head table, their service was like a carefully orchestrated dance.

For dessert, a beautiful pie bar from Petsi Pies was displayed for guests to select their favorite kind, accompanied by the tastiest vanilla ice cream we’ve ever indulged in.

Since the mansion is an older building, it was broken up into multiple rooms, as a typical house from the late 1800s would be. Dancing took place upstairs, and it was a nice change of scenery as guests were greeted with an uplit lounge area adjoining the dancing area. We relocated décor from downstairs and created a space perfect for a party. People had a blast dancing to the sounds provided by Kevin of C-Zone, and of course they had the Hora!

Channing Johnson Photography

Adam and Mara had a gorgeous wedding day and we were thrilled to have been part of their day! These two had decided that hiring us for Design and Day-of Coordination would be the best fit for their wedding, and we’re so glad they did. It was a fun and unique venue to work with and the vendors were fantastic.

Thank you to Channing Johnson Photography for all of the beautiful pictures!

The Berkshires: The Hidden Gem of Western Massachusetts

The Berkshires: Quaint, stunning, luxurious, friendly, laid-back, welcoming, the list goes on. If you have ever had the opportunity to visit this gorgeous part of Western Massachusetts, you will agree that the area has a lot to offer. We love the Berkshires and all of it's history and charm. From the prestigious gilded-age mansions, to the arts, the music, and to the breathtaking backdrop of the mountainous terrain. It's no wonder we love the opportunity to help our clients attain the wedding of their dreams in such a perfect part of our little state! That's why we are happy to announce that we are now part of the Berkshire Wedding Collective, a carefully curated collection of the finest wedding professionals serving the Berkshires. We've been doing weddings in the Berkshires since 2010 and were asked to join the Lenox Wedding Tour in 2013. We're no strangers to the the area. Growing up nearby, we've always had an affinity for the Berkshires—a perfect wedding destination spot. We love being part of the tour, bringing wedding planners and media from all over the country to this beautiful location.

Our staff was invited to the tour as guests in 2012. Here is a picture from a tablescape we designed at the Lenox Wedding Tour table design challenge.

This wedding season, we are thrilled to be working at Hancock Shaker Village, Jacob's Pillow, along with a few events at private estates. One of our favorite weddings from last fall was held in Egremont at the home on the parents-of-the-groom. Sam and Joy were a joy to work with (yes, pun intended!) and we are so happy we were part of making their wedding day so special!

Joy said: "Ruthie and Lauren of Eutopia Events were AMAZING. Honestly I don't think we would have gotten through the day in the same way without them. I found them to be particularly helpful in managing the anxiety that comes with both planning a wedding and doing it backyard/DIY style. They knew exactly what my vision was and were able to execute it and handle any snags without having to interrupt our day. They were also great with helping me think through many of the issues I had been stuck on throughout the planning process. It was especially nice to know that there was someone there to ask questions to when we needed it and someone there to just handle things in general without having to do it ourselves. Overall, they exceeded our expectations, particularly with the amount of work they put into the actual day. I didn't see them stop once! They were absolutely worth the price and totally saved the day!"

Here are a few pics from their gorgeous Berkshire nuptials from Abby Lorenz Photography. We can't wait to share more with you from this adorable DIY wedding.

If you haven't had a chance to visit the Berkshires, you should plan a little get-a-way to the area. Some of our favorite towns include Lenox, Stockbridge, Becket, Lee, Pittsfield, and North Adams just to name a few. It has so much to offer. It is worth considering as the perfect backdrop for a destination wedding. Contact us to learn more about how the Berkshires might be a good fit for your wedding and how we can help make it a reality!

How to Create a Candy Buffet

Last year we did a fair amount of candy buffets for various events. One of the displays we did was set up at Bancroft Bridals for Valentine's Day which you can see on Michelle Girard Photography's blog.

With the "Love" holiday upon us, we thought it would be fun to share with you the steps for creating a similar display on your own! These are great for smaller parties, showers, holiday events or a wedding!

1. Color Palette & Style: Decide on what colors you want to work with. There are so many color varieties to choose from, the sky is the limit! The style should coordinate with your overall event look.

2. Select Containers: You want to create visual interest by having containers of various sizes and heights. Having a few containers that are taller pulls the eye up. You could also use risers if necessary. You don't have to limit yourself to apothecary jars, incorporate other containers or plates into the design as well. The number of containers you use is dictated by the amount of candy you'll be including. For example, we had six containers for a display for 50 people, plus a platter of cookies and a small 2-tiered cake as the focal point.

3. Create a Focal Point (optional): This might be a backdrop with a sign or could be some type of centerpiece in the middle of the table.

4. Ordering Candy: Our rule of thumb is to provide 1/4 lbs. of candy per guest. You can find candy at local shops. (Ask them about options to purchase larger quantities.) Or you can find many online sources as well. If getting candy online, you'll want to order about 4-6 weeks prior to your event to ensure you get everything in time.

5. Think Outside the Candy Box: Don't feel you have to limit your candy buffet to candy alone. You can incorporate things like popcorn, biscotti, cookies, mini cupcakes, roasted peanuts, etc. Not everyone likes candy and this gives them an alternative treat to take home.

6. Packaging: Guests will need to have something to take their candy home in. You can opt to do bags, boxes, cones, buckets, basically anything you can think of! The container can coordinate with your wedding decor or theme.

5. Setting it up & Embellishments: You can set up your containers with the candy a few days prior to your event so that you can just transport and easily set out the candy. Use ribbon and cute labels for your containers. Make sure everything is labeled so that it is clear what the options are. You can also include a sign such as "Love is Sweet" or some other phrase that ties in to your wedding theme and décor. Lastly, don't forget your scoops!

Candy displays take some time and thought but if you plan ahead and collect the necessary elements, you can create a beautiful set up for your wedding or event that your guests will love! We have included a few of our displays that we have done in the past. All this candy talk has made us hungry for something sweet!!

Something Sweet!

We love Valentine's Day and all the delicious sweets that come with the holiday (have we mentioned we love chocolate?!). We want to share some sugary goodness so we're giving away 2 dozen Valentine's Day cookies from Cakes by Amanda to one lucky winner! Perfect to give as a gift or to keep for your own indulgence. ;)

Here is how to enter:

1. "Like" our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eutopiaeventsweddings
2. Leave a comment on our Valetine's Day Cookie post
3. Share the Cookie photo on your Facebook page

Be sure to do all three, otherwise you cannot be entered into the drawing. We'll announce the winner on Friday! Good luck!

Pretty in Pink & Gold

In March 2013, we coordinated, designed & styled a photo shoot at The Lord Jeffery Inn in Amherst. We loved how this shoot turned out and are excited to share more photos soon, WellWed will be sharing them on their blog in the next few weeks. Sandra Costello Photography took the gorgeous photos and Epic Filmmakers did an incredible video we adore!! We worked with a phenomenal group of wedding professionals to create a styled shoot we are all so proud of!

Bridal Gown & Tux: Bridal Heirlooms
Flowers: Forget Me Not Florist
Hair: Salon 241
Makeup: Makeup Artistry by Liz
Rentals: Michael's Party Rentals
Calligraphy: Megan Chapin Calligraphy
Jewelry: Cleary Jewelers, Greenfield
Stationery Design: Eutopia Events
Vintage props: Eutopia Events

Stylizied Lord Jeffery Inn Film || Stylized by Eutopia Events || Produced by Epic Filmmakers from Epic Filmmakers on Vimeo.