Southern New England Bridal Expo

If you are going to be in the area on Sunday, January 3, 2010, stop by the Rhode Island Convention Center for the 16th annual Southern New England Bridal Expo. According to their website, there will be over 140 wedding professionals and two fashion shows plus giveaways.

Several Newport area wedding professionals will be attending, including the following:

• Newport Wedding Trolley
• Rockstar Limo
• Jennifer Neves Photography
• Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel & Spa
• Newport Yachting Club

The expo runs from 10:15 AM to 5 PM. Download a $3 off coupon from Southern New England Bridal Expo.

Please stop by to visit me, AffordableGreenWeddings.com, at booth 119A.

If you do attend the expo, please share your experience with us.

Happy New Year!

Non-Traditional Wedding Venues

I’m really excited to be working with a couple who is planning a non-traditional, green wedding. They want an outdoor ceremony and reception on a farm.

Non-traditional wedding venues are the current trend for today’s bride. A farm is among the many locations you can choose from including, vineyards, museums, oceanfront rentals, historic buildings, parks and more.

In doing my research, I discovered that Newport and surrounding areas have a variety of wedding venues to cater to the non-traditional couple, including the following:

• Colt State Park Chapel by the Sea, Bristol, RI
  
• Greenvale Vineyards, Portsmouth, RI
  
• International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, Newport, RI
  
• Sakonnet Vineyards and Winery, Little Compton, RI
  
• Sweet Berry Farm, Middletown, RI
  
• The Meeting House, Tiverton, RI
  
• Wetherledge, (described as an elegant summer estate built in 1889 with views of Narragansett Bay) Jamestown, RI

The above list is just a sampling of all the great wedding venues in the area.

Where are you getting married?

photo courtesy of Greenvale Vineyards

Venues with Winter Wedding Specials

Finally, I have some exciting information to share about venues that offer winter specials.

The Chanler at Cliff Walk, an award winning oceanfront hotel, in Newport, RI, introduced their Exclusive Use program starting this month. According to the website, this new program will allow groups to use the entire mansion for a private event, either by spending $1500 in food and beverage or by booking a minimum of five rooms per night. The program is available Sunday through Thursday from December through March.

According to Kate Trepanier, Sales & Catering Manager, depending on the time year you were originally looking at (i.e. weekend in summer), you may save 35% - 65% by taking advantage of the Exclusive Use program during the winter season. Sounds like a great deal!

Hotel Viking, a historic, luxury hotel, in Newport, RI, offers a 15% discount on Friday and Sunday until April 30, 2010. Marlen Scalzi, Director of Sales and Marketing, notes overnight guest room rates fluctuate with the weekend, but are very affordable. In addition, you may receive a discounted rate on the Historic Kay Chapel for your ceremony. According to the website, the special package pricing is available for Friday weddings, Saturday morning weddings and Sunday weddings on non-holiday weekends.

Even if the venue you are looking at does not mention winter specials on their website, call them and ask. In most cases, you may find a hidden deal. If you are working with a wedding planner, she can find the deals for you.

Did I mention that it’s snowing? The area is expecting 12 to 18 inches of snow! From what I can see from my snow covered windows, it’s beautiful!

Have you found any good winter wedding deals? Please share!

The photo is courtesy of Hotel Viking.

Certified Green Hotels

Hi!

Sorry for the delay in blog posts. While I was researching winter wedding packages and winter specials, I came across the Rhode Island Hospitality Green Certification Program, which lists green certified hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality industry. I was excited to find this and had to share. The green initiatives for hotels may range from compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to the menu including a percentage of local food to green cleaning supplies and more. Personally, I would love to see a venue powered by wind or solar power.

There are 10 green certified hotels in Newport County! There’s the Bay Voyage Inn in Jamestown, RI, and the remaining nine are in Newport, RI. The nine are:

∙ Hotel Viking
∙ Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel & Spa
∙ Inn on Long Wharf/Wyndham
∙ Inn on the Harbor/Wyndham
∙ Long Wharf Resort/Wyndham
∙ Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina
∙ Newport Marriot Hotel
∙ Newport Onshore/Wyndham Properties
∙ Vanderbilt Hall

If you are planning a winter wedding in Newport County, you may want to consider these hotels as potential venues for your reception and accommodations for out-of-town guests. Having your wedding at a green certified location is the next best option to an outdoor wedding. Although an option, an outdoor wedding in Newport during the winter season might be a challenge.

For the next blog, I will have some winter wedding packages and specials to mention.

Winter Weddings in Newport

A winter wedding in Newport? Yes! Snowfall can make a beautiful backdrop – think winter wonderland. Newport and surrounding towns (Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton) offer quaint New England seaside charm with elaborately decorated mansions. Imagine snuggling on a horse drawn sleigh, dancing near a glowing fireplace, kissing under mistletoe, sipping hot cocoa and hot apple cider toddies with guests. Feel the romance and warmth of the season. Your winter wedding can be filled with unique items from your dress and flowers to décor, food and beverages.

The benefits of having a winter wedding are availability and cost savings. Since most weddings take place in spring and fall, brides will have less competition and are more likely to book the venue and vendors they want for the day and time they want. Also, since winter is off-season for wedding vendors, brides are more likely to negotiate a good deal. Plus, there are fewer tourists in the off-season.

When planning a winter wedding, keep in mind that some facilities are catering holiday parties in December. Instead of competing with brides, you may be competing with corporate event planners. January is the least popular month for weddings. February, of course, offers the fun theme of Valentine’s Day.

Looking for a location to have your winter ceremony and reception? For the next blog, I plan to talk with some local venues to see if they offer any winter wedding packages or specials.

Have you planned or are you planning a winter wedding in Newport County? Please share.

Hi!

Yes, it’s been a while since Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau has published a wedding blog.

Well, I’m the new blogger! My name is Kim Grant, and I’m an Eco-Wedding Consultant for AffordableGreenWeddings.com. After planning my own organic wedding, I started AffordableGreenWeddings.com to help brides-to-be plan eco-friendly weddings. I’m also a freelance writer. My articles have been published in a variety of publications, including Southern Weddings, Footprint Eco Magazine and Natural Awakenings.

I plan to post blogs weekly. The blogs will discuss national wedding trends and how they fit into the local Newport County wedding scene. In addition, I will be talking to area wedding experts, including vendors and venues, as well as brides who have planned or are planning to have a wedding in Newport County. Of course there will be some tips on how to plan a green wedding locally.

The intention of this blog is to be interactive and share information. Your comments and suggestions are encouraged. I look forward to hearing from you!