Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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85 Gianna and Greg Baglioni decided on an intimate wedding at Grove in Rowley. Because their wedding was so small, the couple splurged on various items, including grander floral arrangements, fancier foods, like mini cheeseboards at each place setting, and more upscale décor, including crystal geodes on each table. Instead of renting the two sweetheart chairs at their dinner table, the couple bought them to serve as keepsakes. "e hardest part of planning the wedding, which we did in three weeks," says Gianna, "was scaling back the guest list and dealing with the anxiety of our guests' safety. But we did everything we could and it ended up working out beautifully." At Encore Boston Harbor, couples can marry outside in the garden or gazebo and congregate for dinner in multiple spaces suitable for small groups. "Guests need to be seated for food and drink, so we have cocktails and appetizers at each table," says Weist, followed by a plated dinner. "Our chef has created several micro wedding menus, but couples can choose a la carte. e benefit of having turnkey expenses taken care of, like food, florals, and the venue, is that it's a lot less stress for couples and they can focus on soaking up the moment and seeing friends." Since petite weddings involve so few guests, many couples are springing for things they wouldn't have considered with a crowd. "Because there can be no mingling at bars, for example, we've done self-service ice buckets holding single-serve bottles of Moët & Chandon champagne with a straw inside," says Haas. Some newlyweds have offered their guests a choice of three entrees. One couple had a five-course tasting menu paired with wine. "With fewer guests, couples can really step back and think about how to personalize their event with details," says Haas. Because the state has banned dance floors due to social distancing issues, wedding venues have created intriguing alternatives. "We are offering an outdoor game package," says unberg, "with giant Jenga, checkers, and Ladder Ball with all the hygiene protocols. Photo booths are also popular, as are fun dessert stations, like outdoor s'more's and ice cream sundae stations, which you don't often see at bigger weddings." Personalized hand sanitizers have become the new pandemic favor and for health reasons, couples are cutting junior wedding PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRYNNA GRAE LEE