In almost one year, The Princess and The Fiance will be betrothed on Cape Cod. They only had one requirement: the wedding must be held by the water.  So it was a fairly easy task to find a place on the Cape. Especially when The Princess and our family had eaten many meals here, driven past it innumerable times while weddings were in progress, and watched many bridal parties having their pictures taken against a backdrop of vivid blue hydrangeas and a sparkling sea.

I know the picture is a little dark, but it was a cloudy day when we were there last and the entrance hall has high ceilings. The hotel has the understated elegance of a large (very large!) private home and my only desire really, is to see her walk down those stairs in her wedding gown on the arm of Mr. Pom

 

 

 

 

What we love about this place is that the rooms really are decorated like the English country home that we all dream about. The cocktail hour will be held in this room, with its hanging lanterns, fireplace, and embroidered drapery. I can't imagine we'll need more than candles and a string quartet to set the mood.

 

 

 

While you sip your Cape Codder (cranberry and vodka), you can wander out to the wraparound front porch and gaze at the harbor.

 

 

Or take a peek through the telescope.at the fishing camps on the outer beach.

 

 

The Princess and I were visiting the hotel a few weeks for a Wedding Weekend. This is an event new to me (old married of 30 years), a fair where vendors are invited to show their wares.  It was a bit circus-like, but we got some good ideas.

 

 

 

I love this room, although it is too big for our small wedding, but I adore the vaulted, ship-beamed ceilings.

 

 

 

The Princess wants the flowers to be as casual as possible. I think she would prefer it if I could just pick them from our garden and bring them with us from New York.

 

 

 

Personally, I'm considering sneaking out in the dead of night down the street from the hotel where the huge mansions line the ocean drive, the ones whose walks are banked with hydrangeas. Cuttings anyone??

 

 

 

I just love this color combination with the turqoise peeking through.

 

 

 

And oh, my! There were so many freebies to sample and take away! And we both were so good and only had a nibble. Sigh. Better to fit into our dresses!

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure some form of cupcakes will make an appearance and become the new tradition, usurping the role of the Italian cookie trays from my generation.

 

 

 

And there's talk of a candy bar, which will result in the Mother of The Bride being told to wipe the Hershey kisses off her lips for the photographs.

But the thing I am looking forward to the most, is the apres-wedding. Many of the vendors were spas offering their services. While I think it is a lovely (those quite expensive treat!) to have spa facilities for the wedding party to relax in and get ready, I for one am saving my pennies for the apre-wedding visit I will be making to this lovely lady:

 

 

Need I say more??