It’s time to bid a fond farewell to yet another wonderful week of inspiration here on SMP Massachusetts and I can’t think of a lovelier way to send you off into the weekend than with this charming Boston affair by Katie Noble Photo. To say this wedding is fabulous is an understatement… No, it’s all caps FABULOUS and then some, complete with a crazy cool venue (A bowling alley!), vibrant florals by Whim Events and a DIY photo booth. Plus, a pizza buffet! This, my friends, is what awesome dreams are made of. Click here for even more!
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From the Bride… Let’s just say a traditional wedding really just wasn’t up our alley! Puns aside, I am an event planner and have attended my fair share of beautiful weddings. Don’t get me wrong, I adore everything about them. But, my husband I wanted something different… something quirky and a party that would be a blast. We decided to have our reception at Sacco’s Bowl Haven & Flatbread Co. in Somerville, MA (a candle-pin bowling alley and a Somerville staple for the last 50 years). But let me tell you, this is not just any bowling alley. The whole place has been completely re-done, think hipster hangout meets organic farm. The Flatbread boasts locally grown ingredients and the bar (one of the old bowling lanes) provides a plethora of local microbrews and vodkas. Huge windows and skylights line the entire place, and the mix of kooky colors, DIY artwork and an old retro feel make this place really special. And yes, it is a fully functioning candle-pin bowling alley! When we first walked in, we knew we had to have our party there. (For the next 6 months, we continued to joke that our reception would probably be invaded by a 6-year old’s birthday party!)
Now, imagine me telling my parents that our wedding reception would be in a bowling alley! Luckily they trusted us… and honestly it was probably the best day of my entire life. We did give my parents the church element though. We got married at St. Peter’s Church in Cambridge MA, about 1/2 mile from our apartment. Then we trollied our 100 guests to the bowling alley via the Upper Deck trolley (a huge yellow and green double-decker). Upon arriving, the guests had signature cocktails and appetizers to the tunes of 50’s and 60’s bubble gum oldies. Our DJ set up shop on Lane 1 and the party began!
As for DIY decor, each table was lined with custom monogrammed orange and blue flower boxes filled with beautiful garden flowers, and bottles of “Pinney’s Pale Ale,” a home-brew that our wonderful friend Kevin brewed for us as our favors. My friend Jen, a local artist and designer, made the labels for the bottles. One label was hand-drawn based on a photo of bike ride on Nantucket, where we got engaged. The other was a hand-drawn love bird theme. Guests swizzled their drinks at the bar with our “Cheers” drink stirrers hand-made by another friend. And when it was time to bowl, we gave every girl a pair of checkered retro socks to slip on under their bowling shoes. My florist even made me a flower snap bracelet. Amazing.
Besides bowling and dancing on the lanes, our handmade photo booth was also a huge hit! For eats, Flatbread provided a never-ending pizza buffet & organic salad. (We hear the taco pizza was a favorite!) and a local baker, Andrea Cordis, put together an amazing display of cupcakes. My mom even brought a local favorite cookie from Jamestown, NY to the party (they’re called “pink stripe cookies” and they’re amazing). All in all, we had a blast.
Wedding Photography: Katie Noble Photo / Photography Assistant: Hannah Persson / Floral Design: Moira Thompson of Whim Events / Cupcakes: Andrea Cordis of Cordis Confections / Wedding Programs + Beer Labels: Jennifer O’Donnell of Cut Paste Love / Trolley: Upper Deck Trolley Tours of Boston / Wedding Dress: Flair Boston / Wedding Venue: Sacco’s Bowl Haven & Flatbread Co.