Clay Hill Farm Earth Day Connection!

John Forti sharing the heirloom possibilities in your own garden.
The Sea Captians above Johnathan Blakeslee below
Tasty cheese treats.
Andy and the greens! Oh the salad days. . .

What an amazing night! Local music, local edibles-adored the sorrel, fresh-, and local heirloom seeds for your own garden. Wow! It was a throw down about local environmental impact and what we can do. An Earth day event to relish.
Clay Hill Farm is brilliant all around; luscious local food, fabulous dining and an unbelievable location-a bird sanctuary and wildlife habitat certified by the National Wildlife Association. They are also a Maine Certified Environmental leader. The site was originally settled as a tree farm in 1780. Now a culinary and event center to behold.
So many great organizations were there as well. Slow Food Seacoast and Strawbery Banke offered free heirloom seeds to attendees from their RAFT program (giving plant seed that go back generations of harvest in New England). In the end you get a harvest of produce from your garden, and seeds to plant the next year-no hybrid one timers here. Check out their sites on being part of RAFT, canning tips, composting, colllecting seeds and kids gardening. Our seeds are already sprouting!!!!!
Seacoast Green Aliance's own Sarah Brown showed how we can all participate in engaging environmental sustainability even with simple habits. A great group of businesses and individuals pursuing and promoting green living.
Music by Jonathan Blakeslee, also his White Heron Organic tea, The Sea Captains and Pat Keane on classical guitar. Green's tasting from Andy's Greens-yeah on the sorrel! Local cheese tasting from Silvery Moon Creamery. And Dyl's pickles too boot, from right up the road in York.

A great time at a lovely place.

Rehersal Dinner Heaven with 100 Club & The Wedding Belle

Dine with the wine!



It's the little things that count, love the orchid resting on the setting.
A pyramid of light, roses and orchids!








What a romantic location, overlooking beautiful Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the 100 Club is perched on the top of 100 Market overlooking the Piscataqua River, Kittery, Maine and the historic downtown. I attended the candlelight event at the 100 Club showcasing rehearsal dinner decoration and display like in only wedding dreams! I had a great time, tastes of roasted beat chips, salmon tar tar, and oh, the dessert plum sauce. Oh boy! Lisa Sammons, the 100 Club Event Planner, and Leslie Barbini, The Wedding Belle Event Planning, invited bridal guests to check out dreamy possibilities for dinner joy. The place is beautiful before Leslie's creative hands hit the spot, and the food, oh my! Local farmers provide a sumptuous harvest to begin and the talent in the kitchen are true taste addicts! Start with basics and build to creshendo. Yes, still early in the year for a whole variety of locally grown vegetable genius, but you can get local greens all winter. Yowza! Was a great time, enjoy the views of talent from Abrosia Gardens in the mix as well.

What a grand time Saturday at our event!

Abby Chic Flowers, oh the Orchid

Ceres Street cupcakes, tiny, buttercream heaven!
Monkey Business Butterfly cake and Ambrosia's orange & purple beauty

Murray the Ice Man serves up champagne chilled!
Oh to relax while getting ready on your wedding day, Krystal Couture of Pure Balance Holistic Healing will set you right.
Tasty delight of tea! All organic and free trade from White Heron Tea. Jonathan Blakeslee's gift packages come in a whole range of tastes.

The gangs all here! A wonderful group of people, tucked into the corner of our studio.
Krystal, Johanna and Leslie joking about planning a wedding to the minute. Well, it's great plan for the best.
Sisters in arms! And just a little love from Joanne, Joya Beauty, before the portrait.

We had such a brilliant time on Saturday with all the guests, friends and visitors! Johanna and I can't thank you all enough for sharing your precious time with us. Oh the many things to occupy our time. Cakes, flowers, massage-lucky Johanna, catering samples, the gigantic ice sculpture with the champagne, gorgeous three-dimensional stationary, organic teas-especially the tasty chai, and the music-thank you Bob Halprin!! Wow, I tasted, and tasted and took photographs. Joya beauty did gals up so beautifully and Leslie Barbini, the one and only Wedding Belle Event Planner, always has something creatively new each time we see one another, absolutely love the wedding-day emergency kit. I could go on and on, but I won't. All the great wedding experts who were present and those who supplied brides with fabulous packages, many thanks. And to the brides who visited we hope all the creative possibilities enhance your grand celebrations! We are already looking into more fun in the fall! Here are the great people who participated:

Jeremy Heflin Photography
Selkie Bindery
Abby Chic Flowers
Ambrosia Gardens Flowers
Ceres Street Bakery
Monkey Business Bakery
Joya Beauty
The Wedding Belle
The Dockside Restaurant
The 100 Club
The Red Barn at the Links Golf Course
Clay Hill Farm
Wicked Good Ice
Bob Halprin-musician
Cuzin Richard Entertainment
Obsidian Custom Invitations
Nathan Christy Spa products & Culinary Excellence
White Heron Tea
Joelle Guerard Silversmith
Pure Balance Holistic Healing
Seacoast Buy Local
Seacoast Growers Association
Back River Farm
Meadows Mirth Farm
Wake Robin Farm
Wild Roots Farm

Map to the Wedding Extravaganza

We are so excited about tomorrow!! Oh, to eat cake, sip tea and get a chair massage, the luxury! We have some great people to meet and ideas for celebrations to hatch. Just click on the image above to get a mapquest map of exactly where our studio is, or here are some simple directions for those more interested in the literal approach:

Only a 20 minute drive from Portsmouth, NH and Rochester, NH and about a 1 hour drive from Portland, ME and Boston, MA.

From the Route 95: Take the third exit off 95 once you cross the big bridge into Maine, Route 236 N to So. Berwick, ME. Follow 236 until it comes to a T-intersection in South Berwick. Turn Right on Rte. 4/Rte. 236 North in So. Berwick.

From the West: From Dover take Route 4, Portland Ave to So. Berwick, ME where Rte 4 joins Rte 236 North in So. Berwick.

Once in South Berwick: Stay on Rte 236 North through center of So. Berwick following the road straight at the center of town(4/10 mile). Pass the post office, then bear left at the white church on right onto Main St. Follow Main St. over bridge to Salmon Falls Village. Follow Front St. around to the front of the Salmon Falls Mill. As you cross the bridge you can't miss the big brick building. Park in the lot in front, the entrance is the big green door at the base of the main tower.

We look forward to meeting you all!! Johanna and Jeremy

If you need any help please don't hesitate to call 603-969-6533

Couple of Great Local Spots & Slideshows to Boot

Two wonderful locations sharing the splendor of New England at its best. The Dockside on an isle off York Harbor, Maine, and The Red Barn, a brilliant example of timber framing at its best, in the heart of the rolling hills of South Berwick, Maine are a photographer's dream location. But you don't have to take my word for it. Check out the slide shows for each. Just click on the images above.

Massage & Music & Portraits Oh My

We will have soothing music and massage at the Local Creativity Wedding Event to further loosen you up for classic free portraiture! An easy atmosphere of laid back people, Joya beauty will be on hand with an array of custom cosmetics to ease you into the mood. We will make your portraits gorgeous! Give us a shout if you know when you are coming by. We will be ready to ease your wedding plan tensions.

Wedding Event Loves Local Farmers

Spring is in the Air and Farmers' Markets are just around the corner!

We love our local farmers, and more to the point we adore their amazing produce! We are highlighting four farmers at our Local Creative Wedding Fair; Back River Farm, Wake Robin Farm, Meadows Mirth Farm, and Wildroot Farm. Ever thought of giving, or better receiving a weekly share of local veggies as a wedding gift? Maybe you could have local harvest on your wedding table. Appetizers?!!! At our event you can gain information on buying a CSA (community supported agriculture) share of produce for the lucky couple, gift certificates to the whole seacoast regions many farmers markets and how much more ecological & healthy it is to buy local food. What about a harvest of flowers for your celebration? Just these four farming heros alone provide produce to some of the most heralded restaurants from Portsmouth to Kennebunkport. For more information about local produce check out the Seacoast Growers Association.