Weddings at The Cottage B&B, Monticello, Florida

Interested in a wedding at a B&B? We're interviewing innkeepers as part of an ongoing series about B&B weddings with tips on how you can plan a unique wedding that you and your guests will always remember. We recently interviewed Martha McClendon Cravanzola, innkeeper at The Cottage B&B in north Florida for her tips on B&B weddings.

* What wedding packages do you offer at The Cottage B&B?

We don't really have packages. For very small weddings, under 30, we can do the food as well as provide a unique location. For larger weddings, up to 150, we provide the location and some planning, if the bride chooses. Mostly, we are an unusually beautiful location for an outdoor ceremony, with our Venetian brick patio with fountains. I call our decor "Mediterranean classical" and we have arched stone walls, climbing plants, and roses galore surrounding the fountains. We truly must be seen to be believed.

* Can you tell us about one special wedding that was held at The Cottage B&B?

Yes, we had a very special small ceremony here just this past June. The bride and groom both had children from previous marriages, and they prepared their vows to include the children, making it a very touching family marriage. They chose to go very simple and elegant on their decorations, feeling the garden was decorative enough, and using only two candleabras, some satin ribbon, and scattered painted feather butterflies. They had a harpist supply their music and we provided their wedding luncheon, which was marinated shrimp in a jerk-maple sauce, lemon cous-cous, a green salad, a hydragea and a pineapple meringue cake. With the champagne toast, it was lovely!

* How does planning a B&B wedding differ from planning a hotel wedding? What types of personalized attention can innkeepers offer brides that they might not see at a hotel?

Different space and different concerns, i.e., with a hotel, generally parking and space for the guests is not a problem, but with B&Bs space can be limited. The different concerns would be, say, as in our property, old plumbing, which would require a portable bathroom for a certain-sized affair. Parking, kitchen facility use, whether or not the house is included as part of the space, what to do if there is bad weather, all this must be considered, especially if the event is large. Also, the B&B is often someone's home and may have other guests. Brides and B&B owners alike are wise to consider these issues up front. B&B owners need to be careful not to get more work than they bargain for--make clear up front what you are and are not including, so you don't have disappointed expectations.

* Are you seeing any trends in B&B weddings?

Yes, simpler and more elegant, which we believe is a positive trend.

* What advice would you give a bride who is considering a B&B wedding?

All of the above and more; she needs to carefully consider if the place she's thinking of is right for her event; also, that she not expect more from a B&B than from any other venue. Otherwise, I recommend this highly, as it is so much more beautiful, memorable, and personal than a hotel or other more commercial site.