“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” — Dr. Seuss

WELCOME! We’re excited that you’re here and might be joining us in Portland, Maine on September 30th for our big day. To help with planning (and get you excited about all the lobster), we’ll post info here about travel, hotels, where to eat (naturally), what to do, and where else to explore in the amazing state of Maine. First you might ask, “why Maine?” The answer is easy — it’s our version of paradise. Alexis’s (famous) Aunt Judith lives here with her husband Sam, so she’s been visiting them every summer for years. Last summer, she brought Andrew and he fell in love with it, too. So, here we are. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of you in a few days!

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING:

Friday Night: There is plenty of parking at Stroudwater Distillery for anyone who wants to drive. If you don’t have a car or want to imbibe a little, you can take Uber, Lyft or a taxi to Thompson’s Point. It’s about a 5-minute drive from downtown Portland.

Saturday Ceremony: There is plenty of parking at Fort Williams State Park for anyone who wants to drive. The closest parking lot is the third one after you enter the park with a sign for PORTLAND HEADLIGHT. It is directly behind the big lighthouse, and you might see a man selling pictures at the front of the parking lot. If that lot is full, you can go back to one of the first two parking lots.

If you don’t have a car or don’t want to drive, we’ve arranged for a school bus to pick up guests at two hotels in downtown Portland and bring them to the park and then bring them to Rising Tide for the reception. For guests staying at other hotels or Air B&Bs in the neighborhood, choose the hotel closest to your location. We’ve selected hotels at opposite ends of downtown so that there is a pick-up spot convenient for everyone.

PICK UP THE HILTON GARDEN INN: 3:00pm — departs at 3:15pm
65 Commercial Street — this hotel is on the southeast corner of downtown Portland

PICK UP AT THE WESTIN HARBORVIEW HOTEL: 3:20pm — departs at 3:30pm
157 High Street — this hotel is on the northwest corner of downtown Portland

*Bus will leave promptly at the departure time indicated!

Saturday Reception: There is plenty of parking at Rising Tide Brewing. Please park to the side of the building. Do not park in front of Oakhurst or behind the building. Parking is also available on Fox Street, on the side closest to Kennedy Park. There is additional parking available 2 blocks away at the Marginal Way Park and Ride lot. 

*Please note that the school bus will not be providing transportation after the reception. Uber, Lyft, taxis, car pools and feet are all a great way to get home. 🙂

EXPLORING PORTLAND

Might we suggest visiting its official tourism site? Whether you’re coming for the weekend or the week, there are so many things to do, eat, and enjoy.

These are some of our favorite spots to eat in Portland:

J’s Oysters — very casual spot on the water with awesome chowda and lobster rolls
Portland Lobster Co. — perfect location on the water for lobster rolls, beer on tap and live music
Eventide — amazing oyster bar and creative small plates
Duck Fat — get the fries (they’re fried in duck fat, obvi) and casual American fare (housemade paninis, soup, floats, etc.)
Honey Paw — contemporary bistro with Asian-inspired noodles, other bites, and local craft beer
Tiqua — Middle Eastern restaurant located in the Marriott hotel on Commercial Street
Becky’s Diner — local spot on Commercial Street

GETTING THERE: Portland is about a 2-hour drive from Boston, a 6-hour drive from northern NJ/NYC, and a short, direct flight from many of the major airports on the east coast and Chicago.  The airport code is PWM. There is also a direct bus line from Boston Logan airport and NYC into Portland on Concord Coach Lines. Portland airport is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Portland.

WHERE TO STAY: The options are endless, from well-known hotel chains and boutique hotels to AirB&Bs, campgrounds, and cabins.  Visitportland.com has an excellent round-up of the choices, and feel free to pick our brains about what you’re thinking. If you have a loyalty program with a particular hotel chain, it’s very likely they have a hotel in Portland. The Portland Regency, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Marriott Residence, Marriott Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and the Westin are all downtown, just to name a few.

*NOTE: AirB&Bs are often considerably less expensive than hotel rooms. Here’s a list of their apartments and houses for rent in Portland.

THE LAY OF THE LAND: Downtown Portland is relatively small (compared to NYC or San Francisco, that is), and very easy to explore on foot. This map will help you get your bearings. So if you choose to stay downtown, you’ll be able to get around without a car (and you’ll also be close to Alexis’s favorite sticky buns). Lyft and Uber are also great ways to get around, and to get from the airport to your hotel or AirB&B.

THE SCHEDULE:
Welcome Dinner — Friday, September 29th from 6-9pm @ Stroudwater Distillery
Ceremony — Saturday, September 30th at 4pm @ The Green at Fort Williams Park
Reception — Saturday, September 30th at 6pm @ Rising Tide Brewing Company

THE STYLE NITTY GRITTY: Dress code for the ceremony and reception is “cocktail attire, no jacket required.” Why the quotes? That’s how one would say it in wedding speak. In other words: look smart, be comfy.
For the guys — Want to wear a suit? Go for it! Hate ties? Leave them at home.
For the ladies — There is definitely a dress in your closet you’ve been wanting to wear, or a reason you’ve been waiting for to buy a new one! Have a fun party dress? Great. Love your long-sleeve wrap dress? Perfect. It will be fall in Maine so bring a sweater, wrap, or light jacket for the reception since part of the brewery space is outside.

REGISTRY: You can find us on Amazon.com here

RSVP: Ready to eat a lobster roll in New England’s version of paradise? Great! RSVP here.

And if you haven’t yet, you can read our story.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Portland!