What is a Baseball Chix wedding? you ask. Well it certainly isn’t an homage to her team, that’s for sure. A wedding is a celebration of the couples' union and their new life together, not an excuse to cover your local Hyatt ballroom in green and gold. Done right, a Baseball Chix wedding, whether her fiancé is a baseball fan or not, will have special touches here and there of baseball memorabilia, events and perhaps even her teams colors, but I said a touch, not a slathering.
Baseball Chix Special Wedding Ideas:
- Table Names
Instead of numbering of your reception tables, name them after Baseball stadiums, or your favorite players. At each separate table you can have a picture of the stadium or player and explain why that person or place is special to the two of you. Aunt Martha: seated at Yankee Stadium Or Uncle Joe: seated at the Babe Ruth table
- Garter
- Favors
Dates: Date you met: 10/02/2006, First Date: 10/15/2006, Engaged: 01/31/2009, Wedding Date: 06/06/2009, followed by a personal thank you from the two of you.
Stats: Date you met: 10/02/2006, Number of Kisses 10,000, Number of Fights 10, Good times: Every Day Since We Met; followed by a nice personal thank you from the two of you.
Sample Wedding Itinerary
Destination weddings are all the rage, and if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford a destination wedding why not forgo the usual places like Cancun and Las Vegas and opt for a unique destination like Cooperstown, New York.
You may be thinking that Cooperstown only has the baseball hall of fame and your Fiancé, family and friends will all murder you for such a decision, but have no fear, a Cooperstown wedding offers a lot more for guests to do than just visit the baseball hall of fame.
Cooperstown has about 2000 rooms, distributed at over 200 hotels. So if you do the math that’s only 10 rooms per hotel; which means if you’re having a large wedding, book in advance. A great resource is this website: http://www.weddingsincooperstown.com
Here is a sample itinerary for a weekend wedding starting Friday, assuming all your guests, or the bridal party and both families arrive on Thursday. A little over 10% of all weddings in the United States take place in June, so let’s plan our hypothetical wedding for Saturday June 6th 2009.
Important Info:
Hotel: The Inn at Cooperstown
16 Chestnut Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
607 . 547 . 5756 http://www.innatcooperstown.com/
This is a beautiful hotel, loving restored and engendered with little authentic touches as well as modern amenities. They have suites and adjoining rooms for families, but book early as we mentioned before space is limited. Their Luxury Suite is a two bedroom, two story masterpiece, perfect for the bridal party.
Thursday June 4th
Your guests will be arriving, and perhaps you will be as well so make sure you double check your flight, hotel and car rental reservations in advance.
Getting There: Cooperstown is in central New York State, 70 miles west of Albany and 30 miles south of the New York State Thruway. Bus Service to Cooperstown: Pine Hill Trailways provides service between Cooperstown and New York City.
*Chix Tip: Binghamton Airport is a short drive away, it’s an easy in, easy out airport, with car rental services: http://www.binghamtonairport.com/aviation
Since you won’t have to worry about picking anyone up from the airport, why not have destination goody bag ready for your guests upon arrival at the hotel.
Goody Bag:
Area Map
Itinerary and Directions to all events
Baseball Shaped Shortbread Cookie from the Classic Cookie Company in Cooperstown: http://www.cooperstowncookiecompany.com/
Allow your guests time to settle in, dive into their goody bag and explore the town a bit on their own.
Dinner:
Enjoy a relaxed dinner at Hoffman Bistro, a local eatery with live music and a fun atmosphere.
Hoffman Bistro
2 Hoffman Lane, Cooperstown NY 13326
(607) 547-7055
http://www.hoffmanlanebistro.com/index.html
*Evening (after dinner):
A fun to do with your brides maids and grooms men; as a way to relax before the festivities start tomorrow take a ghost tour of the town.
Cooperstown Candlelight Ghost Tours
176 Greenough Road - (607)547-8070
Fee: $15.00
reservations are required
Experience the village's eerie history by hearing about the haunted houses and learning about ghostly sightings. Visit www.cooperstownghost.com or e-mail bmarkusen@stny.rr.com.
Friday June 5th
*Breakfast 8 am-9:30 am at The Inn; ask to reserve the dining room with the fireplace for your party, after all if you all stay at the Inn, you’ll pretty much have the run of the place anyway. Their breakfast Buffet is sumptuous, and it’ll give you a chance to say hi to and chat up the relatives you haven't seen in awhile. Doing this now will free up your time during your reception.
*Visit the Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main Street - (888)425-5633
Fee: Adults $16.50
Check for group rates
Summer Hours
Daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp
Take your time, enjoy the museum you have the rest of the weekend to stress.
*Relaxed lunch at DiMaggios.
DiMaggios Cooperstown Hot Dog
4561 St. Hwy. 28, Milford, NY 13807 - (607)547-5400
A family restaurant serving classic american baseball park food: hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, fries and icees.
*Stroll along Main street enjoy the sights, and some shopping before heading back to the hotel to prepare for the rehearsal dinner. Remember the rehearsal dinner is typically where the you give the brides maids and grooms men their gifts.
*Rehearsal dinner:
American Hotel
PO Box 121, Sharon Springs, NY 13459-; Location: Main Street, Route 10 North, Sharon Springs, NY 13459 - (518)284-2105
"Highly Recommended" Fodor's 2008 Travel Guide
The American Hotel was built by Nicholas LaRue of Esperance in 1847 to cater to the glitterati of the time: Oscar Wilde gave porch-side readings; Ulysses S. Grant stayed at the former Pavilion Hotel. How cool is that?
Saturday June 6th *The Big Day*
Wedding Ceremony and Reception at Hyde Hall
Hyde Hall Inc.
PO Box 721
Cooperstown, NY
13326
607.547.5098 http://www.hydehall.org/
They have beautiful and extensive grounds to hold the ceremony and reception, with breath taking spots for photographs. I can’t do it justice here, visit their website and see for your self: http://www.hydehall.org/
*Chix Tip: Arrange for your guests to have a quick tour of the Hall while you are occupied taking pictures. That way they get to see the Hall and enjoy the reception with out wondering what they missed.
The ceremony and reception details are all up to you; make it as personal and special as possible. Above all else remember this is your day! If you’re running late who cares they can’t start with out you can they?
Sunday June 7th
You’re already on your Honeymoon, but wouldn't it be nice to thank your parents and In-Laws for all their hard work raising you/fiancé and planning/paying for the wedding? Here are some nice ways to say thanks, when the deed is done.
Set up a tee time for the Dad’s at the Leather Gold Course as a thank you for their patience and funds for your wedding. http://www.otesaga.com/LGC/
Greens Fees $99.00
Twilight (after 3:00 PM) $70.00
A special thank you for the Mom’s by way of a spa package at Essential Elements Day Spa on Main Street, walking distance from the Inn, and a nice treat for the woman who always puts every one else first.
Other members of your wedding that aren’t in a hurry to head home can check out the Farmers Museum, with a historic town, demonstrations and tours it’s great for families with kids, they can run around, and tire themselves out for the drive/ride home.
http://www.farmersmuseum.org/
And your girls, of course, will already be on their way to NYC for a martini and a little shopping before flying home.
Happy Wedding and best wishes,
The Baseball Chix
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