An A-maize-ing Fall Wedding

Fall is a wonderful time of year for a wedding. The air is cooler and crisp, the leaves are changing colors, and nature's bounty is in abundance. A harvest wedding isn't a new idea, so how can a couple spice it up? If you're planning an amazing wedding, put a maze in it - a corn maze that is!

River View Farm in Plainfield, NH has hosted a corn maze for the past nine years running. Scarecrows throughout the maze guide, or misguide, visitors through the towering stalks of maize and around Halloween there are several nights where the maze goes haunted. But this year's theme is less scary and more story-book. In honor of their daughter's wedding, they asked local artist Gary Hamel to create a more romantic trek they call "Fairy-tale Wedding."

This unique wedding element was kept a secret until the night of rehearsal when the bridal party was introduced to scarecrow versions of themselves, which they'll have as keepsakes after maze season is over, and dared to find their way through the maze. The story is that of Sleeping Snowrella: the dragon has been tamed, the slipper has been found, the princess has been awakened with a kiss....and so she has arrived at the castle for the wedding, but must find her way through the labyrinth of rooms to the altar, where Prince Charm-a-Lot awaits his bride. Each member of the wedding party plays a part, but most are less then helpful at guiding guests through to the castle.

The actual wedding ceremony too place on a terrace above the maze with the reception just across the way from the "castle entrance." Guests were invited to work their way through three acres of labyrinth while the happy couple posed for photos. Throughout the maze, guests came across scarecrows with faces they recognized from the actual wedding party. Each bridesmaid was named after an apple (Jersey Mac, Ginger Gold) and are the seven "vertically challenged" women. Each groomsman became a knight (Mid Knight, Knightly News) and a dragon roamed the aisles. There was even a fairy godmother and Merlin the musician!

Now that's a unique new wedding theme with a terrifically fun twist! I'm sure those guests will be talking about this one for a long time. And the general public will get to be in on the big event too as the maze will keep its theme for the duration of the season.

River View Farm www.riverviewnh.com Plainfield, NH

$4.00/person, free under 4