78 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine W e d d i n g G u i d e 2 0 1 8 Photos by bethany and dan photography Lyndsey and Ben held their wedding reception at Port City Music Hall,where they got to take command of the taps.Below: Ellen and Lydia eloped to Portland from Chicago in 2017.They even managed to toast their big day at Bissell Brothers before heading to the Mid-West. “M aine has become very fa- mous for its beers, so it’s a natural step to feature them at a wedding,” says Oxbow Brewing founder Tim Adams. “Craft beer is far more popular now in general, but Maine is particularly well known for brew- ing. Locals are proud of it. They want to showcase what’s produced in our home state.” With two locations–a tasting room and bottling facility on Washington Av- enue in Portland and the original farm- house brewery and tasting room in New- castle–Oxbow not only provides beer to weddings, they often host them, too. “[The Newcastle brewery] is rustic. We’re not designed to be a wedding venue, we’re designed to be a brewery and a farm, but that’s what people like now,” Adams says. “For the right couple, it’s perfect. You might hear a couple of chickens squawk- ing during your ceremony, maybe smell some beer brewing. It’s part of the expe- rience.” Add some hops to the bouquet, and that’s just about as authentic as you can get, newlyweds. Beer Taste with a Champagne Budget Now that the image of a bride in a white dress with pint glass in hand is as accept- ed as a flute of champagne, couples crave the opportunity to put a personal spin on the brew of the big day–out of joy, shared tastes, personal expression, and a desire to give their guests what they really want. How about this for inspiration: a special beer blend made just for you and your love! Down in Lyman,they’re doing just that. In October, Funky Bow Brewery co- founder Abraham Lorraine married his beloved Sylvia on the “The Farm,” Funky Bow’s brewery and tap room location, com- plete with stage, event barns, stables, and farm house. On the spur of the moment, as a gift to themselves and their wedding guests, Abraham brewed a special beer spe- cifically for the occasion–a service Funky Bow now offers to the beer-mad betrothed. Abraham and Sylvia’s wedding was the third hosted at The Farm. Paul Lor- raine, Abraham’s father and Funky Bow co-founder, has seen The Farm’s popular-