The Fairmont Copley Plaza
Always dreamed of fairy-tale vows? Arriving in a flower-draped, horse-drawn carriage for your nuptials in the Fairmont’s Grand Ballroom — a historical space complete with ornate 30-foot ceilings, twinkling chandeliers, and gilded details — should do the trick. The Oval Room, with its frescoed ceiling mural and handcarved moldings, is also a top spot for large guest lists; for more-intimate events, there’s the St. James room, which boasts warm and inviting mahogany details. No matter which space you choose, one thing’s for sure: You and your guests are guaranteed to feel like royalty. 138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA 02116, fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston.
Spectacle
Choosing a new pair of glasses or sunnies is one of the most difficult shopping tasks, second only to shopping for jeans. One glance in the mirror is hardly enough to determine whether you’ll like this new addition to your face next month—to say nothing of whether the style will still look au courant next year. Enter Spectacle, a small shop that sells logo-free, non-branded glasses in a bevy of timeless shapes and colors. Its 60-day exchange policy lets you actually live with your new look before making any major commitments. Imagine if the same rules applied to denim. 505 Tremont St., Boston, MA spectacle-eyeware.com.
Polkadog Bakery
Walk your pooch within a block of any Polkadog location, and you’re guaranteed to feel a sharp jerk on the leash pulling you toward the store’s front door. Perhaps Fido can smell the drool-inducing Clam Chowda strips. Maybe he remembers the free snacks generously doled out by pet-loving staffers. Whatever the reason, it’ll be worth the embarrassment of being walked in by your dog, given that you’ll also love browsing the shelves stocked with colorful toys and leashes. Too bad most cats don’t go for walks, because a lot of this is available for felines, too. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA polkadog.com.
Rugg Road Paper Company
Some couples just aren't black-type-on-ecru people. Enter Rugg Road, a shop chock-full of carefully chosen papers and paper accessories far more unique than formal. Distinctive options abound, including hand-pressed floral papers, silvery-hued sheets, and gampi paper made from a plant found in the mountains of Japan. The process of custom-designing your own invitation can be daunting, so the staff will assist at every step of the way, from helping to select the perfect font to cutting your paper to just the right size for laser printing. 105 Charles St., Boston, MA ruggroadpaper.com.
Stuart Whitehurst
Your great-aunt Mildred has just passed onto that great anti-macassar in the sky, leaving you with a marble-tipped, ormolu-encrusted dresser the size of a Peugot. Your entire studio apartment could fit into the bottom drawer. What to do? Call Stuart Whitehurst. if you want some idea of the quality of Skinner's sales, visit its showroom. But not to worry, even if all that ormolu turns out to be dross, press on. Skinner has a large facility in Bolton, where treasures of less-distinguished pedigree can be found in its monthly "Discovery" sales. Skinner, 63 Park Plaza, Boston, MA .
Gentle Giant Moving Company
Few people bother to write the Better Business Bureau to impart praise, but Gentle Giant, which gets 80 percent of its customers from repeats and referrals, inspires fierce and outspoken loyalty. "The 'giants' are impressive!" reads one client's testimonial for the Somerville-based chain on the bureau's website. "Their presence actually reduces the stress level!" With a number of standout amateur athletes (big ones) in their ranks, these guys can really hustle, yet they won't drop your mom's antique vase or sweat-stain your suede couch—and they frequently come in below estimate. 29 Harding St., Somerville, and other locations, MA 2143, gentlegiant.com.
Salts
From the second the linen hits your lap to the last spoonful of velvety chocolate dessert soup, Salts is a downright lovely experience. Before that soup, though, comes everything else: the warm, chewy, promptly delivered potato bread, the educated and accommodating staff, the subdued yellow décor, and the daring and well-priced wine list. All of the above are mere groundwork for chef Steve Rosen's bold and delightful savories—the honey-seared salmon with chamomile and preserved lemons, for example. Or his roasted rabbit sausage with artichoke confit and fennel. It's like Mother always said: Eat your lavender-glazed duckling with rhubarb preserves, and then you can have dessert. 798 Main St., Cambridge, MA saltsrestaurant.com.
Evenfall
Food lovers are advised to use the buddy system at Evenfall: You'll definitely need someone to shore up your self-control in the face of chef Scott Pelletier's seductive creations, which include pan-seared duck breast with lemon pappardelle, fava beans, and wild mushrooms, and orange-infused pound cake with mint macerated strawberries and strawberry sorbet. Besides, you'll want someone to ooh and aah along with you over the artistic presentation of your meal—and possibly drive you home after that last irresistible cocktail from Evenfall's master mixologists. 8 Knipe Road, Haverhill, MA 1835, evenfallrestaurant.com.
Arthur & Pat's
Arthur & Pat's, in the words of one sage local, "doesn't cater to the fancy-pants crowd." And indeed, the restaurant's worn exterior, wooden signs, and random rock soundtrack are unabashedly down-home. But if those details create a misperception of slapdash management, it's immediately cleared up by the glorious grub. We're talking fluffy pancakes with piles of berries; eggs Benedict with real crab; crispy, greaseless fried clams; bottomless cups of strong, hot coffee. After your meal, you may feel tempted to undo your belt—and given the easygoing air, it'd almost be acceptable to do so. 239 Ocean St., Marshfield, MA 2050, .
Tremont 647
What better way to spend a morning than in your pajamas sipping coffee with your neighbors? Tremont 647's Saturday and Sunday pajama brunch combines comfort food and a cozy space for the perfect weekend wind-down. Everything on the menu here is worth getting out of bed for. For a late breakfast, try chef Andy Husbands's huevos rancheros over beans and rice, or move on to lunch with a plate of stinky cheeses and a juicy burger. Can't shake the hangover? Go with the cure-all combination: Matty's V8 bloody mary and the skillet-baked eggs and hash. 647 Tremont St., Boston, MA tremont647.com.
Montage
At some point, modern Europhiles have to make a choice: either move to Milan or buy furniture from Montage. Showcasing factory-direct B&B Italia and Moroso pieces (along with molto other imports ending in vowels), this Back Bay retailer corners the market on continental cool. Don't have an interior designer? Montage staffers will evaluate your pad and make savvy recommendations. Be warned, though: With the euro kicking the dollar's butt, Italian style doesn't come cheap, so you'll need to leave your budget at the door. 75 Arlington St., Boston, MA 2116, montageweb.com.
Beehive
It's easy to agree on where to mingle if you and your posse are bent on skimming from the same pool, whether that's just-graduated daddy's girls (Foundation Lounge), martini-swilling cougars (Cuffs), or baseball-capped frat dudes (Clery's). Finding a pheromone-drenched locale that covers a variety of predilections is a much taller order. The South End's Beehive measures up nicely, drawing a clientele as diverse as its all-star team of bartenders and as tasty as the cocktails they stir up. And whether you're seeking a tattooed hairstylist or a sweater set-clad preppette, the uncharacteristically well-lit (for a bar) space means you'll get a clear view of your quarry. 541 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2115, beehiveboston.com.
Eye Adore Threading
It’s been said that eyebrows should look like sisters: similar, but not identical. If yours look more like total strangers, spend some time with Eye Adore owner Akriti Shrestha Maes. Her skill in threading — an ancient hair-removal technique that uses thread to remove unwanted hair — was honed in her native Nepal. The result? Beautifully sculpted brows every time. And if you want to make the look last longer, Maes also offers brow lamination, which can keep your perfect shape for up to six weeks. Multiple locations, eyeadorethreading.com.
Hive & Colony
Why rent when you can make your newlywed debut in something entirely custom? The always-friendly suit savants at Hive & Colony take the guesswork out of creating a wholly unique getup, helping you navigate thousands of Italian, Australian, and English fabric options — from beachy linen to elegant virgin wool — plus design details such as cuff and lapel styles. And with an assist from the team’s snazzy 3-D body scanner, which captures 300 measurements, your new duds are guaranteed to fit like a glove. 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02116, hiveandcolony.com.
Umami Omakase
Uni alum Gary Lei opened this exceptional North Cambridge sushi destination in late 2019, so perhaps it escaped your notice in the turmoil of the next few years. Now it’s waiting for you with 18 delightful courses of sashimi, sushi, Wagyu, and more (sake pairings optional but very recommended). The space is fairly no-frills — all the better to train your full attention on exquisite bites like a spoonful of quail egg, ikura, and tuna tartare, and luscious chawanmushi with shrimp and scallop. À la carte takeout is available, but this is a worthy splurge for a dine-in omakase feast. 2372 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, umamiomakase.com.