Luke Aaron
Photograph by Toan Trinh Crisp tailoring and dramatic silhouettes are the calling cards of this costume designer turned couturier, who continues to impress us every season with his sophisticated creations. Aaron’s devoted local following frequently stops by his lovely North End showroom seeking everyday separates and made-to-order gowns, but soon, we might have to share him: The rising star presented his spring/summer collection at the Soho House in New York last fall, and showed off his "I Do" designs at a trade show during New York Bridal Fashion Week. 38A Fleet St., Boston, MA 2109, lukeaaronboston.com.
Rafanelli Events
Nothing chips away at an engaged couple's quality time (not to mention sanity) quite like wedding planning. Guest lists, save-the-dates, seating charts, the scores of teensy details that pop up along the way to "I do"—they can harry even the most come-what-may pair. Fete vet Bryan Rafanelli smoothly juggles it all to create an event unlike anything your guests have ever seen, whether the theme is winter wonderland or summer clambake. The only thing you lovebirds need to do is figure out how to put that extra free time to, ahem, good use. 142 Berkeley St., Boston, MA rafanellievents.com.
Polka Dog Bakery
Puffy's not the best shopping companion: drooling on merchandise, constantly demanding attention, invading strangers' personal space. Any place that overlooks —welcomes, even—such unseemly habits scores big with us. This year Polka Dog expanded to accommodate its lines of animal gear with voluminous bins of squeaky cupcakes and rubber telephones, walls of collars, piles of beds, and accessories for literal clothes hounds. As if all that weren't enough, there's the popular buffet of inventive edibles, for when your guests' shoes are no longer an option: liver chips, salmon coins, and catnip "pawbreakers" for delicate breeds; cow thigh bones for those with heartier appetites. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA polkadog.com.
History
This is vintage for the finicky. No wading through bins, no discarding racks' worth of garments for signs of age or questionable authenticity. Co-owner and former high school history teacher Rachel Hirsch works with suppliers from around the globe, and each piece that she pulls into her immaculate Porter Square shop is carefully inspected and arranged by decade. The finishing touch is a tag describing the occasion for which some stylish woman could have originally donned the garment. Reads the legend for a black velvet babydoll from the '60s: "This might actually be a fun New Year's Eve." Chances are, your night out in any History purchase will be equally memorable. 1693 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA historyboutique.com.
Harvard Book Store
Sticking it to the corporate chains is most satisfying when you can do so without, you know, sacrificing anything. Seventy-five years after Boston native Mark Kramer opened a bookstore in Harvard Square, the supersize word-maven haven is still family-owned (by Kramer's son, Frank) and still doing everything right, with a public library's worth of used tomes, and new releases to rival Barnes and Borders. In a particularly Cantabrigian touch, the shop vows to go to court before disclosing your purchases to the government or anyone else, should they for some reason ask. Take that, Patriot Act! 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA harvard.com.
Ace Ticket
Getting into a Red Sox game these days is like trying to hit the Mega Millions jackpot: The odds are seriously not in your favor. Either you suck up to the boss in the faint hope he'll throw you one of the company tickets, or you overpay a scalper and pray you don't get scammed with phonies. Or, if you're smart, you try Ace Ticket: The company has been getting Bostonians into Pats games, concerts, and even Red Sox tilts for more than 20 years now. And because Ace is a licensed broker, you won't be left holding counterfeits when the big event hits town. 20 Franklin St., Allston, MA .
Sebastian's Cafe
You want to be healthy, honest you do. But it's hard when you can't be sure just how long that mesclun has been sitting in the salad bar. The greens, roasted peppers, baby corn, and other fresh veggies at Sebastians never invite such suspicion, looking and tasting as though they arrived from the farm mere moments ago. At your direction, the speedy servers pack up vibrant lettuce, grilled meats, and cheeses with just the right amount of dressing. A basic salad is $6.75, so you'll have room, and cash, left over for an indulgent dinner. 100 Summer St., Boston, MA sebastians.com.
Brattle Theatre
You can catch an Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu flick at any multiplex nowadays, but you won't see Boston Underground Film Festival highlights or a repertory series of World War II movies—or, for that matter, a weeklong Muppets marathon—anywhere else but the Brattle. The Harvard Square institution has been screening foreign, art house, and classic films for over 50 years, but it's much more than a sleepy civic treasure: It's holy ground for Boston's cineastes, budding film auteurs, and anyone who just likes to watch Casablanca on the big screen. 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA brattlefilm.org.
T.T. the Bear's Place
With a capacity of only 270, this Central Square haunt has an oversize personality that defies its small scale (and always sticky floor). The volume's appropriately loud, the drinks (served in plastic cups) are priced low, and the shows are so rollicking, you'll be a T.T.'s devotee from your first visit: Over 100 bands—a sonic cornucopia of well-regarded Hub artists and fledgling acts from across the country—take the scuffed stage each month. If you want to see the next big thing before everyone else does, this is the place. 10 Brookline St., Cambridge, MA ttthebears.com.
Cakes to Remember
Leave it to the ever-professional Ellen Bartlett to create a confection as sweet—and original—as your wedding. Bartlett knows the pain suffered by so many wedding guests forced to eat flavorless wedding cakes the texture of Styrofoam. Her antidote: fresh, delectable cakes in any shape you can dream up. Maybe it's a Frangelico-soaked hazelnut dacquoise with mocha buttercream—in the shape of a sailboat. Or a deep chocolate framboise with fresh raspberries, festooned with delicate fondant flowers. You want it, odds are she can make it—and make you happy ever after. 248 Cypress St., Brookline, MA cakestoremember.biz.
Bliss Home
If happiness is platinum-rimmed white porcelain from northern Italy, then joy is a set of four ultrasuede coasters in seven different color combinations. Together, they represent the half-modern, half-classic nature of Bliss, a home-goods emporium that incorporates everything from chaise longues (made in Milan) to stainless steel—lined doggy bowls. Bliss earns the nod for best bridal registry not only because of the unusual and international flavor of its stock, but also for its accommodating employees, who are more than happy to educate the bride (and clueless grooms) about the difference between Waterford and Wedgwood. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Priscilla of Boston
Combining classic, Old World methods with innovative design, Priscilla's talented seamstresses create some of the globe's most stunning wedding frocks. Designs run from tastefully simple silken A-lines to intricate, glamorous affairs like the Calais lace sheath gown, hand-beaded with more than 1,000 Austrian crystals and seed pearls. Priscilla's Charlestown-based design house and factory makes easy shipments and personalized service all but guaranteed—a godsend for any bride who has special requests or needs last-minute alterations. 801 Boylston St., Boston, MA priscillaofboston.com.
The Catered Affair
Your wedding caterer should be, above all else, a perfectionist. You don't want boring and bone-dry chicken any more than you want poorly timed service or cheesy table settings. The Catered Affair owner Holly Safford is just that—a perfectionist who runs her tight ship with equal parts creativity, fabulous taste, efficiency, and soul. What's more, she's been doing it for decades, and her seamless organization and calming demeanor has kept many a girl from turning into Bridezilla. Take that, Martha Stewart. Accord Park, Hingham, MA thecateredaffair.com.
Bliss Gift & Bridal Registry
Rather than furnishing newlyweds' houses from top to bottom, Bliss concentrates on outfitting them with some of the most exquisite and stylish tableware available. Feeling overwhelmed by the shelves of Alessi kettles, graceful Iittala glasses and vases, Bernardaud china, and CJ Vander flatware? Worry not. The staff here not only knows everything about this merchandise but also is well trained in the art of guiding couples through the selection process. Furthermore, the Web site lets guests easily make their purchases from afar, all registry gift wrapping is complementary, and there's a registry completion program that includes 10 percent off anything a couple purchases themselves after the wedding. 2257 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA blisshome.bridgecatalog.com.
America Dural
American Dural Among Cantabrigians' best-kept secrets is America Dural, hidden on a quiet street in Observatory Hill. An unfussy storefront conceals treasures from every period: midcentury Bertoia chrome chairs, ornate Georgian mahogany chests, a refreshing selection of contemporary art. Only a pro could set up such an enticing array of home furnishings—and, in fact, the showroom is part of Phillip Miller's interior design business. You could buy a single piece, but then again, why not just engage Miller to bring his cultivated eye to your entire home? 143 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA americadural.com.