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Leach Botanical Garden

On May 21, 2013 / ceremony, event sites, Portland Wedding Vendors, Real Weddings, reception / Leave a comment

When looking for a site for your wedding ceremony you want something that makes you feel comfortable and excited to be there. Leach Botanical Gardens is an outdoor wonderland waiting for you. With lush greenery surrounding your every move, it’s no wonder it’s a such a gem in the community.

Here’s a little background about the site.

“Today the Garden welcomes you. Yearly it provides a beautiful and intimate setting for scores of events. The East Terrace, surrounded by lush garden displays, is a perfect counterpoint to the historic Manor House with its high beamed great room. The Manor House features hardwood floors, knotty pine paneling, natural light from the spacious windows and views of the surrounding trees and foliage. The dining room, including displays of artifacts belonging to John and Lilla and provides a perfect space for food and beverage service. No other place in the Metro area is quite like Portland’s Secret Garden.”

It may be Portland’s Secret Garden (that was my favorite book growing up), the ones who know about it will reserve it quickly. So plan ahead and contact them today for a visit.

New Business Directory!

On February 26, 2013 / Beauty, cakes and desserts, ceremony, DIY wedding ideas, dresses, entertainment, event sites, fashion, flowers, food and drink, General tip, Invitations, jewelry, photography, Portland Wedding Vendors, reception, shoes & accessories, the groom, videography, wedding cakes and desserts, wedding coordination, wedding decoration / Leave a comment

We are always looking for new ways for our brides and vendors to connect. Whether it’s the annual swanky bridal show, on twitter, pinterest or facebook. The main place where we work hard to give you all love it right here, on the blog. With daily posts about fashion, DIY projects and write up’s about local vendors we want you to have fun planning your wedding day. You are making a big commitment and we want your Oregon wedding to everything you dreamed it would be.

We updated the vendor search area to now be an easy to use directory of wedding vendors. With all the categories listed out, all brides need to do it click on who you are looking for and it will take you to their listing. For vendors, simply click on “submit a listing” to add your information to the site for free. You can also choose to be the first listing in your submitted category by upgrading to a paid listing for a small monthly fee.

Thank you all for following The Art of Weddings blog. We appreciate you for taking a moment out of your day and spending it with us!

Foodie Friday: Five Ways To Cut Wedding Food Costs

On February 8, 2013 / cakes and desserts, food and drink, General tip, Portland Wedding Vendors, wedding cakes and desserts / Leave a comment

Wedding food and drink is often one of the biggest if not the biggest section of a wedding budget. In today’s foodie culture, trying to impress your guests with your tasty treats can really put a dent in the pocketbook: but it does not have to! Today, let’s g over some simple ways that can help you cut costs on the wedding food and drink, but still have a high-class affair. I am not going to recommend Kraft Mac and Cheese out of the box; I promise!

Five Ways to Cut Wedding Food Costs

Go back to your roots. A big wedding trend is to serve food that represents you and your grooms’ culture or heritage. Why not use family recipes? Empenadas make great d’ourves! Falafal, caprese, or hummus are other great choices. See our post on heritage cocktail hours for more ideas. Go even further by including the cooks name and an explanation on the menu! Having family help even with one part of the meal will make a big difference. Mel’s Kitchen Cafe has a great caprese skewer recipe.
Don’t cut the cake. By that, I mean only have a small cake made for the bride and groom, but otherwise replace the traditional cake with another cheaper dessert. Cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream are proving that they can be just as elegant. In Portland, check out Cupcake Jones or Saint Cupcake. this one is the Pearl cupcake by Cupcake Jones.
Do cut the cheese. I have never hear anyone say, “This has too much cheese.” Well, not including the vegan population. Cheese is often overlooked as a crowd pleasing cocktail hour. When people get to the reception, almost anything will do, and cheese is never something to skimp on. If you aren’t having a fully catered wedding, consider a trip to Costco or Whole Foods to find great cheeses and plate them yourselves. The most important part is to make sure you find elegant platters. Beg and borrow for great serving dishes if need be!
Make the rehearsal dinner fun and casual. Take a break from all of the hype by hosting a relaxing rehearsal dinner. Think about serving pizza and beer, Chinese take out, or even burgers and fries. Sometimes this is just as good if not better than a super elegant rehearsal dinner. It will also give the bride a chance to relax before the hustle and bustle of the wedding day. Burger photo by Daniel Zemans.
Have a personalized cocktail menu! Not only is this unique and fun, but it can help keep costs to a minimum. Serving a selection of only 1-2 beers and wines will keep costs down. The best way to keep drink costs down and still offer guests an alcoholic beverage is to design a specialty cocktail or punch. Does the groom love whiskey? Try your own take on a Manhattan. If the drinks can be made ahead and finished on site, you can save quite a bit of money. See our Foodie Friday post about wedding punch for more details and ideas. The key to any great cocktail, always use fresh ingredients!

How did you save on wedding food and drink costs without sacrificing style? Share your ideas with other brides by commenting below!

LifeCycle Adventures: Localized Wedding Honeymoon Idea

On January 19, 2013 / Find A Vendor, Portland Wedding Vendors / Leave a comment

Are you and your groom the outdoorsy types? Do you love long bike rides on the weekends? LifeCycle Adventures could be a honeymoon suited to your tastes! With over 10% of Portland commuters traveling by bicycle, there is bound to be some Portland brides out there into the idea of planning a cycling honeymoon. You can read more about LifeCycle Adventures in other publications like National Geographic Adventure, Esquire, Wanderlust, Men’s Journal, Delta Sky Magazine, Bike Magic, and The Sunday Times.You can keep it local in Oregon, or they also offer vacations in California, Hawaii, and Maine. A cycling honeymoon doesn’t have to be roughing it either. LifeCycle offers tons of options from small inns to staying the night in five-star hotels and resorts.

LifeCycle Adventures offers a variety of options, like a choice between a self guided tour, a private group or scheduled groups where anyone can sign up.

Other Great Options From LifeCycle Adventures

Towns for overnight stops tailored to your tastes and how much you want to ride each day (for private and self guided tours)
Your luggage is transported between lodgings for you
There is van support with a mechanic in case you need it
Breakfast is always included, and lunch and dinner vary for different options
Other activities are available, like ziplining, wine tasting, spa treatments, balloon flights, golf, rafting, and more
They rent bikes, or you can bring your own

Views Found On LifeCycle Adventures Trips

California

Oregon

Hawaii

You can find a lot of information on the LifeCycle Adventure website, so check it out. Would you consider riding your way through your honeymoon? We want to know!

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