Real Weddings « The Art of Weddings. Portland Wedding Vendors & Blog The Art of Weddings. Portland Wedding Vendors & Blog

The Final Countdown!

On May 8, 2012 / cakes and desserts, ceremony, Portland Wedding Vendors, Real Weddings, wedding coordination, wedding decoration / Leave a comment

With our wedding happening in less than five days, we are getting excited. The weather forecast is amazing, clear, sunny and 80 degrees! I’m working on the timeline for the day and will then send this off to my photographer and guests. I feel so blessed to know so many talented wedding vendors in Portland, without them none of this would come together so easily. After being on the back side of weddings for so long as a photographer and event planner for The Art of Weddings is refreshing to get to plan our day!

It has given me the perspective of the bride working with vendors. I can see how quickly as a bride you can feel like you are turning into a crazy person. I have tried my best to not over delegate what I want to them but I think as brides we get nervous that our vision won’t turn out. I totally understand, but I also realized through this to trust these professionals. Tell them as much info about what you are looking to achieve as possible and then let them do their thing! I know it can be hard for a lot of brides but if you hire the right folks you can rest assured. Remember any of the vendors on this blog/site are highly recommended. I have worked with many of them either at an event I was photographing, at The Art of Weddings or for my own wedding day! We don’t write about just anyone on here, only the best in Oregon!

Here is the list of folks I called on to help me pull my vision together. A huge thank you to each of you! Can’t wait to see it all come together! Photos soon!

Photography: Kate Kelly Photography

Flowers: Lisa of Bloomsberry Floral

Jewelry: Annette of Stella & Dot

Veil & alterations: Andrea of August Veils at the Bridal Loft

Make-up & hair: Nicole Wagner of Powder Inc.

Hair cut/color: Many Zelinka at Ginger Salon

Cupcakes: Cupcake Jones

Officiant: Marky of Custom Ceremonies

Ceremony/Reception Site: Hotel Modera & Nel Centro

Real Wedding at Rock Creek Farm

On April 21, 2012 / cakes and desserts, ceremony, dresses, event sites, flowers, food and drink, photography, Portland Wedding Vendors, Real Weddings, wedding cakes and desserts, wedding decoration / Leave a comment

We love color in weddings. With this lovely outdoor event we love the bright, vibrant purple and green bouquet and purple bridesmaids dresses. Find inspiration from the images below taken by Jamie Bosworth Photography. She captures the day with a unique style, photographing emotions and the details of your day. The vendors that made this event possible are listed below. Enjoy the images and and have a great weekend.

Photography: Jamie Bosworth/ Food, wine, tables, linens: Vibrant Table/ Bridal Gown: David’s Bridal / Tuxedoes: Men’s Wearhouse / Music: Portland Productions / Location: Private residence in Newberg, OR / Flowers: Rock Creek Farm

Lan Su Chinese Garden Wedding in Portland, Oregon

On March 21, 2012 / cakes and desserts, ceremony, event sites, flowers, photography, Portland Wedding Vendors, Real Weddings, reception, wedding decoration / Leave a comment

Today’s real wedding post is about Sarah and Robert’s lovely wedding at the Lan Su Gardens or Chinese Gardens in downtown Portland, Oregon. We love the gardens for their tranquility, beauty and historic architecture. It is such a beautiful location for your wedding day as you will see below in the photographs taken by Kate Kelly Photography. Enjoy!

Wedding Colors

Red, Orange and gold; the colors of a Chinese lantern.

Favorite Details.

The Wish Tree was not only a spectacular work of art (created by Lacy Lowry of Form & Flora), but now we have so many thoughtful messages to incorporate into a book alongside the awesome photos of our guests. The act of tying wishes onto a branch is an ancient custom found in many cultures. It felt more engaging than a guest book and throughout the evening you could actually see the well wishes gaining in number.

The wedding favors were different finishing salts from around the world. They come in really sweet vintage looking glass bottles and are very useful for any level of cook. We included a quote from the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life, “Salt – so that life will always have flavor.”

Robert had his suit custom made by local designer Adam Arnold. It seemed only fair that he be pampered as much as the bride!

What was the highlight of your day?

We spent a lot of time with our officiants creating our wedding ceremony. Right before we said our vows they asked everyone present to support our marriage by saying “we do.” The joyful cry washed over us and it was the first time it registered just how many wonderful people had come from near and far to celebrate with us. The father-of-the-bride dancing with Pink Martini front man Thomas Lauderdale was also a classic moment.

Advice for other brides.

Traditions are a fantastic thing, but don’t do anything that doesn’t have meaning for you, your groom or a loved one. Scouring books for hours and hours looking for quotes about love will never be as fulfilling as asking your family and friends what comes to mind when they think of you as a couple or what has held meaning for their married lives.

On a practical note; hire a wedding coordinator and decide to trust them. My Wedding coordinator, Hillary Regan, is the reason I had a great time at my wedding…which meant Robert could relax and all the smiles were genuine. Wear your wedding shoes and a dress with a similar hem line to you rehearsal. Even if they get a little scuffed, you’ll feel so much more confident.

Ceremony & Reception Location: Lan Su Chinese Gardens / Catering: Food In Boom / Flowers: Form & Flora / Photography: Kate Kelly Photography / DJ: Portland Productions / Bridesmaids Dresses: The English Department / Groom’s Suit: Adam Arnold / Brides dress Priscilla of Boston

Vista Hills Vineyard Wedding by Kate Kelly Photography

On March 14, 2012 / Beauty, cakes and desserts, ceremony, entertainment, event sites, Featured Wedding, flowers, photography, Portland Wedding Vendors, Real Weddings, reception, the groom, wedding cakes and desserts / Leave a comment

Thanks to Kate Kelly Photography for sending over this lovely wedding from Vista Hills Vineyard. Alex and Janina both looked stunning on their big day and you can see in the photos how much fun they had with their family and friends. Below is advice and info about their day from the couple. Enjoy the images!

How they met: In 2004 at the University of Puget Sound

The engagement: One Friday evening we had plans to go to happy hour with Alex’s parents. When Alex came to pick me up, he told me his parents weren’t able to meet us. Slightly annoyed that I’d left work early, Alex took me to the Rhododendron garden where he had to drop something off for work. It had begun to rain and I was not dressed appropriately to be walking around a park. Eventually Alex sat down on a bench, and confused, I asked him what he was doing. He asked me to sit down, and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Shocked, I of course said yes. He had also brought champagne and glasses. On the way home from the park, Alex told me we had an hour to pack an overnight bag. When we got to my house, Alex had more champagne as well as stargazer lilies. We quickly packed bags when a towncar arrived to take us to The Nines. Alex had reserved a beautiful suite overlooking Pioneer Square. After settling in, we went to dinner at Urban Farmer. After dinner, feeling slightly tipsy, Alex lead me into a room off the main lobby at The Nines where his two brothers, their wives and about 10 of our friends were waiting to surprise us. It was an amazing evening, and Alex truly thought of everything.

Favorite thing about him: I love Alex’s smile, his eyes and his kind heart.

Favorite thing about her: Alex loves Janina’s integrity, and her intensity about their relationship.

Wedding Colors: Green and Pink Wedding Flowers: White roses

Favorite Details: Honestly, everything turned out perfectly. The weather was amazing, the food was wonderful, and the colors we chose worked out wonderfully with the venue. I loved our bridesmaids dress and the way the pink and green looked with the navy. I also really liked our favors, personalized match boxes and sparklers.

What was the highlight of your day: Seeing each other for the first time and being surrounded by and celebrating with the people that mean the most to us in the world.

Honeymoon Location: Kaanapali, Maui.

Advice for other brides: Everyone says it, but the day goes by incredibly fast. Take the time to slow down and take it all in. Try and stay relaxed, the more relaxed you are, the more you’ll enjoy it.