Family and guests from Indiana, New York and North Carolina gathered at Sellwood Park on Saturday to celebrate the long awaited wedding of Nick and Courtney. Sweethearts for ten years, the couple’s green wedding included Hawaiian leis, a tree planting ritual and a shower of lavender buds. The temperature was in the 90’s so everyone appreciated the canopy of fir and oak trees. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a happy hour picnic in the park. A reception followed at the SMILE Station before family returned to their Airbnb lodgings. The week was a double celebration for the bride who just graduated from the Oregon School of Oriental Medicine. She’ll be taking a well deserved break before prepping for her boards and opening her practice as a licensed Acupuncturist. Congratulations, Courtney! Best wishes to you both for a lifetime of love and laughter.
Author: Jane Green
Creating the perfect space for all stages of life wherever that may be. Humor and gratitude go a long way in making the best of every situation.
The Worst Thing In Life – You’ll Be Missed Robin Williams
This is beautifully expressed by fellow blogger, Lesley Carter. And as I often remind couples; our choices create our lives for better or worse. Choose to be in the company of those who lift your spirits. Choose to greet each day as a new beginning. Choose to ask for help. Choose to accept it.
Wedding Greeting of the Week
Inside sentiment: “Wishing you a happy marriage even longer than that.”
The card is from Hallmark. Made in the U.S.A. using 20% recycled fiber. Fun Fact: Next year marks a special 100 Year Anniversary for this iconic company. In 1915, the Hallmark brothers bought a printing press and started producing their own greeting cards. Today they have over 11k full time and 20k part time employees. Still family owned and operated out of Kansas City, MO; I’ve visited their headquarters and it’s an impressive blend of history and modern day innovation.
Real Life Love Stories
Did you meet the love of your life at a cafe? In an airport? How about a subway stop? I so enjoy hearing couples share how they met, what drew them to each other, where the proposal took place … the endearing quirks and little bumps that create tales of love from real life. Some of the accounts are borderline heroic, some surprising and others are just plain sweet. It’s important to tell our love stories. The more the world spins in woe, the more these stories sparkle and shine and warm our hearts. They are little jewels that remind us again and again that love truly is all we need. Here’s a story of modern love from Sunday’s New York Times that, I promise, will make you smile from head to toe. (Any tale that begins with “I met him on a bus” gets my vote.) Enjoy this little love story. Got a story to tell? Share it here.
Putting on the Rit … Repurpose Fun
Take a look at what a box of Rit Dye can do. These bridal gowns and trains went from tired white to costume pizzazz thanks to the creative efforts of volunteers from the Adorned In Grace bridal shop. Beads, lace, sequins, satin and taffeta each react to dye differently so it’s always interesting to see the final reveal.
Use your imagination and repurpose that old prom, bridesmaid or cocktail dress. Tulle petticoats and slinky lingerie work well, too. Halloween is right around the corner … a perfect time to grab your Rit of choice and color your world with fun. For tips on dyeing fabric and more, visit The Rit Studio.
Send me your result pics and I’ll post here.
Something Blue
Over forty years ago, I attended the wedding of my friend’s older sister. I’ll never forget the gasps when Marget walked down the aisle. Her custom gown was BLUE! The whispers flew around the church. What does blue mean? She must not be a virgin. What was she thinking? To me it was the most surprisingly gorgeous dress I had ever seen and I secretly envied her sophisticated glamor.
Blue, in all its shades, has long been a choice for bridesmaids dresses. And I am happy to see bridal gowns of color becoming more fashionable in the last few years. Blush and pink continue to be frontrunners but 2015 promises some new hues for the bride. Meanwhile, take a peek at the two Tiffany blue inspired gowns from the Nicole 2015 collection. Here’s to you, blue!
5 Star Review From Newlyweds
New 5 Star Wedding Review just in. Thanks, Jessica and Nathan!: “Jane is a wonderful officiant and we would definitely recommend her to others! She is kind, professional, knowledgeable, sincere, and spiritual. We were looking for someone who accepted both my husband and my different spiritual backgrounds and Jane was a great fit because she is accepting of all beliefs systems. She had great ideas and suggested several unity ritual ceremony options that were unique and we chose a tree planting ceremony that fit our personalities and venue making it a very personal and special ceremony. In addition, she offers life coaching classes as an option which was something we were looking for. She really helped us gain valuable insight about each other and our relationship. We were also able to get to know Jane better through those classes and it made having her officiate our ceremony feel that much more special. Jane we can’t thank you enough for filling such an important role at our wedding and excelling at it!” Click here to see review and read others on Wedding Wire.
Sunny Wedding for High School Sweeties
Best friends for almost 15 years, Kris and Nicole exchanged vows this morning in the lovely Abigail’s Garden at the Abernethy Center in SE PDX. Yellow roses, clear skies and smiles from friends and family made for a sunny start for their big day. Nicole’s parents (in town from Gearhart) walked her down the aisle and readings were given by both the Mother of the Bride and the Mother of the Groom. The couple created a keepsake box for their unity ritual complete with love letters, champagne and a beloved Yankee’s baseball. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a delicious brunch, photo booth fun and dancing under the big top. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Saalfeld. All your efforts and planning came shining through and resulted in a wonderful celebration for all. Wishing you much joy in the years ahead. 
A Grand Garden Wedding
Everything about yesterday’s wedding at The Oregon Garden was heartfelt fun! Almost 200 guests watched as the bride descended the grand staircase and strolled down the grassy green aisle to her beaming groom. Other than a few sprinkles, the rain graciously subsided for the ceremony which included a rose presentation to both sets of moms and grandmothers; and a tree planting unity ritual. Dinner and dancing followed in the Grand Hall which was decked out in shades of blue and a thousand twinkle lights. Lawn games were provided by the groom’s dad who crafted wooden bean toss sets in green and yellow (bride and groom are both U of O grads). Sets were also gifted to the groomsmen in their team colors. The newlyweds are planning a honeymoon to the tropics in the Fall and meanwhile are enjoying being new homeowners in Tualatin. First on the “to do” list: plant their ceremony pine tree. Congratulations, Jessica and Nathan! May the smiles from your wedding day warm your hearts and bless your home for years and years.
Intimate Wedding by the Sea
Sunny skies and balmy ocean breezes provided the perfect backdrop for Saturday’s Solstice wedding at The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach. The bride was barefoot and beaming as were her attendants: daughters Elena and Sophia and best friend, Nadine (who flew in from Chicago for the weekend). Two unexpected guests arrived just before the ceremony began – a pair of seagulls who perched on the rooftop of the Inn and remained until the vows had been exchanged. Champagne and chocolate mousse cake awaited guests in the library following the seashore nuptials. (An extra treat was provided when the groom and best man brought out their guitars for a family sing along.) Next on the agenda: a gourmet dinner in the Stephanie Inn Dining Room featuring wild caught Oregon salmon and Alaskan halibut. The festive day was crowned by a bonfire on the beach complete with guitar music, a blanket of stars and s’mores. A delicious brunch on Sunday allowed for more laughter and hugs before checkout time. The newlyweds will host a reception in Portland and honeymoon in Peru before returning to their home in Phoenix. Congratulations, Dianna and Peter. May the light and joy of your wedding day remain in your hearts always!
A FESTIVE HEART 