Family members with roots in three continents celebrated the marriage of Sonja and Javid yesterday at the beautiful World Forestry Center in Portland, OR. The groom’s father was born in Iran and the bride’s father was born in France. The mother of the bride hails from Connecticut and Javid’s mom was born in Louisiana. Alumni friends and family made up the fourteen member bridal party which featured the girls in hunter green chiffon with pink rose bouquets. The guys wore elegant black tuxes with champagne ties and vests. Gifted pianist, Andrew Ross, enhanced the ceremony with heartfelt music. Afterward, guests enjoyed happy hour on the patio followed by a lavish buffet dinner served by Dalton’s NW Catering. The newlyweds will spend the weekend in Portland before returning to their home in Renton, WA. They plan to honeymoon in Iceland next year. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Yamin! May the joyful energy of your wedding day fill your hearts forever.
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Wedded Bliss in Cathedral Park
Towering Gothic arches of the St. Johns Bridge provided a dramatic backdrop for Saturday’s wedding at Cathedral Park. Sweethearts, Rachael and John, said their vows beneath the iconic bridge as family and guests shared the sweeping view. The bridal party arrived in style and kept cool in the limo bus as temperatures reached to the mid-80’s. Gray and ivory were the predominant wedding colors and the gorgeous flowers (hand crafted by the girls) included soft shades of ivory, gray, pink and green. For their tree planting unity ritual, the couple chose a gingko tree – the oldest tree on the planet – representing endurance, adaptability and harmony. A reception was held at the North Star Ballroom. After the weekend celebration, the newlyweds returned to their Seattle home (the groom proposed on the giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57) and plan to honeymoon in South America next year. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Prieto! May the memory of your wedding day sweeten your love for a lifetime.
Rustic Wedding at Historic State Park
Perfect weather and acres of old growth trees awaited guests at yesterday’s wedding celebration for Emily and David. Held in the Pavilion at Historic Champoeg Park, the ceremony blended old and new traditions under the huppah including a Jewish circling, the seven blessings and breaking of the glass. The unity sand ritual featured a mason jar belonging to the groom’s grandmother. Following the ceremony, family and friends feasted on a buffet of homemade vegetarian specialties including three kinds of lasagna baked by the bride. The newlyweds will relax for two nights in a cozy park cabin before returning to their home in SE PDX. The groom works for UPS and the bride is completing her degree in psychology. They are planning a destination honeymoon in the fall. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Quinton … mazel tov!
Wedding Outshines the Rain at Reserve Vineyards
Rain delayed the start but not the smiles at yesterday’s wedding for longtime sweethearts, Ashley and Ryan. Vows were exchanged in front of friends and four generations of family in the Pavilion at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, OR. The couple included a sand ritual in the celebration and presented gratitude roses to their moms and grandmas. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing and the always popular sweets table. The newlyweds will honeymoon in Maui before returning back to work and their home in Beaverton. Ryan is in the field of microbiology and Ashley is an admin assistant at Nike. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Osborne. May the sun always shine in your hearts!
3 Continents Unite at Joyful PDX Wedding
Family members literally gathered from far and wide to celebrate the big day for Tony and Maria. The wedding was held yesterday at the luxurious Sentinel Hotel in downtown PDX. Tony’s African roots were well represented by loved ones who crossed the ocean for the big event including his Mom who lives in England and his Grandmother who traveled from Zimbabwe. Born in So. CA, Maria was happy to have her Grandmother attend from Los Angeles; as well as local family members and friends. The spirit of harmony was felt throughout the ceremony and reception … so much joy filled the room it was palpable. And you gotta love it when guests dance before, during and after dinner. That’s my kind of party. The newlyweds will honeymoon in Cancun before returning to PDX where the bride is an esthetician and the groom is a software engineer for Nike. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Tonderai Nemarundwe. May the love and harmony that graced your wedding day remain with you always!
Celtic Wedding at Bell Tower Chapel
It wasn’t just the Irish eyes that were smiling on Saturday. Everyone was glowing as Laura and Don exchanged wedding vows at the historic Bell Tower Chapel in Boring, OR. The bride’s mother lovingly adorned both the sanctuary and the reception area with touches of the Emerald Isle including shamrocks, a Celtic cross and a tapestry which she gifted to the newlyweds. The ceremony included the Braided Cord ritual and heartfelt Irish blessings. The husband and wife duo known as Innisfree provided joyful Celtic music for both the ceremony and the reception. As a special surprise, the groom (whose kilt was custom designed for the wedding) serenaded his new bride with Bonnie Irish Girl to kick off the reception. The couple who reside in Tacoma where they work with autistic children, left for a 4-day honeymoon on the slopes in Jackson Hole, WY. They hope to make a trip to Ireland later this year. Congratulations, Laura and Don! May the love in your hearts continue to shine and your blessings be many.
Wedding Venue Deal
Book your 2015 wedding by April 1st at the Historic Old Church in downtown PDX and get a 25% discount! The venue blends urban convenience with Victorian charm. Brides get a private dressing parlor, full use of the lower level kitchen, reception hall and, of course, the beautiful church featuring stained glass windows and famous pipe organ dating from 1883. View a real wedding. Get details on deal.
Color Fun for Bridesmaids Dresses
If you haven’t discovered it yet, here’s a fun and easy way to pick your gown colors. Try the customizing tool provided online by several design houses that lets you take a peek at both style and color. Choose from hundreds of gowns in both long and short designs and then pick your color by scrolling over the color chart (more than 60 shades on Alfred Angelo). Have fun! Click here for Alfred Angelo. Here for Watters.
Something Borrowed, Something Scuba Blue
Pantone’s lineup of colors for Spring/Summer 2015 is pretty much the same shades from 2011 with new titles. Lavender is now Lavender Herb; Honeysuckle is Strawberry Ice; Silver Cloud has become Glacier Grey … and so on. The new “En Plein” theme suggests weddings will be leaning towards the minimalist look with simple styles in soft fabrics and tranquil hues.
There will still be plenty of color bursts showing up in shoes, sashes and bridesmaids dresses. Always popular for a touch of pizazz, for example, turquoise is included in the updated palette but the color’s new moniker is Scuba Blue. For more color and style inspiration, visit me on Pinterest.
Winner Couples Choice Award 2015
The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals throughout the United States, Canada and abroad that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Awards are determined by a combination of excellence in four factors: overall rating (quality), total number of reviews (quantity), review performance from 2014 (recency), and consistency of reviews from year to year (consistency). THANKS to all my lovely couples who made this happen. And here’s to all those on the road ahead. It’s a joy!
A FESTIVE HEART 