Guests from as far away as New York and Illinois gathered Saturday evening for the wedding of Alice and Kevin. Both the ceremony and reception were hosted at the Double Tree by Hilton Portland hotel. Glittery gold accented the color pallet of ivory, peach and black which was carried out in gowns, bouquets, decor and a sparkling candy station. The ceremony featured a glass sand unity ritual – the blended sand to be used by the groom to craft a signature piece of art. After the ceremony, guests were invited to enjoy an open bar and hors d’oeuvres buffet which included mouth watering treats such as crab cakes and corn fritters. A lavish dinner buffet followed featuring Northwest salads, stuffed pasta, chicken, roast pork and a prime rib carving station. Entertainment included a photo booth and DJ tunes. In addition to the build-your-own candy box, each guest selected a succulent to take home (complete with “how to care for” instructions) courtesy of the family succulent farm. After a honeymoon in Cancun, the newlyweds return to Portland where Alice works in retail management and Kevin is a glass artist. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Murray! May your marriage be blessed with light and laughter.
Category: Brides
Married at MoNA – An Artful Choice
Imagine a private wedding ceremony held at a modern yet intimate and inviting art museum. Afterwards, you and your guests enjoy local wine and cuisine amidst the ambiance of contemporary art by Northwest masters. Introducing, MoNA, a small town treasure with big city pizazz. The Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA, provides a perfect venue for a classy wedding that’s easy on the budget as well as the eye. You can rent the entire facility (including rare underground parking) for a fraction of what urban museums charge. Special bonus features: The spiral staircase makes for easy photo styling, you can choose your own caterer, guests have access to the wonderful museum store and best of all – your rental fee helps support the nonprofit’s free admission and educational programs. Lots of lodging options in town from small B&B’s to waterfront rustic to a historic hotel on main street. All within walking distance. Good to know: The museum is open 7 days a week until 5 pm so rental is available for evenings only.
It’s All About The Blend
Marriage is all about blending. Ideals, perspectives, personalities, lifestyles … leaning into each other and complimenting each other’s unique attributes. And speaking of blending, I’ve always loved the idea of using special tea blends as wedding favors. It’s easy to create an attractive gift package to place at each setting or display in a “take one home” basket. Caution: Be sure to gift a tea that’s trusted and not from an import warehouse. Lover’s Leap, from Portland favorite, Smith Tea, is a perfect choice. Fragrant rose petals in black Ceylon accented with chamomile and citrus. You get 15 sachets per box individually sealed in a large (4″ x 2.5″), decorative foil lined wrapper. Want to take your wedding tea to the next level? Read my post about having Smith do your packaging and/or custom blend your wedding day tea. Here’s to happy blends everywhere!
Beach Wedding Bliss
Despite misty, grey skies, Saturday’s wedding in Oceanside, OR was all smiles and happy hearts. Greta and Neil exchanged vows in front of friends and family with ocean waves providing a stunning backdrop. The bride’s father walked her down the sandy aisle accompanied by live string music. The couple’s son, Oliver – age 8, was the dutiful ring bearer and their daughter, Ruby – age 4, the princess flower girl. The ceremony featured a unity salt ritual and a gratitude rose exchange for the moms. Guests and family traveling from as far as MN enjoyed oceanfront lodging and, following the ceremony, dinner at a local cafe. The newlyweds spent a relaxing weekend at the coast before returning to their home in SW Portland. Congratulations, Greta and Neil! May your marriage be filled with waves of heartfelt laughter and flavored with sweet memories of your joyful wedding celebration.
Sweet Success for DYI Wedding
From the invites to the centerpieces; from the gold painted signage to the 7 dozen chocolate chip, lemon and coconut biscotti she baked for guest favors; this bride’s attention to detail was a wonder to behold. The groom agreed citing her “magic touch” that made it all happen. And what fun for everyone! Nona and Jeromie chose McMenamins Edgefield Estate for their destination wedding held yesterday in Portland. Family and friends from HI, WI, TX and GA were on hand to enjoy the weekend celebration, many of them staying on site. The garden setting was perfect for the ‘Northwest country meets tropical isle’ theme. The palette carried out in straw fans; shades of peach, pink and coral for the bridesmaids and floral bouquets; and the men in tan linen suits. Vintage Hawaiian postcards were placed in a fishing basket after guests wrote their well wishes. Bubble guns and mini-bubbles for the guests added smiles to the ceremony as did the tree planting ritual. Guitarist and DJ, Michael Blake (a local favorite), provided the music for the event. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and brews in the courtyard (along with a cigar bar) followed by a lavish buffet dinner featuring barbequed chicken and coffee barbequed brisket. Reception highlights included a serenade of At Last by the bride’s cousin and the newlyweds showing off their dance moves (those classes really do work). The couple will honeymoon in Maui before returning to their new home in Seattle where Nona starts nursing school in the fall and Jeromie is a surveyor for the State of Washington (squeezing in flying lessons when possible). Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Hunter. May the sweetness of your wedding day remain in your hearts forever. Mahalo!
Wedding Rings in the New Year
Angela and Ryan planned on this New Year’s Eve being their most joyful one so far – and it was! The evening wedding ceremony was held at the McMenamin’s Old Church & Pub in Wilsonville which set a romantic yet fun atmosphere for the festivities. The color pallet of cobalt blue, purple and charcoal was showcased in bridal party attire as well as the decor. Satin rose bouquets were adorned with blue and white bling. Lighthearted touches included a trivia enhanced program and a take home s’mores kit for favors. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed happy hour followed by an elaborate appetizer buffet. The newlyweds, who met while working at Intel, are enjoying a tropical honeymoon before returning to their home in Beaverton. Congratulations & Happy New Year, Mr. & Mrs. Royce! May your marriage be sweetened by the memory of all the laughter shared on your wedding day.
Final 5 Star Review for 2015
“We got lucky when we found Jane Green! It was an honor to have her officiate our ceremony. She is experienced, knowledgeable, calm, comforting, and an all around wonderful person. She is exactly the person you want by your side during this special time. Each of our guests said how great the ceremony was thanks to Jane, such a warm and pleasant person. She is an absolute joy to be around and has a lovely voice.” Thank you, Megan. The honor was mine and you were both a delight! Click here to see Megan & Alex’s elegant wedding in downtown PDX.
LA Glitz Meets Historic Romance
He hails from England, she’s a native Oregonian. They met eleven years ago in sunny San Diego and have been together ever since. Last Saturday, after months in the making, Megan had the wedding of her dreams. The LA couple enjoyed posh accommodations at The Nines, as did Alex’s family who flew in from London for the event. The candlelight ceremony was held at the Historic Old Church and featured acclaimed cellist Hamilton Cheifetz. The groom had requested selections from Master and Commander and the bride walked down the aisle to Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. Following the ceremony, guests strolled down the street to the Portland Art Museum for a glamorous cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. The newlyweds hope to honeymoon in Italy in the near future. For now, after the celebratory weekend with friends and family in PDX, they returned to their home in Los Angeles where they run iFace, a digital mirror company. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Grange. May the sunny skies that brought you together continue to brighten your hearts and your new adventures as husband and wife.
Relaxed Elegance at Garden Wedding
Yesterday’s wedding was the perfect blend of elements for sweethearts Danny and Shannon. Held at a private home in the Irvington area of Portland, the celebration combined a lush garden with lawn games, DIY flowers with jeweled dresses and catered cuisine with s’mores by the fire pit. A dining room table at Restoration Hardware brought the couple together (she was buying, he was selling) so it was fitting that they include a salt ritual during the ceremony. The blended salt will be used in their cooking as a reminder of the zest of their wedding day. The bride’s three sisters, two-year old niece and newborn nephew were in attendance as vows were exchanged under the backyard trellis. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and beverages on the patio. The chefs from Art de Cuisine worked their magic in the kitchen creating a lavish dinner that included cedar planked salmon, tri-tip beef and roasted market veggies. In lieu of wedding cake, the couple served triple blackberry cheesecake with a chocolate crust from Papa Haydn. Yum! After a honeymoon in Belize, the newlyweds return to their Sellwood home and life in PDX where Shannon works in marketing research and Danny is completing his masters in statistics at PSU. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Duncan! May your life be forever flavored with joy and laughter.
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.
A FESTIVE HEART 