A Festive Heart is proud to partner with Adorned in Grace and their new Grace Note$ program. Every bride that makes a wedding purchase at the shop receives a Grace Note$ card with exclusive discounts from select wedding vendors. There are 16 categories offering a wide range of services from beauty products to venues. Best of all, Grace Note$ supports the efforts to promote prevention and raise awareness of human trafficking in Portland and beyond. Did you know that human sex trafficking is the largest growing organized crime on the planet? And it’s happening in our neighborhoods. Adorned in Grace provides a simple yet powerful way to help the cause. The store is staffed and managed by volunteers. The lease is provided for by Fred Meyer. All the gowns are donated. (And we’re talking exquisite designs, sizes 2 to 22, starting at $100). All donations are accepted with gratitude and what can’t be sold goes to their Design Studio where at-risk teens are taught valuable repurposing skills. Gowns worn with love … donated with love … supporting a mission of love. Make it your first place to shop and make a difference! Click here for store information.
Category: Flowers
Weddings on the Water Showcase
Come experience a wedding on the water. Actually, make that FOUR weddings. During the floating bridal showcase being held on November 9th you can tour the Portland Spirit, the Willamette Star, the Sternwheeler and the Crystal Dolphin to see all the possibilities. Each boat will feature a different themed wedding reception complete with bride and groom, flowers, caterers, decor and more. I’ll be aboard the Portland Spirit representing Adorned in Grace, the nonprofit bridal shop that is dressing all four brides for the event. Hope to see you there! Click here for details and registration.
Sunflower Wedding in Camas
Sunflowers, smiles and sunny skies made for a perfect wedding yesterday at the Fairgate Inn in Camas, WA. Tessa and Jordan exchanged vows in a ceremony that included a walk down the yellow rose petal aisle by Tessa’s dog, Josette, and an Indian Wedding Vessel unity ritual. Guests enjoyed lavish appetizers and dinner amidst the sunflower bouquets and navy blue accents. Tessa and Jordan met on a roller coaster in Oaks Park five years ago and the groom proposed at a castle in Germany last year. After a honeymoon in Oahu, Jordan heads to Georgia for Army boot camp and Tessa will join him later this fall. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Potter! May all your travels be safe ones and your married life be filled with joy.
Here Comes the Bride – 13k of them!
There were 13,960 weddings in the PDX metro area in 2012.* That’s a wow of vows! Since June is the official kick-off of wedding season, I thought I’d share a few numbers on what is being spent on nuptials. You don’t need to see the charts to guess the number one expense: food. There’s no shortage of ways to spend the bucks for reception menus. Based on the average size reception of 140 guests; simple, appetizers only average about $4k with full dinners going upwards of $10k. Tack on the bar, the cake and the rehearsal dinner and you can see how the dollars add up. After how it tastes, brides care about how it looks. Diamonds truly do appear to be a girl’s best friend. No. 2: the engagement ring (wedding band is extra). Average starting price was $3k with higher end bling going for upwards of $9k. Reception venue came in at No. 3 with a price tag average of $2500 up to $6k depending on location and package. The wedding dress and photographer round out the top five expenses.
So, is anything going DOWN in spending? Well, music for one. Only 25% of couples now choose to use a live band resulting in a savings of between $1500 to $3k. DJ’s provide favorite tunes starting at less than half of that. And it’s not in the report, but I know more brides are on the DIY track opting to be creative with invites, favors and decor. My take on all of this? I’ve yet to hear a bride say “I wish we had spent more money on our wedding.” And how many times does this come up in conversation? “That basil chicken rice pilaf at Jan’s wedding was the best I’ve ever had!” Enjoy your day but spend wisely. It doesn’t take a bank roll to create magic. Speaking of curbing expenses, watch here for announcement on NEW package deals for savvy brides.
*Source for numbers: Proprietary Surveys; The Wedding Report Inc.2013
Top Tips for Florist Picks
April showers bring May flowers and florists all over the country are getting ready to stock up their coolers as wedding season gets underway. If you’re shopping for a florist, here are three top tips to help make the process easier: 1) Bring a budget. Nothing frustrates a florist more than a bride who wants a $1500 centerpiece but can only spend $300. 2) Bring photos of what you have in mind. Florists have albums of their work but you’ll save time if you come prepared with color and combinations that illustrate your style. 3) Bring an open mind. Be prepared to flex a little or a lot with flower choices. That Lily of the Valley bouquet you want may be cost prohibitive or unavailable. Let the florist make suggestions and trust their expertise when it comes to knowing what works. Click here to see preferred Portland area florists.
A FESTIVE HEART 