The only thing better than having sweet people in your life is having the honor of officiating their wedding. My friend, Amy, exchanged vows with longtime boyfriend, Jared, at Council Crest Park today. The simple and sweet ceremony took place in the shade of an old growth cedar in front of family members (including the couple’s dog, Bonsai). Amy’s Mom, Nancy, surprised her and flew in from Kentucky last night to be on hand for the celebration. The groom’s family drove up from Eugene and brought the champagne to toast the newlyweds. The last wedding of the summer couldn’t have been more special. And it was a perfect example of simplistic and heartfelt vs. elaborate and chaotic. At the end of the day, what matters most is the love. Congratulations, Amy and Jared! May the sweetness of today be in your hearts forever.
Category: Green Weddings
Council Crest Wedding
Five majestic mountains provided the backdrop as Jeff and Jaimee exchanged vows yesterday afternoon. Sunny skies afforded distant views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainer, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Jefferson. The wedding was held at historic Council Crest Park, said to be the highest elevation point in Portland. Jaimee’s 6-yr old daughter, Isabella, was all smiles as she escorted her Mom down the rose petal aisle. Jeff’s buddies wore their Timber fan scarves and both the bride and groom referenced their devotion to the team in their vows. A picnic in the park followed the ceremony. After a honeymoon in California, the couple will return to their Tigard home. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson! May you continue to view each other as “infinimates” and create a lasting marriage of joy.
Wedding Thunder on Mt. Hood
Storm clouds gathered and thunder rolled during yesterday’s ceremony on the grounds of the Mt. Hood Bed & Breakfast in Parkdale. Talk about electric energy. It was a race against the rain which held off until just moments after pronouncing Eric and Arianna husband and wife. Guests who had traveled from PA, CA, NJ, SD and even Australia, retreated to the banquet barn for a joyful celebration featuring live music and Lebanese cuisine. After a honeymoon on the Amalfi coast, the newlyweds return to their home in Southeast PDX and their careers in nursing and mental health. And they’ll plant the hemlock tree used for their unity ritual during the ceremony. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. DiIlio. May your hearts forever hold the love you so beautifully reflected on your wedding day.
Wedding on a Rooftop
Parasols, hand fans and iced lemonade greeted guests as they stepped onto the rooftop terrace for Saturday’s wedding. Kim and Patrick chose the historic Pearl District Ecotrust building as the site for their evening celebration and a decor of turquoise, yellow and peach. The ceremony featured rose petals tossed with panache by two of the groomsmen and an aisle walk by “ring bearer” Samson, the couple’s two-year old Corgi. Guests flew in from Wisconsin, Texas and California for the big day and loved the uniqueness of the venue. Not to mention the delicious menu prepared by sustainable catering masters, Artemis, which included crab cake appetizers, wild caught salmon and white gulf prawn skewers. As a special thank you, guests were gifted with a bottle of Limoncello Liqueur homemade by the bride’s family. After a tropical honeymoon, the newlyweds return to their jobs and home in SW PDX. Congratulations, Kim and Patrick … may you always find a way to make sweet stories out of any lemons that life rolls your way.
Pearls for the Lustrous Bride
The Pin of the Week is Pearl. Even though June (the customary month for this gem) is almost gone, adding a pearl or two to your wedding is perfectly right for every season. Pearls represent true feminine wisdom … a marriage of Water and Moon energy. The oldest known gem on record, the pearl has been revered for ages as a symbol of purity and is still prized for its luminous beauty and value. Find more wedding inspirations from A Festive Heart Pinterest boards.
Urban Wedding with Country Comfort
Looking for a venue that combines urban convenience with rural charm? Scholls Valley Lodge offers the perfect blend of city mouse and country mouse. You’ll feel like you’re on the Ponderosa – just minutes away from Beaverton. I’m a huge fan of venues that encourage brides to DIY and Scholls Valley offers plenty of options to do it your way. Book the entire venue for a weekend, rent it for a day or a night, set up an outdoor reception for 300 or hold an intimate ceremony indoors. You can use the spacious kitchen to cook brunch, plan a potluck buffet, bring in your own caterer OR do a combination of all three. You have the run of the place. Dishes, linens and tables are yours to use. Rent more if needed. The lodge sleeps up to 22 in six beautifully appointed guest rooms including a handicap accessible lower level suite but you can also bring sleeping bags or air mattresses to accommodate your party. Situated on 55 private acres in wine country, you’ll have sweeping views of the valley and lovely landscaped grounds for photo ops and strolling. Did I mention the pool? The roll-up glass doors? The man-cave with pool table? There’s even a piano. Scholls Valley provides the perfect place to save dollars, get family and friends involved and create the wedding of your dreams. Contact me to plan your ceremony.
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
Vintage Love
Whether you are choosing your wedding gown, bridesmaid dresses or a wow outfit for the honeymoon, vintage is always in style. Fun, eco friendly and kind to the budget, vintage dresses offer plenty of eye and purse appeal. And sizing is usually generous which doesn’t hurt either. Shop your local resale and consignment stores for vintage finds or look online for some great deals. Etsy has a vintage category showcasing items from jewelry to gowns. Another favorite is Light in the box which offers vintage inspired dresses at bargain prices.
If you want to kick it up a notch, check out Rent the runway. Select your size, fabric color and the date of your event and shop from hundreds of celebrity designer fashions. I love that you can view the gowns from all angles AND they ship a backup size just in case. You have to provide your email address to get on the site but it’s worth it just to see the possibilities. A recent offering, for example, a Roaring 20’s blush silk gown by Narciso Rodriguez which retails for $2300 but rents for $300. Note: Sizes tend to be limited to smaller gals. LOTS of great jewelry and accessory options. Getting ready for the big day? How you say “I DO” does matter. Contact Jane Green for your perfect ceremony.
Recycle Wedding Deals
Find some great buys for your wedding day at Ruffled blog’s Recycle Your Wedding page. 
Deals like this Wtoo Vesper gown for $250 obo are posted by brides and stylists from across the country. You contact them directly and pay via PayPal. Browse thru the photo gallery for everything from dresses to decor items. 15 categories and hundreds of items. Love that Ruffled has a user friendly, no charge listing process making it easier to sell your stuff after the big day. They provide the vehicle and you get the money. Talk about a win-win!
Big day coming up? Contact Jane Green, Licensed Officiant, for customized and creative ceremony ideas.
A FESTIVE HEART 