Black, white and peridot were the colors chosen to create the sophisticated fun of yesterday’s wedding at the Oregon Golf Club in West Linn. The ceremony was held in the scenic rose garden under sunny skies. Romantic violins provided the program music as Natalie and Jonah became husband and wife. As a symbol of unity, the newlyweds placed their vows in a keepsake box and locked it with a key. Both the key and the box will have a place of honor in their home. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed drinks on the veranda before dining on grilled salmon, beef sirloin, asparagus and wedges of butter leaf lettuce dressed with gorgonzola and bacon. A cold seafood bar featured crab legs, jumbo shrimp and oysters on the half shell. A highlight of the reception menu was the elaborate sweets table that included handmade truffles, fruit tarts and white chocolate skeleton keys. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Nelson. May life hold nothing but beautiful vistas for you both!
Category: Wedding Ceremony
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.
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.
Summer Evening Wedding
Traffic jams, road work and car fires were no match for the loving hearts patiently waiting for guests to arrive. The delayed start time only served to make the wedding ceremony that much dearer as family and friends witnessed Tony and Brittney exchange vows. The summer evening celebration was held yesterday at the Fairgate Inn in Camas, WA. Purple, black and white were the colors selected for decor, fabrics and favors. The dinner menu included favorites like salmon roulade and roast pork. Tony, you win the award for calmest groom ever and Brittney, you get the prize for most tears of joy shed during the ceremony. Congratulations to you both and sincere wishes for a joyful life together. You’re off to a great start!
Sweet Vineyard Wedding
Sunny skies and lush landscape added to a perfect wedding yesterday for Hana and KC. The Camas couple exchanged vows and hosted their reception in Aurora, OR at the Aurora Colony Vineyards. Guests kept cool with straw hand fans as temperatures climbed into the 80’s. Stephanie and the staff of Petalos made sure that everything went smoothly from start to finish. Congratulations, Hana and KC. May your married life be filled with laughter and loving moments as sweet as your hearts!
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.
Ceremony Labyrinth
The Pin of the Week is a creative seating arrangement for your ceremony. This labyrinth style layout holds significance in the tradition of finding your answer as you walk the path AND allows the bride to walk past every guest. A lovely way to include everyone in a personal way. Works for both large and small weddings. Check it out and find other inspirations on my Pinterest boards.
Contact me for information on officiating your ceremony.
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.
On Bended Knee
Popping the question tomorrow? You’re not alone. An estimated 4 Million people are expected to get engaged on Valentine’s Day. That’s a lot of bended knees! I’ve heard some great proposal stories from my couples over the years … everything from a windy, crowded ask at the Eiffel Tower to dinner for two with the ring served for dessert. I expect the bride to relish in the details but it’s surprising how many grooms can give exact descriptions of time, place and pre-proposal planning. And even though there are a lot of inventive ways to do it, what seems to ring the most bells is the old fashioned, down-on-one-knee, “Will you marry me?” approach. Good to know. DID YOU GET A YES? Next comes the “I DO” and how you say it does matter. Contact me to create your perfect ceremony.
A FESTIVE HEART 