Exciting news! A Festive Heart has won the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2014! The award recognizes the top 5% of wedding professionals nationwide. Thanks to all my brides and everyone who had a part in making this happen.
Category: Wedding Vendors
Connecting Brides to a Mission
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.
Bling is IN for Brides
According to Portland area seamstress, Krysti Emerson, 2014 brides will be showing a lot of bling. In addition, lace will be making a resurgence in popularity. Krysti specializes in wedding gown alterations and design and has seen the trends come and go over the years. One thing that never goes out of style is making each bride feel special. Custom orders, adding a corset back, putting in a sweetheart neckline … whatever it takes to create the perfect look. Kristi’s motto would seem to be “Anything is doable.” And I love how she takes the mystery out of alterations by including a detailed price list on her website, Behind The Seams. NOTE: Kristi is also committed to causes. Find her newest bling sashes (shown here) at Adorned in Grace, the nonprofit bridal shop promoting prevention and awareness of human trafficking.
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.
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.
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.
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 