Tag: receptions

bridal fashion, Bridal Gowns, Brides, ceremonies, Couples, Downtown Portland Wedding, Event Venue, Flowers, portland brides, wedding ceremonies, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Reception, weddings

Best Day Ever for Jessica and Doug

Jane Green

Jessica and DougSeven year sweethearts, Jessica and Doug, exchanged vows yesterday at the West End Theater in downtown PDX. The bride walked down the aisle to Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years and the newlyweds marched out to One Republic’s Good Life.  Navy, tangerine and ivory were the colors of the day. Bridesmaids wore variations of gowns in navy satin and the groomsmen looked sharp in charcoal gray suits, dark blue shirts and navy ties. Following the candlelight ceremony, guests were invited to the upstairs ballroom for cocktail hour and dinner. Special touches for the reception included a large framed seating chart hung on the brick wall outside the ballroom and custom labeled wine bottles indicating table numbers.

After a honeymoon in the Dominican Republic next week, the couple returns to their Portland home on Hayden Island. Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Smedley! May the spirit of your “Best Day Ever” remain in your hearts forever.

Bridal Gowns, Brides, Event Venue, Flowers, Food, Green Weddings, Music, Wedding Cakes

Here Comes the Bride – 13k of them!

Jane Green

bridesThere 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
Event Venue, Events, weddings

A Garden Wedding

Jane Green

The lush Leach Botanical Gardens in SE PDX proved a magical setting for the Boudreaux wedding yesterday. A teacher at the Art Institute of Portland, the bride wanted the day to “be beautiful” – and it was. Even the rain couldn’t dampen the glow. Using birds and greenery, Cynthia did a perfect job of bringing nature indoors. Delicious Greek cuisine, acoustic guitar and even gift bags for the kids (a great idea to keep them entertained) … a fun and from-the-heart event for all. Congratulations, Cynthia and Ted!