by kailey | Apr 13, 2021 | Wedding
Between the towering mountain backdrop and the traditional Hindu influences, this breathtaking Smith Rock State Park Oregon micro wedding stole our hearts. Nandita and Ryan are anything but traditional and they wanted a day that celebrated their uniqueness and love for Bend, Oregon.
With the help of planner Bridal Bliss, the couple brought to life their dream elopement ceremony that preserved some elements of their originally envisioned day. Trading their large traditional ceremony for a mountaintop micro wedding with only seven guests—Nandita and Ryan took full advantage of the endless wedding planning possibilities that come with a smaller wedding. Summer Robbins Flowers, dressed the already breathtaking Smith Rock State Park ceremony space with bright colored floral arrangements that compliment the muted mountain backdrop—a perfect way to incorporate traditional Hindu elements.
From beginning to end, this culture infused micro wedding was full of cherished moments that celebrated these audacious explorers. We are thankful photographer, Victoria Carlson Photography, was able to capture every intentional detail that made Nandita and Ryan’s day oh-so-special. Get your Pinterest boards ready—this wedding is full of dreamy and adventurous wedding day inspo.
The Couple:
Nandita and Ryan
The Wedding:
Smith Rock State Park, Bend, Oregon
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Destination Wedding Experience Close To Home
If it’s possible to have a crush on a city, ours is Bend. We’ve had so many fun outdoor adventures there, and we knew we wanted to get married with those mountains in the backdrop. Bend’s high desert terrain is dramatic and colorful, and the natural landscape is so beautiful that it doesn’t need a lot of accessorizing. We originally planned a big, decorative Indian wedding for 175 guests at Brasada Ranch, a resort outside of Bend with sweeping views of the mountains. When COVID hit, we downsized to the tiniest version of the day we could imagine, with only 5 guests. Since we weren’t restricted by size, we decided to have an elopement-style ceremony at Smith Rock State Park, one of our favorite places to rock climb. We wanted to preserve some elements of our originally envisioned day, so we kept the dinner reception we had planned at Brasada Ranch.
Advice For Planning A Pandemic-Friendly Micro Wedding
If you’re planning a pandemic-friendly micro wedding, there are definitely some perks! Having a small wedding is lower-stress to plan and gives you more time on your wedding day to meaningfully connect with the people who are there. We were able to do some things we otherwise couldn’t have, like having our ceremony at a state park or going big on florals and fancy wine, since costs were cut in so many other places. It also meant we didn’t have to stick to a rigid schedule on the day-of. I’ll admit that nothing can make up for not having friends and family by your side, but there are some silver linings to having an intimate wedding. And there are definitely opportunities to make your day special and different.
Involving Family And Friends In This Oregon Micro Wedding
Several of our friends who couldn’t be with us sprinkled our day with surprises. My good friend Sarah, who was supposed to give a toast at our wedding, wrote her toast in a letter and gave the sealed envelope to Ryan, unbeknownst to me. At our cocktail hour, he performed a dramatic reading of Sarah’s toast, and I was literally cackling.
If you are feeling inspired to trade in your large traditional wedding, for a micro wedding or elopement, you’re not alone. Nandita and Ryan’s adventurous mountain top micro wedding was nothing short of magical. Photographer, Victoria Carlson Photography, did an incredible job highlighting the traditional Hindu elements of this Bend, Oregon wedding.
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by olivia | Apr 12, 2021 | Wedding
Timeless, by definition, is never out of style, and this personal Portland wedding was absolutely no exception—from the bold fashion to the smallest details. Since we brought up fashion, we have to talk about the groom’s custom emerald green suit for a second. The velvety finish is so timeless and classy that it belongs on a red carpet.
Carefully complimenting the suit, Alle’s lace bridal gown and her bridal denim jacket are available on our Pinterest board. The fashion in this incredibly elegant wedding was enhanced by the intimate gathering shared with their families and friends. With a few surprises up their sleeves, this couple brought tears of joy to their guests’ faces.
Get ready to see gorgeous floral arrangements, strung lights, and picturesque table decor. Scroll down for photos captured by Karra Leigh Photo and definitely grab the tissues.
The Couple:
Alle and Scott
The Wedding:
The Evergreen, Portland, Oregon
Why The Evergreen Venue?
We toured probably 20 venues and knew immediately when we walked into Blockhouse and The Evergreen that they were exactly what we were looking for. Both intimate settings that are very ‘Portland’ but still gave us flexibility to create the atmosphere we were seeking for both events.
Creating A Timeless Wedding
The most important thing to us when planning our wedding was creating an intimate and timeless wedding that was truly us with the help of our day-of planning team. As an Interior Designer and lover of all things branded, I had very specific ideas about how our rehearsal, ceremony, and reception all tied together with the classic, curated, modern, unique and timeless vibe we were going for. Cohesion and details make or break it in my opinion and working with Mae + Co. Creative gave us a huge sense of ease because we knew that they would implement our plans with utter perfection. Manda and her team are all about the details too and working with them was a dream!
Memories Made in Portland
Hands down when I surprised Scott just after our first look—when we were doing wedding party photos—with his dream motorcycle. My twin brother, who was in the wedding party, snuck away and drove up with it. No one knew what was going on other than our videographer and photographer who captured all the moments leading up to it—he was in total shock! Additionally, we wrote personal vows to one another that we shared during our first look. We wanted to have a deep connection just between the two of us before the ceremony started. It was magical and probably the most memorable single moment other than our engagement.
Wedding Advice From The Bride
As someone who is exceptionally detail-oriented and organized, I would say that it is really important to take care of all the most important planning aspects first. Getting the big things checked off helps the rest of the process be streamlined and calm. Create a wedding folder and save all wedding-related materials in one place to easily reference back to. Sub-folders are always a good idea too!
Let’s Take A Snack Break
Crown Paella was incredible! We had a huge variety of appetizers that were served during cocktail hour at Loyal Legion before the Reception. For dinner, there were three different paella’s and a variety of other yummy foods, but dessert was what I was most excited about. We had Hungry Hero make a spectacular dessert bar full of all different bars, cookies, pie pops, cupcakes, etc. We wanted our own cake for the two of us that Dream Cakes PDX created and it was hands down the best cake we have ever had. Later in the evening, when the dancing and photo booth opened up, we served 1927 s’mores and Ruby Jewel Ice cream sandwiches for late night snacks!
Congratulations again to Alle and Scott on your personal Portland wedding. And major shoutout to Karra Leigh Phototography for capturing this beautiful day, and sharing it with us. If Portland is on your venue radar, then check out this edgy industrial style wedding and this backyard portland wedding. And if you don’t have a backyard in Portland, Dream Cakes PDX!
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by olivia | Mar 8, 2021 | Wedding
Between the canoeing races, the gorgeous Oregon landscape, and the contagious smiles, we couldn’t get enough of Carly and Joe’s Bridal Veil Lakes wedding. The couple really turned their classic wedding into the ultimate party for their friends and added some fun personal touches. We can tell that this couple—along with their guests—had the best time, and we wish we could’ve been there to celebrate.
Every little detail of this ceremony was picturesque. With the help of wedding planner Donna Cole from Pearl and Roses, the couple took their Bridal Veil Lakes venue and made it a gorgeous vision of royal blue, green, and pink. Take a look at all the fun Aaron Courter captured, and get ready to be inspired for your own lakeside wedding!
The Couple
Carly and Joe
The Wedding
Bridal Veil Lakes in Corbett, Oregon
Tons of Fun for Everyone
Going into wedding planning, we both wanted the day to be fun over everything. We live across the country from most of our friends and family so we wanted everyone to come together for a joyful party, not just a wedding. When we had to make decisions about things like booze, food, and music, we remembered that we were planning a party. It gave the day a lighthearted feeling that made it even more enjoyable.
Canoe Races At This Bridal Veil Lake Wedding
Our venue has a set of canoes that they keep on the lake for guest use. We commandeered a canoe and had such a great time paddling around with our friends. We had canoe races, got some amazing photographs, and it was nice to get some time alone on the lake. I heard our DJ playing the Titanic theme while we were paddling around, which got some big laughs.
How They Chose Food For the Soul
Our wedding day menu was a collaborative effort between our amazing caterers and our families. Since most of our guests were coming in from out of town, we wanted to give them a literal taste of the Pacific Northwest. We also wanted the menu to reference our respective cultures where it could. What resulted was a nice, eclectic mix of seasonal, regional food, with personal touches, like chicken adobo appetizers and the german potato salad side dish. The cedar plank grilled salmon that was grilled on-site was a smash hit, especially for our guests who had never had PNW salmon. We were also very proud of our dessert table. We both love sweets and we asked for a variety of pies, cupcakes, and cheesecakes; the display that we had was everything we could ever want. It was a personal touch that our guests loved.
Wedding Advice From The Bride
Don’t get bogged down in details. There is so much pressure to have the perfect wedding and as a bride, there are so many decisions to make from table settings, to decorations. I spent so much time agonizing over details that weren’t important on the day. For example, I spent hours mulling over which toasting glasses we would use at our head table. When I finally picked out the perfect set, we didn’t even end up using them because I completely forgot to give them to our wedding planner. I didn’t even notice until we got home and I saw them still in the box!
Congratulations to Carly and Joe for tying the knot in the most fun way possible. Big thank you to Aaron Courter for capturing this day and for sharing this special day with us! If you loved this lakeside wedding, check out this couples’ lake wedding in Canada and this couples’ Lake Tahoe wedding to get inspired!
The post Classic and Fun Bridal Veil Lakes Wedding in Oregon appeared first on .
by riley | Feb 15, 2021 | Wedding
After years of exploring Oregon together, Kelsi and John knew that Bridal Veil Lakes was the perfect place to host their special day. The couple, who described the wedding vision as “moody and romantic,” hired planner Kayla Hoppins to transform the lakeside venue into one full of mid-century modern furniture, elegant white florals from By Kay Studio, and an opulent oyster bar.
Despite the rain that took everyone by surprise, the couple celebrated their “I do’s” in the heart of the forest, thanks to their standout vendors–including their planner and DJ Rev Shines, who kept the party going and guests dancing. After the rain moved the party under a tent, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a catered meal from Larch Provisions and a cake—inspired by Kelsi’s parents’ wedding cake—by Papa Haydn. There’s nothing we love more than subtle nods to the people that matter most to the couple on their special day.
From the heartfelt getting ready moments with the bride’s mother to wedding party portraits in the woods to detail shots of the most elegant ceremony, photographer Jordan Voth captured the day beautifully.
The Couple:
Kelsi and John
The Wedding:
Bridal Veil Lakes, Bridal Veil, Oregon
Why An Oregon Wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes
John’s grandparents and extended family live in Portland, so we started visiting Oregon at the beginning of our relationship. As we explored the state, it quickly became a special place for us–wine country, a funky city, beautiful mountains, and a gorgeous coastline. We wanted to share the magic of the PNW with our family and friends.
Shop similar bridesmaid dresses: Lulu’s Heavenly Hues Maxi Dress ($84); Show Me Your Mumu Tuscany Maxi Slip Dress ($188); BHLDN Cali Satin Midi Dress ($168); BHLDN Caron V-Neck Crepe Dress ($148)
Wedding Advice From The Bride
It’s easy to get wrapped up in planning and feel like you are putting on a performance. Don’t forget that your wedding day is only about you and your partner and your commitment to each other. The rest is just a party.
A Rainy Wedding Day Surprise
Our wedding day surprise was rain! Although the PNW is known for rain, early August held about a 3% chance of rain due to the dry season. The locals that attended were equally shocked. Nonetheless, the rain came right before dinner, and our vendors, especially our planner Kayla, moved mountains for us. Fully set dinner tables were moved to shelter while our DJ and bartending team had everyone dancing under a tent. Although it felt chaotic at first, the rain made our wedding more intimate, exciting, and fun. The many rounds of champagne before dinner certainly helped pack the dance floor later!
Congratulations again to Kelsi and John on their wildly romantic wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes. We’re so thankful that Jordan Voth was there to capture their special day. If you love their floral arrangements, check out these 27 over the top wedding floral installations!
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by olivia | Feb 2, 2021 | Wedding
When it comes to Old Hollywood, who wouldn’t want to travel back to that era? Sandra and Cooper’s wedding did just that—in their very own backyard! They included many vintage details while adding touches of modern flair. With the help of their wedding planner Bridal Bliss, they took their black and white on-screen vision and made it yellow, orange, red, and blue.
We can’t get over the giant crescent moon peeking through their photos while the bride stole the show in her flapper-style dress. Cooper also surprised Sandra by singing at their reception—we didn’t see it in person but the glamour of this surprise serenade gives chills in the best way. While we could go on about this glam wedding, we’ll let Junebug Member Dylan Howell’s photos do the talking.
The Couple:
Sandra and Cooper
The Wedding:
Portland, Oregon
An Old Hollywood Glam Portland Backyard Wedding
We were married where we live. It felt special to share it with our closest friends and family.
Two Unforgettable Moments
My most memorable part was getting ready with my ladies and walking down the aisle. Cooper’s was when I surprised him with a song.
Wedding Advice From the Bride
Trust your planner, hire good vendors, and try to enjoy every moment!
Congratulations again to Sandra and Cooper for tying the knot and for sharing this wonderful moment with us. Special thanks to Bridal Bliss for sharing this Portland backyard wedding with us. If you loved this couple’s venue choices, check out this post on how to plan a backyard wedding!
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