OneBloom Photography Blog Portland, Oregon Wedding Photography and Portrait Photographer

THE PROPOSAL:

At the top of Multnomah Falls on May 29^th last year.

We were actually supposed to go to the falls on Memorial Day. I knew Jason had the ring (we picked it out together) and I’d been begging him to just give it to me at every opportunity (such as while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the couch in our pajamas). But he insisted that it had to be a special occasion. When after weeks of work and laziness he asked if we wanted to go to the falls (where I had never been before) I got so excited I didn’t sleep a wink. So instead of going to the falls and getting engaged that day, I slept most of the morning and afternoon. When I woke up I was so afraid that I’d ruined my chance and I was going to have to wait even longer, but we went to the falls the next day.

It was sunny and beautiful, and the hike to the top was arduous and painful. When we finally rounded the last switch back and saw the falls and the cool shaded pools I was so exhausted I forgot about getting my ring and just took my shoes off and waded into the water. Jason followed me anxiously, and I didn’t realize until later that I was making it very difficult for him to propose. Finally I stopped and sat on a rock and the next thing I knew he was down on both knees holding up my ring. Luckily, enough oxygen had returned to my brain by that point that I didn’t tumble us both into the water in excitement.

VISION FOR THE DAY:

I wasn’t the kind of girl who dreamt about her wedding day. The only vision I’d ever had was of getting married barefoot on a beach in Hawaii. But Jason was pretty sure he wanted a big wedding, so that’s where our journey took us. I knew I wanted a princess dress. We were pretty sure it wouldn’t be in a church, though it would be a religious ceremony. Jason was determined to have delicious cake. We didn’t have a big picture, and when people asked us what our theme was we both came across flustered, but all the little details added up to a beautiful day.

THE PLANNING PROCESS:

Erin: I’m a planner and an organizer and a bit of a control freak, so Jason stepped back and let me take the lead on most of the planning. But of course I asked his opinion at every turn, and desperately begged him to look at my pictures of my wedding dress so I could be sure I had made the right choice (he never did look, not once). I dragged him to Fred Meyer the night after we got engaged and had him buy me about $40 worth of bridal magazines. One of those was the Real Simple Wedding guide, which contained a checklist and timeline for planning your wedding. That is what got me through everything. The timeline spaced out all the big decisions, so that we stepped from one to the other. We worked together on picking the cake, the music, even writing our vows.

I went through numerous nightmares as we passed through the different planning stages. First I dreamt that my dress was red (thank you Dad) and that our minister came dressed in Buddhist robes. Then I dreamt that it was three days before the wedding and we hadn’t ordered a cake. Then the bridesmaids were wearing Bavarian maiden outfits. Then the wedding was outside and it was raining. Then it was ten minutes before pictures and I hadn’t put my makeup on. Jason was the last one to have a bad dream about the wedding, but we can’t remember what it was now.

THE VENUE:

The Fairgate was the second venue that we visited, but it was the one place that made the best impression. Stacey was so excited to meet us, and showed us pretty much every inch of the building and grounds on our first visit. She talked about the vision for our wedding at the Fairgate and was upfront about the cost. I already had my dress picked out, and I knew that the Fairgate’s grandeur was a perfect match.

BRIDE’S DRESS:

It was actually the first dress I tried on. Well, technically. The first dress I tried on was in a tiny bridal/prom shop in The Dalles. One of my bridesmaids (Tara) and I went out to The Dalles in June for a book festival at the local indie bookstore there, and right across the street was the dress shop. It had only been two weeks since the engagement and I was itching to try on dresses. So we went in. Suffice it to say: it was awful. As we were driving back to Portland Tara called Charlotte’s Weddings and got me an appointment for that afternoon, so I could have a better wedding dress experience.

When we got to Charlotte’s we grabbed armloads of dresses and trooped into the spacious dressing room. I absolutely loved the first dress, but knew that I shouldn’t make a decision that quickly. So Raimi, my consultant, gleefully helped me try on 20+ dresses. But I kept coming back to the first one.

BRIDE’S SHOES:

My dad actually picked out my shoes. I don’t wear high heels, so I was struggling to find a good shoe to go with my dress. I was home visiting one weekend and watched Mirror Mirror with my family. As we were watching the ballroom scene I said, “I wish I could have shoes like that.” The main character was wearing these beautiful old-style white boots. Two days after I got home my dad sent me a link on Facebook to a pair of white lace Victorian boots. I ordered them without even trying them on; they fit perfectly and were actually very comfortable.

JEWELLERY/ACCESSORIES:

There’s a great story about the pearl necklace I wore. When I was nine my family went to Majorca for vacation, and while we were there my dad bought my mom and me pearl necklaces. I remember wanting to wear mine so badly, but my parents told me that it was for my wedding. Eleven years go by and I never see nor hear anything about the necklace. So as I’m driving with my bridesmaids to go buy my wedding dress I’m telling them this story. Then I have a horrible sudden realization: what if this was all some story I made up in my head? (I made-up a lot of stories when I was a kid.) A little horrified, I asked my mom about the mysterious pearl necklace. But she gave me good news: the necklace was real, and they really were saving it for my wedding day.

The earrings were an Etsy find. I ordered them, got confirmation from the seller that they were on their way, and then waited. Weeks passed. Finally I checked the tracking information and saw that my earrings were coming all the way from Israel and they were stuck in customs in New York! Luckily a few days later they cleared customs and arrived safe. I actually took my pearl necklace with me to the post office when I went to pick up the earrings. I tried them on together in the car, looking to see how they matched in my rear-view mirror. They weren’t exactly the same color, but as the jeweler had told me via email: “When you put your neck between the necklace and the earrings, they will look as though they were made to go together.” And they did.

The pearl barrettes I wore in my hair were also from Etsy. I found them on a vintage shop, so they are one of a kind.

My veil came from Hobby Lobby in WA. My mom added the purple crystal embellishments, and the simplicity of it was perfect with everything else.

HAIR & MAKEUP:

One of Jason’s good friends, Anne Michel, regularly cuts our hair. So it was an easy choice to ask her to do my hair for the wedding. The style came from ideas on Pinterest, and was actually a combination of two completely different photos. Anne did a wonderful job of blending the front swoop with the back coil bun.

I did my own makeup. The only new things I bought for the day was waterproof mascara and lipstick. I would personally have picked a darker color, but I remember Jason telling me a few months into our relationship that he really liked the color of my lips, so I went with something that didn’t change them at all.

GROOMS ATTIRE:

The tux we chose for Jason actually came from our cake topper. I’d seen (again on Pinterest) a silhouette cake topper of a girl in a big frilly princess dress with a Victorian gentleman in top hat and tails bowing to her. After that I wanted Jason to wear tails. But when we looked at the traditional tuxes with tails they looked, as Jason put it, “like conductor’s outfits.” So we compromised: Jason wore a cutaway jacket and wing tip shoes. I got my tails and he got to look more like James Bond than our high school band teachers.

WEDDING FAVOURS:

I feel like this wedding is the story of Pinterest and Etsy. The favours we gave to our wedding party came from Etsy. The girls received bronze pendant necklaces, each with a different pendant to match the girl. For the boys we got customized cuff links. We also got our mom’s necklaces, and matching cufflinks for our dads. The final personal favor I got was for my dad: I ordered a custom embroidered handkerchief for him, which said: “Dad, you may be giving me away today, but I will always be your little girl,” along with my name and the date.

The favours we gave away to our guests were a team effort between my mom and me. She made 100 little bags (sewed them all herself) and stuffed them with bubbles and candy (my brother helped with the stuffing). Then I designed bookmarks (credit for the idea to neighbor Lani O’Connor) that were covered in quotes from mine and Jason’s favorite books (and comic books), overset with our names, the date, and a line from our wedding song.

THE FLOWERS:

My favorite flowers have always been daffodils. When we decided on an April date I knew that daffodils were exactly what I wanted. It was only after I picked the flowers that I discovered that my paternal grandparents (who’s anniversary is April 7th) also had daffodils and irises.

Big plus: our florist was also our event coordinator at the Fairgate. Stacey is truly amazing.

THE CAKE:

I really loved the idea of cupcakes; it’s great because you can easily have different flavors, but it still looks pretty like a cake. We picked JaCiva’s because we’ve both been to several wedding that served their cakes, and they are absolutely delicious.

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY:

I’ve been dabbling in graphic design since I was in high school, and right away I had ideas that I knew would be easier to do myself. Our Save the Date cards (library book slips printed with our information) came from an idea I saw on Pinterest. I ordered the library book slips from Etsy (the first of many Etsy purchases for the wedding), then carefully measured and designed the text myself. We stamped each card with an old-style date stamp, like they use in libraries. And of course we tucked one of our beautiful engagement photos in too.

The wedding invitations came from my love of letterpress printing. I took a class on book arts in college and fell in love with setting my own type to make postcards and posters. Now of course I don’t have my own letterpress, so I used some sample invitations I found to create my own letterpress style design. Then we went to a local print shop near Portland State campus to get them printed.

FOOD & DRINK:

Honestly this was the part of the wedding we thought about the least. We sat down with Stacey at the Fairgate about three weeks before the wedding to decide on our menu. We knew we were doing a cash bar, so we wouldn’t get to pick what drinks were being served (if we had our way it would have been Spire Dark and Dry Cider for everyone), but when Stacey told us the Fairgate offers Ninkasi IPA, Widmer Heff, and Coors Light it was pretty much perfect. Something for everyone. Oh, and wine too.

We picked the menu from a list without having tried anything ourselves. But from online reviews and Stacey’s own mouth-watering descriptions, we were confident the food would be good. It was amazing.

THE HONEYMOON:

Jason was the one who first said Italy. I’ve been to Italy a lot of times since my family lived in Europe when I was a kid (my dad was in the Air Force), but it’s one of my favorite places. At first it didn’t seem like we would actually get to go, because, well, traveling to Europe is expensive and Jason and I were both still finishing graduate school. But then Jason’s parents gave us the best surprise: they put away $5000 for us to have the perfect honeymoon. So the trip was on. It was easy to settle on visiting more than one city—Venice, Florence, and Rome—as we would be there 10 days.

The whole trip was wonderful (except for the 24 hours after we got back when my luggage was missing, taken by another passenger by mistake—but I got it back safe and sound). My favorite part was the second morning we spent in Venice. We were still a little off with the time switch, so we got up at 6 AM and walked around the city before any of the tourists (or the locals) were up. We had pastries and cappuccinos in a little café (the only thing open) and took pictures of the back canals as the sun rose.

A MEMORABLE MOMENT:

Jumping up and down and singing along to “All the Small Things” by Blink 182. Jason was right, it was the perfect song for our wedding.

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES:

In the end it’s your day, not anyone else’s.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

OneBloom Photography: www.OneBloom.com

The Fairgate Inn http://www.fairgateinn.com/

Charlotte’s Weddings http://www.charlottesweddings.com/

Stacey’s Flowers http://staceysflowers.vpweb.com/

JaCiva’s http://jacivas.com/

Big Screen Presentations, Mike Moore http://www.bigscreenpresentations.com/

My Little Bride (Earrings) http://www.etsy.com/shop/mylittlebride

Aqsa (Bridesmaids pendants) http://www.etsy.com/shop/Aqsa

Hellogoodbyeagain (Groomsmen cufflinks) http://www.etsy.com/shop/hellogoodbyeagain

The School Locker (Library Cards for Save the Dates) http://www.etsy.com/shop/schoollocker

Indulgevintage (Pearl barrettes) http://www.etsy.com/shop/indulgevintage

Joy of Giving (Father of the Bride handkerchief) http://www.etsy.com/shop/JoyofGiving

Shane Company (Erin’s ring) http://www.shaneco.com/

Jared Galleria (Jason’s ring) http://www.jared.com/en/jaredstore

THE PROPOSAL: Brian proposed to Brandie on Valentine’s Day 2012. After a Moroccan dinner date, he raced to beat her home to prepare for the surprise of her lifetime. Led by foam hearts that had different reasons why he loved her, this trail led to her bedroom where she was greeted by balloons and flowers all over her bed. Underneath it all was her engagement ring!!

WHERE WAS IT? Brandie’s Home

VISION FOR THE DAY: Spring Fever (Bright colors representing spring and spring bloom).

THE PLANNING PROCESS: Brandie was on-line for a significant amount of hours finding deals from the bridesmaids jewelry, centerpieces, wedding favors, invitations, reception dress, bridesmaids gifts, and thank you gifts. Once all items were purchased. Brandie and Brian worked with Mike Piper from “An Affair to Remember” to bring the vision to light! Due to his leadership and collaboration, the wedding and reception was so beautiful and amazing!!

THE VENUE: The Elysian Ballroom (http://elysianballroom.com)

BRIDE’S DRESS: Bride had a-line dress with purple accent from Eden Collection. Bride bought dress through Rosewood Bridal (www.rosewoodbridal.com)

BRIDE’S SHOES: Peek-a-boo glitter shoes from “Pink”, also bought from Rosewood Bridal.

JEWELERY/ACCESSORIES: Bridal jewelry was found on-line at Amazon (www.amazon.com), Etsy (www.etsy.com), rhinestone warehouse (www.rhinestonewarehouse.com),

HAIR & MAKEUP: Make up was done by bride and hair was done by bride’s cousin and hairdresser, Bobbie Loyd who owns her own hair salon in Cave Junction, Oregon.

GROOMS ATTIRE: Brian’s Tuxedo was selected from the Jim’s Formal Wear Catalog and rented through Gala Gowns Downtown Vancouver (http://www.manta.com/c/mmcpftq/gala-gowns)

WEDDING FAVOURS: Stemless Wine Glasses with bride and groom name, logo, and wedding date from Discount Mugs (www.discountmugs.com), and filled with wedding colored pearlized sixlets.

THE FLOWERS: Flowers were provided by Coventry Gardens Vancouver, WA (http://www.coventrygardensflorist.com)

THE CAKE: Cupcakes provided by Schuh Catering (http://www.schuhcatering.com)

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: OneBloom Photography (www.OneBloom.com)

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: Spring daisies (wedding flowers that represented colors of wedding) from (www.zazzle.com)

FOOD & DRINK: Joe Connor (http://www.connorcatering.com/)

THE HONEYMOON: Luxor Resort and Casino, Las Vegas NV (http://www.luxor.com)

A MEMORABLE MOMENT: The bridal party and families of bride and groom being “troopers” in cold weather just to get those memorable wedding photographs near Pioneer Square in downtown Portland.

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Tell yourself that there will be things that may go wrong or that were not planned, but just remember it is how you handle those unexpected changes or mistakes that makes your wedding go “perfect” anyway. Please tell yourself to enjoy the moment, as your wedding is going to come and go and you do not want to regret not enjoying “your day”!!

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

Wedding Coordinator: Mike Piper with An Affair to Remember (http://anaffairtoremember.com/)

MC and DJ: Jerry Becker

Vickie Nabors with Gala Gowns

All of our friends and family who helped with the décor and making our wedding day so special!

Wow. 2012. A year that was so busy with all types of creative photography sessions. Thank you to all our amazing clients. From the bottom of my heart. You make this more than just a job – it is truly a passion. I’ve been looking forward to writing this post. The last month of the year – December was crazy we had three weddings in one weekend!

The 30 Images had several specifications: Happiness, moments, fun, creative, lighting, memories, unique, Not too many from ONE session or event, trying not to exclude anyone (sorry not every session or person is included!). It was literally impossible to include everything. We wanted a balance of things to show. Last year was all weddings – and this year we managed to include engagement and even some personal work. So many events/sessions were amazing and I wanted to add so many!

2012 is the year I focused on client satisfaction and creating a relationship. We did silent auctions, donated to charity and many of you might have noticed us staying a little longer for your wedding or portrait session. Trying to go the extra mile. Satisfaction. Happiness. Delivery. Delivering images that aren’t just ‘ok’. Images from sessions and weddings that are edited, touched up, finished, polished, finalized. I’ve spent more time this year holding a mouse editing than I have holding a camera. Exceeding expectations. I was focused on delivering more than just images that were seen on our blog or Facebook posts. Our clients were receiving images that were all edited and a lot of ‘bonuses’. It takes a lot of time to edit an image, more time than it takes to capture it. But it takes even more time to find a awesome client. Thank you to all our amazing clients. We hope that you will think of us in 2013.

2013 is holds new equipment, new techniques, new creative insight. More locations, more fantastic clients and more motivation. Motivation comes from so many sources, music, videos, photography, art, even being prepared to take on new challenges. This means taking care of everything and being bored so you go out and fight to find a new hill to climb!

I have established a base of clients that trusts me to capture and create images how I believe they should be captured. I found that in 2012 my clients trusted me and let me be creative. This opened so many doors and I’ve never felt so free. Without restriction – everything creative in me just flowed freely.

A first. This year we booked a wedding for May 2013 in San Francisco. This is actually a return wedding client – from Chicago, who we photographed their wedding in Portland, Oregon in 2011. Awesome! For 2013 we are shooting weddings in places we’ve been referred from or places that are showing our images without our knowledge. We are returning to wedding venues and getting referrals from people we’ve never met. The love is getting stronger!

If you’ve read this far – your either a photographer or a client, maybe a potential client, maybe a wedding planner! 2013 is the year we are going to compete. Enter competitions, magazines and bridal shows. With the competition in Portland being so fierce, we have to stand out. We have. We’ve already surpassed our goal for 2013.

Here’s to 2013. We’ll see you at the finish line!

THE PROPOSAL:

Taylor took Marie to their favorite fancy restaurant. He proposed to her in the garden while they were waiting for a table. He spoke from his heart about how he felt, then got down on one knee and asked the most important question she has ever been asked.

WHERE WAS IT?

Benihanna, Beaverton OR, in the garden

VISION FOR THE DAY:

We wanted the day to be romantic and intimate. We invited only the closest friends and family to celebrate our special day. We wanted the ceremony to be short, sweet, and honest with traditional vows.

THE PLANNING PROCESS:

We started planning about a year before the wedding day. We found the venue first at the Portland Bridal show in January. Then we planned everything else based on our vision for the day and the venue.

THE VENUE:

We got married at The Fairgate Inn. We chose The Fairgate Inn because we loved the wedding coordinator Stacey Young. She was honest and helpful from the moment we met her. She made Taylor feel at ease about the whole process, and even helped us work through the size and vision for our special day. Once we saw the venue in person, we knew it was the right place for us. The whole place was decorated so beautifully. The price was within our budget and included the catering, cake cutting service, all the linens and table settings, and all the decorations we wanted!

BRIDE’S DRESS:

A bit untraditional, like the bride, it was ivory color with some red roses, embroidery on the lace at the bottom, and some sparkly beading at the top. I did not know that I was going to have a untraditional dress, but when I put it on I was literally speechless. All I could do was just smile. I tried on a couple more, and then put it back on the instantly started picturing walking down the aisle towards Taylor. Since my dress was untraditional and difficult to describe, I decided to keep it a secret from everyone except the Maid of Honor (my sister), until the day of the wedding. My bridesmaids got to see it next, and Taylor saw it afterwards. Then he and I got to meet with our families before the wedding to hug, kiss, and take a few giant family pictures.

BRIDE’S SHOES:

The most important thing was for me to have some comfortable shoes. I tried on a bunch of different ones, but finally settled on white glittery wedge Tom’s. They were sparkly and comfortable.

JEWELERY/ACCESSORIES:

I had a hard time finding good accessories at first, but when I went for my first fitting I was able to try on a bunch of different accessories with my dress and that helped me chose the best ones.

HAIR & MAKEUP:

I saved some money by having my bridesmaids help me with my hair and makeup.

GROOMS ATTIRE:

We went to the Men’s Warehouse to pick out the tuxes. They were incredibly helpful by giving us options that would work well together for groom, groomsmen, and the father’s.

WEDDING FAVOURS:

We couldn’t find a wedding favor that wasn’t cliché or super expensive so we just didn’t have wedding favours.

THE FLOWERS:

The flowers were down by Stacey’s Flowers. Stacey Young, the wedding coordinator for the Fairgate Inn has her own flower side business. She was a perfect choice since she already knew the venue. She also gave us a great deal for our flowers, and we did not have to worry about the set-up or delivery since she was going to be present at the wedding anyway.

THE CAKE:

Marie went wedding cake testing with her mother. We tried a couple different places, and we settled on Simply Sweets in Vancouver, WA. It was a recommendation from The Fairgate Inn and they were lovely. They had really great tasting cake, cheaper than anyone else. They did a lovely job.

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER:

Aaron Potter did both our engagement photos and our wedding photos. He was able to fit in our engagement session during the busy summer season so that we could have some amazing outdoor pictures. He was able to get all of the pictures I wanted during the actual wedding day, and as luck would have it we were able to take pictures outside at the end of December in the northwest!

INVITATIONS & STATIONARY:

I found some reasonably priced black and white invitations from David’s Bridal. They weren’t super fancy, but they were beautiful and within my budget. They were pre-printed and only took about a week to arrive!

FOOD & DRINK:

The Fairgate Inn was also provided all the food, which was delicious. We left our wedding completely full. They provided snacks for the bridal party as we were getting ready. Then they grabbed us a plate of appetizers which was waiting for us at our table once we were announced as husband and wife. They served each table for us with some amazing comfort food.

THE HONEYMOON:

We were able to have an all-expense paid trip to Disney World for one week, compliments of the grooms family. It was an amazing trip, full of fun, relaxation and memories that will last forever.

A MEMORABLE MOMENT:

Our favorite moment of the wedding was the champagne toasts done by the maid of honor and the best man. Both were heartfelt speeches about special memories, good wishes for the future.

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES:

Get a good wedding consultant, plan early, include other in the planning process (so that you don’t miss anything)

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

Friends and family. It was a perfect day. We had help from our family to make sure everything perfectly and we will cherish the memories we have of everyone being there for our special day.

The proposal: Eric and I have been together a long time. There was always talk of us officially tying the knot. We finally decided to do it and set a date. I gave Eric a hard time for not officially proposing to me. So, at our rehearsal at The Fairgate, he got down on one knee and asked!

Vision for the day: Simple and romantic!

The planning process: We booked our venue about 3 months before our wedding date. So I just tried to keep all the decision making very precise and stress free. The awesome wedding coordinator at the Fairgate, Stacey Young, made my life much easier!

Venue: The beautiful Fairgate Inn in Camas, WA.

Brides dress: purchased from Bridal Exclusives.  It was the Maggie Sottero “destiny” dress.

Brides shoes: Silver sparkley shoes from Nordstrom.

Jewelry: Earrings- Nordstrom. Monogram necklace in rose gold from skinnybling via etsy.com. Hair accessory: Feather from the Hostess House in Vancouver, wa.

Hair and makeup: Face, Body, Beauty. Hair by Imelda and makeup by Michelle.

Grooms attire: Tommy Hilfiger tuxedo purchased from Men’s Wearhouse. Skull and crossbones cufflinks by JJ Weston via amazon.com.

Flowers: Stacey’s flowers. Stacey made a gorgeous arrangement of deep purple calla lillies, deep red roses, thistle and black feathers.

Cake: It was a winter themed cake made of lemon daisy, red velvet and love spell. Simply Sweets by Jen.

Photographer: All our beautiful memories were captured by Aaron Potter with OneBloom Photography.

Videographer: Jerome and Rebecca with Aniko Productions were great!

Invitations: A la Carte paperié by Sylvia via etsy.com.

Food and drink: Our guest enjoyed food and drink catered by the Fairgate Inn.

Honeymoon: We stayed in Leavenworth, WA for 4 nights. The first two nights we stayed in town at the Icicle Inn Resort. And for the last two nights we rode a snow cat up the mountain where we were snowed in at Mountain Home Lodge. We had a blast snowmobiling, snow shoeing and tubing with a breath taking view.

Memorable moments: When our 3 year old daughter Mia came storming in just after the ceremony began, wondering “Who made this mess?” Ranting about the flowers on the aisle. She vented for a minute or so and escorted herself out. Thank goodness!
Also my sister’s maid of honor toast/ rap. Totally surprised me, I had no idea she had this up her sleeve. She told our story so perfectly!

Advice for other couples: Keep it simple. The point of the day is to celebrate your love, not to cause a lot of stress. Enjoy it!

Credit where credit is due:   Aside from all the above people that made our wedding amazing. Our officiant was Roger Moore.
Jay: for working to hard to make our “He/She” signs that I loved.
Gigi:for being my right hand girl every step of the way and writing a killer toast.
Bree Kintner: for being a supportive bridesmaid.
Bre Miller: for chasing the beast we call Mia around!
Kylie Jordan: for painting our beautiful thumbprint tree.
Joanie Boettcher: for making the beautiful charms of our father’s to pin to my bouquet.
All of our friends and family we appreciate and love so much, our  wedding day would not have been the same without all of you there!

THE PROPOSAL: It all happened on Alex and Nikki’s four year dating anniversary. Nikki was kicking out the fire at Rockaway Beach and getting ready to go inside. Alex said her name, she turned around, and he popped the question!

VISION FOR THE DAY: Winter Wonderland.

THE VENUE: The ceremony and reception were held at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

BRIDE’S DRESS: Nikki’s dress was bought at David’s Bridal. She originally saw the dress online and decided to go into the store and try it on. When the attendant brought in the dress, Nikki had them put it back on the rack thinking it looked terrible on the hanger. Luckily, her bridesmaid forced her to try it on and it ended up being the dress!

BRIDE’S SHOES: White pumps from David’s Bridal

JEWELERY/ACCESSORIES: Hair Flower from David’s Bridal

HAIR & MAKEUP: Bridal hair and makeup was done by Alyssa Holt with Vanity Salon in Albany, Oregon

GROOMS ATTIRE: All tuxedos were rented from Men’s Warehouse.

WEDDING FAVORS: Hot chocolate wedding favors made by the bride and bridesmaids.

THE FLOWERS: All bouquets and boutonnieres were designed by Jenny with Green in Bloom.

THE CAKE: The red velvet, chocolate mocha, and white chocolate cake covered in butter cream frosting was designed by Helen Bernhard’s Bakery.

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: Aaron Potter with One Bloom Photography captured every moment of the celebration.

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: All invitations were purchased from Michael’s and designed and printed by the bride and groom.

FOOD & DRINK: Guests enjoyed delicious food catered by the Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

THE HONEYMOON: Alex and Nikki drove to Leavenworth, Washington for their honeymoon. They stayed three nights in the quaint Bavarian Village.

A MEMORABLE MOMENT: The bride won the limbo contest!

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Enjoy the day! It goes by so fast!

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

Officiant: Anthony Behrens

DJ: Encore Mobile DJs (they really made it a party!)

Cake: Helen Bernhard’s

Venue: Columbia Edgewater Country Club

Floral: Green in Bloom

Hair and Makeup: Alyssa Holt

Jeweler: Jacksons Jeweler

Gift Registry: Bed Bath and Beyond and Target

Photographer: OneBloom Photography

THE PROPOSAL: Craig & Carolyn met the Summer of 2009 and shortly thereafter knew that they were made for each other! Craig proposed to Carolyn in November of that same year after a lovely brunch at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. It took them almost 3 years to slow down enough to plan a wedding but finally that day came on September 30, 2012.

WHERE WAS IT? Fairgate Inn, Camas Washington

VISION FOR THE DAY: Let’s have a great party oh and have a wedding!

THE PLANNING PROCESS: Simple, low key, fully utilizing Stacey at the Fairgate Inn to help us find amazing vendors.

THE VENUE: The Fairgate Inn, Camas WA

BRIDE’S DRESS: Bridal Exclusives – Desira, Maggie Sottero in Silver Haze

JEWELLERY/ACCESSORIES: Tejani

HAIR & MAKEUP: Vata Salon, Vancouver, WA

GROOMS ATTIRE: Mr. Formal

WEDDING FAVOURS: Cake and candy

THE FLOWERS: A Floral Affair – Ferns, Hydrangeas, Lavendar, Orchids and whispy, organic composition

THE CAKE: Larson’s Bakery, Vancouver, WA: 3 Layer cake (lemon & poppyseed, chocolate & choc bavarian cream, gold cake with raspberry filling) and two satellite cakes (fresh banana cake & whipped cream, white chocolate frosting and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting)

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: Aaron Potter OneBloom Photography

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: New & Blue, recycled paper invitations

FOOD & DRINK: Great in house catering by the Fairgate Inn Catering. Heavy appetizers that were hearty enough for a meal! Columbia Crest wine selection, Fat Tire Ale & Fentimans Sodas

THE HONEYMOON: Maui – where else would we go!

A MEMORABLE MOMENT: The whole day, having our family & closest friends all together

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Be present and don’t get uptight about all the little stuff. This should be a happy, fun day for you – don’t be bride/groom-zilla!

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: Stacey Young at the Fairgate Inn, amazing – we just love her! She made everything just perfect & made sure that we were taken care as well as our guests!

After the wedding is over – we like to ask the Bride and Groom about their wedding – instead of filling the blog with our own description. Of course, every wedding is beautiful and fun – but beyond that are all the little details that make this interview of the Bride and Groom so unique! – OneBloom Photography

THE PROPOSAL: It all started when he sent me chocolate covered strawberries at work requesting my presence to a sophisticated evening in formal attire. The date was set for June ninth; he rented a tux with tails, I bought a fancy dress. The night came and he surprised me with dinner at the Portland City Grill. Then he took me to a concert to see Mozart’s Requiem at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert hall. I had my suspicions, but wasn’t quite sure if he was going to propose because it was about the time of our one year anniversary. However, I was pretty positive after the concert when despite the chilly weather he insisted we go for a walk by the river. So we went down to the Vancouver waterfront and took a pleasant stroll. Then he started a long speech about how wonderful I was and how happy he was to be with me. As he finished he sat me down at one of the benches we sat at during our first dates, got down on one knee, and popped the question. I of course said yes: after I cried a little! The rest is history.

WHERE WAS IT? We were married in Gresham OR

VISION FOR THE DAY: A little romance, a little whimsical, and a lot Old Hollywood.

THE PLANNING PROCESS: We broke things down into smaller parts. Then figured out what was most important and needed to be planned first. We only had 3 months to plan so we had to move quickly.

THE VENUE: Grace Community Church

BRIDE’S DRESS: Allure from Bridal Exclusives in Clackamas. It was a strapless ball gown with an elongated bodice. The bodice was satin with embroided with sworsiky crystals. The crystals tapered down the rest of the dress creating a fairy tale princess look.

BRIDE’S SHOES: Something from the clearance rack of DSW that matched my dress perfectly.

JEWELLERY/ACCESSORIES: The earrings were old, from XTabay Vintage. The necklace was made by a family friend. My veil and hairpins were handmade from Teri Huang on Etsy. The petticoats were borrowed from my mom. One of my garters was white with some blue.

HAIR & MAKEUP: I got my makeup done at the Ulta Salon and my hair by Krystee Dillon.

GROOMS ATTIRE: Charcoal gray slim fit Vera Wang tuxedo with double lapel and coordinating vest, paired with an ivory micro fiber shirt and black bow tie, also featuring custom monogram cufflinks provided by the bride.

WEDDING FAVOURS: Biscotti wrapped in ribbon.

THE FLOWERS: I ordered 100 white roses from Costco, a bundle of green gladiolus, baby’s breath, and white rhinestones. One of my bridesmaids made all the bouquets and boutonnieres with those flowers. We used the remaining baby’s breath and white roses with a couple dozen purple roses for the centerpieces which my aunt composed.

THE CAKE: A three tiered cake and sheet cake from award winning bakery Jaciva’s in Portland. It featured a romantic black and white theme. Each tier of the cake had a different flavor and filling: the top was White cake with Bravarian creme filling, the second tier was Lemon Delight, the third tier was Red Velvet with a Cream Cheese frosting. The sheet cake was a Dark Chcolate with Fudge frosting.

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: One of our cousins Aaron did our photography and we really enjoyed the experience. He helped make our wedding day extra special. We say that not as family but as a very happy bride and groom.

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: Wedding Paper Divas vintage template

FOOD & DRINK: We had an assortment of cheese, bread, some fruit and salami for food. We had sherbert, Seven-Up, and Hawaiian punch for the punch.

THE HONEYMOON: Saturday night we stayed at Hotel Deluxe in Portland then we headed down to Redding, California to go to a service at Bethel Church. From Redding we went to stay at the Worldmark Resort in Windsor, California – which is in the heart of wine country and near the red woods and Northern beaches. We stayed there till Saturday and spent that night over looking the ocean in Bandon, Oregon. We came home Sunday night.

A MEMORABLE MOMENT: When we exchanged the vows we had written for each other.

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Make sure you leave more time for everything then what you think it’s going to take. Let people help you. Don’t try and do it all by yourselves. Take lots of pictures, better to have too many then to feel like you missed something you would’ve wanted.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: A huge thank you to all our family and friends that helped with the wedding and that were part of the wedding party. We appreciate all your help and contributions. Thank you also to all our guests who were able to join us and to those who were unable to attend but still sent us their best wishes.

THE PROPOSAL: Andy and Jen had their rings custom designed, so the proposal wasn’t a surprise really, more of a team effort.

WHERE WAS IT? Andy gave Jen her engagement ring at the Portland Rose Gardens on a cloudy March day, with dog Sophie in tow.

VISION FOR THE DAY: Andy and Jen were definitely not interested in the traditional, formal wedding. They wanted the wedding to feel like a gathering, akin to a family reunion or country picnic. Guests were invited to dress casual and come prepared for a day of fun, complete with lawn games and a hayride.

THE VENUE: The wedding was held at the Pomeroy Living History Farm in Yacolt, WA, http://www.pomeroyfarm.org/

BRIDE’S DRESS: Jen’s Mom made her dress – a vintage farm look with antique lace and a braided collar. She worked exceptionally hard on the dress, and in the end, it turned out stunning! In her pocket was an antique handkerchief hand-embroidered by her grandmother, Betty Jo.

BRIDE’S SHOES: Cowgirl boots by Old Gringo, http://www.zappos.com/old-gringo-diego-brown

JEWELERY/ACCESSORIES: Jen wore a teal pearl and vanilla rose set purchased on Etsy, http://www.etsy.com/listing/83993589/teal-pearl-and-vanilla-rose-necklace?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=8457983

HAIR & MAKEUP: Jen’s Mom did her hair and Jen did her own makeup

GROOMS ATTIRE: Andy also dressed in a vintage farm style, wearing Filson pants and suspenders, leather boots from LL Bean, and a Pendleton hat.

WEDDING FAVOURS: Spread the love jams from Sweet Caroline in 4 flavors: blackberry tarragon, cinnamon pear butter, apple vanilla rhubarb, and raspberry orange, http://www.etsy.com/listing/94219212/custom-wedding-jam-favors-with-burlap?

THE FLOWERS: The floral arrangements were done by our friend, Julie Smith and her partner Rodrigo (Julie also has an Etsy shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/ohthisnose?ref=shop_sugg). Julie used a variety of wildflowers such as sunflowers, lavender, and thistle, purchased at Farmers Market and picked from Uncle Lewis’ garden, as well as moss, planted herbs, and garden vegetables from the Farmers Market – things like radishes, carrots, and cucumbers.

THE CAKE: 3 cakes – carrot, lemon, and raspberry from Beaverton Bakery, http://beavertonbakery.com/.

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: OneBloom Photography, did a great job capturing the old-fashioned, vintage feel we were hoping for, http://onebloom.com

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: Jen made the invitations by hand after seeing a youtube video on making envelope albums. The invitations took the form of a book with 4 envelopes, each containing an insert with details of the wedding, like a map, RSVP card, etc.

FOOD & DRINK: BBQ! Guests enjoyed a buffet of brisket, smoked sausages, pulled pork, corn on the cob, cheese potatoes, waldorf salad, and more!

THE HONEYMOON: The beautiful Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. Andy and Jen stayed 5 nights at the amazing Tamanu Beach resort in a beachfront hut, http://www.aretamanu.com/

A MEMORABLE MOMENT: Jen wrote a poem that was read during the wedding ceremony called the Willow and the Oak. Andy’s cousin has a young daughter named Willow. When the celebrant read the opening line of the poem, “And so it came to pass one day, that a Willow met an oak…” sweet Willow looked at her grandma and said “I met an oak!”

ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Take a honeymoon!! Too many couples are skipping out these days, and understandably so (money, vacation time – lots of reasons!), but it is so worth it! You really need that down and away time after spending all those months planning and organizing. Set aside the money and make it happen – you won’t regret it!

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

Celebrant, Melissa Coe

Cake, Beaverton Bakery

Venue, Pomeroy Farm (Dan Brink)

Floral, Julie Smith

Band, Hardshell Harmony (excellent Bluegrass!)

Bartender, Cheers Event Staffing

Jeweler, Sherrie’s Jewelry Box

Gift registry, Amazon and Zankyou

Favors, Sweet Caroline

Linens, Barclay Event Rentals

Photographer, OneBloom Photography

BRIDES CHOICE (FAVORITE IMAGE and WHY): So hard to pick! But, I have to go with this one because it really captures the vintage farm look and feel we were going for.

Brides Choice :: So hard to pick! But, I have to go with this one because it really captures the vintage farm look and feel we were going for.

Special thanks to Jen and Andy for choosing us to photograph their very special day. We really enjoyed the beautiful summer day and the relaxed day! Congratulations!

Thank you to Pomeroy Farm for hosting such a great wedding, what a beautiful area!

We had a ton of fun at this wedding! Vanessa and Brandon are so fun together. I caught myself smiling while editing quite a few of the images. There are a lot of memorable moments from this wedding. I had Vanessa do a ‘post’ wedding interview below (which you really need to see!). It was hard to narrow these choices down. We had a lot of great images that were fun to sit down and edit.

Congratulations you two! I am so glad I got to be your photographer. Brandon and I knew each other from long ago and even before he was with Vanessa he always told me that I would photograph his wedding. Well, the time came and I was asked to to just that. Thank you. I hope you love and cherish your beautiful wedding images forever. We wish you the best in your future together as you grow and learn to love each other even more!

THE PROPOSAL: Brandon proposed to Vanessa at Kerry Park, overlooking the Space Needle during the super moon on March 19th 2011.  It was preceded by a lovely dinner at Champagne near Pike’s Market. Brandon surprised Vanessa with her fixed backpack from 1998, a stuffed puppy holding the ring, and a bottle of sparkling wine, what a magical night.
WHERE WAS IT?  The Aerie at Eagle Landing in Happy Valley, Oregon.
VISION FOR THE DAY: A memorable fun party with friends and family.
THE PLANNING PROCESS: Stressful yet exciting.
THE VENUE:  The Aerie at Eagle Landing: a golf course with a great view of Clackamas. The venue has a great staff, they were very helpful and accommodating.
BRIDE’S DRESS: Bought at Ania, Casablanca style 1986. Lacy A-symmetric bodice with organza skirt.
BRIDE’S SHOES: Black Softt brand heels.
JEWELLERY/ACCESSORIES: Mother’s pearl earrings, Grandmother’s rings and necklace.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Doshas at the Clackamas Mall, magnificent staff.
GROOMS ATTIRE: Men’s Warehouse brown
WEDDING FAVOURS: Cake pops
THE FLOWERS: Bought at the Farmers Market in Vancouver, WA; Tulips  Flowers at Safeway: gladiolas and purple lilies
THE CAKE: Cake Pops and display by Alexandra Rubin, Bridesmaid and sister.
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER: Amazing, Love you guys!
INVITATIONS & STATIONERY: Wedding Divas through Costco
FOOD & DRINK: Great in house catering by the Aerie. Prime rib and chicken, with great Hors d’oeuvres. Beer: Fat Tire
THE HONEYMOON: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and New Zealand
A MEMORABLE MOMENT: Almost falling off the chair during Hava Nagila
ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES: Share the work planning and organizing the event, and have fun doing it.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: The photographers were excellent, we had fun shooting and their artistic vision was very inspiring. Video was filmed by NR Photography, they captured the atmosphere of the event ideally. Saundra Tidswell, our wedding coordinator, she was very accommodating and very helpful. The staff at the Aerie was very friendly and courteous to us and our guests.

Venue: The Aerie at Eagle Landing

Flowers: The Vancouver Farmers Market

Hair: Dosha Salon Spa

Dress: AniA Couture Bridal Boutique

Photographer: OneBloom Photography

Video: NR Photography

Garter: Kristi

Hair Accessory: Christie Wright

Alterations: Darcy Martin

Aesthitician: Brianna Otos Athena Day Spa

Bride’s Henna Design: Melanie Ooi