2014 is roaring in and we are so excited to see what this year's couples are planning for their wedding designs. Here are some wedding trends we hear are going to be super-hot in Portland, from our own clients and also talking with colleagues around town:
This time of year, we're fielding tons of inquiries, cleaning up the blog, receiving happy emails from brides with links to their summer wedding photos. I was just going through some photo files and couldn't believe I'd overlooked blogging Mindy and Ashish's garba (Gujarati-style dance party) and wedding weekend from a few years ago.
The garba was held at the downtown Hilton Portland and catered by East India Company. I worked with Royce's Prop Shop and the bride, who had brought back a ton of gorgeous sari fabric that she wanted to use around the room. Royce and I came up with the idea of draping the saris over T-bar posts, and using uplighting for a festive effect:
Sometimes, after a particularly lovely wedding, I wonder if it was all a dream. Truth be told, an opulent, bling-y wedding seems a bit of a Portland aberration.
Sure, we have plenty of glorious weddings with a healthy budget. But Oregon couples seem to be more focused on the guest experience and artisanal, organic meats and vegetables, than on all-out glitz. It's just more us.
It does happen, though. Enjoy our Pinterest board featuring some of our favorite glamorous, luxurious weddings -- EJP Events's own, and also from around Portland and the web:
Say what you will about corporate event planning, but I am always amazed at how often corporate events stay one step ahead of wedding trends. Often, something I see at a corporate event I know will translate perfectly for a social one; and before long I see that trend start appearing at weddings.
The art wall is one of these trends. The party host puts up a large backdrop containing drawn frames, individual watercolor sheets, or even Lego(TM) baseplates and allows each guest to customize an area of the wall. Each guest installs their art piece in the display which then becomes a grand version of a guest book as well as part of the cocktail hour entertainment and a conversation piece.
Here, website design company Virb invited guests to draw what they loved, and to tag their photo on instagram in order to enter a contest. This same multi-frame backdrop could easily be used for individual wedding guest drawings or guest book entries.
At the Lego Kids' Fest in Portland, individual 5" x 5" base plates/"tiles" were provided with a wide selection of Lego shapes and colors. After each guest completed a tile, they were invited to add their tile to the larger display.
Are you incorporating any interactive components into your guests' experience? Or did you come up with a novel idea for cocktail hour entertainment? Please share in the comments!
Today is the Day of the Doctor - the 50th anniversary of iconic British sci-fi television show Doctor Who. We know many of our clients grew up watching DW on PBS in the United States and wanted to acknowledge its cultural significance. Hat-tip to the many Doctor Who-themed weddings we've seen on the internet; here are just a few of our favorites:
And finally, this lovely song ("Rose's Theme") that would be appropriate for any wedding party processional:
Ultimately, Doctor Who is a romantic, idealistic show that is more about the magic of positive thought than straight-up technical sci-fi. The time travel trope makes it easy for any fan to find a motif, subtle or overt, that works for their wedding. What better way to show your love than to promise one's beloved "All of time and space"?
We are excited to welcome Craftsy.com to The Portland Wedding Coordinator's family of affiliate partners. DIY is a very important way for us to put our personal touches on the wedding, (check out my DIY coffee cozy here); however, I will confess to you that I am a bit DIY-challenged and am sometimes stumped by the directions that come with some of these so-called "easy to make" kits for crafts.
Craftsy has the solution with on-demand online instructional classes that you can watch, pause and rewatch as many times as you like. (I will personally be watching the "casting off" knitting video myself, I mean just look at this mess:)
What is Craftsy? Craftsy is a worldwide craft community offering online classes. It also has a patterns marketplace where independent designers can sell their patterns; a supplies shop with great deals on yarn, fabric, and class kits; and a projects section where members share pictures of their latest craft successes. With over two million members and counting, Craftsy has something for just about everyone, in categories ranging from quilting, sewing, knitting, painting, photography, cooking, and more.
Behind the Scenes: The Making of a Craftsy Class Before filming even begins, hours and hours are spent determining what content will be covered in each class, and how to best teach specific techniques to the camera. Instructors work with an instructional designer to create an in-depth outline of each lesson, and decide how to best prepare props or “step-outs” that show what your project should like at different steps. Instead of a scripted class, instructors follow their outlines on camera to create an authentic and engaging teaching experience.
Most Craftsy classes are filmed in one of five Craftsy studios in Denver, CO, assuring that every part of the production process goes off without a hitch. They fly in instructors from all over the world to spend several days filming, then spend several weeks turning hours of footage into a two to three hour class experience that has been watched, rewatched, and reviewed by industry experts. The final result is an HD-quality video that takes you in-depth into specific topics in any given craft category- from cooking and fine art to sewing and knitting.
What IS the Craftsy experience? Craftsy classes are designed to have all the benefits of an in-person class, with none of the drawbacks. Available online and on-demand, you always have world-class instructors at the tip of your fingers. You can retake the class as many times as you want, and the 30-second repeat feature allows you to watch the same section over and over again until you get every technique just right.
Watching a Craftsy class is like having a first-row seat with some of the best instructors in the world. Even better, classes have a 100% money-back guarantee.
Try online learning today with a free mini-class from Craftsy! Choose from 23 Free Craftsy Classes ranging from drawing and painting to sewing and quilting, from knitting to cake decorating and more.
Unique escort cards can add a special touch to your wedding, so here are some great ideas that are sure to grab your guests' attention. Escort cards are a nice way to set the tone for dinner and can even become a favor for your guests to take home!
Using vintage keys are a wonderful way to make your guests excited to find their name. This is one that can double as a wedding favor that guests are sure to keep.
Here in Oregon we had an uncharacteristically beautiful October. Blue skies and temps in the 60s and 70s are a reminder that fall can be the perfect time to host your wedding. Here are some ways to incorporate a fall feel into your wedding.
During the summer it's best to stick to cool, refreshing cocktails but fall begs for a warmer beverage. Here is a DIY Apple Cider Cocktail from Green Wedding Shoes that is sure to wow your guests. Plus, the alcohol is added after the cider is already concocted, making this an easy one to offer as a non-alcoholic choice as well.
Whether your wedding falls on the day of Halloween or any time around it, here are some ideas on how to incorporate a little bit (or a lot) of this holiday into your event!
The first idea is a rather simple one, but can add just the right touch and keep your guests talking. You can use these as drink toppers, dessert toppers, or anywhere that needs a bit of webbing!
The sweet and lovely, vintage wedding look is still a big hit with weddings in Portland. I was looking back through the files (sooo many un-blogged weddings!) and I thought I'd share some of this wonderful wedding, which was also featured on Style Me Pretty. My favorite part about this wedding was that the bride and groom got to put their mark on so many aspects by DIY'ing almost everything -- before the event.
But the day of the event (actually, starting months before), they had turned all the goodies over to us to place and style. We loved helping them (and I got to drive a huge U-Haul)! Except for the first photo, photos by Daniel Stark via Style Me Pretty.
