Portland Wedding Coordinator

Vintage and tweed styled inspiration shoot - with a little shot of velvet

I often have the opportunity to work with some really fun public events around Portland. This year I've been involved with the Portland Tweed Ride organizers' group and had the opportunity to help them produce some promotional media for their event, starting with a Save the Date card. It seemed like a great way to do some vintage and tweed inspiration for a possible wedding style board. With the way velvet is trending for 2018, I thought it would fun to throw a bit of that in too.

 

We were able to secure the wonderful Evrim Icoz Wedding Photography to shoot the photos, and Event Cosmetics to handle the hair and makeup. Nea Posey, one of Katherine Sealy's Event Cosmetics clients, and Jeanie Whitten-Andrews, who had worked with Evrim before, stepped up as models. Event Cosmetics also secured the indoor venue, Oregon Historical Society, for us. Luckily, I owned a great deal of the props and attire in my personal collection, so it wasn't hard to put together the shoot!

 

A quick stop by Elephants Deli for some bread, Champagne (actually it was Cremant de Bourgogne -- a more affordable alternative to having Champagne from the actual region of Champagne) and glassware; and also Gifford's Flowers for some blooms to adorn the vintage bikes, and we were all set. I hope you enjoy the photos and our vision! And of course, I hope you'll join us on the ride on April 8th, 2018. Or just use these photos as an inspiration stepping stone to your own engagement, elopement, or wedding style.

 

Photography: Evrim Icoz

Models: Nea Posey and Jeanie Whitten-Andrews

Planning and Production: EJP Events

Hair and Makeup: Event Cosmetics at Da:Da Hair

Locations: Oregon Historical Society; and South Park Blocks; Portland, Oregon

Floral: Gifford's Flowers

Catering: Elephants Deli

1973 Raleigh Sports and 1973 Free Spirit Bicycles: Private collection, Emilynn J. Pumarega

Picnic Blanket: Yakima Camp Blanket in Blue Heather by Pendelton Woolen Mills

Clothing on Nea: Model's own

Clothing on Jeanie: Tweed vest from Gap via ebay; Pussycat bow blouse, Argyle socks, and tweed trousers from Uniqlo. Pink velvet accordion pleat skirt from Target. Flat cap from London Fog; all courtesy EJP private collection

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Portland Wedding Coordinator: Vintage and tweed styled inspiration shoot - with a little shot of velvet

WeddingWire Newlywed Report Exposes Some Harsh Truths About Planning

I was just glancing through the 2017 WeddingWire Newlywed Report - a market research report where recently-wed couples are polled for data. A couple of items really stood out to me:

• 40% of couples underestimate their wedding budget. This means almost half of people planning a wedding have a picture in their head of their wedding, but an incorrect estimation of what it will cost. To me, this is a recipe for heartache and stress, and could be easily solved if instead of picking a venue or a design vision first, couples first took their budget and evaluated it line by line to find exactly how each item should be allocated. (This is something we do in our very first meeting with clients.)
• 50% of weddings occur on just 22 dates of the year which are all Saturdays. This means that, for example, if you take the approximately 16,000 weddings that occur in Oregon each year, about 8,000 of them are vying for venues on the same 22 Saturdays. It seems like it would help to have an organized planner on your side to help you find the perfect location. (We have venue sourcing services that range in price from no cost, to a small portion of your wedding planning contract, so get in touch!) 

 

Hope you find the report as interesting as I did, and that it helps you in your planning!  -- Emee

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2013 Global Wedding Study from Splendid Insights

"Splendid Insights will be releasing the 2013 Global Wedding Study during first quarter 2014. In order to represent each segment as best as possible, we'd love it if you shared the survey with your clients, readers and friends! The diversity in responses helps us take a better look at the realities behind the global wedding market. As always, Splendid Insights has no financial bias hinging on the study results, so we're able to share an unfiltered look at the wedding industry..."

via www.thinksplendid.com

The lovely folks at Think Splendid are doing their part to educate us about why we make the choices that we do for weddings. If you got married in 2013, won't you please take a moment to take their research survey?  http://wedn.gs/wed13

Read more: http://www.thinksplendid.com/2013/12/2013-global-wedding-study-from-splendid.html#ixzz2qSdOA8gC

{ Portland Wedding Coordinator's} Top Wedding Trends for 2014

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:

Interactive art walls or art installations. So fun we had to do a whole post about it, read here. We even had one couple grab all the art off the walls of their own home and display it during cocktail hour, creating an art gallery atmosphere.

Image: EJP Events

{ Wedding Trend Watch } Interactive Art Walls

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!

Photos: EJP Events

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{ Portland Wedding Coordinator Loves } The Day of the Doctor

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:

Brianne and Michael's Time-Travel-themed wedding from Offbeat Bride

 

Subtle Doctor Who inspiration wedding shoot from Green Wedding Shoes:

 

Another inspiration shoot from British weddings website Rock N Roll Bride, shot by photographer Kat Forsyth:

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"?

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A better way to DIY for your wedding { Sponsored by Craftsy }

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:)

More about Craftsy, below:

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.

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Quick Poll: How are you finding your wedding vendors?

I'm curious as to how you all have been finding success in getting a great vendor team together for your wedding.

Please take this one-question poll! Once we start getting votes, the results will appear here in real-time.

Are you having any difficulties in finding the right people to work with? Please share in the comments - I'll answer any questions that I can.

 

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{ Daily Reblog } Tips and Tricks to Attending Bridal Shows

We are starting to get back into bridal show season and I though I'd share a few tips on how to get the most of your bridal show experience and how to avoid "bridal show overload." 

Gear Up!

First things first, make sure to have a good breakfast or lunch before attending the show if it doesn't have a food function offered. Many times samples of cake or even champagne are offered, and these can wreak havoc on an empty stomach.

Bring a water bottle so you stay hydrated while you're walking around. Sometimes all that air-conditioned, recycled air can dry you out and leave you feeling fatigued.

Finally, make sure to wear comfortable shoes since you'll be doing lots of walking.

Be Prepared!

Use your show time efficiently! Make a few sheets of labels with your name, address, email, and wedding date if you want to avoid standing in lines to enter drawings or raffles. At the same time, remember that if you provide personal information, you'll probably receive mail and email from those vendors. If you provide a wedding date , most vendors will stop contacting you once your date has passed.

Understand the show timeline. Is there a seated food function, or seminars to sign up for? What time should you arrive in order to get a seat for the fashion show? Make sure you take a look at the program offerings; that way you get the most out of your admission fee.

Make a list of items you still need from your wedding checklist, and target those booths first. Otherwise you could spend precious time wandering the aisles! Also, bring notes or pictures to help your planning along -- for example, if you're looking for jewelry and accessories, bring a picture or swatch of your attire.

If you plan on hitting the gown sales, avoid wearing heavy foundation or lipstick, as products are bound to smear. You can always stop by one of the beauty vendors for a touch-up once you're done shopping!

Finally, Enjoy Yourself!

You'll probably receive lots of brochures and business cards. Try to sort through them as you go through the show, otherwise you could wind up with a heavy bag that just gets recycled!

In the end, be sure to have fun and enjoy yourself! Don't be overwhelmed by the choices; in the end you'll be sure to find some great ideas and hopefully, put together a winning team for your wedding day.

A version of this blog post originally appeared on February 22, 2010.

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Mad about Macarons

Book cover photo courtesy Les Petits Macarons website.

Macaron Day 2013 just passed, and it just reminded me how much I love these little cookies and how fun they are to offer at weddings. Whether they are used in a wedding cake, as wedding favors, or in guest welcome bags, macarons are a delightful little addition to a Portland wedding weekend. BONUS: Many versions of macarons are almond-based, and are often flourless or gluten-free. Check with your baker.

Wedding favor photo courtesy EllyB Events on Instagram

 

Macaron tower wedding cake photo courtesy Macarons by Mimi

 

Ladurée Storefront on Madison Avenue, NYC, photo courtesy Allan Zepeda

Macaron stationery / Wedding thank you notes photo courtesy Paper Source

A few Portland, Oregon locations where you can find French macarons for your wedding:

- Nuvrei Bakery

- Papa Haydn

- Elephants Delicatessen

- Pix Patisserie

Are you using macarons in any way for your upcoming wedding? Please comment or share a photo with us! [email protected] 

 

 

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