Image via http://craftywonderland.com/2013/05/wedding-wonderland-sneak-peek/# We just got a reminder about a really fun-sounding event this coming week! On Saturday, May 11, Crafty Wonderland is happening again at the Oregon Convention Center. And this time, there will be a special "Wedding Wonderland" area featuring handmade and vintage items from local Portland retailers, all carefully curated by the clever folks behind Crafty Wonderland. Definitely check it out! "We are super excited to have a special Wedding Wonderland section in our Super Colossal Spring Sale this year! What is Wedding Wonderland, you ask?! Vendors with items we thought might be of interest to folks... Continue reading

Even though Cinco de Mayo is a minor regional holiday in Mexico proper, its significance in the US is that of a major cultural celebration similar to St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, or Chinese Lunar New Year1. Don't confuse Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, with Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16th), however. The 5th of May marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces defeated French invaders seeking to install a French emperor of Mexico. What does any of this have to do with Portland weddings? I just want to acknowledge the all-important Mexican-American contribution to the summer wedding... Continue reading

Canoeing during cocktail hour at Bridal Veil Lakes. Photo by Don Frank. Today's reblog comes from Bridal Guide Magazine. I happened across this blog post as I was working with a couple who, when asked about any themes that appealed to them for planning their Portland wedding, simply said they wanted a fun reception! We talked about lawn games, photobooths, and the usual suspects, but I found this article from Bridal Guide to be helpful in reminding us to dig deeper into our own experiences and favorite things to find those activities that guests are going to make the reception... Continue reading

Today's reblog comes from invitation and calligraphy maven Alesia Zorn. She answers the question, "Do I mention gifts or registry in my invitation?" Head over to her blog and read the full post. via alesiazorn.typepad.com Related articles Mad about Macarons Tasteful or Tacky? Honeymoon Registries Continue reading

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,... Continue reading

Designer: Badgley Mischka I've really been loving the instantaneous, up-to-the-minute info about my favorite topics that I can get through Instagram. I combed through over 5,000 Instagram photos tagged "#bridalmarket" that covered the recent New York City Bridal Market fashion shows, so you wouldn't have to. Here are my favorite wedding gown designs and trends for the upcoming season, linked to the user who took them. Designer: Claire Pettibone . Soft drapey ribbons, gorgeous! Designer: Jenny Packham (I'm seeing a little Downton Abbey here, yes?) Designer: Ines di Santo. Definitely not a boring ballgown. Designer: Elizabeth Fillmore. Everyone was talking... Continue reading

** Free digital magazine giveaway, see below! ** I admit, I am a bit of a clinger when it comes to technology. I cling to my rapidly-aging devices, refusing to let the latest new gadget woo me away from what is tried and true. (I'm typing this on a 2008 MacBook running Leopard, if you must know!) So, no, I do not yet have an iPad, for the above reasons, and also for fear of the havoc it will wreak on my children's minds if they get a hold of it and get too much screen time. However. I was... Continue reading

Today's guest post was generously contributed by Miriam Geiser at MoonRings Honeymoons. On top of everything else you have to plan, can you believe that many of you brides and grooms are having to plan a honeymoon trip as well? Miriam provides a great primer to get you started thinking about it. Image courtesy Rosewood Mayakoba { Read related articles from The Portland Wedding Coordinator on honeymoons and destination weddings: In the US, in Mexico. } Honeymoon Primer - by Miriam Geiser and the MoonRings Team With 2013 well underway, no doubt you are diving headfirst into your wedding plans!... Continue reading

The Portland Wedding Coordinator blog contains party and event planning content that discusses the legal and responsible use of alcoholic beverages for events. This blog is not intended for a minor audience. If you are under 21, please click away. Read our full policies here. I had the opportunity to visit with a catering company owner and we started chatting about the popular requests for locally sourced food items on wedding menus. So why not booze? I've noticed many wedding bars stocked with Grey Goose, Absolut, Maker's Mark, and the like... all very well and good, but with all the... Continue reading

via alesiazorn.typepad.com This just in from our good friend Alesia at Alesia Zorn Calligraphy - US postal rates go up January 27th. Many of you are about to get to mailing your save-the-dates or wedding invitations, so head on over to Alesia's blog and read all the details. My takeaway from all this: Always use the Forever stamps, so no matter when your guests mail back their RSVPs, the postage will be valid and the responses won't be returned to sender. Whew - as if engaged couples didn't have enough to worry about already! Related articles Annual postal stamp increase... Continue reading

I know, you probably think I'm crazy for talking about summer weddings. I can't help it! This time of year when our fingers and toes are freezing just from walking to the mailbox and back, it's almost impossible to remember what the kiss of the sun is like. Thank goodness for photographs. This beauty sent to me by Evrim Icoz shows a wedding we coordinated last year for Heather and Joe. And what a day it was! Evrim goes in to more detail on his blog (and you can see all the great pictures there), but in a nutshell: 11:am... Continue reading

Going through our photo files from last fall, found this very lovely and sunny photo taken by JOS Photographers at a wedding we did at The Foundry at Oswego Lake. I am looking very longingly at this sunshine! Click on the link above to go to JOS Photographers blog and see all the gorgeousness. Thank you so much! via www.josphotographers.com Continue reading

Happy October! We are lucky in Portland that summer still seems to be holding on, in the afternoons at least. Makes me want to blog all the past warm-weather goodness from the last few months! One great idea we saw at a September wedding we coordinated, was a "BAR" backdrop sign designed by René Steelman of RK Steelman Events and Interiors (also mother of the groom!). It's always so flattering when event pros themselves hire us. I loved this idea to create a "name in lights" using battery-operated LED tealights. No cords needed! René chose chevron fabric and pink rickrack... Continue reading

Over halfway through the year, can you believe it? I just returned from some Independence Day festivities in Florida where I did lots of people-watching in Miami and West Palm Beach. Super fun! It just reminded me that there are a lot of hot styles that generated buzz around the first of the year, that I noticed are still super relevant and could be fun to use in your upcoming wedding. 1. Chevrons and Bold Stripes - It seems like we just can't get enough of these bold, preppy patterns. Whether it's a delicate herringbone paired up with lace, or... Continue reading

It seems like it can be hard to find the local flavor when looking for menswear and formalwear in Portland. Many wedding clients get steered towards giant warehouse-type stores and I know I'm not the only one wondering where you can get personal service. Este's Menswear in Northwest Portland is stepping up to the plate and offering an excellent wedding and formal wear line that includes rental tuxedos and suits. I stopped by to visit with Kelsey and Tony recently, to see what they had to offer. It is a neat little shop that reminded me a lot of the... Continue reading

Image from VegFamily. Gluten-free is a hot topic around Portland weddings and events these days, as many people are eliminating this protein from their diet either for better health, or because they have been diagnosed with an intolerance. Whatever the reason, it's great to have options so you can accommodate those important friends and guests who are going this route. So it's so great that tonight at Portland's lovely Belmont Station, one of my favorite places to get beer, there's a tasting where you can try every single gluten-free beer available in Oregon.From their newsletter: THURSDAY JUNE 7 5 -... Continue reading

A version of this article ran on Portland Wedding Coordinator in August 2011. Can you believe, it's the end of May and the outdoor summer weddings in Portland and Lake Oswego are here. If you are getting married at one of the outdoor gardens, waterfront or riverfront parks or venues you are probably wondering what to do about the possibility of bugs. Bug-off spray is a must at outdoor weddings, but here are a few tips to make you the perfect wedding host: - Avoid DEET-based sprays that can irritate skin. Lemongrass and geranium oil-based repellents are available and they... Continue reading

A while back, Shutterbug Magazine featured a photographer we've been working with for a very long time: Fritz Liedtke of Fritz Photo. We were super happy for him, and additionally thrilled that the magazine chose a photo from one of our own clients, whose wedding was held at McMenamins Edgefield. Here are a few more photos from this lovely Edgefield wedding that took place at Edgefield's Blackberry Meadow and adjoining Hall. A full blog post about the wedding is on Fritz's blog here. Enjoy! Floral by Punch. Continue reading

This is being written on Saturday night, and I am at the office doing my 2011 taxes. I just want everyone to share in my misery. Happily, there was one cheerful beam through the gloom of paperwork, and that was the super-nice Jax of Hungry Heart Cupcakes taking the time to stop by with a box of samples. It was really great to finally meet her and to hear about the fun and different service she is offering to wedding clients. For one thing, Jax has a truck. A cupcake truck named Chomps. Just saying these words gets me pretty... Continue reading

Portland couples love to showcase the city for their guests, and for their wedding day to reflect all things truly Portland. So we love it when they show their eco-chic loyalty on their wedding day and make sure to ride the MAX to the wedding. (Bonus: no worries about indulging in cocktails at the reception, you have a ride home as long as you get on before the last train!) Lovely client Lisa chose to have her ceremony at World Forestry Center and reception at The Oregon Zoo. Guests and bridal party stayed downtown at Hotel Monaco, and Lisa and... Continue reading

Today's gorgeous March weather reminds us we are moving closer and closer to summer wedding season. Outdoor weddings and ceremonies are always big in Portland and throughout Oregon. But for various reasons, not everyone wants an outdoor wedding. Perhaps they're looking for a more formal design. Perhaps they want dancing and a huge band until midnight, which would get you in trouble with the neighbors (and the law) at an outdoor wedding. So this week's post is dedicated to a short roundup of some gorgeous indoor wedding locations in Portland. All weddings coordinated by EJP Events. Oregon Historical Society Avalon... Continue reading

Today's warmer weather reminds me that springtime is just around the corner. For many of you who are getting married in Portland in 2012, this means engagement photos. Image by Paul Rich via My Portland Photographer. (actually taken in Maryland, but ah well.) Why have an engagement photo taken? This is an exciting time, and it's fun to document the transition between singlehood and marriage. The photos have lots of uses, such as holiday cards, and save the dates. I say, err on the side of taking more pictures, at more events, than not. When you look back, you'll be... Continue reading