It takes a truly talented artist to create a floral design that can not only stand up to the natural beauty of Oregon, but to outshine it in a way that has us swooning all over the place. ink & peat did it. We can’t help but gush more than a little over those stunning bouquets, floral headpieces, and fab boutonnieres. Rebekah Johnson Photography captured the entire soiree, which, in it’s entirety, is just as wonderful as those flowers, in a way that has left our already quickened hearts melting. Click here for more!
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Alex and I met at a start-up environmental nonprofit, and we soon discovered many connections between us, including my uncle and his father taking a road trip together in high school and his great-aunt living in my childhood home long ago. When he asked me on our first date, I rationalized saying yes to dating a coworker because we were only hired for a 3-month project, but those three months turned to two years! During that time, Alex’s mother tragically passed away, and we supported each other through that terrible loss.
When Alex proposed while snowshoeing on Mt. Hood in Oregon, I said, “YES!” without hesitation. Unlike some other women, I had not been fantasizing about my wedding day since I was little and quickly felt entirely overwhelmed by wedding planning. Luckily, I discovered the world of wedding blogs and regularly turned to Style Me Pretty for inspiration.
Being both native Oregonians and lovers of the outdoors, Alex and I knew we wanted to be married in a beautiful place. Bridal Veil Lakes in the Columbia River Gorge was the perfect venue. Nestled in an old-growth forest, the site felt almost enchanted and provided the ideal backdrop for our wedding.
It was very important to us to work with local, independent vendors. For catering, we enthusiastically chose Culinary Artistry, a company committed to using local ingredients and making everything from scratch. Rebekah Johnson, a complete hoot to work with, seamlessly captured all of the day’s events and the joyous mood. My mom, brother (who was my man of honor), and I went dress shopping at the English Department, run by the talented Elizabeth Dye, and I chose a simple dress by Jenny Yoo. Ink & Peat created gorgeous, whimsical bouquets, boutonnieres and flower girl crowns. My uncle and aunt, musicians in town, performed our ceremony music, and I walked down the aisle to “Laura,” which my uncle played for me in the hospital when I was born. A surprise hit of the reception was the photo booth by Limelight. We could not have been happier with all of these choices.
Alex and I are DIY-types, including renovating a fixer-upper house, installing a large urban garden on our property, and tending chickens and honeybees, and we wanted our wedding to reflect this. I handmade all of the paper goods, including the save the dates, the invitations, the programs, the guest book, and the escort cards. My mom and I tackled many projects together, including making 200 ribbon wands, sewing and painting banners to hang in the trees, making goodie bags for the younger guests, and creating terrariums for all of the centerpieces. I made our cake topper out of a bird’s nest I found in my backyard, and I embroidered the table numbers using Alex’s mom’s thread to include her in the day. By far the messiest thing we made were the yarn balls, which we hung all over the venue. My mom, one of Alex’s relatives, and I spent two days in the kitchen baking 200 individual berry pies for the dessert, and other family members made cream puffs and brownies. Even Alex joined in the fun and put together the playlist for the reception.
Our wedding was perfect for us. During our engagement, I heard many opinions about what should and shouldn’t be included in a wedding, but I stayed true to what I knew best reflected us as a couple. Soak in not only every moment of the day (it goes by in a flash!), but also the little bits and pieces leading up to it because those moments ended up being as meaningful as the day itself.
Photography: Rebekah Johnson and Aisha Harley for Rebekah Johnson Photography / Venue: Bridal Veil Lakes / Flowers: Ink & Peat / Caterer: Culinary Artistry / Brides Dress: Jenny Yoo, The English Department / Bridesmaids: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen’s Suits: Macy’s / Photobooth: Limelight Photo Booth / Hair and makeup: Prima Salon / Event design + planning: DIY by bride and mom / Stationery: DIY by Bride