Unbeknownst to them, Alysia and Austin grew up just 2 miles down the road from each other in a small town in Southern Oregon. When it came down to choosing their dream wedding venue, nothing could compare to the bride’s parents’ very own backyard – on a sprawling 100-acre estate complete with the perfect reception-worthy barn! Marry they did, in front of their closest friends and family on a warm summer day. J29 Events brought the couple’s timeless wedding vision to life, with blooms by The Perfect Occasion (you have to see the ceremony floral installation climbing up the giant madrone tree – heaven!) Check out the full gallery by Sweetlife Photography to see every last detail from their special day.
From the bride… We grew up in the same small town together, attended the same high school, and shared mutual friends, but our paths never really crossed. After high school, Austin joined the US Navy where he spent 6 years as a Navy Diver, and I studied pre-medicine at the University of Oregon. Upon my graduating and Austin’s completion of his service in the Navy, we both moved back to our hometown (2 miles down the road from each other, unbeknownst to us at the time!). We met for the first time at the fire station where Austin was volunteering. We shared an extremely awkward hello, and the rest was history! We were attached at the hip everyday thereafter…He fell in love with my strength and drive, and me with his goofiness and impeccable jawline.
We dated for 2.5 years, and in the Spring of 2019 Austin got down on one knee in an intimate setting on a mountain riverbank, a place he fished as a kid. Funny enough, we almost ran out of gas on our drive out there because Austin was so nervous about the proposal that he forgot to check his tank! We were in the middle of nowhere, and had to turn around halfway to get gas before continuing our journey!
Soon after the engagement, we began searching for a wedding venue. We were initially drawn to the idea of a ceremony in front of the giant madrone tree on my parents’ 100 acre estate in the Umpqua Valley, but had some hesitation about the amount of work it would take. We were skeptical about whether it would be feasible to transform a former logging site, overridden with blackberries and stumps, into the beautiful wedding venue that we envisioned over a relatively short period of time. After weeks of looking at multiple other venue options, it became clear that none of the other locations felt quite right. We wanted to have our wedding in a place that was meaningful to us, and kept feeling drawn back to the idea of a ceremony by the tree on my parents’ property. My parents were touched by the sentiment and supportive of the idea so we decided to go for it, despite the landscaping challenges. Over the next year and a half, my dad, Austin and I, and nearly every other member of the family, poured our hearts into the soil, and it was ultimately transformed into everything we ever could’ve hoped for/envisioned.
Aside from the venue, I had a strong vision for a romantic, elegant, and timeless wedding with classic white florals, greenery, an abundance of candles, and dark wood tones throughout. I sought to hire a design team and quickly landed on Shauna Karver with J29 Events and Andrew Calvert with The Perfect Occasion to help execute the details.
Additionally, it was important to us that our photos feel as classic and timeless as the wedding design itself. After interviewing several photographers, we knew Jake and Anna Tenney of Sweetlife Photography would be a perfect fit. We fell in love, not only with the light and airy beauty of their photos, but with their unique hearts for marriage and the idea that it’s intended to last a lifetime.
When we think back on our wedding now, our fondest memories are related to the sentimental value that came from having it on my parents’ estate. Getting the property “wedding ready” was a labor of family love, with countless hours being spent landscaping, etc. Just knowing the amount of work that had been poured into that soil brought me to tears, and made seeing the finished product on our wedding day that much sweeter and more special.
With COVID travel restrictions, we were somewhat limited with where we could go for our honeymoon. BUT…immediately after the wedding we headed off to the Oregon Coast for a few days. And then a couple of weeks after that, we were relocated to Hawaii for several months by the Navy, so we sometimes consider that our extended honeymoon!
Photography: Sweetlife Photography | Event Planning: J29 Events | Dress: Inbal Dror | Invitations: Minted | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Condon's Culinary Creations | Makeup: Cassandra Kennedy Beauty | Hair: Kayla Caylor | DJ: Kle3n Entertainment | Florals & Design: The Perfect Occasion | Morning Attire: Lauren Leshansky | Rentals: Action Rent-All & Events | Rentals: Eye Beam Event Services | Rentals: Great Jones NW