A vendor gets married!

Today's post comes from Christine of Espresso Arts Catering. She talks about her experience planning a wedding. It simple and great advice. Thanks Christine and congrats to you and Wes!

Wes and I have catered many beautiful weddings since starting Espresso Arts Catering, but we never really thought about what our wedding day might look like since we never really thought much about getting married over the span of our 12 years together. Then one day we just decided to go for it, for all the practical reasons, of course. Neither of us likes to be fussed over much; just a nice "party" at my mother's house in the bay area would suffice. So I decided on a date 4 months out, thinking less frills and less guests means less planning time necessary...not recommended! If not for the ease of buying and tailoring the perfect dress, booking vendors, and giving guests plenty of notice, it is worth it to give yourself and your spouse time to get used to the face that you are spending much more time than you are used to and you are definitely going to be fussed over!

Despite my warnings about giving yourself plenty of time for planning, I found the perfect dress off the rack and got all my favorite vendors lined up. After all is said and done, time crunch or not, my biggest advise for planning your perfect wedding is going with what you are passionate about. And I mean PASSIONATE-the day is about the two of you and your passion, right? What food do you love? Rather than go with someone else's recommendation for a caterer, I called our favorite restaurants in the area to see if they could provide food; and let me tell you, our food was spectacular! Are you passionate about wine or beer? We are, so I hand selected our beer and wine line up rather than let the caterer bring just anything. Are you seriously into art? Find a way of incorporating your favorite artist's work (it might be yours) into the venue or invitations.



Being passionate about espresso, we hauled our state of the art equipment down to the wedding and a couple friends from Stumptown Coffee Roasters drove down to pull shots for us and our guests. In the end, the most memorable aspect of our wedding was the espresso. It shared something intimate about the two of us and our lives together. Besides, it's fun to get your half-brother hopped up on four double cappuccinos-they were so amazing guests couldn't help overindulging!




Wedding planning can be fun, but daunting as well. Remember that is takes almost as much time and effort to plan a wedding with 50 guests as it does to plan one with 500- you still need to get all the same the pieces in order. The best way to keep the passion alive during the sometimes stressful planning phase is to make sure you listen to you heart about what you want to share with your guests about yourselves on your special day. Happy planning!

Photos by the lovely Kate Kelly Photography.

It's Back!

Remember when I said I had something to announce to all of you? Well, it's time to let you know that The Art of Weddings is back!

Going into it's third year, I'm really excited to announce the 2009 event. Every year the site where it is held changes, keeping it fresh and new. Last year we had a nice, intimate gathering at the retro Secret Society Ballroom. For 2009 we'll be celebrating at Luxe Autohaus in NE Portland. This modern building offers endless opportunities for creating a unique event; I can't wait to see it all come together!

I'll be giving you, our loyal readers the first tidbits about the event as they unfold. For more information visit the website: The Art of Weddings 2009.

Lift it, suck it in and smooth it out.

Ok. It's time to talk about what goes on under your wedding gown. This is a very important part of creating that perfect look. It's funny how some brides either laugh and show off the weird things they are putting on their body or they try to hide it and are slightly embarrassed. Here's the thing ladies, every bride I've worked with has worn one of the items below. So, have fun with it and let's get to lifting, tucking and smoothing it out!
We might as well start with one of the oddest things, the push up gel pads or as many of us like to call them: chicken cutlets! They stick to your skin without adhesive and are used if you have a low cut back on your gown. If these seem to weird talk to your seamstress about adding in cups to your gown. $38 for the pair.
Wearing a slinky party gown? If you are slipping into a silk dress be sure to test all your undergarments before heading out the door! You don't want all your guests talking about your lace blue underwear as you walk away from them. A bra may not work at all, so be sure to try some breast petals as shown above. Only $6.
If your dress is a heavy weight material you have more options with what you can wear underneath it. Get creative and try the lace g-sting above with the words "I Do" in crystal. You also have the option of adding your something blue to this hidden location.
These were found on Nordstroms.com for $31.


Spanx. If you've ever dressed up in a formal gown you know what these are. They come in black or nude colors and there are so many options you may have to try on a few styles. The one shown above is the footless pantyhose for $28. Most brides wear the power shaper that tucks in the tummy and bum. They also smooth out the fabric. Be sure to visit a store like Nordstrom's where they can help you find the correct size.

Last but not least is the bustier. They are a classic way to shape your body and feel sexy underneath all that fabric. This one is by Le Mystere and retails for $125 at nordstroms. Whatever you decide to wear be sure to try it on under you dress before the wedding day. Take your lingerie to your next fitting and make sure straps aren't showing, lines are hidden and the gown is laying smooth. Trying to adjust these things the day of is never fun and can be very stressfull.

Brides Against Breast Cancer Warehouse Sale!

I meant to post this for all of you sooner, but sometimes time slips away and before you know it it's the middle of October! Either way there is still plenty of time to head down to Milwaukie to find your wedding gown and help fight breast cancer. All the gowns have been donated by past brides to raise money for this great foundation. 

This sale doesn't happen very often and they are doing it for the whole month of October!

Below are the details.

Address: 10890 SE Oak Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222

Open: Oct. 1-31st  Mon.-Sat. 10am-8pm  and Sundays 10am-6pm.

They have 10,000 square feet of wedding gowns, flower girl dresses, and bridesmaids gowns.

It's worth going here first before you start shopping for your gown. Imagine saving hundreds of dollars on a dress and helping women fight breast cancer, how can you go wrong!

The beauty of fall.

Fall is a wonderful time to get married. The air is crisp and cool, the leaves are turning orange and gold and fruit is abundant. Nature gives you all the cues you need to create a stunning day. Let's look at few ideas and inspiration fall gives us.

One of a kind boutonnieres. Pieces of fabric cut to look like leaves serve as the background for the fiddle heads and lilacs. Finish them off with a contrasting ribbon wrapped around the stems.

Yellow roses mixed with deep burgundy dalias and leaves create a vibrant bouquet for the bride. Use the colors in nature to inspire your color palette. Oranges, golds, maroon, yellows and green all mix well together or can be displayed on their own.
Pumpkins, nuts and squash make great center pieces and table decorations. Clump them together in groups of three or five for an esthetically pleasing arrangements.

When I saw these cakes I new I had to write a post about fall! They are so amazing, I wouldn't want to cut into them to eat! Ask your vendors for new and exciting ways to display your cake. This one sets atop a cut of a tree. Don't worry, you won't have to cut down a whole tree to get this look. It could turn into an adventure with your fiance going for hike into the woods to find a piece of a fallen tree.

This cake just screams northwest to me! From the bright green moss on the base to the delicate ferns, acorns and tiny mushrooms made out of frosting, this cake is sure to turn heads.

If you're still trying to think of a date for your wedding day, don't rule out fall. Yes, it may rain and you most likely will have to have an indoor site but the decor would brighten up any rainy day! It's also a great way to show how much you love the great northwest. We live in a beautiful state surrounded by great food, fresh fruits and amazing landscapes. Bring some of that to your tables on your wedding day.

All photos from the fab Martha Stewart Wedding site. Check it out for more great ideas.

Working with a stylist.

Today's post comes from Madeline of Madi Cosmetics. I asked her to give our readers some do's and don'ts when it comes to make-up and hair styling for your big day.  Below are her general tips and advice when working with a stylist. 

Do:

Have a trial consultation two to three months before your wedding date.

At your trial consultation, bring pictures of hairstyles and make-up that you do and don't like. It will help your stylist achieve the look you are after. 

Once the trial is completed, take a photo of yourself! 

Make sure that you and your bridesmaids are in sync with your overall styles. From past experience, I've see where the bridesmaids look totally different. You want to create a cohesive feel from the gowns and flowers to the hair and make-up.

Check with your stylist to see if they do a complimentary trial session. Also be sure to ask about a travel fee if your wedding is outside of the Portland area. Everyone has different policies.  

Don't:

Do not shampoo or condition your hair the day of the wedding. If you do this, your style will not hold.

Do not wait until the last minute to schedule your trial run. By booking early you'll have time to find that perfect look, it can sometimes take several trials to get it perfected!

Do not do anything drastic with your hair color or hair cut before the wedding.  Instead get a trim to keep those split ends away.

Don't bring a lot of people to your trial, they can distract you from the look you want and get you second guessing about it. It's good to go by yourself so you and the stylist can get to know each other and talk about your plans for the day. 

Ok. That's it for now ladies. I will have some big news to announce soon...I'm excited to share with you since you'll be the first to hear about it. So stay tuned, until next time!