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.

Make an exit.

One tradition that seems to be disappearing is the bride and groom making an exit. Whether it's from the ceremony to the party or the final fairwell from the reception, there is something romantic and exciting about it. It may be getting cut from the your time line since it does take a bit of work to pull it off seamlessly. This is where a coordinator would come in, they are great at organizing everyone to get to the right location and letting you know when to make that exit!

Rice used to be the popular good bye to toss at the couple, but is now not allowed at many locations. It is messy, and harmful to animals. Some other fun ideas are long sparklers for an evening event, bubbles are always fun for the guests, or try fall leaves, lavender buds or rose petals. The key is to find something that is safe on the environment and will not make a large mess.

With sparklers.

The bubble good-bye.


Now you need something with wheels to whisk you away. The limo used to be the old stand-by but how about breaking out of the mold to try a classic car like a 1947 Rolls Royce from Best Car in Town.  

You can't get more romantic than a horse drawn carriage. I had a couple where the groom surprised the bride with one after the ceremony, bonus points!

I've worked with Fairy Godmother Carriage Services before and they were very nice. They also have a ten person carriage to take the whole wedding party for a ride, how cool would that be!
They are located in the Salem area so you'll have to contact them to see if they work in the Portland metro area.

Then you have the newest option, but not a new idea, of the PediCab. They can carry two to three people and are all pedal power...these are so Portland! I can just see it, a line of four or more pedicabs taking the wedding party to their reception. Go to PDXpedicab to learn more.

Overall it's really a nice way to transition into the reception or let everyone know that the party is now over. It's also a great way to have your guests participate in your day. Ok, time for me to make my exit! Until the next post...

Portland's Newest Event Site!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend. Mine was 1/5 vacation and 4/5 work! I had a blast at each wedding though, really great couples, so it didn't feel like work!

Today I'm happy, thrilled and excited to announce a new event site, Sauvie Dolce. The site is located on Sauvie Island and has a view of all three mountains. There is an amazing grove of tall trees with enough open space for any size ceremony or reception. There is also a creek running along the back edge and an amazing wheat field. Images speak louder than words, so check out the pics below to get a taste of what the land looks like.

Contact Ericka for more info about booking your upcoming event there. We're also happy to add her to our wonderful Simply Chic Group. She'll fit right in with her bubbly and friendly personality.








Images copyright Jasmine Photography 2008.

Call me.

The weather is finally sunny and warm and it's almost the first day of summer. The wedding season has started! June through August are known as the prime time to get married in the United States and beyond. 

Lots of couples are also engaged during this time and planning a wedding for fall, winter or spring. For those of you in the planning process it can be hard to get a hold of vendors you are interested in. If you call us and we don't get back to you immediately, don't get mad and think we are blowing you off. Most likely we are running around like mad to do things like creating the flowers or prepping the food for an upcoming event. We are also traveling to locations outside of the Portland Metro area and are away from our desks.

The majority of fabulous vendors in Portland are small business owners, meaning we don't have a team of folks in our office. It's usually just one of us, the owner, who is your contact. So, if you do call or email we'll get back to you as soon as we can, but don't be surprised if it takes a couple of days.  

Real Weddings.

Some images from Steff and Tom's wedding...

Location: Governor Hotel, Portland, Oregon.
Flowers: Studio Del Fiore.
Photography: Jasmine Photography & Nicole Wickens.
Music: Porkpie.
Coordination: Class Act Events.

Gown: Ania Bridal


Click on image to view larger.

Destination Weddings.

The blog took a bit of break while I was on vacation in beautiful Hawaii. I just returned and am slowly getting readjusted to the time change and the chilly weather. While I was there I was thinking about destination weddings and how many couples are leaning toward this option for their event.



So, where do you start? First, choose your ideal spot for the event and be sure to do so far in advance. The best properties and accommodations book up quickly. Destination can mean traveling six hours from Portland to Hawaii or only two from Portland to the Oregon Coast. Be sure to do some extra research about the weather for the location you choose. You don't want to head down to the Caribbean during hurricane season.

You'll certainly want to send out save the dates to your guests to give them plenty of time to book flights and hotel. Make it a weekend of events together for an intimate feeling. How about an informal dinner the day after everyone arrives or cocktails on the beach with appetizers.

Destination Weddings has great tips to get you started. If you find a hotel or resort you like, you can contact them directly to learn about their package options. Many will have the info listed on their websites that they offer, such as the officiant, flowers and tuxedo rental.

One thing to consider is choosing your photographer and videographer from where you live. Since these are the two things that will remind you of all the wonderful moments, you may want to fly them over to make sure everything is captured from stat to finish on your big day. The photographers that are included in the package often snap a couples shots of the ceremony and family and leave.

In the end, your event should be less stressful for you and an easy way to start the honeymoon in a beautiful location. Just remember to bring the sunblock so you don't look like a lobster in your white dress!




All images copyright Jasmine Photography 2008.

5 ideas about budget.

by Emee Pumarega, CMP at EJP Events

I am often asked, "Why are weddings so darn expensive? How can I lower the cost of my wedding? What should a wedding (or vendor) cost? Is this a good deal?" and I thought I would share some quick thoughts on the topic of budget.

1. It's not so much that things are expensive just because it's a wedding -- more often than not, it just seems so, because we're not accustomed to hosting so many people for lunch, dinner, cocktails, what have you. The single most budget-trimming thing you can do for your wedding is to limit the number of people you allow to attend.



2. If you're wondering if something is a "good deal" or not, compare the wedding item to what you would pay for a similar service in real life. For example, if you are hoping to serve a multicourse gourmet meal at your wedding reception, think of the last place you went out for a similarly splashy dinner, and see if the price per person on what you spent for food, beverage, and service compares to what your caterer will charge for something similar. Don't compare apples and oranges however -- if the caterer is including items in the quote like rented tables, chairs, and tableware, ask them to break those items out separately, so you can get a side-by-side comparison with your reality check. Conversely, if you're hoping for a barbecue buffet, check your "deal radar" by comparing the wedding caterer's price per person cost against the typical food, beverage, and service (tip/gratuity) at your favorite BBQ shack.

3. DO share your budget with your vendors and your coordinator. This will save you countless wasted hours going to meetings and poring over proposals that are out of range. If you're uncomfortable stating your budget because you're worried that vendors will just charge you the "max", then shave it down a bit, but do have some idea of a number in mind. If you have no idea where to start in creating the budget, ask a coordinator or try one of the handy downloadable worksheets such as the one found at Martha Stewart Weddings.

4. Prioritize what's important to you, then allot your budget accordingly. If having favors and gift baskets isn't a big deal to you and your fiance(e), then make sure that there isn't a huge outlay in that department. Think of the areas that will have the most impact on you and your guests' enjoyment, and try to concentrate on those areas as far as time, money, and mental resources.

5. Use trusted vendors and negotiate customized packages with them based on your needs, rather than choosing the lowest-cost vendor by default, regardless of quality. Sometimes the lowest cost is the best choice, but not always. It makes no sense to save $500 using a vendor who may or may not deliver what you want; when an experienced and creative one will have plenty of expert ideas on how to get as close as possible to your target vision within your budget, and will also do a great job!

Picking a Date.

You're recently engaged-congrats! You've  had a some time for it to sink in and you have shared the news with friends and family. Now the big question, what date to choose! 

Here are a few tips to help you figure out the perfect day to say I do:

• July & August are the most popular months to get married. In our area, the North West, it's due to the least amount of rain so you can get married outside. 

• Give yourself enough time to enjoy the engagement & for planning. If you absolutely have to get married in August, know ahead that you will be competing with way more brides to book vendors than if your date was in March.

• Check your local city calender for events that happen thru out the year. Such as the annual Rose Parade in Portland. If your event is near any of this your guests will have a real tough time getting to you and parking; they won't arrive happy.

• Want to make a weekend out of it? Choose a holiday weekend so your guests can stay longer and have a brunch the day after the wedding with everyone. 

• You're ready to get married now! Plan for a winter or spring date. Event spaces are less likely to be booked during this time. 

• Weekday is your day. Many more couples are opting to get married on a Friday night. This can be a good option to save some money-always ask if the vendor or space gives a weekday discount. 

Whether it's  8.8.2008   or  3.21.2008  it will be a day to remember. 

Q & A

This will be a new post that will feature questions asked by you and answered by local vendors.

Whether you want to know what style of gown will look best on your figure or what time of day is best for family photos...just ask away and we'll answer!  

Send your wedding questions to: info@artofweddingspdx.com

The Timeline.

I hope you've been enjoying the wonderful Portland weather. This is one of the reasons why I love it out here, you get a glimpse of spring in the middle of February!  That certainly doesn't happen back in the midwest. 

Ok, on to business. Today's topic is all about getting down and dirty with planning your wedding day. I remember when I started to plan mine (over 5 years ago already) and opened up a Martha Stewart Wedding mag to find a checklist more than 2 pages long! Holy cow I thought, do I have to do all of this stuff?!

Not necessarily. There a few key tips you should try to stick to. Why you ask? Because many vendors book up quickly, especially for prime dates such as the months of July & August.

Here's a few to consider sticking with the suggested timeline:

9-12 months out.

• choose a few possible dates for the event.
  
• book your ceremony & reception site.
• find your caterer for the reception if one is not included with the space.
• start looking at wedding photographers. 
• start looking at videographers.
• start trying on wedding gowns.
• need help narrowing down your options: get a coordinator!

6-9 months out.

• select a florist.
• decide on your overall look of the event; colors, formal/informal etc.
• decide on music for reception-book Dj or find a band.
• book music for ceremony if needed: such as string quartet.
• start looking for bridesmaids dresses.
• order your wedding gown if getting it from a store...they typically take 6 months to arrive.

4-6 months out.

• book your honeymoon.
• order invitations.
• shop for wedding bands.
• register for gifts...fun!

Ok...that list just kept growing and growing. See what I mean? There is so much to do that it can be overwhelming. I'm exhausted just from writing it! To get more tips and advice on what you should be doing when, check out Barnes and Noble for some of these planners:

 

Peggy Post. Wedding Planner.

Buy local. The Bravo Wedding Planner.

Martha Stewart's Keepsake Planner.

Wedding Graffiti

I first discovered this website about 6 months ago. I fell in love with it immediately and have been wanting to share it with others...just kept forgetting to do so! Wonderful Graffiti for Weddings is so cool, I can barely stand it! It is thin pieces of vinyl that look "printed" when applied to a smooth surface. It applies and removes quickly without damaging the surface.

They have created classic and elegant ideas for you to use throughout your event. From decorating your get-a-way car to the dance floor. I also love how they take something as simple as a monogram and created so many options for you to use it. Why not add it to coasters for the cocktail hour? Or how about invites on large lollipops? Fun!



You can also create your own. Check out a view pics from their website and then let you imagination go wild!

Four Kinds of Sites, and What They Mean to Your Wedding

Emee Pumarega, EJP Events Special Event Planning



As you enter the site selection process, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of possible wedding sites out there. Indoor, outdoor, downtown, in the country… our local area alone has probably around five hundred places that a medium-sized wedding could be held.

How do you make that decision? Lots of factors come into play, but the one element I want to discuss today is the genre of your site. Apart from the typical hotel or banquet hall, there are four types of venues that seem to come up over and over. In my experience, each type seems to bring similar attractions and issues.


The Private Club.

The private club often has manicured grounds, a lovely ballroom or reception tent, and an on-site caterer and bartender. Some issues to consider are that the club’s members tend to take precedence over any non-member or event rental activities. For example, photographs may be prohibited on the golf course, or furniture may not be moved around or removed. Private clubs tend to have strict dress codes, and you may need to have a member-sponsor in order to have your event there. On the plus side, the food and service tend to be high-quality and befitting a formal event, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Photo: EJP Events

The Vineyard or Winery.

A winery can be a great place to have your wedding. Many have beautiful views of surrounding vineyards and farms. Some have dedicated caterers; some allow you to bring your choice. One thing that will never be allowed, of course, is for you to bring outside wine or hard liquor. Beer may sometimes be purchased through the winery or brought in. At a vineyard, the tasting room takes precedence over a rental group’s needs, so make sure you are aware of what time your group will have full access to all the amenities of the site, and when the public will be turned away. Rarely does a winery site close its tasting room just for a wedding. Benefits include: wine discounts (either for your event or for guest favors); private labeling; the appeal of remote, rural areas; and the possibility of customization.



The Museum or Cultural Hall.

Who needs décor when your wedding is surrounded by art or culture? A museum can be a great place to have a wedding; in addition, you can feel good that your rental fee is going to support a cultural organization. On the other hand, the art comes first, so expect restrictions on photography, and more stringent site guidelines regarding décor, loading, and access. Often, setup cannot begin until after the museum’s public hours, leading to a tight setup timeline and high labor costs. Expect an exclusive caterer or to choose from a list of allowed caterers.


The Bed and Breakfast.

B&B’s out in the country make a wonderful backdrop for an outdoor wedding. These sites can often be “blank slates” where you can bring in an entire event and customize from top to bottom; or they can be wonderfully decorated with quaint architecture and elaborate gardens.

Keep in mind that guests are usually not permitted inside the actual house, which is reserved for the overnight guests only. Plumbing in rural areas can be very limited, so often only the wedding party and B&B guests are allowed to use the indoor restrooms -- portables are provided for the guests. B&B weddings tend to have a “100% outdoors” feel, so make sure to budget for tents, heating, lighting, higher-quality restroom trailers, and other amenities to keep guests comfortable.

B&B’s may offer their own catering, but several allow you to bring any licensed caterer you wish. And finally, if you are looking for a weekend celebration and a leisurely setup period, a B&B is your best bet, as the rental period is usually from Friday night to Sunday morning.

Photo: EJP Events

I hope this list gives you some idea of what’s out there and helps you narrow down the search! Best wishes as you find the site that’s perfect for you.