JOURNAL
5 Must Have Items for a Wedding During a Heat Wave
Historically, the Pacific Northwest has been known to have mild summers that begin after the 4th of July. However, with global warming, we’re seeing much warmer summers that extend beyond July-August. Now more than ever, it’s critical to prepare for heat and a lot of sun. We’re here to share five must have items for a wedding during a heat wave (and a few more that are tucked in for good measure).
SHADE
When booking a venue, it’s important to consider your rain plan and shade/heat plan. Does the venue have an indoor space that can be utilized? If not, where is the best location for a tent and or shade umbrellas? When considering heat plans, shade is important but air conditioning may also be crucial when temperatures approach the 90’s or 100 degree mark. Some tents have the capacity to add a thermostat for air conditioning or heat. While clear top tents are absolutely stunning, they serve as a greenhouse and will roast your unsuspecting guests. White tops or a Sperry tent are a much better option. We also add tents for catering so this will need to be factored in to your budget.
Market umbrellas are another great option when wind isn’t an element. We can stage these in a space that doesn’t need complete shade for guests who need a little reprieve from the heat. One note to remember, market umbrellas will tip over easily, even with a weighted base. If there is any breeze what so ever, a market umbrella should not be considered; Shade Sails are an excellent alternative.
Parasols are fun and photo friendly shade detail. We like to make these available for guests as they arrive. These photograph well and add an ere of charm. Just as we think of all guests with umbrellas, please consider all guests when purchasing or renting parasols.
WATER
“Hydrate or diedrate” is the token phrase in the athletic training world but can also be applied to the events world on a hot day. Make water and non-alcoholic beverages available to guests upon arrival. We like to offer guests chilled cucumber water or lavender lemonade on those extra hot days. Be prepared for guests to go through water and ice quickly; provide extra water carafes for each table so water is within reach.
Please also consider your vendors. We are working extra hard to keep your guests cool and comfortable and often forget to take care of ourselves. We provide our team with Liquid IV to ensure that we are well hydrated throughout your wedding day.
COOLING
Sometimes, despite our best attempts, cooling a tent and providing shade just won’t cut it at a venue without air conditioning. Thankfully, we can bring in industrial fans and misters if need be. We can also bring in industrial air conditioning to cool a venue but this comes with a price tag and some last minute hustle.
Hand held fans can be a cute addition for cooling guests and can pull double duty as a program or fun wedding detail.
Don’t forget about your bridal party members in suits. They will be out in the sun/heat far longer than guests and usually during the heat of the day. We like to include cooling neck wraps and gel ice packs during those pre-ceremony hours in case it gets really hot. Another thing to consider during the planning process is attire. Please, please, please do not put your bridal party or family members in wool suits or silk dresses (hello, sweat marks!). Consider lighter weight, wicking, or light colored attire if there is any chance that you will be getting married on a hot day.
COOL TREATS
What could be a better than a chilly treat? Hand scooped ice cream courtesy of Salt & Staw or boozy popsicles from Sloshy Pops make a fun addition that will leave your guests cooled off and talking long after your special day is over. Again, don’t forget about non-alcoholic options.
PATIENCE
Heat makes all of us a little grumpy. We get it. Above all, have patience and grace. Your planner and vendor team will be working in overdrive to ensure that you and your guests are as comfortable as can be (all while roasting themselves) so please extend a little extra understanding. Rushing to plan for a heat plan can be stressful so plan ahead, just as you would if planning ahead for a rain plan. And remember, at the end of the day - your guests just want to celebrate you and have a good time.
Photography credits (from top to bottom):
Modern Boho Wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes
This is a classic. What happens when a girl walks in to a bar? They flirt, date, move across the country, then he asks her to marry him with an epic proposal, and they get married. Done done, and done.
Okay, rewind. Rosalia and Jorge met in Chicago when she was a new host and he was a server. Their love quickly escalated and their proposal story is one for the books:
She worked at The Violet Hour (a cocktail bar) in Portland. At the time she was a server. Her friend and manager (their officiant) asked her to step in the back to talk about something quickly. She was taken aback and told him that she didn't have time as it was a busy Saturday and she couldn't leave the floor. He assured her that someone else would watch the floor for her and urged her to go and talk to him. When they got to the back of the building, there were other staff members there, so he said, "Let's go up and talk in the office." There were people in the office, so he said, "Let's step out on the roof for a second so we can speak privately." Meanwhile, she was racking her brain for anything that she had done wrong as she was sure she was getting fired. When they stepped out on the roof, there was a table full of candles, flowers, and champagne, and her friend/manager left and Jorge appeared to propose. They enjoyed the champagne on the roof, and when they went downstairs, their Al Green song was playing, the entire bar (including guests) had glasses of bubbles, her mom and best friend were there, and everyone cheers'd them. ❤️
The guys were dressed to the nines; sporting fun floral ties, stylish specks, and a top hat that only Jorge could pull off on his wedding day.
This less traditional couple wanted pops of color with a boho flare. Bridal Veil Lakes is a stunning property but it’s lush greens can make it hard to see neutral palettes. We love it when our couples opt for bright colors that contrast all the greens. Bridesmaids picked their own dresses in a variety of shades of pinks and burgundy. SELVA Floral tied these colors together with her FABULOUS floral creations.
Their lakeside wedding ceremony was made even better as their two perfect dogs (a King Charles Cavalier and an Australian Cattle dog) stood by their sides, baring witness to their love and waiting for a treat.
We loved getting to share in this special day. The fun colors, texture, laid back vibes, yummy cocktails, dogs….. and the love. So much love! Congrats, Rosalia + Jorge!
Vendors
Venue: Bridal Veil Lakes
Photography: True Grace
Florals: SELVA Floral Design
Catering: White Pepper
Cake: Back to Eden Bakery
Beauty: Kirstie Wight
Dress: Grace Loves Lace
Entertainment: MK Productions
Bar: The Violet Hour
Rentals: The Party Place + Something Borrowed (no longer in business)
Stationery: Rachel Street Press
Transportation: Lucky Limousine
Destination Boho Wedding at Horning's Hideout
What happens when a southern couple plans a destination woodsy wedding to the PNW? Perfection. From the burgundy/dusty mauve color palette to the magical boho florals, no detail was left unturned (especially in the desserts category).
From our Junebug Weddings Feature:
When Shannon and Ian were planning their fairytale forest wedding, they took to Google to search for inspiration and fell madly in love with Horning’s Hideout! Shannon has a natural love for the environment, so it was important that the natural beauty of the venue shine through with minimal decor. Selva Floral Design did a magical job creating arrangements for the ceremony arch and reception area that complimented the enchanting forest vibes. If you love all things whimsical, we think you’re going to swoon over these photos by The Soft Season!
We love seeing bridesmaids in a variety of dresses within a color palette. The different tones and textures create so much depth and gives your wedding extra personality. How do you plan on dressing your ladies?
When it comes to wedding details and ceremony backdrops, unexpected shapes and textures in the trees are kind of our jam.
Wedding planning advice from the bride: Pick your memorable moments, everything else will fade over time so only focus on the things you want yourself and your guests to remember and highlight them in a way which resonates with you to make them uniquely yours and so looking back those moments will always bring joy. Additionally, have a vision and stick with it, by having a vision from the beginning it helped cut down on the stress. Lastly, love your wedding photographer and their style. Highly recommend using social media to your advantage and looking at different photography styles to narrow down what you would like.
Here’s to an epic party in the woods! Clink!
A mixture of table shapes and surfaces help to create a beautiful and unique reception setup as well as helping to define your wedding style.
“We found it very important to maintain our vision for the wedding. We wanted to create a unique interpretation of traditional wedding elements done in a modern way which created a better atmosphere and flow through out the event. This wedding was our opportunity to thank everyone in our lives who had played an instrumental role in helping us get to where we are so we wanted to take some of the focus off of ourselves and instead create a memorable intimate wedding where each of our guests felt welcomed and appreciated.”.
When floral heaven lands on a dessert table, you know Selva Floral is in da house. Holy moly! This statement piece was designed for the ceremony altar, but we repurposed it for the dessert table. Wow is an understatement. Also, White Pepper Catering are dessert masters!
Vendors:
Photography: The Soft Season
Second Photographer: Courtney Meili Photography
Venue: Horning’s Hideout
Florals: Selva Floral Design
Catering: White Pepper Catering
Cake: Dream Cakes
Bar: Tiddly Trailer
DJ: Event Team Entertainment
Stationery: Polka Dot Paper
Makeup: Lauren Maher Makeup
Hair: The Beaty Briar
Wedding Dress: THEIA Couture, Louvienne va Lovely Bride
Groom Attire: Idlewood Bespoke
Rentals: Party Place, Classic Vintage Rentals
Featured on Junebug Weddings
Romantic Summer Wedding at Barn Kestrel
Take us back to Shauna + Armando’s perfect September wedding at Barn Kestrel. This Romantic Farm Wedding was one for the ages. Full of vintage rustic glamour, complete with modern touches.
Sometimes we get so lucky with our Brides and Grooms that they put their words and feelings about their wedding in writing. Shauna + Armando were one of those amazing couples. Throughout this post, I’ll share their words with you!
Pretty, pretty, pretty invitation suite by Crave Design! We love how this set perfectly matched the details and florals from their beautiful day.
"First look! It was so emotional and such a loving moment. Armando has never cried in front of me and his eyes started to and it was one of the most emotionally happy moments we’ve had together. “
“Vows: waiting to hear each other vows made it so much more heart felt. Armando’s vows made me laugh out loud and made me cry tears of happiness.”
We set up a cozy lounge seating area for guest in the reception barn. It was the perfect place for guests to escape the heat and to enjoy watching all of their fun dances.
Perks of wedding at a Farm? Sunset Bridal Horse Portraits!! The four resident “cowboy horses” love hamming it up for photos which worked out well for our equestrian bride, Shauna, who loved being able to snap some pics with these beauties since she couldn’t have her own horse with her on their special day.
“Favorite moment of our day: our first dance. We had ours choreographed and the song was a reference to our video game nerdiness. We also had so much fun with our dance and the crowd went wild!”
“Advice as a newlywed: Make time to continue “dating” each other. Surprise each other and keep communication open! Do random acts of kindness…. and remember, just because the wedding is over doesn’t mean that the foundations of your relationship don’t need as much love and care as you gave before getting hitched.
Thanks, Shauna and your team for making our day so stellar!" ~Shauna + Armando
Vendors:
Photography: Sweetlife Photography
Venue: Barn Kestrel
Catering: Verde Cocina
Florals: Distinctive Designs by Denice
Hair: Ambrosia Carey
Makeup: Hair Mettle
Dress: Allure Bridals
Dress Shop: Ania Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu
Invitations: Crave Design
Rentals: Party Place, Bridge Wood Events
Dessert: Churros Locos
DJ: NW Mobile DJ Service
Bar: Bar Truck PDX
Photo Booth: Smirk Booth Photo Co.
How to incorporate unique traditions into your wedding
Weddings are full of traditions. From “something old, new, borrowed and blue,” tossing the bouquet, or being walked down the aisle. Many of these are a given, and will be incorporated into your modern wedding without a second thought. But other new traditions are popping up and our couples are thinking outside of the box and getting creative. Here are a few of the unique traditions we’ve had the privilege to witness at recent weddings.
UNITING THE GUESTS
During Alicia + Phillip’s ceremony, scarves tied together were passed across the aisle symbolizing the uniting of all the guests and the bonding of the two families. This beautiful gesture was a great way to make the guests feel included.
HANDFASTING
Lindsay + Andrew used a tradition that dates back to Celtic times. The bride and groom hold opposite hands (so their arms make a figure eight—representing eternity). Then, their hands are tied together with ribbon to symbolize a union.
SMOKE BOMBS
Shannon + Ian opted for a modern idea. Smoke bombs have become a favorite trend of Wedding Photographers. They used their wedding colors and surprised their guests with this dramatic effect.
FIRE JUMPING
Another Pagan ritual is to leap through the flames by jumping over a fire pit or bonfire. Ali + Eli were married on the Summer Solstice and wanted to incorporate a Pagan ritual into their coastal elopement. Midsummer has long been thought to be a time of magic. The purpose of jumping over the fire is to purify, also it’s believed to ward off evil spirits.
Do you have ideas for unique traditions you would like to incorporate into your upcoming nuptials? We’d love to hear all about them!
Remember it’s your wedding, feel free to get creative with it!
Cultural Bridal Veil Lakes Wedding
After a long wait, we’re FINALLY able to share this beautiful wedding that we did at Bridal Veil Lakes last August. The weather was perfect for a gorgeous day by the lake. We’re forever grateful to our rockstar vendor team who brought this vision to life for our sweet couple.
Lush. Moody. Ethereal. The florals were spectacular and Bramble Floral Design nailed it!
In their showcase of a venue, Jolei & Sameer treated guests to a progressive wedding, moving around the picturesque lake for various portions of the evening.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
Upon arrival, those in attendance were treated to pre-ceremony appetizers and cocktails from Hunt and Gather, followed by a stroll around the lake to a flower splashed meadow for the ceremony.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
Guests then meandered to the gorge overlook for cocktail hour and later landed at their dinner Destination, where they savored local delicacies under twinkling lights.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
Sameer’s family is Pakistani, and Jolie grew up in New Zealand, with Irish and Filipino heritage, so it was important to them to represent both of their backgrounds in the celebration.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
Their invitation suite included phrasing in English, Tagalog (Jolie’s family's language), and Urdu (Sameer’s family's language). To further customize the invitations and other decor used for the day, a custom logo was created, blending the New Zealand Silver fern and the Pakistani jasmine flower.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
To end on a fun note, the couple and their guests danced the night away to an eclectic mix of music that included throwbacks to the 1990s and early 2000’s current top 40 hits and Bollywood/Pakistani tunes.
Text From the Feature by Oregon Bride Magazine
We absolutely loved working with this fun couple who put so much faith and trust in our design to bring their vision to life. A large scale event such as theirs required countless production hours, hundreds of emails, dozens of meetings, and a lot of hard work….. but it was SO WORTH IT. We did all of their planning remotely, without an in person meeting. Can you believe it? Congrats, you two!
Vendors:
Venue: Bridal Veil Lakes
Phtoographer: Christy Cassano
Videographer: Moving Pictures
Florist: Bramble Floral Design
Caterer: Hunt & Gather Catering
Rentals: Party Place, Classic Vintage Rentals
Dress: Trudy’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Dresses: Azzazie
Cake: Papa Hadyn
Donuts: Blue Star Donuts
Groom/Groomsmen attire: Sari Palace
HAMU: Olivia Hawthorne Beauty
Installation Crew: Flex PDX
Invitations/Signage/Programs: Letters & Dust
Music/DJ: John Ross Productions
Transportation: EcoShuttle
Ethereal Wedding at Skokomish Park
We started working with Lindsay + Andrew two years ago. They are a sweet couple from Chicago. He’s a HUGE Cubs fan and she loves all things vintage, ethereal, fox, and styled. They saw a beautiful ethereal woodsy wedding on a blog in the PNW and knew that they had to be married in the woods.
They had a vision and surprisingly, it never wavered. An ethereal wedding in the trees, nestled into the mountains, and a few steps away from stunning Lake Cushman. Every vendor trucked in and there was no cell service but everything was flawless and our vendor team couldn’t have been more incredible. We have so much love for these two! All of our best to you!
We planned their fairytale/ethereal wedding at the base of the Olympic National Peninsula in Skokomish Park on Lake Cushman. It was an amazing location. Every single item was brought in from either Chicago, Seattle or Portland… vendors included. Lights were strung and ran off of a generator, toilets brought in, every table, chair, decor item and all of the food. It was a huge team effort to bring this wedding together in the middle of nowhere…… and without cell phone service.
If you haven’t dreamt of walking over a flower-covered bridge in the woods, are you really dreaming? We’re still swooning over this ethereal day and Lindsay’s amazing blue/green skirt. She looked like a real-life fairy bride!
Lindsay, ever the detail-oriented gal, styled everything to a tee beforehand on photoshop! EVERY LITTLE DETAIL was planned out and thought of. It was a dream to work with a couple that could keep up with the check-lists!
The weather was beautiful and the guests (who hailed from Chicago) were blown away with this wedding in the middle of the woods. Many had never been to the Pacific Northwest and were completely smitten with the tall trees, mountains, and stunning views.
LIndsay + Andrew had a handfasting ceremony as part of their nuptials.
Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which the hands are tied together to symbolize the binding of two lives. While it is most often included in Wiccan or Pagan ceremonies, it has become more mainstream and pops up in both religious and secular vows and readings. ~ Brides.com
There were so many amazing details for this destination wedding in the woods.
This cake has a story: picked up in Seattle, driven to Hoodsport, WA (2 hours on a lap), and stored in a fridge in a cabin on top of a hill. Finally, two days later, it was carefully carried down the hill by Sabrina (no pressure). This cute cake made its final stop on top of this bar before being gobbled up. People have no idea what some cakes go through before their untimely demise. 😂
These two, this lighting, her dress, his suit, and this location. Need I say more? Everything was magical. Their destination woodsy wedding was perfection
I’ll always remember their wedding as later in the evening, one of their guests passed out mid-laugh and fell face-first on to the gravel. He gashed his ear and forehead open. Thankfully, we had plenty of vodka (to clean his wounds) and superglue in our planners’ kit to glue his forehead and ear back together. Remember the no cell service thing? Yea, hire a wedding planner that used to be a nurse. We made him rest for the rest remainder of the evening as guests danced the night away under the stars and cafe lights.
Vendor Team:
Venue: Lake Cushman Skokomish Park, WA
Photographer: Kristen Marie Parker
Floral: Vanessa Schmidt
Caterer: Herban Feast
Cake: Sweet Side Seattle
Beauty: Bridal Beauty Agency
Dress: English Dept. Portland
Cinema: Northwest Wedding Films
Entertainment: Puget Sound Entertainment
DJ - Alan Chitlik
Rentals: Archive Rentals, Classic Vintage Rentals, Formal Flush
Officiant: Dan Anastasia
Travel/Accomodations: Red Lion Hotel
Spanish Festival Themed Private Resident Wedding in Ashland, OR
Phillip + Alicia, who were introduced by two of their best friends (who happen to be married to each other) have come a long way from their first date. Phillip was a third wheel to Alicia + her mother at a music event at a winery in Napa.
Philip is of Spanish descent and his family throws big parties. Their wedding was hosted at Alicia’s family home (this is the home she grew up in that her sister now owns).
For their engagement, they went canoeing down the Russian River and Phillip hung a giant proposal sign off a bridge and had family + friends on the shore to witness the momentous event.
In Spanish weddings, the bride traditionally wears a dress with lace details. Alicia also wore her hair in a Spanish style to complete the look.
During the ceremony, scarves tied together were passed across the aisle symbolizing the uniting of all the guests and the bonding of the two families.
Alicia’s mom collected all of the colorful glassware and bird cages over the course of a year.
The guests greeted the new couple by shaking colorful Spanish maracas.
They wanted a fun and light hearted vibe. They even ended the night with a silent disco!
Fabulous Vendor Team:
Photographer: Emily Hary
Florist: Petal & Seed
Rentals: Motif, Encore
Bartender: Bar Nomadic
Dress: Grace Loves Lace
DJ/Lighting/Dance floor: Sights & Sounds
Catering: Sheild Catering, The Melt Food Truck, Daddy Ramen Food Cart
Cake: Peace Love & Little Donuts
Linens: La Tavola
Trolley: Allaboard Trolley Tours