JOURNAL
After the Rain, Always Look for the Rainbow
Parkside food pod by Blooms & Twine
Love is central to what we do – whether we are helping create joy on someone’s wedding day, or manifesting happiness for a stranger walking down the street on a sunny Friday afternoon, we thrive on putting all the warm fuzzies out into the world.
We’re all aware that the pandemic has severely affected everyone involved, but one thing is for sure - the restaurant industry has taken quite a hit. Small businesses everywhere are struggling to survive, adapt, adjust and comply with the ever-changing rules and regulations that keep us all safe.
Now that vaccinations are rolling out, and things are starting to open up, we wanted to show our restaurant industry friends a little love.
One thing that universally brightens anyone’s day is the gift of flowers - so we thought, what better way to spark a little joy than to build colorful, unexpected floral displays all over our City of Roses.
We “flower bombed” Covid-style outdoor dining pods at 6 restaurants all over Portland, with installations starting at 6 am, and ending at 4pm. Throughout the day, so many people stopped and asked what this was for, and we simply answered, “just because.”
We pulled together a team of some of our favorite florists to create the designs. We have such a wide array of talent locally available, so we wanted to showcase what they could do. We gave them creative license, and man oh man, did they bring their A-game. Every design was thoughtful, unique, and fitting with each restaurant’s style and vibe.
Below you can read about the vision for each design, and the intent behind it.
Paadee by Brenna Burnett Florals
Restaurant: Paadee
Florist: Brenna Burnett Florals
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
“I grew up in Indonesia, spending a portion of my childhood exploring Thailand. They are experiences that shaped who I am as a person. Flower bombing Paadee, and being surrounded by the beautiful aroma of Thai food fills me with nostalgia.” – Brenna Burnett, Owner of Brenna Burnett Florals
Verde Cocina by Brenna Burnett Florals
Restaurant: Verde Cocina
Florist: Brenna Burnett Florals
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
“I pulled inspiration from Verde’s Mexican food with a Portland twist – opting to use primarily mixed greenery to let Verde’s bold flavors & spice bring the color. The center pod, the largest outdoor seating area, was adorned with a hanging installation of eucalyptus, bay leaf, olive and salal. At the entrance, two pillars of mixed greenery with an arrangement of pops of vibrant blooms, welcomed patrons for their dining experience.” – Brenna Burnett, Owner of Brenna Burnett Florals
Montelupo Italian Market by Novella Theory Floral Co.
Restaurant: Montelupo Market
Florist: Novella Theory Floral Co.
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
"Since we were working with an Italian restaurant, the installation was inspired by the colorful coast of Italy and features olive foliage, roses and dried flowers and foliage to create a colorful and textural design." – Christina Wachspress, Owner of Novella Theory Floral Co.
Bar Casa Vale by Wildflower Portland
Restaurant: Bar Casa Vale
Florist: Wildflower Portland
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
“It was important to support Bar Casa Vale by leaning into the restaurant's Spanish influence. I also wanted to be mindful of the guest experience by utilizing flowers with a low pollen count (no bees, please!), little to no fragrance and to avoid common allergens. As Spain's national flower- the red carnation, it was the perfect option and the genesis for the flower bomb at Bar Casa Vale.” – Chas Thompson Thomas, Owner of Wildflower Portland
Mississippi Pizza Pub by Blooms & Twine Floral Design
Restaurant: Mississippi Pizza Pub
Florist: Blooms and Twine Floral
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
“I love the laid-back vibes at Mississippi Pizza Pub! I knew I wanted to incorporate lots of dried elements to this design while creating a lush textural environment. Using dried blooms and greenery allowed us to go super big with the installation without having to worry about incorporating water sources over the long, warm weekend! Who hasn't dreamed of filling their home with flowers that would never wilt?! My favorite part of this design are the brass instruments- they totally embody the flowers-growing-out-of-every-nook-and-cranny experience we were going for!” – Katie Watkins, Owner of Blooms & Twine Floral Design
Parkside by Blooms & Twine Floral Design
Restaurant: Parkside
Florist: Blooms & Twine Floral
Photographer: D.Selbak
Signage: Letters & Dust
“Quarantine has been so difficult for all of us in so many different ways. We have watched our friends, loved ones, and neighbors experience financial, emotional, mental, and physical toil at unprecedented levels. For a long time, it has felt like life would never be normal. We felt this especially hard in the events industry with celebrations grinding to a sudden halt over a year ago with the first round of lockdown.
With mask restrictions lifting for vaccinated folks, the sun coming back, and friends hugging for the first time in months it feels like we've reached the rainbow at the end of a very dark tunnel.
There's still so much recovery that needs to be done, but our rainbow installation was a celebration for us all to share in the now.
I hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me!” - Katie Watkins, Owner of Blooms & Twine Floral Design
Thank you to all the florists who made this happen. You truly brought our vision to life, and without you, none of this would have been possible.
Thank you to the restaurants who allowed us to come into your space. We hope it brightened your day, and put a smile on the faces of your customers and people passing by.
To everyone out there that’s still struggling, we hope this serves as a reminder that after it rains, always look for the rainbow.
10 Questions you should ask your portland wedding cake baker
One of the vendors you’ve surely been excited about interviewing is your cake bakeries! I get it, as a planner, sampling cakes is one of the perks of my job I’ll never take for granted.
Before setting up tastings ask your friends who they used and if they were happy with them. Check out potential bakers and read google reviews.
Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few, set up some tastings. this will be a fun day and worth celebrating, but remember you’re interviewing a vendor and you should come prepared with a list of questions.
We’ve compiled a list for you to bring along to your tasting:
What flavors and fillings do you offer?
Do you create custom designs or do we need to choose from a selection of designs?
Can you make sugar flowers?
Do you work in Fondant or Buttercream?
Is our tasting included in our fee?
What size of a cake do we need to feed our guests?
How do you price your cakes?
When do we need to order our cake, how far in advance of our wedding day?
Do you also provide cake stands or do we need to provide our own?
Do you deliver?
Do you offer anniversary cakes in place of freezing our cake?
In the Portland area, we have worked with many experienced bakeries that we love. Click on the images below to learn more:
Happy Tasting!
Elevate Your Wedding With a Lounge Seating Area
Get Cozy
Wedding lounges are one wedding trend we can definitely get cozy with! Think of these as a little living room for your guests. A place to relax, mingle, and connect with old friends!
As well as bringing your unique style to your wedding, lounges show guests how thoughtful you are as hosts to go above and beyond to provide special touches to the day.
Your venue may provide a lounge area but if not, rentals of unique, sofas and arm chairs to create a special space.
Here are a few of the lounges we’ve designed for our most stylish brides and grooms:
No matter you wedding style or location, there is furniture that will fit your aesthetic, decor, and details.
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
Modern Portland Styled Elopement Shoot at Tendue
This year has been tough. The world at large has had its ups and downs, challenges and disappointments, and plenty of curveballs. Wedding industry professionals have rapidly been forced to change our ways, shifting our primary focus to keeping our clients and staff safe in these trying times. While we take pride in making sure we stay educated and informed in order to protect those around us, sometimes it feels heavy on our hearts and makes us dream of the days of wedding planning before this all started.
So, when Lisa of Lisa Boehm Beauty came to us and said, “I just want to play,” we jumped at the chance to make it happen.
This styled shoot, while inspirational in its form, featured a real couple. Jasmine and Tynesha are the owners of a fantastic cookie company, Cookiegasm, in Portland, Oregon and are friends of ours. It’s incredible how two people with such beautiful hearts managed to find each other. Their love is truly inspiring, and we feel so lucky to know them both.
With everything going on in the world, we wanted to create something that spoke to people. Something that captured what's going on in the world and celebrates love in every form that it takes. Most importantly, we wanted this shoot to carry a message we all could use right now - Everything Will Be Alright.
Our vision was to turn a traditional wedding setting on its head. We used the models as a blank canvas (dressed in all white and nude), then used florals, furniture, jewelry, and crystals to bring that vision to life. We wanted it to feel rich and luxe, while modern and elegant. The result was a perfect juxtaposition of 1940s old Hollywood glam, paired with modern texture and light.
Instead of cake, we chose cocktails. Instead of a traditional veil on the "bride," we adorned a hydrangea leaf birdcage veil on our model, dressed in a sophisticated ivory pant suit. We used colorful and vibrant vintage cocktail rings instead of traditional wedding bands – one amethyst bauble?! Why not make it two!
The bold color palette of cobalt blue, emerald and amethyst seemed downright regal once executed. The tablescape was littered with crystals of all kinds, which added a striking layer of depth and texture to the overall design. The florals for the table were simple - we wanted it to feel like shoots growing out of the crystals, representing a fresh start and new beginnings.
It was an honor to plan and style this shoot. The team was fire from top to bottom. Every vendor brought creativity, open-minded collaboration, and hustle. Each individual was essential in bringing this vision to life, and we couldn’t be prouder of the art that was created.
See more of this shoot featured on Wedding Chicks.
Vendor Team:
Planning & Styling: J29 Events
Photography: Marcela Pulido Photography
Videography: Lovebug Pictures
Hair and Makeup: Lisa Boehm Beauty
Dress & Pant Suit: A&Bé Bridal Shop for Alexandra Grecco
Cape: Claire La Faye
Venue: Tendue
Rentals: The Party Place
Florals: Blooms and Twine Floral Design
Crystals: Forest, Stone & Sea
Cocktails: Stirred Bartending
Rings: Maloy’s Jewelry Workshop
Masks: Anthropologie
Real life model couple: Jasmine Gibbs-Brown & Tynesha Parnell
7 Things To Do After Your Wedding
With so much planning going into your wedding day, the weeks after your wedding may leave you feeling a little disjointed. But it is important to remember that your wedding tasks are not all complete. there are things you need to do after you return from your honeymoon to preserve your memories and honor your guests and family. We’ve compiled a list of the 7 tasks you need to take care of the weeks following your wedding.
Your Dress
There are a few options for what to do with your dress after your “I dos”. You can sell it, donate it, and even “trash it” with a fun photo shoot. But if you have decided to keep your dress, find a trusted cleaner to clean and preserve your dress. Wedding dress preservation and standard dry cleaning are not the same so be sure to do your research and find an experienced specialist who can treat your most precious garment with the care that it deserves. The sooner the better. There may be invisible stains that will start to damage the fabric so we recommend getting your dress to the cleaner as soon as possible.
Your Bouquet
When it comes to preserving your bouquet, there are more ideas than ever floating around.
Traditional drying and pressing are beautiful options, but you can also have your flowers turned into a gift or keepsake to display around your home. Flowers can be turned into paperweights, resin letters, or even wearable lockets. Small gifts made from your florals can be a nice way to say thank you to family members as holiday gifts.
Your Cake
Traditionally the top tier of your wedding cake can be frozen and eaten on your first anniversary. In fact 49% of 2019 brides and grooms made this plan. While this is a fun tradition, frozen cakes are less than fabulous. Now days, bakers are happy to make you a FRESH anniversary cake (a smaller version of your wedding cake) to commemorate the event.
Thank You Notes
It’s important to remember that even in this day and age of digital communication, thank you notes should still be handwritten. According to the Emily Post Institute “contrary to popular myth, the happy couple does not have a year’s grace period in which to write their notes. All thank-you notes should be written within three months of the receipt of the gift.” Write early - Thank you’s can and should be drafted AS your gift arrives. Additionally, share the load with your new spouse over a bottle of your favorite wine while listening to a mix of your wedding songs, and make writing these notes a fun event.
Review your Vendors (Yelp, Wedding Wire, The Knot, Google)
Remember back when you were choosing your vendors? You may have read reviews from their previous clients. From venues to florists, to photographers, to caterers, to planners… most of your vendors will have accounts with major wedding sites such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, and other business sites such as Google and Yelp. Giving them a 5-star rating and review will help them to book more amazing clients like you. Think of this as a thank you note to your vendors. They will GREATLY appreciate your review.
Order your Wedding Album and PRINT your Photos
You’ve likely purchased a wedding package through your photographer that includes prints and an album. But if you just received the digital files, make sure printing photos is a priority as well as backing up the files in a few places. We recommend a combination of an external hard drive as well as cloud storage. You and your children will enjoy these for years to come so make sure to have prints in your home as well as a beautiful album to remember your day.
Take your Parents out to Dinner
Your parents want nothing more than to spend time with you, and what better way to say thank you for all the help and support they gave your during your wedding planning than to take them out for a nice dinner.
Step Up Your Wedding Signage to Suit Your Style
While most wedding decor is purely decorative, wedding signage has the added bonus of being utilitarian. It serves to tell your guests what is coming up throughout the day. Wedding signs can help to add to the aesthetic as well as set the tone for the day.
When having our design meeting, we discuss color palette, metal tones, and alternative textures/surfaces. Guests like to know where to go and what to expect and choosing signs that fit the style of your wedding serves as a twofer!
What Type of Signage do you want at your wedding?
One way to approach your signage is like a road map through the day. Use signs to let guests know if you desire to have an unplugged ceremony, or if you want them to share photos of your day with a unique hashtag. You can also let them know what’s coming up with signs pointing to lawn games during the cocktail hour, or sparklers during the sendoff.
Sparkler Send off
Quote
Unplugged Ceremony
What materials do you want your signs made out of?
Which materials you use say a lot about your style. Our current favorite is frosted acrylic but that style is often paired with our more modern couples. We want to celebrate your style! Some of our favorite material options are:
Wood
Chalkboard
Poster
Metal
Acrylic
Mirror/Glass
Wood
Acrylic
Chalkboard
What is your wedding style?
Do you define your style as rustic, modern, boho, or vintage? What types of signs you display can help show your guests what your style inspiration is.
Here are 4 bar signs, 4 different ways:
Where to source your wedding signs
A quick Pinterest search will show you how many vendors there are making wedding signs. The beauty is, there are sign vendors to fit any budget. Having worked with many professionals in the industry, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorites:
Etsy
Hey Halle
Letters & Dust
Fest Paper & Design
Crave Design
We would love to speak with you, learn your vision of your wedding and help you design your day!