Light up your wedding day with these beautiful paper luminaries from Paper Acorn on Etsy. Many different colors are available as well as different font options, which I love! Light up your walkway from ceremony to reception or have them surround your cake table. Arrange them at your head table or when the guest first arrive by the guest signature book. The options are endless! What a fun and inexpensive way to decorate and add a personal touch to your event. Contact Paper Acorn for pricing and more info.

Weddings are in full swing and the majority of them are taking place outside. So many couples choose an outdoor venue during the month of August and September because it is the least likely to rain. You by-passed the rain but did you think about the time of day you are saying your vows? This is something that you need to stop and think about before you start planning out your event.

Why? Well for a few good reasons. The first being lighting. Lighting is so important to you having fabulous photos. Of course any professional photographer with a lot of experience can shoot in various lighting situations but they have lighting they prefer to give you the best possible images. Just in the past few weeks I’ve been to at least three events where the ceremony took place in full sun between the times of 3-5pm. Why is this bad? Well, you will both be in full sun. One of your faces will be shaded from the other and the other one will be super bright. This will result in some not so pretty pics of the two of you during the ceremony.It will be nearly impossible to get an even exposure on both of your faces at the same time. Not good, not good at all. So how do you resolve this? Go to your location at the time of day you want to have your ceremony. Take into account everything around you. Are there trees that will shade the entire ceremony site or only half of it? Is there a better spot on the grounds that will be in total shade at that time? If not, then wait a few hours for the sun get lower in the sky.

The second reason not to have your ceremony at the peak sunshine hours is because it is HOT at that time of the day. Your guests will not be listening to your lovely vows but will instead by complaining to each other about how hot it is. Trust me, I’ve seen this happen a lot. Even cute paper umbrellas won’t solve the situation.

Take some extra time, visit your ceremony site at the exact time of day you want to have it and be flexible with adjusting your time line. You and your guests will so much happier and your photos will turn out amazing! When in doubt, ask your photographer for advice, they will be more than willing to help.

Image by Jasmine Photography.

Seriously, how did it become the month of August already? I swear I was just looking at the calendar and it was still a week away. Well, here it is and that means weddings are in full swing. This is why we have been neglecting you lovelies lately, we are busy!

August and September are the most popular months to get married in Portland. Why? I think it’s because the weather is more reliable and perfect for an outdoor event. Since we live in a such a beautiful part of the United States, why wouldn’t you want at least part of your event outside?

Some great outdoor locations include:

Bridal Veil Lakes

Timberline Lodge

Mt Hood Bed & Breakfast

Sunriver Resort

Mt Hood Organic Farms

Note, if you are interested in any of these locations they book up at least a year in advance so go visit them now!

You have envisioned your grand entrance, when the doors to the church both open at the same time and everyone turns to get a glimpse of the bride and her dad. But what will you be walking on as you head toward the man of your dreams? Sway away from the boring old red carpet that is at the church and Get Petal Happy!

From petal cut-outs to, edge runners with petals to a whole runner filled with petals, you’ll find the perfect options on their website. Choose the color, pattern/design, and even the thickness of the petals. Then figure out the length you’ll need and any accessories such as pins to secure it into place.

Do you need a way to get your wedding party and family from the ceremony to the reception site in style? Why not go the unconventional route and book a double decker bus! Bring a touch of the UK to your event by booking the Double Decker Bus. This vintage bus will add a ton of personality and charm to your wedding day. Visit their site to find out more information. Love it!