We have two lovely wedding features today, starting with this fun Portland wedding from Homespun Creative…

The groom got ready with a stop at the barbershop, Y-Chrome - what a fun idea!

The groom’s favorite moment from the day? “Instead of having a first look, as many couples do now, our (amazing) photographer Amy guided each one of us separately against the corner of the church before the ceremony, with our backs to one another. Not allowing any sneak peeks before the ceremony, we held hands, and got to exchange a few words beforehand. It was an incredibly emotional moment for us both, and Amy captured it all on camera. These were some of my favorite photographs she captured that day.”

Says the bride: “We wanted something simple yet elegant, something unfussy and focused more on the intimacy of the moment than anything else. It wasn’t about spending a fortune on unnecessary details; it was all about the celebration of our union. Weddings nowadays are so stressful and complicated and busy, and we didn’t want any of those things. Being true to ourselves made our wedding day truly unforgettable.”

The wedding cake had one tier of hazelnut cake with Oregon marionberries and Viennese buttercream, and one tier of dark chocolate ganache cake with fresh marionberries.

SEE THE FULL GALLERY FOR MORE BEAUTIFUL PICS FROM THIS INTIMATE PORTLAND WEDDING.

 

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  We chose Portland because we are in love with it! It is a beautiful city, and one that is very dear to us. It is a city we have visited many times over and holds many of our dearest memories. Being from Los Angeles, we wanted to have an easy destination wedding and we knew without a doubt Portland would be perfect. We knew about Oaks Pioneer Church and had biked past and always thought it was such a beautiful, intimate little church. The Ace Hotel was our first choice from the start. We stay there every time we visit Portland – it almost feels like a second home!

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  The most intense, special part of the day was saying our vows. We wrote our own, which for me, took a lot of courage, but it is a decision I am so happy to have made. It was an incredibly special moment and one I was able to share with our closest family and friends.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  The bride wore something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. We had a first dance of course, and a few other classic wedding traditions, but overall, we really made it our own. One thing that we did was to not have a big wedding party – the groom’s brother was the best man, and the bride’s sister was the maid-of-honor. We were very happy of this decision, which contributed to the overall intimacy of the day.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Be true to yourself! Forget what this or that person did on their wedding and stop trying to recreate what someone else did. A beautiful wedding can be done on a budget, and it can be done in your own unique way.

Do you have any budget tips for other brides?  Utilize any DIY activities that you can! There are so many great resources now that you really don’t have to spend a fortune on each thing. Just shop around until you find what fits your budget – it will be out there. I was determined to create a ‘chandelier’ made from eucalyptus to be the focal point of the room and I made it work, even if it took a few attempts to figure it out. Etsy provided an endless supply of ideas and products from some very talented artists. Also, utilize anyone who is willing to help you! We felt so lucky to have some great friends and family who were excited to give a helping hand. And lastly, know your budget! We always kept our budget in mind and were able to be realistic about what we could and couldn’t do – it was actually the perfect way to exclude the things that weren’t all that important to us anyhow!

Photographer: Amy Kettenberg of Homespun Creative / Second Shooter: Melissa Badenhop / Ceremony: Oaks Pioneer Church / Venue: The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon / Officiant: Rev. Leslie Sharp / Dress, Shoes: BHLDN / Suit, Shirt: J.Crew / Tie: Hugo Boss / Shoes: Allen Edmonds / Maid of honor dress: BHLDN / Stationery: Paper & Dots / Placecards: Southern Calligraphy / Guest book: Peachwik / String Quartet: Melegari Chamber Players / Catering: Clyde Common / Cake: Papa Haydn / Coffee Beans: Extracto / Beer: Deschutes Brewery

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