A Bohemian Wedding in Portland
We’ve looked at this wedding so many times over, and we still can’t believe the newlyweds were able to pull off such an amazing event in just 30 days. Can you? Maria Lamb and Seventh Stem created a beautiful wedding scene with bohemian elements in industrial spaces, with lots of special touches from the talented bride herself.
From the bride, Niki: We got engaged at Smith Rock on my birthday and were originally planning on having a summer wedding in Bend, OR. Only a short week or so after the engagement, we discovered that we were expecting our first baby in September. Unfortunately we had to scrap all plans and vendor agreements for our summer wedding and shift to a wedding planned in 30 days! We felt strongly about being proactive expecting parents and leaving plenty of time to prep for the little one, so tying the knot that spring was critical. I would never of had it any other way, as when you are forced on a time crunch it makes decision making that much easier as we all know being a bride planning your entire wedding is very challenging, with loads of pressure.
Bouquet recipe: Lots of foliage, garden roses and peonies.
Because the wedding would have to be held indoors due to weather, we wanted to have the wedding speak true to the culture of Portland OR. We first knew we wanted the reception in Coopers Hall from day one, so we based the wedding around the clean yet raw industrial look. The colony tied in the mid century, deep romantic and intimate tone we knew was important for the ceremony. And what brought it all together was the romantic deep flowers and heavy foliage as well as the accent decor of the boho rugs, lanterns and candlelit atmosphere.
Being a wedding photographer for the past 7 years here in the Portland area, I had some wonderful friends and vendor relations who were more than willing to help us make our wedding day everything we possibly could make it in 30 days. I couldn’t have done it without these amazing vendors that helped us out. We are so thankful for all the support we received from our friends and family with our quicker than average wedding and our little boy on the way – we are truly blessed.
Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Sometimes less is more. There are so many details that make up the special day but I think that it is so important to hire the most talented crew to make the larger pieces that not only you, but your guests will realize make a difference- leave it to the experts because you get what you pay for. The most compliments I got were the amazing food, a personalized and emotional ceremony and a a seamless and beautiful event. A day-of coordinator is so important the day of the wedding so that you, your family and friends can simply enjoy yourselves and not have to manage the event. They day goes by SO fast, soak in every second and do not feel pressured or rushed to get through anything as this is only a few short hours, enjoy it 🙂
Processional: “You and I,” John Legend
First dance: “All of Me,” John Legend
Cake Cutting: “Angel,” Jack Johnson
Father/Daughter Dance: “There’s No Way,” Alabama (my mom and dad’s wedding song)
Mother/Son Dance:” 93 Million Miles,” Jason Mraz