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July | Laid-back yet organic, elevated but minimalistic wedding. Jen and Brady had a simple and clean wedding with beautiful lightwood chairs, floral details and family style pizza. | Photo By Casi Yost | One might think that Jen and Brady got married at an outdoor, Italian bistro, but in reality it was on their family's property out in Lake Oswego. They came to us with the idea of creating a laid-back, organic, but beautiful wedding where guests felt welcomed and comfortable. The result was magic. It was simple, yet intentional; high-end yet laid back. And the setting was full of memories, both old and new. Jen and Brady held an intimate ceremony at Brady's family's lake house, where they spent summers and 4th of July's filled with friends and laughter. Fast forward to their wedding day, and now they get to say that the dock is where they saw each other for their first look and said "I Do" in front of their close friends and family! The reception was just as sweet, held in the backyard of Brady's childhood home. We helped them select a layout and rentals that fit the space and added visual interest - simple but intentionally selected items - and they hand-selected and even made some of their table decor. Jen designed the menus to give dinner that Italian Bistro feel, and together they crafted and poured the candles. Their dad even installed all the lighting! It's a perfect example of DIY done right - little touches that didn't feel like work, but added to the fun of the planning process. There's a reason we love planning Private Residence Weddings! If you're also thinking about hosting a wedding in your backyard or on family property, read our blog: Planning a Backyard Wedding in the PNW. Otherwise, enjoy the beauty from this July day! See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination & Design - Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Katelyn) Venue: Private Residence, Lake Oswego Catering: Wooden Heart Serving Staff: The Waitstaff Team Dessert: Salt & Straw Ice Cream Photographer: Casi Yost Florist: Rachael Meader Design DJ/Band: Higher Ground Entertainment Rentals: Arden Event Collective Specialty Rentals (Bathrooms): The Loo Hair & Makeup: The Beauty Edit Save the Dates + Invites: With Joy Day of Signage: Crave Design Transportation: Blue Star Transportation: Lucky Transportation Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

July | Caitlin and Dylan | Peek into a golden day of dancing, champagne showers, and laughter nestled in the forests of Washougal. | Photo By Luke and Mallory Photography | Caitlin and Dylan celebrated their big day at 2500 ft on a sunny July afternoon. Vintage touches, art-deco details, pops of gold, buttery florals, and the inclusion of their two fur babies made this day unique to this couple. Their approach to florals wanted to integrate in-season, local blooms with ferns and mosses to complement the stunning setting of this mountaintop venue. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination / Planning and Design - Your Perfect Bridesmaid Photography - Luke and Mallory Photo Florals - Rachael Meader Catering - Nicholas' Restaurant, The Waitstaff Team Dessert - Hail Snail PDX Bar - Boozetrucks Rentals - Arden Event Collective Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

July | The perfect blend of modern and woodland fantasy featuring the cutest little mushrooms and squirrels!. Simple and elegant with floral arrangements inspired by PNW native flora and fauna. | Photo By: Courtney Jess Photography | Clare and Alex's wedding was the perfect blend of modern and woodsy magic. The Forest Mist stoneware plates were so simply modern, and the cutest little mushrooms and organic centerpieces brought in the whimsy. Fox Hollow Farm is a spacious, historic wedding venue with the perfect amount of PNW charm. The venue has it all - a rustic barn, charming countryside, large garden, and intimate riverside. It's truly one of our favorite PNW venues! Clare and Alex, your wedding was incredible to be a part of! See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination - Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Anna) Venue / Bar Service: Fox Hollow Farm Photographer: Courtney Jess Photography Florist: Melanie Benson Catering: Foodz Catering Dessert: Flying Apron Bakery DJ/Band: Magnolia Rhapsody Rentals: CORT Party Rentals Hair & Makeup: Yessie Libby Day of Signage: Minted Transportation: Butler Seattle Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

September | Elegance on the Reserve, featuring the perfect burgundy suit, a dreamy beaded dress, late summer florals and elevated signage. | Photo By Bekah Taylor | Gina and Marcus had dreamt up a wedding day that was organized, cohesive and comfortable for guests, and we had the pleasure of helping with all the ins and outs with our full service Deluxe Package. One of the benefits of hiring a full service planner is that we're here to be your spokesperson and take the reins on design if you have ideas but don't know where to go with them. G&M also hired our team at the beginning of the planning process so they knew all their vendors would be able to bring their vision to life. We set them up with recommendations, handled the daunting task of inquiring and negotiating services ,and helped to communicate and collaborate together on the details of their day. On the design front, we created a custom design board, using their elegant venue and the season as inspiration. From there, Megan with Script on This created a beautiful set of signage using their caramelly, neutral palette, Scarlet Blooms flourished the space with seasonal blooms, and Bekah Taylor captured all the details of the day with a bright and airy gallery. If you’re looking for someone to take all the mundane and time consuming elements of planning off your hands and create something beautiful like Gina and Marcus’ wedding, we’re here for you! See the entire Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Planning & Design: Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Danielle) Venue: The Reserve Vineyard and Golf Club Photographer: Bekah Taylor Florist: Scarlet Blooms Catering & Bar Service: The Reserve Vineyard and Golf Club Dessert: The Hungry Hero DJ: Sir Kenneth Ceremony Musician: Yuliya Lockyear Rentals: Arden Event Collective Hair & Makeup: Blossom & Beauty Save the Dates & Invitations: Minted Day of Signage: Script on This Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

September | A minimalistic, no-frills wedding with intentional design and a timeline centered around spending time together and celebrating their love story. This is what weddings are about at the core! | Photo By Avec Vous Photographie | Before we start planning with each couple, we have them share a bit about what they envision for the wedding. We asked, "What are some of your top priorities for your wedding?" Brenna and Brady shared the following, and we absolutely love it: "Intentional time spent with family and friends, amazing food, celebration, creating a day that represents us as a couple." Their wedding was clean and minimalistic, with nothing overtly fancy. They chose their details thoughtfully, choosing to elevate their wedding with solid white, modern cocktail tables from Lily and Cane, die-cut goblets and clean white linens Arden Event Collective, and a pop of color from Brenna and Brady's personal flowers that made them the stars of the show. Beyond the decor, we loved how they spent their wedding day. They had a private first look in Mildred Hall's intimate garden, and a simple ceremony with just the beautiful white and lightwood interior of the well-designed space and a cello & harp duet to set the atmosphere. They opted to be present in cocktail hour, and had pizza delivered for a laid-back authentic dinner party, thanks to our friends The The Waitstaff Team who helped with food service. And to finish off the night, they sat together to watch the sweetest film that celebrated their love story, and danced and mingled the rest of the night away. Notice all the little details that made their wedding so personal! We're so glad they chose to work with us so we could help craft a timeline that left space for all those special moments, coordinate all their rentals, and answer all their questions along the way. Behind every beautiful wedding is a talented team of people. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination: Your Perfect Bridesmaid ( Lead: Emily ) Venue: Mildred Hall Photographer: Avec Vous Photographie Florist: Solabee Catering: Portland Party Platters (appetizers) & The Waitstaff Team (food service) & Dove Vivi (pizza) Bar Service: Lemon & Honey Dessert: La Rose Patisserie DJ/Band: DJ Gregory and Cello/Harp Duet Rentals: Lily and Cane & Arden Event Collective Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

June | Moroccan coffee house meets PNW - warm and colorful wedding at a one-of-a-kind venue in Hood River, Oregon. | Photo By Baileaves Photography | If you're looking for a venue with a unique look, a stunning view, and an intimate feel, there's no other venue that will tick all those boxes like Mt. Hood Organic Farms does. Yoshi and Jackson hosted a beautiful wedding weekend for their guests, and we loved helping to take all the stress of planning off their shoulders with our full service Deluxe Package. At Mt. Hood Organic Farms, their in-house venue / wedding coordinator handles many of the wedding day tasks, but we love partnering with the venue to help provide additional, in-depth planning and design services to help couples like Y&J round out their vision, find well-suited vendors, and create a cohesive plan for the day. Y&J came to us with a great vision to bring to the space, with bright colors and the idea of bringing in a "harmonious, eclectic, ornate and natural" wedding design. We love how it all turned out! The terracotta tied in beautifully with the eclectic interior, and the local team at Lucy’s Informal Flowers did an incredible job at coordinating the floral colors with their rust and blue wedding party colors. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Planning & Design: Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Katelyn) Wedding Venue: Mt Hood Organic Farms Brunch Venue: The Best Western Plus Hood River Inn Photographer: Baileaves Photography Florist: Lucy’s Informal Flowers Catering + Rentals: Cultivate Catering Dessert: The Pie Spot & Fleur Cakes DJ + Photobooth: Stumptown DJ Luxury Restroom: Privy Chambers Hair & Makeup: Anny Chow Invitations: Oblation Press Transportation: Columbia Wine Tours LLC Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

October | PNW, Twilight-esc, perfection - featuring a moody, plum palette stood out beautifully against the forest at Bridal Veil Lakes in the fall. | Photo By Alicia Lucia Photography | Divya and Chris' wedding was nothing short of a moody, PNW fairytale. And it all came together in just 3 months! Divya and Chris came to us in July, just 3 months before their October Western/Hindu wedding, seeking help to get their ideas rolling into a solid plan and design. We got started right away with our Premiere Package to secure their vendors, draft their timeline, secure a tent and a rental order, plan for rain, and create a cohesive plan for their design ideas. Bridal Veil Lakes is known for its private and stunning landscape, offering trees, a lake, a well-tended garden, and (for logistical purposes) paved and covered patios. So naturally, D&C wanted to lean into the outdoorsy vibe and the natural moodiness of the fall. We loved how Divya's bright red Lehenga and Chris' white Sherwani made them the undeniable stars of the show, and how romantic the plum, lavender and amethyst color palette looked amongst the green landscape. Most importantly, we love how much Divya and Chris loved each other - you can see it in each photo, and it's the kind of love that reminds us why we do what we do! We're so happy D&C came to us - even if it was a shorter planning period, the result was beautiful and we couldn't have been more honored to be a part of it all. Behind every beautiful wedding is a talented team of vendors. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination & Design: Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Shauna) Venue: Bridal Veil Lakes Photographer: Alicia Lucia Photography Videographer: Stone Light Film Florist: Twin Vines Floral Design Catering & Bar Service: The Hive Catering Dessert: Lux Sucre DJ: DJ Prashant Rentals: Arden Event Collective Hair & Makeup: Blossom & Beauty Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

At first, hiring a wedding planner might feel "luxurious”, "unnecessary" or "costly". But what couples don't realize is that there are hidden costs and complications at every turn during the wedding planning process - and a planner can actually help you save money in the long run if you hire a planner early in the process. Many couples skip on hiring a wedding planner in the beginning at an attempt to save money, but ultimately end up hiring a planner around the 6 - 3 month mark when things get crazy and the wedding tasks pile up. Sure, wedding planners aren't free, but let me let you in on a BIG little secret…. Hiring a wedding planner 2 years or 1 year out when you first get engaged will cost you the same, if not less, as 6 months out or 3 months out. Don't leave that help, that guidance, that support on the table by waiting to book a planner. If you feel like you can’t afford “wedding planning” assistance, we encourage you to to keep reading and learn more about why a wedding planner can be one of the best investments you can make in your wedding planning process. In order to save your money, your planner should... Provide Custom and Realistic Budget Planning You might have a dollar amount in mind for your wedding, but do you know how you will allocate that money to all the things you’ll need for your wedding? Generic budget templates online on The Knot or WeddingWire do not reflect your priorities or the local market you are getting married in. Basically… they are useless. It is really important to have a custom financial roadmap that lays out the steps of how you are going to build your wedding team and wedding design. As planners, we sit down with every couple to learn about what is and is not important to them so we can lay out a detailed budget that is realistic to the local market and accomplishes their goals within the numbers they’re comfortable with. This helps couples save money, because with a financial roadmap, you know how much your vision will realistically cost before you spend too much on one vendor. Our custom budget tracker also helps couples keep track and plan for all the big ticket items, as well as the smaller costs couples often forget about. Preview the Budget Tracker we provide all our clients in our custom planning portal. Advise On Venue Options When it comes to venues, each one comes with different amenities, terms, conditions, and pricing. One venue that is priced lower might actually cost you more in the long run, depending on its inclusions or limitations. It is damn near impossible to compare apples to apples and I cannot tell you how many times couples have come to us realizing that their first decision is so unaligned with their budget that they feel like sticking to their budget is a lost cause. One service we offer is our Venue Hunt service, where we curate a list of potential venues suited to your needs and help point out hidden costs, potential issues, and potential benefits you didn’t think to look for. Your venue choice impacts every other decision, we want to make sure it's the right one for you. We not only have been to hundreds of venues in the PNW, but we have an entire directory and notes from experience. Our Venue Hunt service we provide starts with your budget and ends with your budget. With our Venue Hunt Add-On or Standalone Venue Hunt Consultation, we create your budget and recommend venues from there, as well as discuss all of the budget implications that come with your top choices. (i.e. additional rentals you’ll need, extra service that might be required, suggested timelines to fit your venue rental, etc). So when you finally say “yes” to your venue, you are doing so with your eyes wide open and with the confidence that comes with knowing it is setting you up with budget success. Curate Budget-Appropriate Vendor Recommendations A wedding planner can help direct you to the best and budget-appropriate vendors, as well as provide advice on which vendors you can save on vs which ones are worth spending money on based on your priorities. With our couples, we always follow up our budget services with vendor recommendations with all of our wedding planning packages. We work with a variety of vendors, and whenever we have a positive experience with them, we add them to our vendor directory. Our team also has a Vendor Liaison, who helps find and learn more about vendors our couples’ are looking for - with rising costs, we’re always on the lookout for vendors at different price points. We ONLY recommend vendors because we know they are a great fit for you, style wise, personality wise, and budget wise - we have zero financial skin in the game when it comes to vendor recommendations because we receive Zero kickbacks or referral fees. Something that you should take into consideration when looking for a wedding planner! Prevent Costly Mistakes and Overspending Wedding planners have experience and know what works and what doesn’t. We know where to cut corners without sacrificing quality, and we can offer suggestions throughout the planning process for ways to save money without compromising your vision for your wedding day. I started YPB in 2008 during the Great Recession, so we know how to stretch a budget better than anyone! We can help you avoid costly mistakes that you may not even realize you’re making. For example, a DJ’s package might seem affordable, but they may not include key services that make the difference in your wedding day. A bartender might have a cheap hourly rate, but may not provide all the rental equipment needed for a functional bar. We offer to read through your vendor contracts before you book with them to catch things before you’re committed to them to avoid costly mistakes. We always encourage our couples to run their ideas through us - not to put a roadblock in your process, but to keep you from overspending on things you don’t need. We are your partner in crime and your main sanity checker. We are the first one to say "not necessary" to help prevent that overspending. Share Exclusive Discounts to local vendors An experienced and well-respected planner should be able to offer you exclusive discounts - but not every planner can offer this. We believe full heartedly in creating and fostering genuine partnerships with our vendor friends in the industry, and because of that, many vendors extend exclusive discounts to our couples. Many vendor partners extend 5% - 20% discounts on services to our couples, all because they’re working with a trusted and experienced planner. Again, we extend this discount directly to our couples, and don’t accept any kickbacks. Non-Financial Benefits Beyond cost savings there are some other very valuable benefits to having a wedding planner by your side during the process and on the wedding day. We could tell you all about it, but we always feel like it’s better told from our past couples: If you’re looking to have the wedding of your dreams while also staying within budget, hiring a trusted planner is truly one of the best investments you can make. Wedding planning services vary in pricing and services - download our guide, “Questions To Ask Your Planner Before You Book” to ensure you’re hiring a planner that can save you money, along with other benefits, or schedule a consultation with us and ask us anything! Your Perfect Bridesmaid, or YPB Weddings, is a team of wedding planners based in Portland and Seattle that specializes in personal events and a tailored planning process. Learn more about us and our services.

10 Tips for a Successful Hindu Wedding: A Guide for Engaged Couples in Oregon and Washington. Planning an Indian Wedding It's no small commitment to trust someone to plan and manage your wedding, especially when it's an extravagant weekend full of cultural significance, spiritual rituals, and colorful festivities. As PNW planners, we have planned, designed and/or coordinated quite a few weekend celebrations - some with a traditional Hindu wedding timeline and some with a blend between Hindu traditions and other traditions. For those who are interested in learning more about Hindu wedding traditions, we've outlined them below. For those who are interested in how to make their Hindu wedding a reality, we've included 10 essential tips for planning your wedding. Common Hindu Wedding Traditions and Rituals Traditionally Hindu weddings consist of 3 days of celebration. If you are not familiar, we recommend to take the time to understand the significance of Hindu wedding rituals. This will not only help you appreciate the ceremony, but also ensure you and your guests feel comfortable and included in the celebration. DAY ONE Haldi The Haldi Ceremony is typically the first celebration, where the couple is surrounded by family and friends and covered in a turmeric paste. It’s said that this helps the skin glow and promotes good circulation. Mehndi Another celebration that’s done before the wedding ceremony is the Mehndi (henna) application to the bride and her close family and friends. DAY TWO The Sangeet The Sangeet is typically the second day of the festivities. This is such a fun, colorful day! Sangeet means “Sung Together” and that’s literally what this celebration is all about. There are many choregraphed dances performed by family, friends and even the bride and groom will participate. DAY THREE Puja Each wedding day should be unique to each couple. Hindu wedding days traditionally start very early and begin with a puja or “prayer”. For brides, you'll then follow with hair and makeup, and for grooms, you'll begin preparing for your Baraat. Baraat The Baraat is such an incredible event that is where the groom is welcomed into the ceremony. This usually includes the groom arriving in a fun way, such as a classic car or in India, arriving on an elephant! There is loud music and lots of dancing around the groom as he enters the ceremony location. Mandap The Mandap is the alter for Hindu ceremonies, with four pillars that traditionally symbolize the two sets of parents that raised the bride and group. These are decorated different in each ceremony, but are commonly adorned in vibrant flowers, bells and draping. The Wedding Ceremony Hindu wedding ceremonies can typically last anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours. Once the groom arrives at the Mandap, he is then greeted by the brides immediate family for a blessing. When it comes to the actual wedding ceremony the bride and groom along with their parents and siblings sit on the Mandap with their Pandit (Hindu Priest) who will perform the ceremony. 10 Tips for Planning Your Unique Hindu Wedding Every Hindu wedding ceremony is different, and we aim to help our couples find their perfect balance of traditions and new traditions. Now that you're familiar with the different elements to a Hindu wedding weekend, the next step is to plan accordingly. While we recommend having an experienced planner to help you through these decisions and customize them, here are 10 tips that are essential to planning a smooth wedding day. 1. Determine What Rituals You'd like to Incorporate Some couples like to honor all the Hindu wedding traditions, but others like to select a few to incorporate and blend a few with other cultural traditions. Especially when it comes to the wedding ceremony, it’s important to talk with your priest on what elements of the Hindu ceremony you’d like to incorporate. Common traditions we see in a Hindu ceremony include: Jai Mala: The bride and groom exchange sacred floral garlands Aachman: The Purification of the bride and groom. Water is placed in the palms of their hands by the Pandit (Hindu Priest) and they drink it. Agni Pradipan: The sacred fire is lit. This signifies the power and purity of the ceremony. Madhuparka: This is when the bride’s family offers yogurt and honey to the groom with a prayer. Kanya Daan: The brides right hand is placed in the grooms hand. This signifies that the groom is now trusted with the brides heart and love. Shila Rohan: A rock is placed on the ground and the brides steps on it to show the courage and strength and support she’ll bring into the marriage. Mangal Fera: The couple walks around the sacred fire four times. This signifies duty, prosperity, love, and spiritual liberation. Saptapadi: This is the 7 sacred steps the couple takes. Mangal Sutra-Sindoor Daan: The groom places a beaded necklace around the brides neck. Sindoor (red powder) is then placed into the part of the brides hair. This symbolizes that she is now married. Kansar: Exchanging rings. Ashirvaad: The final prayer given by the Pandit. For example, Will and Anu chose to do both a traditional Hindu ceremony as well as a Western ceremony with a stunning outfit change. 2. Plan Ahead Planning is always the key to a successful wedding. Start early, create a detailed checklist, and set a realistic budget. Hindu weddings are so full of rich traditions it’s important to plan which traditional elements of the ceremony you’d like to incorporate. We always recommend a full service wedding package to help you coordinate events across the weekend, especially if you are wanting to blend two cultures together. It can be a lot of decision making, and we as planners help our couples work through those decisions. 3. Choose an Auspicious Date: Most couples either consult with their Pandit or with an astrologer to select an auspicious date and time for your wedding. This is an important tradition in Hindu culture, and it's believed to bring good luck and harmony to the couple. 4. Select the Right Venue Not every venue is not fit to accommodate all the traditional rituals, including the mandap (a sacred altar), the sacred fire (Agni Pradipan), or other various ceremonies. Outdoor venues with natural beauty are often preferred, but being in the PNW, you have to have a good rain plan! We offer a Venue Hunt add-on to our couples, and include it in our full service Ultimate Package where we provide recommendations and help answer questions before you settle on a venue. For example, Tayrn and Sagar chose Skamania Lodge, which was perfect for their Indian/Western blend of a wedding weekend. They held their Sangeet inside one of the ballrooms, and their wedding ceremony and reception outside under the Pavilion. 5. Involve Your Families Hindu weddings are a family affair. Involve both your families in the planning process and consider their input when making decisions. This will help foster a sense of togetherness and unity. 6. Plan Ahead and Have Fun With Your Wardrobe Choices For the bride and groom, choosing the perfect wedding attire is crucial. Consider traditional outfits like a sari or lehenga for the bride and a sherwani or kurta for the groom. Don't forget the jewelry and accessories! Take inspiration from Sonal's Indian bride outfits and Siddharth's Indian groom outfits choices - the colors and accessories were beautiful! Photos by Mylyn Wood Photography 7. Source Your Ritual Essentials You might get joy out of curating all the necessary items for the rituals, such as the mangalsutra (sacred necklace), sindoor (vermilion), haldi (turmeric), and more. Each item has its own significance and plays a vital role in the ceremony. If you're not sure what to get, this is a great time to involve your families! Chances are they have everything needed for these sacred rituals. If they do not, it can often be something your Pandit can provide. 8. Ensure you have photography and videography: There is so much love, action and color throughout the wedding day that sometimes, just photos don't do it justice. Capture every moment of your special day. Hire a professional photographer and videographer who are familiar with Hindu weddings to document each event. Video by Lovebug Pictures 9. Hire Great Entertainment and Food Plan a diverse and delicious menu for your guests, featuring both traditional and contemporary dishes. Arrange for entertainment such as music, dance performances, or even a live band to keep the festivities lively! Be warned, finding both a great caterer and the staff to be able to serve your wedding guests can be difficult. We have vendors that we love and trust for special events like your Hindu wedding, and we always include custom vendor recommendations with each package so you have great food and great service on your wedding day. 10. Stay Calm and Enjoy: Finally, remember that weddings can be stressful, but it's essential to stay calm and enjoy the process. This day is about celebrating your love and commitment, so cherish every moment and rely on trustable people to help you during the planning process. If you're looking for a Day-of Coordinator or Wedding Planner to help plan your wedding with Hindu wedding traditions, reach out so we can chat more about the help you're looking for. We're happy to customize our packages to fit your needs! Best wishes on your journey towards a blissful married life! Other Weddings To Draw Inspiration From: https://www.yourperfectbridesmaid.com/post/skamania-lodge-taryn-and-sagar https://www.yourperfectbridesmaid.com/post/amaterra-portland-or https://www.yourperfectbridesmaid.com/post/jupiter-next-portland-or

Here's what do to after you get engaged and before you deep dive into wedding planning. You're engaged! We love a good love story, we also know very well that there are a lot of steps in between popping the question and your wedding day. The end of November not only kicks off the holiday season, but it launches the engagement season (with full force). During the winter holiday wave, thousands of couples declare their love for one another and promise to spend their lives together. You might be one of them, or maybe you have a hunch that it’s happening soon. If so, this is for you! Should you find yourself saying "hell yes" to the partner of your dreams this engagement season, here are my recommended steps as a wedding planner and owner of a Washington and Oregon wedding planning team. The Guide To Your Engagement and Planning Your Wedding 1. Take a moment! Finding your person will understandably make you want to announce your engagement to the whole world. But I highly encourage to press pause on the phone calls/texts/Instagram posts and instead revel in the moment with your partner for just a little longer. Pop some bubbles and savor each emotional second with just the two of you. Laugh, cry, stare at the ring. The world can wait. Remember, once you step outside that euphoric engagement bubble and share it with the world, the wedding planning circus begins. Don't rush it. Enjoy your moment! 2. Share the news - VIP's first. Once you are ready to shout from the rooftops, make a few calls first. Your parents, siblings and BFF's are not going to want to hear about this from social media. If you are close, head over and spread the news in person. If not, pick up the phone. This is a big thing for them too. 3. Insure the ring! I know doing boring crap like calling your insurance company is the last thing you want to do now, but it's important. You would be surprised at how often engagement rings go missing before the wedding. It's new, and you aren't used to wearing it. I once had a good friend lose her ring at the nail salon, getting a mani for those killer ring photos… Needless to say it didn’t happen that day. Please, please, please get this ring insured. Insider tid bit, the person proposing can get it insured before the question is even popped. Our friends over at BRIDES did a great article guiding you through the best place to insure the ring. 4. Social shout out. It's time for the ring to make its public debut. Before posting that ring shot, ensure your fingers are ready for their close up. Treat yourself to a wonderful manicure (but don’t lose that ring). Because the wedding industry is well.....the wedding industry there is actually guidance out there for what nail color will compliment your ring if you want a killer photo. But if that’s not your jam, everyone will be excited to know however you wish to share the news. P.S. while you are on Instagram posting that ring selfie, give us a follow to at @yourperfectbridesmaid 5. Take a breather. I know it's tempting to dive into the big stuff wedding planning wise, but I also think it is important to enjoy just being engaged. Whether you take a weekend, a month or 6 months, try to slow down, be preset and enjoy this stage. Remember, you only call each other “fiancé” for so long. This is the easy part, don't rush through it. What comes next is talking about important topics. 6. Discuss the Big Stuff. In other words, when, where, how many, and how much. When you are ready to start tackling wedding planning there are a few things to discuss first. 7. Set up for financial and organizational success. Now that you’ve had the talk about the big things, it’s time to prepare. Before stepping full force into the wide world of wedding planning I highly recommend getting two wedding specific accounts. A wedding bank account or wedding credit card: I find having a separate, shared account for wedding related expenses crucial. It gives everyone oversight and it really helps you stay on budget because your expenses are getting muddled with your normal life expenses. You may also consider putting all your wedding expenses on a credit card where you and your partner get rewards you can use together (i.e. an airline credit card). You may find you’ll be spending a decent amount, so you might as well reap any benefits you can! Keep in mind, not every vendor allows online payments, or some may have credit card or online payment fees. A wedding email account: Having a shared wedding account allows you to keep your wedding emails in one area. You both will have access to it and things aren’t getting lost in the sea of your life emails. But, you can always set up a forwarding address to your personal account if you find that helpful to see notifications. 8. Hire a wedding planner. We do what we do for a reason. Deep down in my core, I believe in the importance of a planner because wedding planning can be stressful and full of surprises, and you deserve someone who gives their full attention to helping you tackle all that it can be. Regardless of who you choose to work with, I highly, highly, highly recommend that a wedding planner be the first official vendor you reach out to. A planner can do a lot of things for you, such as: Pencil out a budget Help you find the best venue Provide a curated list of vendors Take care of logistical details such as timelines and floor plans Communicate to vendors on your behalf if you have a busy life Curate a unique and realistic design And manage all the details so nothing falls through the cracks Now that all was what we “do”... But the real benefits to hiring a wedding planner are: Peace of mind Time savings Problem prevention (and solving when necessary) Cost savings and assurance that nothing is being forgotten about or missed. If you are interested in having some help through this process for your Washington or Oregon wedding - reach out! We offer a complimentary consultation and we would love to learn more about your ideas and share how we can help make them happen! 9. Build your budget. If you decide to not hire a planner, I definitely recommend penciling out a very detailed budget before moving forward. You want to make sure that the venue and every vendor hired is in support of your budget. Splurging early is going to make everything else that much more difficult. Budgets are tricky - that’s why it’s always the first thing we touch on with our couples and have a handy-dandy customized spreadsheet to build couples’ personalized budgets. Here are tips to help with finding the budget that works best for you (beyond what the overall number is): Determine what is in and out of the budget. Are you including the cost of the wedding dress, hair and makeup, wedding bands, honeymoon, or rehearsal dinner into the budget? Make a list of what is and isn’t in the budget. This will be an essential step to avoiding miscommunication. Do some research on wedding costs. You don’t want national or even state averages. You really are looking at what the things you want in your region cost. A planner can for sure help with this, but if you have friends who very recently got married, they too can give you some context. Keep in mind, inflation is impacting the wedding industry as well, so if you are building your budget based on data from friends, add about 15% to it. If you do want some professional help creating your budget, check out our Ask a Planner service. We have an a la carte budget creation service to help you create a custom budget for you. 10. Find a venue! Once you have completed steps 1-9, it's time to tackle the venue hunt. Your search for the perfect venue is going to be stressful. To help with expectations I recommend: Consider having a planner help you with this step (we offer this as an add-on to our planning packages or as an a-la-cart Ask A Planner consultation service) Research options - you can start by looking at our map of venues we’ve worked at and loved in Oregon or Washington. Email and check availability and updated pricing Schedule a tour and visit in person. Narrow down your favorites and consult the budget. Email your favs and request a contract We are so excited for you and the life you’ll get to spend together. I believe that wedding planning should be fun, not stressful, and that starts with the right conversations, the right plan, and the right resources. We’d love to be a part of your wedding story - reach out and schedule a consultation to talk about what kind of assistance you’d like during the planning process! With Love, Kim Morrill

September | Minimalist and greenery-forward, but make it unique! A modern design with Monstera leaves, squashes & other unique elements at the urban Coopers Hall. | Photo By Lauren Miles | Normally when you think of “greenery” at a wedding, the image that comes to mind is vines and eucalyptus. Not Lexie and Vin - their wedding was greenery-forward, but with minimalistic bud vases with long-stemmed green & white flowers and exotic plant cuttings. They even opted for sophisticated, navy blue napkins for a muted pop of color. Chef's kiss! Lexie and Vin loved the intimacy of Coopers Hall, and the clean setting that allows you to bring in any design. During the design process, L&V expressed that they wanted to bring in an organic feel, but still have a clean and chic design. Chas with Wildflower Portland brought in a fresh and unique floral design to the familiar and popular space. Yes, those are squashes! With our Premiere Package, we helped L&V hone in their design vision, connect them to some of their key vendors, and manage the day from set up to clean up, including flipping the ceremony space to their reception space. Coopers Hall is a venue we’ll never say no to planning at! Behind every beautiful wedding is an entire team of creatives who help make it all happen. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination & Design: Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Lead: Laurel) Venue: Coopers Hall Photographer: Lauren Miles Videographer: Erick Durano Florist: Wildflower Portland Catering & Bar Service: Coopers Hall Dessert: Dough Hook Bakery DJ: DJ Mighty Moves Rentals: Arden Event Collective Hair & Makeup: Blossom and Beauty Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

June 2022 | A peony lover's paradise - bright blooms and pastel details adorn this downtown Portland gem. | Photo By Bekah Taylor Photography | After a little rain at the Portland Rose Garden, Piper and Eric made it official on the Ecotrust Building's rooftop patio in style. Peonies, whimsical bud vases, and a soft color palette livened up the classic brick of the ballroom. Although the bride's Father is no longer with us, a special tribute was - his guitar was used to play during cocktail hour for guests and remained on display for the rest of the evening. See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Coordination / Planning and Design - Your Perfect Bridesmaid (Katie O) Ceremony/Reception Venue - Ecotrust Events Photographer - Bekah Taylor Photography Catering/Bar - Tamale Boy Floral - Hilary Horvath Flowers Rentals - Arden Event Collective Hair and Makeup - VAMP Bridal Beauty Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.