One of the interesting things about this wedding at the Viewpoint Inn was how wonderfully beautiful yet uncontrived it was. While some couples use a color scheme as a starting point and then choose flowers, decor and perhaps even clothing based on that decision, I had the feeling that Roger and Lynn were guided by simply chosing what they loved. Rather than strictly “matching”, the flowers, decor, cake and setting were all unified by being standout beautiful. The flower arrangements were mostly green and white with a tiny hint of pale pink. The junior bridesmaids wore vivid salmon, the cake was decked with pale pink, light green and chocolate brown. The the limpid green of the rolling lawns and the soft setting sunlight played a unifying role–bringing all those gorgeous colors together. 

So remember Lynn and Roger if you’re deciding on wedding details. You can’t go wrong if it makes you happy.

Ordinary wedding blogs would write a well-worn paragraph here about the symbolism of wedding cake…fertility, contentment, sweetness, blah blah blah. Not me. I’ll simply tell you how much I LOVE cake. I’d gladly skip a meal just to have a big ol’ slice. And yes, I sneak a piece at every wedding we shoot. By the time the cake is served, we’ve shot about 2000 frames and frankly, we need the sugar rush.

A beautiful cake sets a great tone for the wedding celebration. Guests, especially the littlest ones, feel a happy anticipation about dessert. And often, the cake becomes the focal point as fathers, brothers, best men and others share their toasts and well-wishes for the couple.

Here’s a few of my favorites from 2008. The main pic, however, is my favorite cake of all time.

The menswear in this wedding was particularly handsome and weather appropriate. The guys were reasonably cool in their khaki cotton suits, and I am certain the flip flops were a hit with both the men and the women. (By the end of the ceremony, I think I was carrying about 3 pounds of sand in each of my shoes.)

The cake was decorated with calla lillies and sprays of beach grass. The shape was unusual in that consisted of alternating square and round layers. Besides being yummy, it was elegant and lovely. Perhaps there’s an idea or two for you here is you’re planning a beach wedding in Oregon.

Check out the great colors from this September wedding in Portland. All the warm colors were there: red, orange, yellow, tangerine. It was like all of summer’s vibrant palette in one big dose of fabulosity. The venue was the Sculpture Garden at the Portland Art Museum. We’ve shot events there before, but never had we seen the area tented off in such a cool manner. EJP events and The Prop Shop collaborated on this decor, including this billowing entryway, which effectively screened the celebrations from the street. Just inside the entrance is the area where the ceremony took place and then later was transformed into an outdoor cocktail lounge with ottomans, tables and outdoor heaters. Geranium Lake Flowers created the floral decor. That fantastic cake was from the now-defunct Joseph’s Dessert Company.

These photos are from an early spring wedding a few seasons back at the ViewPoint Inn. As you can see, the guest list was small and the framework was simple. When the time felt right, the couple and their assembled guests wandered to a shady spot on the lawn and gathered ’round for a very short ceremony. There was much laughter and celebrating during the meal (lunch, I think) that followed.

If your finances are constrained, consider what effect the time of day can play on stretching your budget. You can host a lavish lunch or brunch for a much smaller cost than you would pay for dinner and cocktails. And while a bit of wine or champagne is surely enjoyed during a mid day celebration, the bar bill will be a fraction of cost of a typical evening fete.

The good news is that a stylish, meaningful, wonderful wedding does not have to be expensive. I revisited our archive for images from this wedding at the Coast, which I recall as a fabulous, simple and stylish and completely reasonable wedding.

Since the couple’s entire family was travelling to Oregon for the wedding, the couple rented out all the rooms at Coast Cabins, which also allowed them to have a lovely intimate venue in the garden. The couple tented the small parking lot, making sit-down space for about 75 guests. Now, I don’t know if Coast Cabins still makes their property available for weddings, but it does illustrate how many untraditional venues you could consider. Boy Scout Lodge? Summer camp? Lake House? Roller rink? Stable? Farm?

Their altar was a willow arch, simply adorned with a ribbon and a few choice blossoms. The bride carried a hand-tied bunch of callas and dahlias. The centerpieces were simple seasonal dahlias in a range of pinks, oranges and reds in a collection of ceramic containers. The guest favors were ordinary chocolate bars, dolled up in a personalized wrapper. The “cake” was a big batch of tiny cupcakes on a simple tiered base. Everything was beautiful, simple, meaningful and absolutely not too expensive. I can’t think of anything more romantic than setting a reasonable budget with your spouse-to-be, then coming up with creative ways to stay within it.

We met Allison Kelleher on Sunday at event attended by some wedding industry folks. I tell you, there are two words I’m mesmerized by. One is “shoes” and the other is “cupcakes”. She introduced herself as “Cupcake Mama” and with that, she had my full attention.

I’ve had her yummies at a wedding and feel fully qualified to rave. If I was having a wedding or a party, I can see the advantage of having cupcakes instead of the big cake. Everyone can have the flavor (or color) they want, it’s a decent serving size (if you hold only one at a time, no-one can tell that you’ve already eaten 4 others….) and easier to serve and clean up.

Check out her website, or give her a ring at 503.287.7792

I’m still swooning from the decor at this wedding. It’s definitely the prettiest set up I’ve ever seen at the Oregon Golf Club. Here’s some of the details straight from Amanda’s mom, who oversaw the details of this lovely event.

First, they replaced the black rear wall pipe and drape with white drape and an overlay of sheer organza. Small pink uplights gave the organza a barely-there tint that made everything (and everyone) in the room look stunning. Swan Island Dahlias did a magnificent job with the flowers. I heard that over 7000 peonies went in to this scrumptious look. The centerpieces, composed solely of peonies, were a simple contrast to the tall arrangements, which looked like they had roses, gladiola, stock and other yummy stuff in addition to peonies and candles.

Here’s a secret about cakes: Lamb’s Thriftway. Don’t tell anyone. It’s the insider secret to save you a bit on your reception. They can make just about any style of cake you can dream up. They can do sleek and modern, bright and vivid, polly-esque and cheeky, and of course, lush and traditional. And will probably cost you a third of what the top drawer wedding bakeries charge.

Other details that made this party pretty: silver chargers under white plates, white chair covers fastened with a single peony blossom, twinkle lights to set the mood, votives sprinkled on the table tops, and small bouquets of flowers as curtain tie-backs on the tent walls. Maybe you’ll think pink for your reception?

One of the reasons it’s so easy to plan a wedding there is that most everything is included: the food, tables, chairs, service, advice, etc. They also will make you a lovely wedding cake, which when you think of what a Portland baker would charge for delivery and set up at Timberline, winds up being very budget-friendly. I always sneak a slice of cake (we need the sugar by the end of a shoot day) and can attest that the cakes at Timberline are always yummy. And apparently, you can have any color as long as it’s white.

We have an out of town couple who are in the process of planning their Timberline summer wedding. I offered to dig through the archives and find some photos of past Timberline cakes. Here’s three of my favorites: