Hitched in the Hood

Meet HNH Bride & Bride: Jenn & Jen’s Vibrant Vineyard Wedding

We are getting ready to kick off our Hitched in the Hood wedding season just inside of two months! First up – two gals with the same name who’ve fallen in love and are getting married on June 8th, 2013 at the Gorge Crest Vineyards. These two are a hoot – I love the relaxed, laid back and totally FUN nature of this wedding. Can’t bust out all the little awesome details right now but some fun surprises are in store including a pretty rad getaway car and a special champagne toast!

Random tidbits about these two Jenn’s:

-Wedding colors were inspired by Jen’s VW thing, which is a teal color and matches her custom Bark stand up paddle board.

-Jenn loves cake and since they couldn’t decide on just one flavor, there will be lots of amazing cupcakes at the reception thanks to Frosted in Hood River.

-Like a lot of folks who are into outdoor sports, Jen loves her GoPro. They aren’t hiring a wedding videographer, but are tempted to equip a few members of our bridal party with some GoPro’s – what could be more Gorge-wedding than that?!

-They both love Mexican food and are excited about the custom menu that Cork and Bottle Catering has created for them, which includes a swanky taco bar – not your average food truck fare by any means!

-Because Washington state voters approved same-sex marriage last fall, and they are getting married on the Washington side of the Gorge, they plan to sign their Washington state marriage license as part of their wedding ceremony. They are eternally grateful to everyone who voted to make this moment legally possible! Woohoo!

Image on the left: engagement overlooking Mt. Hood; Image on the right: brand new matching rings!

How did you two meet?

We met over 10 years ago in Seattle, since we’re part of similar social circles. However, while we thought highly of each other, we were living separate lives and never shared more than a passing hello. Then at the wedding of a mutual friend, we were able to sit down and talk about many things we share in common. At the end of the night we parted and went our separate ways. Months passed before we saw each other again at a social gathering. This time, we made plans to get together for brunch. That brunch turned into an all-day date. We’ve been sharing dreams and scheming about our future ever since!

How/where did you get engaged?

Jen has a cabin down in Hood River and last October we went down for a weekend get-away. Unbeknownst to the other Jenn, she had a ring and was planning to propose. Saturday, we packed a picnic and took a hike to a ridge overlooking Hood River, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. This spot is special to Jen, as it is where she has made all her major life decisions. It is at that place that she proposed to Jenn. Of course, the answer was YES!

Why did you choose Hood River/Gorge area for your wedding?

Hood River is important to both of us because it is a beautiful place that has a lot of the activities each of us love to do – skiing, hiking, biking, swimming, SUP and for Jen, windsurfing and kitesurfing. Jen has been windsurfing in the area since her teens. It also reminds each of us of aspects of our native California – the rolling hills, wineries, breweries, fruit orchards and farm-to-table experience. We chose Gorge Crest because of the amazing view of the Gorge and Mt. Hood, as well as the well-appointed indoor event facility.

What are you most looking forward to about your big day?

Being surrounded by everyone we love and who loves us all at once! We feel completely blessed to be in each other’s lives and are excited to explore new adventures together. Our friends and family mean the world to us, so we are thrilled so many of them can join us to celebrate.

Their wedding colors are inspired by the ocean and Jen’s teal VW Thing! There will be lots of seaglass blues and greens and some purple hues mixed in. The theme for this wedding is both relaxed and a ton of fun – reflecting these dynamic gals personalities. Check out their inspiration board. Can’t wait to share this wedding with you in the near future – this is going to be so much fun!

Building Authentic Relationships and Encouraging Others

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a very powerful conference called Making Things Happen in NC. It’s been a conference I’ve wanted to attend for quite some time after following Lara Casey and Emily Ley and their daily doses of inspiration and encouragement for the last couple of years. I’m still working through all the “stuff” that came up for me at the conference and the areas that have really challenged me to think and act differently. I’ll share them over the next few weeks but I think the one that really came to the surface for me last week was building authentic relationships and encouraging others.

Speaking of authentic relationships and people that encourage – this picture makes my heart happy

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. This quote became a very powerful one for me. At the conference they asked us to list the 5 people we spend the most time with. Now…this doesn’t necessarily mean the people you physically spend the most time with but the people that really take up the most head space for you. Most people would probably say spouse, significant other, children, parents, etc. – and hopefully those are all positive people in your life (I’m truly lucky that they are in my life!). But…we all almost always have someone on this list that isn’t necessarily positive and uplifting. It could be a boss or co-worker that sucks the energy right out of us every single work day, a friend that has betrayed us, it could even be someone on Facebook that continuously spues out negative propaganda. You know who that person is, right? We all have them…that person on Facebook or Twitter that’s constantly putting out nasty grams. It could even be someone you compare yourself to in your life or in your business. Sometimes that person can take up a lot of head space for you and take you away from truly enjoying your own life, work, business.

This is where this exercise became powerful for me…I will admit - when I really thought of my 5 there were at least two that really don’t serve me in any positive way. I had to think about it for a while – why do I hold onto them? why do I continue to let them add negativity into my life? why do I allow them to take up valuable head space for me when I could be giving that space to someone that is authentic, real and that encourages me? Well, this week I wrote down this list again and deleted them – crossed them right off my list. Not only that – I’m working on gutting my Facebook and Twitter feeds…getting rid of all those negative Nelly’s and filling them back up with the positive Polly’s. I like how Nancy Ray said it, “I want to be more intentional about spending quality time with quality people”

I wrote down a goal for myself this year and that is to make one new authentic and lasting friendship. This might not sound like much and may seem easy to do but I think it’s hard to find these days. I’ve always considered myself a person that has a million friends, makes friends easily and never met a stranger. I’m also very fortunate to have an amazing group of friends across the miles from every stage of my life. But I think based on my list of 5 I have some work to do with who I’m giving my head space to and now that I’ve got some room on my list I’m ready to fill it back up with authentic friendships whether new or old!

Last week Keith and I experienced something that has been the most significant moment in our entire marriage so far. Something that was truly tragic but at the same time so deeply profound and moving. This experience has provided an opportunity for growth, a lesson, a choice in how we decide to react to it. It’s definitely taught us that life is precious and entirely too short and we need to live the best life we can now. Sorry to be somewhat cryptic but still processing through it all and I’m sure there will be more to come on it. However, the event’s of last week really helped solidify the need for only authentic relationships in my life and surrounding myself with only those that lift me up but also to really be that for other people. This can really come in all forms.

Last week in the midst of heartache, tears and deep reflection came this beauty below in my mailbox. Are you kidding me?!?! How beautiful is this and how meaningful those two words are to me right now. This puppy is from Jacin from Lovely Little Details - a source of encouragement for me since I started this little blog. She and I started blogging just about the same time about three years ago during our own wedding planning process. We quickly became blogger friends and watched each other on a very similar journey from full time jobs to wedding planning businesses and so much more. This girl has been on fire every since – she’s amazing! We had the pleasure of meeting about two years ago in San Francisco over margaritas – boy how we’ve changed and grown since that meeting. All the while Jacin has been commenting on my silly little blog posts, liking my Facebook and Twitter posts and sending me little notes and instant messages of encouragement along the way. She is a perfect example of encouraging others – I know I’m not the only one that got this beautifully framed print last week – she spread love all over with this small but powerful gesture! And it spoke to me at just the right time (and Jacin…little did you know that coming off the MTH Conference they asked us how we felt and my one word was STILL! – you read my mind)

So…that leads me to another goal of mine this year – to encourage someone every day. Like I said, this can come in many forms. This can be as simple as commenting on someone’s Facebook status, blog post or Instagram photo. That seems funny but I’ve had folks that follow me that I’ve never met before but I feel like they are cheering me on, supporting me, encouraging me. You never know when you could say or do something that could help lift someone’s spirits. And doesn’t it make you feel good when you can bring a smile to someone’s face? It does me and sometimes it helps lift me up when I’m needing a little boost.

Thank you Miss Lara Casey for this reminder – head over to her blog and take the challenge yourself to encourage others daily. Can you imagine if we all did this?

Who are you going to encourage this week?

Ok – I’m off…ready to start a fresh new week and ready to encourage.

Thank you Friends!

I just want to thank all of my clients – past, present and future – and all my friends and fellow wedding vendor community for nominating us for Best New Vendor for the Oregon Bride Magazine’s Best of 2013! What a huge honor!

We are in the top 3 and that’s good enough for me but there is still voting now open to only the wedding community – we’ve won either way b/c you helped us get here. So thank you again for your encouragement and support!

We are hoping to get the magazine to feature an additional region on next year’s voting – for the Gorge. We have so many amazing vendors out here and they seem to be under represented on this year’s list. These are the friends that have really helped us and supported us in our new venture, Riverhood Rentals. These are the fabulous folks on this list - who work tirelessly all summer to bring couples wedding dreams to life in the most beautiful region of this lovely state (in my opinion!). We’ll see what happens but it’s worth a try.

Thank you again - we are really feeling the love!

Real Wedding: Handcrafted Hood River Valley Wedding

This Hood River Valley wedding is just precious – handcrafted down to the very last detail. And ready for this… the groom…yes, the GROOM designed and created the bride’s bouquet (and it’s fabulous)! The backdrop of the Hood River Valley is the best in the country (but I guess I’m a little biased) and this private residence really showcased her finest parts!

I love the style in which Allegra Villella captured every last detail and special moment of this adorable wedding!

These little lockets with a sweet and personal message are perfect for bridesamaids gifts!

Such a powerful moment!

One of my favorite things on the wedding day…the first look!

Hello…will you look at that gorgeous bouquet! Made by the GROOM for his bride…love it!

That’s a good looking bridal party…the mismatch Mod Cloth bridesmaids dresses = adorable!

I always encourage couples to take the time to really think about making their ceremony personal and adding very meaningful and memorable touches…this one is precious. As part of the ceremony, their mothers planted a tree with soil from both of their homes. Great idea!

Ahhh, where else can you find this view?!? Hood River wedding are the best!

A homemade ice cream stand (made by the bride & groom, of course)…

Weddings like this remind me why we got married and eventually moved to Hood River! Thank you to Allegra Villella for sharing this lovely Hood River Valley wedding with us.

Vendors:

Venue – Fir Mountain Ranch

Wedding Coordinator: Bonnie Hadley

Photographer: Allegra Villella

Caterer: Generous friends from the couple’s hometown church / Janet Clark and team

Florals: Groom made bridal bouquet; friends put together the rest

Details: Handcrafted by bride and groom

Meet HNH Bride & Groom: Chrissy & Justin Romantic Rustic Ranch Wedding

I’m so excited to announce a new feature on the blog that will introduce our Hitched in the Hood wedding couples. Learn why they decided to get married in the Gorge, their wedding day vision and what inspires them.

Today I’d like you to meet these two adorable sweethearts – Chrissy & Justin. How cute are they?!?! We are over the moon excited about their romantic rustic ranch wedding in Trout Lake, WA this July 4th weekend.

How did you two meet?

Love at first sight is what we like to call it. Justin and I met at a bar back in 2009, Yes, a bar!!! I really wanted to just relax that evening, but it was my best friends last weekend out before she got married. So I pulled myself together and decided to go out on the town. Justin was out and about with his buddy after a Washington State University football game, celebrating the big win. We just happened to be at the same bar that night and when our eyes met it was “game over”. It was this special moment that was filled with very few words and a chemistry we both never thought was possible. From 2009 until now we have been completely inseparable and spending much of our time traveling, mountain biking, hiking our butts off, and exploring the world together.

Tell us a little bit about your engagement.

On June 5th, 2012 we were on a trip together in Maui, celebrating Justin passing his CFA. It was there, during a romantic dinner overlooking the beach that Justin asked me to marry him.

Where do you currently live?

Justin and I live in downtown Seattle. Justin works as a Assistant Portfolio Manager and I work in Marketing at Nordstrom. We have now been together for over 3 years. Justin grew up in a small town called Trout Lake Wa, where our wedding will be held on his family Ranch, and I grew up in Marysville WA.
Why did you select the Gorge and your specific venue as your wedding location?

We will actually be getting married on Justin’s family ranch in Trout Lake WA. We decided to get married there as its one of the places we both feel relaxed and at home. Plus the beauty of Mount Adams is just the icing on the cake. Our backdrop of our ceremony will take your breath away.

We have so many special memories in the Gorge. Justin and I spend lots of time in Trout Lake and in the Gorge area. We mountain bike, hike, fish, cross country ski and much more together. We love this area, and cannot wait to share it with our friends and family.

Give us three words to describe your day:

Beautiful, Rustic, Romantic

Where are you drawing inspiration from for your wedding?

I actually have been pinning a lot on pinterest, as well as stalking the Style me Pretty website. However I have taken many images from both places and placed them in a more focused inspirational board.

What is your wedding color palette?

Rose, blush, gold, and Ivory.

What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?

Marrying my best friend in the entire world!!! I cannot wait to start this new chapter of husband and wife together. Sharing this moment with our friends and family will be unforgettable and memorable.

Congrats Chrissy & Justin – we can’t wait to help make your wedding day dreams come to life!

2013 – You’re Mine!

Wow, it’s been over three months since my last post (why do I feel like that sounds like an AA meeting?!?!). Well, that’s going to change b/c this year I’m going to do more of what I love and what fires me up…and I really like blogging about things that make me happy!

It’s time to get a little personal! Our businesses have been seeing some wonderful growth lately and it’s exciting and scary all at the same time. There are times I feel overwhelmed and anxious about it – but really…why? What is there to be afraid of? Failure? Success? It seems so silly that now that I’ve finally started my own businees and doing what I want to do and what I’m passionate about that I should be scared of it. Let’s just recap for a minute what’s happened in the last two and a half years.

Starting in May 2010 – today…got married (to my fabulous husband), quit a good paying (good benefits) corporate job after 10 years with the same company and good potential for future advancement, moved cross country from Florida to Oregon to start living my dreams (leaving behind lots of amazing friends), left a house in Florida that potentially faced short sale or foreclosure (still have it by the way and still in the same situation), landed in Hood River, OR!, started a new job in Oregon, lost a new job in Oregon, have lived in and had to move from fives houses in two years, started a wedding/event planning & party and event rental business in Oregon, and have faced several other personal battles and road bumps along the way.

Phew…I’m tired just reading that and trying to imagine how I got through it all. But the point is that I did and that all of those decisions and life altering situations were hard…really hard and took a lot of strength and courage. And it’s been so worth it to get where we are today. So…if I can do that, how hard is it to finally be doing what I love, being where I love and being with who I love - what is the fear in that?

I’m committed to doing more of what I love and what fires me up in 2013. I recently had the amazing pleasure of taking the Making Things Happen webinar and it has me amped up and ready to continue following my dreams and pushing the limits! Two years ago my motto was “a year from now you will have wished you started today.” And I did…and I got there…and now I’m ready to continue the journey and start all over again. My word for 2o13 is – MOMENTUM and INTENTION (ok, that’s two words but they are both so good and relevant).

Momentum b/c I feel I’ve already put the wheels in motion, come this far and can’t stop now. Now is the time to really make things happen!, do a whole lot more of what fires me up and makes me happy and live my life with intention. Ahh, there’s that word – INTENTION! Intention b/c this year I will do what matters and forget the rest. I will let go of the things and people that don’t serve me, stop worrying about everything and focus on what matters.

I loved Gina Zeidler’s post today on Making Things Happen - about getting to the core of what matters and motivates you. She says “this is where it all starts…In my book, this is the pivotal point to grow your business from. Start from the heart, your core, your REAL life. Then build from here.”

I’ve always loved Richard Branson…I feel like he really gets this way of thinking and living and doing a lot of what “fires him up”. Just a little quote from an article I read today on his LinkedIn page, “there is no real difference between work and play – it’s all living.”

I agree Gina and Richard! Time to make 2013 my bitch! Change is a comin’…time to get real, face my fears and look honestly at myself and my businesses and MAKE WHAT MATTERS HAPPEN.

Find your free template here

And the winner is…

Lauren!

A big congrats to Lauren our free styled engagement session winner. Lauren & CW will be getting married next June at the Mt. Hood Organic Farms. We really loved the idea of recreating scenes from the movie Amelie (a personal favorite) for their engagement session. Check out their submission…

When my fiance CW and I started dating three years ago, we were both awkward and very independent in our own lives, but there was a mystery to this connection I felt with him that was worth pursuing. I was hoping to capture those initial incredibly poignant feelings of uncertainty, but also that overpowering subconscious feeling to just go for it in our engagement photos. We both can identify in our own way with the movie Amelie because it is the small moments we share that our going to shape our lives together. We thought it might be extremely fun to try and recreate some of the scenes from the movie in addition to highlighting some of the small joys we like to share together. Our June wedding in the gorge will be on an orchard looking out to the mountains with our loved ones there to enjoy each other’s company. We wanted to create mini-reunions for family and friends in a place we have come to love ourselves. We’ve lived for over a year in Oregon driving and camping for two months on our way out here. It was a large risk leaving everything to move here without a plan, but like our marriage together the risk was and will be all worth it.

Meet Lauren & CW

We met as fisheries observers working in Massachusetts. After almost a year of dating we both quit our jobs to move out to the west coast. We intentionally took our time to get out to Oregon, visiting family and friends and camping at multiple national parks and national forests along the way. He’s from Louisiana, and I grew up north of Chicago, IL. We were just lucky our paths crossed. Presently we live in Newport, Oregon. I work as a veterinarian assistant and he still works as a fisheries biologist.

Our wedding will be on June,16th at Mt. Hood Organic Farms. We originally wanted a small wedding, but at the same time it is the one time in our lives we can have all of our friends and family in one place. It’s hard to pass up that opportunity to get everyone together. Right now I’m starting on the wedding favors – I’m throwing mugs/cups for all the guests. I took ceramics nine years ago and this gives me an excuse to get back to the wheel!

We are really look forward to working with Lauren and CW to put together an engagement session that fits their personality – hopefully we’ll be able to share our inspiration board soon. Now it’s time for G.Kennedy Creative, Jen Jones Photography and I to get back to watching Amelie and brainstorming our ultimate engagement sesh!

Real Gorge Wedding: Columbia Gorge Hotel

Today I have a bright and beautiful wedding for you guys. This gorgeous Columbia Gorge Hotel wedding was packed with lovely little DIY details and one fashionsita bridal party! I really love the color scheme of bright poppy reds and teal/aqua blues – gives it such a fun and happy vibe. I just had the pleasure of doing a wedding at the Columbia Gorge Hotel and the grounds are simply amazing!

Ah, this ceremony site is one of my favs

Hear what bride Haley had to say about some of the DIY details:

We did all of our own wedding planning and decorations, with help from our friends for set up/ take down.
My bridesmaids and I picked over 500 “poppy”colored flowers (lots of reddish orangey colors) from Justy’s produce and Kruger’s Farm Market, that were used for centerpieces, aisle decor (hanging in blue mason jars), and other decor areas. The bridesmaids and the bride’s friends put together all floral arrangements. Two of my bridesmaids made all the bouquets out of white flowers picked from the flower farm. My bouquet was made of poppy colored Gerbera daisies purchased from Andrew’s Florist in Beaverton.

Beautiful florals indeed!

Meet the Hitched in the Hood team

As we continue to expand the Hitched in the Hood team I thought I’d introduce you to some new and old faces.

Some of you may recognize Whitney – last summer’s intern extraordinaire. She worked alongside me all summer and was such a huge help and contributor on our Portland Bride & Groom photoshoot and the Committed Event Style Scene. She’s a born wedding planner and we’re happy to have her back for a second season as an associate wedding planner with the Hitched in the Hood team.

Learn a little more about Whitney:

Whitney in action – never without the clipboard!

Spending the last year as the Hitched in the Hood intern has been a fabulous ride, and I’m so jazzed about my new position as Associate Wedding Planner. Our team is taking shape, and I’m looking forward to the next event season with great anticipation.

Based out of Portland, I love the rustic and vintage weddings that the Gorge lends itself to. We also work with the best couples, and I love helping bring your visions and weddings dreams to life. I’ve never met a timeline or a Pinterest board I didn’t like, and making sure your special day runs smoothly is one of the best parts of my work. The weddings of friends and colleagues, as well as my own, has provided a fertile training ground for inspiration and experience.

When I’m not hanging bistro lights or arranging dessert tables, you can find me with my family, a good book or at a farmers market. I’m a lifelong crafter and baker, and I’m already decorating for the holidays. I have huge windows in my house, and it allows me to create my own window displays with the season – a side effect of my day job at a stationery and gift store. I love bold patterns (stripes and ikat, anyone?), bright colors, and glass cake stands.

I can’t wait to meet our 2013 couples and get started on creating beautiful events!

Next up:

I’m really excited to introduce Sara, our newest intern/assistant for the 2013 wedding season. I knew when she sent me photos of all the designing and DIY crafting she did for her sister’s wedding that she’d be a great asset to the team!

Learn a little bit more about Sara:

I am very excited to be an intern with Hitched in the Hood for this next wedding season! I am looking forward to learning what it takes to make a couples’ special day everything they have envisioned. I love to see families come together to honor and support the commitment of two people and it doesn’t get better than seeing two people in love and celebrating it on their wedding day. I have enjoyed assisting my sister and many friends in making their weddings and pre-wedding events unique to their style and personality.

I love weddings down to every little detail and I am excited to put my creativity and sense of style and design to use. I look forward to meeting couples and making their wedding dreams become reality!

My current obsessions:

Fabric flowers
Copper
And I am still loving anything chevron!

My favorite season for a wedding:

My friends would tell you that I would choose to get married in the fall simply because of my love for pumpkins and fall leaves. However I enjoy every season here and think that weddings can be so uniquely tailored to any amazing seasonal backdrop we are blessed with in Oregon.

My day job:

I work at an elementary school, but by night and on weekends you can find me knee deep in one (or ten!) projects I have in the works. I enjoy working with students and giving back to my community but my dream is to become a wedding and event planner. In my spare time I like to cook, craft, read, and spend time with my family and friends.

Please join me in welcoming Sara to the Hitched in the Hood team!

Venue Spotlight: Lakecliff Bed & Breakfast

There are so many beautiful Gorge wedding venues but Lakecliff B&B holds a special place in my heart! When I planned my destination wedding here in the Gorge we used Lakecliff B&B as our bridal headquarters. We sent all of our decor and wedding items to the house and set up shop there all weekend to do all of our organizing. My dear friend (and wedding planner) and a few other buds stayed at the B&B and absolutely loved it – in fact, they are hoping to plan a reunion and head back to stay again soon. We also used Lakecliff B&B as our venue for our day-after “hair-of-the-dog” brunch. Even though we got married at the Gorge Crest we could have easily just stayed right at Lakecliff for all of our festivities. I had the pleasure of getting ready at Lakecliff and taking our first look shots on the property – they are some of my favorites!

Lakecliff is a beautiful historic home built on a clifftop overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. It's one of the few wedding venues with a view of the Columbia. The grounds are green and manicured and when you're down on the lawn under the canopy of trees you feel like you're in an enchanted forest. In fact, I'm pretty sure someone had an “enchanted forest” themed wedding there this summer – very fitting! One of my favorite things about this place – the proprietors – Allyson and James. You won't find a more hospitable pair and on your wedding weekend…that's pretty important.

Photo by {Michael Peterson}

That's us!

Photo by Gabriel Boone

Photo by {Jude Rush}

Love this shot!

Photo by {Michael Peterson}

Photo by {Jude Rush}

One of my favorite lounge spots!

Photo by {Jude Rush}

If you are a bride/couple looking to get married in the Gorge…don't pass up Lakecliff B&B. Put it on your list and call Allyson today to schedule your tour!