Author: Emee Pumarega

{ Attire tips } Can I wear the tux I already own to the wedding?

Posted on by Emee Pumarega
Tips-for-wearing-tuxedo-wedding

Weddings are all about personalization.  And we find that many of the men out there already own their own tuxedo.  That's great!  If you want to wear your own tuxedo in yours or your friend's wedding, here are some must-do tips for success:

– Check with the groom first to make sure that this is OK! He may already have a look in mind, and if so you should go with his decision.
– Coordinate your accessories with the group for a polished look.
– If you are the groom, you might be able get away with a slightly different style.  However, if you're not the groom, your tuxedo style should not be radically different from the rest of the wedding party.  No mandarin collars if everyone else is in a notch collar!
– If you are bringing your own accessories (tie, bowtie, vest, etc.) don't forget to pack them in your wedding kit.
– Consider renting or buying the same accessories and shirts for the group for a coordinated look (and also to make sure everyone has them!)
– Don't forget to pack dark socks and the shoes that go with your tux.

Hope you find these tuxedo tips helpful!  Next up we'll talk a little bit about ivory vs. white in the wedding colors.

{ Attire tips } Revisiting “Try It On” – When should I try on my gown?

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Portland-wedding-gown-pressing 

We are knee-deep in wedding season and seeing lots of helpful tips all around to share with you!  This week, we'll be doing an { Attire Tips } series: little bits and bytes of info so you will never run into a wardrobe malfunction at the wedding!

Today I'm revisiting my earlier post encouraging you to try on your gown when you pick it up.  I'm now going to qualify that a bit and say, Try it on after your last fitting, but before it is pressed!  Once the gown is pressed, it really should be on its way to the getting ready site and not fussed with again until you're ready to wear it on the wedding day, due to the chances of it wrinkling.  All of your practice runs with headpiece, jewelry, shoes, and accessories etc. should be done during fitting sessions, but before pressing. (This might not apply to beachy or casual, destination wedding gowns that don't wrinkle easily, but I find it's true for most.)

So yes, try on your gown when you pick it up for the last time… but not after it is pressed and ready to go.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Thoughts about Tuxes.

Photo: The Bridal Loft

Where to put your wedding website? Which wedding websites are free?

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Free-website-for-wedding

With all the excitement and information there is to share regarding a wedding, an invitation is only the start.  Most of us want to share lodging information, photos, fun things to do, and perhaps some silly stuff as well!  Hence the popularity of the wedding website.  But with so many providers, which one to choose?

We reviewed a few sites at Portland Wedding Coordinator and found a few keepers that we hope you'll like!  Some of the things that made these stand out were: ease of use; classic, good-looking designs; reliable uptime (as far as we can tell) and that they are FREE!  Enjoy.

momentville.com

projectwedding.com

mywedding.com

weddingwire.com

weddingmapper.com (Less traditional website design, more of a "map of the whole week", but cool idea!)

And of course the old standbys:

theknot.com

weddingchannel.com (now a division of The Knot)

In addition, many savvy brides and grooms who want more customization (and also who don't mind doing a little bit more footwork) are using the free blog services such as blogspot.com, wordpress.com, and weebly.com as wedding websites.

Do you have any free wedding websites sites that we haven't heard about yet?  Let us know in the comments!

Wedding photography packages – Making sense of it all!

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Portland-farm-wedding-evrim-icoz-portland-photographer

Something I'm often asked by my wedding planning clients is, "How do I choose a photographer?” I often hear, “They all seem to offer different combinations of packages and services and it’s confusing."

Because photography is such an essential part of the wedding, and also a large part of the stress in initial planning, I wanted offer a quick rundown of my method for comparing apples to apples in the photography world.

I’m not going to cover artistic styles in this post. It’s of first importance to choose a photographer with whom you feel a connection, and one with whom you’ll be comfortable under their gaze the entire wedding day. But let’s assume you’ve found several photographers whose shooting style, artistic eye, and personality you really like. Now it’s time to select.

In my opinion, there are three “must-haves” to a photography package:

1.  Coverage time and personnel.

Most photographers offer packages ranging from six hours to unlimited time.  Some will add or include the rehearsal dinner and other events surrounding the wedding. You need to look at your schedule of the day to decide what exactly you want the photographer to cover.  I find that a minimum of eight hours works for many of our clients, and allows them to have the photographer from the end of getting ready time through to the toasts, cake cutting, and the first part of dancing. However, if you want more getting ready coverage, have multiple events such as related ceremonies or rituals (such as a morning Chinese tea ceremony before a afternoon Western wedding), or want to have formal photos taken at several locations, eight hours may not be enough.  Definitely look closely at your needs and timeline.

Photographers also offer additional photography staff ("second shooters").  This is different from a photographer's assistant, who carries and sets up equipment for the photographer, takes lightmeter readings, and performs other tasks, but who may not actually be taking photos. Do ask what the role of any additional staff will be. For many of our clients with elaborate events or multiple locations, a second shooter is essential in order to get the detail shots, as well as alternate angles and takes on the key moments.

Photo: Portland Wedding Photographer, Evrim Icoz

Continue reading “Wedding photography packages – Making sense of it all!” →

Privacy and Other Policies on The Portland Wedding Coordinator Blog

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

The Portland Wedding Coordinator Blog is owned and authored by EJP Events, an event planning firm in Portland, Oregon.

Privacy Policy

We value your privacy and here’s how we use the information we receive on this site and at ejpevents.com:

We want to stay in touch with you, and so we offer a periodic newsletter. You may sign up for this newsletter by entering your email address in the signup box featured here on the front page of The Portland Wedding Coordinator Blog or at ejpevents.com. You may also receive our newsletter if we have had a previous business transaction, with us or one of our advertising partners at The Bridal Loft. We use Mail Chimp to send out our newsletter, and abide by their anti-spam policies. You may unsubscribe at any time to discontinue receiving news and offers by clicking the SafeUnsubscribe box at the bottom of your newsletter. You may also change your subscription or subscribe to any of our other products by entering your email in the signup box – if you are already a subscriber, you’ll be taken to a page where you can update your information and preferences.

We do use analytical tools, such as Google Analytics and Sitemeter, to track our generalized traffic on the site. However, we do not collect personally identifying information through these tools, only aggregated information. For example, what sites send us traffic, and what time of day users are most likely to read our pages.  For more about how Google uses personal information, please visit their privacy policy here.
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From time to time, we receive products that we think our readers will find interesting, and may post product or service reviews. If we received the product or service (such as a hotel stay) for free, we will always disclose that fact. We do not accept compensation in exchange for product reviews, and we don’t guarantee a favorable review. Only selected products and services are reviewed and we regret we can’t respond to all requests. If you’d like your product, service, or lodging property reviewed on The Portland Wedding Coordinator, please send inquiries to info@ejpevents.com.

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The Portland Wedding Coordinator blog contains party and event planning content that discusses the legal and responsible use of alcoholic beverages for events. This blog is not intended for a minor audience. If you are under 21, please click away.

  • Our alcohol-related content is for educational, party- and wedding-planning purposes only and is not targeted or intended for minors.
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Thank you for visiting The Portland Wedding Coordinator.  If you have any questions about privacy on this site or ejpevents.com, please contact info@ejpevents.com.

 

 

Let’s toast to Cinco de Mayo! (with a Margarita and Mexican Martini recipe)

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Even though Cinco de Mayo is a minor regional holiday in Mexico proper, its significance in the US isMargarita-pdphoto that of a major cultural celebration similar to St. Patrick’s Day, Oktoberfest, or Chinese Lunar New Year1. Don’t confuse Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, with Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16th), however.  The 5th of May marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces defeated French invaders seeking to install a French emperor of Mexico.

What does any of this have to do with Portland weddings? I just want to acknowledge the all-important Mexican-American contribution to the summer wedding menu: the Margarita. No matter what food is on the menu, a freshly-squeezed, hand-shaken Margarita lends an easy festivity to any wedding.

In honor of the holiday this week, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite Margarita recipes from Texas, as well as one of my favorite variants, the Mexican Martini. For both recipes, all your juices should be fresh-squeezed, and the tequila should be light or Silver. (I recommend Herradura or Patron.)

Continue reading “Let’s toast to Cinco de Mayo! (with a Margarita and Mexican Martini recipe)” →