Tag: portland wedding

Menswear, tuxedos, and formalwear for your Portland wedding {Vendor Spotlight}

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

It seems like it can be hard to find the local flavor when looking for menswear and formalwear in Portland. Many wedding clients get steered towards giant warehouse-type stores and I know I’m not the only one wondering where you can get personal service.

Tuxedos-for-rental-and-purchase

Este’s Menswear in Northwest Portland is stepping up to the plate and offering an excellent wedding and formal wear line that includes rental tuxedos and suits. I stopped by to visit with Kelsey and Tony recently, to see what they had to offer. It is a neat little shop that reminded me a lot of the J. Press in New Haven where I went to school.

Este’s is carrying a wide variety of popular tuxedo lines, including Joseph Abboud, Oscar de la Renta, Perry Ellis, After Six, Jean Yves, and Chaps Ralph Lauren.

A few thoughts:
-They recommend coming in as early as possible to start the selection process, at the least 1 month before the wedding to give enough time for rental and alteration.

-In addition to the formal tuxes, Este’s also has suits for rent. Colors include mostly grays and navys, but brown or seersucker are possibilities.

-Grooms can get formalwear selection advice. Tony has 30+ years experience in men’s attire and is happy to assist in decision making, especially with regards to formality level, black tie vs. white tie, what colors are appropriate for what time of day, and all kinds of other questions one might have.

-Finally, Este’s offers a service-oriented experience with local flavor for the men that equals what women are used to. Men can relax in the “club room” that includes a traditional barber shop. Go ahead and have a beer, enjoy the massage chair, watch sports, get a haircut or even a straight razor shave. Sounds like a great atmosphere for the guys!

Store info:
Este’s Men’s Clothing
1633 NW Glisan
Portland, OR 97209
503-227-0275

Lovely wedding photos at McMenamins Edgefield by Fritz Photo

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Fritz-photo-shutterbug-march-2011
A while back, Shutterbug Magazine featured a photographer we’ve been working with for a very long time: Fritz Liedtke of Fritz Photo. We were super happy for him, and additionally thrilled that the magazine chose a photo from one of our own clients, whose wedding was held at McMenamins Edgefield.

Here are a few more photos from this lovely Edgefield wedding that took place at Edgefield’s Blackberry Meadow and adjoining Hall. A full blog post about the wedding is on Fritz’s blog here. Enjoy!

Mcmenamins-edgefield-bride
 Mcmenamins-edgefield-blackberry-meadow-wedding

Mcmenamins-edgefield-wedding-flowers

Floral by Punch.

Rooftop weddings and wedding venues in Portland

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Want an outdoor venue but don’t want to stray too far from the Portland city center? Consider a rooftop venue as your very own urban serenity. Rooftop venues serve as your private panorama to a breathtaking view of Rose City. Portland’s rooftop venues offer your guests a first hand glimpse of the visual treasures of Portland. Rooftop venues provide a modern, romantic atmosphere for your wedding and Portland’s rooftop venues are among the best! Three Portland rooftop locations include Hotel deLuxe, Embassy Suites Portland Downtown and DeSoto Rooftop Terrace.

Hotel deLuxe is known for its old Hollywood style elegance. While they have an indoor meeting facility, they also have a rooftop space available for your outdoor wedding. This venue is perfect for any glamorous bride!

Rooftop Wedding at Hotel Deluxe by Kate Kelly
Photo credit: Kate Kelly Photography

Embassy Suites Portland Downtown is located in the heart of Rose City. This historic venue is surrounded by Portland’s city lights and an excellent choice for a night time wedding.

Embassy-suites-portland-rooftop-wedding

Photo courtesy Embassy Suites Portland on Facebook

DeSoto Rooftop Terrace is an intimate venue nestled in Portland’s ambiance of the Pearl District. This modern venue has rustic elements which creates a fashionable urban style.

Rooftop Wedding at DeSoto Rooftop Terrace by Evrim Icoz Portland Photographer

Photo credit Evrim Icoz Photography

Rooftop venues are a fun and trendy place to tie the knot. However, they are much more rare than other outdoor venues, therefore be sure to book your ideal venue in advance. Additional logistics to consider; most rooftop venues need tenting and additional decor in order to create your wedding vision. In some cases, they do not have an indoor component or have very limited indoor amenities.

We like rooftop venues because they can be a “blank slate” for design, meaning that they can transform to fit your ideal wedding style. Additionally, if the rooftop belongs to a hotel, then you have the added convenience of hotel amenities. Specifically in Portland, you can enjoy city attractions, outdoor views and be within close proximity to lodging. Hotel rooftop venues are a great option if your guest list consists of a large amount of out of town guests.

Booking the perfect rooftop venue is the first step in planning your unique wedding. A rooftop wedding is a chic alternative to the ordinary outdoor wedding. Imagine yourself surrounded by the beautiful Portland skyline as you dance beneath the stars and toast among the clouds. Cheers!

– Lauren Gilbertson, edited by Emee Pumarega

The 25-year rule

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

25-years-from-now-older-couple-wedding-marriage

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayugee/CC BY-ND 2.0

As we get into the early part of the wedding planning process for many of this year’s upcoming clients, we often hear the question:

“Do I really need to…(insert X, Y, or Z element here)?” This may relate to a a vendor decision (to have a videographer or not?) or a tradition decision (to see each other before the wedding ceremony or not), or maybe a design decision (to rent those chivari chairs or not).

Thing is, no wedding planner or magazine or blog can truly help you answer these dilemmas until you’ve explored your own feelings. One method I recommend is what I’ve been calling the “25-year rule“. How will you feel about this decision 25 years from now? When you look back at your wedding album, when you celebrate your silver anniversary, will you say to yourself, “I wish I had ____________, after all”?

Continue reading “The 25-year rule” →

{ Attire tips } Can I mix ivory and white at my wedding?

Posted on by Emee Pumarega

Today's tip is not just an attire tip, but it also touches on overall wedding design and colors.

I get a lot of clients every year who ask me if they can wear an ivory gown but have white tablecloths, and vice versa.  Or if they can use ivory and white on the same surface, for example, white tablecloths and ivory plates.  We receive so many inquiries like this that we decided to address it here on the blog at Portland Wedding Coordinator.
 
Some people seem to think that there is an etiquette or protocol issue at work here, but I have done some initial research at the Peggy Post and Martha Stewart sites, and to date have not yet found anything etiquette-related, except a reminder to guests not to wear white or ivory to a wedding.
 
So my feeling is that it boils down to your personal style and what you feel comfortable with.
 

Continue reading “{ Attire tips } Can I mix ivory and white at my wedding?” →

{ 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.