• Real Weddings

Talia and Blair are from Vancouver, BC. On a short weekend trip to Portland, Oregon, they fell in love with the city. Charmed by the cities eclectic flair, they instantly they knew they were going to have a semi-destination of sorts just across the border. All held at one of our favorite hotels in Portland, The Ace Hotel.
This stylish boutique hotel / restaurant was roomy enough to accommodate several little stations, but still felt like a cozy setting where each guest was a part of every lovely little detail or laugh shared! Thinking of marrying in this eclectic city? Peruse more of their wedding in the full gallery here. Photographed by Portland wedding photographers The Gemmers.

From The Bride on her favorite part of the day:There were so many small moments throughout the day that meant so much - so it is incredibly difficult to try to narrow it down to one. Perhaps one of my most favorites was the moment I walked into the ceremony space and saw everyone there - all of our closest friends and family, all of whom traveled to be there that day. I saw there faces, I saw the space for the first time which brought to life every idea that had been swirling around in my head for the past year. And I saw Blair waiting at the end of the aisle for me. I was so overwhelmed and excited, I could not contain myself! I was half laughing, half crying, and just trying to make sure that I took in every emotion, every detail and lived in that moment so as to never forget that feeling of delight, excitement, of pure joy and so much love.

One little fun moment at Talia and Blair's Portland wedding was that rather than having an officiant they had their guests pronounce them as married. So personal and intimate ... don't you think?

From Bride:One year prior to our wedding, Blair and I just happened to take a long weekend in Portland (we currently live in Vancouver, BC). It was our first time visiting the city and we fell head over heals in love with everything about it. As we had just gotten engaged 2 months prior, we were on the hunt for a wedding location. Once we saw the city, the decision was practically made for us. We wanted the wedding to be a reflection of who we are as individuals, who we are as a couple, and the relationship we have built over the past 11 years.

Portland was the perfect canvas and the painting that came together that day was more than we could have ever hoped for. We incorporated small, personal tidbits to make the whole thing feel like us. We used the photo wall from our living room as the backdrop for our dessert table. We handcrafted buntings in our apartment that we brought to Portland and used as the backdrop for our ceremony.We did our own floral centerpieces and made the bouquets. As a result, the day felt familiar and it felt like home. The room was filled with so much love and an abundance of laughter. With our intention and the support of so many friends and family, we created a space that allowed us to truly be ourselves and take in every moment of a day that truly felt magical.

Talia and Blair did several do-it-yourself projects - including the bunting, picking and combining floral arrangements and centerpieces, and thrifting vintage tea-cups at a local vintage store in Vancouver. They also purchased table runners lace/burlap buntings off of Craigslist from a previous DIY bride, and had their fabulous wedding favors (Pendleton coffee cozies) made by Michael Parich (local Portland artist)! They even incorporated their living room wall of photos onto the back wall of their dessert table!

• Cake: Miss Zumstein Bakery & Coffee Shop
• Caterer: Clyde Common
• Event Designer & Coordinator: Ella Events
• Groom & His Men: Ralph Lauren
• Jewelry: Era Design
• Makeup: Sephora
• Pies: Lauretta Jean's
• Stationery: Oblation Papers & Press
• Venues: Ace Hotel
• Wedding Dresses: Amsale