Finding the right vendor can make or break your wedding
We have photographed over 400 weddings and have worked with some seriously talented vendors as well as vendors that have no business serving our clients. To help your day be more relaxed, fun, and stand-out amazing, we have slowly and carefully compiled our preferred vendor list. These are vendors we would hire if we were doing our wedding all over again, or vendors we know do their job well!
Favorite Venues
ONE | Zenith Vineyards
A huge space with wide landscape views. Large getting-ready areas make it great for having everything in one location. They have a stunning outdoor patio that has incredible views at sunset. Lots of great spots for photos and well-laid-out to enable a truly good time at a wedding. Rain or shine, they also have a large enough indoor space to protect you from the elements (heat, cold, and rain included).
Real weddings:
TWO | Mt Hood Organic Farms
A unique, stunning venue with crazy mountain views. Looks aside, we have had some of our most fun weddings at this venue. Every time, the guests have left floored, and still even pumped for the after-party in Hood River. Get dressed in their cozy cottages, do all your wedding party photos among the beautifully-landscaped gardens, have a stunning ceremony with Mt Hood as your backdrop, then right when you feel like you might be getting too hot you move to the cool shaded cocktail hour. Delicious cocktails and appetizers are served, after which everyone is seamlessly moved to a group photo in front of the best Mt Hood view, then seated for dinner service. The night is packed with stunning light, amazing farm-to-table food and drink, and don’t-want-it-to-end dancing. If you want a well-run, totally unique. and beaitiful venue, Mt Hood Organic Farms can’t be beat. We have shot more weddings at this venue than any other, and every one of them has been a joy to photograph!
Real Weddings:
THREE | The Ranches At Silver Falls State Park
Probably the most diverse venue we have shot at. It’s huge for one, with multiple locations where you can throw your ceremony or reception. Lots of cabins on site make this an ideal location for out-of-town weddings or couples that have lots of family flying in. You're close to stunning waterfalls and other beautiful woodsy scenes. It’s a huge blank canvas and a beautiful location for your wedding ideas. Whether you’re on a budget or the sky is the limit, Silver Falls wedding venue can accommodate you. Oh, did I mention it’s dog-friendly. ;). It’s honestly just a really friendly venue, and your guests will thank you for it.
Real Weddings:
Favorite Wedding Planners
ONE | Najla Rose
@najlaroseeventsdesigns
We love working with Najla—we have done a few weddings with her team now and they are an amazing presence to have on your wedding day. She does day-of coordination up to full-service wedding planning. She is no-nonsense and does an amazing job helping the wedding day flow and stay fun!
TWO | Jody Stansbury
We love Jody, she has fantastic energy and is very well-organized. She has done weddings of all shapes and sizes from the super simple to the extremely complex. If you want it done right, Jody and her team will serve you well.
THREE | Mt Hood Organic Farms
Kristen and Cassandra
While you can only have Kristen and Cassandra be your coordinators if you book at Mt Hood Organic Farms, it’s well worth it. We have shot at many venues that have “included” day of coordinators, but they are more like venue babysitters. Not so with Kristen and Cassandra—they are in my top 3 for coordinators because they also do an amazing job making sure your wedding is smooth and fun. MHOF as a whole has been some of the funniest weddings I have been a part of, and that’s a huge thanks to Kristen and Cassandra for making sure everything runs smooth and the couple is able to shut off the planning part of their brain and sit back, relax, and enjoy their day.
Live Bands
Blue Wave Band
Live bands are such a fun way to make a wedding stand out, and these guys are the best we have worked with. All our couples rave about them, and we hear tons of guests enjoying them on the wedding day. These guys do NOT disappoint.
DJ’s
In general, a DJ can make or break your wedding. If you're on a tight budget, hire someone whose equipment works and then have a really good friend who is good at public speaking be your Master of Ceremonies. At any given wedding, all the guests become like sheep and need a gentle loving presence in the form of an MC to guide them throughout the night. Seriously, the DJ has been the difference between a wedding being totally amazing and a total nightmare. The higher price is not always the best—you want to hire someone with a good presence, who can command a room in a loving and fun way, and who you connect with enough to not be an out-of-touch stranger ruling the night. These are our top picks for DJ’s:
ONE | Chad Dowling
www.chaddowling.biz
The best DJ we have ever worked with. Very seasoned in what he does, has fantastic equipment, and does an incredible job commanding the room. Chad is a master at MC’ing. Some DJ’s are overly big with their personalities, but not so with Chad—he’s all the things you want in a fun DJ. He’s not the cheapest, but he is worth every penny.
TWO | Matt Gley | mattcgley@gmail.com | (541)653-3380 | $400-$1000
He is new to the wedding scene but already carries himself really well and does a great job at directing a room. There is an it-factor with being a good DJ, and Matt already has it going on.
Dessert
Cake: Laurie Clarke Cakes
www.cakesportlandor.com
Dessert: Lux Sucre
www.flowerspdx.com
Video: Steady State Studios
Cake: Windflower Cakes
Florist: @geraniumlake
For Mike and Miranda wedding
AMAZING FOOD: Willaby's https://willabyscatering.com/
Cake: @laurieclarkecakes
Hair and Makeup: Knot and Rouge https://www.knotandrouge.com
Rentals: @ardeneventcollective and @atozpartyrental
Videographer: South Platte Weddings https://www.southplatteweddings.com/
