Hello there! Every once in a while we see a “trend” that we feel needs correcting. Today’s blog is really the start of a campaign of ours. We are calling it "Name Your Elephant"!! Read on to learn more.

Understandably, most folks have no idea what a wedding costs. When you are thinking about spending the rest of your life with someone, “wedding cost” is not usually the first thing you Google. Then, when you do get engaged, “advice” comes out of the wood work. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion of what you need to do, and how much you need to spend. Don’t let anyone fool you. The only thing you truly need to get married is a marriage license, an officiate and a couple of witnesses. Everything else is truly optional “icing on the cake”. Those options, however, are endless – limited only by your desires, imagination and budget.

Today we wanted to talk about that last item on the list – the ever present, pink elephant in the room – YOUR BUDGET. We are fortunate...

This weekend I was lucky enough to be able to put aside my "planner hat" and play the role of maid of honor, as my best friend and I went shopping for her wedding dress. It took 2 days, and 5 stops but we had an amazing time, and found her the perfect dress. I took some notes along the way to pass along to you. Hopefully this helps make your experience a fun and successful one.

1. The first thing I noticed was how fortunate we are here in Portland to have so many wonderful dress stores to visit. We visited: Bridal Exclusives, David's Bridal, Ania's, Sophie Chang's and Anna's. They all had a great selection of dresses, and most notably, they all exceeded my expectations for customer service. Never did I feel they were pressuring my friend to buy a dress. They always listened to what she wanted, and they knew when and how to comfortably and successfully introduce new styles/elements my friend either thought she didn't want, or hadn't considered. Really, trul...

We recently had the pleasure of meeting with Ryan Ricketts of Ryan Ricketts Photography and we were so impressed with his talents, knowledge and passion for wedding photography that we asked him for some tips on how brides can make the most of their wedding photography investment. Below are Ryan's suggestions for getting the best wedding pictures possible. 

It’s no revelation that planning for your wedding can be a daunting affair. Hours upon hours pile up to make sure every last detail is taken care of and no loose ends are left. Family members on both sides are pulled in all directions. Blood, sweat and makeup are all shed in the name of your wedding day. With all of the distractions going on, how do you make sure you get fabulous and timeless photos of one of the most special days (if not the most special day of your life)?

1. Makeup artist/stylist – Consider working with a makeup artist or stylist to make you look your best on your wedding day. That i...