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Grace and Taylor - June 2021 Photos by Sweetlife Photography, The Oregon coast truly evokes a romantic feeling that can't be replicated. If we were to pick three words that described the tone of the day, it would be - gentle, romantic and charming. Just love and loved-ones and the beach. Surfsand Resort is oceanfront & right in the heart of Cannon Beach near the iconic Haystack Rock. While the Oregon coast is beautiful, we know it can be unpredictable - that's why we love the custom tent that's offered in the venue package - see how we kept it light and lovely and charming with blush, textured linens, gold Chivari chairs and full florals by Amanda Karam. We can't recommend the knowledge of Jake at Sweetlife Photography when it comes to lighting - not every photographer can capture the open and bright beach like he can. Do you and your SO love the beach as much as we do? We'd love to work with you! See The Vendor Team who made this day a reality at the end of the gallery. The Vendor Team Ceremony Venue: Surfsand Resort - Beach Reception Venue: Surfsand Resort - Haystack Gardens Coordinator: Your Perfect Bridesmaid Officiant: Dee Richardson Catering: Surfsand (Wayfarer) Dessert: Cannon Beach Bakery Photographer: Sweetlife Photography, Jake Florist: Amanda Karam Floral DJ/Band: John Ross Productions Rentals: Royce’s Prop Shop & The Party Place Hair & Makeup: Cassandra Kennedy Getting Ready Locations: Surfsand Resort Love what you see? We would love to help you achieve your unique wedding vision. Let us provide tailored vendor recommendations and create a unique design that fits your style and your budget. Don't have a venue yet? No problem. Having a planner as the first step in the process can save you time, energy and money.

Last Updated: June 30, 2021 NOTE: If you’re planning a wedding in Oregon, you’ll want to read our Oregon-specific breakdown. SUMMARY OF MOST RECENT UPDATES: Washington is OPEN!** Businesses are no long required to operate under capacity or grouping limits or enforce wearing a mask. However, it's important to note that businesses still have the right to independently enforce these rules if they feel it keeps their community safe. Read the Press Release Here Masks are still required in certain settings, like healthcare facilities, child care facilities, & public transportation hubs. So don't forget your masks if you're traveling for your wedding! YPB is still here to address any concerns you have. If you want a COVID-safe wedding, we will do all we can to make sure that happens. You are our priority! Table of Contents Overview & Quick Links to Gov. Documents Side by Side Phase Comparisons for Weddings Vaccinations and Weddings Phase 1 & Weddings Phase 2 & Weddings Phase 3 & Weddings With Washington open starting June 30th, most of these restrictions and guides are no long applicable. However, we will keep this information for any couple who wishes to have a COVID-safe wedding. Stay safe and Stay Healthy as always! COVID-19 guidelines are constantly changing, but when it comes to how those affect your wedding, you can count on us to break those down for you. In this blog, we simplify how Washington State’s COVID-19 guidelines impact your wedding and we’ll add updates when wedding COVID-19 requirements change. Be sure to check back to this page from time to time! Our Advice for Wedding Planning with COVID-19 : Be clear with your guests about the expectations at your wedding. It is YOUR day and they should understand what you expect of everybody. Whether that be outlining mask expectations, vaccine requirements, and/or venue rules, we recommend to let everyone know these before hand to avoid trouble on the day-of. Work with a planner!! The value of having a professional hand to hold under under these times is invaluable. With changing guidelines, it can be overwhelming to keep track of everything and the "fun" of planning can be lost. Planners are your sanity checkers, logistic experts, and additionally, there to enforce your expectations on the day-of so you don't have to stress. Have a good Plan B. With new surges happening across the country, no region's Phase is guaranteed. Having a loose Plan B for a lower phase can make last minute planning a little less stressful. WEDDINGS AND PHASES All of Washington is in Phase 3 as of May 7 with plans to open all of Washington starting June 30th. We all know by now to keep on our toes with ever-changing restrictions, but we'll celebrate for a bit with these updates! Skip to the Phase 3 Guidelines. Overview & Gov Docs We have read and reread all the documents Governor Inslee has published that depicted all the restrictions for your wedding. All we write below is summarized from the following documents: Weddings, Funerals, and Events COVID-19 Requirements (Updated May 13) Religious and Faith-based Organizations Eating and Drinking Establishment COVID-19 Requirements (for food) Open Air and Outdoor Seating Requirements (for outdoor seating) Theater and Performing Arts COVID-19 Requirements (for music) COVID-19 Guidance for Food Workers & Food Establishments (for self-serve food) Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery (description of COVID-19 metrics and up-to-date Phases) Here is a quick overview of the differences, but we'll go on to explain more about the restrictions in each phase and category. It's a common misconception that state requirements only apply to venues. But Governor Inslee’s restrictions apply to weddings no matter the location: “privately owned property, business establishments, non-profit establishments, establishments owned by religious or faith-based organizations and publicly owned property.” Now for the nitty-gritty: what exactly you can and can’t you do on your wedding day based on the Phase. VACCINATIONS AND WEDDINGS The May 13 updates to the wedding guidelines are the best ones yet, and we are seeing the benefit of vaccinations becoming more common! Here's what you need to know: A fully vaccinated wedding does not need to follow distancing, masking, or group limit restrictions. A fully vaccinated wedding also does not have to have protective measures for food and beverage service. Caterers may have their own private rules and have the right to do so. In order to be exempt from these restrictions, all guests must show proof of vaccination (i.e. a vaccination card) or proof of a negative COVID-19 test, obtained within 72 hours of the wedding, for those unable to obtain a vaccination for any reason. All guests must bring physical proof and show upon entry (i.e. a vaccination card, a picture of the card, an email, a printout, etc.) Children 2-15 must have a negative COVID-19 test, children under 2 do not You will need to check with your venue - they have the ultimate say in no masks vs masks and will be the ones to check guests upon entry (side note, YPB team members cannot be responsible for this role). Communicate with your guests - lay out all the expectations so no mishaps happen at arrival! Vendors must wear face coverings The government guidelines define "fully vaccinated wedding", which basically means either everyone can show a negative test result or proof of vaccination. If you don't think it's feasible to have all your guests come with proof of vaccination or a negative test result, we recommend to consider vaccination sections. You can ask your guests to share (if they are comfortable) whether they are vaccinated or not. This can create an extra layer of safety for some! Not sure what to do? We get it, this can be stressful for many reasons. We'd love for you to schedule a consultation with us and talk about what we can do for you. WEDDINGS IN PHASE 1 Guest Count: For an indoor venue, your guest count can be no more than 30 people or 25% capacity of the venue, whichever is less, and that count does NOT include vendors. With an outdoor wedding, you can have a maximum of 30 people. Guests should also be warned to keep to their bubbles and avoid mingling without masks between groups (this will help ensure your wedding day is stress-free and COVID-free). Reception: Unfortunately during Phase 1, celebrations or receptions before/after an indoor wedding are prohibited. If you want to have a wedding reception in a Phase 1 region, you will need to have an outdoor wedding. For outdoor venues, receptions are a go. There are, of course, restrictions that apply, such as ensuring guests wear face coverings and social distance. In the Wedding COVID-19 Restrictions document from Governor Inslee, there is a list of general practices for vendors and wedding hosts to follow. Seating: For outdoor weddings with a reception, make sure to arrange your tables based on state guidelines. Table sizes are limited to 6 people from a maximum of 2 households and all tables must be spaced 6 feet from any other table. This will be the same for receptions in Phase 2 also. The area where people are sitting and eating must also follow the state’s Open-air Seating Guidance. There are many options for setting up your outdoor reception area, such as having tents or canopies but to sum it up: less walls = less restrictions. Food & Drink: You can serve food and drinks in a Phase 1 outdoor wedding, but there are various eating and drinking requirements. Important to note that to note during all phases, masks are required if you are not eating or drinking. That being said, we advice that you are clear with your guests on what they should expect, that way everyone knows what you and your partner want for your wedding (after all, it is your day). Your caterer or venue should be aware of all guidance for serving food, but have a conversation with your vendors so you’re on the same page. As of March, buffets and self service food stations are allowed (with restrictions of course!). You must have some kind of sneeze guard barrier, have the serving utensils sanitized, and/or provide single use utensils, or have a staff member serving the food. Music: Back in the beginning of 2021, there were restrictions on live performers (solo singers, bands, etc), but now the general rule of thumb is performers are allowed as long as they are significantly distanced from the audience. The performers must wear masks, or be behind plexiglass or some other barrier. Dancing It’s crazy to think that dancing was prohibited earlier this year, like Footloose became a reality. Now, dancing is allowed through all phases as long as guests wear masks on the dance floor, guests are not carrying food or drinks, and people try to distance or stick with the group limits (the same as the table groups). There are also numbers for how many people can be on the dance floor. The general rule of thumb is 25% of your guest count, and as we know, your guest count is limited by a capacity percentage. Example: Phase 2 Outdoor allows for 25% of the capacity. If your venue allows for 400 at full capacity, you can have a guest count of 100 (25% of 400) and 25 on the dance floor (25% of 100) First Dances/Parent Dances Since Phase 1 Indoor weddings don't allow for receptions, dancing isn't an option, but you can still do a first dance or a parent dance! For these traditional dances, the dancers do not need to wear a mask as long as they are the only ones on the dance floor. You'll get the best photos of these moments! WEDDINGS IN PHASE 2 Guest Count: The guest count for indoor weddings increases significantly in Phase 2. It allows for 200 people or 25% of the venue capacity for indoor weddings not including vendors. Remember to pay attention to the venues max capacity! Outdoor weddings allow for 200 max. The group limits also increase to a maximum of 15 people, but still from a max of 2 households. Reception: Hurray, you can have an indoor reception! You will need to follow your venue’s guidelines and have your guests wear face coverings and social distance. Seating: Seating is the same as Phase 1 outdoor weddings. Table sizes are limited to 6 people from a maximum of 2 households and all tables must be spaced 6 feet from any other table. If your wedding is indoors, it's good to consider what the air flow will be like. The state recommends to open any windows and utilize fans if possible. Food and Drink: Food service must follow eating and drinking requirements for Phase 2. They are more or less the same as Phase 1. Music and Dancing Phase 2 guidelines for music and dancing are the Phase 1. Wear a mask and distance as usual. WEDDINGS IN PHASE 3 Governor Inslee released guidance for weddings in Phase 3 on March, 23, and we are happy to say that the guest count allows for practically "a normal" wedding size. If you are somebody who likes a party with all their friends and family, Phase 3 allows for that. Guest Count: Your grandparents, your extended family, your mom's friends, your friends kids.... Phase 3 allows for significantly more humans to witness your special day. You can have 50% of an indoor venue's capacity, with a maximum of 400. Outdoors, the max is 400. Reception: You will need to follow your venue’s guidelines and have your guests wear face coverings and social distance. Seating: The group limits increased to a maximum of 15 people and no longer have a household restriction, so as long as your guests feel comfortable, making seating arrangements will be less of a hassle. Food and Drink: Food service must follow eating and drinking requirements. The only difference is that alcohol service can last until midnight. YPB IS HERE TO HELP We are staying on top of these changes and as always, it’s our job to make planning your wedding less stressful. If the COVID guidelines are impacting your wedding and you’re having trouble navigating them, reach out to us! We executed 30+ weddings under these guidelines in 2020; we have experience figuring out the best solution and we will walk you through all of your options. You can reach us at: info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com. For now, keep the faith. The vaccine is rolling out (though far too slow) and we are still very hopeful for a wonderful 2021 wedding season. Be well!! Your Perfect Bridesmaid

LAST UPDATED: June 30, 2021 Updates To The Blog: OREGON IS OPEN!** We've all been waiting a long time for Oregon to have more clear COVID-19 guidelines for weddings, but this is much better. On June 30th, Oregon lifted the state-wide COVID-19 restrictions. This includes but is not limited to mask regulations, distancing protocols, occupancy limits grouping regulations, etc. **It is important to note that businesses like venues still have the right to enforce COVID-19 rules and regulations. "Open" means that the state is not requiring all businesses to enforce mask rules. Venues can independently decide what occupancy limits to operated under, require masks, etc. Remember, it's all in the name of keeping our neighbors safe! If one of our venue friends requires masks, we will gladly comply. Read The Update Here View Oregon COVID-19 Risk levels by County Table of Contents Intro General Advice Quick Links to Government Documents Wedding Restrictions by Risk Level, Comparison Chart Guest Count Seating Food & Drink Private Residence Weddings and COVID-19 How to Plan a Wedding with COVID-19 Restrictions With Oregon Open starting June 30th, most of these restrictions and guides are no long applicable. However, we will keep this information for any couple who wishes to have a COVID-safe wedding. Stay safe and Stay Healthy as always! You're not alone if you're confused on how to plan a wedding under the Oregon COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions. This blog will help you navigate it all. Because guidelines change often and county risk levels update every 2 weeks, we are doing our best to keep this post updated. Sadly, Oregon has chosen to not create wedding specific guidelines, which can make planning a wedding in a pandemic much more difficult than it needs to be. Rest assured, Your Perfect Bridesmaid has been planning weddings throughout the year, so we have become experts when it comes to navigating these guidelines. Additionally, as a founder and Vice President of the Live Events Industry of Oregon (LEIO), a coalition of 4500+ event professionals in Oregon, I have regular meetings and interaction with local and state officials about these guidelines. Combining all of that information, we've created this blog to summarize what you can and can't do to help you tie the knot with significantly less stress. Weddings and Changing County Risk Level: As we are probably all familiar by now, Oregon assigns a "risk level" to each county based on the county's COVID-19 metric trends over a two week period. First, you'll want to determine what wedding will be in, as that county's risk level will determine what you can and can't do. What is the hardest right now with wedding planning is that counties could change risk level just a week before you wedding date. The best wedding plan you can have right now is a solid Plan B for the worst-case scenario. We definitely, definitely, definitely recommend having a planner to save you some stress. At Your Perfect Bridesmaid, we are staying on top of any and all updates to COVID-19 restrictions. We can help you: Build and check your plan to make sure you, your friends and family can celebrate safely (and legally), Communicate with vendors and make sure you are on the same page with COVID-19 restrictions, And help you make last minute plans as necessary. In this next section, we'll help you break down what your wedding will look like under each risk level. COVID-19 Restrictions for Oregon Weddings Planning anything in a pandemic is hard. Planning a wedding in a pandemic with no specific wedding guidelines is a whole nother story. We've made it simple, and broken down restrictions as it relates to your wedding. Because there are no wedding specific guidelines, we had to pull our information from a few different area's of Oregon's re-opening plan. We gathered all this information from the list of documents below: Quick Links Sector Risk Level Guidance Chart (activity-specific restrictions for each risk level, updated and effective April 28) Outdoor Event Guidance (for guest count limits) Indoor Event Guidance (for guest count limits) Faith Institution Event Guidance (for guest count limits specifically in faith institutions) Eating and Drinking Guidance (for serving food and alcohol at your reception) Self-Service Guidance (for buffet-style food) Please keep in mind that all the information below is pulled from publicly available government documents. Here are some of our couple's Frequently Asked Questions, click on the question to go directly to the answer! How many guests can I have at my wedding? How do I make my seating chart with COVID-19 at my wedding? How do I serve my guests food/drinks? What if my wedding is at a private residence or AirBnb? WEDDING GUEST COUNT: How many people can I have at my wedding? The biggest thing to note is that the max number of people you can have at your Oregon wedding includes both your guests AND the vendor staff (i.e. catering staff, officiant, vendor staff, etc.). We recommend to talk with your venue to understand how many staff need to be present. Additionally, there are different limits depending on if your wedding is at an outdoor or indoor venue. If you are going to have a combination of indoor and outdoor events, then your guest count has to follow the indoor limits, as guests will move in and out of the building. GUEST COUNT IN CHURCHES AND FAITH INSTITUTIONS What if I want to have a wedding in a church? Faith Institutions allow for a little more wiggle room when it comes to guest coun. Oregon has specific guidance for events in faith institutions which allow for more guest than other indoor venues. As far as we’re concerned, these guidelines only apply to the ceremony where people don’t have to take off their masks to eat. However, we’ll tread lightly here because there is no language that actually says “wedding ceremonies” or “wedding receptions” in these guidelines. Also, notice that services have a limit of 1 hour in a county that is at extreme risk. SEATING How do I plan my seating chart with COVID-19 restrictions? There are not specific guidelines for seating at weddings, but we recommend to keep tables to the limits for Eating and Drinking Establishments. Our Tips for Seating Asks your guests who are concerned about gathering to provide a list of people they are comfortable sitting around without masks Space reception tables and audience rows for the ceremony 6 feet apart FOOD: You absolutely will be able to share a meal with your guests, but this is one area where we have specific guidelines to follow. Your caterer is likely very familiar with the Eating and Drinking Guidance, but have a conversation with your chosen caterer to make sure you all are on the same page. We really value the subject matter expertise of our catering partners and we have regular conversations with them to understand how they are doing things, and discuss ways we can support them. Self Service & Buffets If you are planning to have self-service food (aka buffet or salad bar), it can’t exactly be self-service. Based on the Self-Service Guidance, you’re required to ensure that: Only designated employees are allowed to serve food Guests adhere to social distancing and don’t crowd the food area Guests use new plates and cups for refills Guests are seated and/or distanced when consuming food The food area is thoroughly protected (i.e. plexiglass, back-of-house tent, etc) Some caterers are not offering these served buffets, in which case your other options for meal service are plated or family style. We have pointers for each of these options, so let's plan to talk through specifics. Also, we cannot say this enough: reach out to your caterer and talk to them about how they are doing things! Each company has created their own game plan for moving forward and their expertise in this area is crucial! General Food & Drink Guidelines Here are some other pointers (but not necessarily legal requirements) for how to keep people safe if your serving food at your reception: Make sure the venue is large enough so every table has 6 ft. of space in every direction Provide hand sanitizer at tables Send out a email, website update, or card ahead of your wedding date that clearly lists all the expectations for guests at your wedding. We can't stress this enough! Your guests should understand how you envision your day, so outline what they need to know (i.e. wearing masks when not eating, distancing, etc.) Private Residence Weddings and COVID-19. I know these requirements are less than ideal, and we have had some clients ask if they still need to follow them if they move their wedding to a private residence. We want to address that question with this bit of advice: make sure you know that guidelines must be followed even if you are getting married at home. If you are thinking about having a wedding at a private residence though, we wrote up a “Do and Don’t” list in another blog that will help with planning. YPB Is Here to Help and Adjust YPB is committed to keeping everyone safe and limiting the spread of this virus, because like you, we want things to get back to normal. Unfortunately, we can’t do that until everyone does their part-- so we are doing ours and planning weddings that adhere to all these guidelines. We know this is a lot to keep track of, but the good news is, if you are one of our clients, we are keeping track of this information for you. Since risk levels adjust every two weeks, we won't know the status of your venue until two weeks before your wedding. And while the sound of that is scary, please don't let it be. We will work with you to create a custom game plan. Some of you may choose to postpone. Some will choose to change venues. Some will choose to adjust the guest count. Regardless of what you choose, we will help you make it happen. So if at all possible, keep the faith and stay strong. We really are very hopeful for improvement now that vaccines are rolling out, which should put some counties at less of a risk. And please remember, we are here and we have your back! Stay tuned for more updates. We will keep this page as current as possible. And as always, email us at info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com if you have questions.

Did you see the article published in Oregon Bride featuring this styled shoot? Read it here! This Portland wedding city venue is perfect for those who value a culinary experience and stunning backdrops for wedding photos. Your Perfect Bridesmaid has worked with dozens of venues, so we like to share our vendor partners we love working with. Back in February, we planned a styled shoot for micro weddings at The Nines and the photos are STUNNING. Below we've shared galleries of each room The Nines offers, along with a list of vendors we used to style the space. Enjoy! Many Portland natives know of The Nines Luxury Collection Hotel for its luxurious hotel experience and its connection to Departure, a high-end bar and dining experience with unparalleled views of Portland. We know of the The Nines Hotel for its potential to be an intimate and luxurious venue for your wedding. The Nines has various spaces (we've included galleries at the bottom) that offer stunning city skyline views and work well with multiple themes. Here are the themes we think work best with the spaces at the Nines: Royal & Luxurious Classic Romantic Formal Contemporary What We Love Art and Decor Galore If you love the look of the hotel, you won't have to allocate a lot of money to your wedding décor budget. The hotel has over 2 million dollars of PNW art in the event spaces and all the hallways. The art, the elegant chandeliers, breathtaking city-views practically decorate the space for you (check out the photos below!). Culinary Experience > Standard Plates The Nines offers a unique culinary experience for couples who may want to prioritize food in their wedding budget. Treat your guests, and yourself! Accommodation for Guests We think The Nines is great if you plan to invite traveling guests. Guests can book rooms at a discounted rate at The Nines or stay at one of the many surrounding hotels in the city. And, you you can celebrate with with your sweetheart in one of the luxurious suites after the celebration. What To Keep In Mind The most stunning views are from the top of the building on the Departure Deck. If you want to book your venue through The Nines and have your ceremony on the Departure Deck, your ceremony must conclude before 4 PM. Otherwise, you will have to book through Departure. Venue Features The Basics Location: Portland City Center Indoor/Outdoor: Mostly indoor, one outdoor space for small ceremonies Number of Ceremony Spaces: Guest Count: 500 max in Ballroom at full capacity, 10 - 50 in other spaces Catering Policy: In house only, build food and drink menu from various options Price: $$$ Nearby Accommodation: Can reserve a block of wedding rooms at The Nines, plenty of nearby hotels in the city center At Your Perfect Bridesmaid, we help couples find venues that we can transform into who they are and can accommodate what they value. The Nines has various event spaces to choose from that all have an elegant feel. Your wedding can be grand and lavish in the ballroom, or it can be smaller and intimate in the brightly and naturally City Livingroom. Ceremony and Reception Locations This February, Your Perfect Bridesmaid teamed up with Kasey Connor, Director of Group & Event Sales at The Nines, to set up styled shoots featuring all the different event spaces for your wedding and some of our vendor friends in the area. We hope you'll notice our ability to curate vendors and create various customized wedding styles that fits the space. The Barrel Room & Library This space is best for a smaller wedding up to 20 people at full capacity. There are two separate rooms, so you can dedicate one to a ceremony and one to the reception. Photography: Lauryn Kay Photography Hair/Makeup: Jovana Combs Beauty Suit: Gustavo Apiti Couture Floral: Blum Floral Planning: Your Perfect Bridesmaid Models: The Pearsons (Kelsey Pearson and Luke Pearson) Dress: Charlotte’s Weddings Dress Designer: Madison James The Presidential Suite The Presidential Suite is perfect for micro weddings with just a handful your dearest loved ones. With the suite, you still get the stunning views of Portland, but in an intimate space with deep purple walls and luxury velvet chairs Photographer: Andrea Zajonc Photography Linens: BBJ Linen Floral: Bella Bloom Floral Models: The Pearsons (Kelsey Pearson and Luke Pearson) Kelsey’s Dress: Charlottes Weddings (Justin Alexander) Luke’s Suit: Gustavo Apiti Couture The Ballroom The ballroom can host up to 500 of your friends and family at full capacity. Some may rent the Cityview Living room for their ceremony for a brightly lit ceremony, then move to the ballroom at night for a reception and generous dance floor. Photography: Jessica Hill Photography Hair/Makeup: Jovana Combs Beauty Floral: Blum Floral Design Event Rentals: Bridgewood Event Rentals Cake: Dream Cakes Planning: Your Perfect Bridesmaid Models: Katie Chanthakhoun Dress: Adorned in Grace Dress Designer: Custom Departure The photos speak for themselves here. A small but spectacular space. Photographer: Andrea Zajonc Photography Rentals: Bridgewood Event Rentals Floral: Jodi Iverson Florals Kelsey’s Dress: Charlottes Weddings (Justin Alexander) Luke’s Suit: Gustavo Apiti Couture Hair/MUA: Jovana Combs Planning: Your Perfect Bridesmaid Cityview Living Room This space allows for 20-50 guests at full capacity and offers a white, traditional backdrop for a simple and romantic theme. Not to mention, we can't get enough of the windows. Photography: Lauryn Kay Photography Hair/Makeup: Jovana Combs Beauty Dress: Charlotte’s Weddings Dress Designer: Madison James Suit: Gustavo Apiti Couture Floral: Jodi Iverson Florals Event Rentals: Bridgewood Event Rentals Planning: Your Perfect Bridesmaid Models: The Pearsons (Kelsey Pearson and Luke Pearson) Interested at planning your wedding at this venue? Let us know! Please reach out to us at info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com to schedule a consultation, a venue walk through, or if you have any questions about how we can help you.

We have seen a huge increase in private residence weddings over the last few years. It seems more and more couples are choosing to say "I do" at their home or on a special piece of property. We love this trend, as private residences offer couples a level of creative freedom and uniqueness that you don't get with standard venues. Plus, there is something so romantic about a couple looking out on their backyard, maybe watching their children play together, and remembering the day they started forever together. Sound like like something you've been day dreaming of? While we love private residence weddings and even have a coordination package specifically for them, there is a long list of "To Do's" and definitely plenty of "Don't Do's." This blog here is your handy dandy guide to private residence weddings. If you're looking for some inspiration, check out these galleries on our website: (click to view) Yes, Go For It! 1. DO have a designated planner you trust. We'll be honest and let you know that there is a LOT of work that goes into planning a private residence wedding. There's no vendor staff or manager that has a specific plan for that space-- it's entirely what you imagine. So definitely, definitely, definitely hire a planner to be your logistical expert. This is less a sales pitch, and more a sign letting you know that will want somebody by your side for this. We can help you map out a fully functioning event plan, molded by your ideas, specific for the space you choose. Why YPB for your planner? Our private residence package comes includes 3 planners onsite on the day of your wedding. Your parents or aunts and uncles shouldn't have to play venue manager all day (and if something goes wrong, we don't want that bad blood). We want everyone (you included) to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Trust me... hire a planner. 2. DO evaluate the amount of usable space for all your wedding day events. We call this "doing a sanity check." Before you begin planning anything with the space you've chosen, you need to make sure there is enough usable space for the event you are imagining. I cannot tell you how many times we've gone through a preliminary walkthrough only to discover that the intended property could only host half of the desired guest count. You'll want to have an accurate space assessment and design floor plans to scale. Plan for a site walkthrough very early in the process to avoid headaches down the line. If you're someone who dreams hard, we love that. But again, we recommend a planner because making a dream reality requires major logistical planning. 3. DO invite your photographer to come out and look at the space before planning. More than likely, none of your vendors will have worked at the private space you've chosen. This is usually not a problem (vendors are professionals for a reason!), but you will want your photographer to see the space so they can: scope out photo locations advise on timing for lighting purposes advise on locations of the alter, getting-ready locations, etc. to ensure good lighting and photo opportunities Photographers can only do so much with mal-lit areas. 4. DO map out your electrical capabilities. This is often overlooked. Private residence weddings require a lot of power for the kitchen, the DJ/band and speakers, the lights over the event space, the lights in the catering/back of house area, and even lights to parking. You are going to want to know what outlets are on what circuits, as well as what output each circuit is so you can split the load and avoid blowing fuses all evening. 5. DO budget for and invest in the nice restrooms. Portable restrooms have come a long way. There are now beautiful, clean, air-conditioned mobile restrooms that are perfect for you and your guests. If you're having a wedding larger than just immediate family, trust me, they are worth every penny. Renting a restroom avoids having to deal with any mishaps in the bathroom from overly drunk guests, your best friend's toddler, or just general wear and tear. Wondering where to rent? Check out our favorites: OREGON: Luxury Restroom Trailers by Private Chambers SEATTLE AREA: Royal Restrooms of Washington You're Thanking About It, But Don't Do It. 1. DON'T assume private residence weddings save you money. We think this is the biggest fallacy in wedding planning in general and is often the biggest mistake we see couples make. This type of wedding means no venue fee, but that fee is replaced with rental costs, bathroom rentals, home improvement projects, etc. As with any wedding, definitely have the budget-talk with your planner before you move forward so you have an accurate assessment of costs. Don't know how to calculate all these costs? Ask us about our budget planning tool! 2. DON'T forget to plan and budget for rain/inclement weather. No doubt about it, an essential part of a Northwest wedding plan is a solid plan B. There is more truth to this with private residences because, unfortunately, there is a lot more than can go wrong. For instance, even if you tent the reception site, guests may have a long muddy walk from the parking area to the tent. Planning for how to get the guests from car to the event, dry and mud-free is just one of the details that a Plan B has to consider. Same goes for food. When we plan a wedding, we always have a back-of-house catering tent/area separate from guests, getting the food from the service tent to the reception tent is another consideration. As you can see, there are a lot of details to consider, which is why having a planner is so important. 3. DON'T forget the basics. We always tell our couples that happy guests only need 3 things: enough food, enough to drink and a place to stay warm or cool. Those basic creature-comforts are all you need to focus on for a truly successful event. With that being said, we've see couples lose sight of those details as they focus on other elements. With a private residence wedding, do all you can to ensure your guests are comfortable, and that includes having clean restrooms, blankets and things to fill their stomachs. Also, don't make your guests hike a mile to that pretty tree down on the back 40. 4. DON'T ignore the pesky critters. Bees, wasps, and flies... oh my! Pests are always an issue at an outdoor wedding, and they are especially a pain at a private residences where there isn't an established plan for preventing them. We have a ton of tricks up our sleeves to help with these flying critters, and today I am taking you to the source of our wisdom: https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Bees-Away. That peppermint trick and avoiding lavender and BBQ? Works WONDERS! 5. Avoid the chill. As we mentioned above, you'll want to keep your guests comfortable. Northwest nights can get a little chilly. In addition to renting heaters, we also recommend having a few lap blankets on hand. Ikea and Walmart have cozy little throw blankets for under $3 each. Having a basket with these throws will keep every warm and comfortable all night long! We hope this helps! As always, email us with any questions you have at info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com

No doubt about it, 2020 was a gut punch for weddings. So many couples had to put their plans on hold and so it seems like everyone is approaching 2021 with baited breath. While I certainly don't have a Crystal Ball, I am feeling very hopeful for a much more "normal" wedding season. What is giving me a lot of hope that we didn’t have before is I’ve seen first hand that incredible weddings can happen EVEN in the pandemic. Your Perfect Bridesmaid has successfully executed almost 30 weddings since COVID-19 came into our lives in March. We know the guidelines, we know how to identify what things are subject to change, and we are always ready to adjust given new circumstances-- we don’t just give up. We have seen with our own eyes that couples, families, and guests still have so much fun, even with an adjustment or two to the plans. If you want to talk about options or ideas for your wedding, email us and ask us how we’ve pulled off COVID-19 weddings-- we’d love to work with you. Better yet, submit a question for our Online Wedding Workshop on Jan 23 (I’ll talk about this more below). Another thing that gives me hope is the vaccine. It really is the game changer we have all prayed for. Every day, thousands of folks are being vaccinated and experts are saying we can expect to see COVID-19 cases go down significantly as more people become vaccinated. Finally, Oregon and Washington's new guidelines are also giving me hope. We now have clear outlines on what is possible given each risk level and increased flexibility with lower risk levels. Having the risk levels evaluated and adjusted every two weeks makes for some fun last-minute planning, but with our help, last-minute adjustments can seem more possible than you might think. While I am really hopeful for a year of incredible, much needed, much over-due celebrations, I also know we aren't out of the woods yet, and I know that can be unsettling. It seems like way back in April or May of 2020 we started hearing how Winter was going to be pretty bad in terms of number of cases. Sadly, they were 100% correct. And while we all have so many reasons to to be hopeful, our current case load is making that difficult and I wanted to acknowledge that. I know this uncertainty is causing a lot of stress for some couples, and I totally understand if you have a bit of anxiety of what steps to take next. If that resonates with you, I recommend you take a short, temporary "vacation" of sorts from wedding planning. If you received our newsletter in your inbox, you might’ve heard us tell you that it is perfectly okay to “press pause” rather than cancel and come back to things a few weeks from now. One of the many benefits of having a professional planner on your team is that they know what needs to be done and can enact a plan to make sure nothing is dropped or forgotten while you’re taking a break. Reach out to your lead planner or shoot me an email (info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com) and let's figure this out together. A peace of mind is so valuable, and that is something we always strive to provide. Like I mentioned before, Your Perfect Bridesmaid is hosting a 3 hour workshop from 10:00am - 1:00pm, where we’ll answer all of your wedding planning questions. We’ll also help attendees craft their day-of timeline and share our Little Pink Book, which is our book of trusted vendors that we have curated over the past 12 years and 850 weddings. This event is completely free. It is our way of helping couples get through this pandemic and get excited about their wedding again. We know how much harder wedding planning is, given the current situation, so let us help you take off some stress. You can RSVP (to receive the Zoom link) and submit any pressing questions you have on our website. In closing, I hope you know that you are not alone and I sincerely encourage you to reach out if we can be of any help with your planning. As Thomas Fuller said "the darkest hour is just before the dawn." Better, brighter days are ahead. Hang in there, 2021 is going to be a much better year, and your wedding is going to be amazing! -Kim

Right now couples are in a bit of predicament. On one hand, 2021 is set to be the busiest wedding season in a long time given all of the 2020 reschedules. On the other hand, most states like Oregon and Washington are in a freeze, as we try to get our infection rates down. With the all the uncertainty, couple's are saying it's hard to know whether they should send out Save the Dates. While there are many details to consider and we work with each client to come up with a personalized game plan depending on their unique situation, we did want to share a few options that may work well for you. 1. Embrace the craziness. Everyone you are sending Save the Dates to are well aware of the pandemic. They get it, so embrace it. Work with your designer to incorporate some light-hearted text like: August 7th, 2021 (we hope) We are getting married some time in 2021, check out our website for current info. 2. Make technology your friend!! Because things are a little up in the air for 2021, I really suggest that couples have a wedding website and direct their guests there asap! Having a website will allow you to communicate any change of plans quickly. This will be especially nice if you have a few rounds of changes, or any last minute changes. 3. Keep it simple. If you don't feel comfortable spending money on a printed Save the Date that may need to be changed, then keep it simple and send out emails. Again, everyone totally gets the cluster that is 2020. Send a group email to your must have attendees. As a bonus you will then have everyone's email addresses should you need to make any last minute updates/changes. I know the uncertainty is maddening and its making things even more complicated, but we are here for you. If you would like to talk thru things, reach out. Our email is: info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com. We happy to help anyway we can.

A bride's bouquet is her most photographed accessory on her wedding day. And we love that each bouquet is as unique as each bride. We are blessed with incredible florists in the Northwest. True artists that choose flowers as their medium. We wanted to highlight some of the incredible bouquets our bride's have carried with them on their most special days. We hope this inspires you to reach out to one of our very gifted florist friends and work with them to dream up your bouquet.

When I am talking with potential clients during our initial consultations, one of the most popular questions I get asked is "What makes YPB different from other planners?" I love that question, but it is a difficult one to answer because I haven't seen other planners at work. I talk with other planners every day as our Planner Community is pretty close and collaborative, but I cannot really speak to how our services specifically differentiate from each other. What I usually end up sharing is what makes YPB special. I am pretty proud of this company and our team, and I thought I would share a few things that I am most proud of. Our Experience: I started YPB in 2008. I say that out-loud and I just cannot believe it has been 12 (super fun) years. Over those twelve years we have been able to hone our skills over the 850+ weddings we have planned and coordinated. Those weddings have taught us so much and I feel like that experience is invaluable. Every wedding we plan is different. Each one exposes us to new venues and vendors. Each one offers new challenges to overcome. Each one provides yet another opportunity to create something so beautiful and unique to each couple. Wedding planning is like exercise. The more we exercise our muscles, the stronger we get. We too get better with each wedding we plan and coordinate. We leave each wedding a better planner than when we started. I really feel that 12 years of experience has made us an outstanding company to work with. The second thing that makes us special is our industry relationships. Forming and nurturing relationships with the venues and vendors in our industry is essential to what we do. Those relationships allow us to know exactly what vendors would be a great fit for our couples. Those relationships are how we are able to advocate for our clients. Those relationships are how we are able to call in favors during extra-ordinary times. Relationships are so important to me that I started The Art of Weddings Portland - a vendor community that brings Portland vendors together for networking, education, and advancement. I treasure the relationships we have with other vendors, and they are huge benefit of working with us. With COVID-19 being a big hurdle for engaged couples, we immediately sought out opportunities to stay informed and help our couples and fellow vendors navigate the ever changing situation. Back in late march we teamed up with three other vendors and created the Live Events Industry of Oregon (LEIO). This is a coalition of over 4500 event industry businesses that we brought together in order to have an organized voice and large presence with State Government. Thru LEIO, we have been meeting with state and county government officials since April. These regular meetings have allowed us to be very familiar with the guidelines, and have allowed us to stay informed with best practices and new developments in this area. That information has been so invaluable as we have returned to planning weddings. Navigating COVID has been one of the most difficult and heart-breaking things we have faced since we started YPB, but I also feel so thankful that we have been able to flex some creative muscle to find ways to simultaneously keep people safe and create super special weddings. If you haven't checked it out yet, we partnered with some awesome vendors to put together an information shoot that helped couples understand the guidelines and see them in action. We uploaded those pictures so I encourage you to review this page when you can. Lastly, I think the main thing that makes YPB special is our heart. There are no words to adequately describe how much we care about our couples and their weddings. We understand that this is a once in a lifetime event, and whether you are going for a black tie formal ballroom wedding, or an intimate backyard gathering of your favorite people, we are going to do everything within our power to make it the best day ever. And prior to that day, we are going to be right beside you, guiding the way through all the wedding planning highs and lows. And while I don't have the words to share with you, I thought I would share a few recent reviews from former clients. I feel like their words will give you a good idea of how much we care.

This past Saturday Your Perfect Bridesmaid hosted its first Online Wedding Workshop and gave everyone who joined the opportunity to ask any “Berning” questions (in light of the Bernie meme that’s storming the nation) about planning a wedding. These workshops are an opportunity for you to ask and us to answer, whether YPB is your planner or not. In this blog, we wanted to share some of the frequently asked questions that we received and our expertise on the matter. During the workshop myself and our other YPB planners gave insight into: Sticking to a Budget, Venues and Vendors, Creating a Timeline (including a section where we made one from scratch), COVID-19, and offered a Q&A about each topic. If you weren't able to make, we've recapped some questions we covered below. Better yet, YPB is also hosting another workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, if you have your own “Berning” questions. You can RSVP and submit any questions at no cost on our website, and we'll send you the Zoom link. We hope to see you at our next workshop! As always, you can always reach out to me, Kim, at info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com with any questions. WEDDING PLANNING FAQ STICKING TO A BUDGET We are having a hard time finding a venue within our budget and it's been hard to make a choice on what venue to book. What should we do? Your wedding venue is traditionally one of the larger wedding expenses, but it doesn’t have to be! We believe that anything is possible when it comes to venues. We have worked with couples in an open field with no electricity, in private residences, parks, and other alternative spaces. It is totally possible to transform a non-traditional space, add a little spice, and make it your own. Resources like Wedding Wire list various venues for different budgets, but we encourage you to think outside the box and look for beautiful alternative venues like a local park/public garden, favorite restaurant, or even a fun campground or summer camp What is a realistic budget? Your budget is specific to unique factors such as guest count, priorities, how much money you want to spend etc. Thanks to a bunch of industry research we can say that the average budget for both the Portland and Seattle Metropolitan areas is about $35,000. But like all "averages," there are plenty of weddings on both ends of that number. The best thing you can do is to sit down with your planner and create a custom budget that works for you and your wedding vision. While we do that for our clients you can also hire us just for a budget meeting. Email us for more details. What’s the best way to save money? Your guest count is the biggest factor that affects your budget. Darn near every budget line item can be whittled down to a per-person cost. To make sweeping, impact-full cuts to the budget, trim your guest count. Once you have trimmed your list to the must-haves, turn your attention to the parts of the wedding that aren't as important to you. For instance, if music isn't a top priority, ditch the DJ and create an Spotify playlist. If stationary isn't important, email out your invitations. There are a ton of ways to trim while still keeping the elements close to your heart. VENUES AND VENDORS How do you choose your priorities when it comes to selecting and budgeting for vendors? Our best advice is to remember that it doesn’t have to be an “either or” when it comes to budgeting different aspects of your wedding. It’s about allocating your money based on what’s most important to you. If you want to splurge more on your venue, maybe you get flowers from the farmers market. If you want to have more people, maybe you choose a cheaper catering option. So ask yourself and your partner some questions about what you value the most. Figuring out those values first will make selecting and budgeting for venues easier. COVID-19 Read our breakdown of COIVD-19 restrictions for weddings in Washington or Oregon. What are people doing instead of dancing to fill reception time? If COVID-19 were not a thing, we would never replace dancing. But unfortunately, Washington’s COVID-19 restrictions explicitly prohibit dancing during reception in Phase 2 and below and Oregon venues may restrict dancing at receptions. But there are still other ways to fill the time we would normally be dancing our hearts out, like: Offering yard games and placing hand sanitizer by each station Doing scavenger hunt and incorporating cute details about your love story Setting up a photo station Playing the “Who is…” shoe game in front of your guests (Check out this list of questions and instructions from The Knot) How do I adjust my seating chart with COVID-19? How many people can be at each table depends on the socialization guidelines for your state and county. For example, Oregon counties that are in extreme risk must limit groups to 6 people from a max of 2 households. We recommend talking with your guests and try to make tables based on households and people’s established social bubbles to make sure everyone feels comfortable and stays safe. How can you make sure your guests feel safe coming to your wedding? Many people have had very limited social events and may feel uneasy coming to a wedding. To make sure all your loved ones are having fun and feel safe, here are some little things you can do: Place hand sanitizer on tables, especially around food Provide extra masks or even custom masks Keep tables small and spaced out Ensure that the food is protected until served Keep a check-in book to make sure you know who all was at your wedding in case anything happens. We really loved all of the questions, and we look forward to answering more questions Feb. 9th at our next Workshop. Be sure to RSVP and submit your questions! Kim