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Disney Wedding Invitations

11/22/2021

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(c) Walt Disney Pictures
I get this question a lot…. “Do you do Disney invitations?”  My answer is always “I do Disney inspired invitations but it is a tricky navigation with copyright.”

Let me start with some facts:
  1. Copyright and licensure laws in the United States are air tight.  They also include “throwing the book” at offenders as a standard.  This is to deter people from violating them.
  2. But people still do.  Look at Etsy and it is a very quick search to see how many people are not caring about copyright laws.  Whether that be ignorance or disregard, I cannot say.  But I am sure everyone fits into one of those categories.
  3. Disney does license their copyrighted material.  The price and limitations are very clear.  It is possible and expensive.
  4. I am not a lawyer and none of this should be seen as legal advice.  This is all from personal experience.

So in reference to copyright law…. I will not violate it.  If it is a question, my answer is no.  This goes for many things, not just Disney wedding invitations.  I have had couples contact me with a design and asked me to recreate it.  Nope.  Sorry.  Not that I can’t, just that I won’t.  I am happy to reach out and see if any of the stationers I know originally did the design and pass their information on to you.  I have done this on numerous occasions.

Etsy…. See my blog about my feelings towards Etsy.  It’s not all shade.  Just when it comes to the copyright violation that is rampantly allowed.  (Insert deep breath here).  The major problem I have is that people design illegal products, sell them, and then the customer is stuck with a useless product.  Let me tell you a scenario I have experienced more times than I can count.  Jane buys a digital design off Etsy and is told “You can print them anywhere” in the listing description.  Wrong.  They go to get their digital product printed and nowhere will print them.  Not Vistaprint. Not FedEx. Not Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Office Depot, Costco or any other printing place.  Everywhere tells Jane that it violates copyright for them to print it.  This is true.  It violates copyright because they cannot profit in any way from it.  Jane then comes to me because I am a small business thinking that I will do it.  Sorry.  I always feel bad for Jane because she was duped.

Now as I said, Disney does license their copyrighted things.  They have a very large licensure office and the people there are very nice.  I had a couple who wanted to use characters on their invitations and I reached out to Disney to see about licensing.  They were happy to give me a price and limitations (and there were many!).  But that is their right.  If I had a couple that wanted to do that I would happily do it again.

Now that we’ve gotten through all the Debbie Downer stuff, let’s talk about what is possible.  I can make a Disney inspired invitation. Options I have done are using colors and fonts that are similar and give the same feel.  Using a colored envelope, like a bright gold or lilac color, can fit well with a Disney theme.

So you can have invitations that can be very nice and fit a Disney themed wedding without actually having Disney characters or other copyrighted materials on them. 

Check out some of my other blogs for inspired invitations:
Beauty and the Beast
Wizard of Oz

Keyword: Disney, wedding, wedding invitations, Disney wedding invitations

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How to write parents' names on wedding invitations

2/22/2021

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For many years the bride’s parents paid for the wedding and were the hosts of the wedding.  You were not invited by the bride and groom, you were invited by her parents.  Times have changed and many couples are paying for their own weddings in part or all of it.  Couples today are older now than they ever have been before and are taking more control of their weddings, including paying themselves.

Some people still choose to include their parents’ names on the wedding invitations.  Whether it is one set of parents or both sets of parents.  While there are many ways to do this it is important to choose the best one for you and your situation.

Sometimes the situation is complicated.  If one or both sets of parents are divorced, or remarried, it can be confusing to know how to list them on the invitation.

Lets run through some ways to show how to use parents’ names on wedding invitations.  These would all be above the couple’s names on the invitations :

No parent’s names:  “Together with their families” or nothing at all above the couple’s names

Bride’s parents inviting:  

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith 

invite you to the wedding of their daughter

Bride’s parents inviting but they are divorced: 

Ms. Samantha Smith (in this case the mother’s name always goes first)

Mr. John Smith

Invite you to the wedding of their daughter

Bride’s parents inviting but are remarried:

Mr. and Mrs. Gavin Stewart (mother and current husband always go first)

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

Invite you to the wedding of their daughter

Including both sets of parents’ names:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith 

invite you to the wedding of their daughter

Grace Smith to Liam Collins

The son of Mr. and Mrs. James Collins

As you can see, there are many options for how to list parent’s names on wedding invitations.  There is no “right” or ‘wrong” way to do it. There are more traditional ways to do it too but not required.   There are only preferences.  Your preferences may be your parents’ preferences.  Ultimately it is up to you how you want it worded though.

Keywords: Parents names, hosting the wedding, divorced parents, remarried parents, wedding, wedding invitations

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Invitations for Destination Weddings

2/8/2021

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Invitations for destination weddings have some additional things to consider and include in the invitations.  Here are some answers to common questions I get about destination weddings and invitations for them.

What is a destination wedding?  There are two ways to classify a “destination” wedding.  1) A wedding where more than half of your guests are traveling more than a three hour drive from home  is considered a destination wedding.  This could be because the venue you selected is far from your guests.  Or that you moved and are having your wedding in the new place you are living.  More than 3 hours from home means they will most likely need a hotel room for the night.  2) If you and all your guests are travelling and need accommodations.  Commonly these are international destinations, cruises, and Las Vegas. 

When should I send save the dates and invitations for my destination wedding?  Save the dates should be sent around the 1 year mark before the wedding.  This gives your guests extra time to save money for the trip as well as make sure they have the correct travel documents, if required.  Invitations should go out 5-6 months before the wedding.  Guests will need to start making their travel arrangements so giving them all the details earlier is better.

What details should I include about the wedding in the invitations?
  If you are having a room block reserved you will want to include the name of the hotel as well as how guests are to reserve the rooms.  Many hotels will give you a name for your guests to give when they call in to reserve their rooms.  Finding the right airport that your guests should fly into is nice to include on your invitations.  Airport name and abbreviation is very helpful for your guests (i.e. Portland International Airport (PDX)).

Keywords: destination wedding, destination wedding invitations, wedding, wedding website

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5 Facts about wedding invitations details

1/18/2021

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There is a lot of information and details that go into your wedding invitations.  There are also details that should not be included.  Here is a list of things you should keep in mind when it comes to invitation details.

Bride’s name traditionally goes first on the invitation:  This is because the parents of the bride were usually hosting because they were paying for the wedding.  Even though the “bride’s parents pay for the wedding” is not as common as it used to be it is still customary for the bride’s name to go first on the invitation (i.e. “Grace and Liam,” not “Liam and Grace”)

The year is a 4 digit number:  2020 is “two thousand twenty.”  Not “twenty twenty” even though that is how many people say it.  Officially years are 4 digit numbers and there is no “and” in them.  2021 is “two thousand twenty-one.”  


Is it “afternoon” or “evening?”:  Evening starts at 6:00pm.  So anything before 6:00pm is afternoon and 6:00pm and after is evening.  


Ceremony address does NOT go on the invitation:  The venue name and city, state go on the invitation but not the street address itself.  Because the invitation is a formal invitation the address is not included.  This information goes on an insert card.  Keep in mind that you can do just the address if the venue is easy to find or you can include directions if it is hard to find or cell reception can be spotty (i.e. Google Maps won’t work).  If your ceremony and reception are in different locations it is nice to put the directions from the ceremony location to the reception location on an insert card as well.  This information can go on the same card as the ceremony address/directions.


Registry information does not go anywhere in the invitation suite:  Including this in the invitation suite is considered rude by formal etiquette standards.  Your wedding website and shower invitations are great places for this.  Be sure to let your wedding party know where you are registered in case people ask them.  Word of mouth and your wedding website is the best way to convey registry information.  Some people choose to add it in their suite and it should definitely be on an insert card and not on the invitation itself.


Keywords: wedding, wedding invitation, invitation details, colored envelopes, colored text
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All about Envelope Addressing

1/4/2021

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There is a lot to know about addressing your envelopes.  You can be formal or informal with your addressing.  You can also get creative with your formatting, but don’t get too creative or the post office won’t deliver.

For save the dates you can choose to be formal or informal with the addressing, it is up to you.  Generally, save the dates are informal and invitations are formal.  But not in call cases.

When deciding the format of addressing- formal or more casual- should follow the theme of your wedding.  If you are having a black tie affair in a ballroom you should follow all addressing etiquette for a formal affair.  If you are having a more cocktail attire wedding you can choose to be more casual in your addressing.  If you are having a rustic wedding you can choose to be pretty casual.  Ultimately it is your choice but it is a good idea to be in line with the theme and style of your wedding.
Here are some examples:

Formal wording (Using formal names and spelling out all words. No nicknames for guests): 

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Smith
1234 Southwest Main Street
Anywhere, Oregon 97520


Informal/less casual than formal(Nicknames and abbreviations are ok):

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Smith
1234 SW Main St
Anywhere, OR 97520


Very casual (Just following basic addressing rules that the post office requires):

Chris & Jenny Smith
1234 SW Main St
Anywhere, OR 97520


You will notice that not only is the writing for the names different but also the addresses themselves.  A formal address will have everything spelled out.  There is no right or wrong choice.  There are just ones that may fit your wedding better than the others.  If you are working with a stationer that offers guest addressing they can help with which format to use.  Or you can always reach out and I can help with addressing or give you guidance.

Note about non-heterosexual couples: If you have guests that are members of the LGBTQ community you may have questions related to that. You would follow the same formality choice as your other invitations but there would be changes in the names.   Here are some examples of how to address the names:

Same-sex couple (whether they identify as male or female):

Mr. Christopher Smith and Mr. Jeffrey Davis
Mr. Chris Smith & Mr. Jeff Davis
Chris Smith & Jeff Davis

Gender fluid, queer, or does not identify as one gender
:


Mx. Jamie Barnes and Ms. Jennifer Evans
Mx. Jamie Barnes & Ms. Jenny Evans
Jamie Barnes & Jenny Evans

Envelope addressing can be a stressful part of wedding planning.  From the hand cramps to the etiquette to the formatting, it can all be a source of stress.  Most stationers offer guest addressing.  Discuss the options with your stationer or reach out to me for more guidance and options.

Keywords: wedding invitations, save the dates, guest addressing

Questions?

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Pantone color of the year 2021

12/15/2020

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Pantone Color of the year 2021- Illuminating and Ultimate Gray
Every year Pantone (a color specialist company that sets the standards for color coding for consistency across design platforms and printers) picks a color of the year.  They take into account the trends across fashion, design and art and pick what they think will be a trending color of the year.  They have been doing this for over 20 years.

2021 is a banner year as there is not one color of the year but two.  Illuminating and Ultimate Gray share the honor of being selected.  The combination of the colors, according to Pantone is "practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of [the colors] is one of strength and positivity."  With they way the world has been in 2020 we could all use some strength and positivity. 

Yellows have always signified cheerfulness, calmness, and essentially "a light at the end of the tunnel."  That there are brighter things ahead.  Gray is a color of stability, strength, fortitude, resilience, and a firm foundation.  The union of these two colors is very calming.

Learn more about Pantone and the Color of the Year here:  www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2021
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Spread the Love Wedding Giveaway

12/1/2020

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Spread the Love Wedding Giveaway in Portland, Oregon
Presented By:
Photography by Cambrae and PDX DJS logos
Let's face it, 2020 has been rough! From wild fires to coronavirus, this year has tested us all. Now, imagine trying to plan a wedding on top of that!

But #loveisnotcanceled!!!   That is why this group of kind hearted, bad ass wedding vendors wanted to come together and SPREAD THE LOVE. 

We want to change the luck of one truly deserving couple by gifting them some amazing services for their wedding day! 

Valued at $10,000!

Whether you are nominating an amazing couple or submitting yourself click below to complete the entry form and be entered to win this amazing prize! 
Enter Here link to enter the Spread the Love Wedding Giveaway in Portland, Oregon
What's Included?

DJ and MC Services
Wedding Photography Package
Lighting
Photo Booth Rental
Flowers for the couple and wedding party
Custom bridal veil and face masks
Ice cream cart with 6 flavors
Cake and Dessert Table
Beer and Wine Trailer with Beer and Wine included
Popcorn
Wedding Stationery
Officiant with Custom Ceremony
Wedding Decor with Complimentary Styling
and a Mobile Bridal Suite!

All from these great Wedding Vendors:


Photography by Cambrae Logo
Floral Sunshine logo
Heart Rock Ceremonies logo
Power of Love Rentals
Travelin Taphouse logo
Blue Bonsai Printing Logo
The PDX DJs logo
Christopher Morgan Couturier logo
Popcorn Fetti logo
Tres Belle Desserts logo
The Mobile Scoop Shop logo
3 birds caravan logo
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About the Contest:

Giveaway will be open for applications from December 1st, 2020 through January 31st, 2021 at 11:59PM PST. Winner will be announced on February 14th, 2021 by 5PM PST. For official rules see the bottom of our entry form.
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5 Unique Wedding Vendors in Oregon

11/16/2020

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There are a lot of wedding professionals you need to hire to pull off your wedding.  The average wedding couple will hire 13 vendors for their wedding, according to Wedding Wire.  But there are some you didn’t know you needed or that they even existed,  Here are some unique wedding professionals I think you should check out.

Just Us Girls Coffee & Wine Bar and Mobilt Bartending
Just Us Girls Mobile Bartending- Most weddings have a bar.  Some venues have bartenders and some require you hire your own.  Traci and Lesli lead a great bunch of bartenders.  They make delicious drinks, can purchase the alcohol for you, can serve alcohol you purchase, and also carry additional insurance to help protect you.  The entire team is also fun to have around! 

1927 S'Mores mobile s'more cart
1927 S’Mores- I mean… s’mores!!!!  Need I say more?! They bring everything you need to have s’mores at your wedding.  They also offer to go packages as wedding favors.  It is such a unique way to add memories to your wedding.

The Mobile Scoop Shop mobile ice cream cart
The Mobile Scoop Ice Cream Shop- They bring the ice cream to your wedding.  They have a cute cart they can bring to serve the ice cream out of.  They also have cones and toppings to go along with the scoops.  They are an ice cream lover’s dream.

Inside of a caravan for getting ready for wedding
3Birds Caravan- Luxury brought to you.  They are mobile bridal suites.  They offer all the comforts of home but on location.  They are designed for you and your crew to get ready in.  Very inviting and calming. 

Red and White vintage Volkswagon bus by The Little Photo Bus
The Little Photo Bus- It is a photo booth that drives up to your wedding.  Climb in and take some cute photos.  This vintage Volkswagon bus is so cute and unique.  It may be the only time in your life you ever see one of these!!!!

These wedding professionals all offer a unique service to make your wedding go smoothly and add a touch of fun.  Reach out to any of them and see how they can help you on your day.

Keywords: wedding vendor, wedding professional, ice cream, portapotty, luxury wedding, rustic wedding

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What is a wedding invitation insert card?

10/30/2020

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Most people know “invitation” and “RSVP” but “insert” is one term that many people don’t understand.  An invitation suite will include 1 invitation and RSVP but can include 1 or more insert cards.  Let’s dive into inserts and why you need one (or 2…. or 3…. or more.)
An insert card is for any information you need to convey to your guests in order for them to attend your wedding.  You should assume NOTHING and include everything your guests need to know.  Just because something seems obvious to you doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be included.  All the information needed to attend should be included in the invitations. Information to include may be:
  1. Your wedding website- All the information included in your wedding invitation should also be on your wedding website as well as links to hotels (if needed) and your registries. Be sure to include the web address on an insert card in your suite.
  2. Reception details- Is your wedding at a different location than your ceremony?  Is there a time gap between the ceremony and reception? Are you having a cash bar?  What is the parking situation like at your venue(s)?  All of these should be answered on a insert  card, especially if your ceremony and reception are at different venues.
  3. Directions- This is one insert that people tend to want to skip.  In a word with Google Maps you my think people can get to our venue(s) without a problem but it is still best to send directions, especially if cell reception can be spotty at your venue or there are multiple entrances.  Ask your venue if they know of any problems with directions.  They can tell you what you need to know for your direction insert card. 
  4. Hotels/Travel- Are a lot of guests traveling from out of town or are you having a destination wedding?  If so, it is helpful to give them some guidance on where to stay.  Some people choose to reserve a hotel block of rooms to lock in a special rate for their guests.  Another recommendation to put on an insert card is the closest airport to where your wedding will take place.  This again may seem obvious but if guests have not traveled to the area before it is helpful to mention the airport, especially if there are multiple airports in the area.  Any information related to out of town guests attending your wedding should be included on an insert card.

You may notice I did not mention registry information being on an insert card.  By etiquette, registry information should not be included with your invitations.  Some people choose to include it but your wedding website is the best place for registry information.
All the information needed for your guests to attend your wedding should be included in your invitation suite.  Your invitation suite should make it as easy as possible for your guests to attend.

Keywords: wedding, wedding invitation, wedding invitation suite, invitation design, wedding invitation insert card
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2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake

10/14/2020

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Chalk board welcome sign to the WVWP Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden
This years’ event took place on Sunday, September 20, 2020.  This was the third year of this event and once again was hosted at Log House Garden at Willow Lake in Keizer, Oregon.  There were over 25 professionals there to meet couples and help them plan their wedding.

Reception area st Log House Garden at Willow Lake being set up for the Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase
2020 has been a year to remember…. And not for good reasons.  Even with the COVID-19 Pandemic we decided as a group to move forward with the showcase and to be sure to follow all safety precautions in place. Our showcase was scheduled for Sunday, September 13 but unfortunately less than a week before the showcase the Willamette Valley was hit with wildfires.  There were evacuations of many people, including some of our professionals in our group.  The decision was made to postpone in the interest of respect for the safety of all vendors and guests to the following weekend.

Two guests getting drinks at the bar served by Just Us Girls Bartending at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Just Us Girls Bartending
While the showcase this year looked much different than previous years it was still very successful.  We had over 150 people come visit us.  And the sun was shining!!!!  The last 2 years we have been in a downpour for most of the show.  The smoke had cleared from the wild fires as well so this was the first day in almost 2 weeks we were able to see blue skies in the Willamette Valley.

Thankfully, Caroline with Events Planned Perfectly was able to take the helm and steer this event toward success!  Without her hard work and dedication to making this event not only possible but great would never have happened.
Guests meeting with vendors at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Every year there is a charity we choose to give the proceeds from the show to.  This year, due to the wildfires happening just before our show we decided to donate to The Red Cross Cascades Region.  They did wonderful work for all those evacuated (people and animals) and it was an easy decision to decide to donate to them.  We were able to donate $500 to them to help.

Guests getting samples at Adams Ribs at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Thank you to all the professionals and guests who made this day so special!  Until next year…. 

Check out all the professionals that were at the showcase.  All photos by Stunning Portrait Photography


Blue Bonsai Printing Wedding Stationery at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Me!
A Covered Affair at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
A Covered Affair
Adams Ribs and Smoke House at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Adams Ribs and Smoke House
Adams Family Acres

Addivia Wedding & Event Venue at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Addivia Wedding and Event Venue
AMOR Events at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Amor Events
The Bridal Gallery at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
The Bridal Gallery
James Hutches with Country Financial at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Country Financial- James Hutches
Danner & Soli and River Bell Farm display table at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Danner and Soli Vintage Rentals & River Bell Farm
Deepwood Museum and Gardens at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.

Deepwood Museum and Gardens
Events Planned Perfectly at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Events Planned Perfectly
The ones who make this event possible!
Focal Point Digital Media at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Focal Point Digital Media
Log House Garden at Wollow Lake at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Log House Garden at Willow Lake
Our wonderful hosts!!!!

Michelle Ashley Custom Cakes at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Michell Ashley Custom Cakes
Navarra Gardens at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Navarra Gardens
NW Mobile DJ Service at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
NW Mobile DJ Service
Only the Best Sound Mobile DJ & Photobooth at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Only the Best Sound Mobile DJ & Photobooth
Oregon Wedding Showcase at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Oregon Wedding Showcase
Petals and Vines at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Petals & Vines
Photos By Orion at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Photos By Orion
Red Leaf Plant Rentals at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Red Leaf Plant Rentals
The Shabby Chic Bride Consignment Shop at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
The Shabby Chic Bride Consignment Shop
Stunning Portrait Photography at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Stunning Portrait Photography
All of the photos in this blog are by her!
Valentine Ridge at the 2020 Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals Wedding Showcase at Log House Garden at Willow Lake.
Valentine Ridge
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