Oregon Vineyard Wedding; Sometimes it Rains

There is that saying "rain on your wedding day is good luck" and while I'm sure the first person who said it was trying to make a rain-soaked couple feel better about their soggy situation, I hope its true.

Keith and Nicole were married this past September at Keith's family's vineyard, appropriately named Courting Hill.  It is a stunning piece of property with views out to the valley and toward the coast range.  The morning of their wedding was sunny and warm with a slight breeze.

Working with Ella Events we put together a palette of deep burgundy, dusky rose, ivory, and mauve accented with a clear blue. Dahlias, Roses, Delphinium, Scabiosa, Rudbeckia, and Tweedia were mingled with seasonal grasses, fruits and foliages to celebrate all that is lovely about the transition from summer to fall.  Glassybaby votives added depth and just the right touch of elegance to the outdoor setting.

Setup begins with clear skies

Nicole stunned for her first look. The two of them walked the property together laughing and stopping by just long enough for Nicole to tell me she was "obsessed with her bouquet."  Little moments like that always thrill me and it's one of the many reasons I love flowering weddings.

They seemed to be having so much fun

The property was a Christmas tree farm at one time and groves of evergreens wrap the vineyard on three sides.  For the ceremony Keith and Nicole chose a beautiful little "alcove" carpeted in tawny summer grass and backed by a Douglas Fir branched to the ground.  They had asked for an arbor in front of the tree, and I came back with the idea of a circular arch.  I really wanted the spot to feel symbolic and significant with a touch of wildness.  A traditional arbor would have felt out of place and too garden-y.  

I draped the circular arch in Hops vines, Vine Maple branches and added in dusky rose Amaranth.  It really did capture all the beautiful abandon of late summer as it drifts into fall.

Well, the best laid plans... just as the family photos were wrapping up and the ceremony was about to start the clouds rolled in and the skies opened up.  Sometimes in the PNW we get a rain shower that is quickly over, leaving everything fresh and sparkly.  That was not the case on this evening. The rain just kept coming down.

The thing about weddings is that you are surrounded by people who love you. People that will pull up and move an entire arch into a mostly dry grove of trees so you can still have your ceremony with the backdrop you envisioned all those months before.

In the end friends and family rallied, Jocelyn and her Ella team hustled and everyone was able to celebrate this wonderful couple.  The reception moved into the barn strung with lights and from what I hear, dancing went on into the wee hours.

Flowers don't mind the rain

The skies made for some gorgeous photos and a wonderful time was had by all.  It was a lucky day!

All photos by Bryan Aulick, planning and coordination by Ella Events.