DIY Oregon Destination Wedding: Laureen + Seth

Oregon Wedding

Happy Monday, you guys! Let’s start the week off on the right foot with Laureen + Seth’s awesomely executed DIY wedding in Hood River, Oregon. Not only did these two pull off a beautiful, handmade celebration (described by the bride as vintage + natural but not overly kitschy or rustic), but they did so from afar, making it all the more impressive! Let’s hear from Laureen why a destination wedding was right for them + stay with us throughout the post for fun peeks at all the DIY goodness…

We choose a destination wedding so that we could give our family and friends an experience they wouldn’t otherwise have. Oregon, and specifically the the town of Hood River, had resonated with us since our first trip there together as a couple. With a region in mind, we wanted to create an open platform for our wedding day – an outdoor venue in which we could bring together the people we love most. Keeping the ceremony, dinner and reception outdoors was important to us, so we really kept the flow of the space in mind. A long U-shaped table would foster new relationships. A satellite bar would keep people on the dance floor. One of our biggest goals was not only to bring people together to a beautiful location, but one that would keep them talking…with each other.

Thanks so much to Jonas Seaman for the stunning photos + congrats to the newlyweds on a beautiful day!

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

bridesmaid selfie

woodland bouquet

Loving the tones in L’s bouquet by The Green Dandelion!

bridesmaids

flower crown

bow tie

Oregon Wedding

flower girl

horseshoes

Oregon Wedding

triangle seating chart

While designing our invites and website, we settled upon a visual motif of two overlapping triangles as a nod to both the intersection of our lives and to the beautiful mountains framing each side of the Columbia River Gorge. Triangles came up again as we considered the seating chart. With the help of a friend and a Chicago makers’ space, Seth cut a batch of wooden triangle blocks. After gluing, sanding and adding numbers via photo transfer, these became a guest table mountain range, adorned with Laureen’s individual name tags and table assignments.

Oregon Wedding

boho woodland reception

napkin

geometric shape

boho woodland reception

boho woodland reception

boho woodland reception

dinner

Each place setting was completed with a cloth napkin folded into a tepee, and a copper-sprayed figurine animal from the pacific northwest.

dinner

Oregon Wedding

ice cream cookie sandwiches

ice cream cookie sandwiches

Oregon Wedding

A mega-amazing reception view!

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

Rebecca Schoneveld Wedding Dress

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

Oregon Wedding

See even more of Laureen + Seth’s day in the film below by Two Pines Film Co.:

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

One piece of advice we heard and stayed true to was this: Consciously take moments throughout the reception to stop and truly appreciate the moments playing out around you. There's a tendency to get stuck in problem-solving (or problem-finding) mode. Those aren't the memories you want to be left with at the end of the night. Breathe. Look around. Make sure you have some mental images to take away. You'll review those more often than the photos.

photography: Jonas Seaman // venue name: Gorge Crest Vineyards, Hood River, Oregon // event design: Hitched In The Hood // planning: Hitched In The Hood // florals: The Green Dandelion // hair stylist: Lisette Murphy // makeup artist: Lisette Murphy // videography: Two Pines Film Co. // catering: The Lamb's Table // music: Dmoefunk // second shooter: Mary Williamson // bride's dress: Rebecca Schoneveld // bride's headdress: Eskell // ice cream: Salt & Straw // ceremony musicians: Those Willows

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