Tera + Marty’s absolutely amazing Wes Anderson inspired campground wedding came to be after they realized that 1) they were wary of tradition + rules and 2) they desired to bring a relaxed, collaborative DIY approach to their day. They worked with the event + floral designers from Bright Night – and with Tera’s background in design – were able to expertly brand their celebration from scratch. She designed the invites, escort cards, custom explorer buttons, signage, leather notebooks + so much more, which gave a stylish + personal feel to the setting.
Tera explains, We didn’t want a traditional wedding solely about us or highlighting us as individuals, but rather a weekend that celebrated our community, an event that would embody the spirit and ethos of the weird and wonderful rag-tag family we’ve built (and continue to build) after traversing various cities, countries, continents and timezones over the past decade.
Thanks so much to Phil Chester for the gorgeous photos + congrats to the newlyweds on a beautiful day!
As part of their wedding branding, Tera + Marty created the “Royal Explorers Society”. They treated their wedding like a collaborative art project + enlisted fellow maker and artist friends to help design or execute custom elements. They share, We wanted to create an environment rich with meaning and memorable moments that would stick with guests long after they wandered out from under the pine trees of the Deschutes National Forest.
So much love for Tera’s lace Monique Lhuillier dress!
Our Favorite Memory
1. Marty getting so emotional during his vows that his best man, Jim, had to take the reigns and deliver half of them to Tera until Marty composed himself
2. Musical performance and group sing along of Rilo Kiley's "With Arms Outstretched"
3. Friends grabbed props from the clubhouse/lounge during the dance party (like an old rotary telephone, typewriter and 8mm camera) and used them expertly on the dance floor
Our Musical Choices
We just love every creative detail incorporated into the campground setting, so we’ve pulled together a shopping guide to get a similar look for your day below:
Jason Sawyer, architect friend and SML shop owner, executed the Royal Explorers and wayfinding signage, in addition to custom laser etching skateboard decks and leather field notebook covers with topography from local mountains in the Cascade Range (Mt. Hood, Mt Rainer etc) and Explorers logo.
Our Advice
We didn't have a huge budget so instead of spreading ourselves thin and trying to do a lot of things (cake, flowers, etc), we chose to collaborate with friends and invest our resources into two things we cared deeply about: event design (Jena and Kassi of Bright Night) and photography (Phil Chester)—More importantly, we chose to invest in working relationships with three warm, quality people that we personally vibed with and that understood our style and that we would continue to be friends and collaborate with long after the wedding.
Featured in This Wedding
Phil Chester
Interested in becoming a GWS Preferred Artist? Apply Here.
Other Vendors in This Wedding
Venue: Suttle Lake Lodge in Sisters, Oregon // Event Design: Bright Night // Wedding Planner: Bright Night // Florals: Bright Night // Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier // Hairpiece: headband by Avigail Adam // Bride's Shoes: Bed Stu // Bridesmaid Dresses: Ladies wore their own dress or suit of choice // Hair Stylist: friend, Nikki White Miller // Makeup Artist: friend, Nikki White Miller // Groom Attire: J.Crew // Paper Goods: Tera Hatfield // Catering: Tate & Tate Catering // Cake: no cake, but local ice cream by Addy Mac's // Music: Reception mix by friend, DJ Slim Pickns (aka Kevin Neary), Cocktail mix curated over five the last five years by Tera and Marty // Officiant: family friend, Larry Christensen // rentals: Commonwealth
