Red for weddings is on trend any time of the year. It’s bold, it’s vibrant- and it’s the color of love. Today’s styled shoot, photographed by Lauryn Kay Photography and styled by Peachy Keen Coordination, LLC, just might have you adding red to your wedding color palette!

Here’s what Cindy Lindsley from Peachy Keen Coordination, LLC had to say about the shoot:

One of the well known pieces of Portland is that it’s weird — like really weird, but we also know how fashion forward our couples can be. So for those spunky couples who are seeking an alternative wedding, what better way than to pull those quirky elements together for a personalized elopement! Accomplished with styling as if our sweet couple eloped at town hall and then had an after party at the brand new Radisson RED Hotel in downtown Portland, you’ll see the unique components that we love about our hipster town in a stunner timeless fashion .. It was important to us that we show couples you can indeed elope at town hall and have a heck of a celebration as well!

Our cake is nearly an exact replica of a few of the walls in the hotel complete with butterflies, reds and oranges, and a touch of modern lines. Rather than focusing on the florals on the cake, they were intentionally created to be muted by designed as white sugar florals and a vibrant pop of color within the entire hotel.

The attire for this inspiration was one of the most fun parts to play with! We adore a timeless look for a bride, but wanted to bring in a bit of funkiness as well and something that a real bride may truly want to elope in. So often we see that experience lost out on when couples elope in the courthouse, but there are adorable options for dresses and handsome suits for the groom. You can still get dressed up for the courthouse. Our dress was easy to move around in with a knee length dress with small straps but also 3D petals that are individually sewn onto the dress. Complete with a birdcage veil, our bride was chic and vintage timeless. Our bridal bouquet was intentionally designed to be petite and not distract from the dress. Our groom on the other hand was decked out as a sophisticated pop of white similar to the cake’s sugar florals. With his white jacket, red shoes, red tie, he was looking fly on the town and particularly in the hotel. There’s no missing him! Together they looked classy while also having an offbeat, untraditional, retro vibe.

Our favorite alternative detail was of course the colorful Sloshy Pops … We also loved our invitation suite which was designed to be minimalist with black and white to match our couple and accessorize in styling with the red florals. 

Vendors:

Venue: The Radisson Red

Photography: Lauryn Kay Photography

Videographer:  Maya Papaya Pictures

Planner + Stylist : Peachy Keen Coordination, LLC

Florist: Gifford’s Weddings

Tablescape Rentals:Bridgewood Event Rentals

Cake: Lisa Cakes PDX

Frozen Treats: Sloshy Pops

Dress + Veil: Blue Sky Bridal Portland

Makeup + Hair: Christine Barrett Artistry

Rings: Swank Metalsmithing

Groom Attire: The Black Tux

Paper Goods: Letters & Dust

Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

Models:  @steffijoye + @iamdanimarsan

Your bestie is getting married, and it’s time to celebrate! If you’re in charge of planning the bridal shower, you’re in for more than just sparkling mimosas and cute but corny party games. There are decorations to source, a menu to plan, invites to mail… where to begin?

Our number one piece of advice for bridal shower is to pick out a theme in advance, before you search for venues, or even make a rough draft of the guest list. Once a theme is decided upon (hint: the bride must be consulted), you’ll be surprised to find how easily most details will fall into place. Order a set of decor from your fave party shop, a cake to match, perhaps a set of adorable favors, and you’re well on your way to planning a stylish celebration.

Of course, there is the matter of deciding on a theme. Don’t know where to begin? These 10 bridal shower theme ideas are sure to inspire!

Harry Potter Magic:

If the bride loves all things Harry Potter, this one’s sure to excite! Be sure to deck out the venue with whimsical, Harry Potter-inspired decor and include Harry Potter-themed games. Bonus points for sectioning the room into houses (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin). Stay on-theme for food and beverages, offering Butterbeer (of course!), chocolate frogs, pumpkin juice and a sweets trolley.

Butter Brew candle from My Weekend is Booked 

House Pride candle collection from My Weekend is Booked

Rose Gold Romance:

Who doesn’t love a touch of glamour? Etsy is filled with gorgeous rose gold decor pieces at affordable price points, so feel free to go all out: rose gold tablecloths, rose gold photo booth backdrop, rose gold cake topper and more!

Rose gold “Almost Mrs.” cake topper from HappilyEverEtchedInc

Desert Dreaming:

This one is for the brides who think that Coachella should be a national holiday, and is especially fitting if the wedding will have a bohemian flair. There are a couple of routes you could take with this theme: moody bohemian, with flower crowns, vintage decor pieces and a whole lot of tassel fringe, or desert chic, with a cactus-shaped cake, succulent favors and a festival-inspired dress code.

One for the Books:

As book lovers, this theme is one of our faves. If the bride’s fave book ever is Jane Austen or The Great Gatsby, consider opting for a theme based on one book. If she’s a general bookish babe who reads everything from sci-fi to historical fiction, go for a literary-inspired bash that even the non-reader guests will find delightful, featuring library card invites, book page flowers and bookish candles from My Weekend is Booked for the tables (or as favors!).

Book-themed bridal shower invitations from FreckledFoxPrints  

Garden Tea Party:

High tea is the place to be! Who doesn’t love finger sandwiches, delicate pastries and orange pekoe tea served in vintage teacups? If you really want to be *extra* host the bridal shower at a botanical garden, or an English tea house. 

Secret Garden soy candle from My Weekend is Booked

Color Coordination Station:

A color-coordinated party is one of the easiest to pull off, and certainly packs a visual punch. We suggest using the same palette as the wedding, and be sure to go all out- guest outfits, decor, even drinks!

Love Sweet Love:

Leave your keto diet at the door! Celebrate sweet, sweet love with well… sweets! A giant dessert bar and vibrant candy-colored decor are sure to delight guests (and the bride-to-be, of course!).

Donut wall from TheHendersonsCo

The One With the “Friends” Themed Bridal Shower:

A Friends-themed TV show is so easy to put together, you don’t even need to have a pla to make it work (if you didn’t get that Friends reference… Hint: Pheobe). Serve Toll House cookies, as well as drinks in Central Perk cups, but do skip the English trifle! As far as decor and games go, head to Etsy to check out their selection of all things Friends-themed for pre-wedding parties.

Friends quote vinyl glass decals from BespokeBrideShop

Palm Springs:

You don’t need to purchase plane tickets to Cali for this one to work. Use mid-century modern decor and a vintage dress code to set the tone, and blast a fun retro summer music playlist. Bonus points if the venue is an Airbnb rental with a pool!

Winter Wonderland:

Celebrate during the most wonderful time of the year with a white palette with silver accents. For the Christmas-obsessed bride, pay homage to the holiday season with a Christmas cookie bar and spiked eggnog.

Table runner from StyleWeddingUA

*This post contains affiliate links.

Planning an unforgettable bridal shower is no small feat. Sending out invites, setting the theme, planning little details from menus to party games to favors…. it’s basically a mini wedding. Fortunately, we’re here to make your job a little easier. We’ve scoured Etsy for fun, unique items that will be lovely additions to the bridal shower.

Whether you’ve already set the theme- high tea, desert fiesta, roaring ’20s- or are still deciding on one, these 10 items from Etsy are sure to inspire.

Who needs a dress code when you can opt for these cute shirts from RoseGoldRebel?

Nothing helps to brake the ice like a fun bridal shower game! This fun printable from HeraPrintables is just $3.

These 100% natural bourbon rose-scented Secret Garden soy candles from My Weekend is Booked would make for beautiful favors! 

Who knew paper napkins could be so fancy? These personalized “Fun Fact” napkins from RubiandLib are sure to put smiles on the guests’ faces.

This stunning blush and rose gold book from supersweetparty can be filled with Polaroids and advice for the bride. Everyone will love contributing, and she will treasure it forever!

Remind everyone to sign the above guestbook with this beautiful acrylic sign from TheLetteringStudio.

You don’t need to be a pro baker to make a beautiful cake for the bridal shower; simply adorn a white cake with this rose gold “Almost Mrs.” cake topper from HappilyEverEtchedInc and you’re all set.

Place these blush diamond toppers from oandhdesign on gold leaf-adorned donuts for a beautiful (and delicious!) addition to the dessert bar.

You are not dreaming. You can actually buy a donut wall on Etsy, from TheHendersonsCo, and it looks fantastic! It will be the talk of the shower.

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links.

Photographed by Casi Yost Photography, today’s shoot is both elegant and minimalist. Gorgeous florals – not to mention a gorgeous bride, are set against the simple, white studio space at The Gray Lab in Salem, Oregon. Here’s what the photographer had to say about the shoot:

This shoot was multi-faceted, in that it supported local vendors and also showcased upcoming trends for the 2019 wedding season. The vision started with a crown made by Kelsey from Stem and Stone Crowns and a dress from Sheila at Incandescent Bridal. Our goal was to use a simple clean environment to keep the focus on the beautiful work that was created. The floral bouquet by Noble Floral Co.complemented the colors in the crown and was in contrast with the stark white gown and studio.

Our second dress was from a local bridal shop, Adorned in Grace, that takes donated dresses and uses the revenue to support women who have been victims of sex trafficking. It was meaningful to be able to create some beautiful images to support their wonderful work. Brides are looking for green and local vendors to represent their unique style and values, and this shoot allowed us to bring that inspiration in a clean and modern way.

Vendors: 

Photographer: Casi Yost Photography

Stationery: Letters and Dust

Crown: Stem and Stone

HMUA: Marina Haynes

Floral 1 (greenery): Broadway Floral

Floral 2: Noble Floral Co.

Model: Clara Charmak

Dress 1: Incandescent Bridal

Dress 2: Adorned in Grace

Venue: The Gray Lab

Sustainability is a hot trend in the world of weddings right now, and we couldn’t be happier! More and more brides are opting to go green for their big day, ensuring that each and every wedding detail has as little impact on the environment as possible. From banning balloons as wedding decor to swapping favors for a donation to an earth-friendly charity, couples are truly going the extra mile to help the earth. 

Of course, one of the best things that you can do for the environment comes before you even begin to hear wedding bells in the distance: opting for an ethical diamond engagement ring. Despite the increasing awareness of “blood diamonds”, the earth-mined diamond industry continues to harm communities with unethical practices that can be detrimental to both the land that’s mined and the people who mine it.

Fortunately, when it comes to diamonds, opting for the sustainable choice is no sacrifice thanks to MiaDonna. This U.S. based and woman-owned jewelry company has revolutionized the ethical diamond industry, creating stunning lab-grown diamonds that are virtually identical to their mined counterparts.

In addition to using conflict-free diamonds, MiaDonna sources recycled precious metals for all of their jewelry, and donates at least 10% of net profits from every purchase to their charity foundation, the Greener Diamond which funds mentorships, education, agricultural, and urgent relief programs in diamond mining communities in countries such as Togo, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Africa.

Their latest collection, the Petite Collection, features classic styles with modern finesse. Here are a couple of our faves from the collection:

If you love All. The. Bling. this beauty is the ring for you! With a scattering of smaller diamonds surrounding one epic stone, the Amira ring is sure to garner many compliments.

With a subtle art deco vibe, and an eye-catching center stone, the Zara engagement ring is endlessly stylish.

MiaDonna’s Stackable Collection is also a must-see for those who appreciate both beauty and versatility. The elegant engagement and wedding rings in this collection are truly stunning, uniting both vintage, modern and classic styles.

The delicate Amore ring from the collection featuring an intricate diamond-adorned band with subtle vintage vibes. Pair it with the Amore band for optimum style.

Check out this video to learn more about the Petite Collection:

*Sponsored post.