Traveling, exploring and drinking fine wine are some of Liz and Jason’s favorite things, and their ideal wedding involved sharing these elements with their closest friends and family. Liz grew up vacationing in the Willamette Valley, located in beautiful Southern Oregon. When she met Jason, he lived in Portland, and the two would explore the surrounding area together during her visits. By the time the two got engaged, Oregon meant something special to both of them. Marrying there just felt natural.

Since most guests would be travelling far distances (many lived in Florida and Texas), the couple wanted to make it worth everyone’s while. Having the wedding over a holiday weekend (4th of July) meant that guests could have an easier time taking off from work.

“This allowed friends and family to make a trip out of the weekend, and potentially explore more of the Pacific Northwest. Some guests decided to extend their trip and spend some time in Washington as well,” the couple says.

Once Liz and Jason had their “where” and “when” nailed down, they sought out a professional planner to help carry out their winery wedding vision. Luckily, they found their perfect match in Nora from Bridal Bliss.

“We could not have planned a better day without the help of Nora and the entire Bridal Bliss team. We were able to make a few visits to Portland during our engagement, and Nora was able to coordinate meetings with vendors,” the bride says. 

With the help of Pinterest Boards the couple created for their ideal day, their planner could make sure every detail was in line with what Liz and Jason envisioned.

“A few of my favorite wedding day details were the live painter, hanging installations, scent of lavender we sprinkled along the aisle, custom ice cubes, cigar roller, and a local dessert favorite from Salt + Straw,” the planner says.

When the wedding weekend finally arrived, Liz and Jason had one goal: mindfully enjoy each and every moment with their guests and each other. Hosting a welcome party, bridal brunch and a send-off brunch helped the couple make even more memorable moments, all adding up to a

If you love the idea of hosting a destination wedding getaway like Liz and Jason’s they encourage you to do these three things:

1. Get a great wedding planner to help with all the details along the way! Nora and the Bridal Bliss team were so great to work with throughout our entire engagement.

2. Technology can help make things more personal, in getting to meet our videographer, photographer and officiant via Skype before the big day, really helped us feel more at ease when it came time to get married.

3. Build in an extra day for your mental health! After the wedding festivities had ended and everyone had headed out, we were able to stay and reflect on such a fun weekend just the two of us. 

Vendors: Photographer: Erich McVey Photography; Wedding Planner: Nora Sheils with Bridal Bliss; Ceremony/Reception Site: Maysara Winery; Florist: Blum Floral Design; Stationery: Designers Fine Press; Cake: Dream Cakes; Hair & Makeup: Face Body Beauty; Gown Designer: Romona Keveza; Groom’s Clothing Designer: The Black Tux; Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Show Me Your MuMu & The Black Tux; Transportation: M Executive; Officiant: Father Kevin Yell; Video: Moving Pictures; Ceremony music: Duo Con Brio; Reception music: Precious Byrd & DJ Evil One; Caterer: Art of Catering; Ice: PDX Ice; Dessert: Salt + Straw; Rentals: Classic Vintage Rentals & The Party Place; Live artist: Sam Day; Cigar Roller: Cigar Angels; Lighting: Hollywood Lights; Portrait booth: The Vanity Portrait Studio