New business cards… why are they so much fun!? Rachelle and I have been giddy over our new business cards and coasters the last few weeks. Why you ask? When you have your own company, there is something refreshing about revamping your style and making something even better than it was before. We had dreams of letterpress business cards… Silly, we know! Most people dream of things much larger and believe me, so do we! : )  A few months ago we began a search to find a letterpress company that fit our needs and that is when we met Julie with Studio Olivine. Julie helped us create a design that fully encompassed what we had wanted to portray. We can’t wait to start giving out our business cards, but even more so, we can not wait to tell you about Studio Olivine. Julie is sweet, patient, fun, creative, bubbly… Someone that once you meet them, you want to know them more! Below you’ll find a few pictures of our new coasters and business cards, as well as, a little more about Julie and Studio Olivine.

Mandi: How did you decide you wanted to be an invitation designer? How did Studio Olivine come about?

Julie: A whole lot of luck. I never would have thought this is where I would end up one day, but I am sure glad I did. I always say that letterpress found me, not the other way around. I have a background in graphic design and when a friend of mine was selling her letterpress, I thought…“Sure! I will put it in the garage and tinker!” The tinkering turned to a mini obsession and I fiddled away for months learning how to use it. I did a couple of orders for friends, and then their friends wanted invitations too, and it kind of grew from there into the busy little shop it is today.

Mandi: What is your favorite part about your job?

Julie: Colors, illustration, ink. I love working with local brides because we usually end up inventing something completely custom and unique to their wedding. I’ve drawn everything from the Astoria bridge to the lace from a bride’s dress. It is always a joy to help someone develop invitations that truly reflect who they are.

Photograph by Jingzi Photography

Mandi: Describe your ideal client.

Julie: Someone who appreciates and adores letterpress. Who loves the tactile quality and will settle for nothing less!

Mandi: What services and products do you offer?

Julie: Wedding invitations, business cards, social stationery, packaged note cards, moving cards, baby annoucements….basically anything you can put on paper.

Photograph by Jingzi Photography

Mandi: What’s something you’d like for people to know about your company?

Julie: I am very passionate about my work and feel like it really is a gift that I get to ‘create’ for a living. Studio Olivine is 100% green. The papers are 100% recycled, the inks are soy, and everything is recycled. Even the cleaners for the press are completely natural and non toxic.

Mandi: What do you like to do, when you’re not doing what you do? : )

Julie: I love to take walks, spend time drawing and working on my house. Owning a business means working double time and not being home very often. So to me, a perfect Saturday evening would be watching a movie at home with my husband and cats.

Photograph by Jingzi Photography

Mandi: Tell us a little bit about yourself, 3 of your favorite things

Julie: I am creative and eclectic. My tastes and loves are all over the map. But if I had to narrow it down to 3, I would say I love animals, food and nature.

Get to know Julie and Studio Olivine! You won’t regret it!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

Look for an upcoming blog post about Jingzi Photography!

“When you are in Love you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams.”
Dr Seuss

A few weeks ago we got an email from Travis Shields from Travis Shields Films explaining to us what Super 8 film is and why it is so cool. We had to share it with you… Get ready to fall in love! [Click on the links below to take you to samples of these amazing videos]

Vintage Super 8 Film

Weddings can be a challenge to capture in a fresh and meaningful way and traditional wedding videography often fails to deliver. Nowadays there is a bit of a renaissance happening as people begin to discover the vintage style of Super 8 film. Yes, film—like they used in olden days. Even with the wide availability of High Definition video today, brides are enjoying the softer more nostalgic look and feel of film. Film looks very different than the crisp digital video we are used to seeing. Images are grainy and colors look muted and rich. Somehow everything manages to look more romantic and ethereal.

So how does Super 8 accomplish this?

Super 8 has been around a long time and was used heavily in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the main format for capturing home movies. Chances are many of your parents have Super 8 cameras or projectors collecting dust somewhere. Don’t worry, although Super 8 is a vintage format, you won’t need to gather around an old projector to watch. Your film will be professionally edited to DVD and easily posted online at sites like YouTube for easy viewing and sharing.

I’ve been shooting film for the past eight years and the first time I picked up a Super 8 camera I was intrigued by the possibilities of these retro cameras. Once I shot my first wedding I was hooked. I love that Super 8 looks a little rough, jumpy and scratchy - much like our memory of events. There is something so authentic using vintage cameras to create modern wedding films that video just can’t replicate.

One of my recent brides Manda talks about the wedding film we created for her, “I absolutely love the Super 8 for several reasons - the first reason was so unexpected - the sound of the camera when you were actually filming. ‘Regular’ video cameras don’t make a sound, and since Super 8 does, it adds something to the moment. The camera was ‘present’ and I liked that. It really made Tom and I feel like film stars. Even the guests at the reception thought it was cool. Now for the look- fantastic! When my parents first saw the trailer, they couldn’t turn the sound on (they were at work). Their co-workers gathered around, thinking they were watching a classic black and white movie!  Everyone was stunned and amazed that it was a wedding shot in 2009. In fact, with and without music it is two different movies, both great. Timeless is probably the best word to describe it.”

We strive to craft stylized films that combine our generation’s style and sensibility with yesterday’s vintage film and retro feel. By filming the key moments and small details of your event, the spirit, atmosphere, emotion, and meaning of your day is captured. Because Super 8 is nostalgic, aesthetically beautiful and archival, our modern wedding films are instantly classic.

If you haven’t checked out Travis Shields work yet, you must! You’ll soon be reminded why you must have a videographer at your wedding! The wedding day goes by in a flash…re-living it through an unforgettable video will be worth every penny and then some!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

P.S. Do you wish you would have had a videographer for your wedding? Did you have a videographer and are so glad you did? Tell your stories here!

Looking for great wedding shows to find some of the best vendors in Portland, Oregon in one place? Well here are two that are sure to entertain…

Bravo Wedding Affair
The 7th Annual Wedding Affair - Sunday, November 15th, 2009 | 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Embassy Suites Hotel, Portland Downtown 319 SW Pine Portland, Oregon
Experience extraordinary wedding vignettes each featuring its own unique style and personality overflowing with exciting trends and fresh ideas from over 60 wedding services. This is a show like no other.
From the centerpieces to the wedding cake, invitations to the photography, music to the catering, every detail has been carefully thought out and meticulously taken care of - all to help simplify the task of planning your own wedding.
The Bravo! Wedding Affair is designed to be an intimate setting where brides and grooms can experience wedding services first-hand and meet personally with caterers, photographers, stationers, dress designers and other wedding experts to get their advice.
Not your typical bridal show- It’s an affair not to be missed.
Tickets are $25 for bride and guest. $10 for additional guests.

Come see us in Colonel Lindbergh Foyer!

Perfect Wedding Guide Show
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Place: Heathman Hotel
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Price: $5.00
Location: 1001 SW Broadway Portland, OR 97705
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Don’t miss this exciting event.

Speak with local vendors about your wedding and enter for a chance to win any of these fabulous Giveaways.

-A wedding gown from Ania Collection valued $1800.00
-Jewelry for Wedding Party Dee Dee Anderson Silpada Jewelry
-One facial for pre wedding day compliments Spa Above
-One hour massage for Bride and Groom compliments of Spa Above couples massage
-Two hair Styles by top hair designers in Portland / Vancouver area
-Tea for two Bride and mom compliments of The Heathman

We’ll be there to greet you!

We look forward to seeing you all at these fabulous events!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

From the first time I met Lydia and Burk this past February, I knew that I was going to love working with them. They are madly in love, which is so refreshing to see. They had a very clear focus on the ceremony and the purpose of marriage, and really just wanted the rest of the planning to be taken care of for them. Though we love working with our clients to bring their vision to life, it’s a wedding planner’s dream to be able to take an idea and run with it! I was so thrilled to be given the opportunity to design and create the perfect day for them. With just a few everyday life details and ideas, I was able to use the beautiful Oregon coast paired with the rich colors of Bohemian style to create a unique Oregon beach wedding.

Lydia’s dress was handmade by her mother Shan, as was the flower girl’s dress. The men wore something that reminded me of Huck Finn, it was so perfect for the setting.

Just to keep us on our toes… the sky produced a nasty misting rain all morning throughout set up. Thirty minutes before the ceremony the sun peeked out and the rest of the day was beautiful—complete with porpoises breaching in the waves during the ceremony!

The tent was set up in the middle of one of the prettiest beaches on the Oregon coast. To the North you can see mountains and the Nehalem Jetty. To the East majestic forested hills, and to the South a beautiful tributary entering the ocean and Twin Rocks in the distance.

On the menu—fresh local foods that reflected health and bounty: Marinated vegetables, local cheeses and hazelnuts, local smoked salmon, and hummus with crackers for appetizers. Dinner was served family style in a collection of different platters and bowls: Grilled chicken and fresh salmon, grilled vegetables, quinoa salad, and spinach salad with berries and nuts.

Keeping with a natural and bohemian style, there was no set color scheme, only rich and bold jewel tones paired with natural influences like willow balls and driftwood. No centerpiece was alike—every table was adorned with a different collection of vintage colored glasses filled with unique flower arrangements.

To finish out the evening, the bride and groom relaxed with their guests at a bonfire where Burk strummed the guitar. The favors were prepackaged S’mores.

Thank you to all of the fabulous people who helped make this day wonderful for Lydia and Burk…

Barclay Rentals—their team always impresses with their hard work and great customer service!
Passion Flower Floral—Teresa’s design is always so fresh and natural, and the quality of her flowers is always top-notch
Maggie’s Buns- PHENOMENAL food, hands down some of the yummiest food I’ve ever had!
James Moes Photography—the pictures speak for themselves, he’s such a talented artist!

Look for upcoming blog posts to learn more about these talented professionals!

Cheers,
Rachelle

Elegant.
Beautiful.
Gorgeous.
High-Style.
Impressive.
Breathtaking.
Just a few words that I’d use to describe Garden Vineyards, a wedding and event venue in Hillsboro, Oregon. As you pull up the long driveway to Garden Vineyards’ tucked away location, you instantly know you are going to one of the best kept secrets in Hillsboro, Oregon. Before visiting Garden Vineyards, I had always heard wonderful things, but the first time I visited Garden Vineyards, I instantly fell in love! The atmosphere is fancy, yet welcoming.

This summer they were open to the public for a weekly event called “Evenings at Garden Vineyard”. They had a different movie featured every week, yummy food and of course, delicious wine!

We asked Melinda and Stuart to share a few pictures and a little more about their space with us. Photographs are by the extremely talented and fabulous Evrim Icoz Photography... Get ready to fall in love…

Mandi: What inspired you to open a wedding/event venue?

Melinda & Stuart: We started events as a means to introduce our estate grown wines and because we enjoy gardening and building our site.  The events have been an outlet and a lot of fun.

Mandi: What size events can you accommodate?

Melinda & Stuart: We can accommodate up to 300 guests for a seated dinner event.  More for a cocktail/garden style event.

Mandi: What sets your venue apart from the rest?

Melinda & Stuart: Our estate grown wines, the gardens and architecture, our resort quality furnishings, our variety of outdoor spaces, hands-on approach to helping when weather or other conditions arise… We want the events to be the best possible for our customers.

Mandi: Is your vineyard ever open to the public?

Melinda & Stuart: We open to the public for occasional evening events [See Evenings at Garden Vineyards] and for Thanksgiving and Memorial weekend wine tours.

Mandi: Tell us something you think people should know when picking their wedding/event venue.

Melinda & Stuart: Pick us. 

Haha! Thank you Melinda and Stuart for taking the time to tell us more about your incredible venue! A special thank you to Evrim Icoz Photography for sharing a few of his amazing images with us as well! Keep watching for a blog post about Evrim Icoz Photography coming soon!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

P.S. Today was a rather special day because we were recognized by Portland Style Unveiled as one of Portland’s Perfect 10 Wedding Blogs!! We are so excited and honored! Make sure to check out Portland Style Unveiled for more great wedding trends, advice and more!