Aisle Style: The Altura Studio Blog » Inspiration for Pacific Northwest brides by Altura Studio

Why do so many wedding gowns tend to be so fussy? I know it’s the most special day of all, but did Princess Diana really rock the 25′ train?  A gorgeous woman dwarfed by silk shantung! (Someone out there should write and tell me precisely what fabric the PoW was wearing on that oh-so-fateful day.) There is no reason why someone typically sleek and stylish can’t honor her native style with a suitable wedding-day upgrade.

My dear friend, Terri Spaeth-Merrick, sews amazing dresses under her label, Embellish. (My plain silk satin column was magnificent.) A couple of months ago, Terri launched a new companycalled Oliva Luca. Here’s what is cool about Olivia Luca: using the web site tools, you can design just about any dress you can dream up, including something sleek and modern. Then pick from a whole bunch of high quality fabrics in yummy colors. She has recently “green” fabrics for ecologically sensitive brides. Although a typical floor-length wedding dress will cost somewhere around $500-700, the fabric and quality will be far beyond what you would typically find in that price range. Here’s a couple of examples of Olivia Luca dresses. The photos are by Aisha Harley, another very talented wedding photographer.

Decorating a venue, especially if it is particulary large or bland, can certainly add up. It might make sense, in the long run to think about selecting a spot that is simply gorgeous as is. Some of the most memorable settings we’ve seen over the last few seasons were places that were naturally beautiful and needed little or no additional decor. After all, what could be more beautiful than a backdrop of vivid blue ocean, towering redwoods, or the jungle-ey atmosphere of a exotic plant nursery? Here’s a few examples of ceremony sites that needed minimal embellishment. 

A grassy back garden at Sauvies Island:

A perfect day at Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock:

After hours at Cistus Nursery on Sauvies Island:

The late afternoon sunlight at the Viewpoint Inn:

Joel and Dana’s crimson-themed wedding took place on a warm, September evening. An outdoor ceremony under the natural canopy of an ancient oak was followed by a catered dinner on the lawns of the Shogren House. Rich reds, scarlets and russets of late summer showed up in the flowers, table decor and a pure red pashmina that Dana wore as the evening became chilly. Guests guided themselves to their assigned seats with the aid of these fun apple table cards.