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

Recently one of our brides, Lindsay, asked us to shoot a few detail images with her wedding dress, invitations and jewelry. I really love the mood of these details. These were shot in one of the smaller ballrooms at the Governor Hotel and I love the way that space photographs in natural light. And here’s a big “thank you” to the delightful Amanda, who styled these sweet pics for us.

Prior to seeing this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have guessed that royal blue would work well with orange. Not even a little bit. Nor would I have thought that royal blue would seem well-suited for as rustic a setting as Timberline Lodge. Who knew? This blue is fantastic and looks good on every girl, both tall and tiny, fair or dark. The orange is a punchy counterpoint that can hold it’s own with the bright blue. The guys boutineers were composed of a single calla lily. And in contrast to all that color, the bride’s bouquet was  made of gorgeous creamy colored old fashioned roses banded with a collar of chartreuse hydrangeas. The whole thing is a striking jolt of color in an otherwise neutral, though spectacular setting. Blum was the artist responsible for these lovely floral designs.

I’ve shared before how much our clients have loved their Timberline Lodge weddings. Besides the setting, which is eye-poppingly and soul-stirringly beautiful, it’s straightforward and simple to plan a wedding at Timberline Lodge. Their event people are nice, helpful and full of creative options. And since so much is included, you won’t find your head spinning from having to sort through a million different options. Is Timberline Lodge the perfect wedding spot for you?

The very lovely Marisa, who we photographed in July recently asked me to send some photos of her in her gown to her dress shop, Charlotte’s. When I quizzed her about why, she told me that Charlotte’s was writing a little feature on their blog about her experience. Because she had such a positive experience with Charlotte’s, I thought I’d share the love and pass along her raves here. The dress she chose was from Casa Blanca 1831.  And her bridesmaids dresses were 2Be Social by Nathan Taylor.

In Marisa’s words:

My experience at Charlotte’s:  Fantastic – Calming – Wonderful
After our wedding, I sent Charlotte’s a little thank you note of appreciation.  My whole experience at the store was nearly perfect. My mother and I had been all over Portland at different wedding dress salons and ‘shops’ and were disappointed.  When we arrived at Charlotte’s, it was pretty magical. We walked through the front door and there were chocolate covered strawberry’s (weekends only I think).  Then, there was Oneida who immediately greeted us at the door with a smile (this was not something the other salons did).  She then introduced us to the lovely Lauren who took such great care of us.  After describing to Lauren what type of dress I had in mind, she came back with two dresses and the second dress was the one that I ended up purchasing that same day!  Additionally, Lauren actually sketched (yes, a really nice drawing) of the alterations that I wanted. Her find was particularly miraculous because most of the wedding dresses this past season were all strapless.  I was worried that I would not be able to find a dress with straps.  Lauren is a genius because her measurements were nearly perfect. This transitions into my wonderful experience with seamstress extraordinaire Lorraine.  She took such good care of me, not only for my wedding dress alterations (which were minor thanks to Lauren’s precise measurements) but also with my bridesmaids dresses.

What I liked most about working with Charlotte’s:   The staff are courteous and thoughtful
Everyone at Charlotte’s made me feel like my time was valuable.  Even when they were going through a re-model, they made sure that my appointments with Lorraine would not be impacted.  The staff always called and emailed me to tell me the status of my wedding and bridesmaids dresses.  They made me feel like I was a valuable customer.  Honestly, Charlotte’s is like the Nordstrom’s of Wedding Dress Salons. Plus, the owner Krysta McLaughlin is the sweetest person and the way she interacts with her staff is awesome.  I felt really good about supporting a local, small, female-owned, Northwest business.

I love when we can pass along the details of a wonderful experience. If any one else out there has a positive experience with a wedding vendor they would like to share, let’s collaborate on a love letter to them.

Oh, and here’s the 411 on Charlotte’s:

8925 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy
Portland OR 97225
Phone: (503) 297-9622 Contact

I didn’t learn until just now that Heidi’s lovely dress was a Jenny Yoo from The English Dept, where you’ll also find local designer Elizabeth Dye. We photographed Trevor and Heidi’s sweet summer wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes last summer. When Heidi described her dress, it certainly sounded lovely. But when she stepped out of her dressing room, we could see that it was something very special. Creamy, feminine, sophisticated and very, very beautiful.

If you’re looking at wedding gowns, check out Elizabeth Dye and her jewelbox of a shop. Also, you might look into her upcoming event. The following is from her website.

If I was getting married this summer (and didn’t have an unlimited budget) I would have a wedding just like the one pictured here. What I appreciated about this wedding was that it was both simple and elegant. It downplayed the formalities and instead emphasized the conviviality of the celebration.

Jennifer’s dress and flowers were clean-lined without being stark or spare. Her bouquet was a simple construction of lilies, gathered with smooth satin ribbon. The flowing ends of her halter-style gown ties created the feeling of a train. At the last minute, she decided to tuck two simple orchids into her loose updo, which I think was the perfect touch. The groom wore a yummy blue chalk striped suit. I think his suit /tie combo said “stylish” as much as it said “getting married”.

Shortly after arriving, the guests gathered in a lower meadow for a short ceremony. Since nature’s decor is pretty darn spectacular, the only set-up required for the ceremony was about 50 white chairs for the guests. As the sun was setting, the wedding party and guests strolled up to the larger meadow for wine under the trees, followed by a wonderful family style meal beside the lake. The caterer set up the meal on one long table, making the evening friendly and conversational.

Perhaps you’d like a simple lakeside dinner as your wedding celebration?