Soft, Rustic Wedding in Colorful Pastels Thursday, March 7, 2013 ~ 7:30 a.m.

I know that Thursdays are usually saved for engagement shoots, but this soft, rustic wedding is filled with so many beautiful and creative details, I just couldn't wait! Not only that, but photographer Christa-Taylor must have photographed this wedding with a wedding blog in mind because she managed to capture every single fabulous detail just perfectly for us! I mean, really, I had so much trouble narrowing down the photos to the many you see below! I know that the write-up I did here doesn't do them all justice, either!

Jennifer and Michael were married on a sunny day last September at the Pacifica Gardens in Williams, Oregon. "The couple first met over a piece of cheesecake, or should I say, lack thereof," their photographer shared. "Attending a local event, the two crossed paths as Michael bemoaned the lack of said cake at the dessert table. Jenn smirked, but definitely noticed his handsome smile and twinkling eyes. They were introduced and soon felt the other held their future happiness. Michael proposed atop one of Oregon's beautiful mountains, and the date was set!"

After taking a look at these wedding photos, I'm sure you will be just as surprised as I was to hear that this wedding's budget was $8,000! A whopping 300 guests for just $8,000! Jennifer handled many of the beautiful details herself in order to save money and bring her vision to life. This included making all of the burlap ceremony banners, the charming wooden and paper bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages, and the cute little jars of jam distributed as wedding favors to guests. In lieu of a "Money dance," Jennifer opted for a "Nest Egg" instead. She painted a gallon jar with chalkboard paint, and then decorated it to explain its purpose. "EVERYONE thought it was super cute, clever and a tasteful (rather than tacky) way for them to slip us something extra for wedding expenses," said the bride.

Besides the DIY details, I'm especially in love with the soft rainbow pastel color palette selected for the bridesmaid dresses and the arrangements of fresh dahlias, which were home grown by the couple's close friends. When I asked Jennifer what her favorite detail or memory was from her wedding day, she responded with two things -- one, her first look with Michael, and two, a Celtic hand fasting ritual that was performed during their marriage ceremony. I actually teared up a little bit when I heard Jennifer's description of her first look moment.

"I had a hard time finding a [wedding] dress because I wanted it to be Michael's dream dress. I love ALL styles, and I could never choose my own "look". Besides, he was the one I wanted to WOW. I am his bride, after all! After learning what he described his dream bride would wear (did you know that GUYS actually have dreams when it comes to their wedding day? Surprised me...), I picked one that I thought he would love and hoped for the best! When I walked outside where he was standing facing away from me, I approached him slowly from behind and watched his hands shaking. He was clenching and un-clenching his fists, he was SO nervous and excited. When I came around the front he looked at me, and literally lost his breath and started tearing up. His smile was SO big, and as I looked into his watery eyes, I knew that I had fulfilled his dream."

As for the Celtic hand ritual, Jennifer and Michael specially selected this ceremony ritual while looking for something especially unique for their day. "We wanted a tradition that has been around for thousands of years, and that is what I found in the 'hand-fasting,'" said Jennifer. "In Europe in the 1700s, few unions were sanctified in a church or government building. Rather, they were celebrated by a simple ceremony in which the two lovers joined hands in a nearby field or grove of trees...Our hands were tied together with a braided cord and tied into four knots symbolizing loyalty, friendship, respect and love."

As I said before, there are so many cute details in this wedding, that I just don't have the space to mention them all here. A huge thanks to photographer Christa-Taylor and the super sweet bride, Jennifer, for allowing me to share all of this yummy inspiration with you guys today!

Soft, Rustic Wedding in Colorful Pastels - Vendors & Credits

Photographer: Christa-Taylor
Venue: Pacifica: A Garden in the Siskiyous
Event Planner: Weddings by Kelly
Caterer: Rogue BBQ
Videographer: Lotus Motion Pictures
Invitation Designer: The Paper Source
Bridal Attire: Wedding dress by Maggie Soterro and Converse
DJ: Party Doctor
Linens and Coverings: Your Wedding Connection
Bakery: Pennington Farms and Ribbon and Rose Catering
Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew

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