12 Things to Know About Your Wedding Day
There are so many little things about a wedding day that no one tells you until you’re in it. In this post, we share 12 honest, real life tips from a Portland wedding planner to help your day feel smoother, calmer, and actually enjoyable, from timeline buffers and golden hour to food, energy, and having the right support team in place.
Top 5 Things to Consider Before You Build Your Wedding Timeline
Your wedding timeline does so much more than keep the day on track. It shapes your photos, your energy, and how everything feels from start to finish. In this guide, we share five common timeline mistakes couples make and simple ways to avoid them, so your wedding day flows smoothly and you actually get to enjoy it.
We’re Partnering with Baker Building (and we’re very excited about it)
We’re so excited to officially partner with Baker Building, one of our favorite Portland wedding venues. With its rich history, beautiful character, and an incredible team behind it, it feels like a perfect fit for Silk & Shadows. If you’re getting married there, we would truly love to help bring your vision to life.
A Few Things That Annoy Your Wedding Planner (Said With Love)
A casual and honest look at a few things that occasionally annoy your Portland wedding planner, from scammers and ghosting to unrealistic Pinterest expectations and slow vendor replies. Just a little behind the scenes humor from the life of a Portland wedding vendor who still loves the job.
Working on Holidays
Some people dread working on holidays. We actually love it. In this short reflection, we share why holidays do not feel like work to us as Portland wedding planners, and why getting booked for an anniversary wedding, a Halloween celebration, and a New Year’s Eve wedding in Oregon City feels like the perfect way to start the year.
Tipping Your Vendors
Tipping your wedding vendors can feel confusing, especially with rising Portland wedding costs. In this honest, casual post, we break down who actually expects tips, what most self employed Portland wedding vendors prefer instead, and how to handle gratuity at your Oregon wedding without adding unnecessary stress to your budget.
2026 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award
Silk & Shadows is honored to receive the 2026 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award in our very first year on the platform. This award, based entirely on real client reviews, recognizes top Portland wedding planners and vendors who consistently deliver exceptional experiences. We’re grateful, proud, and excited to keep creating unique, non traditional weddings for couples who want something truly personal.
Portland Wedding Show recap from Silk & Shadows
We attended the Portland Wedding Show this year as observers, exploring the latest from Portland wedding vendors and connecting with creatives across the local wedding community. While the event felt a bit underwhelming in inspiration, it sparked meaningful conversations, new friendships, and clarity about how Silk & Shadows wants to show up in the Portland wedding industry next year. From surprise run-ins with our own couples to magical encounters and bold balloon installations, here is our honest recap.
Silk & Shadows on Zola!
We’re excited to share that Silk & Shadows is now on Zola. As a Portland-based wedding planning and event design studio, this gives us a new way to connect with local couples right at the start of their planning journey. We can’t wait to meet more couples, hear your stories, and help create weddings that feel thoughtful, personal, and stress-free.
Weddings & Magic
What do magic shows and weddings have in common? More than you might think. Drawing from two decades of performing grand illusion around the world, Sasha Mereu explores how meticulous preparation, storytelling, adaptability, and trust turn both a stage performance and a wedding day into something unforgettable. This essay pulls back the curtain on the parallels between magic and weddings, and why the real wonder is never accidental.
Just Got Engaged? A Few Gentle Things to Know Before You Do Anything Else
Getting engaged is exciting, emotional, and sometimes a little overwhelming. Before diving into venues, budgets, or timelines, take a moment to pause. This guide shares calm, practical advice to help newly engaged couples in Portland and beyond start wedding planning with clarity, intention, and confidence.
S&S Joins Mama Mia!
Silk & Shadows is excited to partner with Mama Mia as a trusted vendor for event planning and décor, bringing thoughtful styling and seamless coordination to weddings and celebrations in one of Portland’s most beloved restaurant spaces.
Writing Your Vows: The Big Question
Writing meaningful vows starts with one simple but powerful question: why are you marrying your partner? In Part IV of our vows series, we explore how reflection, storytelling, and intentional structure can turn scattered thoughts into vows that feel deeply personal and unforgettable.
Silk & Shadows on Spotify
Silk & Shadows launched a Spotify account to share thoughtfully curated playlists for weddings, parties, and events. Music shapes atmosphere, and this is our way of sharing how an event should feel, not just how it looks.
Partnering with Flower Gold Florals
Silk & Shadows has partnered with Flower Gold Florals, a Vancouver, Washington wedding florist, to offer couples a seamless blend of intentional planning, styling, and seasonal floral design throughout Oregon and Washington.
I Love You x 3
Writing wedding vows is one of the most meaningful parts of preparing for marriage. In this reflective essay, Sasha explores love not as a simple yes or no, but as a layered experience built on being in love, loving deeply, and genuinely liking your partner. Drawing on personal marriage insights, literature, and lived experience, this piece offers thoughtful guidance for couples crafting heartfelt vows that reflect who they are and the life they are choosing together. Ideal reading for couples planning a wedding ceremony rooted in authenticity, intention, and lasting connection.
Welcoming Kvetka Flower to Our Trusted Partners
A love for thoughtful design, seasonal beauty, and true craftsmanship is what brings our favorite collaborations to life. This partnership celebrates artisan florals created from scratch, inspired by European traditions and rooted in sustainable, story driven design here in Portland.
Bell & Bubbly in now Live!
We are thrilled to launch Bell & Bubbly, a brand new sparkling wine activation for Portland weddings and events. Guests ring a bell and receive a glass of champagne through a hidden opening, creating a playful and unforgettable moment. It has been months in the making and we are so excited to finally share it.
Silk & Shadows On Wedding Wire!
Silk & Shadows is now on Wedding Wire and The Knot, and we could not be more excited. These platforms open the door for us to meet more couples who love moody romance and cinematic details as much as we do. From candlelit drama to shadowy elegance, we are ready to bring our style to even more weddings across the Pacific Northwest. Come find us, say hello, and let’s start creating something unforgettable.
12 Real Reasons You Should Hire a Wedding Day Of Coordinator
See 12 real world reasons couples hire a wedding day of coordinator. Understand how coordinators protect your timeline, manage vendors, solve emergencies, and keep your wedding day organized and stress free.