“Russell and I have a pretty eclectic style,” says bride Taylor, “so we really just started off by going with things we like before having a clear vision in mind.”
That’s how Taylor + Russell created their free-spirited and authentic approach to wedding planning.
With friend Rachel Harrell as their florist + event designer, Taylor + Russell put together a dreamy + unique day at Camp Colton amidst the dense and green Oregonian forest just southeast of Portland. Their vintage-inspired, thrifted aesthetic grew to include celestial decor touches when the couple discovered that their wedding date fell during a solar eclipse!
One of the thing we love about the way Taylor + Russell approached wedding planning? Every single decision they made—vendors included—was meaningful to them. “In general, supporting local businesses and people we know are core values to us. We have so many creative and talented people in our lives, and involving as many of them as we could was our main goal. We had a close friend do our florals. I grew some of the flowers myself! Another friend’s letterpress printed our invites. Another friend created our signature cocktails. We even had some friends brew a wedding beer for us.”
We can’t get enough of the dreamlike, old-souled romance of Taylor + Russell’s woodsy wedding day. “Every detail was unique but the entire day had a quiet elegance about it,” says photographer Samantha Griggs, whose gorgeous photos of the day we are so excited to show you.
“I didn’t have anything too specific in mind,” says Taylor of her dress shopping process, “but I knew I wanted something more simple so that I could have a bit more fun with my accessories. This Pronovias dress came up on my Pinterest, and I happened to be able to search and find a local shop with it listed as in stock. Went in, tried it on, and was out of there with a dress in under 30 minutes!”
The simple bridal silhouette and cowl neckline of Taylor’s classically white wedding day look are the definition of chic + timeless.
Grab a white beaded bridal clutch and go for some distinct + unique wedding nails to embrace Taylor’s vintage-meets-modern bridal style.
Love the way that groom Russell paired his dark green wool vintage military-inspired look with the western flair of a bolo tie.
The Ceremony
Friend and florist Rachel Harrell made ceremony magic with these enchanted floating flower garlands.
Taylor + Russell’s “I do’s” were packed with meaningful touches. The two exchanged wedding rings from Black Fawn Jewelry, and, in light of the day’s solar eclipse and the couple’s love of space, they had a passage from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos read during their ceremony.
After saying their vows, Taylor + Russell got their hands dirty and planted a tree together. Explore our collection of creative + meaningful ceremony ideas to start thinking up your own symbolic way to mark your new union.
Our Musical Choices Processional: "Red Rock Riviera" by Sea Power + "Courtyard" by Bobbie Gentry
Recessional: "Do I Love You" by Bruce Springsteen
First Dance: "Valentine's Day" by Bruce Springsteen
Some rain did fall on Taylor + Russell’s big day, but they embraced the weather and made the most of getting a little damp and muddy. After all, what’s more romantic than a rainy day??
The Reception
Vintage solar eclipse diagrams made for perfect reception seating chart inspiration.
This incredible 1920’s-style paper moon was an astounding DIY creation! Taylor leaned into her old souled instincts and constructed this vintage celestial photo op for her guests.
These personalized star maps made for super unique wedding favors as well as place cards.
Taylor + Russell treated their guests to this fresh fruit- and flower-adorned two tier wedding cake from Butter PDX as well as delicious desserts from Comparta.
Yes, that is a lush fireplace floral installation made completely of hops! A clever nod to the fact that groom Russell works at a brewery.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now From the bride: "Get a wedding planner. We decided to do everything ourselves - while the planning was something that was within our skill sets, we didn't factor in the difficulties of trying to plan a wedding while working full time jobs. And let me tell you, it was not fun....hahaha.
Also, it's not worth stressing about the weather, because there is literally nothing you can do to control it. I was so worried about it raining while leading up to the wedding that I lost sleep over it. In the end it did rain, but at that point I could care less - I was having too much fun at our wedding. And my dress was covered in mud by the end of the night, which I've been told is very on brand for me haha."
Congratulations, Taylor + Russell! Your woodsy + celestial celebration was nonstop old world, eclectic romance. All of us at GWS wish you two the very best!
photography: Samantha Griggs photography // venue name: Camp Colton, Colton, Oregon, United States // event design: Rachel Harrell // florals: Rachel Harrell // wedding dress: Pronovias // bride’s ring: Black Fawn Jewelry // groom’s ring: Black Fawn Jewelry // catering: Premiere Catering // cake: Butter PDX // desserts: Comparta // music: John Lovell