full day indian wedding in portland oregon

Full Day Indian Wedding in Portland Oregon

Priya and Chris share a love for cooking and games, and that’s exactly how their story began. On their second date, they played board games at a local Portland spot, and ever since, it’s held a special place in their relationship. Their love of games even helped Chris propose!

During the pandemic, their close friend group loved to play games together over Zoom. Chris secretly consulted their friends to help him plan a special surprise proposal during one of their regular game nights. They were playing a drawing game and he asked everyone to draw a proposal for one of the rounds. After a few rounds of playing, the proposal card came up and Chris got down on one knee and asked Priya to marry him. Of course, she said yes! After he proposed, he surprised her yet again with a surprise private dinner with their friends to celebrate their engagement. He even hired the same private chef that Priya had surprised him with on their two anniversary.

Their proposal story gets me every time. Priya and Chris are both such thoughtful and wonderful people, and when it came to planning their small Portland wedding, they were just as thoughtful.

Priya and Chris decided to have an intimate wedding in Portland, Oregon with just a handful of their close family and friends. They infused their wedding day with the typical western customs as well as traditional Indian customs. To do this, they had two ceremonies. The first was a traditional Hindu ceremony, and the second, a short ceremony more typical of an American wedding.

We started the day getting ready at the Airbnb they had rented in Portland. The property was beyond perfect. The design and architecture of it was so cool. It was a modern space with these big, beautiful windows that allowed the day’s natural light to seep in (talk about a photographer’s dream!).

For the ceremonies, Chris wore a traditional Sherwani and Priya wore a beautiful cream-colored sari. After they finished getting ready, we went to the Airbnb’s rooftop for the Hindu ceremony. It was such a cool experience, and I was so honored to be a part of it. We were blessed with gorgeous weather and ample sunlight. So much sunlight that we ended up moving inside for the second ceremony because the sun was so strong that day.

After both ceremonies, I took Priya and Chris down to the city for a little exploring. There’s always so much going on in a city, so we were able to capture a variety of photos in a bunch of different locations. Portland is such a fun city to take photos because of the architecture and there are tons of parks with greenery and big trees. So dreamy!

Once we finished exploring, we went back to their Airbnb for a post-ceremony reception with their family and friends. Dinner was catered by none other than Chef Risa, the same private chef that catered their two year anniversary and engagement dinner. The food was incredible from the delicious appetizers to the decadent chocolate cake. We ended the night with a private toast on the deck as the sun set over the city. It was such a magical evening.

From playing board games together to their intimate Portland wedding, it felt like everything had come full circle for Priya and Chris. The day ended the same way their relationship began—enjoying an evening with delicious food and the best company.

Eloping in Portland, Oregon

With its quirky neighborhoods, microbreweries, and cute shops, Portland is the perfect spot for a city elopement or small wedding. This vibrant city is well-known for its artsy culture and laid back vibes. There are tons of incredible restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and sights to see including the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, Forest Park, and the infamous Powell’s City of Books.

Not to mention, the city is surrounded by beautiful wilderness with tons of awesome hikes, waterfalls, and breathtaking scenery just a stone’s throw away. One of the area’s most popular outdoor destinations, the Columbia River Gorge, is only a 30 minute drive from downtown. Plus, Portland’s airport makes it easily accessible to those flying in.

Where to Stay

One of the best parts about getting married in Portland and the surrounding areas is that there are no shortage of amazing places to stay. From boutique hotels to cute neighborhood Airbnbs, you’ll have a ton of choices. Even outside of downtown, the neighborhoods have such a cool vibe. Some of my favorite areas to stay in Portland include the Pearl District, Nob Hill, and Hawthorne.

When to Elope

Portland is fairly pleasant year-round. Temperatures rarely drop below 40 degrees and snow is unlikely in the city. But it can get pretty rainy some months which is typical of the Pacific Northwest. For your best chance of sunny days and warm weather, summer is your best bet, especially between June and September.

Looking for more helpful tips for eloping in Oregon? Find everything you need to know about eloping in Oregon in my post, Epic Planning Guide for Eloping in Oregon.

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9 Comments

  1. Love how Priya and Chris’s wedding day included so many personal touches. Their couples portraits are beautiful and its awesome that you were able to shoot them in both natural and city locations in Portland!

  2. This looked like such a personalized celebration at every step. You captured some wonderful moments between the couple and some incredible portraits too. Thanks for sharing!

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