The “planners” provided by the venues or vendors are what I like to call “hostesses”. They are there to protect the people who pay them, or to get you to sign their contract, thinking you are getting the services of a wedding planner. They will not accompany you on appointments, preview your contracts, help you design your reception schematic, theme your wedding, provide you with wholesale pricing, develop a budget analysis, set up appointments or recommend vendors that would fit your budget and vision…the list goes on and on. These planners will generally be on site to unlock doors and to tell you and your wedding party when it’s time to walk down the aisle on the day of the wedding. They don’t meet with your vendors ahead of time and develop a wedding day schedule and coordinate all the services so that the day runs seamlessly.

Accredited planners provide so much more. You will receive a free, one-hour, get-acquainted session with a Signature planner that will discuss your vision and needs and develop a customized package based on your budget. You will hit the ground running by meeting to analyze your budget, determine what can be spent in each category and then receive a list of up to three vendor choices in each category–vendors of talent and integrity. A great deal of time is spent helping you choose your theme, colors, design, formality and style, offering our expertise and making suggestions. A worthwhile planner studies trends and is involved in continuing education to stay current with what is happening in design and weddings worldwide.
Planning your wedding should be a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved. Do yourself a favor and make your first appointment with Signature Weddings & Events–because you need us!

The smartest first step is to find a qualified, accredited wedding planner. Signature has both a PBC (professional bridal consultant) and ABC (accredited bridal consultant) on staff to serve you. These designations are through the Association of Bridal Consultants, which is the largest bridal consulting association in the world and provides training and accreditation along with continuing education. It’s important to hire a planner with education and experience.

Often a planner will provide a free, get-acquainted session where you can discuss your dreams and expectations and find out how the planner can assist you in making these a reality. Once you’ve chosen a planner that feels like a good fit for your wedding, it’s time to talk about the budget. This is probably the most important service that a planner can provide; discovering your top priorities and creating a budget to make those dreams come true without over-spending.

Once there’s a realistic budget in place, it’s important to find the ceremony and reception locations. A good planner is invaluable during this process because they have the knowledge and experience in knowing what locations would work best for your style and budget as well as relationships with the venues providing these services. Once these decisions are made, the vendor and detail decisions can begin. There is a rhythm and order in planning your wedding, so be patient and enjoy the journey.

Signature Weddings & Events LLC has professional and accredited planners and is passionate about making a couple’s dreams come true. We would love to meet with you to see how we can best assist you in planning your once-in-a-lifetime special day. Please call (503)709-9293 for our free, get-acquainted session or come by our shop, The Wedding Lounge, at 2808 N. E. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Suite J, Portland, OR 97212.

But even sick young girls fall in love and Phoebe loves Morgan. With her disease progressing, Morgan proposed and Phoebe accepted. With no funds for the nuptials, a call was made to the Children’s Cancer Association to see if a final wish for a young girl with CF would be an option.

Related to Jon Garrow of CCA, a call was made to his mother, Kerry Garrow of Signature Weddings & Events. Ms. Garrow, an accredited wedding and event planner, was thrilled to have an opportunity to make Phoebe’s dream wedding a reality. A few phone calls later, Phoebe’s wedding planning was in full swing. What would normally take months has been accomplished in only a matter of days, with vendors calling to offer their goods and services for little to no cost.

Phoebe and Morgan tied the knot on Monday, August 9th in front of their family and friends lakeside at the newly-renovated Alderbrook Park, graciously donated by the new owners. Signature rallied vendors who responded overwhelmingly. Signature donated design and coordination for the wedding. Barclay Event Rentals provided everything necessary to make the day comfortable and beautiful. Premiere Catering provided the requested menu of BBQ Beef Brisket, BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad, fresh fruit and cornbread. Uncommon Invites reprinted the wedding invitations, since the wedding was moved from Phoebe’s mother’s backyard, as well as menus, programs and place cards. Kevan Inouye Private Florist provided the flowers for the ceremony, poolside cocktail reception and guest tables. Amber Darrington of Le Cookie Monkey made the red velvet wedding cake that Phoebe had always dreamed of. All Wright Music, a nationally-rated DJ, was on site to provide all the sound and music needed for a memorable dance party. AJ’s Studio photographed the entire event, beginning to end. Calligrapher Alesia Zorn created the chalkboard menu that Phoebe saw in a bridal magazine and fell in love with. Klassic Gems heard what was going on and asked if they could provide pre-wedding “bites “, both sweet and savory, for the family and bridal party. Finally, Hybrid Moon, filmed every moment so that Phoebe and Morgan can relive their wedding day over and over.