Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination | Portland Wedding Photography

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Mandi Wiley and Rachelle Bell, the lovely co-owners of Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination!  We were meeting for their portrait session on a bleakly wet day in rainy Portland, Oregon, and we needed a warm dry spot, so I begged the wonderful staff at The Original: a Dinerant to let us use the wonderful natural light from their big windows in the banquet space upstairs.   They were so great, they not only agreed, but they even ran lunch upstairs for the Champagne girls in the midst of our session because they knew the Champagne team was starving and pressed for time.  We were all appreciative!  (By the way, couples – check out The Original as a great venue for rehearsal dinners and bridal showers!)

But back to Champagne.   As a wedding photographer, I know well how much planning, coordination, and sheer labor goes into creating even a simple wedding.  It truly is a labor of love, and it can come as a big surprise to couples that there’s really so. much. work.  Is it worth it?  Yes.  But unless you’ve got a team of oompa loompas standing by to help you every step of the way, it’s a lot to take on without the support, guidance, and work of a seasoned pro.  Even the most plan-happy bride can wind up overlooking the fact that cupcakes will melt if they’re not packed on ice on a hot day, or find herself taking down decorations as the reception comes to an end because the cousin/friend/uncle who was going to do it came down with a bug (or celebrated just a little too much).  Even the brides with the best-laid plans can wind up having to jump in and do the work of the event themselves if there’s not a seasoned pro at the helm.

Is it possible to have a wonderful celebration without a wedding coordinator?  Yes, just like it’s possible to have a wonderful celebration without guests (which reminds me – ask about my Elopement packages if you’re lookin’ to run away).  But for most weddings, hiring a coordinator will save you (and your oompa loompas) countless hours of stress, work, and even money, and (most importantly) enable you to be present and relaxed on your big day.

If you’re in the Portland, Oregon area and you want to learn more about what Champagne has to offer, you can look them up here.  Give Mandi and Rachelle a call and tell them what you’re planning.  Ask them how they can help.  You won’t regret it.