Military Discount

We would like to extend a 10% discount to all wedding couples (bride/groom) that are currently serving, or who have served, in the military.  Our team knows numerous people who have served in various branches over the past few decades, and we would like to honor them by recognizing dedicated military personnel.

We've always admired retail stores and businesses that offered special promotions and discounts to military families, and we want to do the same with Stargazer Weddings. This discount applies for service in any branch of the military (cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion, and only applies to the base contract amount).

We can't thank you enough for your dedication, service, and sacrifice.
Photo by Honeysuckle Photography

Featured Vendor of August - Wedding Cakes by Brooke Baker

I recently met with Brooke in Salem to see some photos and talk about her wedding cakes. She was great! She was super easy to talk to and absolutely loves what she does. She was so fun to talk to that we easily got distracted and started telling each other about how we both got started in our business, why we love it, etc. We probably could have talked for hours, but she was meeting some clients to work out the details for her next wedding cake!

She started making and decorating cakes back in 2002 when she was asked to make one for a family member. She loved it so much she's been doing it ever since! She recently has been taking on more clients and I can't wait to see more beautiful (and tasty) cakes from her in the future! Not only is she extremely talented, but she is extremely affordable as well! She offers cakes as low as $1.50 a serving! She mainly works out of the Salem/Keizer area, but delivery is available (additional fee) and is also very reasonably priced. I can't say enough good things about Brooke and her amazing talent. To see more or to contact Brooke about your big day, check out her blog at http://weddingcakesbybrookebaker.blogspot.com/!

Love Story: Michelle & Raul

The Proposal:

Raul and I had looked at different types of rings for about a week, and he would make hints that he had looked but haven't found the "one" yet. Once hitting up a few stores we walked into one and saw the ring set I just knew was the one. He knew right away that it was the ring I wanted (small yet perfect)!

A week or so later he texted me and asked for the sku numbers from the ring, but it still didn't click. I had no clue he was buying the rings that day and asking me to marry him that night. He got off work early and went to my moms house to ask her if it was okay for him to ask me. I still had no idea! Raul came home and asked me if I had our song on my IPOD. I said I did but could not figure out why he wanted to hear it so bad (our song is 'I will be there' by Steven Curtis Chapman). I turned the song on and we just talked a little bit about everything. He pulled me close for a hug and at that time was trying to free the ring from the box. He looked at me in the eyes and asked me if his heart would be pounding that hard the day he asked me to marry him. I kinda looked at him and said 'I guess so, what are we doing a trial run!?' Raul then got down on one knee and took my hand telling me he loved me and was ready to spend the rest of his life with me. He took the ring out and put it on my finger, and almost forgot to ask me to marry him!

It was a perfect moment in our lives! Now we are less than 2 months away from our wedding date!

Photo provided by Michelle, the bride to be! :)

A "Friendly" Review ~ 8.15.2009 Wedding

I had the pleasure of working with Holly, a close family friend of Margaret, at Charlie and Margaret's wedding in Bly on 8-15-2009. She helped me get the arch ready just as Margaret had envisioned as I tended to other tasks. The arch was made by hand by the groom and had the natural country look that matched the rest of the wedding.

"Troy, the girls, and I sure enjoyed meeting you and working with you! I just wanted to let you know again how much your coordinating efforts (with a smile on your face!) were appreciated. We were impressed with your commitment to the bride to try to make all of her wishes possible for a special wedding day! Your energetic, yet calming spirit, led to a wonderful day for all! Thanks again for all that you did! I know Margaret must appreciate you very much as well."

~ Holly Michaels

A Heartfelt Thank You

There are so many rewarding things about my job: seeing nothing but smiles because the wedding couple can just relax and enjoy their day, working with amazing vendors, seeing parts of Oregon that I otherwise wouldn't see...and the list could go on an on. However, the most fulfilling part is when the wedding is over and I know that I helped make their dream wedding come true.

I came home two days ago to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers on my front porch. I was trying to remember if there was something important that day/week...but I couldn't think of a single thing. Maybe it was delivered to the wrong address? Nope, it had my name on it...The card that came with it said "We can't thank you enough for helping us with our wedding!" It was from Matt and Ashley! I helped coordinate/direct their wedding the day of on August 1st, 2009. Their kind gesture truly touched my heart and made me appreciate that I am able to help wedding couples and their families so they can just enjoy each other and the wedding. I can't thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to help!

I'm All About the Details

My husband and I were married on 6.20.2008 at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton. Making our wedding unique and personal was very important to us. What makes it more special is when people notice all the "little things" that a couple puts into the wedding to make it their own. This is what our photographers, Maggie of Honeysuckle Photography, had to say about our wedding:

"The day was fantastic! There was so much eye candy from all the details...Josh and I took way too many photos. As many of our clients know...I am a sucker for details. I love all the little things that pull a wedding together and give it personality. This wedding was over the top when it came to details. I could name a hundred, but I will just mention my favorite two. The flowers were amazing. They were designed by the talented Heather of Thistle Dew Floral and Event Design. They were preserved flowers, a very cool method that keeps flowers looking great for lifetime as well as giving them a cool texture and look on the day of a wedding. I also loved the custom fortune cookie favors. Michael proposed to Ashley with custom fortune cookies so they incorporated them into the event and I just thought they were too cute. Check out the example below along with other photos that we loved from the day." ~ Josh & Maggie Hudson

That's where my motto "let your details shine" comes from. My desire is to help you find those special details to make your day unique and make sure that your wedding day happens just as you wish.

~Photos by Honeysuckle Photography

8.15.2009 Wedding ~ A Little Bit Country

Charlie and Margaret got married on 8.15.2009 in Bly, Oregon. For those of you that don't know where Bly is...it's about 5 hours south/southeast of Salem. Although its a long drive, its a beautiful one! They got married at Margaret's family ranch which offered spectacular views and a wedding site they could always call their own.

Everyone could tell that they put a lot of effort into their wedding and making it special. They had personal touches everywhere! They had about 5 or 6 different flavors of homemade jams with personalized stickers and they even had matching camo covers that matched the groomsmen's vests and bridesmaids' sashes (made by the bride's mother). Charlie had even made each centerpiece by hand...cutting the wood, leveling the bottom, and cutting out a section in the top to place a candle inside. The flowers were stunning and they had the best country wedding cake I've ever seen! There are just too many personal details to mention!

One of the parts that I love most about my job is being able to notice the little things that make the day special for the bride and groom. Not all of the guests could see it, but Charlie had made a special "CM" (for "Charlie & Margaret") out of iron and had that attached to the ring bearer's pillow. He did it only to put a smile on his bride's face. It was precious. You could tell that when Margaret saw it that is just melted her heart. Thank you Charlie and Margaret for having me be a part of your special day!

Charlie & Margaret's Review ~ 9.15.2009

"When Charlie proposed I went straight to planning before we had even set a date. We spent a lot of time planning and researching during the year leading up to our wedding, and I wanted to make sure that it all turned out perfect. As the day got closer I knew I was going to need help since I was having it states away from my home base. Its hard to have everything lined up when you yourself have to travel to your wedding. My bridal party was coming early to help get things all ready and take care of any last minute things we might need. I soon realized they wouldn't be able to take care of all the last minute details that happen the day of, as they would need to be ready to go down the aisle, take pictures, etc.

I was overjoyed to get the help of Ashley to be the director of all the needs on my wedding day. She came fully prepared with a list of questions for us to make sure she could get every last detail in place while we were finishing what we needed to do. Her attention to detail and willingness to adjust with my changing ideas helped to get everything done and looking better than I could have expected, especially when it hit crunch time. Her cool, collected attitude came across with a smile making her very approachable for those needing direction, as well as helping friends and family. Her drive to help me have the wedding of my dreams was clear with her every move...Now that its all said and done, I look back and know that we couldn't have pulled it all off with out her amazing help on our wedding day."

~ Charlie & Margaret

Photo by me :)

Love Story: Emilie & Jaime

THE FIRST DATE:

"Jaime took me to a wonderful little Italian place called Marzini’s in Corvallis. The food was wonderful and the discussions were thoughtful, playful, witty, and smart. I pretty much fell for him there. We parted ways after dinner as I was driving home for Christmas break that night. I said I would call him over the break…but I didn’t! Some time passed and I realized, ‘yes, I really do love this Jaime kid.' I set it all straight and started dating Jaime...and it's been bliss ever since!"

THE PROPOSAL:

"Cambrae, a friend of mine who is a photographer, contacted me and asked if I would model for a friend of hers who was opening a jewelry store. I said yes (maybe I could get some free jewelry) but we had to reschedule several times (for my cousin’s wedding and because the jewelry needed to be finished for the shoot). It was a beautiful Saturday morning and both Jaime and I were up early. He had to go into work and put in several hours to finish up some lesson plans and other teacher-like stuff, and then his parents and siblings were coming to town visit. I had to drive to Portland since that’s where Cambrae’s studio is located. Jaime left the apartment before I did, I kissed him good-bye, and wished him a good day.

When I got to the studio I got ready for the photo shoot, but was ready sooner than she or I expected. I waited around while she finished up her consult with a client (who had been informed about the plot). After she was finished, Cambrae showed me an array of jewelry that had been laid out on black velvet. It was all so pretty! She talked about a couple pieces and the ‘vibe’ that her friend wanted to portray in a photo of those pieces. I picked a choker and matching earrings and we started the shoot. We took several pictures and then she said 'it’s too bad you don’t have some huge gaudy ring to flaunt with this gorgeous jewelry.' I laughed and she clicked the shutter….Then she said she wanted to take a more sophisticated, calm shot, so she asked me to turn my face away from the light and close my eyes. I followed instructions and she took a photo...then I hear someone enter the room (loudly and sort of clumsily). I’m thinking it's just her boyfriend coming to say hello. Cambrae says 'Okay, open your eyes and we’ll change jewelry.'

I open my eyes and turn and there’s Jaime on one knee asking me for my hand in marriage! I think he said something else about the rest of our lives or something like that but I didn’t hear it! I thought to myself 'is this really happening? Did he actually surprise me with this proposal? Let me pinch myself...yup he’s still here in front of me with a ring!' I was so shocked that I almost forgot to say yes! Cambrae, of course, was clicking the shutter constantly during the whole thing. After that, we called family and a couple of friends, touched up my make-up, and continued with an engagement shoot.

I am so stoked to become Mrs. Amelia Mae Servin...I will be very happy the day I can call Jaime my husband!"

Photo's by Cambrae (I think we got that part) :)

Love Story: Margaret & Charlie

HOW THEY MET:

"It was the Fireman’s Ball in Broken Bow, Nebraska and I was there by myself, because my friends had left early. Well, I was sitting there listening to the band, when they started playing Chris Ledoux "Look at you Girl." From out of nowhere he came up to me and asked me to dance, and obviously, I said yes. We danced a little more, when he told me he would be back in a couple of minutes...well he was gone longer than that and i was tired...so as charlie calls it, I "pulled a Cinderella" on him and left. A couple of months later we just randomly ran into each other and started talking and hanging out and the rest is history!"

THE PROPOSAL:

"Well, we started out that day like any other normal 4th of July. I finally got the day off, so Charlie and I went to the Dunning Jr. Rodeo. We had a great time sitting in the sun, getting a tan, and just having fun. Charlie and I were talking about how we both loved the 4th because its a Cowboy's Christmas, no snow but lots of rodeos, sun, fun, nice cool drinks, and getting to play with fire. After the rodeo we went back to Charlie’s house and we were working on cleaning it because his parents were coming to visit. Well, you know me, I hate cleaning! So after a bit I was done with that so we took a break and we sat and started watching TV. We had been watching TV for a bit when he asked me if I wanted my Christmas present. Well, me being me, I was a bit of a smart mouth and told him that if he gave me my Christmas present now, he have to get me another one at Christmas time. He said that was OK. So I was sitting on the couch with my eyes closed while he was making a lot of noise...and I’m being a smart mouth the whole time. When it finally quieted down he told me to open my eyes, which I did. I found him down on one knee and he took my hand and told me how much he loved me...then asked me if I would make him the happiest man ever to live! He opened his hand and there was a ring sitting in it. He asked me to marry him!!!!! I started crying and shook my head and at some point in time I said yes. We hugged, kissed, I cried, then we hugged and kissed some more. Then we started to call everyone!"

Photo by Amanda Myers from "Who you are photography" in Broken Bow, Nebraska

Travis & Krista's Review ~ 6.29.2007

"Travis and I got engaged in August of 2006. I was making plans right away and being a type "A" personality thought that I could handle it all. Well, I quickly learned that to make that perfect day go smoothly I needed help. I wanted to enjoy my wedding day and not have to show the caterer where to set up, point out the spots that flowers needed to be placed or handle a million other details. That's when I asked my very good friend Ashley to be my coordinator. I knew that she had intense attention to detail and an eye for what looks good. She is also extremely organized, flexible and works faultlessly under pressure. There was no one else I wanted to handle my big day besides Ashley. And indeed my wedding day was fabulous and I owe it all to Ashley. I was able to relax and enjoy the celebration while she took care of the normal details and a few mishaps. I am so glad that Ashley was there coordinating my wedding. Thanks Ashley!"

~ Travis and Krista

Photo by Honeysuckle Photography

6.29.2007 Wedding ~ The Wedding That Started It All

The first wedding that I coordinated was for my friends, Krista and Travis back in 2007. I had known Travis since our freshman year at Oregon State (2003) and he was one of my closest friends. Fast forward two years: he told me he needed a favor because one of his best friends (Krista) needed a place to live asap. I had only met her once or twice, but I had an available room so I said of course! Little did I know that Krista and I would still be such close friends. She was actually one of my bridesmaids!

Anyway, through the years (yes, since 2003) Travis would always confide in me about how he knew Krista was the one but she just didn't know it yet. Krista was going to school to become a veterinarian, so she spent a LOT of time studying and always said she didn't have time for a relationship with anyone. She kind of knew Travis had a thing for her, but she didn’t know that he would wait as long as he needed until she was ready.

Well...during a wonderful trip to Cabo San Lucas in December of 2005 (there was about 12 of us) Krista and Travis pulled me aside and told me they were dating! Now, Travis is a very patient man and waited over 2 years for the chance to date the woman he knew was the one the whole time. Needless to say it was about time they were a couple!

Things blossomed from there and they were engaged about a year or so later with the wedding taking place on June 29th. One day, a few months before the wedding, Krista calls me and asked me to be her wedding coordinator! I instantly said yes! However, then I started to think about how much responsibility it was but her confidence in me gave me the determination to give 110% (or more, whatever it took to give my all) so she would NOT be disappointed.

I showed up at 9 am (yes, I was the only one there) to start setting up all of the flowers (a trailer full of them), tables, do the centerpieces, set up the aisle and the arch, you name it, I did it! I even brought some snacks and drinks for the wedding party, knowing they would be there for a long time before it was time for dinner.

Now, as we all know, things can and do go wrong and not according to plan. That's okay, that's what a wedding coordinator is for! I quickly realized how important it is to get to know the bride, so I know how she would handle the situation. I could give you a list of all the little things that had to be decided, trips to the store for necessary dinnerware items, additions to the "timeline" that were forgotten, but to Krista, her day was perfect. She knew nothing of all the little things that needed to be done around her to make her day run perfectly. When I overheard her and Travis talking about how perfect their day was as they were getting ready to leave. My heart melted. I knew that I had met their expectations. What I didn't know was that I found in myself the true desire and passion to make every bride walk away from their wedding and talking to their new husband about how perfect their day was.

Wedding photo by Crystal Nelson Photography
Cabo photo by me :)

Behind the Name

I believe that every wedding should have personal and meaningful details. So when I was deciding on a name for my business, I couldn't pick just anything! I chose Stargazer Weddings because the Stargazer Lily was the first and most frequent flower that my husband has given me over the years. We had Stargazer Lilies at our wedding, and our florist even put a single flower between our seats on the head table the night of the wedding. I didn't ask her to, she just knew that it would make our wedding that much more meaningful to us.

I want to help you create ideas and find vendors and venues that reflect your personality and dreams...all on your budget (no matter how big or small)! Whether you need my assistance every step of the way or just making sure all of your plans run smoothly the day of...I'm here to help you have a wedding to remember and enjoy stress-free!

How Stargazer Weddings Began

My passion for coordinating weddings started in the summer of 2007 when my friends, Travis and Krista, got married (See Blog "The Wedding That Started It All"). She asked me to coordinate her wedding because she knew I was detail oriented and that she could trust me to make her special day run smoothly. At first I was a little scared...that was a LOT of responsibility! However, I was not going to let her down so I dove right in! The day turned out to be a total success, even the rain stopped about an hour before the wedding! I can't take credit for the blue skies though, hahaha. I instantly fell in love with the idea of being a wedding coordinator and making the wedding day as flawless as possible.

Over the years I've coordinated weddings for friends...but the last wedding I coordinated in August of 2009 helped me realize that this was a passion of mine that I couldn't just do "here and there." I want to help more brides, like you, feel at ease on their wedding day so I decided to start Stargazer Weddings! It is one of the happiest days of your life, and my personality reflects that joy. I keep a smile at all times and stay energetic no matter the circumstance.

I quickly realized how important a wedding coordinator is at my own wedding in June of 2008. I thought I had everything covered. Cake? Check. Photographer? Check. DJ? Check...and the list went on and on. However, I forgot a crucial part to the wedding day: a wedding coordinator! The person that handles all the questions, because they already know the bride's answer...the person that makes sure everything and everyone is in the correct place at the correct time...the person that takes the stress off you and your family so you can take in every happy moment that you can. I was lucky enough to have my sister (my matron of honor, that's us to the right) step in and handle any questions that came along so I didn't have to. I wish she didn't have to take on that extra responsibility because I wanted her to celebrate the day with me, stress-free. That's what I want for you, for you to simply enjoy and celebrate the day with your husband, family, and friends.

Photo by Honeysuckle Photography