Sam + Gus by Emily Woodruff

We leaned towards using soft, natural elements and incorporating small, playful, personalized touches.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

I run my own web design business, working with local businesses here in Hood River, and Gus works in insurance. We both share a love for the outdoors—whether it’s skiing, hiking, or camping with our two chocolate labs whenever we can.

One of our favourite adventures was a 5-day offroad trip through the entire state of Washington. My husband proposed at the end of the trip, right as we crossed the border into Canada. It was such a special moment, and that trip will always be one of my favourites. Since then, we’ve made it a tradition to take an annual camping adventure to somewhere we’ve never been.

Disconnecting from the world for a bit and just being with each other always makes those trips feel extra special and bring us closer.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

Gus and I met in college in Gunnison, CO, about 9 years ago. We actually met outside of a gas station called Powerstop (if you know, you know), which is also a small bar/restaurant. We started hanging out, and we’ve been together ever since!

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

I think we both knew from the beginning. From the start, we both loved each other, and we had the chance to grow up together. Along the way we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and each other, and we just kept getting closer. We’re so comfortable around one another, and I love how we can laugh at ourselves (and each other) and just be content with each other’s company. It was in the quiet, simple moments that I knew Gus was someone I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. Gus says he knew the minute he saw me 🙂

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding.

After we found our venue, The Orchard, we realized the natural beauty of the location and venue would allow us to keep things really simple. To be completely honest, we had no clue where to start and it was overwhelming in the beginning. Both of us are pretty laid-back, easy-going people and the most important thing was that we just wanted everyone to enjoy themselves and be present with us. After some time and research, I think we were trying to go for a blend of modern, whimsical, and classic styles that still felt relaxed and intimate. We leaned towards using soft, natural elements and incorporating small, playful, personalized touches that reflected our style and personalities.

When I first started pulling images for our vision board, I loved the idea of mismatched bridesmaid dresses. I thought this would be a fun way to add a pop of colour and reflect my style and personality at our wedding. I didn’t want the colours to be really loud or over the top, so we chose a colour palette of soft, cool tones, incorporating hues of yellow, blue, green, purple, and brown. And to tie it all together, I envisioned whimsical floral arrangements featuring small pops of these colours.

Really, we just wanted the day to feel beautiful and effortless.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

The venue’s natural beauty and the existing florals were the perfect foundation for the whimsical, effortless vibe we wanted. I didn’t plan on adding much else in terms of decor, but one thing I’m so happy we decided to do was create our own floral garlands to hang between the wooden posts of the covered area. Our florist delivered a bucket of flowers to us the day before the wedding, and the bridesmaids, my mom and Gus’s mom, and I had a girls’ day at a local winery, stringing hundreds of flowers onto the fishing line. It took some time, but we had so much fun, and it ended up adding the perfect, personal touch to the decor.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Wedding planning was probably the most stressful thing we’ve ever done—lots of meltdowns, endless to-do lists, and, of course, the very real expense of it all. I think the most exciting part of wedding planning was touring venues, especially when we saw the ceremony location. We walked up to where we would say, “I do,” and it really hit us that this is real, and this is happening!

For couples starting their wedding planning journey, our biggest tip is to start early and tackle a little bit each week leading up to the big day. Staying ahead of things helps reduce the stress that can pile up if you fall behind. (We did, in fact, fall behind, but we made it out alive!) One thing that worked for us was dedicating “wedding planning date nights. ”Whether we stayed in or went out, we’d spend time together working on one or two tasks at a time.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

I always knew I wanted a wedding dress that felt minimalist, modern, and effortless—and I truly felt like I found that in the one I chose. I felt beautiful and comfortable and like myself. When the stylist put the veil on, that’s when the tears of joy really started flowing. The moment I put it on, I knew it was the one.

On the morning of our wedding day, one of my best friends and maid of honour surprised me with a special gift. She had a heart-shaped necklace custom-made with our initials and a diamond her dad had given her in the centre. Her dad passed away 10 years ago after battling cancer, and I knew how much it meant to her to pass it along to someone. It was one of the most sentimental and thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.

What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on?

It was really important to us to find a venue that had beautiful views, lots of flowers, and natural elements so we wouldn’t have to add too much ourselves. Hood River has so many stunning wedding venues, and it was a tough decision, but The Orchard just felt like us. It has stunning views of Mt Hood and Mt Adams and the florals throughout the venue were jaw-dropping. It also just felt like the perfect size for our wedding to still feel intimate even with 110 people outdoors.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

Well, we never really practised our first dance, and we decided to just wing it on the day of the wedding. During our dance, my husband decided to pull a wild spin and dip move on me, and my heel broke mid-dip. No one really noticed, but I had to tell him no more spinning or dipping for the rest of the dance because my shoe broke, and we both could not stop laughing.

BRIDE Sam Auran, @sam.auran VENUE The Orchard Hood River, @theorchard.hr PHOTOGRAPHER Emily Woodruff, @emilywoodruffphoto VIDEOGRAPHER Kitts & Co, @kittsand.co CONTENT CREATION Your Bridal Content, @yourbridalcontent COORDINATOR Lovenotes, @lovenotes.hr FLORIST FloraLux, @floraluxfarm OFFICIANT Our friend, Jon Hovland ENTERTAINMENT Inspired Journey Sound Production CATERING Celilo Catering, @celilocatering CAKE Rosauers Supermarkets STATIONERY Minted, @minted SIGNAGE Kitts & Co, @kittsand.co ENGAGEMENT RING Custom made from Apland Jewelers, @aplandjewelers BRIDE’S RING Olive Ave Jewelry, @oliveavejewelry GROOM’S RING Brilliant Earth, @brilliantearth BRIDAL DRESS & VEIL Sarah Seven, @sarahseven PARTY DRESS Meshki, @meshki BRIDE’S SHOE Asos, @asos BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Brilliant Earth, @brilliantearth; Earrings – Grace Loves Lace, @grace_loves_lace; Necklace – Custom made gift from the MOH – For Good and Mad, @forgoodandmad MAKEUP Sara Rosie, @sararosie HAIR Styled By Mattie, @styledbymattie BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE YSL, @ysl SUIT Indochino, @indochino BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Billy J, @billy_j_boutique; Revolve, @revolve; Show Me Your Mumu, @showmeyourmumu; Selfie Leslie, @selfie_leslie