An elegant Oregon emerald green wedding

View More: https://ashleycookphotography.pass.us/stollerwedding

Moving right before a pandemic changes everyone’s lives & world is a bit bizarre, but man are we happy to be here in Portland, Oregon.

It’s lush, it’s filled with gorgeous countryside (hello, Willamette Valley Wine Country) & as expected, oh-so-green. We’ve been sad we haven’t been able to produce & share too much Portland wedding content yet (although, we just photographed the most gorgeous shoot for Melissa Tyson Designs last week!) so we just couldn’t resist sharing when Published + Pretty sent us this Waverly Country Club wedding just south of downtown PDX.

Rachel & Daniel’s Portland wedding truly celebrates how gloriously green it is here – and why wouldn’t you?! Complementing their surroundings with green ties, boutonnieres, florals, accessories & greenery, the wedding just sparkles like an emerald jewel.

We will no doubt be eying Waverley Country Club’s countryside views (so close to the city!) and stunning estate for future Bridal Musings photoshoots & get-togethers (if we could be so lucky!).

Our Love Story

It all started with a few messages on OkCupid about volunteering in the Jewish community. Rachel had just moved back to Portland, and Daniel was actually thinking of leaving Portland. However, before he decided to move, he decided to message Rachel.

At first it was just a few messages back and forth, but once they knew they had mutual friends, they got a little push to go on a date. Their first date was amazing, and they ended up talking for hours until the restaurant closed, and kindly encouraged them to leave. They started walking to their cars, and it was then that Rachel knew Daniel was not like any other guy. He made her laugh, with his silly jokes (most Rachel didn’t actually get) and accepted her quirks. He showed her he was patient and curious, and they’d never have a dull adventure together. He also showed her, he’d always respect her, as he ended their date with a handshake. :)

After their first date, they went on a few more, before Daniel decided he was moving to Chicago. Luckily, Nike was on Rachel’s side and convinced Daniel that he couldn’t leave. Over the last three years, they’ve explored life and grown perfectly together.

The Wedding Style

Their wedding was a combination of both of them. Rachel selected green, white and blue as their colors. Green and white, the color of Daniel’s university and a tribute to Michigan (where Daniel grew up), and blue their mutual favorite color. Together they filled their day with subtle memories from the last four years together. From the use of Stoller winery corks as place card holders, to mark Rachel and Daniel becoming the Stollers, to marionberry jam favors that welcomed their family and friends into their “sweet” life together.

The First Look

After Rachel’s first look with her dad, she walked outside and to find her best friend, her travel partner, and her soon-to-be husband, Daniel, waiting for her. She remembers calling his name but the emotions were getting the best of her so she had to make a couple of attempts for him to hear her. When he turned around, you couldn’t help but notice his giant expression. The moment they saw each other they both said all the nervousness went away and they were filled with so much excitement. So much excitement that Rachel finally convinced Daniel to practice their wedding dance. For a moment, when he was twirling her around it was like no one was with them, and they could just be their goofy selves.

The Jewish Tradition

In Judaism, there are multiple ceremonies. A couple of days prior, they had received a blessing from their rabbi at their synagogue, and now they would go sign their ketubah (marriage license) with their immediate families and four witnesses. It would be this ceremony that Daniel would check to make sure Rachel is the correct bride and then would cover her with her veil. After the intimate ceremony, Rachel and Daniel became Mr. and Mrs. Stoller and they were so excited to share that with all their family and friends.

The Rabbi along with Daniel and his parents made their way to the outside ceremony. Rachel would follow after their wedding party, holding onto her parent’s tightly the whole way. Rachel had surprised her parents by picking their wedding song to walk down to together. Rachel loved it when her and Daniel got to each other, that after Rachel hugged her parents, Daniel’s parents got up and hugged Rachel’s parents.

Photo by Ashley Cook Photography via Bridal Musings

The Ceremony

The ceremony started with Rachel circling Daniel three times, and then him circling her three times. The seventh circle they did together. After the Rabbi read the Jewish prayers, Daniel and Rachel would recite their Hebrew vows. After exchanging them they each would place a ring on the other’s pointer finger. They both wrapped in each other’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah Tallit’s which were gifts from their parents and grandparents. Daniel then took the honor of breaking the glass cup. In Judaism, it is believed that in as many pieces as the glass shatters, so should the couple’s happiness multiply. Then it was the big moment. The relationship that started with a handshake now got to seal it with a kiss.

The Reception

After a short cocktail hour, it was time to bring back those Bar and Bat mitzvah moves and dance the night away. By the reception, Rachel had changed her shoes into some Converse platform shoes as a little surprise to Daniel. After the meal, Rachel’s best friend and sister-in-law gave a combined toast. After them, Daniel’s brother gave his toast, followed by a hilarious roast/toast by Daniel’s best friend.

After their parents’ toasts, Rachel and Daniel started the dancing off with Elton John’s “Your Song”. That dance was followed by a father and daughter dance, and then a mother and son dance. The DJ then brought a little Motown to Portland (to help welcome Daniel’s family from Michigan) and they danced the night away. Rachel and Daniel loved that almost everyone was on the floor to dance the Horah, despite their faces of pure panic that they may be dropped from their chairs.

The Desserts

To keep everyone dancing all night Rachel and Daniel had ordered their favorite desserts: gluten-free donuts, lemon bars, beignets and fruit. Between eating, dancing and laughing the night went by so fast. Their wedding was the perfect start of their beautiful adventure together.