So This is Bliss :: A Northwest Wedding Blog by Luxe Event Productions: Vendors You'll Totally Love! -

Dear Luxe Friend,

So many people ask us "so, who are your preferred vendors?" and "how do you pick you preferred vendors?". . .to which we say, that's easy, it's about the relationship and personality. (of course their skill) but above all we pride ourselves on the relationship build.

Your wedding is such an important day that you, and we, want you to jive with all your vendors on-site the day of your wedding.

That's why we decided to show and tell a bit...show you and tell you about who we think are "Luxe bride and groom worthy" and who we think you should work with, and why.

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing a bit about our Luxe Vendor Family of cool people we work, or like to work with. We often refer our Luxe Brides and Grooms to people we know who are down to earth, skilled, fun-loving, funny, easy-going, authentic people who LOVE their craft.

Hugs and kisses! -Misty Damico, Founder Luxe Event Productions

...like this Portland floral designer,
Hailey of Zest Floral & Event Design.

What's not awesome about Hailey? She's such a sweetie, every single time we're around her she's got a smile on her face. Happy and charming, her infectiously loving and generous nature makes you wish you were her BFF. She's the kind of vendor that you never want to leave when with and she's incredible at what she does. Perfect choice for brides looking for a floral designer. Perfect choice of a vendor to call your "preferred"

Here's what we asked her and here's what she said

Tell us what type of services you offer?

Zest is a full-service floral and event design studio specializing in weddings. We work with brides to create gorgeous custom floral and décor. In addition to the flowers, we also help with overall event styling (linen rental, draping, custom installations, etc.).

Photo by Holland Studios
Coordinated by Bridal Bliss

What type of weddings do you love to work with the most?

What we love most about weddings is that no two are the same. Whether it’s an urban-chic lounge reception, a rugged-elegant farm affair, a classic ballroom gala or a casual outdoor wedding, we love working with couples to create a wedding that’s unique to them.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Oh my gosh, everywhere! We’re always watching runway trends, color forecasts, fashion and interior design, floral and wedding trends, etc., for fun ideas to incorporate into our work. Most often, however, the inspiration comes from the couple. We encourage brides to bring magazine tear-outs, photos, favorite colors, flowers, family heirlooms, etc. We then piece these elements together to create a cohesive vision.

Photo by GH Kim

A bit of history on the company?

I've always loved the event world, especially floral and decor. Growing up, my mom used to do flowers, and I'd often help her, which was where I got my first exposure. After graduating from college, I worked at a PR/social marketing agency, and would do freelance floral and event design on weekends. I started getting more and more requests, and finally realized I couldn't juggle the two. I decided to follow my passion and start Zest! That was January 2010, just over a year ago.

We had an incredible first year with lots of really fun weddings and events, and a number of media spotlights (including Oregon Bride Magazine, Weddings Portland Style, KOIN Studio 6, The Wedding Chicks, Portland Style Unveiled, The Lake Oswego Review and The West Linn Tidings).

With our second wedding season on the horizon, we couldn’t be more excited. We have an insanely fun summer ahead with weddings almost every weekend! We’ve hired another designer and brought on several freelancers. Equally exciting, we’ve also moved into a new, super-adorable studio! Details about our grand opening party are soon to come.

Photo by Powers Studios

How does your consultation process work?

When we meet with brides for the first time, we encourage them to bring photos, color swatches, magazine tear-outs, anything else they’ve been collecting. We talk through their wedding vision, what they like, what they don’t like, etc., so we can get an idea of their style. After the initial consultation, we send the couple a proposal with a cost estimate and summary of what we’ve discussed.

Photo by Powers Studios

I wanna book you to do all my floral, how do I start the process?

Included with the initial proposal will be an event agreement/contract. To reserve your date, return the signed event agreement and initial deposit.

What trend are you loving right now?

We love all the personal touches that we’re seeing incorporated in weddings. Whether it’s late-night voodoo doughnuts, customized programs, nontraditional centerpieces, unexpected venues, transportation, etc.