Suzy & Mike’s Blockhouse wedding in Portland was beyond perfect! They and their friends flew all the way in from New York to celebrate their big day. It’s always so much fun when couples and their loved ones travel to the PNW for their wedding. Portland is such a beautiful destination to get married, and S & M chose the warm, sunny month of July to tie the knot. And the venue they picked matched their summery vibe perfectly! I can’t wait to share with you what I loved about this day.

Suzy & Mike’s Blockhouse Wedding In Portland

Suzy & Mike met through matching on an app, and no one can ever tell me that dating apps are a waste of time. The connection between them that I was able to witness was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Their love for each other was palpable and radiated from them throughout their entire day. Not only that, but their genuine kindness toward everyone in attendance was remarkable! As a wedding photographer, I was overwhelmed in such a beautiful way by the deepness of their love and connection with each other and their people.

At the beginning of 2020, shortly after they met, Suzy was writing down her annual manifestations with her friends. She wrote that she yearned for a life partner that would love and support her, and that’s exactly what the universe gave her. During their ceremony vows over 2 years later, she referenced that manifestation when she wrote: "Even stronger than hope was my profound knowing that my wish had already been granted."

Suzy and Mike and most of their guests traveled all the way from New York, because when it came time to plan their wedding day they decided on Portland for one special reason…Suzy’s grandparents are locals, so they wanted to prioritize them being present. Throughout their day, you could really the see importance they have on Suzy’s life. It was so sweet that Suzy and Mike wanted to include them as much as possible on their day!

A perfect wedding venue for a perfect day

Let’s talk about their Portland wedding venue because it was absolutely perfect for their day. They got married at Blockhouse in Pomarius Nursery, one of my favorites! Blockhouse is a wedding venue that’s perfectly suited for intimate, love-filled celebrations. They’re located within Pomarius Nursery, so you can still enjoy the greenery that the PNW is infamous for! Being surrounded by beautiful, lush plants gives such a fresh and organic feel to the venue, which is what makes it so unique. Their guests had plenty of room to mingle and move around, and the ceremony and reception could be held in one space!

Blockhouse doesn’t offer any getting-ready spaces, so the couple and their crew spent the morning at the Double Tree Hotel. They probably didn’t know it at the time of booking, but the balcony that was included in their room was perfect for getting ready photos! If you’re looking for a location to prep for your wedding day, I would highly suggest looking into the Double Tree, and requesting a room with a balcony. They also have a stunning elevator that we (of course) took advantage of for photos as well.

It’s time to celebrate!

If there’s one thing the couple and their crew know how to do, it’s celebrating! One of Suzy’s friends surprised them with a flash dance mob, and Mike surprised Suzy by rapping an entire song to her. How cute is that? They were so intentional about how they wanted to spend their day, and so much thought went into it. They wanted their guests to have an amazing time, and even booked an ice cream truck to make sure that happened! They had a local ice cream truck, Fifty Licks, come and provide the perfect July wedding treat.

p.s. - If you’re dairy-free like Suzy and Mike (and me), Fifty Licks will not disappoint! They said that it was the best dairy-free ice cream they ever had. even Mike mentioned that he wouldn’t be able to eat the east coast DF ice cream anymore because of how good Fifty Licks was.

Vendors for their Blockhouse wedding in Portland

Planning & Design: Dream Weddings & Events

Photography: Sarah Olivia Photo

Venue: Blockhouse & Pomarius Nursery

Florals: Field Work Flowers

Makeup: Shantilly Artistry

Rentals: The Party Place & Lily & Cane

DJ: Jené Etheridge

Catering: Devil’s Food Catering

Ice Cream Truck: Fifty Licks

Looking for a photographer for your Portland wedding?

I would love to chat with you and see if we’d be a great fit! To get in touch with me, you can fill out my contact form and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. But listen: I know how tough it can be to choose the perfect person to document your day. I have an entire blog post dedicated to how to choose an Oregon wedding photographer, that you can check out here!