Great Gatsby Inspired Wedding at The Sentinel | Portland, Oregon
Amanda & Jonathan were so much fun on their consult, I knew that I wanted to work with them right away! But when I asked what their vibe was for their wedding and they said Great Gatsby-I truly couldn’t contain my excitement! Amanda had thought of everything and it was truly such a stunning wedding.
The novel Great Gatsby was written by Scott Fitzgerald, and while it has a tragic ending, it is also a masterpiece that exudes elegance, and an artful approach to parties and weddings in a fun and luxurious way.
To have a Great Gatsby themed wedding, there are some key components that you need; a swanky venue, themed wedding invitations, gold decor, and reception decorations that are slightly understated but make a huge impact.
A venue that really speaks luxury is probably the biggest one, because the venue sets the mood. The Sentinel was the perfect location for this! The ladies got ready in the Fireside room, which had amazing light for getting ready photos. The guys got ready upstairs in a suite by the library. The ceremony took place in the renaissance room, while the reception was held in the grand ballroom. Each space held the look of luxury, without being over the top. It was the perfect combo of minimal and luxury!
Late September in Oregon can be hit or miss with good weather. We had made a back up plan for photos, but it was not needed-thank goodness. It ended up being one of the nicest days of the month! After capturing all of the details and getting ready photos, the wedding party headed to the International Rose Test Garden for Amanda & Jonathan’s first look and then wedding party photos. It was incredibly busy due to the weather, but with some stealthy wedding party members who helped steer people to the next stairway, we had a moment for Amanda to make her way down to Jonathan. His response was perfect, and I may have been crying a little with him. Amanda’s sister and her hubby (who also officiated) were the true MVP’s as they carried around a rug so that Amanda’s dress wouldn’t get muddy-they toted that rug all over!
Normally during the ceremony I am positioned towards the front to capture everyone coming up the aisle. But Amanda had another idea and I was so in love with it! She wanted a photo from BEHIND of her and her dad walking up the aisle and it is truly one of the most gorgeous shots ever!
After the ceremony and family photos we set out for some city sunset photos. That’s one of the things I love about Portland weddings, you can get so many different looks. For these, we only walked a couple of blocks to where we could see the sun and shot for about 10 minutes. Pro tip: Don’t skip golden hour photos!
Their grand entrance was received so enthusiastically and I just loved how both of them made a point of making it around the room to thank their guests and spend a moment with each person. After the first dance, we headed upstairs for Amanda to change into her reception dress which was beyond perfect! Still dreaming of that dress and with my flash! It was soooo good!!!!
Watching the love that Amanda and Jonathan share was so special. I am pretty gosh darn lucky that I get to tell my couples wedding stories. Someone pinch me…actually, don’t! I love what I do so much!
