Popping the Question
Wow-worthy wedding party proposals
February 19, 2018
Who you have alongside you on your wedding day is nearly as important as finding the right dress or picking the right song for the first dance. It’s a big deal. Step up your “proposal” game by sending your squad a heartfelt gift to “pop the question.” Here to help, Oregon Bride has teamed up with two companies that work with local and Oregon-based artisans to offer you their expertise.
FOR THE BRIDESMAIDS
Kim Moran, owner of Parcel Portland, dreamed up this lush assortment for asking your besties to be your bridesmaids. “We [can] assist brides in creating gifts that are personal, thoughtful and make the recipient feel special,” says Moran. “We love details and obsess about the design of each and every gift we curate,” she says. If curating your own, Moran advises to pick a color palette and stick to it. “Really [put] some time into thinking about what will make the recipient feel loved.” And be sure to personalize it in some way: Include a monogrammed card or hand-engraved gift box. Parcel Portland offers custom engraved keepsake wood boxes with its gift sets.
Clockwise from top:
TOPS Malibu Gilded heart-shaped sparkler; World Market champagne flute; Tillandsia xerographica air plant; Crosby Elements’ “Goldtone” candle; loofah buff; Hillockburn Farm’s intoxicating rosemary peppermint soap; Essie nail polish in “Ladylike”; Parcel Portland’s herbal bath salts trio; Live Botanical’s “Luna” moisturizing cleanser; clay ring dish and energy-boosting crystals by Covet and Ginger; bottle matches by Studio Portmanteau. Cost for gift set, including keepsake box is $175.
FOR THE GROOMSMEN
When curating a groomsman-to-be gift set, Inger McDowell-Hartye, of With Love, from PDX, draws inspiration from listening to people’s stories about their relationships with the recipient. From there, she tries to match that sentiment and love with locally made items that convey those emotions and gratitude. For Oregon Bride, she hand-selected a collection of sleek gifts and accessories inspired by a love of the outdoors.
From left to right:
North Drinkware’s hand-blown Oregon Tumbler featuring Mount Hood; Portland-based Kiriko Made’s “Kimono Green Leaves” pocket square; Shwood’s classic “Canby” sunglasses; custom-designed card by Braevin’s Sarah Gillihan; birch wood cutout by Letters and Dust; laser-cut alder wood bottle openers, designed by Letters and Dust and produced by Digital Craft PDX; handmade Cascadian Whiskers charcoal soap bar. Gifts range from $89—$169 depending on items selected.