Cover photo by Gallivan Photo (@gallivanphoto)
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This week's topics: micro weddings, private property weddings, destination wedding planning, Oregon wedding venues, personalized wedding planning, wedding budget tips, full-service wedding planning, wedding logistics, Central Oregon weddings, event sustainability.
In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, hosts Sonja Babich and Alexis Sanabria sit down with Bree Denman, owner and planner at The Indigo Bride, a wedding planning company based in Bend, Oregon. Bree shares her inspiring journey from planning her own wedding to becoming one of the leading wedding planners in Central Oregon. Together, they discuss the evolution of her business, the rise of micro weddings and the unique opportunities of planning private property and destination weddings.
Bree begins by recounting how she fell in love with wedding planning while organizing her own wedding in 2016. "I just fell in love. I was like, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," she shares. The passion was so strong that she started brainstorming business names on her honeymoon, launching The Indigo Bride in 2017. The company began small but grew rapidly, especially during the pandemic when Bree took the opportunity to focus on refining her business and team. "COVID was kind of a blessing... I was able to form this really strong bond with my team," Bree reflects.
As the conversation progresses, Bree highlights the rise of micro weddings, a trend that gained momentum during the pandemic and has continued to thrive. She explains that a micro wedding, typically with fewer than 50 guests, allows couples to elevate the quality of their event by focusing on the details. "You can take a budget for 100 people and blow it out with 50 people," Bree says, emphasizing that smaller guest counts mean couples can splurge on elements like florals and rentals to create a luxurious personalized experience. This trend, according to Bree, is especially popular in picturesque locations like Central Oregon.
The discussion then shifts to private property weddings, a specialty of The Indigo Bride. Bree shares how private estates and homes offer couples a blank slate to design their dream wedding, though they come with unique logistical challenges. "You need to build a venue from the ground up," Bree explains, listing considerations like power, water and parking. But the payoff is worth it. She recalls a recent wedding where the father of the bride had spent a year perfecting his property for the big day, creating an emotional and personal connection to the venue.
Bree also dives into the intricacies of destination weddings, revealing that 80% of her clients are from out of town. Central Oregon's natural beauty makes it a popular wedding destination, and with that comes the added complexity of coordinating travel and accommodations for guests. Bree highlights the importance of having a full-service planner for destination weddings, as these often turn into multi-event weekends. "Couples want to give as much as they can to their guests," she notes, which often includes welcome parties, brunches and other activities.
Another key takeaway from Bree's experience is the importance of working with a wedding planner, especially when planning on private property. She shares a story of a last-minute venue change due to a wildfire evacuation, which could have been a disaster without a planner's help. "We moved the entire wedding to the family's home two days before, and in the end, the couple said it was better than they could have imagined," she says.
To wrap up the episode, Bree talks about the core values that drive The Indigo Bride. She believes wedding planning should be as enjoyable as the wedding itself. "It's going to be stressful, but when you're talking with your planner, it should feel like you're talking to your best friend," she explains. Her team's approach is all about understanding the couple's planning style and making the process as smooth as possible, whether they prefer to be hands-on or leave the decisions to the professionals.
Check it out to hear more about Bree, her expert insights on micro weddings, private property events and destination planning and how she's helping couples create unforgettable personalized wedding experiences in one of the most stunning regions of the country.
This episode is powered by The Indigo Bride and Hope Light Studios. Special thanks to members Linen Effects, Continental Diamond, Warpaint International.
Photo by Hannah Turner Photography (@hannahturnerphoto)
Photos by Red Aspen Photography (@redaspenphotography)