I will truly never forget Kimberly and Andy’s colorful, joyful, avant-garde inspired wedding at The Ruins in Hood River, Oregon. With such a breathtaking and unique setting in Hood River, a bold and bright floral color palette, and the absolute best energy across the entire guest list, this was the kind of celebration I’m always on board for! We never take lightly getting to be a part of the most special days of your lives.

A Bold, Colorful Wedding in Hood River, Oregon

Retro, Avant-Garde Inspired Wedding Design

This was a day I’ll never forget for so many reasons, but a major one being the level of trust and creative freedom offered by the couple throughout the process. They were one of those couples that I just clicked with immediately, sharing a lot of really great ideas with me while allowing me the space to execute the design in a really unique way. This creative collaboration resulted in one-of-a-kind avant-garde art for their beautiful celebration.

My favorite part about this design is the dramatic contrast of the rugged stone walls with the colorful, delicate florals. Choosing a wedding venue you love is such a key part of the design process. Your florist and planner can help you to really embrace and complement the parts of the venue that you love as well as draw attention away from the parts you don’t.

Each and every element of this venue was unique, as was this sweet couple, so it only felt right to create something a bit funky and eccentric in their floral designs. The dramatic stone walls really brought out the sculptural design style I chose for the arrangements; where every bouquet, installation, and arrangement acted as a work of art.

Massive draping amaranth, juicy dahlias, and bold anthurium gave shape to each piece placed at the ceremony altar. The ceremony arrangements sat on cream cylinder pedestals further emphasizing them as floral sculptures. (Pro tip: Pedestal floral arrangements are a great option for repurposing to reception if that’s a priority for you!)

Every bridesmaid wore a dress of a different color that suited them beautifully. Likewise, their bouquets were one-of-a-kind–all complementing the bridal bouquet. I’m a big fan of this trend in all its variations: mismatched dresses, single ingredient or single color bouquets, and giving your wedding party members room for individuality.

Vibrant, Joyful Wedding Flowers Galore

It’s not often you see so many different colors as a part of one palette. Many couples are quite intimidated by such a bold palette, but that’s exactly what I’m a pro at. Bringing every shade together in a way you didn’t think possible is where I thrive–effortlessly fusing vibrant shades of pink, lavender, bold oranges chartreuse, and deep reds.

One of my favorite ways to incorporate several bold colors while keeping a more modern, sculptural feel is by color-blocking the floral arrangements. In doing so, each piece gets to have its moment rather than feeling overwhelming or busy. Each of the altar installations showcased a different color (from salmon pink to vibrant orange, lime green to deep plum) rather than a mix of many. As I mentioned before, the wedding party bouquets were also infused with different colors and textures, complementing the ceremony installation and tying it all together. Chef’s kiss.

With such a unique venue, vibrant florals, good music, delicious food, and such a fun guest list, this was a really lively and wonderful party to be a part of. Every last detail represented the couple’s personalities so well, which is what I hope for every one of my couples!

An Urban Hood River Wedding Venue: The Ruins

Located in downtown Hood River, The Ruins wedding venue was an idyllic venue for Kimberly and Andy to host their day! It’s a fabulous and unique location for couples who want a rustic yet urban feel but with all the benefits of visiting the stunning Columbia River Gorge. You get that urban vibe along the romantic atmosphere of Hood River, Oregon. Fun fact: The Ruins is actually located within the remains of a century-old fruit cannery, which is why it has that old-timey, rustic feel!

The Ruins can host weddings of up to 220 guests, with space outdoors to fit the maximum group size, and an indoor capacity of 120 guests for a seated dinner within the winery. What a gorgeous space to celebrate with your loved ones, and in such a beautiful region of Oregon! You can ready out to The Ruins for further venue info and pricing here.

BONUS: The walls of The Ruins keeps it from being super windy like the vast majority of wedding venues in the area!

The Hood River Wedding Vendor Team

This lovely summer wedding at The Ruins wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of the vendors who helped bring the couple’s dream to life!

Venue: The Ruins Hood River

Planner: Elody Rose Events

Photographer: Jesse Cobb Photo

Florist: Wrong Number Floral Co.

Videographer: Kevin Hasenkopf

Caterer: Devils Food Catering

Cake: Columbia Gorge Confections

Makeup: Subi Salon

DJ: Paradox Productions–DJ Zac

Rentals: Arden Event Collective

Generous Testimonial from the Bride

Being a wedding florist is both hard physical work and creative, emotional work. Each wedding is so important to me, and I never take this job lightly. I want to do the absolute best work for my couples. When I get feedback like this, it’s such a special reminder of why I love this job. Here’s what Kimberly wrote:

“Hope, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your BEYOND AMAZING work. You took all my hopes and dreams for what our florals would look like and basically made them 10000x better.

Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for all of the hard work you put into what was, bottom line, the most beautifully presented wedding I have ever been to. Even if it weren’t my own wedding, I’d be jealous of whoever’s it was.

You have such incredible talent, and every corner of that space was absolutely perfect. I’m so grateful we found you, and I will come across or manufacture any excuse to pick up the phone to work with you again.

We appreciate you, thank you for bringing us to near tears with the absolute perfection you pulled off for our wedding. We’ll remember your beautiful work for the rest of our lives!”

Hood River Wedding Florist

If we haven’t met yet, hi–I’m Hope! A Eugene-based florist serving couples throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. I specialize in colorful, contemporary floral design with a special emphasis on eco-friendly methods. We source the majority of our flowers from local flower farmers, and make efforts to reduce our environmental impact overall.

To browse more of my colorful wedding and elopement designs, take a peek at my portfolio!