From multicultural celebrations and nontraditional weddings to intimate elopements, Portland has some wonderful wedding professionals worth getting to know.
One thing I've come to appreciate about Portland's wedding community is how many talented people bring different backgrounds, experiences, and personalities to this industry. And I genuinely believe there's room for all of us.
Planning a wedding is such a personal experience. Some couples want a big celebration with hundreds of guests, while others dream of exchanging vows with just a handful of their favorite people. Some want to honor generations of family traditions, while others are excited to create something completely different.
The right wedding planner isn't necessarily the one with the fanciest portfolio or the most Instagram followers. It's someone who understands what matters to you, respects your values, and has the experience to bring your vision to life.
So, I wanted to share five Portland wedding planners and wedding professionals worth knowing, including myself!
This isn't a ranking or a "best of" competition. Just a little love for our Portland wedding community. 💕💞
1. Shi Choong | Weddings by Shi: Multicultural Weddings for Busy Professionals
That's me!
I'm Shi, the founder of Weddings by Shi, and I specialize in modern multicultural weddings for busy professionals, including couples who live out of state but are getting married in Portland, Oregon.
I grew up in Malaysia and Singapore, surrounded by different cultures, languages, religions, and traditions. Multicultural celebrations aren't just something I plan. They're part of who I am and how I grew up.
I especially love helping couples bring their cultures together in a way that feels personal and meaningful. Maybe that means incorporating a Chinese tea ceremony, blending different cuisines, or creating a celebration that honors both families while making room for the couple's own personalities.
I don't believe traditions should be followed simply because "that's how weddings have always been done." I believe in honoring what matters and having the freedom to create new traditions.
Before becoming a wedding planner, I earned my PhD in Analytical Chemistry and worked as a senior engineer at Intel. That background still influences how I work today. I love the creativity of wedding design just as much as the organization, research, logistics, and problem-solving behind the scenes.
Many of my couples have demanding careers. Some are planning their Portland weddings from hundreds or thousands of miles away. They want a beautiful, memorable celebration, but they don't want wedding planning to become their second full-time job. That's where I come in.
I work directly with my couples, helping them navigate vendors, family expectations, cultural traditions, design decisions, and all the moving pieces that make a wedding happen. My goal is for you to actually enjoy being engaged and be fully present when your wedding day arrives.
I also believe a beautiful wedding doesn't have to mean excessive spending on things that will be thrown away the next morning. I love intentional, consciously designed celebrations that prioritize meaningful experiences over unnecessary waste.
Weddings by Shi is based in Portland, but love doesn't stop at the Oregon border. I travel for love!
Learn more about Weddings by Shi
2. Elisabeth Kramer | Wedding Coordination, Consulting & Industry Advocacy
Elisabeth, who also goes by Beth, is a wonderful colleague of mine, and one thing I've always appreciated about her is her willingness to share resources and support other wedding professionals.
She's a Portland-based wedding coordinator, consultant, writer, and co-founder of Altared, a community helping wedding vendors build a more inclusive, accessible, equitable, and sustainable industry.
What I appreciate about Beth is that she doesn't just help couples plan weddings. She also challenges the expectations and pressures that can make wedding planning unnecessarily stressful.
For couples who have already taken on much of their own planning and want professional coordination or someone knowledgeable to talk through their decisions with, Elisabeth offers a perspective grounded in practicality, accessibility, and respect for the couple's values.
Learn more about Elisabeth Kramer
3. Andy Anthony | Double A Weddings: Queer & Nontraditional Celebrations
Andy is another friend in the Portland wedding community, and I love that she has built her business around helping couples celebrate who they truly are.
As the founder of Double A Weddings, Andy specializes in queer and nontraditional weddings. She brings years of event experience and a genuine enthusiasm for celebrations that don't necessarily follow the conventional wedding playbook.
Her approach is about helping couples feel comfortable being themselves, whether that means rethinking traditional wedding expectations or simply creating a celebration that feels fun and authentic.
If you're looking for a wedding planner who understands that love doesn't have to fit into a traditional mold, Andy is someone worth getting to know.
Learn more about Double A Weddings
4. Lisa Mattera | Mattera Events: Experienced Wedding Planning & Coordination
There is something reassuring about working with someone who has seen just about everything that can happen at a wedding!
Lisa Mattera brings more than 25 years of event planning experience to weddings and celebrations throughout Portland, the Oregon Coast, and the Pacific Northwest.
Through Mattera Events, she offers full-service planning, partial planning, wedding coordination, and customized event planning. Her services cover everything from vendor recommendations and timeline development to managing the logistics on the wedding day.
I particularly appreciate that Lisa emphasizes professionalism and giving couples the opportunity to enjoy their celebration rather than spending the day worrying about the details.
For couples who value experience, structure, and dependable coordination, Lisa is another Portland wedding professional to consider.
Learn more about Mattera Events
5. Elope in Portland | Elopements & Intimate Micro Weddings
Not everyone wants a wedding with 200 guests, and that's perfectly okay!
Some couples dream of an intimate ceremony surrounded by Oregon's beautiful landscapes, without the complexities of planning a large celebration.
That's where Elope in Portland comes in.
This woman-owned, LGBTQ+ supportive team brings together three wedding professionals specializing in officiating, photography, and floral design. Together, they offer convenient elopement and micro wedding packages for couples who want a smaller celebration without having to coordinate every service separately.
Their experiences include locations throughout Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Oregon Coast.
It's a completely different type of wedding from the large multicultural celebrations I typically plan, and that's exactly why I wanted to include them. Every couple deserves a wedding experience that feels right for them.
Learn more about Elope in Portland
How Do You Choose the Right Portland Wedding Planner?
If you're newly engaged and starting to research wedding planners, my advice is to look beyond the pretty photos.
Think about the kind of support you actually need. Are you looking for someone to manage the entire planning process, or have you already planned most of your wedding and need someone to coordinate the final details?
Do you need a planner who understands your cultural traditions, family dynamics, or the challenges of planning from another state? Do you want someone who will guide you through decisions, or someone who will take the lead and manage the process for you?
Most importantly, do you feel comfortable trusting that person with one of the most meaningful celebrations of your life?
Wedding planning is a relationship, and finding the right fit matters.
Frequently Asked Questions About Portland Wedding Planning
Who specializes in multicultural weddings in Portland, Oregon?
Weddings by Shi specializes in modern multicultural weddings, including Asian-fusion celebrations and weddings that bring together different cultural and family traditions. Founder Shi Choong grew up in multicultural Malaysia and Singapore and works with couples who want their wedding to reflect their own love story.
Can I hire a Portland wedding planner if I live out of state?
Absolutely! Weddings by Shi works with couples planning their Portland weddings from other cities and states. Services can include local venue visits, vendor research and coordination, wedding design, timeline development, and management of the planning process.
Do I need a full-service wedding planner or a wedding coordinator?
That depends on how much planning you've already completed and how involved you want to be. Full-service planning is ideal for couples who want professional support from the beginning, while wedding coordination is better suited to couples who have already made most of their major planning decisions.
Can we incorporate multiple cultural traditions into one wedding?
Yes! A multicultural wedding can bring together meaningful elements from both partners' backgrounds without following every traditional expectation. The goal is to create a celebration that respects your families while reflecting who you are as a couple.
There's Room for All of Us
I believe one of the beautiful things about the wedding industry is that no two couples are exactly alike, and neither are wedding planners.
We all bring different experiences, personalities, and perspectives to the table. And when couples find someone who genuinely understands them, everyone wins.
If you're planning a modern multicultural wedding in Portland, especially while juggling busy careers or planning from out of state, I'd love to hear your story.
And if your wedding vision is something different, I hope one of these wonderful Portland wedding professionals is exactly who you've been looking for.
Meet Shi and explore Weddings by Shi
Because your wedding should feel like YOUR love story, not someone else's expectations. 💞
