What started off as a friendship slowly grew into something more for Eric and Jessika, who met while studying at the University of the Pacific.  During a vacation to Taipei, Taiwan, Eric finalized their courtship when he took it to the next level with a proposal!

The pair were staying in Hualien at a beautiful resort right on the Pacific Ocean.  One morning the couple decided to wake up early to see the sunrise.

"We had decided to get up early to watch the sunrise over the Pacific.  Living on the west coast, we had only ever seen the sun set over the Pacific, so this was particularly cool. As we were watching the sunrise, Eric got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said yes!"

Before leaving for their trip to Taiwan, Jessika and Eric had dined at one of their favorite Chinese restaurants in Portland where they each received a fortune that would soon come true!

"Eric's post-dinner fortune cookie read: 'You will travel far and wide' and mine read: 'Be prepared to receive something special.' It was one of those rare moments where both our fortune's came true!"

Once the ring was on her finger it was time for Jessika to start the planning!  That meant finding the perfect wedding dress was on the agenda.

"I was not a bride who knew what she wanted. I tried on over 100 gowns...I know, I know, not recommended, but it took me awhile to find the right style!"

Jessika started by trying on all the different styles and silhouettes.  It took her a while but finally she narrowed it down to a sheath, crepe dress but still hadn't found "the one."

"I arrived at Charlotte's having a better idea of the style I was looking for but hadn't yet found the dress at other bridal shops. Lindsey was my consultant, and the first dress she pulled for me had a lot of the elements I was looking for. I told her what I liked about it and what it was missing, then 2 dresses later, she nailed it! She listened to me and picked a dress that had all of the details I was looking for. The dress was perfect for me so I said yes to the dress!"

Jessika said "I do" wearing a chic, Madison James bridal gown. A fitted crepe base with a low back and beaded lace adorning the bodice.  With illusion side cut-outs to give it a sexy edge, the dress had everything Jessika wanted in a gown.

Jessika and Eric chose to say "I do" on August, 17th 2019 at Wind Mountain Ranch on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. In searching for the perfect place to commit their lives to one another the couple wanted to find somewhere that held some sentimental value and serendipitously the two found just that.  

"In 2015, Eric and I went on our first hike on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. We stopped in the town of Skamania and got a hiking recommendation for a trail on Wind Mountain. We were one of the only people on the trail, and our picture from the top doesn't do it justice. We fell in love with the area and it became one of our go-to weekend getaway spots.

In our search for a spot to tie the knot, we came across Wind Mountain Ranch. It wasn't until our site visit that we realized the wedding site sits at the base of Wind Mountain. We looked up, saw the trail we had hiked over 3 years ago, and immediately knew this was the perfect location for our wedding. The venue is absolutely gorge-ous with a breathtaking view of Wind Mountain and the Columbia River Gorge."

Many of the guests traveled from far and wide to attend Jessika and Eric's nuptials. The pair wanted to showcase the best of the Pacifc Northwest for their guests, and highlighting some of their favorite things about the area was the part of the planning process the couple enjoyed the most.

"We incorporated the gorge into our invitations, the groomsmen's ties, and even had our rehearsal dinner on the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler!" 

Jessika and Eric were surrounded by tons of love on their wedding day, with 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen on hand to help them tie the knot.

"We had a large wedding party, which was incredibly fun!"

The large group made for a super fun wedding day, but Jessika says the quiet moments shared between herself and Eric are the ones that stand out the most. 

"Eric and I did our first look at the treehouse we were staying at, and we had a special moment to ourselves before all of the festivities started. The top moment for me though, after exchanging vows with Eric, was presenting to him my wedding gift. Eric has always wanted to own a classic VW Bus -- so I bought him one! I wanted to surprise him with it at our wedding as our 'get away' car and the look on his face was priceless!"

"The best advice I have for brides is this: Make the day special and meaningful for you, whatever that looks like! And, trust the professionals! Our day was amazing because our vendors were amazing. It's nice not to have to worry about a thing on your day except marrying your best friend and having a whole lot of fun. Assemble a great team so that you can concentrate on being the bride!" 

Vendors

Venue: Wind Mountain Ranch

Dress: Madison James

Photographer: Indwell Weddings

Florist: Bloomsbury

Hair and Makeup: Heidi Osborne

Coordinator: Krystle Clear Events

Caterer: Kiawe Island Bistro

Bartender: Backwoods Brewing

Veil and Alterations: Andrea Hoyt - August Veils

Custom Suit: Hall Madden

Topographical Ties: Kind Design

DJ: A Beat Above Entertainment

Photo Booth Bus: Little Photo Bus of Portland