The Oregon Coast boasts its share of quaint seaside towns, and none more charming than Astoria. Susan Wall, 29, and Daniel Ralls, 33, recognized its maritime magic—so much so that they chose Astoria for their destination wedding after a weekend visit. Friends and family flew in from across the country to attend the celebration and enjoy a waterfront vacation. All the guests stayed at downtown Astoria’s Hotel Elliott, where the couple arranged to have the hotel staff leave chocolates and thank-you notes on each attendee’s pillow.
Susan and Daniel exchanged vows in front of a wall of windows overlooking Astoria’s marina and the Columbia River at the Barbey Maritime Center. Guests then made their way to the nearby Fort George Brewery, where they danced the night away under a flock of colorful origami cranes hanging from the rafters. “We met in a brewpub, so it made sense and fit our personalities,” explained Susan. “We wanted a relaxed coastal feel.”
With the help of their wedding designer, Christina Safford of Designs by Muse, and their photographer, Brittany Lauren, Susan and Daniel planned the wedding from afar. The details came together beautifully, with the elegant nautical theme carried through the oceanic invitations by Minted, the whimsical coastal décor, and the San Juan Sea Salt Chocolates used as wedding favors. Their “Message in a Bottle” guestbook, with “tonight” and first, fifth and tenth anniversary bottles to choose from, took the theme even further.
“It gave the kids an activity to complete during cocktail hour,” recalls Susan. “There were lots of lovely drawings in the ‘tonight’ bottle!”
Another thoughtful touch was the dessert selection, provided by Portland’s Le Cookie Monkey. Daniel proposed while Susan was baking cinnamon rolls on a memorable Sunday morning. Less than a year later, the couple incorporated that romantic moment into their special day by serving cinnamon rolls alongside their cake choices.
