Independence, OR | T+J’s Green Villa Barn Wedding

Tricel, the wonderful bride, reached out to me in November 2021 to book a coordinator for her 2023 Independence, Oregon wedding. She was kind, funny, and most of all, knew how important it was to have a coordinator to ease her stress not only on her wedding day, but also throughout the wedding planning process. Over the year and a half that Tricel was booked with us, I got to know her more and more, through the calls, messages, and seeing her Instagram stories. It was an honor to work with her and Juvey for their big day. 

Throughout the planning process, Tricel was extremely organized and wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. We worked tirelessly on pulling all the details together so when it came to the day of, things went smooth and were beautiful. 

The first thing myself and my team noticed when we arrived at the venue was how many people were already there, ready to help and do whatever they could throughout the day to make sure it went well. There were at least 20 people onsite ready to do everything they could. Tricel’s mom, Tanya, later explained to me the significance and meaning behind their family members being there to help – they had come from thousands of miles away to join their family in celebrating Juvey and Tricel’s marriage and one big thing for Islander weddings is that their family is there throughout the day to make sure that they have everything set up and ready to go. While our team does set up for weddings, we were amazed by how helpful they were and how specific they were in ensuring that Tricel’s vision came to life. 

While we see plenty of first looks, we don’t get to see as many first touches. Their first touch was intimate, personal, and so sweet to watch. They laughed, teared up, and just enjoyed each other’s presence, even though they couldn’t see each other. 

Tricel’s wedding party was one of the largest ones that we have seen in our company – there were 36 people that walked down the aisle during their processional. While it can be a bit wild with all those people, it just showed how many people they had on their side, supporting them through their marriage and adventures together. 

I know we have a lot of favorites from this wedding, but one of our favorite things that occured throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour was Yuliya – a violinist that plays beautiful music. She added to the ambiance and vibe of the entire day, and really started the day off perfectly.

After the ceremony and family photos were taken, Tricel and Juvey made sure to take some time to themselves to relax and enjoy their day together. Since most couples don’t get to spend a huge chunk of their day together, this is something that we highly recommend to ensure that you get some one-on-one time with your partner. It is your wedding day where you and your partner are getting married. While it is important to spend time with your guests, it’s just as important (actually more important) to also get a lil bit of time with your partner. 

One of my favorite parts of this day was watching the couple not only have this major level of support from their family, but also from their wedding party. One of the best things that happened during their reception was their grand entrance. Juvey entered alongside his groomsmen with a little dancey-dance they had practiced beforehand. Once the bridesmaids had their entrance, Juvey went back and joined his bride for their big couple entrance. Tricel had changed into a traditional Islander wedding dress, and it was such a fun surprise. The love that this couple has for each other is magical. I loved to see the light in their eyes when they talked about/to each other. 

After a tasty buffet dinner (also one of the biggest buffet tables we’ve seen – seriously, there were so many options), Tricel and Juvey got to hear some of their closest friends and family members speak kind words about them. Toasts are always such a great way to get that love spread to you and your partner on your day. Once those were spoken, we moved into dances. They did their first dance to “From this moment on” by Maoli. Maoli is an Islander singer, and what better way to honor the heritage than from an Islander song for your first dance. 

Next, Tricel danced with her father to one of my favorite father-daughter songs – Half the Man by Jennifer Hart. It was a very sweet and wholesome moment – *insert core memory here*. Next up was the groom’s dance with his sister. Sadly, Juvey’s mom had passed – one thing that Juvey and Tricel did to include Juvey’s mother was that they had a large photo of her that they used for family photos and other points throughout the night. It was such a personable touch that really honored Juvey’s mother. 

Through the reception events, Beyond the Lens’ photo and video team was amazing. They were always there to get the shots they planned on, while also getting candid moments that we weren’t expecting. We highly recommend Beyond the Lens and would absolutely love to work alongside them again. I mean, come on, just look at the gallery at the bottom of this!

At the end of the night, while our team got guests lined up for the sparkler exit, Tricel and Juvey took 2 songs to themselves to dance privately, with nobody else in the room. It was such a sweet moment to peek in on, and I absolutely loved being able to watch little snippets. The end of a wedding is always so bittersweet – while it is so nice for the couple to not have to plan an event anymore (that shit is stressful lol), the day they have waited for over a year has come to an end. However, Tricel was more than happy to not be planning an event any further and they were both ready to get going to their honeymoon. 

Thank you to this amazing vendor team:

Photo + Video | Beyond the Lens

Coordination | Daisy + Sun Events

Catering | Mariana’s Grillin

Venue + Bar | Green Villa Barn

MC | Harvest CNMI Entertainment

Rentals | For the Love of Pete Rentals

Ceremony violinist | Lockyear Music

Cake | Sweetly Baked 

Hair + makeup | Sequoia’s Beauty Bar