Ryo and Roshan’s wedding at Nordic Northwest in Portland, Oregon, was a celebration of simplicity, nature, and modern elegance.
Embracing the theme of “Koke,” meaning moss in Japanese, the couple let the venue’s lush outdoor greenery take center stage, enhancing it with minimalist DIY moss decorations and potted plants.
The Scandinavian modern style of the venue hall, with its large windows showcasing the natural beauty outside, perfectly complemented their vision of a serene and understated wedding, where every detail reflected their love for clean lines and a harmonious blend of nature and design.
Where did you get married?
Nordic Northwest in Portland, Oregon
Why did you choose to get married at Nordic Northwest in Portland?
The simplicity and modern style of the building were a perfect fit for our vision, and it also featured an amazing outdoor space for the ceremony with a beautiful green backdrop. This was also one of our favorite brunch spots.
What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?
The most memorable part was that all our guests enjoyed the event, and the whole day was filled with laughter and tears. One of the highlights was my spouse’s friend’s speech. She prepared part of her speech in Japanese for my family, who was visiting from Japan. Despite not being a Japanese speaker, she learned the phrases as a surprise. She gave a beautiful message, thanking my parents for bringing me into the world, and everyone burst into tears. As a gay man growing up in Japan, I never thought I would have a wedding. I was so grateful not only to have the wedding of my dreams but also to be surrounded by so many family and friends who supported us.
Ryo, paint us a picture. What was the theme, style, colors, and overall vibe of your wedding day?
Our theme was “Koke,” which means moss in Japanese. The venue had amazing outdoor greenery, so we kept the decorations to a minimum. We also prefer a simple and modern style, so the tables were adorned with DIY moss decorations and potted plants, keeping everything minimal. The venue hall featured a Scandinavian modern style with large windows and greenery in the background, so we didn’t need to decorate extensively.
What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?
My favorite part of wedding planning was checking off items on the WedSites checklist. It helped manage our anxiety leading up to the big day. I also enjoyed creating the centerpieces ourselves.
What was the best investment you made for your wedding?
I highly recommend having a photo booth with personalized props. As cat parents, we made a large cutout of our two cats as a photo prop. It was a great way to include them in our wedding, and everyone loved it.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Surprisingly, nothing went wrong, and we had no issues. One thing I’m particularly glad we did was book all of the major vendors early. We secured our venue, caterer, photographer, DJ, and cake well in advance, which helped alleviate a lot of stress.
What was your favorite part of using WedSites for your wedding?
I loved that we could plan our wedding ourselves without needing to use any additional services. We didn’t hire a planner, but WedSites was more than sufficient to keep us on schedule, manage invitations and guests, and create a beautiful website. I particularly appreciated the localization feature, which allowed us to have the website and invitations in different languages.
Ryo and Roshan’s customed wedding website
Wedding planning is notoriously stressful. Now that you’ve gone through the process, do you have any advice or words of wisdom for couples who are currently in the midst of planning theirs?
I would advise seeking help from friends and family, especially those who have planned their own weddings. Everyone is happy to lend a hand and be involved in your special day, which will help ensure you have a fun and memorable day!
The amazing team of vendors involved with this wedding
Venue: Nordic Northwest
Photographer: No Rules Photography
Music | DJ: Noteworthy DJs
Caterer: Broder Catering
Cake Baker: FAT Cupcake
Rings: SORA
Decor | Florist: Ryo & Roshan (DIY)
Gifts & Favors: Ryo & Roshan (DIY)
Wedding Website: WedSites
