A Simple, Intimate Farm Wedding in Oregon

Picturesque Pacific Northwest settings are something of a theme for Elizabeth Pursley and Colin Randall. The couple got engaged in a rowboat near Suquasmish, Washington and married at a bucolic family farm on July 29, 2017, in Oregon City, Oregon. Sixty-one guests were present for their “I dos,” which took place under an apple tree on the bride's grandmother's farm—the same place her parents were married.

Simplicity was the primary vision for the big day, though, Elizabeth admits, “some things took on a life of their own." She looked to her mother for help and together they conceived a color scheme of peachy, dusty pinks with greenery throughout. The couple also decided to focus only on the details that mattered to them, and chose to omit things they did not want. “For example, neither of us wanted to dance so we didn’t have dancing,” says Elizabeth, adding that they also didn’t have a bridal party beyond a ring bearer, Colin’s nephew. Her advice for wedding planning success: “Don’t get hung up on what a wedding has to have. Decide what parts you like and focus on them—let the rest go. It’s whatever you want it to be.”

Keep scrolling to see Katie Dessin's photos of Elizabeth and Colin's intimate farm wedding, which was filed with wildflowers and plenty of personal details, below.

Natural flowers were a common theme throughout the day, and along with those growing on the property, the couple placed hanging baskets throughout the yard and planted beds of lavender with succulents and cosmos along the borders. They also introduced the theme early-on, when they sent out invites featuring colorful wildflowers.

A colorful chalkboard displayed a floral-accented program, which included cocktails and lawn games and, of course, a time for the ever-important cake cutting.

Elizabeth donned a white layered silk chiffon dress by Yves Saint Laurent that was very close to what she’d envisioned after seeing a black YSL chiffon cape. “I wanted something with the same silhouette in white,” she says. “After trying on many other dresses and feeling uncomfortable in all of them, this one felt like me.” An added bonus of the bride’s dress: It was light and easy to wear in the heat of July! She chose her Loeffler Randall shoes for their pink color, which tied in with the wedding color palette perfectly.

For her bouquet, Elizabeth wanted to focus on dahlias so they were front-and-center. The organic arrangement also featured ranunculus, scabiosa, and ferns.

The farm has been in Elizabeth’s family for decades, and is where her parents were married as well. On the big day, the couple did their first look and posed for portraits in front of a rustic white backdrop.

Elizabeth and Colin chose to wed in the farm's backyard, which faces Mt. Hood. As a violin and cello duo played (the couple had them select all the ceremony music!), they stood under a flower-topped arbor to exchange vows.

After a celebratory exit, the newlyweds moved to the lawn for cocktail hour, where Elizabeth’s close friend and his singing partner played the guitar, harmonica and violin. “Their voices were beautiful and made the day special,” she says.

Escort cards were printed on the top of mini bottles of honey (made from the father-of-the-bride's bees!), which doubled as wedding favors for guests.

For the dinner settings, Elizabeth and Colin mixed Blue Danube with white dishes, since it’s a pattern used by both their families, and added greenery runners made of ferns down the center of each table.

Everyone toasted with the couple's signature cocktails: a blackberry Moscow Mule and classic Old Fashioned.

Dessert played a big role in the wedding. The duo says it was the easiest part of the planning process: “Sampling wedding cake was pretty painless,” says Elizabeth. They chose a trio of cakes: lemon Marion berry, chocolate hazelnut and pistachio cardamom.

Looking back, the bride had a lot to say about the food and the company, but she admits that, to her, the most special part of it all was the location. “Being married at the same place as my parents will always have great meaning to me,”she says.