Jessica and Chintan’s civil ceremony in Portland was a beautiful and meaningful celebration with a breathtaking couture gown and a trip around the city in a pedicab! After their courthouse ceremony (which was actually their second wedding, the first being in India), they got married again at Voodoo Doughnut, where they received blessings for their marriage from the “Voodoo Gods.” Powers Photography Studio captured their gorgeous wedding day, and Adorn Invitations provided the lovely stationery!
A fun and creative civil ceremony in Portland, OR
We met seven years ago at a nightclub in Portland which no longer exists. Fittingly enough, by chance we had our photo taken the night we met. During the pedicab tour after our American wedding, we re-created the same pose and photo from seven years prior.

 A few weeks after returning from India where I met his family, it was nearly Valentine’s Day. He had his brother send the ingredients for my favorite Indian food, street-style pizza. In India, you often have to offer bribes to get what you want. He said the pizza ingredients was my “bribe” if I’d let him be my husband. (Technically, I was proposed to with Amul cheese — although there was a ring, too).


I initially wanted something short and simple [for the dress]. However, in my husband’s community, all-white is reserved for widows. The choice to have a couture gown custom made was a process of elimination. There were no dresses I liked, particularly with accent colors. I’m a big fan of Zuhair Murad’s designs, but nothing was available that was “just right.” Going with a custom gown was the only way to get what I wanted, although “what I wanted” drastically changed in the year-long process.


For our American wedding, just a few weeks following the large Indian wedding, we wanted something small and simple with just friends. Since neither of us are Christian, the idea of a church wedding was already out. There’s always been something sweet and romantic about the notion of getting married at the courthouse. The day was informal, fun, and simple, which is just what we needed after spending a month in India.


I am not a DIYer, but many of the details were from Etsy designers and shops. I also surprised my husband by having a brick placed in downtown Portland’s Pioneer Square. You can purchase a permanent brick in what’s dubbed Portland’s livingroom. It read “J+C 4.1.16.” – Jessica
Artists
- Photographer: Powers Photography Studio
- Stationery: Adorn Invitations
- Cake: Dream Cakes
- Food: Voodoo Doughnut, PBJ’s Grilled, Koi Fusion
- Brooch Bouquet: Secret Garden Bouquets
- Ceremony Venue: Multnomah County Courthouse
- Reception Venue: Private Residence
- Dress: Embellish Design
- Hair & Makeup: Melanie Lindsey of Picasso Artistic Salon
- Shoes: Christian Louboutin, Converse