Portland Women in Weddings | Women's History Month
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The wedding industry is full of women who built something out of nothing — out of a passion, a gap in the market, a garage full of decor, or simply a deep love for what they do.
This March — Women's History Month — we wanted to celebrate the incredible women behind Portland's wedding scene.
We asked women across the Portland wedding community three questions: what made you start, what's the hardest part, and what would you tell someone thinking about taking the leap. Here's what they said.
Mary — Kvetka Flower
What made you take the leap and start Kvetka Flower?
"When we moved to Portland three years ago, I was struck by how alive everything felt — the gardens, the farms, the wildflowers, all of it. The local flower farming scene here is genuinely impressive, and I wanted to tap into that. I'd worked with flowers back home, and I quickly realized that Portland was a place where that background could grow into something real — combining the European approach I'd grown up with and the incredible local blooms the PNW has to offer. That's how Kvetka started."
What's the biggest challenge of running your own creative business — and how do you push through it?
"Our style is very European, and that's not for everyone — and honestly, that's okay. Beauty is relative, and the US already has a rich tradition of floral design. What we're offering isn't just flowers, it's a different perspective. That distinction used to feel like a challenge, but I've come to see it as our strength. The couples who find us are usually the ones who were already looking for something a little different."
What advice would you give to another woman thinking about going out on her own?
"My biggest piece of advice is not to cut everything off at once. Start alongside what you already have — treat it as a hobby first. If it starts bringing you not just joy but also income, that's your sign. And don't underestimate the power of simply being present — go to events, introduce yourself, tell your story. So much of building a business comes down to being visible and being in the right place at the right time."
Analy Lee — Analy Photo
What made you take the leap and start your own photography business?
"Analy Photo began in 2016 after I had the opportunity to shadow a local wedding photographer here in Portland. Being behind the scenes at a wedding and witnessing the emotion, anticipation, and joy throughout the day completely changed the way I saw photography.
There was something incredibly meaningful about documenting moments that couples and their families would carry with them for decades. I fell in love with photographing people in those honest, fleeting moments — the quiet exchanges, the laughter, the celebration.
That experience sparked something in me, and I knew I wanted to pursue it seriously. Since then, my work has grown beyond weddings into other forms of portraiture, but weddings will always be where my heart is."
What's the biggest challenge of running your own creative business — and how do you push through it?
"One of the biggest challenges today is navigating the fast pace of social media and the pressure to constantly keep up with trends. It's easy to feel like you have to chase whatever is currently going viral.
Over time, I've learned that the most sustainable path is staying grounded in your own vision and creative voice. Trends will always come and go, but authenticity and consistency are what truly build trust with clients.
I try to focus on creating work that feels timeless and meaningful rather than temporary. When you stay committed to your craft and continue showing up, the right people eventually find you."
What advice would you give to another woman thinking about going out on her own?
"Start before you feel completely ready.
There will always be uncertainty when building something of your own, but growth happens through taking that leap and learning along the way. Running a creative business requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to keep going even when things feel slow or challenging.
The biggest lesson I've learned is that the most meaningful rewards take time. If you believe in what you're building, give yourself the space and patience to grow into it."
Erin & Elaine — Power of Love Rentals
What made you two take the leap and start Power of Love Rentals together?
"When I got married, we had so much fun planning the design and curating the entire weekend to reflect us as a couple. We ended up purchasing a lot of the pieces because the only rental companies in the area at the time were super corporate, which wasn't our vibe. When my husband asked if he could have his garage back after the wedding, I asked him if Mom and I could start a business. We haven't looked back since."
What's the biggest challenge of running your own creative business — and how do you push through it?
"We both have ADHD, and the executive dysfunction can be real sometimes. But we've surrounded ourselves with an amazing group of peers that we can reach out to for moral support or with questions. I've had to learn to be able to step back and let other people do the work — and we've curated a super strong team of independent contractors that we've trained in our systems and our styles that I can trust their work."
What advice would you give to another woman thinking about going out on her own?
"Don't do this by yourself. Go to the networking groups. Meet other business owners that do what you do, or similar. Don't look at them as competition, but as part of a community. There's a saying 'community over competition' and it's so true. Your peers will be your biggest cheerleaders and supporters. They'll become dear friends and advisors. Owning your own business is daunting and can be lonely. Don't let it be."
Corrie Mahr — Corrie Mahr Photography
What does building your own business in Portland mean to you?
"One of the best parts is the ability to build a business that genuinely reflects my values and creative vision. Portland has such a strong culture of independent artists and women-owned businesses, and I feel really lucky to work alongside planners, florists, designers, and other creatives who care deeply about intention, beauty, and experience. It often feels less like competition and more like a community of people uplifting each other and collaborating to create something meaningful for couples!"
What's one challenge you didn't expect when you started?
"I didn't fully realize how much of running a business has nothing to do with the craft itself (though the craft is also important). Photography is the creative work I love, but entrepreneurship also means learning marketing, finances, contracts, communication, and long-term strategy. That learning curve was definitely a challenge at first, but it's also been empowering. It taught me that creative women are more than capable of building sustainable businesses when we're willing to step into those roles and keep learning."
What advice would you give to a woman just starting her own business?
"Start before you feel completely ready and don't wait for everything to be perfect. Most businesses grow through small experiments, trial and error, and building relationships along the way. I'd also encourage women to lean into their own voice and perspective rather than trying to copy what's already out there. The most powerful businesses are usually the ones that feel the most personal and authentic."
Katy Weaver — Katy Weaver Photography
What made you take the leap and start your own photography business?
"I started when I was 20, right after my sophomore year at Oregon State. I'd been obsessed with photography throughout my teens — deep in the Flickr era — and had just finished as editor-in-chief of my college paper. I figured if I could lead a daily newspaper, I could start a business. It turned out to be perfect timing: I built it during summers while finishing school, made connections, learned constantly. I didn't know if it would work, but I told myself that if it failed, I'd just go to grad school. It didn't fail. When I graduated, I went full-time straight out of school — and that was 17 years ago. I'm so glad I trusted myself."
What's the biggest challenge of running your own creative business — and how do you push through it?
"Right now, it's time. I recently had my second baby, and balancing full-time work with two kids — even with daycare — is genuinely hard. My business was my first baby, and stepping outside that identity into motherhood has been eye-opening. I used to be a total workaholic with unlimited time for everything. Now I have to be intentional about every part of my life. I've moved out of the building phase and into optimization and fine-tuning. Constraints are liberating in a strange way — I only take on clients and projects that really fill my cup. Because if I'm spending time away from my family, it has to be time well spent."
What advice would you give to another woman thinking about going out on her own?
"Do it. Don't wait for the perfect time, the perfect branding, the perfect website. Just start. Your best learning comes from your own mistakes, and you have to begin in order to make them. Start slow, start small — but go for it and keep adjusting as you learn. And one piece of advice from my mentor that has stayed with me: if you're ever frustrated with a client, or they with you, it's because you didn't communicate effectively enough. Do great work, communicate well, and just start."
To every woman who built something of her own — in Portland and beyond — happy Women's History Month.
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