Silk & Shadows

•Ratings include Zola and Google reviews

Service levels: Full-service planning

Team size: 2 – 12

About Silk & Shadows

Ava & Sasha

Founders

Silk & Shadows is a Portland-based wedding planning, coordination, and event design studio founded by Ava D'arcy and Sasha Mereu. We work together to create celebrations that feel intentional, personal, and stress-free. Ava leads planning, logistics, and styling, while Sasha brings ceremony writing, storytelling, and officiating through his I Thee Wed work. With a shared background in event production and creative work, we help couples bring their vision to life while ensuring every detail is handled with care and calm.

What sets Silk & Shadows apart is our balance of structure and creativity. We don’t just make things look beautiful, we make sure they actually work. Our planning style is calm, thoughtful, and highly organized, so couples feel supported without being overwhelmed. With both planning and ceremony expertise in-house, we approach weddings as complete experiences, handling logistics, design, and storytelling together to create celebrations that feel personal, intentional, and genuinely enjoyable.

In three words: Creative, Efficient, Whimsical

Services by planning level

Full-service planning

Pricing starts at $4,999

Partial planning

Pricing starts at $2,499

Day-of coordination / wedding management

Pricing starts at $1,499

Event design

Pricing starts at $999

Destination wedding

Pricing starts at $6,999

Elopement / microwedding

Pricing starts at $2,499

A la carte

Pricing starts at $499

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

41 reviews

  • JW

    Jade W.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Oct 12

    Absolute Gems

    Working with Silk & Shadows was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. From our first conversation, the team showed they really listened to what we wanted and stayed on top of every detail. They took my vision—which honestly was just a bunch of spreadsheets—and turned it into the actual day I'd been dreaming about. On the wedding day itself, they kept everything running on time while we got to just enjoy the moment. Their level of care and professionalism made the entire planning process feel smooth, and our guests had no idea how much work went into making it all look effortless. We'd absolutely recommend Silk & Shadows to any couple looking for a planner who genuinely cares about bringing your vision to life.

    Ava Darcy•Oct 12, 2026

    Jade, thank you so much!! First of all, I still think you should seriously consider a career in wedding planning, because your pre-wedding organization was TOP NOTCH. Those spreadsheets were a thing of beauty, and I don't say that lightly! You two have such an incredible enthusiasm for life, and it was so much fun being around you, your wonderful family, and, of course, Josie, who is officially one of the sweetest dogs we've ever met. And what a beautiful day it was! That perfect crisp weather, your gorgeous cathedral veil (still obsessed!), and so many happy people celebrating together. We absolutely loved working with you two, and we hope married life brings you endless adventures, new experiences, and plenty of reasons to celebrate. Give Josie a hug from us!

  • IR

    Isabelle R.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Oct 5

    Book Sasha and Ava for your wedding!!

    Silk & Shadows made planning our wedding so much easier than we expected. From our first conversation, the team communicated in a way that was clear and easy to follow—they gave us exactly what we needed to know without any confusion. Their attention to detail showed in every part of our wedding day, and they truly cared about making it special for us. We felt supported throughout the entire planning process, and the value we got was worth every penny. If you're looking for a planner who listens to your vision and brings it to life with care, Silk & Shadows is the team to hire. We couldn't have asked for a better experience.

    Ava Darcy•Oct 6, 2026

    Thank you so much for trusting us with your wedding! It was such a fun day, and one of our favorite things was seeing just how many wonderful people you have around you. Your wedding party was a TEAM, and it was so obvious how much your friends love and support you both. We also absolutely adored the multicolored bridesmaids’ dresses, that first dance was phenomenal, and we loved the bonfire! You two are so much fun, and we hope married life brings you many, many more adventures together. Thank you for letting us be part of this one!

  • RN

    Rijaa N.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Aug 16, 2026

    Day of coordinator

    Sasha and Ava were an incredible team to work with and i'm truly happy that we decided to go with them for our big day. From the initial conversation to the end of the event, they both showed up with so much compassion, professionalism and grace. They truly care about their clients and all our interactions with them were absolutely lovely. They are very organized and great communicators which made us feel extremely at ease throughout the whole process. The day of the event was perfect. They managed everything wonderfully. Me and my husband were so relaxed during our wedding thanks to Sasha and Ava and their excellent services. I highly recommend hiring them for your big day. They truly were a huge part of making our day so memorable and we are very grateful to them.

    Ava Darcy•Aug 24, 2026

    Rijaa, thank you so much! We had an absolute blast at your wedding, and thank you for trusting us with such an important day. ❤️ Ava is still a little obsessed with all the beautiful traditional Pakistani outfits she saw throughout the evening. And we loved that after dinner everyone got to sdance to an actual live show. Such a fun way to celebrate! Wishing you and your husband many, many happy years together. Thank you again for letting us be part of it!

  • EB

    Ethan B.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Aug 3, 2026

    Personality Fit *and* a Perfect Wedding

    My wife Tabby and I are the kind of people who feel like we're capable of doing just about anything so having a wedding planner didn't even cross our mind at first. And we were smugly enjoying our choice until about six months out...when the wedding suddenly felt uncomfortably close, so we stowed our pride and started looking for help. I can't describe how lucky we were to find Silk & Shadows: not only did Ava and Sasha execute flawlessly, they understood that we wanted something a little weird and a little subversive, and they were right there with us. They were funny, kind, efficient, and seemed to really care that this once-in-a-lifetime experience played out exactly how we envisioned. It almost felt like our wedding was being handled with assurance by our best friends. They rolled with all of our twisted ideas and sick jokes, and never made things weird or uncomfortable. And let me tell you: they got things *done*. There's a lot that goes into a wedding, and they had all the details on lock. They never left us hanging or confused, and they treated everyone with courtesy and respect. All of the professionals that made our wedding great -- the DJ, the caterers, the photographer, the venue staff -- did a fine job. But Ava and Sasha felt like part of the wedding party, and I think that made all the difference. Ten out of ten, no notes.

    Ava Darcy•Aug 5, 2026

    Thank you so much for your kind words! It was such a joy getting to know you both and being part of your wedding journey. Thank you for trusting us not only with the planning, but also with your vision and for giving us the creative freedom to bring it to life. Couples like you are an absolute dream to work with. There were so many moments we'll never forget: the pie table instead of a traditional wedding cake, the packed dance floor, the barefoot wedding party, and of course, Tabby, you were an absolutely gorgeous bride. We hope you had the most amazing honeymoon, and we can't wait to get together for coffee soon and hear all about it. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and adventure together!

  • AD

    Arianna D.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Jul 18, 2026

    Day Of Coordinators

    If you're debating whether to hire a day-of coordinator, do it—and if you're lucky enough to book these two, even better. We hired them super last minute, only about a month before our wedding, because we originally weren't planning on having a coordinator. Looking back, I honestly think our day would have been so much more hectic without them. From the very beginning, they were incredible. They rearranged their schedule so they could be at our rehearsal, led everything with confidence, and made the whole process feel so much less overwhelming. During our venue walkthrough, they spent so much time talking through our vision, bouncing around ideas, and offering suggestions we never would have thought of. It was obvious they had so much experience and genuinely cared about making our day exactly what we wanted. One thing that really stood out was how well they listened. They hung on to every detail we shared, wrote everything down, and made us feel heard. They never pushed their own vision—instead, they offered thoughtful advice while always keeping our priorities at the center of every conversation. It felt like such a breath of fresh air. They're also just wonderful people. As a husband-and-wife team, they worked so well together and were incredibly patient, supportive, calm, and kind throughout the entire process. Weddings are unpredictable, and of course a few things didn't go perfectly, but none of that was because of them. They handled everything they could with professionalism and genuinely gave it their all. Out of all of our vendors, they were honestly one of our favorites. If I could do it all over again, I would hire them again in a heartbeat—just much sooner. We can't thank them enough for everything they did to help make our wedding day so special. -Conner & Ari

    Ava Darcy•Jul 18, 2026

    Thank you so much, Conner & Ari! Reading your review truly means the world to us. Your wedding was unforgettable. It was a grand celebration with so many moving pieces, a beautiful property, and so many wonderful people gathered to celebrate with you. We absolutely cherish the memories from that day and feel so grateful that we got to be a part of it. It was such a pleasure getting to know you both throughout the planning process. You're a beautiful couple, and the love, trust, and teamwork you share make us believe you're capable of anything together. Thank you for trusting us with your wedding day. We wish you many, many years of laughter, adventure, and happiness in this new chapter of your lives. Congratulations again!

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Silk & Shadows has planned and coordinated dozens of weddings, from intimate elopements and micro-weddings to full-day celebrations. We specialize in unconventional, whimsical, and highly personalized events, often featuring dark Victorian, moody, romantic, or non-traditional aesthetics. What sets our work apart is how we bring strong visual design and hands-on planning together, ensuring the wedding not only looks distinctive and intentional, but also runs smoothly and stress-free for our couples.
Yes. While Silk & Shadows is led by Ava and Sasha Mereu, we work closely with a trusted network of local vendors we’ve built strong relationships with over time. These are collaborators we genuinely trust, not commission-based referrals. We prioritize local, sustainable businesses and value mutual respect, clear communication, and teamwork. When we recommend vendors, it’s because we know their work, their professionalism, and how well they collaborate, which helps create a smoother, more thoughtful experience for our couples.
Yes. In addition to weddings, Silk & Shadows plans and designs a wide range of events, including rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, showers, birthdays, celebrations of life, and other meaningful gatherings. We approach these events with the same care we bring to weddings, focusing on thoughtful planning, distinctive design, and smooth execution so each event feels intentional and well put together.
The amount of time you’ll spend with us depends on the level of planning support you choose, but regardless of the package, we’re very hands-on. Full planning involves ongoing check-ins and collaboration throughout the process, while partial planning and day-of coordination focus on more defined touchpoints as the wedding approaches. No matter the scope, we’re deeply involved, easy to reach, and fully invested in your experience. By the end, most couples say it feels less like working with a vendor and more like having trusted friends in their corner.
No. We intentionally limit the number of weddings we take on so we can be fully present and focused on each couple. Silk & Shadows is a small, hands-on team with a very personal approach, and we don’t believe in stacking multiple weddings in a day or weekend. We’d rather take on fewer events and deliver thoughtful, attentive service than stretch ourselves thin.

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