Sasha and Jay Flint like to call their romance Love in 140 Characters, which refers to the number of symbols on a cell phone for sending text messages. At the time, he lived in Astoria and she in Hood River. But love, as it often does, conquered all.

The first part of our relationship was all in text messages, Sasha says with a laugh. I didnt have a phone plan with actual minutes, so we just texted and emailed each other. No billet doux on scented paper were exchanged in this relationship. Theirs was a 21st-century kind of coming together at least initially.

The meeting

Fortunately, the remainder of the courting portion of Jay and Sashas relationship played out with both parties living in the same town: Astoria. Theyd been introduced by friends and had felt an immediate and powerful connection early on. Jay maintains that he knew within four months of first meeting her that Sasha was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

That being the case, he brought an heirloom diamond ring, in his family for five generations, to local jewelry designer Holly McHone, who fashioned an exquisite new setting. The couple was impressed with the artistry and effort that went into their design. We went through so many molds and variations to get the final rings, Jay says.

 

Popping the question

The new ring in his pocket, Jay popped the question over dinner at the Bridgewater Bistro. Going down on one knee, he asked his lady love to make him the happiest man alive. Caught up in the moment as he was, he hadnt realized that nearby clientele at this popular eatery were watching everything. When Sasha accepted him, these folks cheered and clapped. Owner Tony Kischner came over and offered his warmest congratulations and sent complimentary desserts to their table.

Wedding planning

Jay and Sasha planned their wedding themselves no small feat given that they were also moving into the new house theyd just bought and working new jobs, too! Jay, 38, is the executive director for the Sunset Empire Transportation District; Sasha, 26, is employed as a marketing and administrative supervisor with WorldMark by Wyndham in Seaside.

We wanted a romantic, elegant wedding, so we opted for straightforward, simple and clean when making our choices, says Jay. The wedding colors were white and deep red with black accents.

The Wedding

The couple was married before officiate Josh Long on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. at the Astoria Column. The weather was fine, and the stunning views were savored by the 125 friends and family members in attendance, as were the sweet, touching moments frequently shared by all. Explains Jay, We had a lot of guests and wanted to show off the beauty of the area. What could be better than the Astoria Column on a beautiful day? Plus, my dad has a brick up there, and we wanted his presence near us.

The bride was a vision in her long white dress and veil. With its understated elegance cap sleeves, modified V neck and gently scalloped hemline the gown was completely covered in lace. Her six bridesmaids wore dresses of dark, rich red. (Two were pregnant and well enough along that there were concerns that a baby or two might arrive that day!) Jays brother, Joshua Flint, and his best friend, Manny Cruz, were best men. Four other groomsmen attended.

Jays daughter, Siena, whos 7, was the flower girl. She made a fetching picture walking down the aisle with the couples beloved dog, Reggie, on a leash. The white Maltese wore a little doggie tuxedo with an elasticized pouch that contained the wedding rings. Both the bride and grooms mothers watched from a front row seat; their fathers are deceased. In the absence of her father, the bride was given away by a friend from Arizona, where she grew up.

At one point, there was a little ceremony involving rocks and sand, symbolizing the couples hopes and opportunities for their marriage. They and both their mothers wrote things they wanted for the newlyweds life together on rocks that were then put in jar. To solidify and unify things, sand was then poured over all. 

The Reception

When the ceremony was over, guests were shuttled to The Loft in Astoria via a bus rented from Sundial Travel for the reception, as there wasnt sufficient parking at the Column for all the guests. Aside from its gorgeous location and views, they chose the Red Building, because theyd gotten engaged at the Bridgewater Bistro.

Fulios Restaurant catered the affair. They did a wonderful job of working within our budget, and everyone raved about the food, Jay says. Guests were treated to a sumptuous buffet that included savory mushroom tortes, panzenella (a bread salad), Tuscan steak tidbits, polenta cakes with pesto, mixed field greens with balsamic vinegar; garlic roasted prime rib with horseradish and au jus sauces, and grilled albacore tuna. Also on hand were two kinds of vegetarian pasta, rosemary roasted potatoes and Oregon asparagus with pancetta.

The cake, by Cakes by Jae, was a triumph. As always, it was made from scratch using top-quality ingredients. A ribbon, in a deep shade of red, encircled the bottom of each of the three layers: vanilla, caramel and chocolate. The caramel was everyones favorite, Sasha says. Once it had been covered with Cakes scrumptious Italian butter cream frosting, fresh flowers red again were a simple, elegant adornment to this classy creation. Jae did a phenomenal job. She was fantastic, rave the newlyweds.

The couple arranged for Astoria florist Bloomin Crazy to do the wedding flowers. They did a wonderful job on all the bouquets, which were so beautiful. We specified what we wanted, and they came back with suggestions, Sasha says. The bridal bouquet was a profusion of Stargazer lilies, white, delicately-scented Stephanotis (aka the wedding plant) and wine-dark, burgundy colored carnations. Variations on this grouping were used decoratively throughout the wedding and reception.

Each table sported candleholders created by Astorias Fernhill Glass Studio. They were etched with a commemorative script on the bottom and given as gifts to the bridal party. A black plate with sand dollars and river rocks accompanied the candles and served as striking centerpieces for the tables.

The Honeymoon

The Flints wedding night was spent in a luxurious suite at the Cannery Pier Hotel. We woke up in the morning and watched the ships going by. It was fantastic. We were so glad we did that, Jay says. From there, they went to Sunriver where they spent five days hiking, swimming, getting massages and just relaxing. They plan to take a Caribbean cruise in the near future.

Congratulations, Jay and Sasha.