Portland Wedding Coordinator

{Weddings in the Columbia Gorge} - The Columbia Gorge Hotel reopens under new ownership

We recently had the opportunity to tour the newly-reopened Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon...

via www.columbiagorgehotel.com

We braved the icy roads of I-84 to meet with Kim Bosch, Director of Sales, of the newly-reopened Columbia Gorge Hotel. As many of you may know, the hotel closed last fall due to financial problems. The hotel has now been acquired by new owners, and brought in North Pacific Management to run the hotel. Midge Dobbs, CMP, Regional Sales Manager for North Pacific, is a long-time colleague of mine from my Meeting Professionals International days, so, between her and Kim, I know the hotel is now in great hands.

Kim toured us throughout the 39 upscale sleeping rooms and let me know about some of the upcoming renovations in store.

{Wedding Specialty Catering Services in Portland} Cravin' Raven Organic Bakery

My uncle was diagnosed with celiac disease in his late 60s. Imagine going all that time not knowing that wheat and gluten were causing you problems! Now, it seems we hear of many more people with some form of gluten intolerance, so it's always nice to hear of a place that can meet their needs, especially for an occasion such as a wedding.

Cindy of Cravin' Raven Organic Bakery contacted us the other day to let us know her shop had opened in Sellwood and is expanding its catering operations. She told us a little about her products: "I use agave for a sweetener and everything is organic except for some of the flours that I use in the gluten free products." 

 

Photos by ToraIllustration via || Cravin' Raven Organic Bakery ||

Apparently the chocolate cupcakes are a hit on Yelp! We can't wait to try some.

{Wedding Venues in Portland, Oregon} A Sunflower Garden Wedding

We often stumble across new Portland wedding venues that are a little off the beaten path. Here is one: Sunflower Gardens on the west side, off Cornelius Pass Road. (You will need to contact the venue owner for complete directions, as it is a private facility.) In January when everything is grey and dreary, it is hard to imagine the riot of colors and flowers that can be an Oregon farm in August. But just take a look:

Above photo by Gabriel Boone photography, via sunflowergardenweddingportland.com

 

We were given a tour last May by Jill, who is in charge of booking the venue. The wedding package starts at $3,500 and includes, from what we understand, lots of amenities including tents for foodservice, guest seating, and dressing. (Remember that the sunflowers bloom only from about July 15th to September 14th, so dates are limited.)

The site can accommodate up to 200 guests. Could this be the outdoor garden venue you've been looking for? Contact Sunflower Gardens to find out.

{Foodie alert!} PDX Cheeseworks - Professional fromager at your wedding or event

We just received this communique from Brandon Weeks at PDX Cheeseworks:

I'm writing to let your organization know of our services at PDX Cheeseworks - an independent professional entity specializing in the art of cheese service, something totally unique to Portland and the world! See us at http://www.pdxcheeseworks.com

... Professional cheese service works in a wide variety of formats from casual to formal. In a nutshell what we do is provide world class cheeses and service with unique and specific accompaniments made from scratch to pair with each of them in a fun and educational format. It doesn't stop there - we also specialize in the sweeter side of things, customizing flavors and preparations to individual tastes, with training under the best chefs in the country. 

This of course is right up our alley, since we love food, interactive event services, and things that are customized! And educational too? Can't wait to try it out!