November 29, 2009

Featured Venue of November - The Grand Ballroom and The Historic Grand Theater

At the last meeting of the Willamette Valley Wedding Professionals, we had the opportunity to meet at The Grand Ballroom & The Historic Grand Theater in Salem. It was my first time at the venue and I learned some information about it's history, pricing, and even got a tour at the end of the meeting. I was really impressed with the venue they have to offer for the price. The Theater has been recently renovated and can seat up to 380 guests. The theater style seating is arranged so that all of your guests can see the ceremony! It's only $550 to rent this room, and includes use of the theater, podium, lighting, and tables in the lobby and/or stage. For only an additional $100 you can use their equipment which includes an 18' x 24' movie screen, DVD player and projector, sound system, sound board, CD player, light board, microphones, and a sound technician to set up and run the equipment during your event. The theater is a large space, so it's easy to get creative and literally "set the stage" for your wedding ceremony!

As for the reception, it's just an easy elevator ride up to The Grand Ballroom! The ballroom seats up to 200 guests, plus 14 at a head table, and is set up perfectly for an indoor reception. It has separate areas for dining, food, and dancing. The large dance area has beautiful pecan wood floors, an art Deco fireplace, twinkle lights, paper lanterns, and a mirror ball in the center to tie it all together. Another plus about the ballroom is the neutral wall colors and window coverings, so it won't conflict with your wedding colors, no matter what they are! Some venues have a lot of restrictions and extra fees, but this venue is very open about the rules and prices. They allow you to use your caterer of choice, bring in food from a local store, or that you made yourself! Also, if there is no event the night/day before, they allow you to come and set up early for no additional charge! They also include the tables and chairs in their rental fee and do the custom set up according to your specifications.

Having a wedding in Oregon can be tricky with the weather...and when you're planning a wedding you can never guarantee "nice weather." It might rain, be really hot, or even windy. Well, with the ballroom neither of those will ruin your plans! It's an indoor venue and has really good air conditioning, so you'll be sure to keep all your guests comfortable no matter the weather! If it is nice weather and you're looking for some nice outdoor pictures as well, there are numerous parks close by. The ballroom rents for $2,150 on Saturdays and $1,950 on Fridays. This includes a $150 refundable cleaning/damage deposit. They are presently having a promotion for $200 off your 2009 or 2010 event for the ballroom! This is not valid for events already booked or weekday events (applies to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday events only). You can contact The Grand Ballroom and The Historic Grand Theater at 503.362.9185 or email them at Events@GrandBallroom.info. They are located at 187 High Street NE in Salem. Stop by soon to check it out and reserve your date!

November 23, 2009

Raul & Michelle's Review ~ 10.18.2009

"At first I thought I could do the whole wedding alone, thinking I came this far why hire on someone else to make my dream day come true. I found Ashley on craigslist, she is truly wonderful!

My wedding day turned out amazing. I was able to sit back and relax and take everything in while she did everything."

November 22, 2009

10.18.2009 Wedding - Red Romance

Raul and Michelle were married at the Red Lion Hotel in Salem on October 18, 2009. Being an inside wedding, they met the photographer earlier in the day to take some outside photos as well. It was raining in the morning, but cleared up in time for pictures and it was nice weather the rest of the day. Both Raul and Michelle were very ready to get married! Michelle could not stop laughing, smiling, and admiring her soon to be husband.

During the ceremony Raul and Michelle placed a single rose in the front row to represent loved ones that could not be there that day. It was very touching and the families really appreciated the gesture. At the reception the guests enjoyed a beautiful cake and Raul's son danced (and sung) to all the music playing. He, along with his two new sisters, were the life of the party on the dance floor!

The red colors really set the mood for a romantic wedding, as did the floating candles in the centerpieces. Being close to Halloween, and being big fans of skulls, the bride and groom incorporated them into the theme of their wedding. They had little skull rings for the guests, and the kids just went crazy for them! Michelle was a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Bride and she put a lot of effort into making this wedding personal and fun for their families and guests. She glued all of the ribbons onto the centerpieces, made each wedding favor, and made "M" and "G" monograms for the entry door, just to name a few. Congrats Raul and Michelle (and your precious kids)!



November 17, 2009

Featured Vendor - Jennifer of Face Body Beauty

Jennifer is truly an artist. She can make you look and feel as radiant and beautiful as you should on your wedding day. She offers on-site professional makeup artistry and hair design for weddings, photoshoots, and special events. Jennifer is a MAC Pro artist with over 8 years of experience as a professional makeup artist. She also works with other fine lines such as Nars, Cargo, Stilla, The Balm, and many others!



Check out her website and check out some of her beautiful clients! Jennifer, the owner of Face Body Beauty, has been honored with the Bride's Choice Award for Professional Makeup Artistry from the Wedding Wire network which includes weddingwire.com and marthastewartweddings.com.

She serves the Portland, Salem, and surrounding areas, but is willing to travel!

She provides on-site makeup and/or hair design for: weddings, boudoir shoots, engagement shoots/parties, rehearsal dinners, special occasions (anniversaries, dances, reunions), fashion photoshoots, makeup lessons, makeovers, bachelorette parties, you name it! I've worked with Jennifer on a few different occasions and she is such a pleasure to work with! She is fun, energetic, and extremely talented. I highly recommend her!









Photo by Jessica Hill Photography