Sweet Dreams Weddings & Events is a full service design company serving Oregon & SW Washington. Sweet Dreams handles all types of events large and small with budgets of all sizes. They are excited to announce their new meeting space. They are located at 1605 NE Broadway St. Portland suite 1A.

Sweet Dreams offers: Event Theme & Design, Budget Analysis & Planning, Vendor Research, Vendor Contact, Wedding Day Coordination and much more.

Contact them today to get started on the wedding of your dreams! 

 Office: ~ 1-503-366-5196~

info@sweetdreamsweddings.com
lisa@sweetdreamsweddings.com
tilly@sweetdreamsweddings.com

Hey all you Portland brides-to-be… listen up!! We have some exciting news to share with all of you, which will include some discounts at New and Blue boutique in the Pearl District!!

Recently our “Wood” invitation by Designers Fine Press was featured in the Portland Bride & Groom Summer issue. The invitation was part of the “Let the Sunshine In” color board on pages 22 and 23. We are so excited about this article we want to give back to all of you dedicated readers. So here are the details…

Bring in your copy of Portland Bride & Groom Summer/Fall 2011 issue to our Boutique in the Pearl District and we will give you 20% off your total purchase. Offer expires August 1st, 2011.

New and Blue + Portland Bride & Groom Promotion

This blog was written and submitted by Elizabeth at New and Blue. New and Blue specializes in wedding invitations, stationery and party favors.

The Washington Square location of Williams-Sonoma is hosting an open house on Sunday, June 26th from 1pm-5pm.  They will be showcasing popular products for the wedding registry, helping bride & grooms get signed up for the registry, and showcasing everything they have to offer.

You can host a bridal shower at their store or a private event that allows only your guests to be in the store! Some of their registry items also include “free”  exclusive gifts.

There will be food and drinks available, prizes, and you can pick up the 2011 Bravo! Wedding Resource Guide.

Don’t forget to mention “Bravo!” when you make your reservation and you will receive an extra gift!

Please RSVP for this great event by calling the store at 503.684.2784

The sun is finally out and the days are longer. Looking for something to do outside? Check out Portland Spirit River Cruises. They offer cruises on the Willamette River and the Columbia River departing from downtown Portland and you can do a lunch, dinner or brunch cruise with fresh Northwest cuisine. You can also step aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler from Cascade Locks.

 Friday evenings are the perfect time to cruise on the river and listen to sounds from kink.fm. They have a summer concert series beginning in July. Check out the website for more information and to sign-up.

They have several different boats available for private events and weddings. You can see the options on the website or schedule a tour!

What a great way to spend a sunny day or evening.

Located in the heart of Hood River is the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel. The Benson Ballroom offers 4,000 sq. ft. of reception space with access to the outdoors and the 208′ waterfall. The Falls Room is at the end of the dining room and offers 660 sq. ft. of space for intimate dinners. The Pointe Lawn and West Lawn offer outdoor space for up to 200 people with beautiful views.

Next door to the hotel is Columbia Cliff Villas,  a 28 unit luxury hotel and condominium near Portland in Hood River, Oregon. The hotel is ideal for a wedding venue, meeting, event or conference space, or a romantic honeymoon. The hotel and condominium rooms range from 1 to 3 bedrooms with lockout doors, optimal for accommodating families and large groups. Each spacious villa combines old-world boutique hotel charm and craftsmanship with beautiful exquisite furnishings and gourmet kitchens.

 Have you always wanted to hold an event at a winery? Check out Cathedral Ridge Winery. Cathedral Ridge Winery is the perfect setting for your outdoor wedding and reception. Nestled in a beautiful vineyard with stunning views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams, the winery offers the perfect weatherproof location for up to 200 guests. They will also provide wine for your event at another location!
  Maryhill Winery located in Goldendale, Washington offers breathtaking views as the backdrop for an event or wedding. They offer several spaces; the recreation and pavillion area, Columbia River Gorge Bluff Ceremony site, ampitheater and stage area, grape covered arbor or the large cement dance area.

Maryhill Winery also offers custom bottles of wine with personalized event labels.

 Wind River Cellars offers a magnificent view and charming facilities for your next wedding or event. They can can accommodate up to 200 guests and offer an area for ceremonies as well as a reception area for eating, dancing and enjoying the evening view. The Vineyard Garden is the wedding ceremony site, surrounded by twenty five-year-old vineyard with a spectacular view of the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood. They offer a reception site just a few yards from the vineyard site at the winery facility. A large deck and patio area serve as the perfect area for hors d’oeurves, wine, dinner and dancing.

 Gorge-ous Weddings at WindMountain Ranch has stunning views that can’t be beat. Located in Stevenson, Washington this private residence offers a spacious outdoor site or a large tent for indoor receptions.  Wind Mountain Ranch House offers scenic views of the Gorge and accommodates up to 10 guests, making it ideal for retreats and small groups.

Are you looking for place to hold your wedding or event that seems like it is out of city, but is not a far drive? Check out the Columbia River Gorge where there are venues that will fit any type of personality and event. On the North side of Mt Hood you will find Cooper Spur Resort. You can find intimate settings with beautiful views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainer. Cooper Spur offers onsite catering as part of their packages. Cabins, lodge rooms, condos and a log home are available for your choice of accomodations.

 Voted one of America’s top 100 day spas, Bonneville Hot Springs Resort offers open, airy meeting rooms filled with natural light and fully wired with high-speed Internet access. Their creative caterers can design tantalizing coffee breaks or banquet dinners. Arrange for team-building outings such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, or a round of golf. Treat clients and colleagues to a long overdue escape from boring Portland meeting space. Bonneville Resort offers 1500 sq. ft. of meeting space and an outdoor terrace perfect for cocktail parties or dinners. 

 Bigfoot-Lodge is a one of a kind custom built hand crafted log lodge with million dollar    views of Mt.Hood and the Hood River Valley from every room. It is situated on 63 acres in the forest with all kinds of wildlife. Bigfoot-Lodge has become a preferred stay in the gorge by many executives/groups vacationing, sponsoring events, receptions, family reunions, retreats, business meetings, and more. It is close to the Hood River marina/beach, hatchery, stores, restaurants, lakes, golf, skiing, wineries, breweries, museums, sightseeing, and all the other fantastic fun in one of the worlds premiere playgrounds right hear in the Columbia River Gorge.

 The Gorge White House is an elegant casual setting in the heart of the Hood River Valley  with commanding views of Mt Hood, Mt Adams and the valley’s east hills. Located just 4 miles south of Hood River on the Mt Hood Scenic Byway, The Gorge White House is a historic home on a century old working farm. 

Their 100 year old home serves as the tasting room and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It is impeccably restored to its original grandeur. The patio gardens provide a beautiful, fragrant setting.  Guests will have use of all of the facilities including the farm stand, gardens, fields, patio and tasting room.

 Stonehedge Gardens offers beautiful terraces for weddings and events that are flexible for all sizes of events. The grotto offers a waterfall, 10,000 feet of grass, a wedding stage in stone with tuscan pillars and a reception terrace. The new bridal cottage tucked away in the wooded area offers a great place to relax before the ceremony. Stonehedge also offers full-service catering for any size of event.

Check out the Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association for more information on these venues and everything that the beautiful gorge has to offer visitors.

 Check back tomorrow to learn about more great venues in the Columbia Gorge Area!

I recently had the opportunity to visit the new location of West Coast Event Productions. They have moved their location to the waterfront, 1466 NW Naito Parkway where they have a fantastic view! Their warehouse is filled with props, linens, dishware, tables & chairs and much more! They have a product catalog online to make selecting items easy.

West Coast has merged with Shaka-sound and will now be able to provide top quality sound at weddings and events. They are able to provide great sound for your event using professional equipment.

They will also be unveiling a new type of romantic/glittery style drape that is new to the area. The drape will be designed inhouse and will bring your event to the next level.

West Coast prides itself on its artists they have on staff. They can help clients build their dream event.

Contact them at here or at 503.294.0412 to get started planning your wedding or event.

Stay tuned for more information on the Grand Opening to be scheduled mid-August.

The Wedding Cottage is having its 2nd annual SIDEWALK SALE this weekend!

SIDEWALK SALE DETAILS:
Saturday, June 4th 10-5 & Sunday, June 5th 1-5

Guestbooks * Garters * Unity Candles * Tank Tops Flower Girl Baskets * Toasting Flutes * Cake Servers  Jewelry * Veils * Frames * Bridal Shower Invitations and LOTS more will be on sale!

The Wedding Cottage Sidewalk Sale

Hope you will stop by The Wedding Cottage!
4775 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97005

After enjoying the initial excitement of being engaged, next comes the planning. Planning a wedding takes a lot of work, patience and time. One of the first things you, as a couple, should do is set up an engagement photo session with a photographer. Engagement pictures are a great way to get to know the photographer and see if you would like to hire them for your wedding day as well. Lots of couples enjoy a traditional engagement photo shoot, however if you are looking for something a little more outside of the box then read below my friends! Here are some fun engagement photo shoot session ideas:

Laundromat: Set up a fun little shoot at a Laundromat complete with clothing, sheets, clothing carts and magazines. Have your photographer take pictures of you two doing your laundry together, reading magazines, you two wrapped up in a warm sheet, and pushing one another in the clothing carts. The ideas are endless and the pictures will be fresh (pun intended).

 Sweet Shop: Love is sweet, so take this opportunity and have your engagement session at a cute little sweet shop. Make sure to pick out all your favorite candy for the shoot. Have the photographer snap some shots of you two picking out candy, eating candy, blowing bubble gum, and browsing through the candy shop.

 Puddle Jumping: If you live in the Northwest then rain is part of your daily routine. So it would be very fitting to incorporate the rain into your engagement session. Pull on your favorite wellies, get you’re your raincoats and bring your favorite umbrella. Hit the streets for some good ol’ fashion puddle jumping. Make a splash and have your photographer capture some pictures of you two singing in the rain.

Camping: If you both love the outdoor then it would be great to incorporate Mother Nature into your photo shoot. Take some hiking gear and camping equipment for your shoot. You don’t have to head to the nearest mountain for your shoot, instead head to your favorite park. Have a couple pictures of the two of you in a tent, roasting S’mores, sitting by a fire, hiking through the trees. Have a little fun and don’t forget to dress in camping clothes… did someone say flannel?

 Whether you decide to have a traditional engagement photo shoot or something a little bit more exotic, the most important thing to remember is to have the pictures represent you as a couple. Have fun!

Check out a list of great photographers at http://bravowedding.com/vendors/categories/photographers/

This blog was written and submitted by Elizabeth at New and Blue. New and Blue specializes in wedding

invitations, stationery and party favors.