When it comes to wedding favors, being creative and unique can sometimes hurt your budget. You want both you and your guests to remember the day forever and with these simple and affordable wedding favor ideas you can. Wedding favors can be anything from a simple retro Polaroid picture to a succulent in a cool looking pot- the possibilities are endless.  Best of all you can totally do them yourself or with your bridesmaids as a fun bridal party, all you have to do is be creative!

We’re giving away a $50 gift certificate from Portland Spa & Boutique to the most creative bride-to-be who shares her wedding favor idea. All you have to do is post a picture or write a description of your idea on our Facebook page wall, tell your friends to ‘Like’ us and vote for you and the idea with the most likes win. The contest ends September 1 when we’ll announce the winner but in the meantime you can browse these simple ideas to help get you inspired.

Potted herbs can be both placeholders and useful favors for guests

These painted wish bones are unique, sweet and crafty

A small bag filled with tea leaves and a sugar stick for stirring is a delicious treat for guests

For the brides that aren’t so DIY-inclined or simply don’t have the time, there are some other fantastic options of companies that are an excellent wedding favor resource. A Yen For Chocolate makes beautiful and elegant chocolates with customized packaging and The Wedding Cottage is great for plantable gifts, candles and more.

A beautiful wooden cases holds one of A Yen For Chocolates sweet surprises

An abundance of beautiful options are available at The Wedding Cottage

Remember to be creative and have fun with wedding favors and who knows, you may find your perfect gift from other people’s ideas.

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!

HELP TYING THE KNOT!

 No Ordinary Affair  is going to be offering a special 4-hour workshop just for brides!  This class, tailored specifically to the needs of those who attend, will focus on helping brides who have chosen not to have a Wedding Planner or Day-Of Coordinator and are needing assistance with the details of their planning, including setting into place a timeline to ensure their wedding runs smoothly.

 This is for the bride who:

• Feels “stuck” in her planning
• Needs help finding great vendors
• Needs help figuring out seating and site diagrams for the ceremony & reception
• Isn’t sure what jobs need to be delegated for her wedding day
• Isn’t sure what all needs to be included in her “Emergency Kit”
• Feels unqualified to outline a timeline for her vendors 
• Isn’t sure how to personalize her wedding
• Isn’t sure how to account for guests who don’t RSVP
• Needs help knowing how to handle family members & friends whose “help” feels more like interference
• And so much more!…

 Class size is limited to 15 for more personal attention.  Cost is only $85 (a $200 value!!) and includes yummy hors d’oeuvres and lots of freebies!

Pre-registration is a must.  For all information, go to www.noordinaryaffair.com or call Becky Timmons at 503-868-9455.

Photos by Deyla Huss

Central Oregon wedding receptions with golf course ceremonies are brought to life at Tetherow Golf Club. The clubhouse offers traditional refinement, contemporary amenities and spectacular views in a warm and relaxing atmosphere. Tetherow is the perfect wedding setting for a rehearsal dinner or celebration with seating up to 200 guests. Planning and executing every detail to perfection are our top priorities, making your special celebration a most memorable one.

Save up to $1000 on your Central Oregon wedding at Tetherow.

They will offer you 50% off the room rental fee when you hold your wedding at Tetherow between January and April 2012.  Rental space is based on availability.  For more information contact the event coordinator at 541.241.7900.

Log House Garden is a private outdoor setting where they specialize in all day events such as weddings, receptions, anniversaries and other memorable occasions. The gardens are beautifully landscaped with flowering cherries, lilacs, rhododendrons and roses.

The garden has a 6,000 sq.ft. covered patio/pergola area and a capcity of 300 with ample parking. Wedding packages include:

• Covered patio/pergola area
• 250 bistro white chairs
• (25) 60 inch round tables
• (8) 8 foot buffet tables
• (6) 4ft round tables
• 50 green arm chairs
• Bridal dressing room
• Groom dressing room

When you book your event at the Log House Garden you have exclusive use of the gardens and your choice of caterers.

Contact Lanora Blake for more information. lanora@loghousegarden.com, 503.393.0732

Located halfway between Portland and Salem in the beautiful Willamette Valley, the Heritage House is a 1934 Colonial-style estate home decorated in country elegance. There are separate ceremony and reception sites with beautiful lawn and trees. Also available is a 2,000 sq.ft. covered barn.

Heritage House is offering a special discount-If you book before June, you will get this year’s discounted rate for remaining dates in 2011.  For more information contact Bill & Derolyn Johnston at 503.678.5704 or heritagehouse@centurytel.net.

For more pictures check out their Facebook page!

Amadeus Manor

This beautiful former four-story home was finished in 1921 and named the Fernwood Manor.  Mr Aebi, a Swiss-born chef bought the house is 1943 and moved his family in. In 1961 when he became ill, the family turned it into a Dinner House. After his passing, his wife maintained it until 1974 when 2 restaurateurs purchased the building and renamed it the Fernwood Inn. The current owner, Kristina Poppmeier, an Austrian native purchased it in 1994 and named it Amadeus at the Fernwood.

Amadeus has been voted Portland’s Most Romantic Restaurant with beautiful views overlooking the river. Amadeus Manor is located at 2122 SE Sparrow, Milwaukie and is open for happy hour Tuesday-Friday from 4:30-6:30pm. They also offer an “Early Bird Dinner” for $9.95 on Tues.-Fri. from 5-6:30pm.

Regular dinner seating begins at 5pm Tuesday-Sunday nights. Amadeus is known for their fantastic Sunday Brunch from 10am-2pm.

Lunch is available for groups of 20 or more, call 503.659.1735 to inquire or make your reservation.

Events & Weddings: Amadeus can hold up to 300 people and has both indoor and outdoor seating options.  They offer full course buffet-style dinners and a full bar.

Join Catering At Its Best this Thursday for their Spring Open House. Meet the staff and tour the kitchen! Enjoy their delicious food!

Thursday, April 7, 2011, 4pm-7pm

611 SE Grant, Portland, Oregon 97214

RSVP to Kevin@caibpdx.com or  call 503.238.8889

BEST Business Center awards “Portland Climate Champion” honors to Catering At Its Best

To achieve Portland Climate Champion status, Catering At Its Best improved the energy efficiency of its business operations, provided alternative transportation options for employees, and implemented a robust waste reduction and recycling program!