As a event planner and caterer since 2005, of almost entirely Gorge weddings, I have dealt with virtually every wedding mishap scenario and worked through them to create a seamless event for you and your guests.
That’s why I want offer advice that will help your wedding go smoothly. Check out the blog posts below that touch on wedding subjects specific Columbia River Gorge.
Having a wedding in the Columbia Gorge can be one of the most beautiful days of a couple’s life. People from all over the world visit the Columbia Gorge for it’s beautiful scenic viewpoints, wild flowers, white water rafting, hiking, skiing and taking in the natural splendor of the area. It’s no wonder couples flock to the Gorge to host their weddings at one of the most beautiful places in the Pacific Northwest. Although, like any outdoor or destination weddings, there are a few tips that should be heeded to make an event go smoothly.
1. The Gorge is known for its ever blowing and peevish wind. All summer 
season, kiteboarders and windsurfers flock to the Gorge to catch gnarly swells, but for weddings it can be more of a deterrent than fun. On the most blustery of days, tablecloths need to be pinned with thumbtacks, or clamped with table clamps. Local florists prefer to use lower profile vases and displays for table centerpieces to insure flowers are not knocked over in a gust of wind. A few items to have on hand: Thumbtacks and Table Clamps will help hold down your tablecloths to insure elegant aesthetics. A bag of clean river rocks comes in handy when flower vases don’t have enough weight on their bottom, causing the potential water spill on your table and bruised flowers.
Tom and I finally tied the knot on June 25th, 2011 at AniChe Cellars in Underwood, Washington. (AniChe Cellars will have limited venue availability in 2012, and open for weddings in 2013! They exclusively use Cork & Bottle Catering) The view was spectacular, right down the Columbia River Gorge all the way to Mosier! Tom and I are very into the down home feel of the parties we throw and really wanted to incorporate the theme of our personalities in every aspect of our 200 person wedding. From guests bringing pies, sewing hand made flags, bean tossing games, and folk music, we really wanted to make our wedding seem almost like a backyard carnival or fair.
After working so many elegant, fairytale weddings, I felt like I had already fulfilled my childhood fantasies through my client’s weddings. I wanted our wedding to be a “kick off your shoes, and walk in the grass” kind of affair. We had beer in pint glasses, kids running around naked, and people pitching tents for the night. Everyone had a great time; people who didn’t go heard that it would have been the best wedding of their lives. And for some it was! Not to brag…our cousins from Los Angeles said that from all the weddings that they have attended, they thought ours had the best character, and was the most fun. Maybe it was someone sneaking a little extra booze in the sangria…