What makes your business unique? I feel there are many things that set Celilo Restaurant and Celilo Catering apart, but what it boils down to is this- we have a true commitment . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Celilo Catering]]> Celilo Catering if one of our participating vendors in the Primp My Bride Sweepstakes. Their commitment to quality is reflected in Ben Stenn’s (executive chef) thoughts on weddings! To tantalize your tastebuds click on the link above and explore their catering site. You’ll be inspired!

What makes your business unique?

I feel there are many things that set Celilo Restaurant and Celilo Catering apart, but what it boils down to is this- we have a true commitment to being conscientious about everything we do. Celilo Restaurant is made of a group of food service professionals who have been in the industry for more than two decades. Many of us have been working together for over 15 years. We have been practicing and developing sustainable food purveying methods and responsible recycling and composting management for all of that time. Of course, this is the responsible way to run a business, but for us, it goes beyond marketing and strategy, this is the way that we choose to live our lives.

Share a story about one of your favorite weddings.

I feel like every wedding I work on has elements I love, but one bride always comes to mind when I look back on our events. She wore a Vera Wang dress and a pair of worn in cowboy boots. She was absolutely beautiful. I think she always comes to my mind because I feel like she summed up our philosophy, our aesthetic- simple elegance, high quality but also comfortable and real.

What’s the “special thing” that you choose to do for your customers?

I honor them. A wedding is an event that happens over the course of one day, but preparing and planning for a wedding is a process that takes place over months, or even years. A bride and groom and their families deserve to be honored throughout this process. I do my best to make their entire planning experience something to be enjoyed and respected. It is a personal goal of mine to make my client’s weddings as stress free as possible so that they can truly revel in their day. They should feel like newlyweds well before and well after their actual wedding day.

Based on your experience as a wedding vendor, what’s the one piece of advice you wish you could share with every bride?

Relax. A wedding requires a lot of pre planning and involves many details, but a great celebration happens when the hosts and those around them are truly having a good time.

We see it every year, a panic-stricken bride a week before her big day desperate for picture perfect skin. Yes, makeup can . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Bridal Tips from Columbia Laser Skin Center!]]> Wedding Venue…..check
Florist…..check
Caterer…..check
Photographer…..check
Dress….check
Honeymoon…..check

We know this list is only a tiny representation of what is on a Bride’s To Do list. As skincare experts we have seen over the years of working with brides that they put themselves (and their skin) last on the list – if at all.

We see it every year, a panic-stricken bride a week before her big day desperate for picture perfect skin. Yes, makeup can camouflage a lot. However, our philosophy is to start with healthy, radiant skin so that the makeup enhances your natural beauty rather than cover up what you are trying to hide.

Picture perfect skin should start a year before your wedding. To help our brides we, at Columbia Laser Skin Center, have created a time line to get you ready for your big day. (This time line is also perfect for the Mother of the Bride who may be experiencing some angst over having to face an ex-husband’s new partner at the up-coming wedding. Even though we know the Mother of the Bride is focused on graciously supporting her daughter during the planning process and on the big day, let’s be honest – mom wants to look smokin’!) 

Six-twelve months before the wedding:

□ Complimentary consultation with skin care specialist.

Begin Treatments For: • Acne • Rosacea • Sun damaged skin • Excess brown pigment (melasma, sun & age spots) • Laser hair removal • Skin tightening procedures (Titan)

Four months before the wedding:

□ First Botox treatment to relax those fine lines and wrinkles

□ Laser facial and leg vein treatments

□ Begin Latisse treatment for longer, darker & thicker lashes

Two-Three Months Before The Wedding:

□ Juvederm: fills deep lines & wrinkles; enhances lip volume; corrects under eye circles

□ Begin series of 6 facials (includes microdermabrasion & chemical peels)

□ Brow wax, shape and tint

One Month Before The Wedding:

□ Pre-wedding Botox treatment

Two Weeks Before The Wedding:

□ Pre-wedding facial

Three- Four Days Before The Wedding:

□ Book final waxing and/or tint appointment

□ Massage and body polish

One-Two Days Before The Wedding:

□ NovaLash Lash Extensions

□ Mystic Spray-On Tan

Day After Your Wedding:

□ Relaxing couples massage for the Bride & Groom at the Balch!

Columbia Laser Skin Center is one of our fantastic Vendors participating in the Primp My Bride Sweepstakes. Be sure you enter on Facebook for your opportunity to win!

Does it make a difference in photos to have my makeup professionally done? I don’t want to look garish and not like myself but I’ve also heard that there is some special photography makeup.

It is true it makes . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Jim Semlor – Answers to Bride’s Persistent Questions]]> I decided there was a need to interview one of our fabulous photographers (participating in the Primp My Bride Sweepstakes!) and ask some questions I have heard out and about. Enjoy reading Jim Semlors insights!

Does it make a difference in photos to have my makeup professionally done? I don’t want to look garish and not like myself but I’ve also heard that there is some special photography makeup.

It is true it makes a huge difference having professional makeup on wedding day. Natural outdoor light tends to wash you out. A professional artist can add a little drama to help counteract the washing out. A great makeup artist helps you to look your very best on your wedding day.
 
Usually you will have a makeup run through before hand. That’s a good time to say, ‘this is good for me; or ‘I feel like I look like a clown’. It’s important to look like yourself even though you’ll have a little more makeup than usual. But, it is your wedding day and you want to look absolutely your best.

I’m not really comfortable in front of the camera. I don’t know how to take good photos. What do you recommend? Should I study other photos, magazines, practice? I really want my photos to look great.

When you pick a photographer look through their portfolio. You want to really love what you see. If you’re asking questions like ‘can you do this or can you do that’ you might not be working with the photographers strong points. You should really love the work that photographer does. THEN it’s time to open up.

Be completely open about yourself with your photographer. What are your interests and hobbies? What things are important to you? Are there special things between you and your groom? Even if you don’t think it’s important a good photographer will use this information to help create your story.

Jason and Jolleen are an excellent example. She brought a parasol prop that matched her dress and it worked beautifully out in the elements. They are both firefighters so we incorporated that into photos. It was very different and super awesome. It was uniquely personal to them.

Be willing to share your story. To a good environmental photographer it’s gold. We can bring into environment to your shoot.

Brent and Katie received 50% off their venue at the Balch, flowers from Lucy’s Informal Flowers, hair by Kalyn Benaroya, rentals from Discover Rentals, and complimentary appetizer from the Lamb’s Table! and other vendor offerings for the wedding at the Balch Hotel. 

Check out their amazing Menu!

They began with passed appetizers: Roasted Potato Rounds with Sour . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Primp My Bride]]> Congratulations to this year’s winners – Brent Moszer & Katie Zolman!

Brent and Katie received 50% off their venue at the Balch, flowers from Lucy’s Informal Flowers, hair by Kalyn Benaroya, rentals from Discover Rentals, and complimentary appetizer from the Lamb’s Table! and other vendor offerings for the wedding at the Balch Hotel. 

Check out their amazing Menu!

They began with passed appetizers:
Roasted Potato Rounds with Sour Cream, Chives, and Smoked Trout
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Orange-Chile Glaze

Followed by a Buffet Dinner:
Fresh Smoked Steelhead Salmon Fillet with Romesco (YUM!!)
Bertagni Ravioli Stuffed with Buffalo Mozzarella and Asiago, with Roasted Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Basil Leaves
Smashed Baby Red Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, Olive Oil, and Chives
Pickled Vegetable Plate: Green Beans, Wax Beans, Asparagus, Carrots, Shaved Cucumber, Garlic Cloves, Yellow Bell Peppers, Black Olives – all dressed in Garlic, Dill and White Wine Vinegar Brine
Stone Fruit Plate: Sliced Stone Fruits – Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Pluots, Apricots – garnished with Blueberries, Blackberries, and Raspberries
Spring Green Salad Mix with Raspberries, Toasted Almonds, and Mint. Dressed with White Balsamic-Raspberry Vinaigrette
Artisan Breads

Oh My!

The wedding party chose Lucy’s Flowers as their flower vendor and were enormously pleased with the results.

Brent was very complimentary of Kevin at Discover Rentals for helping him out with some last minute needs and Katie’s hair turned out beautiful! Kayln does such great work.

From the Bride
“Brent and I had already fallen in love with the Balch Hotel months before hearing about the PMB sweepstakes. We decided within a week of meeting with Samantha that this was where our wedding had to be. Although, winning ultimately allowed us to have the wedding we had been dreaming of and we were able to work with the best vendors as well. Brent and I are so grateful for this once in a lifetime experience.  Samantha and Jeff were fantastic hosts and wonderful to work with. They were always willing to answer any questions we had. Brent and I will absolutely come back and stay at the Balch again.” ~ Katie

This year’s Primp My Bride Sweepstakes started a few weeks ago and we hope you’ll enter to win (for you or a bride you know) at our FaceBook Page!

The weather in Hood River and Eugene (where Austin and his wife drove from that morning) Sunday morning was sketchy. But in typical Eastern Oregon fashion it was BEAUTIFUL in Dufur and Maupin! Shorts were the prescribed attire and some sunscreen was needed.

I . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Staff Trip!]]> We had a BLAST at Imperial River Company last Sunday. We arrived and had a bbq lunch then rafted 13 miles on the Deschutes with a wonderful guide – Austin!

The weather in Hood River and Eugene (where Austin and his wife drove from that morning) Sunday morning was sketchy. But in typical Eastern Oregon fashion it was BEAUTIFUL in Dufur and Maupin! Shorts were the prescribed attire and some sunscreen was needed.

I have to say that Austin was a super considerate guide. Three of our six had never rafted before and one was very, VERY scared. Jeff and I were in the back of the bus taking bets as to whether or not she would make it into the boat. Austin took her aside and reassured her of his amazing rafting guide skills. (-: By the time we were done that evening she was ready to do another trip!

As it is when spending an afternoon with someone new, you get to know a little about them. Austin and his wife Cameron, married just a year now, are going BACK to Zambia - committing a year -  to build homes and a facility for the Heart of the Bride project. Currently the Nehemiah Boys ranch houses house 23 ex-street boys and they’re expanding to a goal of getting 80 boys off the streets. What an amazing project! With Frank’s upcoming trip to Haiti, it was a great connection for the two of them. Austin and Cameron don’t have a website to refer you to but if you’re interested I would be happy to send you their project information.

The other interesting tidbit I learned (while looking at photos) is that the raft guide does a pretty great job at staying DRY while all of US are SOAKING! Hmmm. We had a BLAST.

Samantha

Imagine a hip, young, kind, generous, thoughtful, artsy couple into music and good friends. Oh, and . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Bash on a Budget]]> I had a FUN time meeting with a fantastic young couple a few weeks ago. They wanted to take advantage of the sunny side of the Columbia River Gorge for their wedding but had a couple of unique challenges. Jamie, our Supper Club chef and owner of the Lamb’s Table was here and had super ideas for them.

Imagine a hip, young, kind, generous, thoughtful, artsy couple into music and good friends. Oh, and they are VERY much in love! Minutes upon meeting the groom to be busted out his laptop and showed us his proposal that he had his friend capture on film. This guy is a definite keeper! Hopeless Romantic is written all over him. What girl doesn’t love that?

This couple has a lot of friends and family. Hundreds of them to be exact. Many of their friends are in similar circumstances: young, single, just out of school and just getting started financially – translation – not a bunch of moolah. Parents aren’t able to foot the bill so the kids are working on the wedding budget mostly solo.

Many people think they cannot have a great wedding because they have a low budget. Not so! All it takes is some creative thinking – sometimes a little out of the box.

Spend your money on items that create a backdrop and capture your celebration. Venue and photography. You can save money on rentals – including tables, chairs, and servingware. They can add up fairly quickly.

This couple has family and guests that are of the ‘older’ generation who would like a regular place to sit for a meal. The rest of their clan loves picnic style! Jamie’s ideas blossomed before our eyes and I loved the final picture!

Since some of the tables and chairs are already included in the package, this would be nice for their older family guests that would prefer a more traditional seating. Jamie started talking and I just took notes!

“Start to comb for cool quilts, fabric, whatever, that you can use as picnic blankets. You can intersperse the blankets for the younger couples among the tables and chairs for the sitting folks. From above this tapestry would make for a gorgeous photo”

“You can also continue with the picnic theme by using those cool old baskets with wax paper in them to place the food on. No need to rent plates for salad and dinner. It’s picnic style! Wax paper is inexpensive and you can find the baskets at Goodwill. Have your sodas and beer in bottles to save on glassware too!”  

“To save on food just have a salad side and for the main course a fun gourmet sandwich or burger bar with delicious individual chips.”

“If you want to spend even less on food, skip the meal and simply splurge on a gourmet cake and champagne reception either at 2:00 in the afternoon or evening after dinner. You can have a hot chocolate bar, chocolate dessert reception, etc.”

I thought these were GREAT ideas! Jamie pointed out that she’s done more casual afternoon picnic style weddings at a state park (which I – Samantha - thought was a good money saver). Here was her opinion on that! 

“At a park or meadow you have the inconvenience of people and possibly their pets coming right into your event. Is someone picking up errant sticks, doggie leftovers, garbage, etc. before your wedding? What do you do for bathrooms, have your guests use a porta potty or trudge down to the public bathroom? I can’t imagine a bride using a porta potty. Here at the Balch you have beautifully manicured grounds and privacy.”

I’ve got to tell you, I just sat back and enjoyed listening to her creativity flow. I thought the ideas were amazing and definitely worth sharing. Next I’ll capture on camera and post photos when someone takes this ball and runs with it. For now, you can use your wonderful imagination!

Wild Kingdom – right out our backdoor. Guests have been out and about and have seen some marvelous things!

Last year a guest asked me when the grasses around here were at the perfect “water” state.

This is when they are tall enough to move in the wind and look like waves running uphill. It’s a beautiful sight and I look forward to it every year. Right now is the perfect time!

Lately it’s . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Wild Kingdom]]>

Wild Kingdom – right out our backdoor. Guests have been out and about and have seen some marvelous things!

Last year a guest asked me when the grasses around here were at the perfect “water” state.

This is when they are tall enough to move in the wind and look like waves running uphill. It’s a beautiful sight and I look forward to it every year. Right now is the perfect time!

Lately it’s been hard to stay indoors with all the action happening outside.Bruce and April DeBolt traveled to White River Falls Memorial weekend and spotted Sandpipers, Western Tanagers, Bullock’s Oriole, and Lewis’s Woodpecker! (Photo courtesy of John Fisher – our guest!)

Here at the Balch the three baby Great Horned Owls with mama or papa were sighted eyeing Joe and Ralph, our Koi (maybe that was my paranoid imagination).  

Our guest, John Fisher, took this photo below of the fox family down by the park.

Right now the Indian Paintbrush, Lupine, Bachelor Button, and Balsam Root are in full force.

If you’re interested in any of the above, we’re offering a mid-week special that will make you sing like a songbird. 20% off any room Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays now through the end of June. How about that? Just say Wild Kingdom when you call to reserve your room. Or you can roar like a lion. That might get you something extra special!

Call 541-467-2277 for reservations.

I have a soft spot for beautiful places somewhat off the beaten path, and this amazing venue with its classy, retro feel and unassuming (yet gorgeous!) surroundings is perfect for any big celebration.

During the wedding I shot at the Balch, I watched guests feel completely comfortable and at home. I hope . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Photographers Notes – Nancy Noble]]> The Balch Hotel quickly made its way into my heart as a favorite Oregon wedding location.

I have a soft spot for beautiful places somewhat off the beaten path, and this amazing venue with its classy, retro feel and unassuming (yet gorgeous!) surroundings is perfect for any big celebration.

During the wedding I shot at the Balch, I watched guests feel completely comfortable and at home. I hope to shoot many more weddings there in the future!

Nancy Noble Photography

I just got engaged over the holiday and though we’re not planning the wedding for awhile I have to admit, I’m checking out the dresses. Family, friends and food are truly what’s most important to me and that’s where our budget will be for the occasion. Yet a gal wants to look good.

The wedding dress is one of the most expensive pieces of clothing . . .
To read more, please click the link: → Don’t tell your mama your wedding dress is used!]]> Don’t tell your mama your wedding dress is used!!

I just got engaged over the holiday and though we’re not planning the wedding for awhile I have to admit, I’m checking out the dresses. Family, friends and food are truly what’s most important to me and that’s where our budget will be for the occasion. Yet a gal wants to look good.

The wedding dress is one of the most expensive pieces of clothing a woman will ever buy, yet she’ll only wear it once (my daughter won’t be wearing my dress someday, she’s a petite, beautiful girl and I’m, well, voluptuous.) So taking the family passing on of the wedding dress out of the equation, paying $1000 or more for something I’ll wear for a few hours frankly cuts into my liquor budget.

So imagine my delight when I found “Rent the Runway”. This is a site with gorgeous, pre-owned designer gowns for a song. Don’t tell my mom, but this sounds like a great idea to me. The idea of wearing a beautiful, designer gown and having my dream dress without the “forget the honeymoon” price tag is very compelling. But in sharing this concept with friends and family, I’m getting quite the range of reactions from, “That’s a great idea” to “OMG, how could you?”

So let’s take a poll, you’re getting married, would you rent a gown? Do you think it’s tacky or brilliant? Chic or a shambles? Let us know what you think?

~Lisa Williams
Amazing Balch S.E.O. Gal