September 2014 Networking Event for Wedding Professionals

Hello NW Wed Pro!

I’m sure you are swamped with weddings but hopefully you will find a chance to check emails.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the next NW Wed Pro Networking Event mixer.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014
6:00 – 8:30 PM
Weddings On The Hill                   R.S.V.P. Now
20255 Willamette Drive
West Linn, OR 97068
 “We are nestled on top of a picturesque hill just off Highway 43 in West Linn, Oregon at the UNITY Center. A quick drive just ten miles south of downtown Portland makes this a convenient choice for your special day.”

Join us for an evening of networking and fun. Chris and Cindy Nylen will be hosting the evening and it will be a packed house! Don’t miss this one.

Catered By: Premiere Catering! “Since 1985, we have been providing premiere weddings, company, and special events catering.”

Dessert By: Cookies, Cupcakes and More! “Located in West Linn near Portland, Oregon specializing in a remarkably delicious line of gourmet cupcakes, wedding cakes, specialty cakes, wedding favors, cake pops and custom cookies for every occasion.”

Must receive your RSVP by Thursday, September 4th. IF YOU RSVP, Please be sure to attend!

RECAP AUGUST EVENT

Thank you to all that attended the August Networking Event at Knoll Crest Gardens in Sandy, Oregon. It was a beautiful evening. Words can’t describe the beauty and serenity of Knoll Crest Gardens.
We enjoyed wonderful catering provided by Divine Catering Company. Thank you so much for the delicious dinner and beautiful presentation.
Knoll Crest Gardens surprised us all with a full wine offering of David’s own, award winning, Knoll Crest Vineyards wines. Thank you David and Yvonne!

The topic for the evening was LGBT weddings. We had a great discussion on how we can better serve the LGBT wedding community.

Here are some photos of the evening.

NW Wedding Professionals Event

Hello NW Wed Pro!

It’s been a whirl-wind month, hasn’t it?? The weather has been fantastic for wedding weekends. I’m sure you are busy, busy, busy.
Even at the busiest of times, it’s important to continue making quality connections in the industry. This time of year there are always brides scrambling to find vendors that are available. Perhaps you have a date still open. NW Wed Pro’s refer to each other every day. The best way to be the first on someone’s referral list is by attending the NW Wed Pro Networking Events once a month so that your company is always fresh on their mind.
Be sure to invite vendors that you’ve met recently at weddings too!

Next Event:

Wednesday, August 13, 2014 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm (check-in begins at 6:00 pm)
Knoll Crest Gardens Yvonne Knoll has created a garden paradise and a beautiful wedding venue. They are also the makers of Award Winning wines!
15505 SE TenEyck Rd.
Sandy, Oregon 97055

Catering presented by: Divine Catering Hannah Orloff and her staff will amaze you with their culinary skills.

Please join us for an evening of networking and fun. Great food and wine, a beautiful venue and the chance to connect with a lot of great wedding professionals. Invite a colleague to come along with you.

R.S.V.P. and put it on your calendar!

July Event Recap:
Sah-hah-lee Golf Course and & Event Pavilion hosted NW Wed Pro on July 9th in Clackamas Oregon. Along with a fantastic BBQ dinner, they had wine and cold beer to offer on that very warm evening. The Pavilion overlooks the golf course for the perfect setting for receptions, weddings and events.
Cookies, Cupcakes & More brought dessert for all to enjoy. There wasn’t a single crumb left over. Sooo good!
The entertainment from 6:00 – 7:00 pm was provided by Ubetcha Entertainment. Each guest received a $100 chip voucher to play at the tables. Roulette and Black Jack tables were a big hit! Ubetcha Entertainment provides everything you need for a casino experience.
Thank you Trevor West of Dancin Tunes for the educational presentation. Your introduction to the latest software and hardware products to keep our businesses organized was very helpful.

We had a lot of great prizes to give away that night. Here’s what people won and who donated the prize.

Gift Certificate from Sah-hah-lee Golf Course
Red Robin Gift Card from Cordial Events
Gift Basket from Ubetcha Entertainment
$20 cash from NWWP Network

Thank you everyone who came out in July. We look forward to seeing YOU and many others at the next meeting August 13th. RSVP now and get it on your schedule.



Beverly Mason
NW Wed Pro
NWWP Network
Facebook
www.TheRadiantTouch.com

Networking in the Northwest! Wedding & Event Professionals

Hello NW Wed Pro!

Spring has sprung…. Seems to have sprung a LEAK too. Rain Rain Rain go away! Thankfully March 22nd and 23rd were absolutely beautiful days for weddings.
How is your season shaping up? Are you starting to book 2015? Now is a great time to connect with other wedding professionals and build your network.
Join us next week for a fun night of networking, learning, great food and good times.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014
McLean House
6:30 – 8:30 PM (check-in opens at 6PM)
5350 River St., West Linn, OR
Featured Caterer: Two Chicks & A Rooster

RSVP NOW to attend. $10 Members $20 Non-members (cash or check)

Last month was a great networking event at The Tumwater Room in Oregon City. The venue hosted us with beautiful décor, linens, flowers, china and crystal PLUS catered a full dinner by Alimenti Catering. The view of the Willamette Falls and the setting sun was perfection. Thank you so much to Darrell and Natasha for a wonderful Networking Event. The educational topic was “12 Steps to Maximizing Your Online Presence”. Referral Dollars were also handed out to people who referred other members during the month and a $20 Door Prize was won.
Thank you JaLove Designs for featuring your yummy cupcakes and desserts. Thank you Stacey of Flowers & Stuff for the lovely floral arrangement on the buffet table.
Even with 5 “day-of” cancellations due to illness, we had a great turnout with 29 wedding professionals.

Thank you everyone for making NW Wed Pro what it is. This Network just keeps growing and growing. The collaborations and partnerships that have formed from attending the monthly meetings are just amazing. YOU are what makes this group a success.

Here is a list of upcoming meetings and events. Mark your calendars.

April 9, 2014 McLean House Catered by: Two Chicks & A Rooster Topic: Speed Networking
May 14, 2014 Cedarville Lodge Catered by: Always Perfect Catering Guest Speaker: Jamie Teasdale of Propel BusinessWorks
June 11, 2014 Bell Tower Chapel Catered by: Busy Bee Catering
July 9, 2014 Sah-Hah-Lee Golf Catered by: Sah-Hah-Lee / Dessert by: Cookies, Cupcakes & More Presenter: Trevor West
August 13, 2014 KnollCrest Gardens Catering by: Divine Catering
September 10, 2014 Weddings On The Hill Catering by: _________ / Dessert by: Cookies, Cupcakes & More
October 8, 2014 East Fork Country Est. Catered by: Chef du Jour
November 12, 2014 Highcliffe Ballroom Catered by: Highcliffe Pub & Eatery
December 10, 2014 The Tumwater Room Catered by: Alimenti Catering & NW Wed Pro catering companies Holiday Party

If you are participating in any upcoming events (shows, open house, etc.) email the info to me. It will be posted to the NW Wed Pro Fairs & Events page.

Do you know of a good guest speaker that would be interested in speaking at an upcoming meeting? Please give me your suggestions. Is there a topic that you would like to be covered?
Are you interested in having one of our meetings be another workshop where we bring our laptops and help each other go through the steps of online pages such as Pinterest, Facebook, Google+ and linking? We could break into groups and have a table for each topic and be facilitated by a teacher. It would need to be a venue that has Wifi.

NW Wed Pro Members are also listed in the vendor directories at www.NWwedPro.com Take a look at your listing and verify that it is correct. If you have a logo that you would like added, please send it to me. The site has received over 200 visitors in just the last 7 days!

Don’t forget to RSVP NOW for next week!

Have a great day,

Beverly Mason
NW Wed Pro
NWWP Network
Facebook
www.TheRadiantTouch.com

Couple's dream comes true 6 months after house fire. Dream Wedding Donated

Couple's dream comes true months after house fire: (Click to watch Fox 12 News Segment Video)

"They experienced the unthinkable just days after the birth of their daughter. This weekend, a local couple's dream will come true. In late March, flames destroyed the Damascus-area home of Marc Petrucelli and his fiance Karen Yeager. It happened on the same day they were supposed to bring their new baby daughter home from the hospital." (fox 12 news)

A Neighboring Wedding Venue, East Fork Country Estate, could actually see the fire. After watching the Fox 12 News report and learning that the couple was engaged, the owners decided to offer the venue to them, free of charge for a wedding. Realizing weddings can still be expensive, even with the venue being free, the owners reached out to NW Wed Pro Networking Association for help.

Founder, Beverly Mason, set it in motion and word went out fast by email and Facebook. Within  a few hours there were enough offers from vendors willing to donate services to make it happen. Coordination and Planning was headed up by Dream Team Events owner, Chelsea Boehler. She quickly  contacted the couple and presented the offered wedding. They were overwhelmed to say the least!
Every single aspect of the wedding was donated by wedding professionals and local companies. Throughout the 6 month planning process, it was referred to as "The Dream Wedding", and that is exactly what it was.

It all came together, beginning with a Friday evening rehearsal. News channel FOX 12 was on scene to cover it for a follow up story. Interviews and video footage took place while they rehearsed. The rain held off until just after completion.

The weekend forecast was not looking promising. The morning brought rain with occasional breaks; enough to get all of the pre-ceremony photography finished. As the ceremony start time grew near it began to rain again. Not to worry, all of the guests were seated under a tent and the wedding party would be able to stand inside the gazebo.
Then as if on cue, five minutes before the ceremony time, the rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds. Karen (the bride) arrived to the aisle in a horse drawn carriage with her father. It was a beautiful ceremony and a magical moment for Karen & Marc as they exchanged vows. Their 2 young boys joined them in the gazebo for a Family Unity Sand ceremony just before they were pronounced Husband & Wife. Marc & Karen made their way back up the aisle to the awaiting carriage; hanging from the back of the carriage was a printed sign, "Just Married". They rode off together for more fantastic photos and video, at this point there were blue skies above.

Returning to the gazebo to sign the marriage certificate, Marc & Karen then made their way up to the balcony to be introduced by the DJ to their friends and family waiting below. The celebration continued on into the night with great food, dancing, photo booth and fun.

Congratulations to the Petrucelli Family and we wish you lots of love and happiness for many years to come.

We would like to thank the following Wedding Professional Vendors and Companies:

East Fork Country Estate - Grady & Diana Abernathy - Entire venue for rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding day.  Donation of horse and carriage entrance by Special T Carriages.  Donation of beer and wine for bar.  Donation of service staff and bartender.  On-site venue management.

Dream Team Events - Chelsea Boehler - 6 months full planning and coordination.  Two coordinators for rehearsal and wedding day.  Babysitting services for couple's baby.  Gift of sand ceremony keepsake personalized vase.  Use of guest book, unity and dessert table accessories.  RSVP management.

Chef du Jour Catering - Eric Youel -
Full menu planning, prep and catering services for appetizer station and full dinner buffet.  Service staff.
High Fidelity Entertainment - Craig Brown - DJ services for ceremony and reception, photo booth for reception.

Beyond The Eye - high definition full TV scale video production; arranged by Golden Era Photo.

Golden Era Photo - Donation of video crew for wedding day.  Full on-site production in collaboration with Beyond the Eye DV, high definition full TV scale video production.  90-minute edited keepsake video for the couple.

Peak Light Studio - Christopher Barth - Full on site photography coverage of wedding day.

HF Photography - Heather Fitch - Second shooting photography with Peak Light Studio for wedding day.

Barclay Event Rentals - Specialty linen, napkins and chargers.

Sophisticated Floral Design - Lora Losinger - Bridal bouquets, toss bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, tossing petals, table centerpieces, guest book and bar arrangements.

Adorned in Grace - Bridal dress, underclothing, purse, garment bag.

Radiant Touch Weddings - Beverly Mason - Officiant services for rehearsal and wedding day.

Cookies, Cupcakes and More - Barb & Rick Nischalke - Cupcake tower with regular and mini-sized cupcakes, cutting size wedding cake.  Design collaboration with Nylen Events & Design.

Nylen Design and Events - Chris & Cindy Nylen - Candy buffet and design.  Design collaboration with Cookies, Cupcakes & More.

Bridge City Parking - Herb Eash - Parking assistance and direction.  RSVP management on site.

Portland Catering Company - Wine for the bar.

4th Street Brewing Co - Raylene Ramos - Bartender; donated by East Fork Country Estate.

Hair and Makeup by Kerisa - Make up services for bride and matron of honor.  Hair services for the bridal party.  MUA Kerisa Martin. Blossom & Beauty.

Special T Carriage Company - T. Ritchey - Horse and carriage entrance; donated by East Fork Country Estate.

Crave Designs - Lisa - Custom made invitations and response cards.

Cloud 9 Events and Accessories - Custom handmade bridal accessories:  bridal hair comb, maid of honor and flower girl hair pieces, baby headband, keepsake ring box, toss garter and keepsake garter, 2 flower girl baskets.

Sysco Portland - Donation of food items for Chef du Jour.

NW Wed Pro - Networking Association - $300 donation.   Money was used to purchase:  marriage license, ring re-sizing/fitting, dresses dry cleaning, photo mat for gift photo frame, decor items (dessert buffet/floral), wine for bar.

Each of you did a fantastic job and your contribution was greatly appreciated by the couple and also the owners of East Fork Country Estate.
Chelsea Boehler of Dream Team Events was invaluable to the success of this event. She worked on this for the past 6 months, gathering vendors, donations, picking up dresses, meeting with the couple and also with vendors, handling all of the guest rsvp's personally, purchasing the Unity Sand Vase and having it personalized with Marc & Karen's names and wedding date, purchasing additional items needed, setting up, tearing down, and following through. Chelsea is truly an amazing Planner & Coordinator.

Northwest Wedding Professionals are some of the most giving people! They always come together to help others and each other when needed. This wedding wasn't a contest or a promotion with advertising and promotional advantages for the vendors, it was just done out of the goodness of the heart. Thank you ALL, and Bless each and every one of you.

It will be some time before we see the final photos and video, but there have been a few "sneak peaks" posted already on Facebook pages. Take a look at HF Photography Facebook, Peak Light Studio Facebook and NW Wed Pro Facebook for the latest.