Happy Monday! Day 10, get to know Alicia of Floral Designs by Alicia!

Champagne: When/why did you decide you wanted to be a florist?

Floral Designs by Alicia: I decided to become a florist when I was sixteen. While taking a horticulture class in high school, my teacher noticed my interest in plants and design and suggested I go talk to the owners of the local floral shop in town. I did and here I am eleven years later. I always knew I would do something creative. I remember a vacation trip to Eastern Oregon with my father when I was ten. And I remember while driving him telling me that I’m going to be an artist when I grew up. Well… I guess you could say my father was right.

Champagne: What is the favorite part of your job?

Floral Designs by Alicia: I feel that there are two favorite parts of my job, being able to create and being able to share in wonderful memories with my customers. I’ve always been a creative and sentimental person and being able to express my creativity and share in memories with my customers is the greatest feeling.

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Champagne: What should brides know when looking for a florist?

Floral Designs by Alicia: When looking for a florist brides should always seek out someone who is versatile and takes great care and pride in their work. When you find someone who can accommodate your needs, regardless of the style, and cares about what they do, they will always give you the results you want.

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Champagne: What’s your favorite flower?

Floral Designs by Alicia: I would have to say my favorite flower by far is a David Austin English garden rose, specifically the Benjamin Britten color variety. This roses color variety is amazing and by far express my personality. And even better is the smell…it has an intense fragrance with hints of fruity wine. It’s fantastic and is so utterly classic and elegant.

Champagne: How would you describe your style?

Floral Designs by Alicia: I would describe my style as creative, eclectic and and gardeny. I would say from the moment I started designing flowers i’ve always designed very lush and garden like. Throughout the years of working with so many wonderful artist I have adapted my critiques to be completely versatile to accommodate any specific style.

Champagne: What do you do, when you’re not doing what you do?

Floral Designs by Alicia: Well…when I’m not designing flowers I am a full time, multitasking mother and wife. I have my hands full for the most part balancing my business and family. But when I have spare moments to relax I love to be at the coast or really any outdoor activity.  Any time I can take in and appreciate nature I will.

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Photos by Anne Adams Photography

Champagne: Is there anything else you’d like brides to know?

Floral Designs by Alicia: I have been designing flowers since I was seventeen and have over eleven years experience in floral design. I feel with my experience, versatility, and the pride and care I have for what I do make my business unique. Something different about Floral Designs by Alicia as well is that we offer free wedding consultations along with free vendor meeting for all of our wedding clients. That means if you have a coordinator, caterer, venue or stylist you need us to meet and work with, we do that at no charge to our customers. We feel that these services make planning a wedding easier for couples and that is something we feel we should not charge for.

Champagne: Thank you, Alicia [Floral Designs by Alicia], for telling us more about your company! Make sure to check out their website and become a fan on facebook!

Day 9 of 30: Domaine Margelle
Day 8 of 30: Crave Catering
Day 7 of 30: Pro Djs Oregon
Day 6 of 30: O’Brien Event Rentals
Day 5 of 30: Lauren Brook Photography
Day 4 of 30: Fleur:ology Wedding + Event Floral Design
Day 3 of 30: Pure Space
Day 2 of 30: Celebrate Life Photography
Day 1 of 30: Paper Bloom
Last year’s 30 days of vendors
What is 30 days of Vendors?

We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! Thank you for stopping by our blog! Happy Planning!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

P.S. Oregon Bride Magazine just opened up the voting for this years “Best Of” issue. Make sure to go vote for your favorite wedding vendors!! We appreciate you all helping us win “Best New Wedding Vendor” last year! We’d love to win best planner this year- one can dream! : )

Get ready to fall in love with this breathtaking new venue! Day 9, meet Marci with Domaine Margelle! Enjoy!

Champagne: How would you describe your ideal client?

Domaine Margelle: An ideal client is a bride that can appreciate the beauty of our location and wants a rustic, outdoor vineyard setting with a sense of elegance.

Photo by Lauren Brooks Photography

Photo by Lauren Brooks Photography

Champagne: Do you have weddings year round?

Domaine Margelle: No, we are strictly an outdoor venue.  We do a limited number of weddings from May to September to offer our brides a sense of uniqueness.

Photo by Lauren Brooks Photography

Photo by Lauren Brooks Photography

Champagne: How many guests can your event venue accommodate?

Domaine Margelle: We can host up to 300 guests, but our ideal number is around 200.  We have tables and chairs for this amount.

Champagne: What do you think is unique about your event space?

Domaine Margelle: One thing that makes us unique is the fact that in addition to a One Day Wedding Package, we offer the bridal couple a Two Day Weekend Event Package.  This allows the couple to host their Rehearsal Dinner on site as well as the Wedding and even allows for a Bridal Brunch the day following the ceremony.  Included in the package are overnight accommodates at our Vacation Home.

Photo by Joel Bock Photography

Champagne: Do you have an in house caterer? If not, are they able to bring in any professional caterer?

Domaine Margelle: We do not have an ‘in-house’ caterer.  Brides are able to choose their own.  We do offer a list of recommended caterers to assist in the process.

Photo by Joel Bock Photography

Champagne: What would you say plays the largest part in the success of an event?

Domaine Margelle: I’d say having a good Wedding Coordinator is key to a successful event.  For many brides, this is the first BIG event they have planned.  Having someone to walk you through the ropes is key.  Also, there are always issues that come up.  Knowing your coordinator will handle them is a relief for any bridal couple and their families.

Photo by Tullis Photo

Photo by Tullis Photo

Champagne: When you aren’t having events, what do you do for fun?

Domaine Margelle: Life in a vineyard is naturally about the cycles of the seasons.  In summer we focus on Weddings.  Fall is about Wine Tasting.  Winter is a time of preparation with pruning the vines and bottling the new wine.  And Spring…well it’s that time of rejoicing as you see the dormant plant begin again.  Life is rich and full.

Photo by Tullis Photo

Champagne: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know?

Domaine Margelle: For any bride wanting a vineyard wedding we focus on ‘Place’.  Wine is that magic elixir that seems to solidify moments and place in our minds.  Add good food and friends and you have the perfect pairing.  Domaine Margelle seeks to create wines that bridal couples and their guest will remember and enjoy long after the ceremony is over. 

Champagne: Thank you, Marci [Domaine Margelle], for telling us more about your beautiful venue! Please make sure to check out their website and become a fan on facebook!

Day 8 of 30: Crave Catering
Day 7 of 30: Pro Djs Oregon
Day 6 of 30: O’Brien Event Rentals
Day 5 of 30: Lauren Brook Photography
Day 4 of 30: Fleur:ology Wedding + Event Floral Design
Day 3 of 30: Pure Space
Day 2 of 30: Celebrate Life Photography
Day 1 of 30: Paper Bloom
Last year’s 30 days of vendors
What is 30 days of Vendors?

We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! Thank you for stopping by our blog! Happy Planning!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

P.S. Oregon Bride Magazine just opened up the voting for this years “Best Of” issue. Make sure to go vote for your favorite wedding vendors!! We appreciate you all helping us win “Best New Wedding Vendor” last year! We’d love to win best planner this year- one can dream! : )

Happy Saturday! On to Day 8! Get ready to get hungry, while we learn more about Crave Catering! Enjoy… 

Photo by Leah Verwey

Champagne: How long have you been in business? How did it begin?

Crave Catering: Crave Catering has been exclusively catering off-site since 1997. It all began with a free-standing culinary stand at the Farmers Market at PSU. Folks began to crave our food more than one day a week, creating a demand and yielding a small, family-owned restaurant serving the greater downtown Portland area. That wasn’t enough; our customers began to ask us to bring them our delicious food at their special events, boosting the little restaurant into a full-time catering business. Now, we’re proud to cater at just about any kind of event and any kind of venue.

Champagne: What’s your specialty?

Crave Catering: Simply put, crafting mouth-watering food out of a symphony of local ingredients. We partner with farmers and merchants within 100 miles of our kitchen as much as possible, which means the ingredients are fresh, crisp and locally grown. It’s important to us to not only create delicious cuisine but also give back to our planet and our community at the same time.

Photo by Powers Photography

Champagne: What’s your favorite food?

Crave Catering: Our favorite food is the kind that is grown by our friendly farmers; the kind that tastes best on its own because it’s that fresh and that tasty; the kind that is in season so it’s at its peak of freshness and perfection. Overall, we’re a bunch of foodies who simply enjoy a range of cuisine from all over the world: French, Northern Italian, Nuevo Latino and pretty much anything that presents something new to our tastebuds.

Champagne: What do you think is key to a successful event?

Crave Catering: The key to a successful event is hiring professionals to handle everything for you, from planning to cleaning up. Sure, you can save a dime by doing a few things on your own, but it may cost you your time and your energy while also shifting your focus from other important details of the event. We make it look easy because we’re experts, but you’ll quickly find it’s hard work and best left to those who have the know-how and the right equipment to get the job done right.

Photo by Powers Photography

Champagne: How would you describe your ideal client?

Crave Catering: The ideal client is someone who is passionate about food and passionate about where that food is sourced. We love to work with those who share our joy of cuisine, but also love to work with folks who are open to suggestions and will confide in us, sharing their most detailed visions and dreams so we can better make those come true.

Photo by Leah Verwey

Champagne: What do you think someone should look for when hiring a caterer for their wedding or event?

Crave Catering: The things to look for when hiring a caterer would be first, responsiveness. Is the caterer quick in returning your calls and sending a requested proposal to you? Do they listen to your vision and needs and appropriately reflect that back to you? If not, seriously consider how that will transition to the day of your event. When hiring a caterer, also consider the length of time they’ve been in business and even ask for references to other folks who have used them for similar events. It helps to hear outside perspectives and will generate more confidence in your decision.

Photo by Leah Verwey

Champagne: What do you do, when you’re not doing what you do?

Crave Catering: Other than out learning more about the culinary world and local farms, we’re also out playing when we’re not an event. We all share a love of this region and enjoy exploring it, whether it be snowboarding, hiking, camping with our families and dogs, gardening or just trying a new restaurant. All in all, we stay entertained and happy.

Photo by Leah Verwey

Champagne: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know?

Crave Catering: Well, for starters, you can check out our website for menus and follow our blog, or give us a shout at 503-224-0370

There are also a couple of things many people don’t know we do and one is catering to film crews. We’re one of the only caterers in the Portland area who has a mobile kitchen where we can tag along as films and commercials are made, feeding the hungry crew a large variety of hot food along the way. This requires a tenacity for planning ahead and a flexibility to squeeze into any location, which makes us experts at off-site catering for any type of event or venue!

The second thing is fairly new. We continue to push ourselves to be more sustainable each year. Our owner, Mark Lopez, owns some land in Southwest Washington and has begun to grown many of our ingredients. Now that’s fresh: picking them off the vine on the way to work!

Photo by Powers Photography

Champagne: Thank you, Christine, for sharing more about Crave Catering with us! Make sure to check out their website and become a fan on facebook!

Day 7 of 30: Pro Djs Oregon
Day 6 of 30: O’Brien Event Rentals
Day 5 of 30: Lauren Brook Photography
Day 4 of 30: Fleur:ology Wedding + Event Floral Design
Day 3 of 30: Pure Space
Day 2 of 30: Celebrate Life Photography
Day 1 of 30: Paper Bloom
Last year’s 30 days of vendors
What is 30 days of Vendors?

We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! Thank you for stopping by our blog! Happy Planning!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

P.S. Oregon Bride Magazine just opened up the voting for this years “Best Of” issue. Make sure to go vote for your favorite wedding vendors!! We appreciate you all helping us win “Best New Wedding Vendor” last year! We’d love to win best planner this year- one can dream! : )

Day 7, Pro DJs Oregon- get to know Dan!

Champagne: Why do you feel having a good dj is so important?

Pro DJs Oregon: If you consider the average length of the wedding and reception to be about 6 hours, over 80% of the time is reception. The mood and the atmosphere is very much impacted by the DJ. He (or she) is playing the music and often times is making the announcements. This person has to fully understand the atmosphere you want remembered on your wedding day. You also cannot overlook the importance the DJ can make in your wedding ceremony. If you are using a DJ for the music and microphones, you have to make sure the DJ has experience in getting this right. There are no do-overs. As a bride & groom, you want to know that when you’re walking down the aisle or saying your vows you don’t have to worry about anything but enjoying the most important moment of your life.

Photo by Celebrate Life Photography

Champagne: How do you get people involved in the event?

Pro DJs Oregon: First & foremost, if you seem desperate to get people involved, people won’t. As a DJ, if you have to ask people to get out on the dance floor, you’ve got a problem. The key is working with couples before their event to learn about their guests, their musical tastes, and most importantly the atmosphere they want remembered. Then, as a DJ, you make sure you deliver that. You can also get a sense of how to get people involved by the requests they make and creating an environment that seems friendly and genuine. You do that through the music played during cocktails and dinner, and the manner in which you make announcements.

Photo by Celebrate Life Photography

Champagne: How can I know you’re not going to dress up in costumes or dance on the table? Do you have video of you in action?

Pro DJs Oregon: We don’t have a video. Anyone can put together a video that can misrepresent what they are really like. I think the best assurance I can give people is the traditional referral. Talk to the couples and/or vendors who have worked directly with our DJs. We can put you in touch with multiple referrals for each of our DJs. These couples volunteered to be our references as a “thank you” for a job well done.

Photo by Celebrate Life Photography

Champagne: What is your favorite part about your job?

Pro DJs Oregon: It would be the compliments at the end of the night. There is nothing better than to hear a couple tell me that everything was better than they imagined. I mean, this is people’s weddings we are working with, so to make it BETTER than they expected, that’s the ultimate complement. I think there is also an internal drive for perfection when providing services for the ceremony. To watch a flawless ceremony take place, and to know you played a major part in that happening, that’s very rewarding.

Photo by Celebrate Life Photography

Champagne: What do you think makes an event successful?

Pro DJs Oregon: Planning & preparation. You hire vendors to take on a great deal of the planning and preparation. It’s also a team process. The vendors cannot work in isolation of each other. It is critical that the DJ coordinate with catering and photography to make sure that we are all working together, and the evening flows seamlessly.

Photo by Celebrate Life Photography

Champagne: Where would you go if you could go on vacation anywhere for a month?

Pro DJs Oregon: With my three kids, it would be Disneyland. If it’s just my wife & I, it would be Maui or Cancun. Some place warm where the goal is to do nothing.

Meet Dan

Champagne: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Pro DJs Oregon: Don’t go with a company that’s so big that they cannot arrange a face-to-face with the DJ who will actually be at your wedding. With Pro DJs Oregon, you can meet the DJ you will be working with before you make any commitment to our company. We believe this is a critical part of our service, as it is the first step in providing you peace of mind for an essential part of your wedding day.

Champagne: Thank you, Dan [Pro DJs Oregon] for telling us about Pro DJs! Make sure to check out their website and become a fan on facebook!

Day 6 of 30: O’Brien Event Rentals
Day 5 of 30: Lauren Brook Photography
Day 4 of 30: Fleur:ology Wedding + Event Floral Design
Day 3 of 30: Pure Space
Day 2 of 30: Celebrate Life Photography
Day 1 of 30: Paper Bloom
Last year’s 30 days of vendors
What is 30 days of Vendors?

We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! Thank you for stopping by our blog! Happy Planning!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

P.S. Oregon Bride Magazine just opened up the voting for this years “Best Of” issue. Make sure to go vote for your favorite wedding vendors!! We appreciate you all helping us win “Best New Wedding Vendor” last year! We’d love to win best planner this year- one can dream! : )

Toni and Todd’s wedding was not only stunning, but filled with so many personal touches! We’re so excited that yesterday some of their photos by Celebrate Life Photography [Featured on Day 2 of 30], were featured on Love & Lavender’s blog! Make sure to check it out!

Photos by Celebrate Life Photography

Day 7 coming up later today!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team