Evelina Ramirez - Staff Writer
Organizing a wedding can be one of the most stressful situations for couples on a budget. Who will be the photographer? How are we going to feed so many friends and family members? How will I find an affordable dress, or a fitted and wallet-friendly tux? Where do we start looking for venues?
Students getting ready to tie the knot, who are asking themselves these questions, are in for a sigh of relief:
Sunday, April 19, from 1-5 p.m., Gentle House will host their third annual bridal show.
The Gentle House, an 1880’s farmhouse equipped with gardens and a museum, allows couples to turn their fairy tale wedding into reality.
“The purpose behind our Annual Bridal Show is to demonstrate how a bride can have an absolutely fantastic wedding while staying on a budget,” Shurisa Steed, Gentle House staff, said.
The bridal show is free for students who wish to attend and is open to the general public as well.
This enchanting venue is on the north side of Western’s campus on Monmouth Avenue, across the street from university apartments, making it easily accessible to students and Monmouth residents.
According to Shurisa, renting the Gentle House venue comes with a kitchen, tables and chairs, a bridal changing room, sound system, two restrooms, and a Gentle House representative to help during the event.
Considering that the Gentle House is an event center, there will be five historic gardens featured at the bridal show, staged for wedding ceremonies and receptions to demonstrate how a wedding can be arranged and decorated for any couple’s unique tastes.
Aside from the gardens, there will be countless wedding professionals attending the show ranging from photographers, bakeries, DJs, and beauty salons to inspire couples’ possible wedding arrangements.
Photos by Orion, a photography company from Keizer, will be showcasing large portraits of different special occasions.
Kathryn Davidson, from Photos by Orion, said, “For couples on a budget, Photos by Orion is great because all our packages come with a CD of images and unlimited printing rights. So the price they see is the total price they pay; no hidden fees here.”
Ovenbird Bakery will present their special and delicious cakes baked specifically for weddings. Katie Schaub, from Ovenbird Bakery, said their focus for the bridal show will be showcasing cakes with free samples for students to try.
“We have, on several occasions, produced pies, fruit tarts, éclairs, cheesecakes, and candies as supplemental or alternative wedding desserts,” Schaub said.
For more information about the bridal show or the venue, contact Gentle House at gentlehouse@wou.edu, or by phone at 503-838-8673. You can also visit its website at gentlehouse.org.
