Columbia River Gorge Wedding

Why did you pick Skamania Lodge as your wedding venue and Thunder Island for your ceremony site?

We picked Skamania Lodge and Thunder Island because I am from Washington and Adassa is from Oregon, and we wanted to pay homage to both of our states in our wedding, so what better way to do that than including both states.  The phrase we kept coming back to for the wedding was "bridging our love", as we traveled from one state to the other over the Bridge of the Gods and also made the transition ourselves into married life.  Years earlier, I had randomly driven out into the Gorge and stopped at Thunder Island before turning around and going back to Portland.  I was struck with how beautiful it was, and how you could see both Washington and Oregon from the island.  I thought that maybe one day I would get married there, and this was back when Adassa and I were just dating.  Turns out it was the perfect venue for us.  Skamania Lodge was also perfectly located as it was just a short drive from Thunder Island.  The lodge itself was beautiful and woodsy, and the venue we chose in Glacier Hall was perfectly intimate for a reception.  It's a great location for a Gorge wedding, and Skamania Lodge had a list of vendors they worked with to make things easier for us (Bloomsbury Floral and 5 star AV).

What was a favorite memory you have from your wedding?

We both have fond memories from the reception.  My favorite part was when everyone was seated at the "kings" table as we were eating and making speeches.  I think something about seeing all of our friends and family gathered in one place really hit me.  I'd known all of these people in different contexts, so it was honestly a bit overwhelming to have them all there at once and to be able to visualize our support system.  Also, the long table made for a great metaphor in Adassa's Dad's speech, where he talked about needing to expand his table as his family continued to grow through the years, and how now he has the longest table.  Adassa's favorite memory is the first dance we did as a group.  She said that it was the perfect icebreaker to get the dancing started.  As part of a Jewish wedding, a group dance is traditional, so it was really fun to be able to do one that bonded everyone at the start of the night and reinforced our theme of community in our wedding.

Got any advice for future couples looking to have their wedding in the Columbia River Gorge?

This is likely applicable for a wedding anywhere, but make sure you are extremely clear with all of your vendors about what you are paying for, how much you are paying, and when it will be paid.  Oftentimes the event planner is not the one taking payment and may not know how much you will be paying.  Make sure to check in with your venues in advance to make sure all the things you need are there and maybe bring a backup just in case (backup wine, table, etc.).  Bridge of the Gods is a toll bridge both ways (although you might get through for free if they see you wearing a wedding dress).  Also expect wind, it's the gorge.

Vendors

Florist - Bloomsbury Floral

Venue - Skamania Lodge

Caterer - Skamania Lodge

Ceremony site - Thunder Island