Event Planning Blog by EJP Events

Louisville Kentucky Event Locations

Posted on 21 September, 202114 September, 2021 by Shawn Granton

Louisville, Kentucky is located on the Ohio River across from Indiana. It is well known for being the home of Muhammad Ali, the Kentucky Derby, Louisville Slugger bats, and of course, Kentucky Bourbon. It’s location in the heart of the US, the meeting place between the South and the Midwest, means it’s a good place to have an event.

We were in Louisville, Kentucky in August of 2019 for the annual Connect event, so we got to see some things around town. We also checked out various spaces for meetings and events. There are a good deal of interesting Louisville Kentucky event locations.

loudtn-omni-louisville-exterior-twilight

We stayed at the Omni Louisville, right in the heart of town. This modern hotel offers 612 guest rooms and suites. They also are a good place to have an event, as they have 33 meeting rooms with a total of 70,000 sq ft of space. (Their largest room is 20,361 sq ft.) We loved the on-site amenities, including Falls City Market. This marketplace was a good place to pick up sundries and food. (We loved the pizza at Iron Quarter!)

Next door to the Omni is the Louisville Marriott Downtown.This hotel features xx rooms and is also a great place for a meeting. They have 37 event rooms with 45,025 square feet of total space. The largest room is 20,000 square feet and can hold up to 2,400 people. The Marriott features a multitude of on-site amenities, including a bourbon tasting room and Porch Restaurant, which features Southern cooking.

Both hotels are close to the Kentucky International Convention Center. This freshly-renovated, LEED Certified facility features 300,000 square feet of total space and 52 rooms.

We can’t forget to mention Louisville’s most unique event venue: Churchill Downs. While this horse racetrack is world-renowned for the annual Kentucky Derby, the Downs provide a multitude of venues for all sorts of meetings, from 15 to 1500 people! And yes, a wedding can be held under the iconic Twin Spires.

48642083603_ff246313c0_b — Big Four Bridge over the Ohio River. Note Emee on the Louvelo Bike!

And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of the fun activities we had in Louisville, like sampling all the fine bourbons produced locally, going on a bike ride with the local Louvelo bikeshare, and checking out the Big Four Bridge! This old railroad bridge spanning the Ohio River into Indiana has been transformed into a magical place for pedestrians and cyclists. And for a fee, the lighting on the bridge can be customized for your charitable cause or special event.

Hope this gives you some ideas of Louisville Kentucky event locations for your next meeting!

An Indian Wedding Weekend at Roehr Park and The Foundry at Oswego Pointe

Posted on 17 September, 202114 September, 2021 by Shawn Granton

_{The “Boatraat” or Baraat, Groom’s arrival.}

_{The “Lookback” Series of blog posts features weddings that happened more than a year ago. Some are repeats, some totally new to this blog! We hope you enjoy looking back with us on these wonderful weddings.}

{ From the archives } This two-day Indian Wedding Weekend kicked off at the World Forestry Center in Portland. This featured a casual, combination-mehndi-and-sangeet party. They invited some of Portland’s favorite food carts, Nong’s Khao Man Gai and Pips Original, to dish out treats to their 200 guests. Also provided was catering by India Connection and Nicholas Restaurant. Ice cream was provided by Scoop! and bartending and service by Vibrant Table. There was plenty to keep guests noshing and sipping! Mehndi was provided by Amrapali Salon, and dance party by DJ Kapil.

On Saturday everything went up a notch in formality as the crowd reconvened for a formal, traditional Hindu ceremony. This was located on the Willamette riverfront at the Roehr Park Amphitheater. The solemnities were supervised by Portland Pandit. Scovare Yachts delivered the wedding party in a spectacular “Boatraat”. Cocktail hour was held on the Foundry at Oswego Pointe‘s promenade. Finally, guests went in to the Foundry’s Great Hall for dinner and dancing.

For more photos of this Indian wedding weekend, go to our gallery here.

Long Beach, Washington Peninsula Weddings and Events

Posted on 14 September, 202113 September, 2021 by Shawn Granton

Thinking about a wedding by the sea? Consider a Long Beach Peninsula Wedding in Washington State! Located in the far southwestern corner of the state, the peninsula is across the Columbia River from Astoria. It’s about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Portland. Close enough that a weekend can be made out of it, far enough to feel like a getaway.

*The exterior of the Adrift Hotel, showing the Pickled Fish restaurant in its top-floor setting. It’s a great place to view the ocean!*

Adrift and Shelburne Hotels

The Adrift Hotel in the town of Long Beach is a good landing spot. Many rooms have a view of the ocean. And the view and proximity to beach are not the only selling factors here. A guest can borrow a free balloon-tire bike to cruise the beach and t he Discovery Trail path that runs parallel to it. The Adrift also contains a modest spa facility as well as the Pickled Fish Restaurant. The dining room sits on the top floor of their west building, with an expansive view of the beach and the ocean. Pickled Fish offers a variety of locally-sourced Pacific Northwest starters and entrées. But our favorite are their New Haven-style pizzas –thin crusts with just the right amount of char.

*Event space at Adrift, from their website.*

Because they have both an indoor and outdoor gathering space that can fit about 100 people, The Adrift Hotel would be a great spot for a small beach wedding! Pickled Fish would cater, a delicious choice. And best of all, it’s less than five minutes to walk to the beach. The “sister” hotel to Adrift, the Shelburne Hotel, can also host weddings. The late-Victorian era Shelburne was built in 1896, making it the longest continually operating hotel in Washington State.

Sou’wester Lodge

The Sou’wester Lodge is a lodging facility featuring a mix of cabins, vintage travel trailers (like Airstream) and campsites. They are located in Seaview, a community between Long Beach and Ilwaco. The Sou’wester can lodge 70 to 100 people, and accommodate 250 guests for a ceremony. It’s a good spot for a unique wedding! Plus, They offer extras, like a wellness package and a beach bonfire package.

Cape Disappointment State Park

Cape Disappointment State Park, a state park located south of Long Beach, is a great destination in itself. Located on a peninsula where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, the park features beaches, hiking trails through coastal rainforests, and a wide variety of camping options, including yurts and cabins. The North Head Lighthouse* and surrounding grounds are available for wedding ceremonies only. You must hold receptions elsewhere. The North Head Lighthouse Keepers’ Residence is available nearby for honeymoon or other overnight rental.

*Keepers Residence at North Head Lighthouse*

Oysterville on the Peninsula’s North End

We also want to give a quick mention to the picture-perfect village of Oysterville, located on the north end of the peninsula. Founded in the nineteenth century when this area was dominated by (what else!) oyster fishing, Oysterville consists of a couple dozen Victorian houses on the edge of Willapa Bay. There is one cute (but small) venue available if you want something different for a wedding: The Oysterville Church. This historic church, can hold around 100 people. The nearby Oysterville School can be used for the reception. There are no lodging options in Oysterville itself, however there are in the community of Ocean Shores, just a ten-minute drive away. (The city of Long Beach is about a half-hour drive from Oysterville.)

The Long Beach Peninsula is filled with nice vistas, abundant nature, good food, and a great beach. Maybe you’ll consider a Long Beach Peninsula Wedding or holding your small meeting or conference there?

*The other lighthouse at the park, simply named “Cape Disappointment Lighthouse”, does not allow weddings.

Event planner podcasts to motivate and inspire

Posted on 31 March, 202111 October, 2022 by Emee Pumarega

EJP Events has recently been featured on a few event planner podcasts, so we’d like to share them with you! I hope you give these worthy programs a listen and let me know what you think.

Events: Demystified

Here’s the first one, from March 2021: The show is called (in-person, virtual & hybrid) Events: Demystified. We’re on Episode 31: The Importance of Time Management and Friendors When Planning a Virtual Event . Anca Trifan of Tree-fan Events has been leading this podcast for over 2 years, and it was so great to work with her on a large virtual event, then to go on her show and talk about it.

Image ID: a black banner with the words "Miracle Workers: A Podcast for planners, by planners." (This is one of the popular event planner podcasts available.)

Miracle Workers: A Podcast for Meeting Planners by Meeting Planners

And the other, from July 2020. This show is called Miracle Workers: A Podcast for Meeting Planners by Meeting Planners. Episode 14, Using Events To Change The World. Amanda and Darryl have been producing Miracle Workers since 2019 as well, and their topics range from “Wi-Fi pricing to last-minute requests for kosher, vegetarian, gluten-free, low-salt meals.” The episode we are on dealt with diversity, and why it’s important to change the world through inclusive events – right up EJP Events’s alley!

In addition to these two podcasts that EJP Events has been featured on, here is a list of some other event planner podcasts that you might be interested in, whether you are in the profession of event planning, wedding planning or production; or thinking about it as a career.

She Doesn’t Even Go Here: Unsolicited Musings on Life and Business. By Terrica Skaggs. Terrica is so informative and entertaining, the minutes just fly by and suddenly you’re doing more laps or miles on your treadmill just to have an excuse to listen to another ep. Highly recommended!
The Savvy Event Planner Podcast. We haven’t tried this one out yet, but it has been going since 2015, and covers such interesting and timely topics as Active Shooter Protocol and Event Safety; as well as International Event Planning.
Talk With Renee Dalo. Renee Dalo is a respected industry veteran, and invites high-level guests such as Liene Stevens, Kirsten Palladino, and Kawania Wooten to talk about everything from entrepreneurship to combating burnout.

Do you have a favorite event planning podcast you want to share? Or helpful tips on how to stay up on the latest event planning news? Leave us a comment, please!

Hear ye, we’re planning a Shakespeare festival!

Posted on 26 March, 202126 March, 2021 by Emee Pumarega

Image ID: a Banner showing an illustration of William Shakespeare with text showing the date of the event: July 16-18, 2021. — _{Planning a Shakespeare Festival? Check out what Westside Shakespeare Festival is doing in 2021!}

EJP Events is pleased to announce that we are working with Experience Theatre Project to assist in planning a Shakespeare festival – specifically, their 2021 Westside Shakespeare Festival! We are so excited to be working with this organization, as well as the City of Beaverton, to safely welcome back the return of live events. The City of Beaverton is working closely with the festival through its permitting system and guidance from the City events manager, to ensure all Oregon Health Authority guidelines are followed.

Currently, Westside Shakespeare Festival is running an online fundraiser in support of its performing arts programming in the community. To learn more and donate, please check here. You can also view the fundraiser through the Instagram app at this location.

Planning a Shakespeare festival involves the entire community, including food and vendors! EJP Events is now accepting vendor applications for food cart and table vendors for the event. Please note, all vendors are expected to participate in the theme of 1550s-1650s era, through costumes, offerings, and services. All merchandise should represent something that could have been made or sold in the Shakespearean era. To review the vendor application please click here. If you have questions, please contact the event planner, Emee Pumarega, at emee @ ejpevents . com or phone (503) 284-6756. This is a great way to get back in the festival vendor game, if you had to sit out 2020 like many of us!

Finally, do make sure to attend the festival in July! Free festival attendance will include access to the performances, as well as a wide array of food and merchandise vendors. For an additional ticket fee, one may attend the Queen’s Feast with seating for the Saturday evening stage production, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). It will be held outdoors, rain or shine starting from Friday 4pm July 16th, through Sunday, 5pm on July 18th, 2021. Full schedule and details are available at experiencetheatre.org.

Wedding venues in The Dalles, Oregon

Posted on 11 March, 202123 August, 2022 by Shawn Granton

The west side of the Cascade Mountains is lush and wet, giving Oregon our reputation as a damp place. But east of the Cascades? The high mountains cause a rain shadow, leaving the area drier and sunnier. How much drier? The Dalles, 60 miles east of Portland, only receives 15 inches (40 cm) of rain a year. Compare that to Portland’s 35 inches (90 cm)!

The area around The Dalles (Wasco County in Oregon, Klickitat County in Washington) is in the heart of the “dry side”. The dry rolling landscape with mountains as a backdrop makes a good setting for a wedding (or event retreat), especially an outdoor one! Plus, you’ll have a greater chance of a rain-free wedding on any given date. (Though it will most likely be windier!)

Things to do around The Dalles

The area has a number of attractions that make having a wedding there more attractive. Rowena Crest is the east-most spectacular viewpoint on the Historic Columbia River Highway, featuring a set of photogenic hairpin turns. The Maryhill Museum a former estate built overlooking the river, is now a museum featuring more than 80 works by Auguste Rodin. Maryhill Stonehenge is a full scale replica of the British original, built as a memorial to World War I veterans. And the region is filled with wineries, though the craft beer scene is starting to expand with breweries like Freebridge. (Try the pizza if you go!)

Wedding venues around The Dalles

Sunshine Mill in The Dalles. This 100 year old mill building in downtown The Dalles is home to Quenett and Capa di Vino wines. Weddings take place in the foundation of the old mill.
Balch Hotel in Dufur. Billing itself as the “Sunniest Wedding Location in the Gorge”, the Balch is a good safe bet if you want an outdoor wedding not afflicted with sprinkles. Plus, there’s 20 guest rooms on site that exude an early 20th Century vibe.
Imperial River Lodge in Maupin. Located right on the Deschutes River (a popular rafting spot), the lodge provides 25 guest rooms and the options of indoor or outdoor wedding venues.
Maryhill Museum. Want a wedding with a stunning backdrop of mountains and the Columbia Gorge? The grounds at Maryhill are perfect for that!
Celilo Inn. We are very excited about this new wedding venue coming online expected in 2023. The artist rendition shows the incredible view of the Columbia River Gorge, city of The Dalles, and Mt. Hood. Weddings will also receive room blocks and a suite; while all overnight guests receive a glass of wine and a passport to complimentary Columbia Gorge wine tastings.

Image ID: Wedding venues in The Dalles, Oregon. Photo of decorated tables inside a large hall.

Wedding venues in The Dalles, Oregon. Photo of decorated tables in an open courtyard near a brick building.

Looking for a wedding or event venue that is near Portland but has a different flavor than the Willamette Valley? Then consider a wedding in The Dalles, Oregon. Feel free to contact us if you would like assistance!

This blog post was updated 2/24/2022 by Emee Pumarega.

Louisville Kentucky Event Locations

An Indian Wedding Weekend at Roehr Park and The Foundry at Oswego Pointe

_{The “Lookback” Series of blog posts features weddings that happened more than a year ago. Some are repeats, some totally new to this blog! We hope you enjoy looking back with us on these wonderful weddings.}