Photo from MTA, used under Creative Commons license 2.0
Whether it’s a conference, meeting, or wedding, ensuring that all of your attendees can access your venue(s) seamlessly is crucial for fostering inclusivity and enhancing the overall experience of your event. As the planner, you must do your due diligence and research your options. You don’t want an attendee to feel left out because your event lacks the appropriate transportation for someone with accessibility needs. You also can’t assume that your transportation provider will just have this ready for you. We’ve found several vendors who offer accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area and beyond.
Important things to note: Most of these services require reservations AT LEAST two days in advance, some months in advance if booking a larger vehicle, to guarantee availability. Some providers have limited service hours (typically weekday business hours) which can make things tricky for night and weekend events. Those that have indicated 24/7 service are listed in bold. Many of these providers offer different vehicles depending on needs, such as wheelchair vs. walker, so make sure you let them know what you need, as price can vary depending on service. While this list is meant to inform you of possible options, we do not endorse the providers listed here, and can’t guarantee they would work in every particular situation.
Please check each provider below for more info:
PDX WAV (By phone, or via Lyft or Uber Transportation Network Company “TNC” apps. If using Lyft, you must switch on the “Wheelchair Access” mode in Settings. For Uber, scroll down in the regular Choose A Ride screen until you see WAV.)
Travel Portland also maintains its own Accessible Portland page, with tons of resources on accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area. If you’re having an event that includes biking, you can rent Adaptive Biketown accessible bike rentals too!
Nonprofits can also provide useful services for accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area. We found one called Ride Connection, that may be able to provide door-to-door service as long as one is registered in advance and provides 4 days advance notice. One must start the registration process by phone. Check out their website here.
We don’t want to forget to mention our own local public transport service, TriMet. TriMet in Portland offers bus, light rail, and streetcar services, all accessible. However, it isn’t point-to-point, so you do have to plan in advance for the last few miles or blocks of travel. TriMet does offer accessible LIFT service, but from what we’ve researched, there is an application for eligibility, and some bureaucratic hoops to jump through. While there is a visitor eligibility application process, it’s only available to apply by phone. Thus it may not be the most convenient for on-demand, event transportation services.
And don’t forget that EJP Events is there for your event planning needs. Feel free to get in touch if you need assistance with your event, or with accessible event transportation for the Portland metro area.
A grand afterparty in the Rotunda at San Francisco City Hall
The San Francisco Bay Area has a lot going for it when it comes to meetings and events. The northern California metropolis hums with excitement and energy, a diverse mix of different cultures, vital urban areas, and beautiful natural landscapes. Where else can you go in the US and have a super dense city and a remote feeling hilly coastline less than ten miles apart? Through its numerous airports (SFO, Oakland, San Jose), one can catch a flight to and from most of the important destinations in the world. Today we take stock of three different venues representing different areas of this region. We hope this helps you make the most of planning your San Francisco Bay Area meetings and events.
The Golden Gate Bridge is arguably the most iconic thing about the Bay Area. But catching a glimpse of this technological marvel is mostly impossible in the city proper. So how about a venue that has the bridge and bay as a glorious backdrop? This former Army base in the Marina neighborhood was active during World War II. Fort Mason’s thirteen-acre campus features 12 different venue options from 500 to 50,000 square feet (75,000 total square feet), space big enough to hold a comic convention! (I attended the Small Press Expo here in the early 2000’s.) There is also a 437-seat theater, a 162-seat theater, and ample parking. In short, there’s space for pretty much any type of event you’d want to hold.
Located in the Marin County town of Fairfax, the Marin Museum of Bicycling houses an extraordinary collection of interesting bikes from 1868 to the present. Since Fairfax is the birthplace of mountain biking, the museum also houses The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. The fully accessible museum can also be a great venue for your next event. The indoor section can accommodate 80-100 people seated or 160 standing, while the outdoor spaces can hold even more folks. And whatever configuration you pick, you’ll get to check out some cool bikes!
Located on the border between Oakland and Berkeley, this impressive edifice of hospitality sits at the foot of the Berkeley Hills. Opened in 1915, The Claremont Hotel offers a commanding view of the bay. It has all the charm and class of the grand resort hotels completed in California around the turn of the 20th century. With 20,000 square feet of combined meeting space, both indoor and outdoor (including a secret garden!) The Claremont is also close to the commercial districts of Elmwood (Berkeley) and Rockridge (Oakland) with lots of shops and restaurants, and not too far from the Rockridge BART station.
Claremont Hotel by David Corby, used under Creative Commons license
A conference room in the Claremont Hotel, from their website
Incorporate a ferry into your event…
The Bay Area has tons of iconic modes of transportation, from the vision-of-the-future-in-1972 subway system known as BART, a fleet of historic streetcars, and of course, the Cable Car. But the Bay Area’s biggest asset is the water itself, so getting around by ferry has a special charm. (Fun fact: Ferry service was all but gone during the mid twentieth century. While unfortunate, the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989 helped bring it back.) And you can book special private cruises via Blue and Gold Lines, who can pick you up and drop you off at a number of bayside ports.
…or the Ferry Building itself!
The San Francisco Ferry Building sits at the foot of Market Street downtown. Opened in 1898, this terminal was the city’s major transportation hub. It survived two large earthquakes and years of neglect brought on by bridge and freeway building. When the controversial Embarcadero Freeway was removed after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the building was reconnected to the city. An extensive remodel was taken in the early twenty-first century, and now the Ferry Building is not just a place to catch a boat to somewhere else, but a destination in itself with lots of shops, restaurants, and offices. And you can rent out the Ferry Building for a special event! The Grand Hall can hold a grand event for up to 650 people, while the Port Hearing Room is perfect for a smaller meeting of up to 100 people. The outdoor plazas can be rented as well.
San Francisco Ferry Building’s Grand Hall, from their website
Sometimes called “The People’s Palace”, San Francisco City Hall opened in 1915 and is a great example of a Beaux Arts building from the “City Beautiful” era. Its beautiful Rotunda can accommodate up to 660 people, plus there are multiple other spaces around the Rotunda that can be used for things like a gala or afterparty. We got to experience the gloriousness of this space at the end of Meeting Professionals International’s conference in 2022. Fun fact: City Hall was also featured in a James Bond movie!
We hope that you found this post informative and that it helps you to source for your next San Francisco Bay Area Meetings and Events. Want more info? Check out our post about Berkeley event venues. There is so much more to the Bay Area, California’s Wine Country, and beyond for meetings and events in this area of the country. If you need any help planning your next corporate meeting, event, or conference in the Bay Area, EJP Events is here to assist!
Hello folks! Today we revisit a region near and dear to our hearts: The Columbia River Gorge. This valley carved straight through the mighty Cascade Mountains, providing a water-level route to the interior. This gorge is filled with immense beauty and special places, making it a favorite place of ours not only to visit, but also to hold weddings and other events. We have planned several weddings in the Gorge, like Will and Erik‘s and Shannon and Ryan’s. Come with us to tour event and wedding venues in the Columbia Gorge near Cascade Locks!
Gorges Beer Co.
This brewery is new on the Gorge beer scene, opening in the summer of 2021. Their three-story space, located in downtown Cascade Locks, features two open-air patios with expansive views of the Gorge and Cascade Mountain range. They also have a one-acre lawn and separate “barn” with bar for an outdoor ceremony of up to 200 people. Plus, you’ll get to drink the tasty beers Gorges is known for.
Patio at Gorges BeerThe “barn” at Gorges Beer
Maple Leaf Events Wedding Venue
Located in the foothills above Stevenson, Washington, across the river from Cascade Locks, Maple Leaf Events feature a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces for weddings. The reception hall can accommodate 150, with a large kitchen and small bar available as well. Plus, they provide suites for the couple to get ready, and three rentable cabins for overnight stays for members of the wedding party.
Maple Leaf Events (from their website)
Black Pearl on the Columbia
This industrial-styled, multi-level facility is located in Washougal, Washington, at the west entrance of the Gorge. Its 12,600 sq ft can accommodate up to 1,000 people, making it a great spot for a large corporate event. And its floor-to-ceiling windows give a sweeping view of the Columbia River and Cascade Foothills.
Columbia Gorge Museum
Would you like having your event held amongst big pieces of machinery and historical displays? The Columbia Gorge Museum (also known as the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum) in Stevenson allows facility rentals after the museum’s public hours end. As per their website, this museum boasts thousands of square feet of available space including a meeting room, theater, large outdoor patio, as well as the Grand Gallery. (Editor’s Note: This museum should not be confused with the similarly sounding Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, which we mentioned in our East Gorge roundup last year.)
After hours event at Columbia Gorge Museum in Stevenson (from their website)
Transportation to the Columbia Gorge
Most people arrive to the Gorge via car. Nevertheless, there are other options:
Bus: While Amtrak’s Empire Builder passes through the Gorge here, it does not stop until Bingen, about 20 miles east of here. Taking the bus is a better option. There are multiple options that connect the Portland metro area to the Gorge, all of them have bike racks on the front and/or rear of the bus.
Oregon side: The Columbia Gorge Express travels from Gateway Transit Center in Portland to Hood River several times a day, making stops in Troutdale, Multnomah Falls, and Cascade Locks.
Washington side:Skamania County Transit travels from Fishers Landing Transit Center in Vancouver to Bingen several times a day (weekdays only), making stops in Washougal, Skamania (store), North Bonneville, Stevenson, and Carson.
Bike: Undeniably the Gorge is a great place to ride a bike, at least on the Oregon side. (Washington Route 14 has lots of traffic and often lacks a shoulder.) The Historic Columbia River Highway is the way to go. It’s a scenic route that winds its way from Troutdale, OR to Cascade Locks. Bike maps for the route can be found here and here. Don’t have a bike? Rent one from Bike The Gorge in Cascade Locks.
We hope that you found this post informative, and that it helps you when sourcing event and wedding venues in the Columbia Gorge near Cascade Locks If you need any help planning your next Corporate Meeting, Event or Conference in the Gorge, EJP Events is here to assist!
Check out our previous Columbia Gorge venue guides here: West Gorge and East Gorge
In the picturesque landscape east of the Cascades, amidst the breathtaking beauty of towering mountains and high desert greenery, a vibrant tapestry of colors and traditions unfolds as an enchanting Indian wedding in Central Oregon took place last fall. The air is filled with anticipation and joy, as family and friends gather from far and wide to celebrate the union of Luke and Rekhna.
Elaborate floral decorations adorn the venue, while the aromatic scent of Indian delicacies mingles with the crisp mountain air. Against the backdrop of nature’s splendor, the bride and groom, draped in resplendent attire, embark on a lifelong journey together, surrounded by the warmth and love of their loved ones.
We look forward to another Indian wedding in Central Oregon.
A few years ago we helped with the Chasing Grace Movie Premiere at the Hollywood Theatre here in Portland. The pre-screening party was at the Magnolia Lounge and the after party at Velo Cult. Catering at the after party was by Elephants Catering.
Who gets tipped at a wedding is a common question in wedding planning. It used to be you could just say, “Tip anyone you would tip normally,” and everyone knew what to do. However, this gets complicated when you factor in vendors such as DJs, photographers, and florists that not all of us use in our everyday lives. (Well, maybe if you are a celebrity…) Using a little knowledge of history, common sense, and principles of fairness and equity, we’ll try to tackle this question.
A little tipping history
While tipping predates the Civil War in the U.S., it became more prevalent in post-Reconstruction America. When it became no longer legal to enslave humans and pay them nothing to work, companies such as Pullman hired Black workers and paid them low wages, expecting them to work for tips to make up the bulk of their income (via USA Today).
As Rakeen Mabud mentions in an article on the Forbes website, “Former slaves…were exploited by employers who offered them no-wage jobs with the promise of tips. Tipping, therefore, was explicitly used to avoid paying black Americans for their labor in this period.”
CBS News continues, “Surprisingly, in those early years, many considered tipping undemocratic and therefore un-American because of its roots in the aristocracy. ‘Tipping, and the aristocratic idea it exemplifies, is what we left Europe to escape. It is a cancer in the breast of democracy,’ wrote William Scott in 1916. But the railway and restaurant industries fought for using tipping as their employees’ full wages, to exploit their African American labor force, and they won.”
Today, we have what are called “Tip Credit” exemptions in US laws such as the FLSA, that allow certain classes of workers to be paid a minimum wage as low as $2.13 (!!!), and to earn the rest of their wage through tips. Thankfully, some areas have adopted minimum wage laws that start minimum wage at $14.75 or better (hi, Portland). However, even a higher minimum wage doesn’t quite cut it when you look at this table from MIT showing what a living wage should be for a household with 2 children — for example, that’s between $27 and $48 in Multnomah County, depending on how many adults are working in the household. Simply put, tips really help if your hourly wage doesn’t cut it.
OK, so knowing the above, we’ve accepted that the history of tipping is pretty awful. Also knowing that while we continue to live in and agitate against this inequitable system, it’s up to us to take direct action and figure out who gets tipped at a wedding, to make it a better situation. So we should absolutely tip folks who work at a wedding, because not only are they working hard, they’re under so much more pressure since they are not just making dinner or creating space, they are doing so for such a timeless and special occasion. By tipping, we’re also directly helping people, and making up for some of the inequities in a system that we have the privilege to affect. That being said, if you absolutely do not have the ability to tip*, you shouldn’t feel bad, and nothing bad is going to happen to you. There are alternatives to cash tips that we’ll go over later in this article.
Yes, you should still tip anyone you would tip in your daily non-wedding life
So who gets tipped at a wedding? Let’s start with the easy answers: Anyone who you would tip in normal, non-wedding life. Do you go out to eat? You tip the waiter, and maybe in your food delivery app, you give a gratuity to the kitchen staff. Do you drink in bars? You tip the bartender. Do you stay in hotels? You tip the people who carry your stuff or bring things to your room, and those who clean up after you. None of this changes just because you’re having a wedding. Do you tip your hairstylist? Of course you do. Do you tip when you go to the department store, and a makeup artist helps you choose makeup and sometimes, even applies it on your face? Yes, all of these tips that happen in normal life, should also happen at your wedding.
And anyone who offers an above-and-beyond customized service
In addition, let’s think about people who offer specialized labor or a customized service. When you go to a karaoke bar, you might tip the KJ for finding you that special song you wanted to sing, and moving you up in the queue because she knows it’s your birthday. Similarly, a wedding DJ who goes out of their way to customize your wedding playlist, gets to know your likes and dislikes, and watches the crowd to tailor the music in order to get the most people dancing — this person is deserving of a gratuity. The words gratuity and gratitude are related – use tips to show how grateful you are.
Exceptions to who gets tipped at a wedding: Bad service, business owners, and when it’s already in the contract
Let’s be real, tips add up. When you are already spending so much money on the wedding, it’s always good to look for safe places where you can skip the tip. One is if the vendor provider is a business owner. Although they will definitely appreciate, and certainly not turn away, a tip if you give them one, they normally are not thinking of themselves as who gets tipped at a wedding. This is because, as an owner-worker they are presumably (hopefully) paying themselves a living wage or better. (If you are a business owner and you are NOT paying yourself a living wage, there’s a book for you!)
The other situation is where gratuity is already included in the contract. But be careful! “Service charge” and “Gratuity” are not always interchangeable. It’s up to you (or your wedding planner) to ask vendors who add service charge (most likely a caterer or a hotel), whether or not that service charge goes to the staff. If it doesn’t, then it would be customary to give tips to hotel or catering staff at the end of the night.
One last situation is if you’ve received overall bad service. I’m not talking about if one guest’s impossible/illegal request wasn’t met (I’m thinking of that one wedding guest who asked me to chill and serve her own wine that she brought from outside the venue. Uh, no.), but overall bad service where it seems like everything went wrong — late or missing staff, important instructions such as dietary needs not followed, diagrams or timelines given well in advance not followed, etc. In this case you should feel fine about reducing or eliminating gratuity for the affected services. But please do give tips for those who did show up and give their all.
Ways to show appreciation without tipping
For those vendors who aren’t being tipped, there are still lots of ways to show appreciation. Offer a sandwich tray with ice-cold sodas during setup, for the floral and rental setup crew. In my experience, those folks do a lot, but rarely get tipped. After the wedding, you can write your vendor a thank-you note and include a coffee gift card, or send a bottle of wine (unopened, please) that is left over from your reception.
And if they did a good job, you should write that vendor a nice review on a site like Yelp, Google Maps, or TheKnot. (Pro tip: Copy and paste your review on as many sites as you can. More ideas include WeddingWire, LinkedIn, and Facebook.) Your vendor will love you forever, and a good review that could lead to future business is worth far more than a $50 handshake.
Finally, don’t forget to write your vendors a thank-you note if they did a good job. It’s a little thing that does mean something, especially if you cannot tip someone.
Your wedding planner is your intermediary
This seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? But this is a perfect example of a service a wedding planner provides for you, in order to remove stress and fuss from the events leading up to the wedding. Your planner can look at your vendor list and help you figure out who gets tipped at the wedding and exactly how much. Once you and your planner determine what tips will be arranged, you can place these amounts (usually cash) in sealed envelopes with the name of the vendor for your planner to hand out (or not hand out, based on service) at the end of the night. You and your sweetie and all your friends and family won’t have to deal with all of that.
*As most wedding expenses are non-mandatory, my stance is that few people planning weddings fall into this category. Just as if you can afford to go out for dinner, you can afford to tip; so if you can afford to host, for example, a wedding with a budget of $30,000 or more, you can afford to tip your wedding vendors. To host a wedding at this budget level or higher in the US and think you can’t afford to tip, in my opinion, means you didn’t plan correctly. Smaller weddings on shoestring budgets are exempt from my blanket judgement.
