Weddings Vendor Guide? We do, We do!

Bouquet by Botanica Floral

Who should you choose for your special day? Fortunately, we’ve got a few ideas:

Maloy Jewelers: In 1986, Maloy’s Jewelry Workshop first opened its doors in Portland. The aim was to offer both lovingly handmade custom pieces and high quality antique and estate jewelry from the Georgian period (18th century) onwards. Maloy’s wanted to offer distinctive pieces that would be passed down from generation to generation. They also offer expert repair and restoration.

Botanica Floral is an eco-friendly full service custom floral studio located in SE Portland, providing exquisite flowers throughout the Portland metro area that specializes in local, organic, fair trade and sustainably grown flowers for weddings, events, corporate accounts functions, private parties, holidays, tributes memorials, daily deliveries and more. So whether you are looking for something simple or extravagant; they’ll provide you with gorgeous flowers every time.

Real Mother Goose: Walk into one of their stores, or browse their collections online and you’ll find art and craft with character. Each piece has a story, an identity, and a spirit. Each piece is the unique result of a vision, brought to life by an artist’s hand. Couple that special character with function and you’ve got art for everyday living. Since starting their business in 1971, they’ve grown from one tiny shop in Vancouver, Washington, to two Portland, Oregon locations with over 10,000 square feet of contemporary fine American craft. Part gallery and part retail shop, The Real Mother Goose has one goal: bring the best work by American artists and craftspeople together with friendly, personal service in an attractive and comfortable space.

Max Voltage

Max Voltage: is a classically trained violinist and loop-pedal composer, available to play for your wedding or special event. Classical, Jazz, Pop, Folk, Rock; Max can cover any genre with innovative loops that create the sound of an entire string quartet! More info (plus music video samples) at www.maxvoltagepdx.com, or email contact@maxvoltagepdx.com for details and pricing.

Judith Arnell Jewelers: Judith Arnell has been actively designing and manufacturing jewelry in her Chicago and Portland studios since 1972. Judith believes that each piece of jewelry should embody creative genius and masterful craftsmanship. “My clients can feel confident that each and every piece they purchase from Judith Arnell Jewelers is both a solid investment and an exceptional work of wearable art.” Judith creates unique handmade designs and features some of the country’s finest designers. She also offers a large collection of vintage antique platinum diamond jewelry and specializes in Asscher cut diamonds.

The Elysian is an historic ballroom, the resplendent architectural centerpiece of the historic Pythian building in downtown Portland.

    Elysian: Our hope is that you’re standing in its splendor as you read this. The Elysian is an historic ballroom, the resplendent architectural centerpiece of the historic Pythian building in downtown Portland. Their gorgeous suites will be the perfect place to have a glass of champagne and celebrate with your bridal party before the ceremony begins; imagine your walk down the aisle in their turn of the century Italian Renaissance Ballroom, gorgeously lit with the original gold chandeliers, highlighting a cathedral-style ceiling and a grand curtained stage as the backdrop for your ceremony. After the ceremony, the guests will make their way to a beautifully appointed cocktail lounge for drinks and appetizers while your ballroom is re-set for your dream wedding reception with dinner and dancing. In house catering and DJ staff will assist you with detailing out all the important details of your big day.

McMenamins Historic Hotels: With McMenamins, the mundane becomes magical—depending on which historic hotel you choose, you may find an onsite brewery, a movie theater, a full-service spa, gardens and orchards, a winery, soaking pools, live music and more. Along with comfortable guestrooms, original artwork, restaurants and pubs, of course.  When booking your next getaway, retreat or vacation, look to McMenamins for something extraordinary. You have the Crystal Hotel, Edgefield, Gearhart, Grand Lodge, Hotel Oregon, and many more to choose from. Our fave after all these years is, of course, Edgefield.

Tony Starlight’s Showroom: The culmination of Tony Starlight’s 20 years of work as an entertainer and venue owner. The Showroom is the premiere live music and show venue in the Northwest and will be the closest thing to a Vegas show in Portland. The room is stunningly beautiful, with plush blue velvet curtains, hand-stenciled walls, and state-of-the-art sound, lighting and HD video. They provide the audience with a truly memorable dinner and show experience that you will want to share with friends and family. The VIP Rat Pack Den is a much-sought-after room for corporate clients and family parties alike.

                Hilton Hotel: Enjoy a refreshing stay at the Hilton Portland Executive Tower hotel, the largest hotel in the state, located in the heart of the downtown Portland and only a block from the MAX Light Railway System. The Hilton Portland Executive Tower hotel encompasses two buildings. Relax and rejuvenate in their contemporary main building guest rooms or upgrade to the elegant Executive Tower and take in the commanding city views. Enjoy classic American cuisine in the informal Bistro 921 restaurant. Sample a Northwestern brewed beer and choose from a selection of tasty pizzas, specialty salads and classic sandwiches. Dine on delicious Italian cuisine at Porto Terra Tuscan Bar and Grill. Unwind with your favorite drink in the 921 Bar. Enjoy a specialty cocktail or martini in the trendy Porto Terra Lounge.

Xtabay Vintage Bridal Salon: Opening its doors in December of 2011, the Bridal Salon presents an unparalleled shopping experience for brides-to-be. Located upstairs from the Clothing Boutique, Liz designed the Salon with the understanding that choosing a bridal gown should be as joyful as wearing it; the Bridal Salon is a light-filled aerie fitted with gilt-framed mirrors, lavish floral displays, and silk-upholstered furniture. Brides and their attendants can explore their wedding fantasies through Duchesse silk, Belgian lace, mousseline veils, and pearl-embroidered satin—all embodied in gowns celebrating a range of eras from Downton Abbey to the 1970s bohemian spirit of Stevie Nicks. All gowns are beautifully restored and can be tailored to you for a couture finish by our in-house seamstress.

Ashland Springs Hotel: This refined, beaux arts-style landmark, which opened in 1925, is a block from Lithia Park and the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and 0.8 miles from Southern Oregon University. The elegant, naturalist-themed rooms feature minifridges, flat-screen TVs and free WiFi. Continental breakfast is complimentary, and there’s also a restaurant serving farm-to-table comfort fare. Additional amenities include a spa and salon, and free parking. The Ashland Springs Hotel echoes the “luxurious, elegant, splendid” features of its 1925 roots and continues its early tradition of “equal in luxury to any hotel in Oregon.”

                Rosehill Flower Farm: Welcome to Rose Hill, a small, sustainable urban flower farm and design studio in Portland, Oregon — Rose Hill grows gorgeous seasonal flowers and creates elegant designs for a couple’s most special day. They specialize in gay and lesbian weddings and do custom floral design with our own flowers and those of other local farmers out of our inner southeast PDX studio space. Their work is stellar—do a quick Google search and see for yourself what all the buzz is about.

                Paradise Adult Video: You’re going to need fun adult-like goodies to accessories your last gasps of singledom! Support the businesses that support us. Pipes, sexy toys, sexier gifts — all manner of adult innovation. See also: Taboo. Sexy toys, sexier lingerie, videos, gifts galore at Taboo Adult Video.

A Beautiful Ceremony NW: It’s your wedding day, and you’ve invited the most important people in your life to join your celebration. As you get busy with all the planning and details that go into making the day a joyful one, keep in mind that your wedding ceremony launches the festivities by drawing all of your family and friends into the same unique moment in time. A well-crafted ceremony is not only your own unique way of expressing your commitment to one another; it also brings your guests closer together and sets the tone for your celebration.
As ordained non-denominational wedding officiants based in Portland, Oregon, Steve Sharp or Leslie Sharp will work with you to create a custom ceremony from the heart that will be a reflection of your story and an expression of your commitment to one another. Whether you are planning on a casual backyard wedding or a formal celebration surrounded by hundreds of friends and family, they  work with you to create a ceremony that is based on your personal traditions and life experience.

                Portland Spirit: Who wouldn’t want to get married at sea? Imagine an exquisite nighttime experience! A vibrant setting enhanced by dazzling city sights and city lights. An evening filled to the brim with festive cuisine, locally sourced and prepared fresh on board, entertainment, and live performances. For a party of two to a small group of friends or co-workers, this is the ultimate Portland experience. You’ll be able to tell your children that forever started on a boat.

                Bonneville Hot Springs Resort: Bonneville Hot Springs Resort Spa – where luxury lodging and amenities blend with the invigorating allure of nature. Escape to an enchanting woodland realm dotted with picturesque towns and wineries, whitewater rapids, and endless hiking trails. Relax and rejuvenate in soothing, therapeutic mineral waters. Situated in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, Bonneville Hot Springs Resort Spa is the perfect place to Find Yourself in Hot Water and the only destination resort spa in the Columbia River Gorge.

Need more information? Each retailer listed above has an ad listed in our pages. Thumb through and find each one! This is meant to be an interactive list, dear readers.

–Compiled by PQ Monthly Staff

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IVCC play features old-fashioned music, comedy

When choosing Illinois Valley Community College’s spring musical, director/choreographer Don Grant Zellmer thought “big, bold, retro and unique.”

“Sugar Babies: The Big Bad Burlesque Musical” (which debuts Thursday, April 23) seems to fit all those categories — and then some with its nonstop singing, dancing, tapping and zany, bawdy comedy skits.

With a cast of 16, made up of students, faculty, staff and community members, “Sugar Babies” is a re-creation of 1920s burlesque and features skits that made the rounds in every burlesque theater during the Jazz Age.

The Sugar Babies themselves are the chorus line that includes nine women who sing, dance and tap throughout the show. Then there are the comics — “Top Banana,” “Second Banana,” “Characters,” the “Prima Donna,” who is the female star of the show, two “Soubrettes,” who are the foils to the comics — as well as soloists and several featured players.

While Zellmer has directed and appeared in professional productions of “Sugar Babies,” it was an unlikely performing gig that gave him the real love for the show.

“Ten years ago, I toured with the legendary Mickey Rooney in his show with his wife, Jan,” Zellmer said. “I was the third member of the cast of three. Mickey originated the role of the Top Banana in ‘Sugar Babies,’ and we did some of the skits in his tour show, which was amazing.

“Mickey started in vaudeville as a kid, then moved into burlesque when he was older, so he truly was the window into the era — and knew exactly how the skits played best. I saw the master at work, I guess you’d say.

“Before I knew him and performed with him, I had seen ‘Sugar Babies’ right after it opened with Mickey and Ann Miller, about 1980, and got a huge kick out of it. I didn’t plan to be in the show this spring but during auditions, hearing the younger guys reading the dirty old man parts, I realized why the Top Banana really needed to be ‘mature.’ Otherwise it would come off as somewhat lewd and a little creepy.”

Zellmer then decided to split the part in two, sharing those duties with Alex Guerrero, of La Salle, as the Second Banana. Rounding out the principal players are Karen Lesman, La Salle, as the Prima Donna, and Hillari Behrens, Marseilles, and Emily Hanck, Peru, as the Soubrettes (signifying one or two featured women from the line who appear in the comedy sketches as well as solo). The two “Straight Men” (or Characters) are Jake Jakielski, Marseilles, and Chase Woolman of Earlville.

Special guest performers are IVCC theater and music instructor Norman Engstrom in a surprise cameo, and Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts Brian Holloway, an accomplished banjo player, starring in the “Mister Banjo Man” number with the entire company.

“That was an amazing stroke of luck,” said Zellmer. “We were at dinner with Brian and his wife, Cathy, when I mentioned the banjo number and how it would be great to find someone who could really rip it up. Little did I know, I was talking to the guy who could do it — and was willing.”

In addition to Behrens and Hanck, the Sugar Babies include Clarissa Gerrard, Dalzell, Reilly Jaeger, Marseilles (both are featured dancers in the show as well), Anna Klobnak, La Salle, Leighton Williams, Ottawa, Chelsea Berg, McNabb, Emery Stewart, Mendota, and Elizabeth Voitik, Princeton.

“It’s quite the visual show,” said producer David A. Kuester. “There are 72 costumes for the Sugar Babies alone — from lingerie and vintage burlesque costumes to the dazzling ‘Uncle Sam’ finale. We’ve pulled a ton of costumes from the Follies Theatre stock — including some spectacular Vegas showgirl costumes — and have had a lot of help from volunteers as well.”

Many of the costumes are on display on the IVCC Fine Arts Facebook page, which is available to join for anyone interested in the arts, both at IVCC and in the community.

The show has no steady plot, but rather creates the world of burlesque as it was in the 1920s. Top Bananas, Soubrettes and Prima Donna appear as different characters in each skit.

“One of the biggest challenges is making each character different in their physicality, accent, delivery — all the while giving the audience a wink saying ‘Hey — it’s still me!’ then getting into a whole different mindset for a solo as myself,” said Lesman, who has an array of wigs to transform into each character, along with costuming.

The show plays at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 23 to 25 with a 2 p.m. Sunday, April 26 matinee. Tickets are available at the door, or in advance at showtix4u.com.

Due to the adult humor in “Sugar Babies,” no children younger than 12 will be permitted. Tickets cost $20, and for student and senior (65 and older) tickets cost $15.

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