Posted By Suzanne Carvlin on April 6, 2011

Ever wonder where you and your furry dog buddy can go on vacation and stay in a chic hotel with all of the creature comforts?

Wonder no more!  The Oxford Hotel in downtown Bend, Oregon not only has a pet-friendly floor; they also provide a host of amenities that would make any dog feel right at home.

Our dogs would love a stay at The Oxford Hotel. They are a bit larger now (they are a lean, mean 80 lbs. each), but they would no longer chew on their dog beds. Photo taken by Suzanne Carvlin when Rocky and Jaco (as in base player Jaco Pastorius) were little pups growing up in Los Angeles.

The Oxford Hotel provides a pet-friendly stay in the heart of Downtown Bend, Oregon with access to the beautiful outdoors and many fun activities.

Tazlab’s unique dog collar stretches when you don’t have a leash attached to it.  That way, your dog won’t be in any danger if its collar becomes snared on a nefarious stray stick or by another dog’s chompers while romping around at Bend’s local dog park.

Tazlab's safety stretch dog collar expands and even breaks away to release your dog if its collar becomes stuck on any object.

Tazlab's dog leashes connect to their safety collar and keep the collar from expanding so your dog will stay at your side on a walk.

Tazlab also provides dog bowls to The Oxford. Tazlab’s patented silicone bowl is called the Aqua-Fur. (cute.) Made from FDA approved food grade silicone, the Aqua-Fur does not contain BPEs, nor have any areas where bacteria can take refuge.

Due to the unique nature of the silicone, you can fold the bowl into your backpack and hit the trails with your pooch, or you can bake a dog-cake in the bowl in your hotel kitchenette! And then wash the bowl in the dishwasher! That is so insanely cool.

The Oxford provides you with a Tazlab silicone dog bowl to keep upon your visit.

You can fold up Tazlab's silicone dog bowl for travel.

Not only will you have pet-friendly paw salve upon check-in, The Oxford has other beauty and fitness treats in store for Fido. Your pet can receive a massage, be groomed, or take advantage of their dog walking services.

Just have your dog dial “O” for the hotel concierge.

You will have one pampered pooch at The Oxford in Bend.  If it weren’t for their outstanding people amenities, you might even become a bit jealous!

A stay at The Oxford is no rough day of camping. You and your pooch can hit the slopes, the trails or the shops and return to the lap of luxury in your cozy hotel room. Fido gets his own pet bed, too! Photo courtesy of The Oxford Hotel.

The Oxford is also green and eco-friendly and makes a great modern event or wedding space.  Read all about their luxe wedding ameneties here: The Oxford Hotel-Your Modern Wedding Destination in Downtown Bend, Oregon.

Suzanne

Photo credits: Unless otherwise noted, photos are used with permission courtesy of Tazlab in Bend, Oregon

Category: Bar Tending Services, Catering, General, Hotels & Lodging, Pet Care, Rehearsal Dinners, Transportation, Venues for Weddings & Parties | No Comments »
Tags: central oregon hotel, dog and pet care, downtown bend, eco-friendly, Hotels & Lodging, Oregon, pets, tazlab, the oxford hotel, Venues for Weddings & Parties

Posted By Suzanne Carvlin on April 1, 2011

The Oxford Hotel in Downtown Bend, Oregon is a luxe, chic, wedding venue and event space for brides and grooms who want to have an event with style and modern pizzazz.

Balcony of the Oxford Hotel in Downtown Bend, Oregon. Bride's gown by Bella Brides, Groom's tux by Robert's on Wall Street, both in Downtown Bend. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Perfect for an intimate wedding with a guest list of up to 120 people, The Oxford has several spaces for an amazing event.

One of the greatest things about The Oxford is that rustic, romantic and modern decor looks right at home against the hotel’s urban backdrop.

Green and white wedding bouquet by Sara Carson of Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Another bonus about choosing The Oxford is that everything from getting ready to your ceremony and reception can be on-site. While your team of expert vendors busily prepares your wedding day details, you can be getting ready in one of The Oxford’s luxe hotel suites.  Instead of rushing from place to place, your beauty team can arrive on-site in your suite while you sit back and enjoy your day.

Getting ready is a treat in The Oxford's luxurious guest suites. Makeup and Hair by Michelle Watson. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Hair by Michelle Watson. Bouquet by Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

The iconic dress shot. The Oxford is a lovely backdrop for all of the important detail photos on your wedding day. Dress by Bella Brides in Bend, Oregon. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Imagine hosting both your wedding ceremony and reception at The Oxford.  You could make use of the hotel’s many special event areas.

Your wedding would start with guests being greeted in the hip lobby (reminiscent of the divine Kelly Wearstler). Plasma screens would feature photos of you with your names, highlighting your wedding.

As your guests arrive, they would be greeted by Suzanne the Party Girl’s team and transported to your ceremony on the 7^th floor, the highest floor in all of Downtown Bend. With the wonderful height and bank of windows, your guests have a view stretching over downtown Bend to the Cascade mountains.

Wedding ceremony with a view of Downtown Bend and the Cascade Mountains. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Wedding Ceremony decor with rentals by O'Brien Events and flowers by Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Bartending service can be set up in the ceremony space for pre-ceremony cocktails or refreshing beverages. (The most fun wedding ceremony I ever did had a pre-ceremony cocktail hour.  You have never seen guests so excited for a wedding ceremony!)

After your ceremony, your guests will make the short trip to 10 Below’s lower level restaurant where guests can enjoy beverages and some appetizers while you take photos as a newly wed couple.

A chic, modern green and white wedding bouquet by Sara Carson of Blue Daffodil. Makeup and Hair by Michelle Watson. Wedding dress by Bella Brides. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

After the cocktail hour, our lovely Suzanne the Party Girl team would greet your guests and cue the start of the dinner hour and welcome everyone into your reception’s dining room. In addition, a second plasma screen would feature your photos, monogram, your married names, or anything you wanted to submit in a .jpg format.

Your reception would be in the Minnesota ballroom. (The combined Lava and Bond rooms equals the Minnesota’s 2000 square feet of space where you can party-down.) Guests can be seated at rounds or long banquettes with a dance floor. There is also ample space for a full bar and a band for you and your guests to enjoy into the night.

Decor with modern touches compliments The Oxford's sleek vibe. Centerpieces by Sara Carson of Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Wedding centerpieces by Sara Carson of Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

Your reception décor would be set against The Oxford’s neutral yet hip backdrop. The Oxford has high-end bar tables with brushed stainless steel tops or black fitted “scuba” wraps, which would also complement your modern décor.

Table linens provided by The Oxford are either chocolate brown or cream with matching or opposite overlays. Napkins are black, cream or sage green. The neutral palette is perfect colors to offset a sleek centerpiece display with fun punches of color.

You can opt to do a custom linen overlay, napkin, or chair cover to suite your own taste, but know that the furniture is high quality and in excellent shape.

O’Brien Events sets a sparkling table with chocolate linens, white china, and stemware.  Rentals provided by O’Brien Events. Centerpieces by Sara Carson of Blue Daffodil. Photography by Byron Roe Photography.

10 Below, The Oxford’s intimate, lower-level restaurant, crafts food on-site. Serving organic fare and local micro brews, their food and a bar menu will impress your guests.

Award winning head bartender, Columbine Quillen, has been written about several times. Just Google “Columbine Quillen” and you will find articles such as this one in Oregon Live:

http://www.oregonlive.com/master-mixologist-columbine-quillen

Several sources rave about her handcrafted syrups, bitters, tinctures and infusions that line up the back bar at 10 below. (I can vouch for that. Her trio mini Manhattan flight is beyond amazing.)

According to Kathleen Bauer’s Oregon Live article, Columbine has been recognized by, “Nightclub and Bar magazine, which named her one of the four top bartenders in the country. She’s won accolades in Bend as the most popular bartender for the past four years running, and Travel Oregon included her as one of the top-10 artisans in their Oregon Bounty campaign last fall.”

For décor, The Oxford has a great hanging system. Instead of tacking anything to the walls (which is not permitted), there is a hanging system in place from the crown molding.

You could hang a banner with your monogram or a beautiful design. You could also hang framed photos from your engagement or other family wedding photos.

Plus, their chic ceiling conceals another hanging structure where you can suspend sleek elements over your dining tables.

After your wedding, you can unwind and revel in the day in their deluxe honeymoon suite. Just a few guest amenities include: room service, a steam room, a sauna, a workout room, free wi-fi, complimentary bicycles, valet parking, and a 24-hour concierge.

Fido can join you, too! The Oxford is a pet-friendly hotel with a list of services for you and your furry companion. If that were not enough, the Oxford is green and eco-friendly as well.

The Oxford is the perfect place for the modern couple to start a wonderful life together. Contact Staci Carsten at the Oxford for more information and a tour: 541-382-8436, stacic@oxfordhotelbend.com

Suzanne

Credits:

All photos used with permission from The Oxford Hotel and Byron Roe Photography.

Venue/Cake – The Oxford Hotel

Photography - Byron Roe Photography

Flowers – Blue Daffodil Flowers

Event Rentals – O’Brien Events

Jewelry – Douglas Fine Jewelry

Dress – Bella Brides

Tux – Robert’s On Wall Street

Hair/Makeup – Michelle Watson, The Spa at Widgi Creek

Category: Bar Tending Services, Beauty | Hair & Makeup, Catering, General, Hotels & Lodging, Meeting Spaces, Pet Care, Photography, Rehearsal Dinners, Restaurants & Cafes, Transportation, Venues for Weddings & Parties | No Comments »
Tags: 10 below, Bend, columbine quillen, complimentary bicycles, concierge, downtown bend, eco-friendly, event space, free wi-fi, green hotel, honeymoon suite, hotel, manhattan flight, Oregon, pet-friendly, pets, room service, sauna, steam room, the oxford hotel, valet partking, Venues for Weddings & Parties, wedding venue, workout room

Posted By Suzanne Carvlin on March 29, 2011

Last week, Martha Stewart Weddings hosted a live online luxury wedding expo that I had a lot of fun attending.

I am excited to report on my favorite live Q & A sessions with the featured Main Stage guests.

You can read more about the online expo here:

Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo – Live and Online!

And you can read more about my other favorite Main Stage guests here:

Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo – Cheree Berry Paper – Part 1 of 2

Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo – Cheree Berry Paper – Part 2 of 2

Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo – Sylvia Weinstock Cakes

Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo – Matthew Robbins Design

Jeffery Selden, Executive Director of Catering for The New York Palace Hotel, spoke about wedding logistics and shared “insights on choosing a venue, fine-tuning your seating chart, and cooking up a mouthwatering menu.”

Elizabeth Graves, Martha Stewart Weddings’ Editor-in-Chief moderated Q&A.

Jeffery’s main tip: Trust the people you work with because you want to be confident and comfortable on the day of your wedding. If you hire the right vendors, you will feel like a real guest at your wedding and not asked a thousand questions on your wedding day.

According to Jeffery, brides are looking for one-stop-shop venues. The Palace provides the venue and Jeffrey acts as the wedding coordinator, recommending all of the vendors for the wedding.

Q. What should brides look for in a venue?

A. Think about what makes best sense for you and that suits your family’s needs. Budget is a big concern. If you do have a smaller budget, do your homework and speak to some restaurants. Often, they are more favorably priced.

My tip: If budget is a big concern, edit your guest list. The wedding you could host for 200 people with $15,000 is a very different wedding from the one you could host for 50 people with the same budget.

Jeffery Selden speaks with Darcy Miller at the Martha Stewart Weddings Expo before the live Q & A.

Q. What are the pros and cons for a hotel like the Palace?

A. Pros would be that everything is on-site: The venue, guest rooms for out-of-town guests, and an on-site coordinator who works closely with vendors. For off-premise locations, you really either become your own planner or you need to hire a planner if you don’t have time to research everything.

Q. What are the hot new trendy food ideas?

A. Incorporate cultural traditions or favorite foods. People love sushi bars and raw bars. If you are on a budget and you really love something, pretty much anything can be scaled down into a passed appetizer. A passed piece of sushi is less expensive than a full sushi bar.

Post party late-night food trends seem to be comfort foods. Things that are cold work really well because people have been dancing and they are hot. Burger sliders and fries in a cone are fun and so are ice cream sandwiches and fruit smoothies.

You can also do buffet stations with pre-plated or pre-boxed foods, such as salad in a take out box. Create miniature dinner bites throughout the space. It is less formal, but it creates a fun atmosphere.

If you have people from different areas, having food stations helps people mingle and meet each other because it is an interactive environment. Also, guests can talk to people throughout the night and not sit with the same people for 5 hours.

(Jeffery’s own wedding reception was an elaborate cocktail party with stations.)

For hotels, it can be a great idea to get a room block in the same hotel so people can be together, but having one or two other places at different price points can be more accommodating for guests.

Make certain you ask if there are other events going on at the venue and surrounding areas so you can plan for traffic, room availability, directional cues or signs within the venue so your guests know where to go.

You want to book rooms and the venue 6 months to a year out, but really, book as early as you are ready so you can be sure you have rooms.

Ex. The Sisters Quilt Show often creates booked rooms a year in advance. Check and see which events are happening in Central Oregon before you book your venue. See if you can get room blocks in advance if there is a large event scheduled.

Jeffery points out that you should ask if the room blocks are “courtesy blocks.” A courtesy block would mean that the wedding hosts don’t have to guarantee very much. See what hotels are willing to do to reserve rooms for your wedding and then add the details to your wedding website. Usually 10 rooms will equal one room block.

If you have questions about gratuities, Jeffery notes that if the gratuities are included in the per-person price, ask where the gratuities go so you can see if you want to layer on gratuities to people who work closely with you or give them a special gift. Ex. Your wedding planner, maitre d’, venue planner, or head chef.

Another “pro” of having everything in one place would be the flow of the event. There would be no lulls, no travel time in between ceremony and reception.

If you are having a wedding and not inviting children, you can provide a babysitter. Many babysitting services bring toys and have structured activities as well.

Finally, Jeffery suggests that in communicating with your wedding planner, personal visits are most helpful. So are inspiration photos and tear sheets. Impart as much vision and communication with your planner as possible so everyone is on the same page!

Suzanne

Photo credits: All photos were taken during the live Martha Stewart Weddings Luxury Expo unless otherwise noted.

Note that The New York Palace Hotel is stunning.  You should Google it!

Category: General, How To, Wedding Expos, Wedding Planning, Wedding Tips & Organization | No Comments »
Tags: Catering, Venues for Weddings & Parties