valley vows 2012

20122012Valley Vows

Valley Vows 2012

Valley Vows 2012

Going localLook no farther for your wedding day needs ........................4

Making it officialWho can actually marry you?.......................................6

Never uneventfulImperfections make the perfect day memorable .....................8

The vowWrite your own, but don’t overdo it ................................10

The vow, againRenew your vows, reflect on your life .............................11

Four seasonsEvery time of year can be the right time ..........................12

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Directory of Advertisers ...........................15

Don Nelson, publisher/editorSue Misao, design

Robin Doggett, ad salesCallie Fink, ad sales

Dana Sphar, ad design/productionLinda Day, ad design

Marilyn Bardin, office managerJanet Mehus, office assistant

ContributorsPatrick Hannigan

Ann McCreary Teri Pieper

Joanna SmithBob Spiwak

Marcy StamperKristin Wall

Laurelle Walsh EA WeymullerBrandy Woras

A publication of the Methow Valley News

PO Box 97, Twisp, WA 98856 509.997.7011 Fax 509.997.3277

20122012

[email protected] www.methowvalleynews.com Cover photo by Kristin Wall

If nothing else, a wedding in the Methow Valley offers bound-less options year-round, and lots of local talent to help the bride, groom, family and friends come up with the best combination of location, floral accoutrements, food, plain or fancy raiment, photography, gifts and salon amenities.

But of course the valley does offer something else: an un-matched setting that will, hopefully, be the foundation of fond wedding memories for decades to come.

Valley Vows is intended to help the intended – with ideas, planning tips, and maybe a few things they haven’t yet thought about. For locals who already know about what the Methow provides, and for those who are just learning, you’ll find much to help you imagine the perfect valley wedding.

–DN

Gather ’roundPhoto by Brandy Woras

Valley Vows 2012

Going local: staging the all-Methow weddingBy Ann McCreary

h e M e t h o w Valley’s “small town quality” en-ticed Jaime and Brandon Levy to

choose the valley for their wedding last June.

They discovered that the services and support they

found in the Methow for their wedding were personal, professional and anything but “small town.”

Jaime Levy said every-thing they needed – from catering, to bike rentals, to massages – exceeded their expectations.

“Everything was so spe-cial and genuine, especially the people I dealt with,” she

said.Brandon Levy got ac-

quainted with the Methow Valley while working with Department of Transporta-tion crews to clear the North Cascades Highway of snow in the spring.

“He really fell in love with

Mazama and the valley,” Jaime Levy said.

The Leavenworth couple chose the North Cascades Basecamp in Mazama for their wedding site. Owners Steve and Kim Bondi “were wonder-ful hosts,” Levy said.

“We talked with them about our visions of what we wanted to do and they were really great. They gave

us suggestions about … local people” to provide services for the wedding.

Local caterer Stewart Dietz helped plan not only the food for the event, but also many other aspects of the wedding as well, Levy said.

“She served a double role ... and was very professional,” Levy said.

Central Reservations, which books lodging in the valley, helped arrange ac-commodations for family members who traveled to the valley from other parts of the country. Many stayed at the Basecamp with the wedding couple, others stayed at the Freestone Inn and at the Goat Wall View in Mazama.

The couple chose a some-what unusual mode of trans-portation to their rehearsal dinner, held at Wesola Polana restaurant near Mazama. They rented 25 mountain bikes from Methow Cycle and Sport in Winthrop, which delivered the bikes to the Basecamp.

“The guests rode to Wesola Polana along the Community Trail. It was a bike entourage. We thought it was a really nice way to get everybody moving and to see that stretch between the Basecamp and Wesola Polana,” Levy said.

Many of the guests then took a local shuttle bus into Winthrop to continue celebrat-ing at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, she said.

Before the wedding, Levy said, “I had a phenomenal massage” from local massage therapist Carolyn Cilek at the Freestone Inn.

“It was a wonderful break for me. And the morning of the wedding we did yoga at the Mazama Country Inn,” Levy said.

To complement the lo-cally catered wedding menu, the Levys chose to serve beer from the Twisp River Pub and wine from Lost River Winery in Mazama. The Levys chose a spot near the river for the cer-emony, but high water in June meant the wedding party had to cross standing water to get there. A makeshift bridge had

to be built to get to the site.“People came out of the

woodwork to help. It was

really a cooperative event,” Levy said.

Levy said her Methow

T

Photo by Teri Pieper

The right setting is the first consideration in wedding plan-ning, and the Methow Valley offers plentiful options.

Photo by Brandy Woras

Whatever you need to create a special nuptial occasion, the valley can likely provide it.

Valley Vows 2012

Valley wedding experience was fun and stress-free.

“It really was a magical time,” she said.

If you need it, it’s probably hereLike the Levys, most cou-

ples who choose to wed in the Methow want something less traditional, and are interested in tapping into services avail-able in the valley, said caterer Stewart Dietz.

The main attraction is the natural beauty of the area, and like the Levys, many couples choose an outdoor wedding that takes advantage of the setting, Dietz said.

She and other caterers provide tents and seating for outdoor dining. Dietz said she is able to offer local options for most needs typically as-sociated with weddings and receptions.

“I have a list of people in my head. I always ask people if they need a florist, a musician, a sound system,” she said.

She is able to recommend local salons to do hair and nails; spas for facials and mas-

sages; photographers; pastry chefs for wedding cakes; and ministers for the ceremony.

Dietz said she’s also been

asked to provide suggestions about less traditional services, such as fishing guides and horseback riding.

“My clients are usually really interested in using the resources that are here,” Dietz said. “There’s so much

involved in getting here, if they can tap into anything locally it saves them from hauling it over, and it puts money here in the valley.”

A couple can even get a unique wedding ring in the valley from nationally recog-nized jeweler Nancy Daniels Hubert, owner of Peligro stu-dio in Twisp. Hubert, whose jewelry has been exhibited in the Smithsonian Institution, created about 45 custom wed-ding rings last year for people from all over the country.

“I make them Methow style – low and practical. The style is kind of organic,” she said. “The goal is for it not to look like you went to the mall.”

Mary Campbell, wedding planner for the four-star Sun Mountain resort, helps orches-trate about 20 weddings a year. She encourages couples to use local florists, photographers, DJs and other providers.

“I try to encourage that because the valley is a team effort,” Campbell said. “The products offered here are equal or superior to products brought in from outside.” %


Non-traditional is something of the norm in the Methow, including unusual means of wedding-day transportation.

Valley Vows 2012

W hether con-ducted by Judge Judy, P a r s o n Brown, or

Uncle Bob, a wedding cere-mony, according to the Revised Code of Washington, Chapter 26.04, can be pretty simple:

“In the solemnization of marriage no particular form is required, except that the parties thereto shall assent or declare in the presence of the minister, priest or judicial offi-cer solemnizing the same, and in the presence of at least two attending witnesses, that they take each other to be husband and wife.”

A judge at the courthouse will accomplish this for $65. Okanogan County District court can usually schedule a ceremony within a week after the marriage license is issued, according to legal process as-sistant Darla Schreckengast.

Otherwise, between three and 60 days of getting your marriage license, an autho-rized person can solemnize the marriage at the location of your choice. The State of Washington has no capacity to license officiants and the courthouse does not check the qualifications of the person performing the ceremony and signing the papers, according to recording deputy Sherry Hutton.

A person who falsely por-trays himself as an authorized cleric may be fined, according to Washington code; however, the marriage is still valid if the

couple believes they have been lawfully joined in marriage.

That said, ordination is ridiculously easy, and if the bride wants her best friend to deliver the vows, dozens of online “churches” will or-dain her for free – just Google “online ordination.” (See box, page 7).

If you want to hire a local officiant, the Sun Mountain Lodge website, sunmountain-lodge.com/weddings/weddings-services.html, has the most comprehensive list of Methow Valley ministers and offici-ants, along with their phone numbers.

Local officiantstell their stories

Dana Stromberger decided to become ordained online in 2006 when close friends asked her to officiate their nuptials in June of that year.

“Participating in that pro-cess with them was so unbe-lievably special,” Stromberger says. “It was amazing to be an integral part of such a momen-tous time in their lives.”

Since then, Stromberger has officiated three other weddings – all couples that she didn’t know previously – and says, “I really enjoyed every one.”

Stromberger says it’s fun to be involved in the planning of the ceremony and she enjoys “helping people figure out what they want.”

To help a couple decide on the wording of the ceremony,

Stromberger shares a variety of texts that she has gathered over the years. She helps couples choose from among seven ceremony elements: convoca-tion – the reason to be gathered that day; invocation – calling a higher power to be present at the ceremony; expression of in-tent – do you take this woman, etc.; exchange of vows; bless-ing of the rings; exchange of rings; and pronouncement of marriage.

Janet Verkuyl began of-ficiating weddings Los Gatos, Calif., in the late 1980s when she belonged to the Creative Minds Science Church. She moved back to the Methow – her childhood home – in

1994, and officiated dozens of weddings here.

Verkuyl, now 78, says she

doesn’t officiate weddings these days, “I’m passaging on to other things,” but she al-lows for the possibility saying, “There will be more if there’s supposed to be more.”

“I really loved doing wed-dings,” Verkuyl says, adding, “It always became like a little family” with couples coming back to visit her – sometimes to renew their vows – years later.

Verkuyl recalls with spe-cial fondness some of the un-usual locations from which she solemnized vows. She married one couple – two airline pilots – atop First Butte Lookout, a location that required her to overcome her fear of heights. Another wedding took place barefoot in the Chewuch River; one had the bride ride in on horseback; and at another the bride arrived by boat.

Pastor Gregg Oliver is the minister of Community Covenant Church in Twisp.

Making it official: Can anybody do this?By Laurelle Walsh


Mary Ann Ottinger (center), a former District Court judge, says every ceremony needs a beginning, middle and end.

Forever

As you plan for your lives together, know that we are working hard to ensure that the natural beauty, working

farmlands, and clean flowing rivers that have drawn you to the Methow Valley are protected for

future generations, forever.

A wedding gift made in your honor to the Methow Conservancy or another local nonprofit organization is a special way to ensure

that what you love about the Methow Valley endures.

www.methowconservancy.org

Valley Vows 2012

He was ordained in 1980 and officiated his first wedding – his sister-in-law’s – in 1979 before he was officially or-dained. He was glad at the time for input from the couple’s pastor, “a seasoned veteran,” who helped “get me through,” Oliver says.

Oliver stresses the impor-tance of pre-marital counsel-ing as part of what he does for each couple. “Pre-marital counseling may not prevent problems in marriage, but it might serve to point out some matters they need to work through prior to getting mar-ried or give them a better start to their marriage,” he says.

Of the wedding itself, Oliver advises people “not to get too worked up about their ceremony and reception.” He believes in the sacredness of marriage and the seriousness of making vows before God, “and to get stressed can only detract from the meaning of what they are doing,” he says.

Mary Ann Ottinger retired as a King County District Court judge in 2006, and figures she performed around 2,000 wed-

dings in her 15 years at the courthouse in Issaquah.

Now living outside of Winthrop, Ottinger still ac-tively officiates weddings in the Methow, having done about half a dozen in the past year.

“I do a sort of garden va-riety approach,” says Ottinger, who sends the couple a copy of her basic script ahead of time to give them a chance to personalize it. “About 50

percent of the people say, ‘Just perfect,’” Ottinger says, and the other half ask her to insert a text, change the wording or allow time for an uncle to sing or a niece to play guitar.

Ottinger explains that all ceremonies should have a beginning, middle and end, and says at minimum there needs to be an exchange of vows before she pronounces a couple husband and wife. “An officiant could probably

say ‘abracadabra’ and it would be legal,” Ottinger jokes.

Perhaps the wisest words Ottinger can give the affianced couple is, “It’s one thing to have a fairy tale wedding, but you must remember it’s not a performance.” She stresses that the wedding won’t be memorable if everything goes perfectly.

Ottinger relates a story from a perfectly planned wedding she officiated in

which the couple wanted to get married in the river and had placed special boulders for everyone – including her – to stand upon. The 2-year-old ring bearer, “in his suit with his hair all perfect,” stepped onto his boulder with the rings tied onto a pillow.

“‘Are those the real rings?’ I asked the bride, and she said, ‘Yes, no problem’,” Ottinger remembers.

Well, she continues, in the process of getting the rings off the pillow, they dropped into the river; all the men rolled up their pants legs, removed their shoes and socks and spent 20 minutes looking for the rings before they were found. “We went on with the ceremony and everyone had a story to tell,” Ottinger laughs.

Besides pronouncing you husband and wife, your offici-ant will sign some important papers, smooth out some pre-marital wrinkles, and bring some sanity to an emotionally charged day.

The right blessing from the right person will give your special day significance and meaning. %

I was curious to see what it takes to be-come ordained online so I Googled “online ordination.” The search terms produced pages of organizations willing to do it “instantly” and I chose the first one I saw: The Universal Life Church.

If not literally instant, the process was certainly easier than say, shopping online or signing up for Facebook. It was free and only required my name, electronic and physical addresses, and affirmation that I am over age 13.

A humorous video of Conan O’Brien completing the process is on the ULC website,

themonastery.org/.According to the website, I’m among 20

million people who have been ordained online by ULC. Besides performing marriages, it says I’m now entitled to officiate baptisms, funerals and burials, and absolve sins.

I received my $6.99 credential of ministry by mail in two days. The website also offers products such as the Ordination Package for $26.99 which includes a clergy badge and parking placard, or the Ministry-in-a-Box for $139.99 which “contains everything the new minister needs to get started.”

– Laurelle Walsh

The Rev. Walsh explains how it’s done

Valley Vows 2012

I shall not mention peo-ples’ names herein.Many couples come to the Methow Valley to get married. Aside from

locals, they come from near and far, one bride from Myanmar (formerly Burma).

What follows is a compen-dium of memories of occur-rences that took place during the more than 200 weddings I have photographed since 1986. I retired from that pursuit last year.

The first thing to know about weddings is that Mur-phy’s Law is frequently en-acted for a wedding. The law states that if anything bad can happen, it will. There must be an opposite dictum for good things. The first remembrance to relate covered both. Under-stand at the outset that regard-less how carefully a wedding is planned, it will never be on schedule.

A Slate Peak summer day

My favorite wedding was on a July day. It was in the 80s here on the valley floor and the wedding ceremony was to be held at the Slate Peak lookout. Special exemption was made by the U.S. Forest Service to allow cars to drive through the gate to the lookout on top of the world.

I rode up with the groom in his pickup. We stopped at the salt lick en route to Harts Pass and in the bright sunshine I shot some pictures of the

mountain goats that frequent it. We had brought jackets with us knowing it would be cooler at the top. Many people had not been so advised.

There were some already

at the wedding site, including the circuit-riding priest up from Twisp who had another event to attend after this one.

Gradually as the guests ar-rived, so did the clouds. Then

came the fog. The groom’s mother was not yet there.

The bride was Filipino and her attendants wore light gowns, the groom and his best man were wearing Philippine garb of diaphanous white ma-terial over T-shirts. Soon the rain came, but mother was now quite late and the priest was getting antsy about making his next appointment.

The rain turned to snow: People dressed for 80 degrees with no outerwear were wait-ing in the cars, some idling with heaters on. The bride’s sister, in a sleeveless white dress, proceeded to throw out her arms and do a Julie Andrews imitation, singing out that the hills were alive with the sound of music. She was wonderful.

Mom finally arrived. Her car had overheated and stalled below Harts Pass and luckily she eventually caught a ride with someone coming up the

hill. The ceremony was held, the bride gorgeous in her white gown and brown hiking boots. The priest made a hasty retreat, and the congregation moved down to the warmth of the Mazama Country Inn for the reception.

What made this so special was no apparent grousing about the lateness or weather by the people at the wedding, many huddled under news-papers, blankets and other protection.

Dogs and

skinny-dippersA wedding at Sun Moun-

tain included a pair of black labs, one of which was the ring bearer. Each dog had a bouquet atop its head secured by a chin strap. Just as the ceremony was to begin, one of the canines calmly began eat-ing the bouquet off his willing partner’s head.

There’s no such thing as an unventful eventBy Bob Spiwak

Photo by Bob Spiwak

If you plan a wilderness wedding,even in the summer, expect the weather to affect how the day goes.

Valley Vows 2012

Another wedding, same place. Almost a century ago, photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the term, “The Decisive Moment,” which is self-explanatory. Mine came at a wedding that had a dog, and three bridesmaids wear-ing low-cut silky gowns with wide shoulder straps. At one point as I was focusing on the wedding couple, one of the bridesmaids bent over to calm the dog and I turned the camera her way just as she had what

is now colloquially known as a “wardrobe malfunction,” after Janet Jackson’s high-exposure moment during halftime at the Super Bowl a few years back.

At Freestone Inn there was even more of a skin show, but this one did not involve the wedding. The inn had a policy of allowing locals to fish in its lake. In the midst of the ceremony came two fishermen accompanied by two women and a trio of little kids who unceremoniously shucked their clothing and waded buck-naked into the lake. Needless to say, it was a distraction, but a humorous one, and they were chased off by an inn employee.

A magazine survey years ago contacted wedding pho-tographers, a majority of which claimed that the Mother Of The Bride (MOB) was their great-est headache. Not once did I have that problem. However, there was a flattering instance where the granny suggested I accompany her to her room. The first time I thought it was banter, made some comment I am certain was appropriate and went about my work. After

the ceremony, she again ap-proached me and I demurred. Immediately during the first dance, as couples were on the dance floor she hustled me again, smiling and uttering, “Last dance, last chance.” Had she been 20 years younger ...

Unexpected photo opsThe groom was from an

affluent suburb of Chicago. He and his entourage came to the wedding in what I will generically call Gucci loafers and Armani suits. The bride was from a rural area here in Washington and her guests were attired in cowboy boots, pearly snap shirts and a few with big hats.

After the ceremony as people gathered on the lawn, there was a commotion as I was taking shots of couples. I turned around and the groom’s mother was having contortions, and shouted that a bee had gone up her petticoat. Wonderful photo-op, and I aimed her way, maybe 15 feet distant. She had several women helping to shoo the insect away, one holding up her skirt.

The bee must have seen

daylight, for the woman bent over and reached in to flick it, or something. I was recording the fray and her husband an-grily stalked up and barked at her, “Get your (rear end) out of that lens.”

There were more words as I discreetly turned away.

Freestone again. On a bal-cony hung a huge WSU banner, facing the wedding site. The

groom requested that as much as possible I was to include the banner in every picture.

The only problems I ever had were with one bride who morphed from Princess to evil witch in the space of two hours, and at two different weddings with volunteer (non-profes-sional) “wedding planners,” who may have been educated in the Third Reich. %

Photo by Bob Spiwak

Getting there may be more than half the fun, but the day will likely offer more surprises.

Photo by Bob Spiwak

Unexpected photo opportu-nities can add a light note.

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Valley Vows 2012

A t the heart of any wedding cer-emony are the few minutes (or seconds) when a

couple exchanges vows and says some version of, “Yes, I will marry you.”

There are tons of great wed-ding vows out there, traditional and not. After all, people have been getting married for thou-sands of years and falling in love for longer than that. But for those considering writing their own vows, following are some thoughts from those who have been there and done that.

“We wrote our own because we wanted to capture the senti-ment of what was in our own hearts and express what was unique to our relationship and life together,” said Lexi Koch of Twisp River. Koch and her now-husband, Chris Dorée, didn’t show or tell each other their vows until the moment they spoke them at the ceremony.

“We just trusted each other,” Koch said.

Some couples, like Dave and Lotty Ekblad of Winthrop, preferred a more collaborative approach to writing their vows. Apparently that approach has worked for the Ekblads – they are coming up on their 25th wedding anniversary.

“We talked and shared a lot and wrote them together,” said Lotty. “It felt good to work to-gether as a couple because that is a big part of marriage.”

Regardless of whether the bride and groom share their vows before they get married, the process of deciding about vows and writing them can be a fun trip down memory lane. It’s a chance to reflect upon the relationship and remember why you are choosing to get hitched. What is it you love about your intended? When did you realize, “Wow, I could actually spend the rest of my life with him/her”? What are your shared hopes and dreams for the future? The process of writing your own vows is a chance to talk about all that with your spouse-to-be.

In the end, every couple has a different dynamic so there

are few rules beyond what the two people getting married want to do.

“I’m the one who had

an opinion and I think Chad would have done whatever I wanted,” said Anna Bonica of Twisp, who married Chad

Patterson. “I wrote our vows and we said the same thing to each other.”

Be creative, but keep it shortNo matter how you write

your vows, Dawn Woodruff of Twisp strongly recommends that both the bride and groom (or somebody nearby) carry a cheat sheet at the ceremony.

“Kent forgot his vows, but luckily he had an index card in his pocket,” said Dawn, who married Kent Woodruff at the Mazama Country Inn 17 years ago. “It’s such an emotional mo-ment and your brain is thinking so many things all at once.”

But even with the minor gaffe, Dawn was glad she and Kent wrote their vows and highly recommends it for engaged couples.

“It made our wedding so personal,” she said.

Too much extended shar-

ing, however, is a bad idea ac-cording to many of those who have written their own vows. Vows may be the most impor-tant part of a wedding, but that doesn’t mean they should go on and on. Keep it short and sweet: maybe 100 or 200 words and a minute or two, max. Then practice reading your vows out loud to make sure they flow easily, naturally.

Depending on what speaks to you as a couple, poetry, religious verse or even lyr-ics from music can serve as a basis for inspiration when writing vows. Everyone from Shakespeare to Nat King Cole has written about love, so take a look at all the existing vows out there, then freely borrow or adapt whatever speaks to the two of you.

Don’t stress too much about writing your own vows. Everyone wants a wedding to be perfect, but in the long run the ceremony of marriage is

Saying more than “I do”By Patrick Hannigan


Writing your own vows adds a distinct touch to the ceremony, but keep them short – and practice reading them.

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Valley Vows 2012

just one short moment in the life of a couple.

“Did we write our own vows? I don’t remember. Hang on, let me ask Allison,” said Greg Knab of Winthrop. Knab and Allison Philbin married 10 years ago this spring, but the exact details are a little hazy for both residents of Winthrop. “We think so but we’re not really sure and there was some sort of special song we borrowed from but neither of us can remember what it was,” Knab said.

Writing your own vows can be rewarding, but it’s not for ev-eryone.

“Jeff and I are pretty much on the same page. I asked him if he wanted to write our own vows and he said ‘no,’ and I said ‘good,’” said Rhonda Cramer of Twisp. Cramer and Jeff McHugh plan to tie the knot in spring of 2012.

“He doesn’t like being the center of attention and I’m a big crier, so for us to try and choke out a speech up there doesn’t sound like fun,” Cramer said.

That’s what a marriage is all about: Two people working together and loving one another for who they are. Ultimately, the best way to say “I do” is the one that works for you. %

Renewing vows revisits a relationship’s strengths

By Marcy Stamper

Marriage vows take the long view – most nota-bly, that line about “’til death do us part” – but they don’t necessarily

envision all the ways a relationship evolves as people grow and circum-stances change.

As a way of emphasizing their en-during commitment in the face of these changes, more couples are renewing their vows. Many reaffirm their vows at a significant anniversary – say, 25 years – but others choose to do so after a dif-ficult period in their relationship.

John and Jeanette Smith, who have now been married for more than 40 years, were looking for a special way to celebrate their 25th anniversary. “We made a pretty big deal of it,” said Jea-nette. They asked their three children to stand up as maid of honor, bridesmaid and best man, and also asked their chil-dren to escort them down the aisle.

John, who recently retired after 20 years as pastor at Calvary Baptist

Church in Twisp, invited the whole congregation. “People thought it was wonderful, although it didn’t necessar-ily set a pattern of vow renewals in the church,” said Jeanette.

A friend read the Smiths’ original vows, there was a slide show of their years together, and their daughter and her husband performed a song that proclaimed, “No matter how old you get, I will always be there for you.” The

Smiths also took a second honeymoon to Hawaii, where they had spent their first honeymoon, although it was not complete déjà vu, since the hotel they had stayed in 25 years earlier had closed.

Brian and Kim Charlton of Winthrop decided to renew their vows in an intimate ceremony after a rough period for one of their daughters that affected the whole family. “It either makes you stronger, or you don’t make it – and it made us stronger as a team,” said Kim. “Renewing our vows was something we needed to do to renew our bond.”

The Charltons asked their friend Janet Verkuyl to officiate. Verkuyl read traditional vows, which Brian and Kim supplemented with poetry that reflected their ongoing commit-ment and love and the meaning of partnership.

“I was a lot younger when we first got married, and it was a lot more

Continued on P. 12

Photo by EA Weymuller

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Valley Vows 2012

emotional for both of us when we renewed our vows” after two decades of marriage, said Kim. The Charltons’ first go-round had been a traditional church wedding, but for their renewal they wanted a more personal ritual, so they in-vited only their daughters and a close friend and held the ceremony on the deck of their house, followed by a homemade meal.

In addition to officiating at traditional weddings, Verkuyl, who lives in Winthrop, has per-formed several vow renewals over the years. “The things I’ve done are individual – there’s no template,” she said. “I don’t know what I’ll write until I talk to the people.”

Verkuyl performed one vow renewal for a couple just five years after she mar-ried them. The two loved the Methow and wanted to cel-ebrate their time together, so Verkuyl composed vows based on their stories about those first years together. “It was a casual party in the library at Sun Mountain Lodge, just a happy occasion, with a lot of jumping around afterwards,” she said.

Wayne and Linda Men-dro of Twisp chose to re-new their vows to start over again after what Linda called “major struggles” in their marriage. The couple had a ceremony with friends and family at Ohme Gardens near Wenatchee, with their young granddaughters as flower girls and music performed by friends. “We wanted to be outside. It was a peaceful, beautiful place,” said Linda.

Many friends who had shared the struggles and

supported them throughout the difficult period came to celebrate with the Mendros. “It was hard, but we felt like we were a public couple and wanted to show God’s grace and redemption,” said Linda.

The Mendros held a recep-tion and have preserved the photos from their reaffirma-tion in a scrapbook. “It put us on a really solid path for the future,” said Linda.

Most religions do not have a specific tradition of vow renewal, but many are open to creating a special reaffirma-tion ceremony. Mike and Mary Lou Sanders, co-pastors at the Friendship Alliance Church in Winthrop, said one couple coming up on their 25th an-niversary have talked to them about renewing their vows next summer.

“We encourage it and are open to the idea,” said Mary Lou, who explained they would perform the standard wedding vows and then let the couple add their own vows or readings.

Some couples recite their original vows, but others write special vows reaffirming their commitment. Many display photos or a video from their wedding, and some wear their original wedding gown or tuxedo or re-create the wed-ding bouquet. Returning to the scene of the honeymoon (even the same hotel, if possible) is popular.

Many people involve chil-dren and other family mem-bers in vow renewals. And because a vow renewal confers no official legal status, anyone – a friend, family member or member of the clergy – can lead the ceremony.

While it is nice to incor-porate elements from the original wedding, wedding planners recommend creating new rituals that reflect where the couple are in their lives to-gether. Some couples exchange new rings, while others use their existing rings as symbols of their enduring commitment or add a special engraving to mark the renewal.

Wedding planners also offer pointers about etiquette for vow renewals—despite the greater informality, the occasion does dictate some restraint. So experts suggest that you fight the urge to hold a bachelor-type party or shower and don’t register for items to renovate your household. And while they generally frown on a statement of “no gifts, please” for a first wedding, etiquette experts say it is quite appropriate for a renewal.

Most often, the renewal marks an important phase in a relationship. Kim Charlton found their renewal very mov-ing. “You’re more mature,” she said. “I think it has more meaning when you do it the second time.” %

Continued from P. 11

By Joanna Smith

“G oing to the Met-how and we’re – gonna get mar-ar-ar-ied!” OK, so maybe those are not the exact words of the classic song of nuptial bliss, but it should be! If you are planning a wedding, the Methow

Valley is the perfect “Chapel of Love” with more than 300 days of clear blue skies, pristine river valleys, charming orchards and the spires of the North Cascades.

In any season, the Methow Valley is an outdoor cathedral of beauty for the perfect wedding and a weekend destination you and your guests will enjoy.

SpringA spring wedding in the Methow Valley is an ideal choice

to reawaken your guests from a long cold winter. Spring colors in the Methow abound with fresh clean hues of yellow, white, blue, lavender and red. Wildflowers like arrowleaf balsamroot, mariposa lilies, silky lupine, bitterroot and scarlet gilia carpet the hillsides and meadows.

Imagine a spring wedding in the Alps – surrounded by wildflowers and picturesque snow-capped mountains; this is a spring Methow wedding. During springtime your nature-loving wedding guests will enjoy day hikes perfect for bird watching and wildlife viewing.

Sun Mountain Lodge, www.sunmountainlodge.com, offers full service wedding packages, event planning and catering. For activities surrounding the big day, Sun Mountain Lodge has an extensive trails system, horseback riding tours and

Pick a season –

Valley Vows 2012


Summer greenery and flowers are traditional, but the Methow Valley offers opportunities for a memorable day in any season.

mountain bike rentals. Spring wedding parties are

inspiring symbols of a couple’s blossoming love. Many shops in the Methow Valley offer hand-made herbal soaps, jars of local honey and wildflower seed packets that make endearing party favors. For the bouquets, hand-tied floral arrangements made up with tulips, daffodils, lilies and sweet peas are perfect for a fresh from the garden look.

Spring menus with refresh-ing flavors like lemon and mint make the mouth water. Crunchy crudités like sugar snap peas and baby carrots with dip, fla-vorful spring rolls and melon balls wrapped in prosciutto make colorful and tasty spring time hors d’oeuvre that guests can munch while they mingle.

Spring wedding cakes look delectable with dainty touches of sugared edible flowers like pansy, carnation and lavender blossoms. Mint juleps are the perfect garden party drink for a spring wedding, along with

colorful cocktails made with fruity liqueurs. Spring in the Methow is a rejuvenating ex-perience for the senses.

SummerSummer sizzles with color

and activity in the Methow Valley. The warmest months of the year are perfect for evening weddings: spending time at a lake or riverside lodge and enjoying vivid sunsets and fireside stories. With cooler tem-peratures at higher altitudes, you may want to consider a wedding at an alpine lake. My friend DJ married the girl of his dreams on a mountain pass. The bride wore hiking boots and friends and family jaunted up a mountain to witness the sharing of vows. Afterwards, a video of the event was shared at the reception for the guests who were unable to make the climb.

Hart’s Pass, Maple Pass, Purple Pass, Rainy Pass, all of these are beautiful options

– some of which you can drive to – or are short reasonable hikes for most wedding guests.

For a more traditional wedding, Amy’s Manor is the perfect choice from June through September. Amy’s

Manor, www.amysmanor.com, of-fers a spectacular wedding site overlooking the surrounding mountains and Methow River. They offer complete wedding services, catering and event planning.

Pamela Ahl, the catering chef and owner of Amy’s Man-or, describes a summer wedding party with scents and colors that delight the senses.

“Guests can dance the night away under the stars with the fragrance of lavender and sage in the air. June weddings expe-rience impatiens, hostas and bleeding hearts.

“In July the lavender beds are on full display and the lilies and petunias make for great photo opportunities with the backdrop of the barn built in 1920. August heat brings all the dahlias into full bloom as butterflies and hummingbirds dance through the gardens.

“The orchard holds even more photo opportunities with branches of Honey Crisp apple trees laden with fruit. Septem-ber sunflowers and zinnias are at their peak with the fragrance of the herb gardens scenting the air.”

Ahl uses flowers and herbs from her gardens to garnish savory dishes and picture per-fect platters for each wedding she caters.

Keep your guests cool with summertime wedding favors like fans, sun block and paper parasols. Summer menus can be sweet and spicy with samosas, curried shrimp, chicken satays or broiled scallops with tangy Thai dipping sauces.

the Methow will make it work

Continued on P. 14

Valley Vows 2012


When you say your wedding all went downhill, that might be a good thing.

Continued from P. 13

Fresh summer vegetables make refreshing chilled soups like vichyssoise and gazpacho.

Or how about the classic summer night grilling party with corn on the cob, burgers and steaks or kebabs of color-ful veggies? Playful options like a make-your-own-sundae bar or a snow-cone machine are great ways for guests to beat the summer heat. Frozen watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe balls add a colorful cool twist to cocktails, martinis and punch bowls.

While enjoying a summer wedding in the Methow Valley, guests can also enjoy golfing at Alta Lake Resort or Bear Creek Golf Course, fishing, hiking, floating the river and a host of other fun filled activities. Visit www.OkanoganCountry.com to order travel planners, view lodging and dining options and get great ideas for fun activities. Summer in the Methow Valley is the perfect retreat for your guests to enjoy your special day of wedding bliss – just be sure everyone wears plenty of sunscreen!

FallAutumn is a beautiful time

of the year for a wedding in the Methow Valley. The weather is not too hot and not too cold. Fall’s colors are rich; warm tones and tree-lined rivers, unhar-vested fields, rustic barns and bustling orchards make great backdrops for autumn wedding photography.

The Methow Valley has three beautiful rivers: the Chewuch, Twisp and Methow rivers are all lined with color-ful aspens and cottonwoods in the fall, perfect for a fly fishing wedding. Flyfishers Pro Shop, www.flyrodranch.com, at Mt. Gardner Inn in Winthrop offers guided float and wade trips for beginners and experienced fishers alike.

Get down to earth with your guests at a cider press wedding in an apple orchard. Methow Valley Ciderhouse, www.methowvalleyciderhouse.com, offers an elegant tasting tent for relaxation while guests enjoy their great tasting hard and sweet ciders. Bottles of cider make a wonderful party gift for guests.

The River Run Inn, www.riverrun-inn.com, is another beautiful setting for an autumn wedding. They provide event planning, catering services and a gorgeous setting along the river.

For rock climbers, Mazama has meta-volcanic rock faces surrounded by expan-sive views. My brother-in-law shared a love of rock climbing with his fiancé. They tied the knot after scaling a cliff face – the photos were simply magnificent.

Goat Wall View, www.goatwallview.com, near Mazama, has beautiful gardens and stunning views of Goat Wall. It is a divine location for a ceremony and reception. The very talented Claudia Napp Weber of Goat Wall View is a creative event planner and caterer that can design an experience that you and your guests will not soon forget.

Autumn wine festivals are a great time to sample vintages for your reception din-ner – and to pick up wine-themed wedding favors. Lost River Winery in Winthrop of-fers twenty percent discounts on cases of wedding wines. Their garden patio seats 35 and is the perfect meeting spot for pre-rehearsal drinks or a relaxing place to sip wine before the wedding. Check them out at www.lostriverwinery.com.

Many local shops and farmers mar-kets have jars of specialty honey, jams and spreads that make tasty gifts for wedding guests. Methow Valley shops offer locally roasted coffees, unique ironwork orna-ments and packets of wild birdseed for

useful and classic wedding favors. Natural decorations like gourds, raffia, wheat and pumpkins also make lovely favors.

I attended a wedding reception that had floral arrangements in hollowed out pumpkins on each table – the guests got to take home these and miniature pumpkins as party favors. Hollowed out pumpkins

can also be used as lanterns to light up an evening party or line a walkway.

Fall menus offer a cornucopia of deli-cious dishes and warm cocktails, like hot mulled apple cider and trays of local arti-san cheeses, tart grapes and apple slices. Spicy soups like butternut squash, curried pumpkin or hearty minestrone paired with autumn salads with toasted nuts, goat cheese, and dried cranberries are satisfying selections that show off Methow produce and flavors.

A rich wild mushroom risotto served with roasted vegetables, pasture-raised organic meats and whole grain rolls is definitely a crowd-pleasing menu. Imagine your autumn wedding cake as a warm spice or gingerbread cake with fall flavor accents like honey, berries and nuts – sounds decadent, doesn’t it?

WinterWinter in the Methow Valley is a magi-

cal time when snow glistens, icicles sparkle and stars twinkle in a clear blue sky. Sleigh bells jingle and laughter rings in the crisp chill air as the bride and groom glide away in a horse-drawn sleigh.A wedding theme in silver, white and blue reflects the crisp, cool winter season perfectly. Luxurious holiday color combina-tions like cranberry and cream, evergreens, ivory and warm cinnamon create a plush atmosphere for winter wedding guests.

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Staying warm is a luxurious affair with velvet coats and capes, cozy pashmina scarves, faux fur stoles, wraps and el-bow-length gloves that match your winter wedding dress.

Winter floral bouquets are equally beautiful with lilies, roses and silver-blue accents in heather or eucalyptus. Heavenly scented freesias or gardenias make pretty accents along with gerbera daisies and carnations in red, white, cream and pink. Regal amaryllis makes a striking winter wed-ding flower, while poinsettias are a festive addition to any winter wedding flower theme. Giant pinecones, holly leaves

and berries, rose hips and ev-ergreen boughs add a touch of wintry distinctiveness to your wedding.

Keep your guests merry and bright with festive drinks and traditional dinner fare that warms the spirit. Colorful cocktails and soft, flickering candles set the mood for a holiday party. Winter wed-ding beverages like mulled wine, spiced cider and hot chocolate with whipped cream will warm up your guests with the holiday spirit. Cranberry flavored martinis with a few festive cranberries tipped into the glass, or champagne and cranberry juice make light and

lovely drinks.For dinner, serve hearty

soups and traditional meats with savory sauces and gravies along with roasted vegetables, warm breads and stuffing. For a sumptuous finish to a splendid meal, serve your guests warm crème brulée or traditional bread pudding and caramel sauce. Wedding favors such as glass ornaments or a pewter nutcracker and walnuts are fes-tive and lovely favors.

Mazama Country Inn, www.MazamaCountryInn.com, and Sun Mountain Lodge are distinctive lodges that offer winter wedding event plan-ning, catering and horse drawn

sleigh rides. Your wedding guests will enjoy a winter week-end getaway in the Methow, renowned for powdery snow and blue skies that make winter outings pleasurable.

More than 200 kilome-ters of groomed Nordic ski trails, www.SkiTheMethow.com, abound in the Methow Valley and surrounding hills and mountains. If downhill skiing with a rush of adrenaline is on your wedding wish list, North Cascade Heli Ski, www.heli-ski.com, offers guided hut-to-hut tours and heli skiing in the magnificent North Cascades backcountry.

The Loup Loup ski area,

www.SkiTheLoup.com, offers 1,240 vertical feet with a quad chair and rope tow for tubers. For a wintry weekend of ice skating, snow shoeing, valley skiing and warming up in a bakery over steaming mugs of cocoa, Winthrop is the ski vil-lage of the North Cascades.

The Methow Valley holds endless opportunities for a seasonal wedding at any time of year. Odds are your wed-ding day will have the perfect weather, the perfect photo op-portunities, the perfect menu and fun activities for all your guests. For a destination wed-ding, the Methow Valley truly does have it all. %

Artists, ArtisansBruce Morrison ....................................5Nancy Daniels Hubert, Peligro .........6

BakeriesCinnamon Twisp Bakery ....................7Mazama Store .....................................4Rocking Horse Bakery ......................12

Banquet/Reception FacilitiesBrown’s Farm .......................................5 Carlos1800 ...........................................2Mazama Country Inn ...................... 11North Cascades Basecamp ................8Pipstone Canyon Ranch .....................3Spring Creek Ranch ...........................9Sun Mountain Lodge ..........................2The Barn at Wilson Ranch .................9Twisp River Pub .................................3Twisp Valley Grange ..........................8Winthrop Barn Auditorium ...............5

CateringAmy’s Manor .......................................9Rocking Horse Bakery ......................12Stewart Dietz Catering .................... 11

ContractorsJA Wright Construction ...................12Stopwater Construction ..................13

DiningCarlos1800 ............................................2Cinnamon Twisp Bakery ....................7Mazama Country Inn ...................... 11Mazama Store .....................................4Rocking Horse Bakery ......................12Stewart Dietz Catering .................... 11Sun Mountain Lodge .........................2Twisp River Pub .................................3

Entertainment/MusiciansDJ Noah .............................................12Wild Mountain Thyme ..................... 11

Event Planners & ConsultantsFawn Meadow Design .....................10Stewart Dietz Catering .................... 11Sun Mountain Lodge .........................2

Flowers & Floral DesignersFawn Meadow Design .....................10Winthrop Red Apple Market ............2

Gifts & Party SuppliesMethow Conservancy ........................7Old-Time Portraits ...........................12Winthrop Red Apple Market ............2

InvitationsCustom Forms & Graphics ..............10

Jewelry & JewelersNancy Daniels Hubert, Peligro ........6

Local Goods Cinnamon Twisp Bakery ....................7Rocking Horse Bakery ......................12

Local Goods, Cont.Lost River Winery ...............................7Mazama Store ......................................4Methow Valley Ciderhouse ............. 11Twisp River Pub ..................................3

LodgingBrown’s Farm .......................................5Central Reservations .........................16Sportsman Motel ..............................12Spring Creek Ranch ...........................9Sun Mountain Lodge .........................2

Non-Profi t OrganizationsMethow Conservancy ........................7

Photographers & VideographersLifesong Photography ......................14Old-Time Portraits ............................12Methow Media ..................................14Refl ected Light Photography.............2Weymuller Photography ...................6Woras Photography ...........................8

RecreationBear Creek Golf Course ...................10

Rehearsal Dinner FacilitiesCarlos1800 ...........................................2Mazama Country Inn ...................... 11Spring Creek Ranch ...........................9Sun Mountain Lodge .........................2The Barn at Wilson Ranch .................9Twisp Valley Grange ..........................8

Rental EquipmentAction Rentals ....................................14All Season’s Events ...........................13J.A. Wright Construction .................12Pipestone Canyon Ranch ...................3Twisp River Pub .................................3

TransportationGabby Cabby .....................................13

Wedding Gowns & TuxedosCompany 107 ......................................6

Wedding Cakes & ConfectionsMazama Store ......................................4Rocking Horse Bakery ......................12Salyna’s Specialty Cakes ...................5

Wedding VenuesAmy’s Manor ......................................9Barn at Wilson Ranch ........................9Brown’s Farm ......................................5Mazama Country Inn ....................... 11North Cascades Basecamp ................8Pipestone Canyon Ranch ...................3Spring Creek Ranch ...........................9Sun Mountain Lodge .........................2Winthrop Barn Auditorium ...............5

WineriesLost River Winery ..............................7


valley vows 2012

Documents

perfect valley wedding

valley vowspage

jaime levy

wedding site

brandon levy

wedding day needs

methow valley news po

levy s