The last few days before the wedding are upon us.  Soon you will find yourself thinking about how best to travel between the Phoenix Grand Hotel in downtown Salem and Zenith Vineyard.  Guess what?  We not only thought about it but also hired a coach to transport you back and forth between the hotel and vineyard.  That was easy!  Just be ready to get on the bus a little before 4:30 PM on Sunday, September 6th so that you will arrive in time to see the wedding ceremony.  If you don't make the 4:30 PM bus, you'll have to jump in a car and drive yourself.  What fun will that be?  Think about how nice it will be to have somebody drive you home in a comfortable coach when you're ready to call it a night.  The bus is ours for the entire night and will make periodic trips between Zenith and the Phoenix Grand Hotel.  I guess what we're trying to say is please don't drive if you're staying at the Phoenix Grand Hotel or somewhere else in downtown Salem.  We'll get you to the wedding and back safely.

A block of rooms has been reserved at a discounted rate ($129/$139 for King/Double Queen or $149/$159 for Suite King/Suite Double Queen) at the Phoenix Grand Hotel in Salem.  To make your reservation, just call them at 877.540.7800 and ask for the Frank/Huff wedding block.  Rooms must be reserved 30 days prior to the wedding (approximately August 5th, 2009) to guarantee the rate.  Coach transportation will be provided between the hotel and vineyard since they are about 10 miles apart and we'd like our guests to relax and enjoy the ceremony and reception. If you are coming from out of town and wish to spend some time in Portland, prior to coming to Salem, here are a few hotel recommendations for you:

The Benson Hotel - A Portland classic featuring an excellent restaurant and lounge.

The Nines - Portland's newest luxury hotel.

Hotel deLuxe - A favorite of some out of town friends, this hotel also features a great restaurant and outstanding cocktails in a swanky lounge. 

Embassy Suites Downtown - Great location and suite style rooms.

There are rumors that McMenamins is restoring an old hotel in downtown Portland that may be open prior to the wedding.  There are several other Mcmenamins properties in the area that are unique or just stop in for a beer and burger while you're in town.  Richard and my dad love the Wilbur!  Mom and I prefer the Communication Breakdown burger.

You'll need to book directly with the Phoenix Grand to get our room rate, but consider making other travel plans on Expedia and use Trip Advisor for any research. (My Expedia Inc. stock could use a boost!)

Don't hesitate to reach out to either of us if you need help with your travel plans.

For those out-of-town guests who are planning to stay in Portland on Saturday night (September 5th), you may want to take advantage of the fact that Pink Martini is playing a concert at Memorial Coliseum.  We're big fans of Pink Martini.

Other things to do on Saturday:

• Tour The Pearl District [link]
• Visit McMenamins [link]
• Browse the Best Bookstore in the Northwest [link]
• Shop Portland's Saturday Market [link]
• Dine in Nob Hill [link]
• Take a Day Trip to Seaside [link]
• Wine Taste in Nearby Willamette Valley [link]
• Drive to Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge [link]

After interviewing several wedding photographers in both Washington and Oregon, we decided that our favorite was David A. Barss.  He is local to the region where our wedding will be held, he has experience with our chosen venue, we preferred his photographic style, and we think he is "our people".  What I mean by that last statement is that he seemed more like us than any of the other photographers.  That turned out to be one of the most important factors in our decision.  Melissa and I are very excited to work with David.

Our wedding venue has been selected and reserved.  We will be married at the beautiful Zenith Vineyards in Salem, Oregon.  The location was recommended by Melissa's good friend, Andrea Johnson, a professional photographer who specializes in wine photography.

The setting is spectacular.  We visited the location several times in the summer and early fall to get a feel for how it may look on our wedding day.  The photo to the left was taken in July 2008.  The main building (not pictured) houses both St. Innocent Winery and the event hall where our reception will take place.

Melissa Frank and I (Richard Huff) were engaged on June 1, 2008 in Manhattan Beach, California. She accepted my offer of a 22-carat, plastic Pirates of the Caribbean ring with the knowledge that her actual ring was being sized.  (Yes, she participated in selecting the ring and diamond -- an approach I would strongly recommend to anybody considering a proposal.)

A mutual friend (Rachele Cawaring) introduced us in October of 2006.  The number of shared interests surprises me still.  We both run marathons, cycle, cook, and enjoy fine wine and foreign travel.  We both graduated from the University of Washington. (Go Dawgs!)  A day doesn't go by since meeting Melissa that I don't feel like the luckiest man alive.

Although we both have our own blogs, this site has been set up specifically to provide information about our wedding and future life together.

(The photo of Melissa and I was taken at Gavin and Elaine's wedding on September 8, 2007.)