Snohomish tour helps couples wed in bliss
Published 3:01 pm Friday, May 14, 2010
Winter is typically wedding-show season in the Northwest.
Couples get engaged on Christmas, New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day and shortly thereafter start looking for a place for the wedding.
But in quaint, historic Snohomish — the unofficial wedding capital of Snohomish County — prime wedding-planning season will start May 23.
That’s when the Snohomish Wedding Guild will present its second annual Wedding Showcase Tour of 15 venues throughout downtown and rural Snohomish.
More than 85 vendors, including caterers, florists, gown sellers and cake bakers, will have displays at the venues, giving couples the tools to make all their wedding arrangements in a single day.
This event is free, unlike convention-center-style wedding shows. Visitors simply print out a map from the tour’s website, www.mysnohomishwedding.com.
“It’s like a mini wedding show, but it’s a tour,” said guild president Sharon St. Marie, owner of Belle Chapel in Snohomish. “We’ve got a tremendous amount of wedding businesses here. We are a big draw for people all over the Puget Sound.”
St. Marie was inspired to start a guild and a tour last year after talking to Sandy Countryman, owner of Countryman Bed &Breakfast in Snohomish, and Debbie Emge, economic development manager for the city of Snohomish, who pointed out the popularity of weddings in the area.
Emge said at least 17 privately owned venues host weddings in the Snohomish area. That’s not counting churches.
Wedding venues on the tour and in the guild must be within the boundaries of the Snohomish School District. Vendors can come from anywhere as long as they are members of the guild and offer their services in the Snohomish area.
Six of the 15 tour venues are in the heart of downtown Snohomish, while the other nine are in rural areas. Venues range from small and quaint to large and grand, including sites with seating for more than 300 guests.
Some of the venues still have openings in 2010; many have openings in 2011.
If you can’t make it to the tour, the tour website, www.mysnohomishwedding.com, features an easy-to-navigate database of guild members.
An online-only tour brochure has pictures and details about the tour venues, plus a list of all the vendors that will be represented on the day of the tour.
Zerlinda Lochtie will showcase her business, From the Gown Up, at both Belle Chapel and Antheia Ballroom in Snohomish, in addition to her shop, which opened on First Street in November.
Lochtie, who is certified in wedding coordinating and design by The International School of Hospitality in Las Vegas, used to work in her home in Lake Stevens.
Her new bridal shop and wedding-coordinating business is thriving, despite the recession.
“It really is filling a niche,” she said. “It’s been really good. I’m hoping it continues.”
St. Marie said Snohomish offers a one-of-a-kind charm for couples planning their most romantic events. Having the tour in spring gives venues a chance to show off their spaces closer to prime wedding season.
“It’s very picturesque,” she said. “There is a kindness and a gentleness here in Snohomish.
“It makes you feel old-fashioned and special. You feel like you’re stepping back in time and you’re well taken care of.”
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Take the tour
What: Wedding Showcase Tour at 15 venues throughout downtown and rural Snohomish. More than 85 vendors, including caterers, florists and DJs, will be on the tour.
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 23
Where: Six of the 15 venues are in the heart of Snohomish, while the other nine are in rural areas.
How: Print out a map at www.mysnohomishwedding.com. Click on “wedding showcase tour information” for brochure that includes photos, information and a list of vendors at each venue.
Cost: Free
Information: See www.mysnohomishwedding.com or call Sharon St. Marie at 425-293-8320.
Getting married locally?
The Snohomish County Tourism Bureau has a countywide database of wedding venues and vendors at www.snohomishcountyweddings.com. Under “wedding facilities,” you can search by venue location, size, catering type and indoor or outdoor facilities.
