Planning a traditional wedding, micro wedding, mini-mony or elopement? Add Monmouth, Oregon to your list of places to get married. The home of Western Oregon University, Monmouth boasts a historic main street and is the charming community you would expect in a small college town. Monmouth is perfectly situated in the beautiful mid-Willamette Valley, making it the ideal location for a number of reasons. And beyond weddings, it is also the ideal location for family reunions, anniversary parties, and other group gatherings.

1. GREAT VENDORS – Between Monmouth and our sister city, Independence, you can find pretty much all the businesses you need to ensure you get married where you want and how you want. From florists, salons to photographers and event rentals, you can find it all. Here are some of our favorite vendors. Check out their websites for more information about what they offer for weddings:

• Florists – Petals & Vines
• Salons – Glam and The Guys
• Nails – Aesthetic Studios
• Photographers – Haugen’s Galleri
• Event Rentals – TL Celebrations at FeeMail Depot
• Videography – Make it Known
• Transportation – Crush Wine Tours

2. BEAUTIFUL VENUES – Here are three of our favorite venues in the heart of Monmouth.

• MaMere’s Guest House & Carriage House – Planning a smaller ceremony and/or reception? We are a little biased, but MaMere’s Guest House & our adjacent Carriage House is the ideal place to host your ceremony and reception. You can rent the entire B&B for your guests (it sleeps 14 comfortably), have a small ceremony in our beautiful courtyard, and kick off your new married life with a reception in our Carriage House. In the summer, you will enjoy the aromatic treat of our 40 different rose bushes, lavender and jasmine on your big day.
• City of Monmouth Parks – The city parks are rentable for various sized weddings. We recommend Gentle Woods or Main Street Park. Main Street Park is right next to MaMere’s Guest House, so you could even combine these two settings and host your ceremony in the park, reception at MaMere’s Carriage House and have you guests stay at the B&B!
• Western Oregon University – Western Oregon University has a number of locations to host a memorable wedding and is a great spot for larger gatherings. One of the most utilized spots is the Gentle House, a historic building on campus. It is on the edge of campus, surrounded by beautiful big trees that offer shade in the summer.

3. GREAT FOOD – Bakeries – a few of our favorites

• Ovenbird Bakery – THE BEST BAKERY EVER! You really can’t go wrong with Ovenbird’s delicacies.
• Crumble & Glaze – Gluten Free/Dairy Free treats.
• Donut Bar – Maybe cake isn’t your style. A donut bar is guaranteed to wow your guests.
• Roth’s – Roth’s has a new store in Monmouth. It really has all you need to make it a weekend affair in Monmouth – beer, wine, food…and of course, cake.

Catering – a few of our favorites

• San Antonio’s – Mexican Food
• Koyotes – Best street tacos
• Crush Wine Bar – they can bring the wine, beer AND food
• Variety of local food trucks – Tucky’s Kitchen, Greece Lighting, Lonny’s Lunch Wagon, Sav’s Thai

4. PLACES TO STAY –

• MaMere’s Guest House – a historic B&B AND event space. Reserve a room OR rent the entire B&B out for your guests.
• College Inn – hotel close to downtown Monmouth and MaMere’s Guest House. Consider renting the B&B and having some guests stay at the College Inn, just a short walk from the B&B.
• The Independence – boutique hotel in downtown Independence, just a few miles from downtown Monmouth.

5. THINGS TO DO – Surrounded by some of the best wineries in the state, it is easy for your guests to make a vacation out of their visit for your wedding. Explore Polk County is a great resource for all kinds of things to do in the area. But here are four of our recommendations –

• Wine Tasting – Surrounded by some of the best wineries in the state, it is easy for your guests to make their attendance at your event a vacation too. Some of our favorites include Redgate Winery, Left Coast Estates, Eola Hills Winery, Van Duzer, and Bryn Mawr Vineyards. Book Crush Wine Tours and they will schedule your tastings and drive you there! A great idea for bachelorette parties to unwind before the main event.
• Rogue Brewery Farms – This is where Rogue Brewery grows their hops for their delicious beer. Walk through the hop fields, visit Shakespeare the pig, and enjoy some tasters or a pint of your favorite Rogue brew while you play yard games and visit. A perfect destination for bachelor parties and some downtime before the big event.
• Baskett Slough – Want to explore nature and encourage your guests to do the same? See how many varieties of wildflowers and birds you can spot while you walk up to the observation deck for a stunning view of the Willamette Valley. Great hike for kids and grown-ups.
• Great Oaks Food Trail – A trail connecting restaurants, recreational venues, wineries, breweries and working farms under the umbrella of Polk County attractions. Gives you a great itinerary to explore the Monmouth and surrounding areas.
• As you can see, Monmouth has a lot to offer. It is a picturesque and charming town in wine country. The perfect locale to make memories that will last a life time.

Here are some photos from a recent reception at MaMere’s Guest House.