If you build it, they will come
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Paradise Springs Wedding Events is located in the foothills of west Monroe, overlooking the Coast Range mountains. The huge wedding gazebo, made of Brazilian Redwood, overlooks Mary’s Peak and Green Peak. The gazebo lights up at night for weddings at any time of the day. |
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MONROE — Cherry Creek Road meanders down the countryside along the base of Monroe’s foothills west of town. The area is spotted with small homes and Christmas tree farms.
The area is beautiful, but hardly seems like the location to hold a wedding ceremony.
“That’s what most people say,” says Amy Nystrom, owner of Paradise Springs Wedding Events, “You wouldn’t expect this in Monroe.”
Nestled further up in the hills off of Cherry Creek Road, Paradise Springs is the newly completed, two-and-a-half year project of Amy and Todd Nystrom.
Amy and Todd are just putting the finishing touches on the seven-and-a-half acre plot that includes a dining hall, gazebo, bridal home, wheelhouse and pond, and parking.
“We’re like 99.9 percent done,” Todd says. “We just need to do some minor stuff like painting and trim work, but it’s mostly done.”
Amy and Todd expect to be fully completed soon, but have already begun booking wedding ceremonies, and christened the business with their first wedding last week.
The business sits within sight of the Nystom’s home, which they built in 1987. Amy and Todd own over 280 acres of heavily wooded forest overlooking the Coastal Mountain Range.
About 30 months ago, the two began landscaping some of the property south of their home. That began the long journey to where they are now.
“It’s just something we started doing for ourselves,” Amy says.
As the landscaping began to expand in scope and size, Amy and Todd began discussing the possibility of opening their own wedding business. The two looked at other possible business sites, but many of them would have required complete remodeling. Instead, Amy and Todd decided to go ahead and start a business out of their own backyard.
“We knew what we wanted, it was just getting there,” Amy says.
The results are something that truly must be seen in person to appreciate.
Amy and Todd have invested countless hours into their project and have been awarded with beautifully manicured landscaping, stone and wood pathways and architecture.
It’s easy to tell how much pride they have in their business, as they are easily able to recite the type of wood and stone used in the buildings and the dimensions of each one.
As a whole, the facilities are impressive. The 4,400 square foot dining hall is complete with a full bar and kitchen, and has enough room to seat 200 people comfortably.
The 30-foot diameter wedding gazebo is large enough to hold a small wedding party inside. The four bed, two bath bridal house is practically a rental apartment on its own, complete with full kitchen, dining room, masseuse and spa room, and a bathroom large enough for a hairdresser.
However, it’s the small details that make Paradise Springs come to life. The gazebo is complete with surround sound speakers cleverly shaped like rocks surrounding the seating area. Even from 50 feet away, everything said inside is still audible.
The bridal house is within perfect viewing distance of the gazebo, allowing the bride to peer through at the congregation as she gets ready. Even the bathrooms have the smallest details, such as feminine hygiene products in cabinets above each stall.
Todd is quick to point out the detail in the architecture throughout the facilities. Brazilian Redwood is used in the steps of the walkway and in the gazebo. Cedar is used throughout the rest of the path in addition to large cedar timbers careening overhead in the 35-foot high ceilings. The doors are made of fir, the floors are made of hickory, and wrought iron is used to accent the wooden structure.
“We tried to give it a Northwest feel,” Todd says.
The two have already secured a high profile client, as the editor of Oregon Bride magazine is booked to hold her wedding at Paradise Springs in September. With increased business, Amy and Todd hope to be able to expand their facilities with their own cooks and bartenders. As it is, Paradise Springs has kitchen and bar facilities, but they must be supplied by outside caterers.
With the facilities nearly complete, Amy’s next job is to get the word out that Paradise Springs is open for business. With advertisements in place with Oregon Bride magazine, Amy and Todd hope that the bridal business will begin flowing through Monroe during for the summer months.
Amy and Todd have yet to put together brochures or a Web site for Paradise Springs, but they can be reached for booking information at 541-847-5700.