Best Day Ever!
Oh man, where do I even begin? I'm less than 48 hours removed from my daughter's wedding, and I can't stop trying to remember and relive every moment of it. It truly was the best day ever. While I'm sure my daughter's wedding would have been beautiful at any venue, the Balch Hotel made it magical.
One of the things that makes the Balch special is that it's a true all-in-one destination. I cannot stress enough how wonderful it is to arrive at this beautiful hotel and simply be present. Present at the venue, going over last-minute details. Present with friends and family at the bistro or on the patio, enjoying the amazing food and drink prepared by their in-house chef. Present as you walk the incredibly manicured lawns, mentally preparing yourself for the big event. Present as you fall asleep with the window wide open, hearing nothing but the occasional visiting owl. The Balch lets you stop and be present with your closest friends and family. Coming to one place before the wedding and not leaving until after gives you so much more freedom to connect, reflect, laugh, and cry. When you arrive, you're greeted by the owner, Christina, who you've already met and smoothly worked through all the pre-arrival logistics with — but when Christina greets you with the warmest smile, and a hug if you'll let her, you're hit with instant joy, relief, and calm. Christina and the Balch really do work hand in hand that way. She genuinely wants to understand every dream you have for your event, so she can (a) make sure each one comes true perfectly, and (b) exceed them. She cares about your story and wants to help make it perfect.
We spent the days before the event building flower bouquets by the pond, rehearsing, sharing meals, long talks, and game time together as a family. The friendly, accommodating, oh-so-gracious staff was always ready, willing, and able to keep things tasting great and running smoothly. There were multiple times I came to the staff with frantic needs and heard "absolutely, that's no problem." You might expect that anywhere, but the Balch truly embraces peacefulness. There was never any hint of things feeling rushed, frantic, or frazzled — yet everything went off without a hitch.
Now, to the day of (and I'm still crying thinking about it): it was so incredible to take a sunrise walk around the grounds with a freshly brewed cup of coffee in hand. All I could hear was the birds in the trees and the faint crow of the rooster beckoning the rising sun in the east. To the west, glowing pink and orange beneath a light dusting of overnight snow, was Mt. Hood in all its glory. Visible from many rooms in the hotel as well as from all over the grounds, the mountain is always doing its best to draw your attention away from the Balch property. Lush, tranquil, serene, magical, peaceful, beautiful — no words quite do justice to the gardens, greenery, flowers, trees, and sprawling lawns. You can feel the love and care poured into every inch of them. Spoiler alert: the groundskeepers are Christina's own mom and dad.
I finished my coffee on their newly installed patio, perfectly situated on the eastern edge of the property with nothing but farmland, trees, rolling hills, and a beautiful sunrise to see. After everyone gathered again for a family breakfast, it was fun to watch everyone break out on site to prepare for the day. Some were outside assembling flowers for the archway, some were strolling the quaint town of Dufur tasting delicious local pastries and coffee, the bridal party was in and out of the large suite getting hair and makeup done (again, staring at the mountain), and others were simply sitting in the hotel's beautifully appointed lobby and parlor, enjoying photo albums of weddings past held at the Balch.
Throughout the day the hotel staff was busy getting all the things ready. As father of the bride, I had few directions from the bride and some vision of what I wanted to happen, and the hotel staff came through huge. Christina's husband Stefan (I hope you're sensing a theme) worked diligently with me to bring the lighting structure I envisioned for the reception to life — at one point he was literally halfway up a tree securing cabling to keep all the lights up nice and tight. After lunch the parlor turned into the groomsmen's gathering room. Cards were dealt to pass the time, whiskey was poured to calm the nerves, ties were straightened by longtime friends, and memories were made among brothers. I got ready in one of their rooms with a private bathroom — all of the furniture, including the clawfoot tub, takes you back to the roots of the 1907 Balch Hotel, which originally opened as a boarding house for the railroad. Outside my window I watched the hotel staff (now Christina's daughter) setting up the bar area and making final adjustments to the reception tables.
Then it was time for pictures. This is the Balch moment I hope and pray stays with me until my dying day. The photographer had me waiting at the bottom of the elegant lobby staircase, looking out at Mt. Hood — 25 years of memories, laughs, tears, highs and lows flooding through me — all while my daughter glided down the steps behind me. THEN the moment came. I turned and saw the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. My daughter, a real-life princess, right in front of me.
From there the evening just flowed. We gathered on the steps for the processional and gazed up at the hotel — freshly dressed in white tulle, with a big white bow hanging from the third-floor balcony. Every single detail was thought of and executed with precision and presumed ease.
The ceremony took place on the north lawn beside a wildflower garden at its peak, just before sunset. We were surrounded by nature, friends, love, and nothing else. During the sunset cocktail hour, guests strolled the grounds, counted fish in the pond, and mingled, all while being kept refreshed with food and drink. The reception was stunning: a canopy of lights over the dance floor, glass bulbs with twinkling candles hung in the trees — even a full moon made an appearance. Heaters and a fire were out for the non-dancers, plus a giant basket of blankets just in case. Every detail was thought of. The cocktail hour and reception ran seamlessly with the help of Christina and her sister — cool, calm, and always with a smile, they and their staff attended to every need. The night was literally perfect.
The end of the night, as a dad, was so comforting. Nobody had to go anywhere. I didn't have to worry about anyone getting home safe as we did our best to quietly recap the night in the hotel's lobby, under the warm glow of the antique chandeliers overhead. The next morning there was little evidence of the party the night before — Christina's dad was up before the sun, already pulling down the string lights, the grounds slowly returning to the peaceful escape they'd been just 24 hours earlier. I cannot thank Christina and the entire Balch Hotel staff enough for making my daughter's wedding absolutely perfect. They truly believe in people — learning their stories and doing anything they can to help. I will forever be grateful. The Balch is truly a magical place — a retreat run by a family, where you can grow in yours. The Balch Hotel in Dufur, OR will forever have a place in my heart.
