Frequently Asked Questions
pricing, food & beverage, Venue, Miscellaneous, and Staff
PRICING
How does date choice affect pricing?
Date choice affects pricing greatly! For example, Saturdays will have both the highest site fee and the highest catering minimum. Time of year also greatly effects pricing. The summer season (June – September) will have the highest pricing of the year. May and October, as well as Summer non-Saturdays are a beautiful time to get married and can save you considerably on your site fee and catering minimum.
What is a "Site Fee"?
A “site fee” is the cost to rent the ceremony and reception venue.
What is included in the site fee?
The site fee includes: 5 event hours and 2 pre-event hours, complimentary on-site parking, wedding party suites, a rehearsal and pre-event planning of Abernethy details with your Event Specialist.
How much is the deposit?
The deposit to reserve your wedding is half of your site fee, plus a $500 security deposit ($300 of which is refundable, $200 is a non-refundable cleaning fee).
How do the rest of the payments work?
You initial booking deposit is 50% of your site fee, plus the $500 security deposit.
Your next payment, due 6 months prior to your wedding, is the rest of your site fee, plus 50% of your food and beverage minimum.
Your next payment, due 90 days prior to your wedding, is the rest of your food and beverage minimum.
Your final payment, along with your final headcount, is due 14 business days prior to your wedding.
Is there a service charge?
Yes. Our service charge is 22% and is applied to everything except the site fee, security deposit, and coordination packages.
What is a service charge?
The Service Charge is a 22% fee charged on all Abernethy Center services. A Service charge is an industry standard (almost every venue you will see during your comparison shopping will charge an 18%-22%). The service charge is not applied to the site fee, security deposit, or coordination packages.
How much does a wedding cost?
The price of your wedding depends on a variety of factors, such as:
– Will you wed your beloved on a Tuesday or a Saturday? (A Tuesday is less costly than a Saturday.)
– How many guests will you invite? (When your guest count goes up, so does the price.)
– Which of our packages will you choose, and how will you customize it? (The price depends on the services you want to include.)
– We have done $5,000 weddings and we’ve done $50,000 weddings—it all depends on your vision and your spending plan.
What is Abernethy Center's average wedding cost?
The average wedding spends $10,000 on their venue, food, beverage, and bar services with us. However, weddings range from $5,000 – $40,000 depending on date choice, and guest count!
VENUE
How many guests can you accommodate?
All our venues can accommodate up to 300 guests.
What is the difference between Abigail’s Garden and the Veiled Garden?
While the site fee is the same, these two gardens couldn’t be more different!
Abigail’s Garden is a gorgeous, all-inclusive, fully outdoor ceremony and reception venue. Abigail’s Garden includes a stunning gazebo ceremony site accented by a giant draping willow tree. Just up the path from the ceremony site is a large white tent with where your reception will be held. Abigail’s Garden also includes two beautiful suites for getting ready, a patio, restrooms and a bar.
Our Veiled Garden is a natural wooded backdrop covered in ferns and Northwest foliage. This intimate ceremony venue is paired with our temperature controlled Abernethy Ballroom just across the street for your reception! No need to worry about rain, as this venue option also comes with the use of our classic white Chapel! You can use this space for your ceremony, or simply as a back-up plan should there be inclement weather.
Where are you located?
We are located in historic downtown Oregon City! Our main office address is 606 15th St, Oregon City, OR 97045.
May I book just a ceremony?
We do offer ceremony only packages on week day mornings. This comes with the Veiled Garden and Chapel for 3 hours and must end by 2:00 PM. Please contact an Event Specialist for further details and pricing.
May I book just a reception?
Absolutely! Please contact an Event Specialist for further details and pricing.
How long is the venue rental?
7 hours of time (5 event and 2 pre-event). You do have the option to add on hours for an additional fee, if they are available. Please note that brunch wedding time frames are 6 hours.
How many hours in advance will I have access to the facility?
You have access to Abernethy Center two hours prior to the start of your ceremony. Anything earlier than that is based on availability and is subject to an additional per hour charge.
What AV equipment do you provide?
All weddings are provided with two speakers, two lapel microphones, and one handheld microphone for the ceremony. We strongly suggest hiring a professional DJ for your reception. Abernethy Center does not provide any sound equipment for the reception. Our Ballroom is equipped with a projector screen for slideshows which is included in all ballroom wedding packages.
How long can my event be?
You get five hours from start to finish—a perfect amount of time for a ceremony, cocktail hour and reception! It may be possible to add on additional time—just ask your Event Specialist for pricing and availability.
Can I bring my own decorations?
Absolutely! We love when couples bring in personal touches and DIY projects—just make sure you run everything you plan to use by your Event Specialist to ensure all elements are Abernethy-Approved. (For example, please don’t bring confetti or devices that create open flame.)
Can I bring my own vendors?
Abernethy Center requires that you use our in-house catering and alcohol services, however, you are more than welcome to hire additional vendors, such as DJ, photographer, cake, etc. We do have a list of professionals that we suggest: https://abernethycenter.com/about-us/preferred-vendors/
FOOD & BEVERAGE
May I bring in my own catering/food?
We do not allow outside catering. Our extraordinary in-house chefs have designed a wide range of catering packages with diverse menu selections to meet the needs of our guests. If you don’t see exactly what you are looking for, let us know!
What is a “food and beverage minimum”?
A food and beverage minimum is the minimum amount that you must spend in addition to your site fee. Food, drinks (including alcohol), and accessories all count towards your food and beverage minimum.
What is included with catering?
Every catering package (up to 250 guests) comes with service linens, china, flatware, glassware, water at each place setting, all necessary tables and chairs, wedding party room service, cake cutting service, basic event staff, set up and break down of everything except the personal décor/items you bring in. An additional $10 per person will be added to your catering for any guests over 250.
How much is the food and beverage minimum?
The food and beverage minimum differ based on the time of year and the day of the week. The highest food and beverage minimum will be on a Saturday, June through September. Please contact one of our event specialists to inquire about the food and beverage minimum on a specific date.
Is it possible to customize my catering package?
Absolutely! We are happy to customize any of our packages to suit your needs and spending plan!
Can I bring in my own alcohol?
Abernethy Center’s liquor license is very similar to a bar’s liquor license, meaning we are responsible for all liquor served on the premises. For this reason, we do not allow any outside alcohol. We do include a fully stocked bar and bar tender with your bar set-up fee. We offer a variety of affordable hosted bar options. If you have a special request let us know and we will try to accommodate you.
Do you offer vegetarian, vegan, glute-free, etc.?
Of course! We recommend serving a special dish to vegetarians, vegans, and gluten free guests rather than designing the event menu to accommodate them.
Is there a price difference for children?
We do not charge for children under the age of 2. For ages 2 – 10, your package will be discounted by $10 per child. Please note that we do not offer children’s pricing for reduced menu packages.
Does Abernethy carry liability insurance?
Yes, we carry our own liability insurance policy. However, if you are having a bar at your wedding, we do require that you also purchase Host Liquor Liability Insurance. See your Event Specialist for more information.
MISCELLANEOUS
How soon should I tour?
As soon as possible! Abernethy Center is one of the most sought-after venues in Oregon! After building your guest list and establishing your spending plan, booking your venue is the next step in wedding planning.
Will you hold my wedding date?
Our available dates are booked on a first-come, first-serve basis.
What is the cancellation policy? Will my deposit be refunded?
If you cancel your wedding, all payments made prior to the cancellation are non-refundable.
Can our final guest count change?
We totally get that your guest count may fluctuate in the weeks before your special day, so we don’t need to know your final count until 14 business days prior to your event—the same time your final payment is due (your guaranteed final guest count will influence your final cost). If your final count suddenly increases less than 14 business days before your event, let us know immediately so we can make the necessary adjustments. Sudden increases will be subject to extra charges on your contract.
ABERNETHY STAFF
What is the role of the Event Specialist?
Your Event Specialist is your first point of contact and Abernethy detail liaison! You will first meet your Event Specialist at your tour. She will be there to answer your questions throughout the planning process. You will have one sit down meeting with her called a details appointment, where you will go through the details of your wedding day that pertain to Abernethy (such as timeline, menu, layout, and linen colors). Your event specialist will not be present at your wedding.
What is the role of the Ceremony Manager?
You will first meet your ceremony manager at your rehearsal! She will guide you through your rehearsal using the ceremony prep sheet you have prepared prior to your rehearsal and returned to your Event Specialist. On the day of your wedding your Ceremony Manager will be there to line up and queue everyone down the aisle and get you ready for your formal introduction. Your ceremony manager is not a wedding coordinator.
What is the role of a Coordinator?
Our coordination packages are for the couple that is looking for more hands-on planning help, design, and direction throughout the entire process to the day of your wedding. Check out our coordination packages for more information: https://abernethycenter.com/wedding-coordination/