Inspiration to create an event to remember!
Oregon Bride Best of Awards
Vote Now for Oregon Bride’s Best of 2022!
To say that the past two years were a wild ride is an understatement. We started 2020 off ready to take on the world. In January of that year, we officially took over management of Leftbank and had an amazing first year planned. Then in March, well, everyone knows what happened worldwide. 2021 was a year of learning + growth as we went thru staff changes and started hosting events again, all while trying to determine what the future held. We have been honored to work with so many great clients and host amazing events this year, from weddings to beer tastings; from dances to holiday parties.
We would be absolutely honored if you would take a moment to nominate us as Best Urban Venue for Oregon Brides Best of 2022 awards. Our team has worked hard this year to bring the venue back to life after the COVID hiatus and it would mean the world to us. If you hosted an event this year, be sure to nominate your other vendors in the applicable categories — they too would much appreciate it!
Here’s a quick peak at a few of the events held over the last two years (P.S. All but two had a guest count under 40 — so Leftbank can certainly be the intimate venue of your dreams!)
Industrial Garden Party
If you’re looking to host a classy and modern indoor party with lots of greenery and natural colors, look no further! Erin and Cody’s wedding was designed perfectly to fit this vibe and we hope that their vision helps to inspire your own.
They began the day by getting ready onsite with their nearest and dearest. Erin + co got pampered in the Greenroom and Cody + co relaxed in the Clubroom. Their ceremony was held in front of the large windows of the Greatroom and afterward, guests met in the Clubroom to mingle while the upstairs was transformed for the reception.
Vendor Credits: Photographer: Kate Ames Photography | Venue: Leftbank Annex | Floral: One Haus Creative | DJ: Noteworthy DJ’s | Catering: Pearl Catering
Art of Catering
Art of Catering will execute your meal flawlessly with a blend of talented staff, beautiful presentation, and dynamic dishes. They believe that food is more than nourishment; it provides a way for people to come together, celebrate, and share an experience.
What lead you to open a catering company? Our founder, Larry Grimes, wanted to have a catering company that could offer guests a restaurant-quality experience with food cooked on-site and amazing service.
What type of events do you cater? We cater all types of events from intimate dinners in clients’ homes to large formal galas. Fun casual bbq’s to mind-blowing culinary experiences.
Is there a certain type of service or cuisine you specialize in? We customize all of our events to meet the needs of our clients.
What sets you apart from other caterers in the area? We are known for providing the highest quality food and best service experience in our area.
What is your favorite thing about the event industry? We get to work with an amazing group of event professionals—Portland is very lucky to have such a high caliber of event vendors.
Fun fact about you and/or your company: We are constantly challenging ourselves to be the best!
Photography Credits: Ben Pigao Photography (photo 1 & 2) | Mosca Studio (photo 3)
Artemis Foods
Artemis Foods has been providing local, organic, and sustainable meals to the Portland area for over 20 years. Their commitment to the environment doesn’t stop with their menu selections, but also expands into the decisions they make for their everyday business needs — electricity, marketing materials, transportation, and more!
We are proud to say that Artemis Foods is one of 9 exclusive caterers at Leftbank Annex. Here are some fun facts about Artemis, from owner Lauren Carr!
What lead you to open a catering company? I had been cooking professionally in restaurants in my early 20’s then opened a small catering business Lauren Carr Catering, which eventually led me to buy Artemis Foods 4 years ago.
What type of events do you cater? Weddings, corporate meetings and functions, fundraisers, private events in homes, wine dinners, and more! There are not a lot of events we won’t try to accommodate.
Is there a certain type of service or cuisine you specialize in? We specialize in local, organic, sustainable NW cuisine. Cooking within the seasons and partnering with local farms and purveyors to highlight the bounty of the NW.
What sets you apart from other caterers in the area? We are a full-service catering company that helps our clients make the vision for their events come to life. Our event planners assist with arranging rentals, staffing, bar services and décor. We pride ourselves on giving clients attention to every detail to make their event unique and successful.
What is your favorite thing about the event industry? We are in the business of making people happy with food and events, which is very rewarding and never the same day-to-day.
Fun fact about you and/or your company: We have a tradition of celebrating the birthdays of our kitchen and office staff with a fun lunch in our catering kitchen, either cooked by the Chef or from a favorite restaurant, complete with dessert and singing happy birthday!
Featured Vendors - Venue: Leftbank Annex | Planning & Design: Under the Veil | Photographer: Sierra Storm Photography | Floral: Lush Floral Design | Food & Beverage: Artemis Foods | Rentals: West Coast Event Productions | Flatware: The Party Place
How to Level Up Your Event’s AV
Guest post written by Laurel Miller, Seamless Events CEO
It’s Spring 2021, and we all want to meet live and in-person again. We want to celebrate new beginnings, milestones, and achievements in the same physical space; we want to catch up with family, friends, and colleagues. “Hybrid events” have begun to take shape — and with various combinations of both in-person and virtual audiences for the same event, AV planning has become a lot more complicated.
At Seamless Events, our clients relied on our extensive audio visual expertise when the pandemic forced in-person events to change to virtual. Today, we’re continuing to help event planners “know what they don’t know” so they make smart AV choices for their hybrid or socially distanced in-person gatherings. To orient your planning, you’ll need to know the same things you’ve always started with:
what do you want your Leftbank Annex event to accomplish?
who’s your audience?
how you can best meet your event’s objectives with an experience that makes attendees feel valued?
Below, we’ve shared some tips for thinking through your event’s audio visual needs in our current environment.
Exceed your audience’s expectations
You’ll find AV needs for standard live in-person events differ from socially distant in-person, hybrid, virtual, or other types of events — especially when you have multiple audiences. Your AV expert will help you:
learn why getting things to look right for remote attendees may require in-person attendees to make some adjustments.
consider pre-recording elements of your event such as toasts, speeches, or remote speakers.
think through using an AV studio to livestream a ceremony or speakers while your in-person guests enjoy themselves. Keeping much of the AV gear at a studio allows you to host more people and ensures all your guests — in-person and remote — hear and see important moments. By pairing Leftbank’s AV options with our nearby Seamless Events studio space, you can deliver a great attendee experience while keeping logistics simple.
Collaborate with your AV team early and often
AV plays a role in all events, but technology plays an even bigger part in connecting your audience to your message than ever before. An experienced AV partner can work with you to:
plan for your specific AV and content needs so each individual audience benefits.
figure out how to deliver engaging content to your attendees in a budget-friendly way.
get ideas for building excitement and community during your event, especially if you have multiple audiences.
Maximize your budget
Unsurprisingly, we spend lots of time with planners discussing budgets as we all embrace new types of events! Your AV partner can ensure you:
know the costs associated with giving multiple audiences the most engaging experience.
map your budget to your priorities.
We’re in a period where what’s allowed and what potential attendees feel comfortable doing evolves constantly. If you’d like a free consultation to help you better understand your AV solutions, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned; contact Seamless Events today.