Hillsboro as a wedding destination? These local businesses are making the pitch

In the heart of downtown Hillsboro, a historic home is redefining the local business landscape. The Vows Boutique Wedding Showcase is turning the spotlight on Hillsboro as a destination for weddings, featuring five women-owned businesses that are local to the community.

Lucia Nguyen of Lucia Isabel CollectionShi Choong of Event Planner ShiFabiola Medina of Favi’s Fabulous CakesKathie Nelson of Résolu Cellars and Alexis Jackson of Shorey House Events & Wedding Venue are collaborating to host the event, taking place Sunday at the historic Shorey House.

The showcase is more than just a gathering; it’s a celebration of downtown Hillsboro’s potential as a wedding venue, nestled among the town’s charming boutique shops, vintage stores, and family-owned restaurants.

Jackson, owner of the venue, grew up in the Charles Shorey House, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The Victorian, Queen Anne style home built in 1908 underwent 30 years of renovations to restore it. The beauty and nature of the home, Jackson said, offers a lot to Hillsboro.

“Hillsboro is growing substantially in the next several years, and having a place to come together and gather in an outdoor space in the heart of downtown, I think, is something that’s really special,” Jackson said. “Having the ability to offer that to our community is something that both my husband, who is a co-owner, (and I) wanted to do together.”

The 8,000-square-foot venue is on East Main Street and is the first private outdoor event venue in downtown Hillsboro, according to Jackson.

The idea to reimagine the home as a venue began with two summer weddings on the property in 2019.

“It really kind of sparked the inspiration to say, ‘OK, what if? What if we were to turn this into (a venue)? What would that look like?’” Jackson said.

Since August of 2021, Jackson has improved the outdoor space with native plants, blooming florals and other vintage elements including furniture and a bird bath. With more improvements to come, such as a bridal suite and additional landscaping, Jackson said she is excited to continue reimagining the space as a blank canvas for hosting backyard celebrations and intimate weddings in Hillsboro.

The collective for the showcase was sparked by the June 29 grand opening of the Shorey House Events & Wedding Venue that gathered small businesses owners involved in the wedding industry.

The owner of two dress shops, both called Lucia Isabel Collection, in downtown Hillsboro, Nguyen, was among the attendees. She plans to open a bridal dress shop, Emmanuel’s Bridalthis fall on Southeast 10th Avenue.

“We wanted to kind of give that future bride the feeling of what it would be like to be in that space and to imagine their wedding event there,” Nguyen said. “And so that’s kind of how we created the idea of ​​creating The Vows event so that everyone could showcase their business and their services.”

Each business owner comes from a diverse background but is “united by the vision of enhancing the community,” Jackson said.

The free event will showcase the products and services of each business including live music, catering, interactive activities and a bridal fashion show.

“We’re all kind of small businesses, but we’re women owned, and we have definitely, in a way, grown up here in the Hillsboro area,” Nguyen said. “And now, to give back to the community in this event, it’s a really special feeling.”

In the suburban city of Hillsboro, the showcase serves as a reminder that residents don’t need to look far to plan their special events.

Choong, who has been planning events for Hillsboro residents for years, mentioned that many often choose to celebrate in Portland, assuming it’s the only option.

“I wanted to focus my energy to help Hillsboro to grow,” Choons said. “So, I think it will be really nice to have all these local businesses interact and really help promote and bring us together.”

The entrepreneurial group covers a large sector of the bridal industry in Hillsboro and hopes they can inspire other women that they can also succeed as business owners and leaders in the community.

“It’s just a diverse group,” Choong said about the business owners taking part in the showcase, four of whom are women of color. “It’s really helped to let other people that look like us, feel like it’s possible.”

The Vows Boutique Wedding Showcase: 2-4 pm Sunday, Sept. 8, The Shorey House Events & Wedding Venue, 905 E. Main St., Hillsboro; free to attend; shoreyhousevenue.com

— Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; [email protected] or @chiara_profenna

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