Amazingly beautiful venue, really doesn't need much in the way of decorations. We had a few small issues, but nothing that ruined the day. Great location!
Tim was generally quick to respond to any questinos that came up. Kari would not get back to you very quickly and when she did, her responses were very catty and rude. She was always pleasant at the venue. Tim was intimidating at the wine tasting and there were two major miscommunications throughout the entire process.
Their contract is not very detailed and we did need to ask for some clarifications, which after receving the response, did make sense afterall.
The venue is BEAUTIFUL, the bridal suite is GORGOUS. But the owners could use some lessons in tack dealing with "Us Oregonians." I have been told multiple times they are from the East Coast and they "do business differently over there." I was even warned not to deal with this vendor at all, but the venue speaks for itself.
Hire your planner to deal with them directly, or be ready for strong personalities.
Zenith Vineyard responded with the following comments:
I am hurt and dismayed by Jenn Browns' slanderous and untrue accusations in this review. I have reviewed the over 30 emails that took place before this wedding and have found no evidence to support her assault on my character or any evidence of unprofessional conduct. All of my dealings concerning this wedding were warm, friendly, and timely, reflecting the excellent standard that we have at Zenith Vineyard for all client relations.I am hurt and dismayed by Jenn Browns' slanderous and untrue accusations in this review. I have reviewed the over 30 emails that took place before this wedding and have found no evidence to support her assault on my character or any evidence of unprofessional conduct. All of my dealings concerning this wedding were warm, friendly, and timely, reflecting the excellent standard that we have at Zenith Vineyard for all client relations.
Zenith Vineyards was the perfect venue for our wedding. The staff were extremely helpful and went out of their way to ensure our wedding went smoothly. Money well spent for a memorable and fun wedding!
Zenith Vineyards is absolutely beautiful! It was an amazing setting for our wedding. They do have quite a few rules to use the space but they are fairly easy to work within. Overall a fabulous place for our ceremony and reception!
I feel so lucky to have found (and chosen) this venue!!! What a WONDERFUL place! Not only is it BEAUTIFUL, Kari and Tim are incredible nice and helpful. Oh, and their wine is delicious! They are the best people to work with, so kind! I WILL recommend this place 110% and we will be going back for some wine and to visit Kari and Tim. We love them. ♥
We were very pleased with our experience having our daughter's wedding at Zenith Vineyard. Tim and Kari, the owners, were very organized and helpful. We enjoyed our wine tasting which included a plate of tasty appetizers. Their exclusive caterer, Vibrant Table, was great to work with, always adding any changes we desired.
Zenith has a gorgeous setting and our guests raved about the green landscaping and the vineyards. The building is elegant, spacious, and air conditioned. It looks like a Tuscan villa, with a high ceiling, warm colors, fancy chandeliers, mirrors, 2 balconies, and a fireplace. Our daughter threw her bouquet from one of the balconies. One of my favorite pictures shows them standing inside the doorway that has black scroll grill work.
My daughter and her bridesmaids liked using the pretty bridal salon upstairs. It has a large mirror, long granite counter top, and a shower. The groomsmen enjoyed playing poker in their room.
There is a large covered veranda right outside the ballroom. From there we parents and the wedding party walked down the steps to enter the wedding area on the grass. That made a dramatic entry view for our guests to see.
At the end of our reception we had 2 cases of unused wine. Tim sent us a refund check for that and our security deposit the very next day. We were happy about that! A good time was had by all.
Zenith Vineyard was the perfect wedding venue! They had everything you needed which made planning and the actual day of the wedding go really smoothly. The place is stunning so decorations were simple. The required caterer was AMAZING and they worked hand in hand with the venue the whole time. I am so glad they had an exclusive caterer because the caterer was so familiar with the space, they even have their own coordinator that works exclusively at Zenith so he knows the ins and outs of the building. Planning with the caterer and Zenith was so easy and thorough because of this relationship. Tim and Kari, the owners of Zenith, were very prompt in their email responses and were very flexible and accommodating for our numerous visits, walk throughs, wine tasting, and rehearsal. The venue is a little pricey but it was so worth it. The brides suite was perfect for getting ready on site and had plenty of room for my bridal party, mothers, hair and make-up consultants, and wedding planners. The tinted window and very comfy bench seat was really great, we had so much fun spying on guests arriving! The boys had a great time relaxing in the grooms suite; watching movies, playing poker and pinball, and looking out over the balcony at the beautiful setting. The scenery for our July wedding was amazing, the vines were nice and full and very green. The whole property had lots of great places for us to take unique and beautiful photos. Our guests stated numerous times how beautiful the venue was and it truly is the most beautiful wedding venue out there. Thank you Zenith for being so amazing, we had a wonderful wedding!
My daughter was married at Zenith Vineyard July 8, 2011. From our first meeting with Tim and Kari in January of 2011, everything was amazing. They returned my emails and calls the same day. They were both very easy to work with. I am very detailed oriented and I like organization. They were very clear about what they offered and their contract was very detailed and clear as well. The wine tasting with Tim was a lot of fun. It was the bride and groom and both sets of parents, so very intimate. Tim was very helpful with answering our questions and I didn't feel any pressure on what to buy. The evening of the rehearsal Kari came and made sure we were all doing well and asked if we had any last concerns. The day of the wedding was AMAZING! Zenith and the caterer they contract with, Vibrant Table, made the day so smooth. Anything and everything we wanted or needed was taken care of immediately. The Vibrant Table staff, the dinner, and their service exceeded my expectations! Everything was taken care of. Their attentiveness and attention to detail was beyond anything I hoped for. We had so many guests comment on what an amazing property it was and how good the food and service was! I would recommend Zenith Vineyard and Vibrant Table to anyone!!! I was so happy with our choice, it was worth every penny and I would do it all over again.
We stumbled across Zenith while trying to find a venue that had an indoor / outdoor option (Oregon in the Spring) while accommodating a group our size. We originally thought we would invite 300, but ended up inviting about 250, with 200 in attendance. Tim and Kari, the owners, were personable, and professional right from the start. The venue itself is gorgeous and was really designed with the bride and groom in mind. The full sized kitchen is optimal for Vibrant Table Catering (with whom they have a contract), so that the food can be prepared fresh on site. Food and catering service were amazing by the way! The large bridal suite upstairs held my six bridesmaids, two moms, photographer and three stylists! The grooms room is also ideal for the men to relax, play poker and watch movies in while the ladies get ready. We had room for 22, 8-10 person round tables, a 33 person Kings table, two buffet tables, a dessert table, dance floor, dj, two bars, and a photo booth on site. We ended up doing the reception and ceremony inside in front of the large fire place, which was beautiful back drop for our photos. Moved guests to the 120 foot veranda for the transition between ceremony and reception. Ample parking...we even had a 55 person bus! Tim and Kari also provided an amazing experience for us, and several friends, when it came to choosing our wine for the wedding reception. They offer not only Zenith label wines, but numerous other local wines from the Willamette Valley. We had a nice selection to choose from at multiple price points. The entire experience from beginning to end was amazing. I would recommend them hands down for a wedding venue! All my vendors loved it too!
Zenith Vineyards provided us with such beautiful setting to have our daughters wedding. We were happy with every minute of the wedding. The venue is stunning, everyone is extremely professional, and everything just went flawlessly. It was so nice not to have to worry about the weather either, we had the wedding and reception indoors and we had almost 300 guests, and everyone and everything fit just perfectly! Zenith was very accommodating to our needs, and we felt very well taken care of and pampered. We had a very large wedding party (9 bridesmaids!) and having the day and space to get ready in the beautiful bridal room was perfect! Everything was wonderful, we feel very blessed that everything turned out so beautiful and perfect for such a special day! Thank you :)
Zenith Vineyard responded with the following comments:
This is what the mother of the bride wrote to us on the day after the wedding:
Dear Tim and Kary, THANK YOU! Our event couldn't have been more beautiful and Zenith was the right setting!!! In fact, a family friend has decided they will be looking into your venue for their daughter's wedding next November. Everything was beautiful and even the cake episode was fixed [they contracted with a third party for a wedding cake - it never came]. It could have been worse, such as the power going out..... Always have to look on the bright side of things. You have definitly chosen the right caters!!! Clatyon and Stefan were angels. Thanks again and many wonderful days ahead at your vineyard. Debbie Yenne
The Review above was written by Ralph Yenne a Salem Attorney and father of the Bride. What did we do to irritate the father when mom was so happy?
1. Ralph Yenne is untruthful about his deposit. He claims that he didn't get his deposit money back in the time that the contract allows. When we pointed out to Ralph Yenne that this was a lie, that he had received his deposit about a week after the wedding (it cleared our bank on 11/15, 9 days after the wedding). We pointed this out to Ralph but telling this lie publicly did not appear to matter to Ralph Yenne (or WeddingWire for that matter). 2. He wanted more sweet wine. We don’t make sweet wine and if defending our selection means being a wine snob, so be it. We have a wine list that is much more comprehensive than most vineyard locations. Most only offer their own wine. 3. He claims that we served the most expensive wine first. We just serve what people want when they came up to the bar to ask for wine. In fact Zenith doesn’t serve at all, the caterer does. 4. Ralph Yenne lied about the details of the wine purchase. He claims that “more than half the order at $40/bottle of wine.” The fact is the Yenne’s purchased 90 bottles of wine and 6 of the 90 were priced at $40. The average price of a bottle served at the Yenne wedding was $26.60. He says they had 24 bottles left over, they had 21. 5. He continues to be challenged on math. He says we sold “just over $1,500 of wine.” It was $1,828 used out of $2,394 purchased.
Mr. Yenne is unfair in his evaluation. Why he wants this negativity out there when it was a beautiful wedding, the food was wonderful the location was beautiful….etc. The internet is not always fair.This is what the mother of the bride wrote to us on the day after the wedding:
Dear Tim and Kary,
THANK YOU! Our event couldn't have been more beautiful and Zenith was the right setting!!! In fact, a family friend has decided they will be looking into your venue for their daughter's wedding next November. Everything was beautiful and even the cake episode was fixed [they contracted with a third party for a wedding cake - it never came]. It could have been worse, such as the power going out..... Always have to look on the bright side of things. You have definitly chosen the right caters!!! Clatyon and Stefan were angels. Thanks again and many wonderful days ahead at your vineyard.
Debbie Yenne
The Review above was written by Ralph Yenne a Salem Attorney and father of the Bride. What did we do to irritate the father when mom was so happy?
1. Ralph Yenne is untruthful about his deposit. He claims that he didn't get his deposit money back in the time that the contract allows. When we pointed out to Ralph Yenne that this was a lie, that he had received his deposit about a week after the wedding (it cleared our bank on 11/15, 9 days after the wedding). We pointed this out to Ralph but telling this lie publicly did not appear to matter to Ralph Yenne (or WeddingWire for that matter).
2. He wanted more sweet wine. We don’t make sweet wine and if defending our selection means being a wine snob, so be it. We have a wine list that is much more comprehensive than most vineyard locations. Most only offer their own wine.
3. He claims that we served the most expensive wine first. We just serve what people want when they came up to the bar to ask for wine. In fact Zenith doesn’t serve at all, the caterer does.
4. Ralph Yenne lied about the details of the wine purchase. He claims that “more than half the order at $40/bottle of wine.” The fact is the Yenne’s purchased 90 bottles of wine and 6 of the 90 were priced at $40. The average price of a bottle served at the Yenne wedding was $26.60. He says they had 24 bottles left over, they had 21.
5. He continues to be challenged on math. He says we sold “just over $1,500 of wine.” It was $1,828 used out of $2,394 purchased.
Mr. Yenne is unfair in his evaluation. Why he wants this negativity out there when it was a beautiful wedding, the food was wonderful the location was beautiful….etc. The internet is not always fair.
Working with Kari was great! She get's back to you immediately and was very easy to work with. The venue is amazing in every way! The only thing that could have been improved upon was my contact at Vibrant Table. Because they are contracted with VT only, it got a bit frustrating at times. If I wasn't organized I'm not sure how it would have all come together working with my contact at VT. That's my only complaint. Zenith Vineyard is one of a kind!
Zenith is a fantastic venue, designed perfectly for weddings, with great people and exceptional resources. Everything was perfect - we wouldn't have changed a thing!
The location was chosen a year and a half in advance. The site and the building are beautiful, like from a fairy tale, but the treatment received from the owners was deplorable. They were very rude as well as very aggressive in their billing policies. They demanded payments very far in advance. Several thousand dollars were paid at the time of signing the initial contract. While no agreement had been made about how much wine would be purchased, 9 months before the wedding Zenith sent an invoice for almost $2,500 for wine, 3 times as much as the minimum purchase requirement. Zenith sent numerous invoices requesting this payment, again with no agreement. Then in January (9 months before the date of the wedding) the vineyard sent an invoice for the rest of the cost of the wedding and said it was due in May. They again sent numerous invoices with notes demanding payment although it was not yet due.
But that was nothing compared to the treatment the mother of the bride received on the day of the wedding. She had arrived early with her friends and the family of the groom to work on preparations for the event. Approximately two hours before the wedding, the owner of the vineyard approached her angrily demanding over $500, including money concerning insurance. When she told him she knew that she needed to pay for about $300 for audio equipment and 10 extra chairs and that she didn't know about any other amount due, he got even angrier and put some statement on a screen in front of the approximately 40 people who were there helping her or otherwise working on the event. She felt totally humiliated. She paid the full amount without understanding why she had to pay so much. She had paid for everything she was asked for on time months in advance and it was unconscionable to approach her in that public a way.
Zenith Vineyards says on their website that they “will make your special event truly exceptional.” Sadly, what the owner did that was most exceptional was treat his customer exceptionally poorly and care exceptionally little about how uncomfortable he made all of the guests who were there by behaving so obnoxiously. Talking to vendors, we learned that this is not the first time that he has lost his temper with customers or vendors. And, it’s impossible to believe that this will be the last time he does so.
Zenith Vineyard responded with the following comments:
We're sorry the mother of the bride takes this opportunity to rant. This was simply a case of the Govshtein party's unwillingness to pay their invoices on time. Kira Govshtein runs a real estate business and we wonder how any deals get done. The wine tasting story is all about the Govshtein family coming for a wine tasting and ordering a large amount of wine (their choice) and then not paying for it for the next several months. They finally cancelled their wine order and canceled other services only to ask for them back on the day of the wedding. Given their payment history we asked for them to pay on at that time. This seemed to bother Kira Govshtein quite a bit. Oh well. Yes, it is true our policy calls for payment and if your history is one of not paying on time, we're going to have an uncomfortable conversation on the day of the wedding asking you to settle your account. We have no obligation to provide services that are not paid for.We're sorry the mother of the bride takes this opportunity to rant. This was simply a case of the Govshtein party's unwillingness to pay their invoices on time. Kira Govshtein runs a real estate business and we wonder how any deals get done. The wine tasting story is all about the Govshtein family coming for a wine tasting and ordering a large amount of wine (their choice) and then not paying for it for the next several months. They finally cancelled their wine order and canceled other services only to ask for them back on the day of the wedding. Given their payment history we asked for them to pay on at that time. This seemed to bother Kira Govshtein quite a bit. Oh well. Yes, it is true our policy calls for payment and if your history is one of not paying on time, we're going to have an uncomfortable conversation on the day of the wedding asking you to settle your account. We have no obligation to provide services that are not paid for.
Zenith was the perfect setting for my August wedding. The bridal suite is so beautiful and helped me to stay calm on my wedding day because there is so much space and light up there. All my guests commented on how beautiful Zenith is. My one complaint is that I felt pushed to order more than the minimum wine at the tasting in October. Good thing I'm stubborn and not pressured easy, because we ordered the right amount of wine for our guests over the suggestions given to us. A recommendation would be to include directions to Zenith if your guests are traveling from Portland. Many of our guests told us they took a ferry across the river, which is the "shortest" way GPS will automatically route. The ferry is way longer and costs money. Take Marion bridge.
Zenith is beautiful inside and out. The exclusive caterer is excellent. As the bride, this review however, has low ratings becuase of one of the owners of Zenith, who you will do business with, is rude, pushes you to buy more wine than needed, and is inflexible, unprofessional, and verbally abusive when it comes time to refund any monies due you as stipulated in the signed contract. There are many other beautiful venues to choose and you could use the same caterer.
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