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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2015)
BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2015 A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM Send submissions or story ideas for the Herald Business page to Editor Jessica Keller, jkeller@hermistonherald.com Planning a wedding on a tight budget S hould a dream wedding mean delaying a down payment on a home? That’s a tradeoff many couples make these days. The Knot, a wedding planning and publishing company, recently released its Real Weddings Study (http://www.xogroupinc. com/press-releases- home/2015-press- releases/2015-03-12- the-knot-2014-real- weddings-study.aspx) of average wedding costs for 2014, announcing a national average price tag of $31,213 (not including the honeymoon). The average cost of a wedding is a good point of comparison against RWKHUPDMRU¿QDQFLDO goals in a new marriage. Considering that the average price of a new home in America is now $200,000, that wedding estimate would cover the majority of a 20 percent down payment — $40,000. Despite getting married to my wife at our family home 15 years ago, I still remember the sticker shock for all the wedding costs — a whopping $10,000 for the entire event from tux, GUHVVÀRZHUVIRRGDQG honeymoon. Here are a few suggestions to plan a wedding that won’t break the bank: • Marry off-season. The most popular wedding months are now June and October, with longtime leader June losing a bit of ground. The most popular day to get married is Saturday, and nighttime is the most competitive time slot for receptions. Consider a January wedding when the post-holiday rush is over — cold-weather wedding venues are generally empty and priced to move. Weekday weddings have the potential added bonus of guests drinking less on a work night and weekend brunch weddings can be served buffet-style with more reasonably priced menu choices. • Find alternative venues. Farms, barns, warehouses, art galleries and, of course, family property can be less expensive venues for a wedding, but make sure such spaces are properly insured for alcohol, food or other party-related risks. Also, in many communities, party -$621$/'(50$1 MONEY MATTERS Visa columnist venues must be properly licensed and/or zoned WRDYRLG¿QHVRUOHJDO action. • DIY if possible. &RXSOHVZLWKDÀDLU for party planning, decorating and cooking might be able to slash costs planning and executing their own event with minimal dependence on hired or volunteer help. From ÀRZHUVWRSKRWRJUDSK\ wedding cake to wedding planners, check for affordable options. If a venue allows couples to VXSSO\WKHLURZQÀRZHUV and decorations, it is wise to comparison shop. Consider professional photographers or skilled amateurs who meet your tastes and budget. • Use a gift registry to pay for the wedding. Couples can set up online gift registries that allow guests to directly fund honeymoon trips RUVSHFL¿FH[SHQVHV associated with the wedding. • Plan a destination wedding. Resorts around the world and well-known domestic wedding/travel destinations like Las Vegas or Hawaii offer wedding packages that blend a ceremony and vacation getaway. Planning a winter wedding? Research options for a warmer climate or snowy destination at a ski resort. )LQDOO\EHÀH[LEOH Some venues have cancellations and if a couple is willing to put themselves on a waiting list and move quickly if they get the call, savings might be possible. Before planning a wedding, it’s wise to start ZLWKSODQQLQJ¿QDQFHV$ PHHWLQJZLWKDTXDOL¿HG ¿QDQFLDODGYLVHUPLJKW help put wedding costs in perspective with other PDMRU¿QDQFLDOSULRULWLHV Bottom line: Dream weddings don’t have to SXWDFRXSOH¶V¿QDQFLDO life on hold. Consider UHDO¿QDQFLDOSULRULWLHV ¿UVWDQGEXLOGDVPDUW wedding budget from there. — Jason Alderman GLUHFWV9LVD¶V¿QDQFLDO education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter. com/PracticalMoney Bottom line: Dream weddings don’t have to put a couple’s fi nancial life on hold. Consider real fi nancial priorities fi rst and build a smart wedding budget from there. SEAN HART PHOTO A crowd gathers outside of the H&P Cafe Saturday in downtown Echo. Mike and Tonia Barzee purchased the business May 11 and said business has been going well. New mom and pop acquire Echo cafe H&P Cafe Family purchases restaurant after enjoying its food for 15 years BY SEAN HART HERMISTON HERALD After eating at the H&P Cafe for many years, Mike and Tonia Barzee recently purchased the restaurant in downtown Echo. Mike Barzee said his family moved to the small town 15 years ago, and the cafe quickly became his daughter’s favorite restau- rant. When an opportuni- ty to acquire the business became available in April, Barzee said he toured the kitchen and knew it was a SHUIHFW¿W “You know, when you’re standing some place, you can see the end of your life, and I just felt, standing in the kitchen, it was my kitchen,” he said. “We just want to work hard for the rest of our lives and run a cafe and have a great time working with family, mak- Address: 231 W. Main St., Echo Hours: Mondays through Saturday s7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 541-376-0406 cafe,” he said. “That’s what we want. We don’t want to do anything super-fancy.” Barzee said he will be perfecting homemade rec- ipes for as many items as SEAN HART PHOTO possible and has already New H&P Cafe owner Mike Barzee, left, talks with customers created chili, soup and bis- Saturday at the restaurant in Echo. After eating at the cafe for cuits. Soon, the business the last 15 years while living in the small town, Barzee and his will introduce larger ham- wife, Tonia, purchased the business this month. burger patties and specialty burgers. Barzee said his family ing great food.” if I worked a 12-hour shift at Barzee said he has man- any other job. It feels great is excited to work hard and aged restaurants for more to have your own thing and provide quality small-town service. than 15 years, but this is his make your own food.” “You’re going to get a ¿UVW WLPH DV DQ RZQHU +H The business offers a said the family operation “classic cafe menu,” Bar- family taking care of you started May 11, with his zee said, with chicken when you come to the wife and daughter waiting fried steaks and breakfast H&P,” he said. “We care tables and he and his son in served all day, including a lot about the food that the kitchen. So far, he said, biscuits and gravy and we’re making. When you business has been great, omelettes. The cafe fea- come here, you’re walking and the cafe busy. tures iced and blended into our living room, and ³7KH ¿UVW ZHHN ZH coffees, raspberry- and we want to make you feel worked our butts off,” he SHDFKÀDYRUHG WHDV DQG like that. We just can’t wait to see folks come through said. “I’ve never been hap- classic milkshakes. pier. I don’t have any stress. “The plan is to keep it a our door and share our food I don’t feel so exhausted as small-town, mom-and-pop with us.” Wal-Mart aims to double its hiring of veterans EO MEDIA GROUP Locals who have served in the mil- itary could see more job opportuni- ties after Wal-Mart announced it was increasing its commitment to hiring veterans. Since the company — one of Uma- tilla County’s largest employers — committed two years ago to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2018, Wal-Mart has hired 795 additional veterans in Oregon. A spokeswoman said Wal- Mart’s Hermiston distribution center and stores in eastern Oregon have contributed to that number. Last week, Wal-Mart announced it was more than doubling its goal of hiring veterans, aiming to em- ploy 250,000 veterans by the end of 2020. Hermiston distribution center manager Joshua Burns is an Air Force veteran and graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He said in a statement that the teamwork and leadership skills he gained through his military background have helped him be a better man- ager to the center’s employees, which include several other veter- ans. “There is something special about WKHIRFXVRQIXO¿OOLQJDPLVVLRQZLWK integrity that our veterans are bring- LQJ WR WKH 'LVWULEXWLRQ &HQWHU ÀRRU´ he said. “The sense of service and teamwork is infectious.” One in every 34 people in Umatilla County’s workforce is employed by Wal-Mart. About 800 people are em- ployed by the Hermiston distribution center, and another 500 are spread between the Hermiston and Pendleton stores. +HUPLVWRQ%HVW:HVWHUQUHFHLYHVFHUWL¿FDWHRIH[FHOOHQFH Best Western Hermiston Inn announced Tuesday it has received a 2015 TripAdvi- VRU &HUWL¿FDWH RI ([FHOOHQFH DZDUG 7KH DZDUG LQ LWV ¿IWK \HDU FHOHEUDWHV H[FHO lence in hospitality and is given to estab- lishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, according WRDSUHVVUHOHDVH&HUWL¿FDWHRI([FHOOHQFH winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions all over the world that con- tinually deliver superior customer service. According to the press release, when selecting winners, TripAdvisor uses a pro- prietary algorithm to determine the hon- orees, which takes into account the qual- ity, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travelers on Tri- pAdvisor over a 12-month period, as well as businesses’ tenure and ranking on the popularity index on the site. To qualify, a HermistonHerald VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 30 JESSICA KELLER EDITOR jkeller@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4533 business must maintain an overall bubble UDWLQJ RI DW OHDVW IRXU RXW RI ¿YH KDYH D minimum number of reviews and have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. ³:LQQLQJ WKH 7ULS$GYLVRU &HUWL¿FDWH of Excellence is a true source of pride for the entire team at Best Western Hermis- ton Inn, and we’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: • call 541-567-6457 • e-mail info@hermistonherald.com • VWRSE\RXURI¿FHVDW(0DLQ6W • visit us online at: www.hermistonherald.com SEAN HART REPORTER smhart@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4534 6$0%$5%(( SPORTS REPORTER sbarbee@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4542 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Delivered by carrier and mail Wednesdays and Saturdays ,QVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV .........................$42.65 2XWVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV ......................$53.90 JEANNE JEWETT MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT jjewett@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4531 a review on TripAdvisor,” Angella Lam- bert, Best Western Hermiston Inn general manager, said in the press release. “There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one’s customers. With the 7ULS$GYLVRU &HUWL¿FDWH RI ([FHOOHQFH based on customer reviews, the accolade LVDUHPDUNDEOHYRWHRIFRQ¿GHQFHWRRXU business and our continued commitment to excellence.” The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN 8750-4782) is published twice ZHHNO\DW+HUPLVWRQ+HUDOG(0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25 567-6457, FAX (541) 567-1764. Periodical postage paid at Hermiston, OR. Postmaster, send address changes to Hermiston Printed on +HUDOG(0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25 recycled newsprint $PHPEHURIWKH(20HGLD*URXS&RS\ULJKW .,0/$3/$17 OFFICE COORDINATOR klaplant@ hermistonherald.com 541-564-4530