FAQs
What are your rental fees?
Our current pricing for weddings can be found on our WEDDING PRICING page. Check out our other pricing pages for things like CORPORATE, LOCAL NON-PROFIT groups, and PHOTO SESSIONS.
What’s included in the rental price?
We have a number of wedding packages for you to choose from. The main difference being the number of guests allowed at the event, and total rental time. For all events our entire list of AMENITIES is available for no additional charge.
What is the total capacity at The Bindery?
We have tables and chairs for 180 guests, which we feel is the comfortable maximum of guests at a seated dinner at The Bindery. If you are planning a cocktail hour, or other standing room only event, we can accommodate 200 people. Our building capacity is 410 people including the kitchen, restrooms and lounge areas. Capacity may change depending in current COVID Guidelines.
What are the payment terms? Is there a deposit?
To secure your date at The Bindery, we send an electronic invoice for a 50% retainer. The retainer is a non-refundable payment towards your total package price. The balance due is two weeks prior the event date. a $500 security deposit is due two months prior to the event date and is refunded the week following your event. Any add-ons will be added to the final invoice prior to the event. We accept electronic payments directly through the invoice, or you are welcome to mail a check. We do not charge a service charge for card payments.
How do I reserve a date?
Once you’ve checked that your date is available and you are ready to book, let us know which package you would like and we will send you the retainer invoice and contract to sign. Both are easy to manage electronically.
What is your reschedule/cancellation policy?
We have a flexible rescheduling policy that allows you to reschedule your event for any available date 12-months from your original event date for no additional charge. Our contract states that if you choose to cancel the event, or there are forces outside of the venue’s control that force the event to be cancelled, we retain the deposit, but no further payments are required.
Do I need event insurance?
Yes. Event insurance protects you if you or your guests damage the property or gets injured on site. We recommend eWed Insurance they have plans to cover just about anything.
What if I do not plan to hire a coordinator?
We require you to hire a professional event planner or day-of coordinator for your wedding ceremony and reception at The Bindery. We’ve included a link below to a helpful article about the benefits of hiring a coordinator, and the difference in services they can provide. We also have a number of coordinators that we have worked with on our preferred vendor list.
Can I have my rehearsal dinner at The Bindery?
Absolutely! We know that a lot of couples come to Oregon Wine Country and want to get married in the beautiful vineyards, and we understand why! But if you have out of town guests coming to the area and you want to have a welcome party, rehearsal dinner or post-wedding brunch in town we are the ideal spot. We are right in downtown McMinnville and located steps away from the Atticus Hotel and other downtown lodging. We’re a convenient spot to host your dinner, and we make it easy to plan by having our own tables and chairs, and working with the best caterers in the area. Do you want to have a rehearsal dinner and walkthrough for your ceremony at The Bindery the next day? Talk to us about our special 2-day pricing deals!
Am I able to have a walk-through the night before the wedding?
Depending on availability you are allowed a 1-hour rehearsal for $250 the night before your event. During peak season this may not be an option though, but we try and work with you as much as possible to accommodate your needs.
How is a wedding package different from a general event package?
Wedding ceremonies and receptions require a lot more pre-event coordination, that time is reflected in our package prices. While we offer the same amenities to all of our guests, there is an added level of involvement with the couples, planners, vendors, etc to make sure that the day goes off without a hitch.
Can I see get a floor plan to help me plan the layout?
Yes! We have a scale floor plan that we are able to send you along with a current list of our furniture for your planning use. We also work with a software program that allows you and your vendors to preplan the layout so that when you arrive for your event all of the furniture we provide is all setup according to your plans.
What furniture is included in the rental price?
Here is a link to our current list of FURNITURE. You can choose to use any, all or none of this, just let us know.
Are there any restrictions?
The only restrictions are that loud noise needs to be limited after 10:00pm and you work with a bartending service and caterer off our preferred vendors list. But if you’re unsure of what’s allowed or not allowed, it’s always a good idea to ask.
Are there additional charges?
There are a few additional charges. Additional hours you would like to add onto your booking - price varies according to package but in general, $250 per hour, $500 per hour after midnight. Holiday fee of $500 for events booked on a holiday. A security deposit of $500. We also are able to rent the adjoining parking lot for your use for an additional $750. There are no other additional charges at this time.
Can I add time to my booking after I book my date?
Absolutely. We know that plans evolve over the course of planning and you may not know exactly how much time you need in the space. Just let us know when you would like your booking to start on the event day. The additional hours do need to be concurrent, not broken up into sections (For example, you can’t book 8:00am - 10:00am and then again from 2:00pm - 10:00pm. If you need in at 8:00am your booking would be from 8:00am - 10:00pm.)
Are we required to use vendors on your Preferred Vendor list?
You are required to use a caterer and bar service on our list but any other vendor is up to you! The vendors we list are people that we have worked with and trust their products and service. We are happy to give personalized recommendations based on your unique events style and needs. We are local to McMinnville, so we are really good at giving referrals and recommendations! You can see our current list on our PREFERRED VENDORS page. Are you a vendor who would like to be added to the list? Reach out, we would love to chat!
Do we have to use the caterers on your list?
Catering is a large part of every event and we want to make sure you are working with companies who not only know our venue, but offer the quality of product and service that we want for our guest. We are happy to give you specific recommendations based on your event needs. At this time, you are required to use one of the companies on our list. If you have a caterer you’d like to use, there is a $500 fee plus they are required to provided liability insurance and conduct a site visit prior to the event date.
Where do our guests park?
The Bindery is located in the heart of downtown McMinnville which means that there are multiple parking options for you and your guests while at your event. There is non-metered street parking, a public parking garage two blocks away, and if any of your guests are staying across the street at the Atticus Hotel, they have their own private valet parking. If you would like to have the adjoining parking lot with 13 spaces reserved for your guests we charge an additional $750. There are handicap spaces as well.
What does the venue setup and what am I responsible for?
The Bindery has an extensive furniture list to help limit the extra you may need to purchase. Once an agreed upon floorplan and list of amenities is finalized, The Bindery team will have the venue setup with all of the furniture you have requested for your event, in the layout you have identified. Any additional rentals or decor will need to be managed by you, your coordinator, or caterer once the booking window begins. All rentals must be broken down at the end of the event and prepared for pickup. Any furniture belonging to The Bindery can stay setup.
Do I need to clean up after the event?
Generally the caterer and planner/coordinator manage the cleanup of the event so that you and your guests can leave and not have to worry about the mess. The Bindery staff will check in to make sure the caterer knows where the dumpster and recycling bins are located and that all rentals are properly prepared for pickup. If you have not hired a coordinator and your caterer is not staying on-site for the event, we have an additional charge of $250 for The Bindery staff to do the cleanup. Please check in with us for more information about this service.
How do I know how much time I need in the space?
We’ve created packages based on the most common used times for each type of event. The specific time you will need is generally based on the how much setup time you and your vendors need before the guests arrive. All deliveries, setup and cleanup need to occur in the rental period, unless otherwise approved by The Bindery. So for example, if your florist needs a few hours to do her decor or installation, you may want to add some time in the morning so they aren’t rushed.
A typical 10-hour wedding day schedule looks like this:
1:00pm - 5:00pm rental deliver, vendor arrival and setup begins
5:00pm - ceremony
6:00pm - reception
10:00pm - event ends and guests leave, cleanup begins
11:00pm - cleanup ends, everyone exits the venue
Additional hours can be added up to two weeks prior to the event and are charged on the final invoice.
When can my rentals be dropped off?
We ask that rental delivery and pickup are done within the booked window on the day of the event. That requires coordination with the rental company and the venue to ensure someone is onsite to receive the rentals when they are delivered. If special arrangement needs to be made, we ask that you communicate with us to see if the request can be accommodated.
What type of decor can I use?
We designed The Bindery as a blank slate so that you can truly bring your vision to life. The white walls and 12’ beams are an ideal backdrop to add your personal touch. Florists love to hang garland or floral installations from the beams. We also have 80’ of pipe and drape, plus uplighting that can be used to add to your decor. We ask that no decorations are attached to the walls, and that nails and screws are not used on the historic wooden beams.
Can I provide my own alcohol?
The short answer is yes. But, there are rules that we must insist on when asking to provide your own alcohol. We require that you use a licensed bartending service, but many of these companies will allow you to provide your own wine and beer and they serve your guests. We know a lot of our guests are members of area wine clubs and want to incorporate the wine into their evening. We love that, we just need to make sure that it is served safely.
Can I serve my own alcohol?
The short answer is no. But, depending on the nature of your event, certain permits may be obtained that provide the liability coverage needed to protect you and the venue. An example of when this would be allowed is if a local non-profit organization had wine donated for the event, and wanted to use volunteers to serve guests. We can help instruct you on how to obtain the proper OLCC permits to allow this.
Are you pet friendly?
With prior approval from The Bindery, Yes! Our concrete floors are very pet friendly, we just ask that any messes are cleaned up and that the pets aren’t allowed on the furniture. Dogs also need to be on leashes for the duration of the event.
Are you on-site during the event?
The Bindery will have at least one venue manager on site during the duration of the booking. We are there to greet vendors as they arrive and answer any setup questions. During the event we stay in our office in the adjoining building and check in every hour with the vendors and planner to see if anything is needed. We also check on restrooms to make sure they are clean and stocked. We do have new COVID 19 guidelines we are mandated to follow to meet the Governor’s operating guidelines, please see the COVID 19 section for more detailed information.
Where do we get ready?
We just finished our new private bridal lounge. It is the perfect room for you and your bridal party to get ready in, with multiple vanity locations, a full length mirror, cozy carpeting and ample light, this space will allow you a private space to be before you walk down the aisle. While we don’t have a separate dedicated room for the groomsmen, we are happy to talk about options for them to be before the ceremony as well.
Where do we stay in McMinnville?
There are so many great options! But our favorite is conveniently located right across the street at the beautiful Atticus Hotel. The Bindery and the Atticus both opened in the spring of 2018 and offer guests the convenience of location and teams that work together to ensure that you and your guests have what you need during your stay and wedding at The Bindery. Their sister property, 3rd Street Flats, is also located next door and offers an independent travel experience in converted apartments, so they are perfect for multi-night stays and families. Within walking distance you will also find McMenamins Hotel Oregon, as well as a variety of VRBO options.
COVID Guidelines
Email us for the current Oregon Health Authority guidelines relating to gatherings, venues and catering. It’s a lot of information, and we’re happy to help make sense of it for you.