TACOMA, Wash. — You hear it often at weddings, if you have an objection, "Speak now or forever hold your peace."
A lot of neighbors are speaking on North Stevens Street in Tacoma. They're saying it to anyone who will listen-- No Blue Ribbon Catering.
Blue Ribbon is a well-respected, very popular catering and wedding coordinating business based in Seattle. They are highly esteemed in the wedding industry, garnering rave reviews from other vendors and hundreds of married couples.
Their decorating and food is renowned. So, when they saw that the Weyerhaeuser Mansion at Corban University in Tacoma was available to rent for weddings, it seemed a match made in heaven. The 15,000 square foot mansion is perched on a bluff with beautiful gardens and a panoramic view of the Sound.
And it anchors a beautiful neighborhood with 100 year old big, stately homes, and residents who know one another and have a sense of community. But this is not a marriage made in heaven.
Neighbors complain that the Mansion does not have nearly enough parking to accommodate large weddings. Blue Ribbon agrees, and says they are looking for direction from the city to address complaints of cars stacking up and forcing residents to park blocks from their own homes. But neighbors say they just want the weddings to stop.
Blue Ribbon points out that the Mansion hosted weddings long before Blue Ribbon found it, but neighbors say it formerly hosted ceremonies, and then the crowd would go somewhere else for the reception. But, Blue Ribbon hosts a one-stop event. Neighbors say the weddings are beautiful and guests seem to have a good time ... too good.
"There have been episodes of public urination in our gardens and in our yards," says Rod Dempster, standing in a small crowd of neighbors. "It's kind of non-stop chaos," says Mimi Kray next to him.
They talk about cars parked end to end up and down the streets, making things difficult for even emergency vehicles to navigate.
And the noise is especially bothersome to one family living right next to the part of the property where the amplified ceremonies and speeches take place.
Vanessa Volkman says Blue Ribbon has tried to respond to neighbors' concerns. They stopped serving dinner outside near the edge of the property line where the noise bothered neighbors, they moved all dancing inside, they even brought down the end time of events from midnight to 10pm.
"There's been a little bit of friction on trying to figure out how to do the things we want and need at our events and not damaging their lifestyles," she says.
"In fairness to them," Mimi Kray says, "They have tried, but what's become clear to us is that that's not possible, this site is simply not for the kind of events they have."
So, some neighbors say, they will not show consideration to the events hosted at the mansion. One neighbor has reportedly blasted music during outdoor weddings and even started up a leaf blower during one reception.
"We have a right just like anybody else in this neighborhood to do our yard work," says Sarah McAlister.
In the middle of these disagreements, Blue Ribbon has decided they would like to buy the property. The two sides will show up at a public hearing Thursday about whether the city should give Blue Ribbon permits to host an unlimited number of weddings. There will be lots of speaking, and probably little peace.
KIRO
