An old country church finds new life

Ridgefield wedding business offers up 19th century ambience

BY PAUL LEONARD of the VBJ

From the way Dee Metro moves about the dimly-lit sanctuary of the former Ridgefield Community Church, one would think she actually lives here.

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-Paul Leonard of the VBJ-
Belltower Cathedral and Excalibur Limousine owner Dee Metro with her cat, Tinkerbella, in the
wedding venue’s outdoor garden in Ridgefield.

In fact, she does.

Metro is the owner of  Belltower Cathedral and Excalibur Limousine, a business offering complete wedding services for couples throughout Southwest Washington and Oregon. Along with her 15-year-old daughter, Angela, Metro provides catering, limousine and town car service, bridal accessories and flower arrangements for up to 200 invitees.

And as an ordained minister, Metro can even marry her guests - upon request, of course.

Built in 1883 - nearly 30 years before Ridgefield was incorporated - the church on S. Main Avenue housed a mixed Presbyterian and Methodist congregation for nearly a century before it disbanded in 1974.

After helping remodel the former Ridgefield Library building across the street in 1999, Metro noticed the old church, then in dire need of a facelift and fresh coat of paint. "I wanted to save the building," she said. "And I thought it would be a great place for weddings."

Metro bought the structure in 2004, moving herself and Angela into the residence underneath the church building located on the side of a bluff overlooking a channel of the Columbia River.

While the stained glass thought to be cut from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is long gone, along with the hymnals and women wearing their Sunday best, the church retains a soft-spoken spirit that has drawn clients from as far away as Portland.

The Belltower Cathedral performs weddings year-round, both inside the church building and in an adjacent outdoor garden with panoramic views of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the Oregon Coast Range beyond.

With a cat, Tinkerbella, providing moral support, the Metro women handle all the booking, preparation and execution of the weddings at Belltower - an incredible feat for only two people, as any bride or "bridezilla" can attest.

"It's definitely a labor of love," Metro said. "I'm so glad that I've been able to bring this church back to life."

Belltower Cathedral is located 113 S. Main Ave. in Ridgefield. For information, call
360.887.8888 or visit
www.belltowercathedral.com.

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