ten ways to celebrate
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84 25th AnniversAry edition | A rizonAWeddings .com
CELEBRATION LOCATIONS| RECEPTIONS
lbrateTEN WAYS TOThe Perfect Location For Your Personal Style
WRITTEN BY Kelcy Christy
Choosing a venue for your wedding celebration can be one of the most
difcult choices youll make during your planning. Arizona has so many
settings for the perfect ceremony, and nding the one thats right for you is
essential to the success of your event. From gardens to galleries, weve laid
out our top 10 venue options with pros, cons, and tips from the experts themselves to
help you make the best choice for your big day.
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CELEBRATION LOCATIONS| RECEPTIONS
1. HOUSE OF WORSHIPHaving your wedding in a church or a syna-
gogue is the perfect choice if youre seeking
a traditional wedding approach. Its beautiful,
classic, and ideal for couples eager to wed in a
house of worship.
Whether your family is religious or just looking
for a time-honored tradition, saying I do at the
altar will offer you just what youre looking for.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESHaving your wedding at a church is perfect for smal ler or more intimate weddings.They are less expensive, and even people who do not regularly go to church often wish to get a blessing from a church ontheir wedding day.
Tracy Moncure, Wedding Minister at Oro Valley United Church of Christ
2. COUNTRY CLUBCountry clubs offer great options for brides and
grooms to wed. Their striking clubhouses and
picturesque outdoor grounds are sure to grant
you picture-perfect memories.
The staff is professional, fun, and always
attentive, which makes your wedding guests
happy and allows you to be stress-free on your
big day.
Especially in private country clubs, you
and your guests will not have to deal with the
outside public. If quiet and privacy is important
to you, your groom, and your family, a country
club may be a perfect and exquisite venue for
your wedding day.VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESCountry clubs tend to have very beautiful
settings. They have gorgeous views of the golf course and the mountain and desertlandscape. You are not surrounded by buildings, just a lot of open air.
Melissa Sprinkle, private event director at Seville Golf & Country Club
KIMBERLY
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PROS:
Everythings prepared!
The seating, altar, piano,
and PA system are all set
and ready to go.
Accessibility. Churches or
temples offer rooms to get
ready in and plenty of park-
ing for wedding guests.
Low Cost. Houses of wor-
ship usually offer facilities
for a lower price than other
ceremony venues. Costs
include compensating the
pastor, wedding coordinator,
and organist/pianist, and
perhaps a donation to the
church or temple.
CONS:
Very structured. House of
worships offer little-to-no
options for personalization.
The church will look like
a church in spite of your
vision. Many buildings
only allow for candles and
owers to be brought in for
decoration.
Small Spaces. Reception
halls in these buildings can
be undersized. It might be a
good idea to have an off-site
reception location if youre
entertaining a lot of guests.
Restrictions. Depending
on the religion, there may
be rules against interfaith
marriages. If you have
your heart set on a church
wedding, it is possible. You
may just need to do a little
more research.
PROS:
Interior and exterior
magnicence. Country
clubs are sure to delight
your wedding with
amazing outdoor photo
opportunities!
Impeccable staff.
Experienced culinary and
events teams are usually
on-site at most country
clubs, which can make your
job a lot easier.
Endless activities. Golf
and other club activities
may be available before or
after the wedding.
CONS:
Not so private. During
daytime weddings, there
might be a member teeing
off in the background. Even
during evening weddings,
other members still might
be trickling out of the club.
Too exclusive. You might
need to be backed by a club
member to book the venue.
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CELEBRATION LOCATIONS| RECEPTIONS
3. TENTIf youre looking for a gorgeous, unique wedding
and a cookie-cutter event isnt your style, a tent
wedding could make for an excellent choice. The
best part is that its entirely customizable. The
blank slate of the tent allows you to choose the
dcor, tables, chairs, caterer, dance oor, and
location!
Many brides are using house lawns, parks,
or venue lawns without the price of renting out
ballrooms or banquet halls.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESThe best reason to have a tent wedding is thatit gives you an open canvas to design any way you choose. You can also have your
wedding at fun locations: your home, the Grand Canyon, on the beach, or in a eld!You also have the exibility to bring in your favorite chef/caterer and your choice ofvendors.
Deb Beggs, Designer and Special Events Coordinator atClassic Party Rentals
4. RESORTArizona is the perfect place to have a resortwedding! As a destination for thousands of
people each year, Arizonas resort venues are
absolutely astonishing during any season.
Why not bring the excitement of a destination
wedding to your hometown?
Perfect for large weddings, resorts have an
extensive array of ballroom or lawn options
and excellent experience in catering to various
events and functions.
If youre inviting an ample amount of out-
of-town guests, a resort may also be the right
choice since accommodations are on-site and
are usually located around tourist attractions.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESHoliday weekends are a huge success for resort weddings. Extend yourwedding day into a three-day weekend of fun lay at the pool the day before and have mimosas and bloody Marys
the morning after. Lets face it, who wants to just have one day of pampering when you can make it three?Kelly Masten, Membership and Catering Sales Manager at
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
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PROS:
Choose your own dcor.
Let your inspiration soar
with DIY options or your
dream dcor.
Perfect photographs.
The outdoor setting and
twinkling lights allow for
lovely photos.
Unique. Provide your
guests with a wedding
that will be unlike any they
have attended.
CONS:
High cost. Youll save
money on the venue, but all
of the rentals can add up
(tables, chairs, linens, forks,
cups, plates, & dcor).
Weather. If its blistering
hot, rainy, or freezing cold,
this outdoor option could
put a damper on your
wedding day.
Do it yourself. Its both
a pro and a con, but
organizing the vendors
without the help of an
on-site team will mean
multiple vendor contracts
and an abundant amount
of phone calls leading up to
your event.
PROS:
Experienced staff. Many
hotels offer on-site wedding
coordinators, while others
are just skilled in producing
fantastic events through
their qualied catering and
banquet teams.
Accommodations.
Discounted room rates
are often available for
out-of-town guests when a
wedding is booked on site.
CONS:
Lack of privacy. Other
events besides your own
could be booked on the
same day in a different
area of the resort. Resort
guests will also be roaming
the premises and sharing
facilities.
Limited View. If youre
having an indoor ceremony
or reception, many function
rooms offer little to no view
and have limited windows.
Ask about outdoor lawns
or gazebos if youd like to
bring the sun or sunset to
your event experience.
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CELEBRATION LOCATIONS| RECEPTIONS
5. GARDENAn outdoor garden wedding is gorgeous, roman-
tic, and easy to pull off in the nations sunniest
state. With Arizona having more sunny days per
year than any other U.S. state, you can rest as-
sured knowing that clouds or rain will rarely put a
damper on your wedding day.
Marrying among the owers, trees, and scents
of spring is sure to be a spectacle for your guests
and your lasting memories.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESA nice idea that is unique to outdoor ceremonies is being able to putpets in your ceremony! Because they are part of the family, using your dog as the ring bearer can add apersonalized and fun feel to your wedding. A garden is also the perfect venue if youre planning on doing abuttery or dove release.
Nancy Mata, Owner of Secret Garden
A unique choice for the art-loving couple is to
wed surrounded by the classic paintings and
sculptures inspired by love. With magnicent
architecture, minimalist design, and awe-
inspiring art, a museum or art gallery can be
the perfect venue to host either a large or small
wedding, depending on the site you choose.
It is also important to communicate your
vision with the venue. Some locations will allow
more decoration than others while some may
limit what you can do in each room.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESWe have seen beautifully appointed weddingswhere the designers have brought in white leather seating and hung six-foot
chandeliers in the Great Hall. At the same time, couples on a budget have hosted
beautiful weddings here, too. The museum itself is beautiful and well designed with
clean, minimalist lines, and striking artwork. Couples dont need to spend a lot of
money on dcor to create a lovely atmosphere for their event.
Nicole DeLeon, Public Relations Manager at Phoenix Art Museum
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PROS:
Two-in-One venue. An
intimate ceremony can
easily transform into a
beautiful reception. This
will also save money
and is much easier than
transporting guests from
one location to another.
Perfect pictures. With you
and your future husband
surrounded by the natural
beauty of the garden,
your photos will turn out
impeccably well. Youll
also save money on oral
arrangements since Mother
Nature has already taken
care of that for you!
CONS:
Bugs. Having an outdoor
wedding is beautiful, but all
of those little bugs crawling
and ying around not
so much. Make sure to
spray for bugs a week or
so before the event. Keep
in mind that most public
venues are already sprayed
on a regular basis.
Weather. For the most part,
youll be dealing with great
weather in Arizona, but we
do get those occasional
rains. Just make sure to
have a back-up plan so you
can rest easy knowing that
day you get hitched will go
on without a hitch.
PROS:
Dcor. You will already
have style and originality
points by surrounding
yourself with art, even
without your own
decorations.
Atmosphere. The spacious,
grand atmosphere and
minimalist design will leave
your guests with long
lasting memories.
CONS:
Restrictions. Many
museums may not
allow bouquet tosses or
additional wall dcor. Be
sure to discuss this with
each venue before booking
to make sure you get the
wedding you wished for.
Additional costs. While the
cost to rent out the space
may be less expensive
than a resort or country
club, many venues will not
provide a caterer, tables/
chairs, or linens.
6. MUSEUM OR ART GALLERY
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CELEBRATION LOCATIONS| RECEPTIONS
7. BANQUET HALLPerhaps the most traditional place for a wedding
reception is a banquet hall. This doesnt mean
that its boring, though! The best part about this
sort of venue is the staffs experience. Because
many weddings take place here, banquet
halls are usually well equipped with a caterer,
supplies, and they can typically handle a large
amount of people with ease.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESBanquet andreception halls are a great choice if you want a resort-style event for a quarter of the price. The low-priced,high-quality service is top of the line. Our facility, alongwith many others of this type, offers a wide range ofchoice and freedom for brides.
Hirmiz Kando, Head Manager ofAmerican Royal Palace Banquet Hall
Whether you and your husband-to-be are
country music lovers or not, everyone canappreciate the rustic elegance of a farm or barn
wedding complete with long, exposed-wooden
tables, chandeliers, and opulent lighting.
The natural aesthetic of an outdoor farm
wedding surrounded by orchards and animals
can add a beautiful backdrop to your wedding.
If a classic barn is available, it can serve as a
unique country dance hall or a charming full-
course dinner setting.
VENDOR ADVICE FOR BRIDESAs a one-of-a-kind venue to Phoenix, the ambiance of an
outdoor farm wedding is an enchanting experience
for guests. Trees wrapped in twinkle lights along
with a variety of foliage makes for a gorgeous,
intimate setting that guests will continue to talk
about long after the couples big day! It is a
great place for the bride that is looking for a
rustic event, candlelight dinner, and dancing under
the stars.
Lindley Carlin, Junior Event Manager at
Santa Barbara Catering
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PROS:
Staff. If youre looking for
a venue that can x a prob-
lem when something goes
wrong, look no further than
a banquet hall. The staffs
experience gives this venue
a great deal of credibility.
Everything at your
ngertips. Oftentimes,
this venue will already have
a caterer, linens, tables/
chairs, a sound system, and
a dance oor on site, which
makes your planning much
easier.
CONS:
Dcor. Reception and
banquet halls have a
reputation of debatable
dcor, so make sure to look
at different hall options
before committing. Many
halls can be altered with
the right essentials. Get
creative!
Lighting. The lighting
in many banquet halls
can produce poor quality
or even blurry photos.
The best way to solve
this problem is to hire a
fabulous photographer
who specializes in indoor
weddings!
PROS:
Scenery. The vast
meadows, trees, and
greenery surrounding
farms and barns will not
only make for great photos,
it will be the perfect place
to say I do during the
afternoon and dance
beneath the twinkling lights
as the day shifts to night.
Customization. Since
youll have to rent most
of your supplies such as
tables/chairs, linens, and
dcor, you will also have
a chance to add personal
touches to the ceremony
and reception. Make your
wedding as casual or formal
as you wish!
CONS:
Weather. An unexpected
rainy weekend can occur,
even in Arizona. If you had
your heart set on having an
outdoor ceremony on the
farm, you may need to use
a barn as a back-up plan or
quickly pitch a tent.
Cost. Many farm, barn,
and rustic venues offer
wedding packages and are
experienced in producing
these types of events.
In many cases, though,
hidden costs in rental fees,
the hiring of a wedding
coordinator, and catering
can sneak up on you.
8. FARM, BARN, OR RUSTIC WEDDING
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