Four New Arizona Ballrooms for Your Wedding Reception

Ideas & Inspiration

The new 11,000-square-foot Trailblazers Ballroom at the Westin Kierland is completely customizable, with 180-degree golf course views.

Four New Arizona Ballrooms for Your Wedding Reception

For today’s bride, planning a one-of-a-kind event can be daunting. How do you create a unique wedding when it seems like everything’s already been done? Luckily, Arizona is home to an array of gorgeous new ballrooms where few bridal slippers have yet trod. For couples who want to stand out in the crowd of high-end receptions with special touches and breathtaking views, the task just got a whole lot easier—about four times easier, to be exact.

With most hotels and reception spaces crying “uncle” in the midst of an economic downturn, four Arizona resorts are doing the unthinkable: building. The Westin Phoenix Downtown, Phoenician, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass and Westin Kierland are all offering trend-setting brides brand-new ballrooms with fresh décor and custom chandeliers, ready to light up the happy couple’s first dance.

LAP OF LUXURY:
Camelback Ballroom at The Phoenician
When it comes to local flavor and over-the-top luxury, The Phoenician is an Arizona standard. Nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain, with 250 acres at its disposal, The Phoenician has plenty of indoor and outdoor space for your wedding party.

As many as 1,000 of your closest friends and family can be treated to a special, separate valet entrance and dance the night away in The Phoenician’s new 15,000-square-foot Camelback Ballroom. Open to brides since fall 2010, the ballroom, a $40 million architectural showpiece, includes oversized custom-built chandeliers (with customizable accent lighting) and high clerestory windows that open to reveal a view of nearby Camelback Mountain. It was designed in the soothing tones of the surrounding Sonoran Desert (subtle green, warm wood-brown and gold), with walls up to 20 feet high, and it includes state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment.

When it comes time to serve your guests, The Phoenician’s staff can handle any special requests, even if that means stepping into the kitchen yourselves. “We have two clients who are chefs getting married here, and they have designed their individual menus with our resort chefs,” said Stephanie Mahrer, senior catering manager and the on-site day-of coordinator. “We also have an East Indian chef on staff who creates traditional dishes for such culturally based ceremonies.”

Couples hosting their ceremony at the Phoenician often opt for the Orchid Lawn, which is arguably the most stunning and private backdrop. You and your husband-to-be can exchange vows in a sparkling white gazebo, while the entire wedding is surrounded by a wall of trees, with the splashing of Orchid Falls in the distance. Though you’re in the middle of a desert, the Orchid Lawn’s tropical surroundings will transport your ceremony to a hidden retreat in the Hawaiian Islands.

AN URBAN RETREAT:
Copper Ballroom at The Westin Phoenix Downtown
For brides who prefer more of an urban history lesson, the Westin Phoenix Downtown not only rubs elbows with several prominent landmarks (St. Mary’s Basilica, the Orpheum Theater and Phoenix Symphony Hall, to name a few), but the entire hotel is brand-new.

The venue opened in March, so you and your guests will be among the first to experience the luxury of a resort-like getaway within walking distance of Heritage Square, Chase Field and the nationally renowned Pizzeria Bianco. The metro light rail picks up at the airport and stops on the west side of the hotel, so your out-of-town guests can enjoy Phoenix’s burgeoning downtown scene with ease.

After they’ve explored the city’s attractions, guests will be whisked 11 floors up to the 3,000-square-foot Copper Ballroom, with floor-to-ceiling windows boasting views of nearly any spot on the greater Phoenix map, including South Mountain, Camelback Mountain and even Cardinals stadium. With collapsible walls, the Copper Ballroom can accommodate weddings both large and small, with stunning sunset views visible from the dance floor.

Wedding packages, complete with an on-site coordinator, are customizable to suit most wedding needs, and include a corner deluxe suite for your wedding night. And just in case you want to get closer to nature from the comfort of your high-rise ballroom, Province restaurant features seasonal and local farm-to-table cuisine available to your dinner guests. Sample dishes include a slow-cooked organic salmon main course and apricot tartlets for dessert. To drink, you can indulge in a wine list featuring organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines from around the world, as well as a selection of Arizona wines.

No matter what you choose at The Westin, everything from the lighting to the music and even a specialty white tea scent wafting through the air is designed to give you and your guests a moment of soothing calm. “It’s all about well-being and renewal,” says director of sales and marketing David Sobek. “It’s about feeling better when you leave than when you arrive.”

BREAKING NEW GROUND:
Trailblazers Ballroom at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
Scottsdale’s Westin Kierland combines old-time traditions and spanking-new construction, with the completion of its Trailblazers ballroom. The 11,000-square-foot space can be tailored to any bride’s tastes or budget, with completely customizable wedding packages designed by a one-on-one wedding coordinator.

“Brides can have almost anything they can think of,” says Kierland’s wedding specialist Sally Hilow. “We have a reception package—with prices based on the menu they select—that includes three hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail reception, a champagne toast with dinner, the wedding cake, a changing room for the bride prior to the ceremony and a special guestroom for the bride and groom on the night of the wedding.”

Brides can also receive the Scottish Heritage package at the Westin Kierland that includes Scottish cuisine, a scotch toast and a selection of Scottish experiences—like your groom and his groomsmen practicing their golf swing in kilts.

A Scottish package in the middle of the desert may seem unusual until you learn from the knowledgeable staff that Scottish settlers developed the railways that made the European settlement of Phoenix possible. On the way to the ballroom, the main lobby of the Westin Kierland is peppered with nooks and crannies oozing with Arizona history, including local lore even natives might not always know.  

Turn one corner and you find yourself in the Ali-Shonak Library (Ali-Shonak is the original name of what we now call Arizona), a picturesque book-filled room just begging for a highbrow photo shoot with the bride and groom.

Back in the ballroom, the grand copper doors (honoring Arizona’s status as the leading source of copper in the United States) open to floor-to-ceiling views of the McDowell mountain range as well as 180-degree views of Kierland’s golf course. Kierland keeps the natural elements going inside with rich, dark wood tones and desert greens and browns.

Once your guests have had their fill of Arizona history, they’ll be dazzled by the view of the northern skyline from the Northern Sky Lake Deck, extending over a lake and overlooking the golf course—a must for a romantic cocktail hour or sunset ceremony.

A CULTURAL LANDMARK:
Komatke Ballroom at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass
For the bride who wants both new spaces and wide-open spaces, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa provides each one—and then some.

Eleven miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the resort takes you to an environment that feels like the true Southwest. It was designed as an authentic representation of the Gila River Indian Community’s heritage and culture, offering guests a chance to experience the relaxing and spiritual ambiance of the Sonoran Desert landscape while enjoying the resort’s new Komatke ballroom.

The recently constructed 14,000-square-foot space can seat up to 500 guests, with a patio perfect for cocktails and views of a mini “Gila River” (the resort’s 2.5-mile waterway, with scenic boat rides to shuttle guests to nearby attractions such as the Whirlwind Golf Club).

The ballroom was designed for customization—walls can be easily erected to accommodate intimate affairs or removed for full use of the sweeping space. In keeping with the Native American influence (the architecture, design, art and legends of the Akimel O’otham and Pee Posh peoples are celebrated in every detail), the staff can transform the Komatke ballroom to reflect themes like Old West and Native Spirit, combining the quiet serenity of the ancient sages with modern-day high-end services.

If you’re not sure what you’d like to transform your space into, a wedding coordinator is available through all stages of planning. The coordinator will work with you from the first appointment through the rehearsal, ceremony and into the reception, with plenty of time to refine your vision.

“We offer a complimentary tasting prior to the big event,” says catering coordinator Jessica Doscher. “The bride and groom have an opportunity to sample their menu and discuss any changes or concerns with our chefs, who can fulfill any special requests and work with special dietary restrictions.” For brides who host their rehearsal dinner at the resort, guests can be treated to the tastes of Kai, the state’s only five-star, five-diamond restaurant.

Ahead of the curve
Whether you’re looking for a scenic backdrop, a walk through Arizona history, or an urban getaway, any one of the brand-new Arizona ballrooms can ensure that your wedding day will be unlike any other. Each resort offers unique twists on Arizona’s past and traditions while offering brides customizable packages that range from eco-friendly bridal suites at the Sheraton Downtown to making your grand entrance on an elephant at The Phoenician. No matter what palette you choose or the kind of cake you serve, your guests will be entertained in a space few brides can boast of, so you know your wedding day is beautiful, vibrant and ahead of the trend. 

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