Hollywood posh, New York elegance and rustic romance - the Valley is home to chic wedding venues sure to delight every bride’s desire. These three hidden gems are worlds apart in style, though they share the same extremely high standards and the fervor for assuring your event is stylized, polished and carried out flawlessly, the way you imagine your wedding day to be. If you:
- Dream of being married in an enchanting garden under Portofino twinkle lights surrounded by everything organic: The Farm at South Mountain
- Want to be pampered in the refined modern elegance of New York City’s historic glam with a dash of bohemia: SoHo63
- Strive to exceed guest expectations in Old Town Scottsdale’s Hollywood-style boutique hotel, a free-flowing oasis in an urban park in a contemporary setting: The Clayton on the park
SoHo63
Historic downtown Chandler secretly holds a little piece of New York City. Beautiful wrought iron doors open to a world that would normally be over 2,000 miles away… but it’s not. This is SoHo63, a vibrant, multipurpose event venue that appeals to the hippest and classiest of brides. It offers a selection of distinct contemporary indoor and outdoor spaces modeled after well-known sections of NYC. The ambience equally maintains the history of the building, yet offers the twist of modern elegance that breaks ballroom standards, explains chief event curator, Megan Schmidt.
The rich history of the 12,000 sq. ft. building located at 63 E. Boston St., Chandler, AZ, dates back to 1916 and was home to one of O.S. Stapley’s hardware store. It’s set among other Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission Revival architecture making the surrounding location ideal for unique outdoor photo ops.
SoHo63 is one of the newest wedding venues in the Valley. The family-owned business was purchased in June 2013 and the first wedding was held on August 31. You might remember the venue to be the Inspirador, but that is old news and no longer has any involvement in this establishment.
- The Brix on Boston: a customizable space, warmly accented with comfortable leather couches, book shelves and crystal chandeliers. It’s hip and historic with restoration-style touches. There are flat-screen TVs, a mighty sound system and wireless mics.
- The Hudson Hall: can be romantically lit and offers multiple opportunities to add personal accents.
- The Plaza: offers luxurious ambiance with a hand-lit candle wall backdrop and vintage tin ceiling. This is one of two ceremony rooms.
- The Gramercy Ballroom: reception space for 200. Opens to the outdoors allowing flexible floor plan options. Eat, drink and be merry in the re-emerging elegance of Gramercy.
- Tribeca terrace: modeled after a rooftop café or garden. Its open-air courtyard allows an outdoor ceremony or cocktail hour under the stars (and strung bistro lights) and in front of a grand fireplace. Romance.
SoHo63 has an optional in-house caterer and can recommend vendors for your wedding or event. There is a bridal salon, grooms room and a large 6-stall stylized bathroom. Visit www.soho63.com or call 480-878-5663 to get a tour. Friday and Saturdays are still available for fall 2013 and spring 2014.
The Clayton on the park
Transcend tradition at Old Town Scottsdale’s premiere event venue, The Clayton on the park. The boutique hotel is a hidden jewel that offers a chic space with clean lines and a neutral palette so every bride can transform the space to their liking. Pops of illuminated color fill the space as a fiber optic light wall softens the modern feel.
Set in the heart of Scottsdale’s main cultural district, The Clayton is close to upper-class and hip accommodations like the Saguaro, W Hotel and Hotel Valley Ho. The nightlife, shopping, art scene and waterfront offer brides an ideal destination wedding with beautiful photo ops, including Robert Indiana’s iconic “LOVE” sculpture.
The two-story, free-flowing event space is enclosed by glass walls giving guests the feeling they are in their own lit bubble. Contemporary design includes white walls and couches, charcoal gray wood floors and an open stairway for the couple’s grand entrance. Two huge sliding glass doors open to a patio that offers bistro lighting, misters or heaters, a tranquil water feature and enclosable blinds for privacy. This space fits about 100 guests and is perfect for cocktail hour or a small ceremony.
Upstairs is a larger ceremony space with panoramic windows that overlook the park and Old Town. Because the space is enclosed, there is complete control of environment with no weather concerns. Yet, with the window walls, it feels like you’re outdoors.
The stand-alone structure includes the three major components of a wedding: menu, bar services and décor. Executive Chef Susan Levy works closely with couples to customize the menu. If you prefer a non-traditional reception with no formal dinner, the venue offers three food stations located at various places in the room. Food is cooked on site in the full kitchen with a walk-in cooler so you know everything is fresh.
Private Events Director and Owner Jane Frenkel emphasized their support for the gay community and welcome same sex weddings.
Whether you want your wedding to be Hollywood glam, quirky charm or to have a nightclub feel, The Clayton on the park can do it all in stunning manner. Visit www.theclaytononthepark.com or call 480-990-7300. Located at 7343 Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, AZ.
The Farm at South Mountain
Voted “best local treasure” by azcentral.com, The Farm at South Mountain is romantic to say the least. When you drive onto the dirt road leading up to the venue, you are immediately transcended into another space and time. A time when life was easier, people lived from the earth and kids drank lemonade while sitting on the tire swing. The large grassy spaces are peppered with 100 Pecan trees, blooming flowers and touches of rustic ornamentation. The Southern charm draws couples from across the country as it is a popular place for destination weddings.
Home to not only outdoor weddings but corporate parties and the AZ Wine Growers Festival, The Farm has three beautiful venues on the grounds.
- The Canopy in the Grove holds 240 people and offers day and nighttime ceremonies and receptions. Play bocce ball and drink lemonade during an afternoon wedding or sip on wine and dance under the Portofino twinkle lights during an evening event.
- Morning Glory Patio is a quaint evening venue for 120 guests. While the entire farm is romantic, this space is like a fairytale. Brides that want to feel enchanting magic should look at this spot.
- Stone Grove, the newest addition to The Farm, is picturesque and poetic. Hand-made, mortar-free stone walls surround a grassy knoll. Day or night ceremony and reception times are availably and capacity is 300+, with tables and chairs available for 200. The wood pizza oven set in the stone walls adds to the rustic elegance.
Events are catered by Santa Barbara Catering, who will work with the couple on the menu. All herbs and produce are grown on-site by Maya. If you’re an earthy couple, an appreciate a farm-to-table lifestyle, this is the wedding spot for you. If you simply enjoy good, fresh, naturally grown food, The Farm at South Mountain is it - So that’s pretty much everybody.
You may be familiar with the grounds if you watched the “Coming Home” episode of the Bachelor, because it was filmed at The Farm at South Mountain, located at 6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix, AZ. Visit thefarmatsouthmountain.com or call 602-276-6545
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