Simply put, hosting a wedding in Utah’s urban core provides a range of possibilities you won’t find anywhere else in the state. From Ogden to Provo, there are literally hundreds of vendors to choose from—ranging from awarding winning pastry chefs and florists to creative hair and makeup artists and farm-to-table caterers. The variety of options Utah’s urban and suburban areas offer is particularly diverse in regard to venues.
CHOOSING A VENUE
Memorial House is an elegant Georgian-style meeting hall built in 1920 at the base of downtown Salt Lake’s City Creek Canyon in leafy Memory Grove Park. Greenhouse wedding venues include Cactus & Tropicals’s airy and verdant locations in both Draper and Millcreek and Richard K. Hemingway Orangerie, on the campus of the University of Utah’s Red Butte Garden & Arboretum. Venues steeped in tradition and elegance include the large ballrooms and lush grounds at downtown Salt Lake City’s The Grand America Hotel and the venerable and ever-impressive Utah State Capitol Rotunda. Beautifully sleek and slightly edgy venues offering a blank canvas for hosting celebrations include Provo’s White Shanty and The Monarch, a former Ogden warehouse turned modern event venue with a cool, mural-adorned rooftop deck. And, finally, suburban venues with country-estate appeal include the lush grounds and European chateau-vibe at La Caille, located at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon in Sandy; the elegant gazebo and gardens, framed by views of Mt. Olympus, at Bellissimo Gardens at Tuscany; and Twenty & Creek (formerly Heritage Gardens), a completely reimagined, modern-meets-classic space bursting with details.
TIMING
Spring and fall are lovely along the Wasatch Front, typically marked by soft and balmy days and cool nights. But really anytime of the year is a great time to wed in Utah’s cities and suburbs. One factor to consider however is large-scale special events. While over the last two years COVID-19 has curtailed conventions, FanX, Pioneer Day, Pride Week, and others, these large-scale events are likely to come back in full force in 2022 and certainly in 2023. Before landing on a wedding date at an urban venue, check calendars to avoid coinciding your wedding with big, public events, as they could provide transportation and scheduling hassles.
ALL IN THE DETAILS
Highlight why the spot you chose to tie the knot is special to you—and reveal a bit more of you and your betrothed’s personality—by creating a brief-but-personal city guide with your favorite restaurants, bars, museums and retailers located nearby your wedding venue to send with your invitations.
Are you ready to start planning your Salt Lake city wedding? Get inspired by this glamorous celebration at the Grand America!
