Tag Archives: Utah wedding reception center

Beautiful Celebrations, How-To Tips, Planning Your event, Real Events, Receptions

Wedding Venues in Utah with Real Events 05-02-2014

July 10, 2014 Wendy Leave a comment

I learned a new term today about decorating at wedding venues in Utah and using different mediums of fabric. Atrium Weddings at Western Gardens Sandy, Utah, is a wedding reception center that includes many tables with base linens and toppers. Brides can upgrade and order sashes to tie on chairs or use in their decorating according to their own style and flair. Jessica and Mitchell celebrated their union at Atrium on May 2, 2014. She ordered sashes and mixed up how she used them on her tables.

Bride Jessica chose Atrium’s standard candle centerpieces with freshly sliced lemons propped against the candle inside the glass. On some tables, she used the Atrium’s lemon leaf wreath and loosely ribboned the sash under the wreath. On other tables, she used the base candle again with the yellow lemons, but wrapped the sash loosely around the base of the glass forming a light and airy “cloud”. (see title photo above) This “sash clouding” with a touch of coral rose petals upon the yellow linen tablecloth, gave such a delicate and soft touch to this Utah wedding reception center.

Jessica continued her theme of lemons and the beautiful coral color throughout the reception venue with a candy bar containing jars of lemon drops, chocolate kisses, and her coral sashes. Her sign “Sealed with a kiss” says it all!

Refreshments were self-catered and included refreshing baskets of vegetables, skewers of colorful fruit, and delicious chicken salad filled croissants. An assortment of pastries were also provided.

Maie Flowers arranged Jessica’s floral needs. They were simple and elegant consisting mainly of Coral roses and white baby’s breath. Delicate yellow roses and coral hibiscus adorned her three cakes created by Granite Bakery. Jessica and Mitchell’s friend Priscilla was their photographer.

Western Gardens congratulates Jessica and Mitchell and all the couples who come to our Utah reception centers.

Ceremonies, Family Gatherings, Real Events, Receptions

Wedding Reception Centers in Utah Can Host Weddings with a Tongan Flair

January 3, 2013 AW_Admin Leave a comment

Wedding reception center with Pacific Island style — Photo by IV Photos

This was one of the most unique and beautiful wedding I’ve been to. Honoring the old traditions of Tonga with the modern traditions of today was fascinating. This was a ceremony and wedding dinner event. The ceremony was performed outside at the Waterfall Plaza at Atrium, one of Western Garden’s wedding reception centers in Utah.

The family first laid down a traditional mat for the bride and wedding party to walk upon to her future husband. The best men and boys sat down on the mat to witness the union. Even a couple of the women sat down on the mat to watch. The most tender part for me was to watch the bride procession to the front. She was escorted by one of her 5 brothers. At the back of the guest seating, another brother stood up from the crowd and traded with her brother continuing her walk forward. Several steps later, another brother took his turn and so on until the oldest brother walked her to her waiting fiancé. Her father had passed away and it was so tender to watch those big brothers embrace her and walk with her to the front. I shall never forget it. After the ceremony, everyone went inside to enjoy a sit down dinner for about 140 guests. Lani Kai supplied the delicious polynesian courses and a family friend created the couple’s cake. There were smile around for everyone at this Utah wedding reception center.

Ceremonies, Real Events, Receptions

Wedding Reception Centers in Utah Like Atrium Weddings Hosts Morning Wedding Ceremonies

September 18, 2012 AW_Admin Leave a comment

Another beautiful ceremony took place in one of Western Garden’s two wedding reception centers in Utah called Atrium Weddings in Sandy. Two ceremonies took place that day. This one was the morning ceremony with luncheon. The weather cooperated and the guests and wedding party all enjoyed perfect morning temperatures.

The outdoor arbor was draped with white lace and purple ribbons. Coupled with the waterfall in the background, the final touch to this romantic events was Misty and Louis saying their vows. Even the bright yellow sunflowers in the Atrium gardens watched and added to the beauty of the moment.

Misty chose purple as her wedding color. Inside this Utah wedding reception center, the table linens were striking with the white Atrium dish-ware option she selected. A photo booth was supplied for all the guests to mark their congratulations and bubbles were available for a bubble send-off. A unique feature of this event, was the large framed and matted photo of the couple. The matt was such that guests could sign in to the event and leave a word of advice to the newlyweds.

Wedding reception centers Utah offers include the versatile and relaxing wedding venue Atrium Weddings located at Western Gardens Center in Sandy.

How-To Tips, Receptions

Unique Wedding Extras That Will Be Cherished Forever

December 8, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

There are some unforgettable extras that can be added to a Sandy Utah wedding venue, to give you an extraordinary wedding reception. The Atrium at Western Gardens offers a spacious, Sandy Ut wedding reception venue, to hold memorable atrium weddings with an outdoor appeal. The weather will not be a factor when using this wedding venue, and even a beautiful rain or snow storm can add a unique atmosphere to a wedding using this fabulous Utah wedding reception center.

When considering extras that can add a unique touch to your wedding, they do not have to increase the price considerably. Your wedding day is one of the most spectacular days of your life, with memories made that will last a lifetime. Giving the guests a gift that is out of the ordinary is a great idea, because this will allow more people to reflect upon the day of your glorious union. Many times reception centers Utah can arrange and provide some of these unique extras.

Using a small herb plant as the place marker for every guess, is a gift that truly keeps on giving. Having the name of each guest on the pot or on a marker that is stuck into each plant, personalizes and reserves the place for the guest. An herb plant that is commonly used, plus easy to take care of, makes a great gift that your guest can use over and over again. Your wedding guest can place the herb that is planted in a 6 inch pot home, and place it on their windowsill to clip fresh onto salads and food at mealtime. Utah wedding venues like The Atrium at Western Gardens can handle this detail for you, to provide your guests with a memorable gift that would remind them of the wedding on a daily basis.

Adding illumination under the tables can provide an awesome effect during the reception, without a lot of additional cost. The colored lights are placed under each table and provide a beautiful glow through the tablecloths. Every table can have a different color, or the colors can be designated by giving the bride & groom a certain color with their family members being a different color, and the guests a final color. Even the buffet tables and cake table can have lights added to the underneath, along with any other tables in the Sandy reception center.

Placing customized beverage and food bars can add a special touch to your wedding. Some wedding venues in Utah can provide extras like an espresso bar, or maybe an herbal tea station. The type of beverage bar you provide will depend upon the preferences of the guests that are attending the Utah wedding reception. Specialty fruit, ice cream or frozen yogurt, popcorn and even sushi bars can add a flair to any Utah wedding locations.

A chocolate fountain could also be provided by wedding venues Utah, that many of your guests will love. The chocolate fountain table could include a variety of chocolate choices, like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, even white chocolate. Many weddings have shown that this is one of the favorite additions for a wedding, because so many of the guests like chocolate.

These are just a few wedding extras that can be added to any wedding receptions in Utah, to create unique memories of that special day. With a little thought and consideration of what the guests that will be attending the wedding would enjoy, you can provide everyone with a wonderful experience they will never forget.

How-To Tips

Planning a Wedding On a Budget

December 2, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

There is a common underlying consideration that many of the couples looking for Utah wedding locations have to plan their wedding around, which is their budget. Even with these growing economic concerns, you can plan the spectacular wedding of your dreams. Remaining flexible about many of the choices you have to make, can prevent a lot of unwanted stress during the planning phase.

When using The Atrium at Western Gardens for your Utah wedding reception center receiving that perfect wedding is possible, because of the spectacular atrium wedding you can have. The staff of this Utah wedding reception center can work with your budget, to provide you options that let you have a memorable wedding.

Keep in mind, that there are a lot of details you can handle personally which will save on your wedding budget. When you plan your wedding as a party that you are having because of the joining of both the bride and the groom, it will be easier to reduce or remove some of the items that greatly increase the cost of the wedding.

Once you reserve your Sandy reception center, you will know how much money is left for the rest of the wedding. One of the quickest ways to cut costs, is to cut the guest list, and only invite the people that are your closest relatives and friends on both the bride and grooms side of the family. You will save on the food, flowers for the table, guest favors, size of the cake, plus invitations, for every guest you cut from the list.

Reserving your wedding ceremony venue, plus using the same venue as your reception center, can save on your budget. You will also prevent the stress of trying to transport everything from one venue to the next on your wedding day. If you reserve the Salt Lake City wedding venue during off peak season, you can possibly save money on the venue and other wedding services.

Some details that are easy plus can cut wedding costs, include ordering a smaller 2 tier wedding cake, and use a sheet cake to serve guests. Another place you can save a considerable amount of money on, is the dinner, try finger foods, appetizers and beverages, instead of a main course. A full bar will also add to the wedding budget, so you could offer wine and beer instead. Skipping the champagne toast will also cut down on some of the extra cost to your wedding budget.

You can always make your own wedding favors, menu cards, and escort cards, along with lots of other details that you can handle yourself, which will save on your wedding budget. Making the table decorations, and flower arrangements can save you money on your wedding budget. Use greenery, and flowers that are in season, leaving out the more expensive flowers and include non floral decorations to save money.

Even when you are planning a wedding using a budget, you can use these tips to still have the wedding you have always thought about having. Let the staff of The Atrium at Western Gardens help you plan a memorable wedding, by using your budget to reserve a Sandy UT wedding reception at the Atrium.

About Our Venue, How-To Tips

The Atrium at Western Gardens: Wedding Décor for Every Budget

November 19, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

Many details go into decorating for wedding décor. Often time’s couples feel they can tackle this task themselves, only to later realize that hiring someone is much less stressful. The Atrium Sandy reception center offers assistance with décor, helping couples achieve the vision they seek while maintaining track of their budget.

Flowers are the visual center for the reception. It is important that the ceremonial theme carry over into the reception, so the wedding itself feels cohesive and well planned. Flower themes include colors, types – ranging from the exotic to common, greenery and even potted plants.

Many couples choose to focus on lightening as well. Soft tea lights casting shadows around the reception area is warm and inviting, giving guests a comforted feeling. Tea lights are also an inexpensive, yet elegant, way to add warm light, flickering ambiance and easily incorporate into flower centerpieces.

Often times linens help create the base canvas for a theme. Selecting simple white linen to selecting bold linen, this helps create a vision for the reception. The Atrium provides base linens, polyester toppers and chairs. Upgrade options are available including organza toppers, bows, chair covers, table runners, etc.

The selection of plates, silverware and glassware are also an extension of the wedding theme. If the theme were simple, then restaurant-style white plates and elegant crystal-style glasses would be complimentary. If the theme were artistic and whimsical, it might be best to select vibrant glassware to compliment simple plates and silverware, yet perhaps impart a stylish flair into a cloth napkin or table runner.

Many couples opt to display pictures of their courtship, when they were young, growing up and pictures with family members. Pictures are a fun way to help guests mingle and introduce themselves to one another. Pictures can easily be a conversation opener, giving guests the opportunity to recall fond memories of the couple, remember years’ past, discuss how they met the couple or know their families, etc. If a couple’s family has not previously met, pictures are also an excellent way for them to get to know each family better, promote flowing conversation and help everyone feel comfortable and at ease. Nothing is worse than an uncomfortable wedding where people do not mingle or speak to one another. It is important that the décor and surroundings reflect the couple’s personalized style, imparting warmth and helping guests feel comfortable and have an enjoyable experience.

The Atrium reception centers Utah is able to assist couples in the process of décor and reception decorations. Using them is a valuable, timesaving resource as a couple will have many things on their plate on their important day, including photos, introducing family members and entertaining guests. Having one’s mind at ease that the Sandy Utah wedding venue has everything covered, is well worth working into one’s budget.

Ceremonies, How-To Tips

The Atrium at Western Gardens: Helping Design Dream Wedding Cakes

November 16, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

The Atrium at Western Gardens Sandy, Utah wedding reception center is an exclusive wedding and reception venue. The employees at Atrium weddings strive to make a couple’s experience as personal and simple as possible. Their goal is to help a couple achieve long-lasting memories of their wedding day and give guests a lasting impression of the reception.

Selecting a wedding cake is the centerpiece of the Sandy, UT reception, whether it is round, square, multi-tier or personalized mini-cupcakes. The most important aspect of selecting a cake is the flavor. Often times this is overlooked as a couple focuses on the external beauty of the cake, but it is important to select a flavorful cake that satisfies guests. The Atrium works with an exclusive baker that has more than 25 years of experience. While couples are free to select their own baker, the Atrium’s has more than 50 varieties and styles they regularly work with to help couples design the custom cake of their dreams. While vanilla, chocolate, raspberry filled, carrot cake and even cheesecake are popular cake flavors, selecting the base flavor is the first step. Second, a couple must select the type of icing, as that literally makes the cake. Vanilla, chocolate, butter cream and cheesecake are all popular icing flavors. Fondant is a type of sugar icing dough that rolls out and fits to the cake’s form, giving it a seamless appearance. While some people feel that fondant lacks flavor, it does give an unparalleled external beauty to the cake, seamlessly blending the layers.

It is important to take into consideration that couple’s freeze the top layer of their cake, only to thaw it and eat it on their first anniversary. This customary tradition, helps invoke fond memories from a year gone by. Some cakes will freeze well while others will not. It is important to discuss this with a baker, as couples may opt for a special cake flavor for the top tier to accommodate a one-year deep freeze.

Cakes are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 12-inch, 9-inch and 7-inch to 14-inch, 10-inch and 7-inch tiers. The number of people attending the wedding determines the size of the cake. Often times couples opt for cake decorations, albeit it simple or a vivid, colorful artistic theme. Fresh flowers are a common addition, as are pearls, leaves and fruit.

Tradition dictates that couples are the first ones to slice the cake and feed each other a piece. This ritual shows the promised bond that the husband and wife will always be there for each other, and help feed one another.

Ivy House Weddings, Utah wedding venues, is a sister company to the Atrium, and can also help provide cake selection services by coordinating with their baker as well.

Ceremonies, How-To Tips

Main Parts of a Wedding Ceremony

November 9, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

You’ve been to weddings before, but now that you’re planning yours, you’re not really sure of what goes on in a wedding ceremony. Which part goes first? What elements are “must-haves” and what things can you do to personalize your wedding?

One thing you must remember is that it’s your wedding. Although there are a lot of predetermined formats available for you to choose from, in the end, all that really matters is that you’ve made this day special for you and your soon-to-be spouse. If you decide on having an officiant or minister, one important role he can play is in helping you with your wedding ceremony.

To help you craft your own ceremony, here are some of the main parts that are usually included:

Wedding processional. This is one of the much-awaited parts of the program – the main feature being the sight of the bride majestically marching down the aisle in all her beauty and splendor. The wedding processional covers the entrance of the wedding party. The usual order goes like this: the officiating minister, the best man, the groom, the bridesmaids and the groom’s men, the ring bearers, the flower girls, the maid of honor, and then, of course, the bride. The bride can opt to walk the aisle alone or with her parents or just the father. Sometimes, the groom and the best man enter by a side door. A highly-creative “grand entrance” that garnered considerable popularity in YouTube shows the wedding party dancing their way to the altar. This is one creative way to make you and your fiancé’s mark on your wedding.

Reading. This could be a poem, some verses from the Bible, other religious wedding readings or a piece of literature. These readings often cover the topic of love or marriage.

Officiant’s Opening Word. This acts as the welcoming word for the guests and a statement of purpose. The officiant says words like, “We are gathered here to witness the union of ___________ and ___________ in marriage.” The opening word will set the mood of the entire wedding – if you want your wedding to be light, sprinkled with a bit of fun, formal or sentimental.

Giving away of the bride. This is a tradition where the parents of the bride are supposed to “give the bride away”. The officiant will ask, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” and the parents of the bride say, “We do.” However, this is optional as in some modern marriage ceremonies, this is omitted or revised to say, “Who supports this couple in their marriage?”

Charge to the couple. This is when the officiant defines marriage for the couple, giving them a few words of advice about marriage and their new life as husband and wife.

Exchange of Wedding Vows. The bride and the groom face each other as they say their vows. They can repeat the words provided by the officiant or have their own personalized vows.

Exchange of Rings. In religious ceremonies, this includes the blessing of the rings and an explanation of the meaning of the rings. And then, the bride and groom exchange the rings, symbolizing their vow to love and commit to each other.

Unity ceremony. (Optional) The bride and groom may opt to include a unity ceremony, which is a visual symbol of their union. There are many unity ceremonies to choose from. The most common would be the lighting of the unity candle. Two smaller candles are held by the groom and the bride and together they light a bigger unity candle. This symbolizes their becoming one. Other unity ceremonies include the sand ceremony, the water ceremony, the wine ceremony and the salt ceremony.

Declaration of marriage and The Kiss. This is where the officiant will proclaim that the couple is married. The words usually used are, “By the power vested upon me by the state of…, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” This signals the bride and groom to have their first kiss as a legally married couple. In modern ceremonies, the words, “You may kiss the bride” are omitted as some feel weird about having to give a grown man permission to kiss his bride.

Benediction and Presentation of the Couple. In religious ceremonies, the officiant will pray for the couple or offer good wishes for them. Then, the couple will face the audience as the officiant announces, “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with pleasure that I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. John Doe.”

Recessional. The newlyweds march back down the aisle as the audience cheers on.

These are the main elements that you can find in a wedding. This is also the usual order of the elements. However, as we have said, it depends on how you want to personalize your wedding. You may have to consult the officiant for any legal requirement but if there are no legal barriers, you can basically craft your own wedding ceremony.

The next step would be to decide your Utah wedding location. To make your wedding ceremony even more beautiful, it is important to consider the surroundings by which you will be married.

As you carefully think of the wedding ceremony, your choice of wedding venue should reflect the mood you want to set for the ceremony, as well as other practical aspects. You should consider the width of the aisle (or whether this is adjustable). You should also consider the number of seats available, the altar where you will be standing, the backdrop of the ceremony and the overall look of the wedding.

If you are planning to hold a wedding in Sandy, Utah, one excellent wedding venue in Sandy, Utah is The Atrium. Ideal for weddings and receptions, The Atrium boasts of a well-decorated facility. It is equipped with all you need to make your wedding extra special.

Ceremonies, How-To Tips

Planning Beautiful, Low budget Weddings

November 6, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

Weddings need not cost an arm and a leg for it to be beautiful. Remember, the beauty of a wedding rests mainly on the moments (where love just flows and is felt by everyone present) in that wedding. And this does not necessarily come with an expensive price tag.

Here are some tips for planning a beautiful wedding on a budget:

– Choose the time and day. Weekends and evening affairs cost more. If you can, go for a weekday for your wedding date and an afternoon or morning reception instead of dinner. Also, peak seasons for weddings are from May to October, as well as December, so you can do well to stay away from these months.

– Choose a good wedding venue. A Sandy, UT wedding venue that provides a comprehensive package will cut a lot of corners. Choose a wedding venue that already provides a good sound system (as well as a video system, if you need it), enough seats and tables (as well as linens – a number of wedding locations offer standard linens free of charge) and other necessities such as parking spaces, room for the bride to dress and decorative elements that make the wedding all the more beautiful.

– Borrow or rent. You don’t have to buy some of the necessities in your wedding. Look to relatives and friends who recently wed. Chances are, they already have what you need – the flower girl’s baskets, the ring bearer’s pillow, cake topper, cake cutter and server and toasting glasses. And the bride’s outfit includes something borrow – so borrow your wedding jewelry, as well as your headpiece, veil and even the gown!

– Forego the dessert section. Instead, get a small wedding cake for display and enough sheet cake in the kitchen to be served during dessert time. This will complete your meal without necessarily eating a lot in your budget.

– A buffet is more economical than a sit-down dinner. This means you will need less servers (and thus, less tips). If you want a sit-down dinner, you may think about trimming one or two courses out of the five-course meal.

– Cut down on printing and mailing costs. For instance, include the information for the reception on your invitation so that you won’t have to spend on reception cards. Rather than sending your save-the-date reminders through the mail, consider sending them via e-mail. When choosing your type of invitation, go for standard sizes. Oddly-shaped or over-sized letters may cost more to mail.

– Go for simple flowers. Choose flowers that are available locally and that are available in season. Your floral arrangements need not be expensive to be beautiful. When decorating with flowers, add more of the greenery (to add volume) and incorporate fewer flowers.

– Set a realistic budget and stick to it as much as possible. You can play around with your budget – but you can do so by cutting corners on other items in your budget. That way, the total won’t be much affected.

– Go DIY. If you have plenty of time or have an extra pair of hands to help, you can go the do-it-yourself route for much of your wedding items – invites, favors, jewelry for the entourage and so on.

– Vendors? Consider your family and friends. You can cut costs by looking towards friends and relatives to act as your photographer, wedding planner or caterer. Also, instead of getting a DJ or a live band, use your iPod or computer and setup a playlist that a friend or a loved one can cue at the right moments. You must, however, weigh the savings against the risks. You may not necessarily get what you expect, especially if you plan to work with amateurs instead of professionals. If you don’t want to take the risk with the photos, you can consider hiring a professional photographer to take your formal wedding shots prior to and during the ceremony. Then, have family and friends who are camera-loving enthusiasts to take the pictures in the wedding reception venue.

How-To Tips, Receptions

Fun Wedding Receptions

October 9, 2011 AW_Admin Leave a comment

So the “formal” and “serious” part of the wedding is over. The bride has marched majestically along the aisle. The couple has said their vows. The minister has pronounced them as man and wife. Now, it’s party time!

Yes, that’s what wedding receptions are. Although the wedding ceremony is undoubtedly beautiful and emotional, it is during the wedding reception that guests really get to mingle with each other and enjoy each other’s company over some good food and drinks. This is also where guests (including Grandma!) can party and boogie the night away in the wedding reception venue’s dance floor.

Everyone knows what happens during the usual wedding reception program. If you don’t want to go by this clichéd route, you can put a twist on the usual reception program and make it more fun and enjoyable with wedding games. Some well-selected wedding reception games (and guests who are eager and willing to join) can effectively break the ice and charge up the atmosphere. If your wedding reception location provides for a DJ or if you have assigned someone to act as the reception emcee, they can be the ones to facilitate these games.

Before you get into any of these games, make sure that the reception center has given prior approval to the games and the materials/props to be used. When you work with the wedding reception center, their assigned event coordinator can help get you the things you need and ensure that the games go smoothly. Choose games that encourage audience participation so as to get your guests out of their chairs and having a bit of fun!

Here are some games you can try:

– Variations of the garter toss. Are the men in your wedding party avid football fans? Then take a football and place the garter around it. The groom gets to toss the football and whoever catches the football wins the garter. Another variation is for the male volunteers to do a “sexy dance” – the best “sexy dance” is the one who ends up holding the garter. Again, make sure that your wedding reception center allows these games.

– “How well do you know your bride”. Line up volunteers – men and women, young and old – along with the bride. Have them sit down. Blindfold the groom and have him identify his bride from the lineup – only by shaking each volunteer’s hand (tame version). For more racy versions, have the volunteers kiss the groom or have the groom feel each volunteer’s legs.

– “Feed me”. With this game, the bride and groom take turns feeding each other. The groom is the first one to be blindfolded. He is to feed his new wife with a food item (preferably one that will not mess up the bride’s makeup or dress). He will feed the bride using only her directions. After this, it’s the bride’s turn. The bride is blindfolded and given a slice of the wedding cake (preferably one topped with whipped cream). The bride is to feed the cake to the groom.

– Getting the newlyweds to kiss (variations). Eschew the usual tapping of fork to glasses and add a new twist! For instance, get people to wear a lei and do the hula hoop for at least 30 seconds if they want the couple to kiss. Or, assign couples (male/female or male/male) to kiss at various points in the program. The newlyweds must lock lips the same way these couples do! Encourage the volunteers to provide racy versions of “the kiss” that the newlyweds must do. One other option is to have a putting green and a golf club. Anyone who wants the couple to kiss should get the golf ball into its hole.

– Balloon Pop. Get a balloon between the bride and groom. Cheer them on as they try to pop the balloon in any way possible without the use of their hands or feet.

When playing games where participants are blindfolded, make sure that there is someone on hand to prevent any accidents or spills. Also, before you select your games, be sure that your wedding reception venue has the materials and space you need for the game.

When having your reception in Sandy, Utah, one excellent choice would be Western Gardens’ The Atrium. The Atrium is a Sandy, Utah wedding reception venue that provides a wide range of facilities that are ideal for wedding reception games. The Atrium is equipped with an excellent audio and video system, a dance floor, an event coordinator to help you and so much more.