Category Archives: Ceremonies

March 24, 2012 – Beautiful Salt Lake City Wedding Celebration Planned From 1000 Miles Away

May 2, 2012 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Salt Lake City wedding ceremonies are beautiful at Ivy House Weddings at Western Gardens Center downtown. This wedding ceremony and dinner were planned from 1000 miles away. Ivy House wedding venue includes so many options that this bride and her mother could easily plan the event, then fly in from back east a few days before the wedding and finalize all the last details with our preferred partners.

Ivy House creates a majestic yet warm ambiance without being in a cathedral. From the balcony, the photographer took beautiful photos looking down on the memorable scene below. This bride chose to have her ceremony promenading down a center isle toward the majestic fireplace. Ivy House wooden screens were places between the ceremony area and the dinner area. She also used a white carpet runner to emphasize her walk to her soon-to-be spouse. After few words from the officiator and exchange of wedding bands, the couple kissed as husband and wife. The twinkle in Maren’s eyes were witnessed by all as guests congratulated the newlyweds. The bride chose a 3-tiered blue cake with classic and lacy white frosting and pearls created by Ivy House preferred baker Carrie’s Cakes. A special wedding couple figurine adorned the cake. Another preferred partner created her wedding bouquet and flowers for the event. Hillside Floral is very friendly, professional, and reasonably priced.

Dinner followed with dear friends and family. Again, the mother of the bride had confidence in Ivy House preferred caterer Utah Celebrations. The food was artistically presented, tasted divine, and was served by their friendly workers.

RLT Photography was the Ivy House preferred partner that the wedding party chose to snap those lasting memories. RLT photos are indicated.

Giving a ranking of 5 out of 5, the bride’s mother, was so pleased that she wrote these comments about her experience with Ivy House:

Everyone here at Ivy House was so friendly and helpful. There is no way we could have planned a wedding from 1000 miles away if it had not been for Ivy House Event coordinator and her crew of preferred vendors. It was a beautiful day. Thank you so much! – SallyAnn

Ivy House is one of the only wedding reception centers in Salt Lake City that lets you make the choices in all your planning; but then again, if you choose, try our preferred partners. They are wonderful, especially if you are planning your event from out of state!

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, Receptions

March 15, 2012 Salt Lake City Wedding Dinner and Reception in Simple Elegance

April 20, 2012 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

This occasion at one of Salt Lake City wedding venues called Ivy House Weddings at Western Gardens downtown is just one more stunning example of how adaptable Ivy House is for any bride’s choice of style. This beautiful bride chose to have a style of simple elegance. The bride and wedding planner accomplished this elegance with light pink wedding color and Ivy House simple yet modern tableware for their sit-down dinner honoring the new formed family.

The dinner included close family and friends and then a reception for extended well-wishers. Several children were in attendance and they found the occasion well adjusted for them which made it pleasant for the adults as well. With catering by a family friend, there was plenty of refreshing spring salad, rolls, and tarts. After the meal, Ivy House hosts and family cleared and reset the tables for the reception that followed.

The bride’s choice was a two-tiered ivory wedding cake embellished with one simple large pink fondant ribbon, pearls, and the initials of the newlyweds. A photo of the wedding couple complimented the masterpiece along with three votive candles and the ribbon donned cake knife and server. Again, a close family friend created this beautiful work of art at this wedding reception center in Salt Lake.

The reception was attended by hundreds of family and friends coming to congratulate the happy couple. Guests entered through the grand doors to sign in at a simple vintage sign-in table. While waiting in line they had a view of the wedding cake alcove and a slide show of the bride and groom on a large flat-screen TV. After greeting the bride and groom, guests were treated to slices of cake and a delicious candy bar telling the guests “Thank You!”

This dinner and reception is another fine example of how Ivy House Weddings can host a bride’s dream event with style and professionalism. Ivy House is one of the newest wedding venues Salt Lake City has to offer, but they are coming up on their 50th event hosted during since June 2011. Choose Ivy House, a classy Salt Lake City wedding reception center.

Comments from the mother: Everything was so beautiful. The staff did an excellent job in making our reception an enjoyable experience. We highly recommend Ivy House Weddings.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, Receptions

November 19, 2011 Afternoon Wedding Dinner Celebration

December 10, 2011 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

We enjoyed our time together with family and friends in this exquisite Ivy House. Thank you for making us feel so comfortable in your facility. Your staff was very easy to work with and helped create a most wonderful celebration. We highly recommend the Ivy House to any Bride and Groom.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, Receptions

November 11, 2011 – 11/11/11 Ceremony and Reception

December 10, 2011 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Wonderful time! Staff was very supportive to make the day most memorable. The facility was beautiful and there was enough parking close to the entrance. The Ivy House is very warm and inviting. It is very well put together. Keep up the good work!

Ceremonies, How-To Tips

Making Wedding Cake Dreams Come True

November 16, 2011 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Western Gardens Ivy House is an all-inclusive Utah wedding reception center located in Salt Lake City.

Selecting a wedding cake that reflects the theme of the wedding and the couple’s personalities can be a challenging, yet creative task. Ivy House works directly with Carrie’s Cakes, an exclusive pastry expert that specializes in creating magical wedding cakes.

Wedding cakes reflect personal style. While the exterior of a cake can reveal a classic elegance or perhaps an eclectic, artistic flair, the most important aspect of selecting a wedding cake is the base flavor of the cake. Guests travel from everywhere to attend weddings, so it is important that they eat a cake that is memorable in appearance but also imparts a delicious flavor. From selecting chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake, carrot cake, red velvet cake, to any flavor of the imagination, the very essence of a wedding cake helps give guests a more memorable experience.

The beauty of multi-tiered wedding cakes is that several different types of cake can incorporate into the structure of the cake. Layers vary in shape and size, ranging from the classic round or square tiered cakes delicately stacked atop one another, to those that incorporate small columns to distinctly differentiate each layer. Salt Lake City wedding venue can help determine the precise size of the layers, as the size will accommodate the number of guests in attendance.

When selecting the number of tiers, it is always important for the bride and groom to remember that preserving the top layer of cake is customary. The cake is typically frozen, thawed and eaten on the first wedding anniversary, allowing the couple to recall fond memories of their wedding and reception. When selecting the type of cake, it is important to select a cake type that will accommodate a yearlong deep freeze.

Decorating a cake is simply a work of art. It is a custom reflection of the wedding theme and the personal tastes of the couple. Decorations are endless; the most popular include incorporating fresh flowers, creating sugar flowers, adding delicate pearls, incorporating vibrant colors from the wedding theme and some are even whimsical, artistic masterpieces.

The delicate frosting that seamlessly combines the cake’s layers is as important as selecting the variety of cake itself. Frosting ranges from the common flavors of chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese, butter cream and fondant. Fondant is in a class of its own as it is a sugary substance that is rolled out much like dough, draped over the cake and form fitted. This gives cakes a seamless appearance, though for some people the texture and taste are less desirable.

The typical tradition for wedding cakes is that the couple cuts the first slice and takes turns feeding each other. A long-time wedding tradition, it symbolizes love, appreciation and trust for one another.

Western Garden has two reception centers in Utah, one in Salt Lake City and The Atrium Western Gardens in Sandy, Utah. Both locations are eager to help create a couple’s dream wedding cake and can coordinate and work together to create a cake masterpiece.

Ceremonies, How-To Tips

Wedding Budgeting and Etiquette Basics

November 7, 2011 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Weddings are, by and large, social events, which have certain expectations on etiquette, especially when it comes to financial responsibilities. Questions like, who will pay for the SLC, UT wedding venue? Who will cover the entourage’s clothes? These are based on culture, as well as your beliefs and preferences as individuals. These financial etiquette basics can serve as your guideline to help you decide how to go about your wedding planning.

Financial responsibilities

Traditionally, the bride’s parents, especially the father pays for everything, including the gowns, the wedding location, the reception and so on. Now, in modern times, the bride, the groom and their respective families are expected to pay for specific items needed for the wedding. However, in more modern times, some brides and grooms have amended these to suit their personalities. For instance, some couples decide to shoulder all the expenses.

Below are some of the usual financial responsibilities. These may vary, depending on culture/traditions:

The Groom: The groom is usually expected to pay for the engagement ring (unless his mother passes on a family heirloom such as her own engagement ring), the wedding ring for the bride, the expenses to get the marriage license, the male entourage’s gifts, accessories and accommodations, the honeymoon, the flowers for the entourage and the fee/honorarium for the officiant.

The Bride. The bride usually pays for the female entourage’s accessories/gifts and accommodations, as well as the wedding ring and gift for the groom.

The groom’s family. The groom’s family will pay for the wedding clothes, lodging and travel expenses (where applicable) and for the wedding gift for the couple. The groom’s family will also host the rehearsal dinner.

The bride’s family. The bride’s family, on the other hand, will cover the expenses for the wedding gown and trousseau, the printed materials (i.e. invitation and mailing costs), the reception (including rental of the wedding reception location), as well as for the videographer, photographer and other costs related to the ceremony. The bride’s family will also hold the bridesmaids’ luncheon.

The entourage. The best man, maid of honor, groom’s man and brides’ maid typically shell out for their own clothes and travel expenses, and expenses for hosting a stag or hen party. The attendants typically also provide one gift for the bachelor/bachelorette party and one wedding gift. However, some couples decide to pay for the entourage’s outfits and accessories as part of their gift to their attendants.

With regards to financial responsibilities of the groom, the bride and their respective families, tradition has varied so that the families may sit down together and decide on how they will handle wedding expenses. For instance, the families of the bride and groom may decide to foot half of the set budget each. This is particularly true if the families are on equal footing, financially. If one family can also afford to contribute more, it is now okay for them to contribute a larger percentage of the wedding budget. Or, the families may decide to cover the wedding expenses for each guest they want included in the wedding party.

The important thing is that each one involved in the wedding understands and agrees to his or her part of the wedding.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, How-To Tips, Receptions

Why Go with a Professional Company for Your Wedding

August 20, 2011 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Wedding professionals abound. There are wedding coordinators or wedding planners, wedding photographers and videographers, bakeries that specialize on wedding cakes, wedding caterers, wedding reception locations and many more. There are even wedding reception centers that provide a comprehensive package on a lot of the key elements in a wedding.

The question is, is it really worth spending on these professonials rather than hiring a friend, a cousin or some distant relative to do the work for you?

The answer to that really depends on how well you want each item in your wedding to go. You may find that “taking a risk” with your friend who also dabbles in photography can pay off in terms of savings and the quality of the work. But there are also a lot of horror stories about how badly such an arrangement turned out. You may need to carefully consider what items in your wedding you can entrust to “amateurs” and which ones to assign to professionals. That is not to say that working with professionals always end up the way you want them to, but with professionals you can actually minimize the risk.

Here are some reasons why going with a professional company is well worth the expense:

You hold a contract. With a contract in hand, you can have a reasonable expectation as to how the job will turn out. You also have a legal recourse in case the provider fails to complete the job according to specifications. Remember, your wedding is not something you can have “do overs” for in case something does not turn out the way you want it to. Why risk getting fuzzy and unimaginative pictures by assigning a cousin and his friend to take the wedding photos with his point-and-shoot camera? Why risk having your caterer bail out at the last minute because it turned out that he can’t actually meet the demands of the catering job?

Professionals have extensive experience. You may think that planning is easy. Well, theoretically, it is. However, there may be instances that you have failed to consider just because you lack the experience of organizing an event like a wedding. Professionals, with their extensive experience on weddings, have a strong idea of how to deal with “what ifs” and on-site emergencies. Professionals also know what things can go wrong and may advice you to stay clear of potential pitfalls to avoid the headaches on your part.

Professionals have the necessary equipment. Professional photographers have the necessary photo and video equipment, as well as the lighting equipment and batteries that may be needed, especially for outdoor shoots. Professional caterers have industrial sized ovens and heaters to ensure that food is served hot and on time. They also have enough in terms of chafing dishes, servers and other catering implements. Wedding venues will have the necessary amenities such as a good sound system, decorations, chairs and tables, ample parking space and so on.

Professionals know the latest in the world of weddings. Wedding professionals do keep abreast about the latest innovations, fashions and designs. For instance, what is currently the most innovative wedding favor and where can you find it? What’s the latest technology to be used for wedding photography or videography? What new concept can a bride and groom present during the reception? You will find that you can get valuable advice and input from your professional wedding providers.

Saves time and money. Professionals have an extensive network of wedding-related providers which can save you time and money. For instance, a good wedding coordinator can actually negotiate a good deal from the caterer by virtue of his or her good relationship with the caterer. Also, Utah wedding reception centers such as The Ivy House offers excellent packages not just for the wedding or reception location but also for your wedding invitations, catering, linen, photography and videography, cakes and floral arrangements.

The Ivy House is a SLC, Utah wedding venue that is one good example of how working with a professional company will make it all the more easier for your and your fiance to plan your dream wedding.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, How-To Tips, Receptions

Celebrate Life and Love at the Ivy House

August 17, 2011 Wendy Pettit 12 Comments

Planning your wedding? Is your 50^th wedding anniversary drawing near? Would you like to celebrate your birthday in a big way? Come to the Ivy House, a reception center in SLC, Utah and we will be with you as you celebrate life’s precious moments. The Ivy House boasts of premiere reception facilities to ensure that your event is something that you will remember and cherish for years to come.

The Ivy House is your choice for Utah wedding receptions, as well as other special occasions. The indoor reception venue boasts of the following amenities: a romantic spiral staircase with balcony both inside and outside, a fully-functioning fireplace, plants to provide a lush atmosphere, classic-style furniture and artwork. You can also have impromptu concerts and have someone play in the reception venue’s baby grand piano.

The reception area is perfect for dancing the night away with its spacious and elegant dance floor, with quality music piped in from the sound system. There are also dressing rooms for both the bride and the groom. The groom’s changing room can also serve as a playroom to keep the children happy and occupied.

The Ivy House provides the perfect ambiance with high ceilings decked with gorgeous chandeliers, as well as candle-lit centerpieces for your tables. Your guests will enjoy your favorite wedding shots or your specially-produced wedding video through a large screen TV and DVD player provided upon request. The Ivy House is located at a central location (at Western Gardens downtown) with ample parking space for extra convenience for your guests.

To ensure that your wedding or event goes smoothly, you can also book a rehearsal session. There will also be an event coordinator that will be helping you through the planning process as well as arrange all the details during the event itself. We can also provide you with a photographer and videographer to record the special highlights of your events.

Our Offerings

Aside from the Utah wedding venue, you can also avail of the following:

Catering. At our Salt Lake City wedding venue, you can choose from a variety of mouth-watering buffet meals at highly affordable prices. The Ivy House will take care of the setting up, serving your guests and clearing after the party. You can also self-cater or hire your own caterer.

Linens. We also provide you with basic linens and more. This is for the guest tables, buffet tables, chairs, cake tables and food prep room.

Floral Arrangements. Make your wedding or event even more picture perfect with gorgeous floral arrangements. Floral arrangement packages can include the bride’s bouquet, flowers for the bride’s maid, maid of honor and flower girls and boutonnieres for other members of your entourage.

Invitations and announcements. When you book your event at The Ivy House, you can avail of a 20% discount on invitations and other printed materials (such as announcements, inserts and other notes).

The Ivy House has what it takes to make it one of the finest wedding locations in Utah. Enjoy your party and let us worry about the details. The Ivy House is where you can enjoy some of the finest moments in your life.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, How-To Tips, Receptions

Wedding Planning Shortcuts for a More Relaxed Bride

August 14, 2011 Wendy Pettit 16 Comments

Planning a wedding is no simple matter. The moment you said “Yes” to your man, you will have to face a long to-do list complete with timelines to ensure that everything comes out “just right”. To tell the truth, a wedding is one big production that has a lot of elements that you will have to book, decide upon and check up on. You are actually managing a lot of mini-projects within this one big “project” – your wedding.

Often, you will find in wedding planning websites tables, charts, to-do lists and timelines. Yes, you will find these helpful as you plan your wedding – so that you don’t forget a single important item and you keep track of the progress of each element.

Here are some of the important things you have to remember or do to prepare for your wedding:

– Get out your calendar and select the date of the wedding

– Inspect the wedding ceremony and reception center

– Book the church and wedding venue for the desired wedding date

– Discuss the wedding budget, who contributes for which item and for what amount

– Choose and order the wedding rings

– Select motif or theme of the wedding

– Select and order gowns – for the bride, mothers of the bride and groom and the rest of the entourage. Arrange for fitting and altering of the gown.

– Arrange for suits or the wardrobe of the male members of the entourage.

– Announce the engagement

– Send out wedding invitations

– Select menu and caterer

– Select bridal cake (or also groom’s cake) and baker

– Discuss floral arrangements with selected florist

– Book musicians and decide on songs and music

– Book officiant and discuss the wedding ceremony details

– Process legal documents required for the wedding

– Decide on decorative elements of the wedding (centerpieces, linens, gazebo, etc.)

– Book videographer and photographer

– Have hair and makeup trial and book makeup artist

– Schedule honeymoon and arrange travel and hotel details

And mind you, this is just a start of that list. And each element of this list has its own considerations and requirements. You may also need to read and sign contracts for the vendors.

As you can see, a wedding will not just make demands of your finances but also your time and effort. Even with the simplest of weddings, you still need to make arrangements to arrange for everything and ensure that the wedding is just as you wanted it to be.

The good news is, you don’t have to go at it alone. One, you can hire a wedding coordinator to take away much of the stress of the planning and implentation from you. Two, you can also consider a Utah wedding reception center that provides much of what is already in your to-do list so that planning becomes easier on your part.

Most wedding venues in Utah provides a lot of help in that it not only gives you the perfect spot for your wedding ceremony and/or reception, it also offers packages that incorporates a lot of the key elements you need for your wedding.

For instance, The Ivy House is a wedding venue in SLC, Utah which provides value-added services such as linens, catering, floral arrangments, contacts with photographers and videographers as well as an experienced baker for the wedding cake.

With the combination of The Ivy House’s unique ambiance, the presence of a host on the day of the wedding and a lot of amenities at one convenient location, you can enjoy your wedding day to the fullest. You can be a radiant and relaxed bride with the peace of mind that everything you wanted in your wedding is in place.

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, How-To Tips, Receptions

The Challenges of Planning a Backyard Wedding

August 11, 2011 Wendy Pettit 9 Comments

A wedding at your own backyard has several distinct advantages. First, it saves you a considerable sum of money you would have spent renting a wedding reception location. Secondly, it gives an intimate and personal feel to the wedding, particularly if you’re only inviting a small group of close family members and friends. Also, everything is nearby so you don’t have to rush about to get something you may have forgotten.

Some of the basics in setting your backyard as your wedding location include:

– Space planning. Even with a spacious backyard, you have to allot spaces to key elements of your wedding. This includes the place where you and the groom will stand during the wedding ceremony, the seating space for guests, and space to set the guest tables and buffet tables. You will also set aside some space in your kitchen (and even your dining room) for the caterer. In addition, you will also need to allot for dressing areas, particularly for the female members of the entourage.

– Rental of equipment. Please note that there are a lot of items that you will need to create that special ambiance for your wedding. This includes the lighting and sound systems, chairs and tables for the guests, decorations such as potted plants and sparkling lights, and more. If you plan to serve lunch or dinner, you may also need to rent plates and linen.

– Decorations.Of course you would want to prettify your backyard so that it becomes a great setting as a wedding venue and reception location. You may need to work at adding decorative elements – plants, lighting, decorations for the photo booth and for the overall surroundings. Some of these things you may need to have to build from scratch – for instance, if you’d rather make your own gazebo, then you need to allot time and materials to get this done. You will also need more than an extra pair of hands to set up the seating and floral arrangments on the day itself. Some arrangements should also be made with regards to packing and cleaning up.

– Alternatives to an outdoor wedding. What happens in case it rains? Will you have enough space indoors to accommodate all the guests? You may have to make provisions for this, otherwise, to have some tents or some kind of shelter built to ensure your guests are happy and comfortable during the ceremony and reception.

– Kitchen space. Your standard sized kitchen may not provide enough space for your caterer’s requirements so you may have to find an area where they can work more efficiently. They may need to set up a buffet table and also a station to heat and prepare the rest of the food.

– Parking considerations. Remember that guests may be driving over to your home. Your parking area may not be enough to accommodate all these. You may need to make arrangements with your neighbors for the temporary inconvenient of occupying available parking spaces in your area.

As you can see, having a backyard wedding will take a lot of work for both you and your family and friends. However, if you do get it right, your wedding can be as intimate and personal as you want.

If you want to have less stress and hassle on your wedding, you can also think about having your wedding at the many wedding reception locations in Utah. This can free up a lot of your time with regards to setting up and organizing the items stated above. One such option is The Ivy House, a SLC, Utah wedding venue.

The Ivy House is a Utah wedding location equipped with all you will ever need to have a hassle-free and enjoyable wedding experience. These include dressing areas for the bride and groom, a good sound and lighting system, enough table and chairs for a mid-sized occasion, a romantic staircase with indoor and outdoor balcony, a baby grand piano and more.