Have you thought about getting married in front of a giant waterfall? How about including an aerial firework show as part of your send-off? Thanksgiving Point has a perfect venue option for every type of bride—whether you’re looking for a small, intimate wedding overlooking their famous gardens or a venue built for large, spectacular events. And when we say they can cater to anything you’ve ever dreamed of, we mean it. Forget getaway cars; use a getaway helicopter– or maybe even a getaway hot air balloon.
They even hosted an episode of ‘The Bachelor’ a few years ago. We can say that we’re here for all the right reasons. And yes, we will accept the roses these gardens offer!
Creating Beautiful Events For 25 Years and Counting
Molina Welcker has been the director of all weddings and events at Thanksgiving Point since the beginning, over 25 years ago. She said, “Weddings have been a part of Thanksgiving Point since we opened, and it’s since evolved into so much more.”
Thanksgiving Point is known for its gorgeous gardens and show-stopping indoor venues, but there simply isn’t a way to describe how much they offer. “We have so many indoor spaces and outdoor locations that we can hold so many events simultaneously in different parts of our property.” If you’ve ever been to the Tulip Festival in the springtime or Luminaria during the holidays, you know just how extensive their Ashton Gardens are.
“Ashton Gardens has grown over the years since it opened. And it wasn’t our first location—the gardens came several years after we opened. But since then, the gardens have matured into something just beautiful. The trees, maturity, and beauty in every season we have down there are stunning. It’s pretty neat.”
Hidden Waterfalls and Secret Gardens
With 55 acres of gorgeous gardens, including the largest artificial waterfall in North America, Ashton Gardens is Thanksgiving Point’s ‘crowning jewel’. Any ceremony or reception held in these renowned gardens will look beautiful in photos and serve as a memorable location for your once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
The tucked-away Hidden Falls offers an intimate wedding feel. “It has two bridges inside where guests can enter under a covered arch; they adorn it with baskets and growing flowers every year. Guests can come in and enjoy the mountain retreat right next to the freeway and not even realize it. It’s a beautiful location.”
“It’s wonderful for weddings because you can pick different locations inside the garden to have a reception. The Italian Gardens and the Rose Gardens are the most popular areas inside. And those two areas are quite beautiful, where we can bring tents in and add beautiful lighting or different types of settings to create the mood that the bride wants.”
Live Your Italian Wedding Fantasy: An Italian Wedding Experience
But wait, that’s not even the half of it! “The most popular location has to be our Loggia; that particular area is a manicured garden located up at the main water tower village area.” Loggia means ‘outdoor gallery’ in Italian. Turns out we don’t even have to buy a plane ticket to have an Italian wedding!
“It has a large covered tent that we decorate with draping, with a huge crystal chandelier that’s been with us since we opened Thanksgiving Point in the center, and we adorn it with twinkle lights and a manicured garden surrounds it.
The Loggia just went through a massive upgrade, too. “That location, in addition to almost all of our spaces, where we now have it, is enclosed by a wall. And then we will have beautiful ironwork and outdoor lighting, which has evolved into a much more secluded, private location.” One look at this space has us nearly fainting at the sight of it—any wedding here is guaranteed to be magnificent.
Any Space For Any Taste
The indoor venues also just got a massive makeover. With new chandeliers, flooring, colors, and even chairs, Thanksgiving Point can keep up with any trend and style regardless of year. “We’re listening to what our clients have been asking for.”
Molina simply can’t pick a favorite spot. “I just love that because we have so much variety and options, a client coming in can look in one space and say, ‘Hey, I love the flooring here,’ but walk into another space and say, ‘I love the intimacy that this room offers,’ or that we have carpeting here, or that we can have a different style; or maybe that the Garden Room overlooks the Ashton Gardens in the fall, or in the winter when it can overlook Luminaria with all the lights. We have so many options.”
“We are such an evolving property, with different things going on, that it appeals to so many different tastes.”
Your Dream Wedding, Your Way – A Wedding That’s Uniquely Yours
From catering to florals, they have everything covered so you can enjoy the happiest moments of your big day. Their planners are experts at creating the most amazing and unique ways to make your wedding your own.
“Our event planners work to try to customize every event, so it’s not a cookie-cutter event; you really get to choose every single part of what you want to do.”
As the expert in planning events, Molina says it’s important to factor in size, scope, budget, and taste when looking for a venue. “Any client serious about booking needs to walk through the space and visualize it with any wedding. The look, the feel, and the size of the space are some of the most important key factors in making a final decision.
“We’ll often see people who think they know what they want, and they’ll realize that looking at the space will change their mind. It’s so crazy how sometimes a vision in their head doesn’t translate as easy when they actually see the space.”
A Magical Start To The Rest of Your Lives
Molina has seen thousands of weddings and events, but it will never stop being magical to her. “Every single one of them that we do just gives me the chills, thinking about the end of the night if they leave happy and with a sparkle in their eyes.
“Knowing that we’ve done a good job and they’re going home with a smile on their face, really, that’s what gets me excited. And that’s why we’re in the industry that we are.”
Her biggest advice for couples is to work together! “I have always loved seeing brides involve the groom or their significant other. The details matter, but at the end of the day, it’s more about the two of them and their relationship. And it’s neat to see that if they work together, it’s kind of building their union for the rest of their lives.”
With so many venue options and some of the most beautiful locations in Utah, Thanksgiving Point is the perfect place for the ultimate garden party wedding—or any other kind of celebration you need. Just don’t forget to send us an invite to your big day! We wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to see some fireworks from the balcony.
All credits go to Thanksgiving Point
