The color scheme of lavender, black, and silver went perfectly with our bare trees. Their intimate ceremony was officiated by the bride’s aunt, and lighting of the unity candle was especially sweet with all the parents present.

The reception was a beautiful affair. Light purple up lighting around the room made hall glow. Their cake, made by Fleur De Lis was a four tier masterpiece.

After dinner and cake, the party was just getting started. . . . their dance floor was packed all night! At the end of the evening, guests did not go home empty handed. A SWEET personalized chocolate bar was given to every guest.

Thank you for some amazing pictures Mike Maez Photography. Your wedding was beautiful Melissa and Steven! We wish you many years of love and happiness ahead, thank you for including us in your special day!

A lot of couples want to make a grand exit, leaving their guests in awe and creating spectacular photos in the process. The first things that may come to mind are sparklers, Chinese lanterns, doves or butterflies.  Unfortunately releasing doves or butterflies raises quite a few environmental concerns and many venues are now saying no to sparklers and lanterns because while they may be gorgeous, they can also be dangerous. In fact some states have even banned sparklers all together, yikes! So what is a bride to do?!

Here are some cool, unique ideas I think would make a great send-offs and create memories that will last a lifetime!

1. Tinsel Wands- This one requires you to get a little crafty. Start with buying some gold or silver tinsel , (or both; you could even throw some metallic red in there to create a fiery look), a couple packs of dowels (wooden or plastic rods; you can find them at most craft stores), and a hot glue gun. Use the hot glue gun to make a ring of glue around the dowel, then crumple bits of tinsel onto the top. They do not have to be perfect, the idea is to create something that will actually LOOK like a sparkler.  Have your guests wave these around for your grand exit and you won’t even be able to tell that they’re NOT sparklers in your photos!

Photos compliments of wedding wire

1. Glow Sticks- These are as easy as can be! Snap them on & they are glowing in assorted colors and lighting up a room! Have your guests wave these around and expect some awesome photos like the one below.

Photos compliments of wedding wire

1. Bubbles- Let’s face it, bubbles are FUN not to mention safe, inexpensive, and simple! Hand out bubbles to your guests for your send off and you’ll be sure to have some great pictures with everyone laughing and bubbles galore!

Photo Compliments of Luster Studio

1. Origami cranes- If birds are your style, but you don’t want to rent live doves this is for you.  Have Each guest “release” one as you walk past! If you don’t know how to do origami you can purchase already made paper cranes from stationary stores or online, they can also be made in a variety of colors so why not incorporate your wedding colors into your send off!

1. Flower Petals- Having your guests throw flowers petals as you exit is beautiful and much easier to clean up then traditional rice!

Whatever you decide, make it your own & stay SAFE!

Laura has an extensive background in the service industry, and graduated from The Wedding Planning Institute.  It has been a dream of hers to work in the wedding industry, and no doubt why. She has a keen eye for organization, detail and style.

In the short time she has been here, she has learned a great deal and helped our April bride and grooms celebrate without worry on their big day!

When she is not at work, she loves shop, hang out with friends, and search pintrest for the latest wedding and entertainment trends.

Welcome Laura! We are thrilled to have you on the team!

Photo Acknowledgement: Joseph Greenbaum of azconcept photo

Think about it; the ceremony ends, the bride and groom run off in wedded bliss to take photos, and the guests leave their seats to start the “cocktail hour”. Wouldn’t it be fun if there were games to play?! Well that is exactly what Lisa & Chris did here at Venue at the Grove, and they’re not the only ones who think this is a brilliant idea!

                Not only does it give wedding guests something to do while they are sipping a cocktail and waiting to welcome the newlyweds, it gets people mingling! What better way than a little healthy competition to get two groups of family and friends, who probably don’t know each other all that well to start talking and laugh together? I can’t think of one!

     It also makes for beyond gorgeous photos. Check it out!

Photo courtesy of Green Wedding Shoes

When it comes to flowers the idea is that you pick ONE color for the arrangement and go all out, different species of flowers, no fillers, all in the same color. Place the arrangement in a vase with the same color ribbon (shown below in yellow), on a table with a Linen in your chosen shade (personally I think a table linen in the same color, a few shades lighter looks AWESOME) and voila!

Another way to do it would be to color-block within the flower arrangement itself, shown below!

The fun doesn’t have to stop at flowers and linens either, get creative! If you feel so inclined to use this concept for invitations, place cards, clothing, cupcakes, favors, or signature drinks you’ve got our blessing!

Some say it started in London, England, where originally, each unmarried woman would be given a slice of fruit cake after the wedding, they would then sleep with it under their pillow and superstition says they would dream of their future husband. They say this was later adapted into the “groom’s cake” which is now served either at the rehearsal dinner or alongside the wedding cake at the reception. Others claim the tradition belongs to the Southern belles in America (think back to the armadillo cake Shelby gave her fiancé in Steel Magnolias), but wherever the tradition started, we think it is a fantastic way to incorporate some of the Groom’s style and interests into your wedding!

Here are some cool Groom’s cake ideas to get you started!

Angela and Chris’ Raider Cake.

Lisa and Chris’ Marine Corps cake.

Fun poker themed cake.

 Jessica was cool as a clam as she glamed herself up in the bridal suite with her gorgeous dress and vintage birdcage. Virgil also hung out patiently in the groom’s room, just waiting to get the party started.

Their colors of purple, black, and silver were perfect for their late winter wedding and complemented the bare trees.

Jessica and Virgil chose to write and read personal vows to each other, always a special touch.

This reception went well into the night, and didn’t let Jessica or Virgil down. . . it was definitely one big party. Congratulations you two, the love you share is infectious!

Easter is only a few short days away & we at Venue at the Grove are super excited! To celebrate, we are hosting an Easter egg hunt, Easter games & bunny hop races featuring the one and only Easter Bunny himself!  Our café will be open from 8 am until 2 pm, serving a delicious breakfast including (but certainly not limited to) our terrific pecan crusted French toast and gourmet omelettes! The Grove Café features indoor and outdoor seating, with umbrellas to provide some shade, not to mention our gorgeous pecan trees are in bloom early this year! It is absolutely breathtaking out here, you must come see for yourself! No reservations are required, so come bring your kids, friends, family, and celebrate with us!

Rhian and Josh’s wedding day is one to go down in the history books! Even as clouds loomed overhead, nothing was going to keep the happy, giddy couple from having the best day ever! As guests were seated for the ceremony, the wind picked up just enough for the clouds to part, making it picture perfect!

A beautiful ceremony was then followed by a lively reception out on our patio. At over 175 guests, this was a party to remember. Guests were served dinner, and then the dance party began to celebrate the love of the happy couple!

Even at about 10pm the dance floor on our lit patio was packed. . . . and then without any warning it began to POUR rain! A complete downpour! In most cases people would probably run for cover, but not this group. We were  witness to an epic wedding moment: pouring rain, DJ spinning, packed dance floor! It was amazing to see that not one guest including the bride and groom left the floor. Amazing pictures and memories for Rhian and Josh to remember the rest of their lives!

Rhian was thoughtful enough to say the following kind words:

 We absolutely loved the Venue at the Grove for our wedding! The venue is in a beautiful pecan grove and the lights in the trees and over the outdoor patio area helped to create an amazing ambiance that got everyone into a celebratory mood! It was so much fun dancing under the stars. Our wedding was everything we dreamed it would be. Mindy was wonderful to work with and was very knowledgeable, flexible and helpful. We were able to decorate exactly as we wanted and being able to bring our own beer and wine saved us a ton of money. The venue provided a fabulous backdrop for our pictures. Would definitely recommend this venue to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary in the Phoenix area.

Congrats you two! Venue at the Grove feels very lucky to have been part of your day!

• Temperature

  Hooray! Winter is over and people are ready to emerge from hibernation and celebrate! There is nothing better than sitting in the warm Spring sun and watching two love birds get hitched! March, April, and May are phenomenal months to be married in some amazing weather.

• Indoor/Outdoor Space

  Move over Winter, here comes Spring! That being said, in early Spring evenings can be quite chilly. Here at Venue at the Grove we have both an outdoor space and indoor space that can be utilized. We only hold one event at a time, so if the weather doesn’t cooperate for the outdoor reception you have always dreamed of, we can always bring it inside to shield your guests from the chilly elements. Our indoor hall can accommodate up to 140 guests.

• Landscape

  Spring is a time for fresh new growth! Here at Venue at the Grove we witness the beginning of new growth in March when our trees begin to start budding new leaves. By mid-April the trees are fuller and greener, and typically by May we have our full lush pecan trees! We also have several citrus trees on property that will begin to flower, as well as other bushes, shrubs, and plants that truly shine in the new Spring sun!

• Pictures

  With all the new growth and the mild heat, the Venue looks fabulous in pictures! Crisp and green, the fresh grass, tress, and flowers are the perfect backdrop for any pictures, not to mention a gorgeous backdrop for guests to enjoy during your ceremony and reception.

• New Beginnings

  Spring is all about new beginnings, winter is over and it’s time for new life! What better time to be married and start the rest of your lives together? Venue at the Grove offers several different packages to help create the ceremony and/or reception of your dreams.