We’re lucky to be wedding musicians who live in Arizona because there are so many stunning wedding venues and such a long outdoor wedding season to play live wedding music.
The Sonoran Desert and the picturesque mountains surrounding the valley of the Sun is a dramatic background to local couples as well as those planning a destination wedding. There are many features of the Phoenix metropolitan area that make it such a desirable location for a wedding:
- Easily accessibly to Sky Harbor airport
- Long outdoor wedding season – the weather is lovely for outdoor wedding about 9 months a year with very little chance of rain during these months
- Dramatic sunsets
- Comfortable temperatures days and evenings, so perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies, cocktail hour and even dinner receptions
- Stunning scenery for both locals and those flying in for destination weddings
Many of the couples we have played for opt to have outdoor weddings, so we thought we’d start by reviewing a few of our favorite venues where we’ve music for wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours and dinner receptions.
We love this wedding venue because it’s surrounded by panoramic mountain views, towering saguaros and many desert flowers. The outdoor wedding ceremony site is near the golf course with equally bright green grass, a raised stage with boulders behind it and even an intimate stone fireplace on the side! We played behind the guests on a special paved pad made for the musicians.
Cocktail hour was held on the outside patio attached to the club house. As the sun set, we played cocktail hour music outdoors and guests enjoyed drinks, appetizers and the music. The weather was perfect and with the little white lights strung above, it was a truly lovely wedding celebration.
Desert Botanical Garden Weddings
We have played for wedding ceremonies and cocktail hours several times at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. One of the neat things about getting married at the Garden is that couples can choose from a variety of different wedding ceremony and cocktail hour sites.
No matter what site a couple chooses, the Desert Botanical Garden is always a great choice. The location is amid the Papago Buttes, a setting like no other. Couples can choose from open-air pavilions, scenic courtyards, intimate gardens and historic locations. Part of the enjoyment is the ambiance of just walking through the garden to get to the wedding site. So many fascinating plants and such a romantic setting!
One of the most breathtaking wedding locations we’ve played at was at Adero, AZ. Adero, in the middle of the McDowell Mountains, has one of the most unique and romantic outdoor wedding venues. The resort is located high on a ridge of the McDowell Mountains. The grounds highlights the beauty of the Sonoran Desert and Four Peaks mountain range. This venue provides a dramatic backdrop for rehearsal dinners, wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours and receptions.
When we played wedding music there, the wedding ceremony was held on the Event Lawn. What a memorable wedding, with the Four Peaks mountain range and desert terrain as the backdrop for the ceremony. It was also a memorable wedding because the couple included their little dogs in the ceremony! So much fun!
The cocktail hour was in the Sonoran View Room with tall windows overlooking the mountain vistas. This room has an amazing view of the lush lawns and the mountains in the distance. The temperature was perfect with the open windows and the temperature-controlled room with the food and drinks.
There are so many spectacular wedding venues around the Phoenix area, and we look forward to visiting some other ones this year too – Mountain Shadows weddings, McCormick Ranch Golf Club weddings, the Wright House weddings, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa weddings and more!
