The Basics for the Wedding

Date: August 26, 2006
Place: Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Reception Venue: The Orangerie at Red Butte Gardens
Reception Time: Immediately after wedding ceremony

Red Butte Garden is located next to the University of Utah. Red Butte is located a few miles north from I-80 (Foothill Blvd. exit). Check the following website for a more detailed map: http://www.redbuttegarden.org/About_Us/?c=Hours_Admission_Map.inc

Additional info about the venue can be found at redbuttegarden.org.

If driving, there should be plenty of parking in a lot located west of the entrance to the Garden. Public transportation stops are pretty far away from the Garden, and if not driving, it would be better to taxi it to the site.

The wedding will be held outdoors in Red Butte's Fragrance Garden, weather permitting. Temperatures in Utah in late August can reach the 90s during the daytime, but by early evening should be comfortable. When the sun goes down, the temperatures can drop to the high 50s & low 60s.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the wedding reception site a few hundred yards away.

DINNER:

We are serving an Asian themed dinner, buffet style, for our dinner. Spring rolls and peanut chicken wontons are the appetizers. Dinner will consist of a terryaki beef and green tea poached salmon. Honey gingered asian long beans, buckwheat noodles, and a salad will also be available. We plan on having a wine and beer bar on premises. We would ask that your RSVP as soon as possible so that we can provide an accurate head count to our caterer and to our event coordinator for our table set-up (we will have assigned tables and seating).

LODGING DETAILS:

Unfortunately, many of the big hotel chains were not willing to allow us to block out rooms at reasonable rates due to the American Legion convention that is being held the weekend of our wedding ($200/night for standard hotel accomodations seemed a bit too steep). You might be lucky finding invididual rooms at these chains.

For a hotel in close proximity to Red Butte, try the University Park Marriott at (801) 581-1000.

There are quite a few nice downtown hotels, however anything downtown risks (1) being completely booked due to the convention, or (2) having a pretty exorbitant rate.

Downtown SLC is bounded on the North by South Temple Street. The South is bounded by 600 South. The East would be bounded by 300 East. The West would be bounded by 400 to 500 West. SLC runs on a grid system, with ground zero being at South Temple and State Street. Anything east of State Street counts up going East (Main Street, 200 East, 300 East). Anything west of State street counts up going west (West Temple, 200 West, 300 West, etc.). South Temple is about as far north as you'd like to go if staying in SLC. Anything South counts up going South (100 South, 200 South, etc.).

There are two Marriotts, a Hotel Monaco, a Hilton, a Red Lion, a Shilo Inn, and a few others.

There are a few traveler style hotels in the area, like the Courtyard Marriotts or Crystal Inns. If looking for a hotel with a reasonable rate, finding anything outside of the downtown area might yield a better rate. You may also find decent priced accomodations at a variety of Bed & Breakfasts in town. I've also had luck, in the past, at finding good rates on websites like travelocity.com or hotels.com.