Best Place To Get Married
Arizona Inn 2200 E. Elm St.
READERS' PICK: Jumping off the high dive is never an easy thing to do the first, or even the second or third, time around. It's particularly difficult for the uninitiated to stand up in front of a gaggle of family and friends and say anything, let alone, "I do," with grace. That's where the grand dame of hospitality comes in. The Arizona Inn offers one of the most gracious surroundings in this otherwise strip-malled metropolitan stretch. Weddings we've seen at the Inn have been carried out with effortlessness, even though tears and fears and a few too many beers were had by beloved friends and relatives behind the scenes. With that white wedding gown set off among the always overflowing flower beds and dramatically manicured lawns of the Inn, you'll forget that half your family is still fighting about Uncle Harry's will six years later. The accommodating staff works to make sure you get the wedding you want, and your guests have a good excuse to stay in this lovely old '20s resort where they can play Ping-Pong under the palm frond-covered ramada, take tea in the elegant dining room or read a newspaper in the city's best furnished library.READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: We've been to several nuptials at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, ranging from a smallish summer evening affair to a well-attended shindig on a glacially arctic Thanksgiving weekend. Though copious amounts of liquor, great food and selective guest lists always add to the revelry, weddings at the Botanical Gardens never fail to stall the fun meter. There is the obviously beautiful yet accessible central location. The atmosphere is subtle, but welcoming, and there are lots of little nooks for both children and dolts to explore during the festivities. Take heed: Potential winners of the lamp-shade-on-the-head award risk grievous bodily harm from a catapult into the lush native flora.
STAFF PICK: It's a crisp desert Saturday at St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church, 11 a.m. The bride, nervous and excited, waits on her father's arm outside the great carved cedar doors. The organist begins Richard Wagner's "The Bridal March" and music explodes in the air. The doors open and guests turn to see a shaft of sunlight illuminating the bride's veil like an aura or a halo, and the groom's knees get weak. Candles in silver holders mounted on columns light the way as she treads the plush, red-carpeted aisle toward her betrothed. As they pledge eternal love, they're framed by an arched picture window full of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains and lush desert landscape. The "I dos" are said and the newlyweds, their families and friends, spill out into the front courtyard, surrounded by hearty mesquite trees. Later, the photographer captures memories by the lily pond, rimmed with colorful flowers and thick green grass. A wedding at St. Philip's In The Hills is, indeed, special. The church, built at 4440 N. Campbell Ave. in 1936, is open to persons of all denominations for worship and weddings. The wedding fee if the bride or groom is an active member of the church is $250; for non-members, the fee is $850. The fee includes use of the church, a clergy honorarium, counseling sessions, administrative costs, as well as the services of the sexton, wedding consultant and organist. Plan ahead--the church gets booked far in advance.
