The West Valley is wide open in a way the rest of the Valley is not. Golf course lawns that run out to the White Tank Mountains, a historic resort with citrus trees and palm lined gardens, desert gardens and boulders above a pond, and one of the most striking churches in the Valley. Several of these venues come with a dedicated events team that has been doing this for years, and that matters more on the day than almost anything in a brochure.
We have filmed weddings across the West Valley, in Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Peoria and Glendale. Everything below that is marked as first hand is something we watched happen. Everything sourced from a venue is labelled as such, and where a venue publishes nothing we say that too.
A note on geography. The West Valley means Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye and the communities around them. If you are looking elsewhere, we have a Scottsdale guide, a Phoenix guide and a guide to East Valley wedding venues.
Litchfield Park
The Wigwam
300 E Wigwam Blvd, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340.
We have worked weddings here, both video and photo. To get a feel for the property, see Lauren and PJ’s wedding.
The ceremony space is the Trellis Garden. It is an open courtyard with a gazebo style structure at the front, and when the venue dresses it with curtains it looks lovely. The resort describes the garden as surrounded by fragrant citrus trees, and you notice them. It is a beautiful outdoor ceremony space. The one thing to plan for is that there is no shade for guests unless you bring your own.
The ceremony space becomes the reception. On the days we worked here, the venue flipped the Trellis Garden into an outdoor reception after the ceremony. Cocktail hour was on a grassy area near the front entrance, about a two minute walk away, which kept the evening easy for guests. The resort has indoor rooms as well, but every reception we have seen here was outside.
Getting ready. There is no dedicated bridal suite or groom suite. Couples book rooms at the resort and use them to get ready with the bridesmaids and the groomsmen. For Lauren and PJ we did the first look with PJ at the ceremony space early in the day, before it was set and before anyone arrived, and the first look with her dad in the bridal room, where the curtains helped soften the light.
Where the portraits are. Out front, in front of the Wigwam sign, and on the lawns near the front of the hotel with trees, shrubs and desert plants. The desert planting is one of our favorite things about the property. The golf course gives you long views across the fairways, but it is out of the way and you will need a golf cart to get there. Shade is limited across the property, so time portraits for the softer light late in the day.
What the resort publishes. Four outdoor spaces: the Trellis Garden at 6,000 square feet for 300 guests, the Litchfield Lawn at 6,000 square feet for 300, the Sachem Terrace at 2,800 square feet for 225, and the Garden Lawn at 1,500 square feet for 125. Indoors, the Sachem Ballroom covers 5,084 square feet for up to 600 with a built in stage and an air wall that divides it in two, and the Ozanne Room seats 180 right beside the Trellis Garden. The resort publishes no end time, catering terms, pricing or rain plan. Ask what the indoor backup is for an outdoor booking and what it seats.
Buckeye
Verrado Golf Club, Founder’s Course
4242 N Golf Dr, Buckeye, AZ 85396. (623) 388-3000.
We have worked weddings here, and a quinceañera too. To get a feel for the venue, see Lilia and Sergio’s wedding.
The person who makes this venue is Kathy Baggett. Kathy runs every wedding and event at Verrado and meets with each couple herself. She is one of the kindest and most experienced wedding professionals we know, and we first worked with her at The Wigwam, where she helped plan the event. A coordinator like that is worth weighing as heavily as the room.
Bring your own ceremony look. The ceremony site is an open lawn with the golf course and a pond behind it. There is no shade at all, and the space is a blank canvas, so arches, florals and decor are yours to bring. Because it is so open, it can get windy. We have worked a wedding here on a very windy day, so plan florals, veils and anything freestanding with that in mind. Cocktail hour, and sometimes the reception, is set right next to the ceremony site.
The reception room. A decent size, though it can feel a little tight. The usual layout puts guest tables on one half of the room and the dance floor and DJ on the other. By our count that is about twelve to fifteen round tables. Ask the venue to walk you through the floor plan for your guest count before you sign.
Where the portraits are. This is where Verrado shines. Out front there is a fountain and palm trees. Out back there is a pond with a bridge, and the club itself points to an outdoor waterfall and a cobblestone bridge, with the White Tank Mountains behind the course.
Cost. Verrado sits at one of the more approachable price points in the West Valley, and you get a lot of venue for it. The club publishes no capacity or package pricing on its website, so request the current wedding menu.
Peoria
Kiva Club at Trilogy at Vistancia
27980 N Trilogy Blvd, Peoria, AZ 85383. (623) 215-6260.
We have worked weddings here. Stacie and Remington’s film is below.
Everything is close together. Ceremony, cocktail hour and reception sit near one another, so guests are never walking across the property. The reception room is a good size, and like Verrado, Kiva sits at the more approachable end of West Valley pricing.
Where the portraits are. Kiva has more good portrait spots than you would expect. There is a walkway lined with flowers and a low wall, a bridge, and boulders above a pond on the golf course. Close to cocktail hour there is a small desert garden that works well for the couple. For the wedding party, photographers usually use a big tree not far from the ceremony site, because it gives shade and puts the sun behind the group.
What the venue publishes. Five spaces, each listed for 150 guests: the Ceremony Promenade with views of the Bradshaw Mountains, the West Lawn under mesquite trees, the Hohokam Terrace, the Event Lawns for outdoor receptions, and the Tewa Ballroom indoors, with 20 foot windows and a 2,200 square foot dance floor. The Tewa Ballroom is the rain backup, and because it holds the same 150 as the lawns, your guest list does not shrink if you move inside.
The rules to know. Catering is in house only, and outside food is limited to your cake or specialty desserts. You cannot bring your own alcohol, and no shots are served. Outdoor events end by 10pm and indoor events by 11pm under the noise ordinance. Budget for a 22 percent service charge plus 9.1 percent sales tax on top of food and drink. The deposit is 25 percent at signing and non refundable, then 50 percent at 90 days, 75 percent at 60 days and the balance 14 days out. Tastings are complimentary for the couple.
Glendale
St John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox Church
3749 W Behrend Dr, Glendale, AZ 85308. (623) 582-3150.
We have worked here. To see the church on a wedding day, watch Diana and Mihai’s wedding.
A very large church with remarkable stained glass. It is a ceremony venue, and the reception hall is a separate building across the parking lot, which is rare and useful. Most church weddings mean moving everyone to a second venue. Here, guests walk across the lot.
Filming here was straightforward. Many churches set strict rules about where cameras and tripods can stand. When we filmed here, the parish was not restrictive in that way. We stayed back in the pews and off the altar area, which is off limits at most churches anyway. Ask about the current rules for your date, because they can change with the priest.
What we do not know. The parish publishes nothing about weddings or the hall. We do not know whether the hall is available to couples outside the parish, or on what terms, and as an Orthodox parish it will have its own requirements for a wedding in the church. Call the parish office before you plan around either.
Tercero by Aldea Weddings
5130 N 43rd Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301. Sourced from the venue’s directory listing. We have not worked here.
An all inclusive venue with twinkle lit courtyards, garden areas and a main reception room, listed for up to 250 seated for a ceremony indoors or outdoors and 250 for a seated reception. Catering and alcohol are in house, and there is a dressing suite and a dressing room. Published packages run from $13,000 to $20,600 for up to 100 guests with six hours of use, and the top package adds a coordinator, DJ, photography, flowers, cake and officiant. No end time or rain plan is published. If you are comparing all inclusive packages, ask exactly which vendors are included and whether you can bring your own.
Goodyear
Palm Valley Golf Club
2211 N Litchfield Rd, Goodyear, AZ 85395. Sourced from directory listings. We have not worked here.
Ceremony and reception on a golf course with ponds, landscaped grounds and mountain views. Check who runs it before you tour. Current listings show it as Palm Valley by Wedgewood Weddings, an all inclusive model with a day of coordinator, DJ, dressing suite and champagne toast included, starting at $7,865 for 50 guests, with room for up to 250 indoors and 100 outdoors. An older listing shows golf club pricing instead, with a rental fee, a ceremony fee, a 22 percent service charge and a 200 guest capacity. The listings disagree, so get the current package and capacity in writing.
What we would ask any West Valley venue
- What is the rain plan, and what does it seat? Kiva publishes a backup that holds the same guest count as its lawns. Most venues on this page publish nothing.
- Where is the shade? The ceremony sites at The Wigwam and Verrado have none. Umbrellas, fans and a later ceremony time all help.
- How windy does it get? Open golf course lawns catch the wind. Plan arches, florals and veils for it.
- Which vendors am I allowed to choose? In house catering and no outside alcohol are common out here. Find out before the deposit.
- What is the service charge and tax on top? At Kiva it is 22 percent plus 9.1 percent, which adds up fast on a per person menu.
Filming weddings in the West Valley
The Ember Edit is a wedding film and photography team based in Scottsdale, and we work across the whole Valley, including Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Peoria and Glendale.
If you are looking at any venue on this page we are happy to tell you what we know about it, whether or not you hire us.
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