Thank you to Rachel Fugate for providing the images for this posts.
Are you ready to give your guests the ultimate wedding weekend experience? Look no further than Aman’s Southern Utah property – Amangiri.
I recently had the opportunity to experience Amangiri during a business retreat and met with the events staff for a tour. Heres what I learned:
Amangiri hosts 20 weddings (and even more elopements) every year. With the Aman dedication to space, privacy, and service, each couple experiences a seamless execution of their vision. Remote and secluded, the resort shares close proximity to a number of iconic natural sites like Zion National Park and Lake Powell.
I’ve got a lot to say about the true experience Amangiri provides (psst… see that here) but you’re looking for more about weddings at Amangiri so…
Let’s talk details.
This is a true destination wedding weekend location as getting married at Amangiri requires a 3 night minimum stay for you and your guests. While all regular meals are included in the room-fee, your group will be required to meet a spa and food and beverage minimum spend based on guest count and the venues selected for each event.
Speaking of food, the menu at Amangiri is inspired by the location and they take careful consideration into locally-sourcing ingredients. Even so, they can indulge many desired food theme, service styles, and dietary restrictions. And, let me just say, I certainly never left a meal hungry.
While weddings can occur year round at Amangiri, the wide range of temperatures experienced in Canyon Point can reduce the window in which you’d actually like to tie the knot. Summer can easily break the 100s and winter can be a bit unpredictable (while we were there it hovered around high 40s and low 20s, but the week after we visited temps jumped up to the 60s/40s). Groups and Events Manager, Eric Nestico, advised the best time, in his opinion, for weddings is September and October where the days are still warm while nights are refreshingly cool.
If you don’t need the full buy-out, which can accommodate up to 110 guests, consider a buy-out of Camp Sarika, a sub-area of Amangiri’s property with it’s own pool, spa, and restaurant. This community of luxury 1 & 2 bedroom pavilions with their own pools will give you and your up to 28 additional guests the illusion of having the property all to yourselves. Note: Guests can still access all amenities at Amangiri’s main buildings.
One of the most enticing points to choosing Amangiri for your wedding is the never ending options for event sites. Choose a different backdrop for every wedding weekend event without ever having to leave the 600-acre property (which is probably good considering the remote location). Here are just a handful of the venue options the resort has to offer…
Amangiri Venues
Fireside Pavillion
This wooden-fenced, open-air venue has a secluded feel despite it’s proximity to the main swimming pool and Amangiri dining room. This space will fit up to 40 guests for dinner, but can accommodate larger groups for cocktail hour. With built-in lounge furniture and fire pits, I immediately envision a cozy welcome drinks situation where guests could meet-up and kick-off the wedding weekend in style.
The Chinle Site
The only desert site with flooring, the Chinle Site offers space for 35-50 guests (or more with additional decking from an approved flooring partner). Like most Amangiri venue sites, it requires a short chauffeured drive, hike, or horse ride from the main Amangiri resort. Fun fact: Chinle is a Navajo word ‘the canyon where water flows’.
The Amphitheater
Have I mentioned your guests should probably leave the stilettos at home? This venue is a great example of why, but boy is it worth it! The Amphitheater is a naturally-occurring alcove in a 600-foot tall mesa. The naturally uneven surface isn’t conducive to a seated reception or ceremony (unless your guests are cool standing for short vows), but it does make the perfect spot for pre-dinner cocktails and cozy lounges. P.S. It’s called the Amphitheater because of the incredible acoustics which would be perfect for a cello or Amangiri’s resident Navajo flutist.
Raven’s Nest
Close to the Amphitheater is perhaps one of the most photographed event spaces at Amangiri, the Raven’s nest. This intimate space only holds 20-30 guests for a breathtaking dinner. The only way to identify the venue before set-up is a chain railing and low-profile natural stairs cut into the Entrada sandstone. It overlooks the property providing incredible views of the desert & mesa while still feeling private and secluded.
With 600+ acres of space, incredible views, impeccable service, and an otherworldly feel, makes Amangiri the ultimate wedding weekend experience for you and your guests.
About the Photographer
Rachel Fugate has been a wedding photographer for ten years and specializes in artfully candid wedding photos. She never forces moments, but instead, takes a step back and allows them to unfold. Legacy is a huge part of her work, and she like to think of herself as a family historian. It’s really important to her to take photos of the people around you – your parents and your grandparents, the people who raised you and brought you to this day. And in the same sense, looking forward to your children and grandchildren. What will these photos mean in fifty years?
When Rachel isn’t photographing weddings, she’s spending time with her husband and their two dogs, traveling, reading a book, or cooking a way too ambitious recipe