Utah Venues with Easy Floral Set Ups
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of lists floating around — favorite wedding venues in Utah, the most beautiful locations, the newest renovated spaces, etc. And while those lists are amazing (and absolutely helpful), I wanted to create something a little different:
A list of venues based on the easiest load-in and load-out experience for florists!
Now, that might sound a little niche, but hear me out.
Florists and a few other vendors (like caterers and DJs) have a very different experience at wedding venues compared to, say, photographers or hair and makeup artists. While some vendors can literally roll in with one or two bags, we florists are dealing with:
Giant cargo vans
Fragile flower arrangements
Ladders, arches, steps stools, tool bags
Buckets of fresh flowers for onsite installations
Candles, rentals, large-scale structures
We are white-knuckling it the whole drive over, praying every corner is taken slowly and every bloom arrives safely. Then we haul it all into your venue and that load-in process really, really matters!
Why Load-In and Load-Out Matters for Your Flower Budget
The ease of loading into your venue can significantly impact the value you get from your floral budget.
If your venue is a maze to navigate, has no vendor entrance, or forces us to ride ski lifts one wagon at a time (yes, that’s happened!), your florist has to allocate way more labor hours.
More labor = fewer dollars going to your actual flowers.
Simple as that.
Similarly, if a venue only allows setup one or two hours before the event starts (rather than a full afternoon or morning access), your florist has to bring a much larger team to complete the work fast—which again eats into your flower budget.
The smoother the venue, the more of your budget goes toward gorgeous flowers instead of behind-the-scenes logistics.
My Criteria for This List
This list is based on:
Easy, direct vendor access
Minimal guest interference
Logical layouts (no mazes or elevators clogged with hotel guests)
Personal experience (I’ve personally worked at each venue listed)
Minimal stress on setup and teardown days
There are surely other amazing venues out there, but if I haven’t personally experienced the load-in/out myself, I didn’t include them yet.
Utah Wedding Venues with the Best Load-In and Load-Out
In no particular order:
High West Distillery (minor time restrictions, but 10/10 amazing, flexible staff)
Sundance Mountain Resort (if not designing at their new mountain top ceremony location, Mandan)
Cactus & Tropicals (Fun fact: my first wedding ever was here!)
The Grand America (specifically the southern ballrooms near the parking lot)
Siempre (referring to the indoor spaces—the lower gardens might be a little trickier)
A Final Thought
As a florist, my job is about way more than arranging pretty flowers.
It’s about logistics, preparation, physical strength, and an intense attention to detail—making sure your day looks absolutely effortless.
Choosing a venue that’s easy to work in not only makes your florist’s life easier, but it can also save you money, expand your floral designs, and ensure a much smoother event overall.
xo, Alexa