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Wedding reception venues and catering choices in Alaska's capital
city appear to be as boundless as the bounty of the sea. Local hotels,
restaurants, lounges, and other exclusive-to-Juneau sites are available.
Here's a small sampling.
Since opening its doors just five years ago, Glacier Gardens is
rapidly rising as a Juneau hot spot for wedding receptions. In fact,
it's already accepting bookings for 2004, though the site still
has some dates still available this summer.
Wedding receptions can be hosted in Glacier Garden's visitor center.
This venue offers 100 chairs, 13 40-inch diameter garden tables,
four large garden tables, and three banquet tables.
Café service is available upon request. But if you want to
offer guests a fuller feast, arrange for catering or bring your
own prepared-in-advance food. There is not a kitchen on site. Many
local catering services are familiar with working at Glacier Gardens,
so they can easily give you ideas for set up and menu possibilities.
"It's a fun place," said Bill Mauck, Catering Director,
Baranof Hotel.
Glacier Gardens is essentially a non-alcohol garden, but owners
do allow one toast to the bride and groom.
The Glacier Gardens Visitor Center gives the sense of being outdoors,
but keeps you covered from Juneau's frequently wet weather conditions.
The room is filled with hundreds of flowering plants—begonias,
geraniums, petunias, and more. A huge heart-shaped open frame covered
with live red roses situated in front of white lattice makes a romantic
background for wedding photos.
Enhance your reception by bringing in your favorite tunes—via
CD, deejay, or live. Because the site is located in a residential
area, some volume restrictions may apply.
The site is first and foremost a garden, so the visitor center is
available for rental from 6 to 10 p.m., May through September. For
more information, visit www.glaciergardens.com
or call 790-3377.
The Baranof Hotel, located downtown Juneau, is a popular place for
those who want to go all out for their wedding reception. Professionals
in the local wedding industry cite the Baranof staff as attentive
and fun. They'll work with your theme, and do their utmost to make
the most of your wedding day.
The Westmark Baranof offers on and off site catering. And if they
do the catering, they'll do the cleanup. You can select foods off
its restaurant menu, but you can also provide a favorite family
recipe or they will build a menu fit for you. "We cater to
your taste and budget," said Catering Director Bill Mauck.
On site, the hotel's Treadwell Room can fit up to 200 people, about
160 for a sit down dinner. A portable dance floor is available,
as well as hosted or no-host bars.
The Gastineau Room located on the hotel's 9th floor is sometimes
used as a wedding site. It seats around 75 people theater style.
Often small weddings are held here and then the party heads down
to the hotel's Gold Room—its evening fine dining restaurant.
The Glacier Restaurant and Lounge offers on site or off site catering
services, as well. On site it can host 80 to 120 people, dependent
upon your style of feast: buffet or sit down dinner.
Off site, the catering company has provided services just about
everywhere in Juneau, according to General Manager Ella Rogers.
The company can provide hot or cold foods, bringing everything necessary
to your site of choice, even portable ovens. Food selections are
vast; the staff will help you design a menu based on your budget
and tastes. "Catering is exactly that," Rogers said. "It's
catering to your desires."
Many Juneau restaurants are prepared to host private parties. Consider,
for example, Breakwater Inn, Canton House, Chinooks, Dragon Inn,
El Sombrero, Fiddlehead Restaurant and Bakery's DiSopra, The Hangar
on the Wharf's ballroom, MiCasa, Mike's Place, T.K. Maguire's, or
Twisted Fish Co., among others. Or maybe you'd like to whisk your
guests to the top of the tram. These vendors can likely accommodate
parties consisting of 50 people or more, but this list is not by
any means comprehensive. So if your favorite dining site isn't here,
don't rule them out. Give them a call and find out if they accommodate
you. And remember, even ethnic eateries can provide traditional
dishes.
Just as many restaurants are equipped for catering, as well. So
don't hesitate to call your favorite if you choose a venue outside
of a restaurant or lounge. Those sites choices might include a church
fellowship hall, the Juneau Yacht Club, the Shrine of St. Therese,
a sheltered recreational site along Juneau's shores, or onboard
a boat, among others.
By Catherine Parmelee
For the Juneau Empire
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