Over Memorial Day, I was lucky enough to have been invited out to experience The Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain near Tuscon, Arizona by the amazing Melinda Easley, who is their fabulous Catering & Sales Manager. And let me say, my experience was nothing less than amazing, and I know that you would have an even better time if your wedding was there.
When resorts or hotels say they’re “nestled into the side of X mountain” they usually just have a great view and can get there relatively easily. The Ritz at Dove Mountain is NOT joking. You can seriously walk out the doors of the hotel and in 30 seconds you’re hiking in the Tortolita Mountains. Each of the public spaces have a breath-taking view of the mountains and the event spaces are no exception.
From an intimate ceremony green next to the Petroglyphs to a larger green on the other side of the resort, the property can accommodate weddings of all sorts of sizes. There are three wedding ceremony greens outside and each has a view of the mountains and are quite private. There ceremony greens can also be used for cocktail hour or for your reception, as the space is flexible.
For your reception, there are a couple of different ballrooms, if you want an inside space. The good thing about each of the ballrooms is that there are outside patios with fire pits. The Tortolita Ballroom holds about 200 guests comfortably and has the best option for an “indoor-outdoor” feel, as the floor to ceiling doors can be opened leading to a terrace with a large fire pit – of course if looks on to the mountains.
Or, with certain minimums, you can buy out CORE, the resort’s most delicious restaurant, which has a great vibe, walls that open up to a great outside space, and spectacular views. CORE’s Chef de Cuisine, Joel Harrington, is not only an amazing Chef, he’s is great to chat with. I highly recommend sitting at the Chef’s bar for your meal. Grab seats right in front of Joel and he’ll chat you up all night, and you might even get a special course prepared just for you by Joel.
If you’re worried about what guests can do, there’s plenty on property. The hotel offers guided group hikes each morning, which lasts about an hour. You’ll learn a lot and get in a little exercise. After the hike, hop on over to the gorgeous Spa. After getting ready, your therapist will pick you up and lead you to the treatment rooms, which are a located around a long courtyard, or just go hit the pool at the Spa if you’re really after peace and quiet. If not, there are two pools at The Ritz, one includes a large waterslide for kids and adults alike. My favorite part was the Cabana we rented each day. For $125, it’s well worth it to have a little piece to call your own to get out of the heat. Be sure to call in advance to make your reservation. They certainly go fast! And if there are golfers, the Ritz has a world-class golf course perfect for the groomsmen to have an outing before the big day. Make sure the guys check out the lockers before they head out, though. The Accenture tournament has been held here for the past two years, and all of the pros have their name plates on their lockers. It’s pretty cool. Wind down your day with a cocktail around 6 pm at Ignite and you’ll be greeted by the music of a Flautist of the Hohokam people, native to the area.
For more on the Tucson area, check out our Destination Wedding Guide!
Just a little squeeze of LiME…
