Desert Foothills Events

Staff was great, the walk is a bit much... maybe giving guests rides in and out can be part of a package ? We did appreciate the valet though!

I attended a private event at Desert Foothills recently and found it to be one of the coolest experiences of my life! Attending a vendor conference in the Phoenix-area, the last night of the conference was a private party on the Desert Foothills grounds. While Phoenix was suffering through an unseasonably cold winter, the amenities of Desert Foothills didn't dampen anyone's spirits in the slightest.From the retro, ranch-like "Welcome" sign, to the warm and welcoming firepits and patio heaters spread generously throughout the grounds, the venue had everything you could ask for in an open air space. Burros wearing cooler saddles entertained--and refreshed--the attendees, and clever miniature buckets containing everything you needed to make s'mores were nice touches. If you did get too cold, the barn area was very warm and toasty, with an impressive light display and plenty of room for dining, mingling, and a live musical performance (one that, with superior sound and speakers throughout the venue, you could hear clearly no matter where you were). Again, everything was top-notch and I'm jealous of anyone that hosts their event here in the future!In the end, I'm really disappointed that I don't live in the Phoenix area as I would love to host or attend more events here.

I wanted our wedding to have a large outdoor component, and my husband wanted stylistic freedom in planning. Desert Foothills fit both of our requirements! It is such a stunning venue with the saguaros and twinkle lights everywhere, not to mention the gorgeous sunset (which had our guests leaving dinner to capture). Lisa was such an amazing venue coordinator. She was open to all of our ideas, but also gave her honest feedback about what would work and what would not work well at the venue. Lisa coordinated seamlessly with our wedding planner, Denise, to take care of everything the day of the wedding. We didn't have to worry about anything! If you interested in booking the venue, we highly recommend uplighting the saguaros outside! Lisa kept recommending it, and I'm so glad we decided to do it at the last minute. It looked amazing! Overall, it was the perfect venue for us, and we are so happy we got married there!

This was the absolute perfect venue for a Midwest meets Arizona wedding. The barn is rustic, yet elegant. The grounds are lit with white lights, lanterns, and firepits. (If you want more than that, chandeliers for example, you'll pay a lot for it.-We didn't think it necessary!) It's away from the city lights, the landscape filled with saguaros, and if you are on a budget as we were, it's just plain gorgeous the way it is.Lisa was a gem to work with. She is professional, very organized, available, and incredibly PATIENT! We used the house caterer (Bobby Q's) and the food was outstanding. My only complaint was that numbers of attendees needed to be given 2 weeks in advance, whereas most caterers only require that info 48 hours prior. We had quite a few people cancel on us last minute, so we wasted a lot of money on plates that sat empty. However, as I said, people raved about the food. When does that ever happen at a wedding?!We brought in bottles of beer instead of kegs as our cocktail hour began at 4:30pm and there is no ice available until 3pm. A keg would've likely not been cold having only 90 minutes to chill, (and we had nothing to set it in nor does the venue) but our bottled beer was ready to go. The bartenders were very friendly. We had red wine already poured on the tables as otherwise there is a charge for service during dinner. We also didn't think this necessary. There is an extra charge to rent AC for the barn which we did as it was forecasted to be 90 that day and there is no shade.The reason this is a 4 star review is because while I (the bride) was doing hair, makeup, etc., our friends were at the venue decorating and preparing. We were told we could be there as early as 10am. However, when everyone arrived, it was discovered that there was no electricity. My hubby (who works in the AV industry) was in charge of getting our reception band set up and sound checked. Our best man (also AV) was in charge of setting up a computer, speakers, projector, etc. for a slide show in the barn we planned to play as people filtered in for dinner. Another friend (also AV and a musician in the band) who we paid to help us, was to set up a computer, speakers, mics, recording equipment, etc. for our ceremony. None of this could be done. Luckily the music worked out for the ceremony. However, we all had pictures after, so nothing else got done on time. Our slideshow started 20 minutes late by the time our best man could break away from the photographer, hence our dinner and reception was behind schedule. After dinner/dessert, my husband had to go set up the sound board/band, which takes a WHILE, while everyone just sort-of awkwardly stood around, including the bride without her new hubby. This was particularity upsetting to me as we couldn't even do our first dance. Not only that, but the venue can only be rented for 6 hours total, so time was ticking away. We almost felt like we didn't really get a reception by the time all was said and done. The band we paid a lot of money for didn't even finish 1 set.--ALL because we did not have electricity to get things going that morning. We had 2 hours set aside specifically to prepare and it didn't happen because we were not aware that the electricity doesn't get turned on until the afternoon hours. I wish someone had told us this at our rehearsal the day prior as this faux pas made our evening, especially for my poor husband, really stressful, when he should've been relaxing, socializing, dancing, and having a good time. We still had a beautiful day, and I love this venue, but make sure if you book here you are aware of all of those little, weird, unexpected things like no ice or power.

Desert Foothills is a fabulous event venue and here's why:1. The barn is huge, beautiful and immaculately maintained. 2. The staff is lovely and extremely lovely to work with. Lisa and Courtney are amazing. 3. The price is right and they have a list of caterers at a variety of price points that clients can use for catering.4. The price includes bar, bartender (everything but the alcohol, which you provide, saving $$) and valet parking.5. The "Plan B" option for rainy weather is fantastic. We do weddings at all types of venues and Desert Foothills is one of our very favorites!!

If you are looking for a unique wedding or event venue, Desert Foothills is the place for you. Kim Culver, one of their very experienced planners will support you every step of the way. They coordinate seemlessly with their vendors as well as their staff. Never anything to worry about. Kim will help you bring your vision to life.

I absolutely loved this venue for my wedding. Lisa was great to work with. She made sure everything was perfect for the day of the wedding. After consultations and follow ups the venue was beautiful. For those who are interested in booking the venue be aware that the ground is completely dirt. I had no issue with getting dirty as the bride but if you don't want your dress ruined I would suggest a second dress if you book here. Also, there isn't AC in the barn but my guests said they were completely comfortable! I definitely recommend booking this venue! It's a little out there but worth the drive! The guests who matter will drive any distance to celebrate your day!

If you're looking for a wedding venue and still thinking of other options besides the barn at Desert Foothills, you're crazy. And you should stop looking at terrible hotel ballrooms, "farms" and outdoor event spaces right now -- just call Lisa and start planning.Not only is the venue itself great (I mean, look at that thing - it's a beautiful barn in the desert, with red lanterns lining the walkway and bonfire areas they'll light when the sun goes down), but Lisa and her team are amazing. They're relaxed, responsive and incredibly easy to work with. They can handle you and your anxiety, insanely random requests and most importantly - your mother. Because it's a barn and not a hotel, you'll be dealing with outside vendors. The barn has a list they like, but you can bring in whomever you want and - key point - the team will handle all the vendors questions, logistics and day of arrivals/departures, etc. This small thing makes your life so, so much easier and gets you as close to a problem-free event as humanly possible. And it's a reasonably priced venue. I know, you might have lost hope on the possibility of getting an amazing location and still being able to live with yourself on the cost, but the barn is it. And if you ask where you could save a little money, they'll give you a real answer. Not a "well, you could do this insane thing" answer, a "think about doing this" answer. After seeing many hotels and event spaces that couldn't really cough up a response to that question, the barn's honesty and legitimate help was a happy find.It's an awesome team to work with and a great space for a fun and relaxed wedding (or other amazing event). Go see the barn - it's worth it!

This was different. Perfect for the groom who is apparently a total cowboy. The guests wearing cowboy boots were smart. It's all dirt and gravel. My stiletto Louboutins weren't having it. (I'm a total city girl) The sunset was nice against the cactus. The bathroom had some flies. The barn is spacious. Some heat lamps would have been nice to have outside of the barn.

Wonderful & beautiful place for a wedding. My daughter just had her wedding here, we couldn't have found a better place. Simply Beautiful! Our Day of Coordinator, Amber Parillo OUTSTANDING! If you're having a wedding, YOU NEED AMBER! She is incredible! From ideas to taking care of the new happy couple (bride & groom) to the old happy couple (parents of the bride) hands down you want her in charge of your day. Amber, I can't thank you enough for making sure all my daughter's dreams come true.THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!