At a glance: You are in for an unforgettable experience at the Arterra Event Gallery. Between Mike Gehrs's expert event planning, the stunning and dramatic space, and Chef Bill's gourmet menus, our wedding became everything we'd dreamed of and more.
Our wedding was held September 14, 2013--the first wedding at the Arterra. When we first saw the unrenovated space in February 2013, we realized that it had great potential but were unsure of how it would come together. Mike painted the portrait of an elegant venue with first-class food and drink, and then he made it happen. His rustic modernist aesthetic came to life during the spring and summer and amazed our guests this fall. The floors alone are jaw-droppingly dramatic, and the rest of the space does not disappoint. We especially loved the high beamed ceilings, all the natural light, and the beautiful bar (salvaged from the original Pachamama's restaurant).
I'll comment on topics that were important to us, but if I miss something, feel free to contact Mike, who knows how to get ahold of me.
SERVICE: Mike Gehrs was our main contact at the Arterra. He answered emails promptly and communicated information to me clearly, including a detailed budget and timeline for our event. He also contacted and managed vendor deliveries on the day of the wedding--all I had to do was show up.
Mike's attention to detail and his experience in the industry are invaluable resources, regardless of your event planning experience. I learned a tremendous amount about entertaining just by listening to him brainstorm. He was attentive to my requests, quick with ideas when I wasn't sure what was needed, and happy to oblige if I disagreed with something he suggested. Plus, he's a pleasant guy with a sense of humor and a love for his craft--what a pleasure it was to get to know him.
Mike's staff, including his assistant manager Aaron, functioned like a well-oiled machine. My guests were stunned to hear that this was their first big event. His servers were personable, efficient, and always in the right place at the right time. We were especially impressed with Travis, who was our personal attendant for the evening. He kept my husband and me supplied with water and drinks in alternation--perfect for a busy evening of chatting and dancing. All in all, Mike, Aaron, and the rest of the staff kept the evening flowing effortlessly according to our timeline. (We did not have a DJ and instead relied on the staff to help us keep the evening on track.)
FOOD: I wish I knew the chef Bill's last name to properly acknowledge him. Bill had not yet been hired when we decided on the Arterra, but as Mike promised, the meal was unforgettable. Fresh produce, exquisitely prepared entrees, delicious wine. We were able to customize from the studio and gallery menus something that fit our taste and budget. Our guests flipped over the delicious food and the family-style service. The hors d'oeuvres during our cocktail hour were a big hit as well.
VENUE: We had cocktails on the patio, then dinner and dancing indoors. Outdoors, cabaret tables and patio furniture was scattered around for the comfort of our guests, and there is plenty of shade (trees and large canvas sails) in case of heat. Indoors, we had slideshows playing on the monitors, and low music playing over the speaker system during dinner. One of my favorite aspects of the Arterra is that the sound can be balanced differently across the room. After dinner we cranked up the sound on the dance floor, but kept it quieter at the other end of the room so that guests could continue their conversations. Instead of a DJ, we prepared a dance playlist, which worked really well--guests were dancing all evening, and there was no need for additional speakers. It was plenty loud and the sound quality was great. Mike and Aaron handled the sound levels for us (a friend managed the playlist), and they also took care of arranging the lights in order to create the right ambiance as afternoon turned into evening.
Thank you, Mike and everyone at Arterra, for making this such an incredible evening for us. I'll never forget that you all were as excited as we were about this wedding, and I can't wait to see what happens next at the Arterra! Hopefully we'll be back again and again.
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