The 120-year-old Grand Highland Hotel offers convenience and flexibility for unique, unforgettable events
By Hilary Dartt • Photo by Blushing Cactus
Everyone has a different vision for their wedding, and by choosing to have the ceremony and reception at the Grand Highland hotel, a couple can bring that vision to life.
“We’re offering custom experiences,” said Jeanne Murphy, head of wedding and event sales for the hotel.
And they’re offering those experiences in a setting that is iconic Prescott. Built in 1903, the Grand Highland features historic charm, including lots of original elements such as bricks, windows, and flooring still in place, general manager Natasha Baierl said. Plus, it’s the only Whiskey Row venue with both indoor and outdoor venues (the ballroom and the Holiday Courtyard).
Because it is right downtown, the Grand Highland offers convenience to downtown businesses (hotels, restaurants, and more), and landmarks including the Courthouse Plaza.
A highlight: the ability to choose every detail and vendor.
“We’re very flexible,” Jeanne said. “This is a unique wedding venue for [a couple’s] unique experience.”
Some venues offer limited options for decorations and vendors, said Natasha Baierl, general manager. But, at the Grand Highland, wedding couples can bring their Pinterest boards to life.
“With our venue, [couples] can do any colors or decorations, vendors, linens. They can choose what they love.”
Even so, because the building and grounds have so much character, she said (the ballroom’s brick wall, which features murals from 1902, has become a popular photo opp) couples often opt out of complicated decorations and instead display a few personal items, keeping things simple. Flexibility in vision, Jeanne said, also means flexibility in pricing.
No matter what a couple wants, the Grand Highland staff will do their best to make it happen.
“A wedding is a big deal,” Natasha said. “Couples want to feel supported, and we definitely do that.”
She connects a wedding couple with what they need: “They can count on good information and helpful tips. We have done it, we’ve been in town for a long time, and this is a small town. We help them choose vendors and make choices that will make their day special.”
Wedding couples can use the outdoor Holiday Courtyard (which has a stage), the indoor ballroom, or both, and they can also reserve the entire hotel for their event (each of the hotel’s 12 guest rooms features a unique historical theme).
“We’re always improving and customizing,” Jeanne said. “We’re figuring out what we can add to the venue to make it even more appealing to our customers.”
The Grand Highland can accommodate 50–300 guests and provides a list of local vendors including event planners, food providers, entertainment, photographers, and more. When a couple has a wedding there, they have access to the venue for the entire day.
While it’s home to about 100 weddings per year, organizations also use it for other events such as holiday parties, birthday parties, celebrations of life, corporate parties, and Acker night.
No matter what the event, Natasha said, customers can expect to be taken care of with the small-town service Prescott is known for.
Learn more at grandhighlandhotel.com. Watch a virtual tour at https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/the-grand-highland-hotel-and-wedding-venues-prescott-az-961917. Wedding couples can fill out an inquiry form at https://www.grandhighlandhotel.com/event-contact. For more information on weddings and other events at the Grand Highland, contact Jeanne at [email protected] or 928.202.3032.