Venue Deep Dive: Stein Eriksen Lodge

A closer look at popular Park City wedding venue Stein Eriksen Lodge

Park City is home to some very charming resorts + hotels that double as amazing wedding venues, but at the top of that list, you’ll find Stein Eriksen Lodge.

Stein Eriksen Lodge is an OG property, it’s doors first opened in 1982. Since then, so many guests have made this place their home away from home, enjoying the mountain vibe during the summer and of course during the winter. The resort is nestled into Deer Valley so this is one of the top places to ski. Endless guests have grown up visiting the lodge during all the seasons, having the opportunity to meet Stein Eriksen himself and really develop a love and appreciation for the legendary place this resort really is. Today, it’s host to some of the most quintessential Park City Weddings and over the years I’ve had the honor of seeing it evolve into a place that is perfect for magical mountain weddings.

The resort itself is just lovely, right from the amazing food in their restaurants to their incredibly comfortable rooms boasting some of the most comfortable beds you’ll ever sleep in. I’ll let their website educate you on what they offer regarding accommodations and amenities… I’m here to dive deep into what the resort has to offer you for your wedding day.

The MOST Iconic Ceremony Location in Deer Valley

There is just no other location in Deer Valley with a more stunning and recognizable Ceremony Location. The Flagstaff Deck at Stein is the only place you will find the mountain just the exact right distance away to feel how majestic and amazing it is while still being far away enough for the mountain to be in all your photos. Regardless of the season, turning the corner onto the deck still takes my breath away everytime, it’s just SO beautiful and feels unreal.

All the DECKS!

If you’re getting married in a church and having your cocktail hour and reception at Stein Eriksen Lodge, the main deck, the Flagstaff Deck is an amazing place for cocktail hour.

Depending on your guest count and the flow you’d like, we can use a few different options for your cocktail hour. Directly next to the Ceremony Deck, is a slightly shorter deck and this works amazing for magical mountainside cocktail receptions. This is one of my favorite spots for a summer cocktail hour directly following your dreamy mountain Ceremony.

Just off the restaurant is another amazing deck, the Odin Deck. It’s view is a little less grand but not less special. It’s a very functional and great option for a Cocktail reception or Welcome Party, which I’ve used for both.

Directly off the Stein Ballroom is another deck / patio. Most often, this is used for Cocktail Hour for weddings in the summer and it’s close proximity to the ballroom makes it an easy choice for most weddings.

You’ll see bars, cocktail tables, and lounge furniture placed here. In the winter, you’ll see smores and hot toddy stations here! This is also where we do sparkler exits.

If you choose to do Cocktail Hour at the Stein Ballroom, the inside space is just perfect. Known as the Foyer or “Prefunction” space to the Stein Ballroom, the glass doors open right to the outside, so you can really treat the patio and the Foyer as one. In the winter, we keep the glass doors and guests can still experience the magic of the snow right outside. I typically dress the entrance to this space to ensure guests know they’re about to be delighted.

The Stein Ballroom

Iphone Photo of the empty Stein Ballroom, rigging grid attached to beams.

The Stein Ballroom has many enchanting qualities, I think the most popular is the panel wall of glass doors that fold up and open right out to the prefunction space, which also has another set of folding panel doors that open up to the outside. This means that rain or shine, you can experience the fresh mountain air without the stress of needing a tent. To date, this is the only ballroom that offers this and it is in fact the only ballroom that doesn’t feel like a traditional ballroom. The design does lean quite heavily into the mountain rustic vibe, featuring large wooden beams and mahogany wood trim. Some people love this vibe and embrace it, while some decide to add many layers of decor to transform and lighten up the space.

If you open up the panel doors, and use the ballroom and the prefunction space, you can seat around 220 with a band and a dance floor. If you want to keep everyone inside the actual ballroom and use the prefunction space as a cocktail hour, you’ll want to seat max 180 in the ballroom itself.

Things to know:
-The space does not come with any ceiling rigging or chandeliers. All overhead decorative lighting or decor will require rigging to be installed.

-There are two fireplaces on either end of the ballroom, which often we leave exposed but sometimes we cover with drape.

-The venue does come with basic round tables, linens, chairs, banquet flatware, china and glassware, but typically they are undesirable and we only ever use the round tables glassware, china and sometimes the flatware.

-Yes, the carpet design leaves much to be desired. It is possible to cover the carpet with rental carpet, but for many people it is cost prohibitive so we spend energy and budget on other impactful design elements to “distract” the eye-such as dance floor wraps, draping, band stage facades, ceiling installations etc.

-Due to the many different rig points, this ballroom truly is one of the most dynamic in Park City to transform.

The Stein Ballroom in Park City is one of favorites in town and I’ve been lucky to see it live many different lives and be host to so many different aesthetics and budgets. Here are some of my favorite receptions, all specific to each client’s vibe + budget.

But wait, there’s more.

The party doesn’t stop at the ballroom, and we love to change the channel and guide guests to the Champion’s Club at Steins. This is the perfect place to bring in an amazing DJ and serve your late night comfort foods. This really fun game room is a perfect place for your favorite party animals to really let loose late night.

If you have any questions about your wedding and what is the best Park City venue fit for your needs, don’t hesitate to send me a message! In the meantime, enjoy a seasonal look at Ceremonies at Stein Eriksen Lodge on the Flagstaff Deck below:)

Stein Flagstaff Deck Ceremonies by Month: