Planning a Crystal Bridges Museum Wedding
REAL CRYSTAL BRIDGES WEDDING
HANNAH CLAIRE + LAWSON
It’s really not that big of a secret anymore. I can clearly remember when the ground was broken on the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The renderings alone were hard to wrap my mind around. These enormous seemingly floating glass rooms surrounded by water and concrete structures right here in my backyard. It’s no real surprise that Bentonville, Arkansas is changing rapidly these days. Just google “top places to move in America” and Bentonville will almost always make the list. From OZ Trails to the Walton Arts Center and now Crystal Bridges and the Momentary museums Bentonville is quickly becoming a paradise for foodies, parties, bikers oh ya and every major corporation on earth. (At least the ones that want to have anything to do with the worlds largest retailer who also happens to operate their home office out of this little corner of the world). So before I give you some kind of tourism guide to Bentonville let me break away from that silly temptation and get back to what I know. Weddings.
The first wedding I ever photographed at Crystal Bridges museum was Marcy and Juan Camacho in 2016. It was a three day long event complete with a private party at Alice Walton’s private hanger in the Bentonville Airport, a helicopter entrance of course, a vintage Rolls Royce and that famous custom Tom Ford tuxedo that still absolutely blows my mind. I can remember at the time thinking to myself “Bentonville will never see another wedding like this.” It’s certainly true, that one was special and collectively none of us really new what we were doing trying to make a 1.2 BILLION dollar museum double as a wedding venue. Fast forward a few years though that the staff at Crystal Bridges and the luxury wedding vendors in the area have all but mastered the task. Still there’s a few things to consider if you’re day dreaming about having a wedding in the halls that permanently house the work of Norman Rockwell, Georgia O’Keefe, and Andy Warhol. So consider this you all inclusive guide to getting married at Crystal Bridges.
First a quick disclaimer. Crystal Bridges doesn’t know I’m writing this article, nor are they somehow paying me to do it. This is all me and though I’ve already got a slew of weddings at the museum this next year please don’t take any of this to sound like a marketing program for them. It’s simply this : I’m asked often about the things to think through when having a wedding in the middle of 120 acres of wandering trails and billion dollar structures and this quick blog post is a few of my thoughts.
First thing’s first : let’s talk through some of the things you may want to think through before planning your dream wedding at Crystal Bridges.
1. This place is really - really big. Really. When Moshe Safdie designed this space I’m almost certain that hosting late night ragers in the Great Hall was not a part of the plan. The truth of the matter is that logistics alone at the museum can be a struggle for a number of reason but first up is the size. You kind of have to keep in mind that through the event staff at the museum is absolutely remarkable and efficient at this point, and though there are great spaces set aside for staging things like florals and rentals the Museum itself is open to the public rain or shine until a certain time and so everything from offloading your rentals to actually setting up the room and cake deliveries have to happen on a very specific schedule. Again I’ll say it - the CB events team has this down to a bit of a science BUT there’s essentially no world in which a wedding here is a “simple” affair.
2. I’ve worked a few weddings at the museum before with wedding planners who aren’t fully familiar with the sheer scale of the property but the truth is it simply takes time to get anywhere. If you need to get from the board room where a lot of brides put on their dressed down to the north gallery for a first look under the Dale Chihuly glass hanging next to the doors to the modern art exhibits you’ll need to expect about a 12-15 minute walk. This is chiefly because this place was designed as an experience and there aren’t really straight lines anywhere. Just heading down the elevator means you now need to cut across guests of the museum in the lobby to get to the 30+/- stairs at Walker Landing down to the water’s edge and walk all the way across to the north hallway entrance near the Kid’s art areas and after all of that… well you’re close. How does that play out in real life? It means when we build shooting schedules at Crystal Bridges that include the entire museum (or as much as possible) we have to build in a lot more time. If you know me at all you’re bound to know that I love having too much time on a wedding day and I’m always up for a good wander but unless you want nearly every photos in that access hallway by the library where for some reason every photographer shoots about 90% of their images (I wouldn’t recommend it), you need time to get other places.
3. This place is big. (Nope I’m not just restating the last point) I mean it needs a lot to fill it up. The great hall it quite a bit smaller than Eleven but still really needs a few hundred people in it or a large stage and dance floor, or enormous florals, or all of the above to help fill the void. The first time you walk into either Eleven or the Great Hall you’ll be struck by the beauty in the architecture but as you feel small inside of it it’s important to realize that… you are. I’ve shot a number of fairly intimate wedding days with around 100 or maybe even a little less guests at Crystal Bridges but in order to not make it feel as though you’re simply sitting in a corner in an enormous room the design has to be very intentional to pull it off. On the other hand, this is the most fun place you’ll ever absolutely pack a room. If you dream of having an enormous wedding and even your long lost weird cousins from Canada are allowed to bring a plus 1, this is the place to party. A few of the most wild, loud, fun nights of my professional life have happened in these glass walls and I know that even for the most seasoned wedding designers and planning companies that have worked in here there are always more ideas of ways to fill the space up. It really is a refreshing problem to have.
Alright let’s talk about some of the killer locations. I know I’ve mentioned this but I have shot a LOT of weddings here now and we’ve gotten to know the staff, the grounds, and the little nooks and crannies pretty well. There are a million places I’ll skip to touch on the main ones but as you scroll through photos in this gallery consider this : for every photo you see, there’s probably 3 beautiful spots right around there that could still be captured. Crystal Bridges is packed with complex, creative, exciting natural light and infinite ways to add to or manipulate it but let me be the first to say this simply : photographer at Crystal Bridges, especially wedding photography, is NOT easy.
1. The hallway. If you’re from around Northwest Arkansas you’ve seen 743 family photographers shoot in this hallway, about 2/3 of Bentonville Highschool’s senior photos, and yes every wedding ever. The reason why? Well - to be honest is really is super cool. The wood lines, the smooth bend that disappears in the background, the even light throughout a good part of the day bouncing off of the light concrete and even the proximity to the library where the bride and bridesmaids often get ready make this a favorite spot. I may sound cynical here but I’m only poking fun. The truth is, I love this place as much as the next camera guy and I almost always find at least something to do in this hallway (I’m just a big believer in not making a service hallway the only beautiful photo spot we hit inside a BILLION DOLLAR BUILDING.
2. Walker Landing is my favorite. I’ll admit it. There’s something super cool to me about the larger than life concrete structures of the buildings in pano all around you. In the landing you’ve got a 360 degree view of the museum and the ozark valley it’s tucked down in and it literally feels like being inside a snow globe. Stand there for long and you’ll see why I love it so much because the architectural lines play with shadows that change literally every few minutes all day. A 3:00 bridesmaids shoot in here feels nothing at all like a 5:00 ceremony and as a photographer that keeps my creativity going non stop.
3. In 2014 Crystal Bridges acquired the Bachman-Wilson House by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I can’t even wrap my mind around how a house was taken apart in New Jersey and somehow reassembled at Crystal Bridges but it really is remarkable. The lawn in front of the home has absolutely beautiful valley views and great afternoon light and is always a favorite place for me to sneak away with big groups even when the ceremony isn’t outside but I need a place that isn’t as crowded with museum guest. The inside of the house itself is toured by appointment only but is really cool as well.
4. The galleries are all just amazing. The light plays in the North Gallery where the modern art is housed in the most remarkable ways and I’ve had a few of my favorite first looks ever in these glass walls. There are gorgeous little balconies and viewing spots that incorporate the outside views into the museum itself sprinkled all over the place which allow pockets of natural light to connect with rooms that are already beautifully lit and filled floor to ceiling with priceless work. (Scroll to the bottom of this article to see the some of the permanent collection and the auction prices pulled directly from the Wiki site for Crystal Bridges)
So by now you’re probably wrapping your mind around one key thing. It’s not cheap to get married here. In fact Crystal Bridges is likely one of the more pricey places to get married in the region and in my opinion it should be. This place offers something I’m not sure any other place in the country really can. The CB website lists wedding pricing to start at $150 a head which includes a number of things but certainly doesn’t include everything you may want to consider. First off here’s the list of things the museum says are included with a Crystal Bridges Wedding Package copied directly from their website https://crystalbridges.org/venue-rentals/wedding-venues/ :
* Crystal Bridges Chef for exclusive catering
* On-site Crystal Bridges Event Manager
* Complimentary food/beverage consultation & tasting
* Customizable seating arrangements/room design
* Two ready-rooms on day of
* Exclusive private access to the museum’s art galleries
* Access to our grounds and indoor common areas for one-of-a-kind photography
* House selection of tables and chairs
* House selection of china, flatware, glassware
* Party lighting
* Service staff
* A/V tech and support
* Complimentary wifi
* Labor (set-up; break-down)
* Cake cutting service
* Preferred parking for Bridal Party
There are a few things I’d suggest making sure you account for however in addition to what is included. Especially as it pertains to the vendors you hire for your wedding. Let’s start with the big one.
1. Hire a wedding planner that knows Crystal Bridges well. We’re pretty blessed to have a couple of the best wedding planners in the country in the Northwest Arkansas area and I’ve seen my share of planners. The truth is this is not an easy place to design an event inside. The staff is beautifully trained and absolutely great that come with the museum itself but if you are dreaming of a big beautiful lavish wedding like the ones you’ve seen in the photos in this article let me say it as plainly as I can. Every single one of these weddings had an outside planner. It takes a lot of extra work to pull together the vendors that have some experience and can handle the additional pressures that come with working at a luxury venue like this and you need a gate keeper. The planner is that person. (Contact me directly by a list of who I would recommend)
2. This isn’t a DIY floral type of place. Honestly this isn’t a DIY anything kind of place but floral would be a big lapse in judgement. The rooms are enormous and the logistics are complex meaning florals need to be assembled either ahead of time and brought in efficiently the day of the wedding or floral structures need to be built on the day of and either require a lot of vision and precision. I truly believe at some venues you can cut some corners on florals but Crystal Bridges would not be that venue.
3. Lighting is a must here. Keep in mind something super straight forward : your eye and a camera are very different. When you walk into the great hall at night and it’s not professionally lit with either color, texture, or spots the room is just black. The can lights in the ceiling are small and high up and are intended to give an overall lighting pattern to the room but the secret to beautiful wedding lighting is a mix between dramatic elements and intentionality. Again : hire a planner who can connect you. OR hire a lighting tech yourself but understand this : even photographers who pride themselves on being able to light just about anything, can only do so much in these places. All of the beautiful color, the texture, and the background depth are provided to us by these technicians and they’re essential.
4. Giant glass buildings have complex acoustics. Honestly, I don’t know how they aren’t worse but you’re in an echo chamber a bit when you walk into the great hall without anybody in it. Pack it full of smiling dancing faces and it helps a lot but you need to get those people dancing to something and that’s where the right band or DJ comes in. You really can’t cut corners on this element here. Sound quality is way too important because if a DJ doesn’t know their equipment inside this space you’ll be living in an echo chamber and it will be absolutely zero fun.
Alright so there you have it, a massive list of must think through things when it comes to having your wedding at the most beautiful spot in Arkansas with a roof. People these days are flooding into Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville and all the cool little towns around us to experience the culture that magically sort of revolves around Crystal Bridges. From the trails around the North Forest lights to the greenway biking and walking trail that runs adjacent to the museum and goes over 30 miles south all the way into Fayetteville there is something special about being here. Sure - there’s only 175 parking spots. Sure - there is a ton of new construction as the museum expands itself north into a whole new wing and a huge hospital is being built to the south. But as you pull past the Amazeum (an amazing kids museum just next door) and down the hill into Crystal Bridges you’re immediately drawn into a curated and somehow not over manicured world of structure and art and experience. It’s a special place to say “I do” and one of my favorite places to roll in for a wedding day. If you’d like more information on how to connect with me directly and get information on the Crystal Bridges Wedding Photography packages that we offer simply email me any time at miles@mileswittboyer.com
