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Grand Lake Colorado Weddings
 The Premiere Lakeside Wedding Venue in Grand Lake, Colorado
Creating Grand Traditions in Every Season - The Spirit of Grand Lake

July, 2012

Alyda and Jon,


Thank you very much for the wonderful experience. The event space was perfect for our intimate wedding reception. Bobby and I were really pleased with the entire evening and truly enjoyed ourselves. The food was delicious and our guests greatly complimented the selections. It was a pleasure to work with you and we appreciate your efforts that enabled our reception to be stress free - both in planning and the execution.


Thanks again!


Amanda and Bobby Foote


June, 2012

Alyda & Jon,

Chad & I would just like to share how pleased we were with you and Jon and the overwhelming response from friends and family we received about our wedding, it was truly heartwarming to us to hear how much all our guests loved the location, food, venue... everything! I can't tell you enough how easy, responsive and a delight to work with - all of it, absolutely made our wedding absolutely AMAZING.

 

We were able to tell immediately both Jon & yourself have a true passion for cooking, and an appreciation for your clients. You both over-delivered on quality food and great service. We loved the fact we were able to work with you and Jon on the menu - adding our own personal touches and getting it just right. To be honest, we still get compliments even today, and it's been a month since the wedding. From the smoked turkey and grilled tri tip steak, to the handmade tamales and fresh local farm veggies, orzo paella and salad, the food was fabulous!! It met the needs of my vegetarian family, offering them lots of options, while equally satisfying all our other guests!

 
Grand Lake was a natural choice for the setting of our wedding, and the location of the Lakeside Events Center, its was ideal space for our the ~80 guests, with the opportunity to still have a live band and dance floor inside, plus the patio is an AMAZING bonus, all in all we couldn't have asked for more effortless beauty of both the mountains and lake at this location.

 

The best part was I never had to worry about a thing. With all the stress of planning a wedding, Alyda, you were great at communicating, and were overly helpful to us going into the day-of.

I'd give you a 10 out of 10 of all the vendors I worked with (alongside my photographer too, of course!).

Thanks!

Jessica & Chad


June, 2012

Dear Alyda,

Just wanted to write a review for you based on our recent rehearsal dinner experience...

We hired Grand Lake Catering for our wedding rehearsal dinner for forty people on June 22, 2012. As parents of the groom, we were unfamiliar with the area and what our options might be. We began talking with Alyda and Jon after viewing their web page. We were told that BBQ was their specialty so we went with it...and it turned out to be a great decision. We decided on pulled pork and beef brisket and I can honestly say it was the best BBQ we have ever had - unbelievably moist and tender - truly melt in your mouth. Alyda helped us come up with some mouth watering side dishes to compliment our meal (the options were endless) and all were yummy! Our guests were very pleased with the food and overall experience as well. The venue, Western Riviera Lakeside Event Center is beautiful. It is located right on Grand Lake and through the large picture windows you look right onto the lake while you are enjoying your meal. Breathtaking view! The event center is beautiful inside (wood floors, beautiful bar area and very nice bathrooms) and the large deck made a great place for our guests to drift while enjoying cocktail hour and then again after dessert to visit. It was a very relaxing and beautiful evening. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to "impress" your guests. Thank you Jon and Alyda for making the start of our wedding weekend as memorable as the finish!
P.S. We also enjoyed taking lots of fun pictures of the bridal party on the beach and dock and our guests particularly enjoyed Alyda's bruschetta with pesto, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes - outstanding!

Steve and Sue Spahr


August, 2011

Hi Alyda and Jon,

People are still talking about the fabulous meal you served at our wedding on Saturday August 6th, 2011. It was better than anything we had ever hoped for.

From the bacon wrapped figs to the decadent salad, and the fiesta shrimp to the Santa Maria style beef with fresh salsa, everything was remarkable and gave our taste buds a thrill. Still, our favorite was the Gorgonzola & fig-compote bruschetta with fresh figs and drizzled honey. We also appreciate that you were able to provide the exact wine selections we requested.

The Western Riviera Lakeside Event Center is a perfect venue for all to enjoy the beauty of Grand Lake in an indoor/outdoor reception that offers plenty of room for dancing, dining, and star gazing. You are gracious hosts who listened to our requests and made them happen.
You were sensitive to things that we felt were important and helped us work within our budget. We very much enjoyed arriving to the wedding reception by boat and have all of our friends and family cheer for us on the big deck as we made our way up the stairs. If we could do it all again we wouldn't change a thing!
 

Thank you for reaching out to us on the front range and encouraging us to come see what a charming town Grand Lake is, we will be back for many years to come. All of our wedding guests loved our destination mountain wedding and the staff at the Western Riviera made lodging easy for people to stay a few days and enjoy all there is to do in Grand Lake. You are good people, excellent chefs, and truly made our special day unforgettable! Thanks again for everything!!!

Graham and Lauren Wincott


July, 2011

Words seem hardly adequate to express the joy we experienced working with Alyda and JR's Grill & Catering during our amazing wedding weekend. The moment we met Alyda, we felt extremely comfortable in trusting her with our festivities. She listened to our ideas and worked diligently in making our visions come true. As residents of Denver, we were a little hesitant in giving so much planning to someone else; however, Alyda and her husband, Jon, made us feel at ease planning a "destination wedding" and consulted with us on each particular detail.

Her energy and desire to please is unparalleled and her positive attitude is infectious. However, her beautiful spirit is just the beginning. It is the food and attention to detail that sets Alyda and JR’s Grill & Catering apart from others.

From the delectable bridesmaid's luncheon treats to the old fashioned rehearsal dinner cook out to the elegant Southern reception buffet, food was definitely a highlight of our wedding weekend. What really set Alyda apart was her desire to take our family recipes and give them her own spin. Adding her own flair to our grandmother's staple foods provided the weekend a familiar, yet sophisticated feel.

Our guests continue to rave about the delicious concoctions. Hiring Alyda is not just hiring a caterer, it is like having a friend be a part your special moment.

Greer Anthony Sabin, Bride


July, 2010

PROFESSIONALS WITH A HEART!

What do you remember most about a wedding? The bride? Certainly, the beautiful bride. And, the food? Ah, the food.

The food from J.R.'s Grill Catering at the Western Riviera Event Center in Grand Lake, Colorado is a visual feast as well as scrumptious eating. Figs drizzled with honey glisten on golden toasts, grilled vegetables are slightly charred & aromatic, peppered, pink tinged tenderloin waits to be carved & dressed with flavorful mushroom au jus sauce. Delicious! 

J.R.'s Grill Catering will not disappoint. Alyda & J.R., the owners, are as competent as they are caring. It's not just the food - and you have a lot of options to choose from; from hamburger to tenderloin, from chicken wings to chicken piccata and everything in between. It's really the two of them who knock themselves out to make your event one to remember. Alyda & J.R. are wonderful to work with. They are willing to help with every detail of a party or event, not just with the food.

Grand Lake is a beautiful spot, a town fairly self contained, far from a metropolitan center, so the people they recommend as vendors must be people they trust & up to their high standards.

We couldn't have been more pleased with J.R.'s Grill Catering & the Western Riviera Event Center. At our daughter's wedding, when the bride & groom, and some of their friends went to a local bar after the wedding to continue celebrating, Alyda's son & one of Alyda's friends went to pick them up and made sure they got back to their rooms even though everything in Grand Lake is within walking distance. Professionals with a heart - you bet!

Cooks, caterers, event planners - yes, but in the end it's Alyda & J.R.'s warmth & willingness to make your event as special as it can be that shines through. That - and the food is superb.

Susie Levy
(mother of the bride)


September, 2011

Alyda and Jon:

Kristine and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our wedding day the most amazing day of our lives. No words can describe how perfect the entire day was and how beautiful reception was it paled only in comparison to my bride's beauty that night.

We knew that the food was going to be wonderful, but we cannot even begin to tell you just how delicious it was. We have had multiple compliments about the fact that this was the best food anyone has ever had at a wedding, and Kristine and I could not agree more.

What was even more amazing than the food was the dedication you both showed after the recent deaths of your parents. In a time of such suffering you were both incredibly professional and not a soul would have known of your internal suffering that night. Your persevering to meet your promises of making our wedding the most incredible day of our lives was nothing short of selfless heroism. We only hope that our celebration of life and our new family's beginning helped to ease some of your pain.

Again thank you both for the most beautiful, wonderful, amazingly perfect day. We could not have done it without you and you will both always have a special place in our hearts.

Love,

John and Kristine Wood


August, 2011

Alyda and Jon,

We want to thank the both of you for making our daughter’s day a very special one.

Our entire family, who flew in from all over the U.S., just raved about how wonderful all the food was.

 
Your excellent advice on planning the menu and guiding us throughout the reception made it a joyful occasion. We would highly recommend your services.

Thank you again!

Dan and Karen Farrell


August, 2011

My husband and I contracted with JR's Grill for catering services at our wedding reception. Our experience was fantastic!
Jon and Alyda were wonderful to work with. Attentive, available and detail-oriented, Jon and Alyda made sure that our reception was everything we'd hoped it would be! The food was delicious! After looking through the extensive menu options, we chose two meat dishes and several sides, including a strawberry & walnut salad made with local spinach that was as fresh and crisp as could be! All our guests raved about the savory ribs and tri tip steak with Alyda's special salsa that really brought the dish together.
We never felt pressured at the event. Jon and Alyda really understood that it was our big day and they let us take our time mingling with guests before we sat down for the meal. And the whole event center was gorgeous! The beautiful wood floors and wood ceiling beams provided a feeling of warmth, and the view of Grand Lake was breathtaking! I originally chose lavender and a pale yellow as our colors, but Alyda took time to discuss the colors with me and suggested that Ivory would work better with lavender, and she was right! That's the kind of detail and care I appreciated so much from JR's Grill when planning our reception there, and that's why I would recommend JR's to anyone looking for a fantastic, stress-free reception site in Grand Lake!

All the best to you,

Leslie
8/4/2011 Bride


August, 2011

To Jon & Alyda and all the staff at the Western Riviera: THANK YOU for the wonderful job hosting our wedding reception on August 6, 2011! It was everything we ever dreamed of and more! All of our guests raved that our venue was fantastic! We very much enjoyed arriving to our wedding reception by boat and coming up the stairs to all our guests cheering us on from the big deck over-looking the lake. The food provided by JR's Grill & Catering was delectable! Anyone considering having a mountain wedding near the lake: this is the place to have your reception! We made our wedding day into a wedding weekend retreat and many of our guests stayed 3-5 nights so everyone could enjoy all that Grand Lake has to offer. I can't wait to come back to this charming and stunningly beautiful place for many years to come! :)

Lauren Rae Wincott


August, 2011

John and Alyda,

We wanted to let you know how wonderful everything was for our daughter's August 14th wedding reception at the Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center.

The two of you were helpful from start to finish, beginning months before the event when our thoughts were just formulating. Your expertise and suggestions on the menu, the wine, the timeline of the evening, the set up of the tables, the table covering and even how the napkins should be folded were all very much appreciated. How fantastic everything looked when we arrived.

The food was spectacular. Great tasting, beautiful presentation and something for everyone. Our guests raved about it.

It was an awesome venue (who could not like the view) for a joyous occasion. We had a great time and thank you very much for all you did to make our evening special.

Carol & John Wolff


August, 2011

JR's Grill and Catering was amazing. We held a 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Western Riviera on Grand Lake catered by them and everything was perfect. Alyda and Jon were always available prior to the event to answer questions, work out details and make sure everything was squared away. The venue was beautiful. Inside there was a bar and lots of space for tables, buffet etc. and outside was a nice, large patio overlooking the lake. I would say this venue is good for a small group like ours (20 people) up to a large group of about 150. The entire place was well kept, contemporary and very clean. The town of Grand Lake is beautiful, friendly and fun. We rented a projector from the Library down the street and played a nice slideshow during our celebration as well. JR's Grill was very accommodating in every way to your needs. Before, during and after our event they were well prepared, friendly, helpful and fun. Their food was also very good. Many of our guests commented on how wonderful the smoked brisket and grilled chicken were. Their salad and rolls were also very good. I also found their prices to be very reasonable. We would highly recommend JR's Grill and Catering as well as the Western Riviera venue to anyone who is looking to have a successful celebration.

Sincerely,
Abby Bankson

July, 2011

Thank you so much for your services on my big day. The food was incredible and so were you!

I was planning my wedding for July 2011 and had talked to numerous caterers in the Grand County area. Money was an issue so I was determined to get the best deal I could find but not give up on flavor and variety, unfortunately, no one that I spoke with could get me what I wanted within the budget that I had. I had pretty much hit panic mode and was rethinking the need to feed the 100+ guests I had coming when I heard about J R's Grill from an acquaintance of mine and called Alyda up right away. She was out of town at the time, but emailed me promptly and assured me we could have appetizers as well as a nice dinner and still stay within my budget. Alyda continued to keep in touch with me and answered any questions I had about the food and service. My family and I decorated for the reception, and we were worried about the time crunch. Finally the big day arrived and of course we were running late. Alyda served the appetizers and held the dinner for about 20 minutes until we could get situated. The food was amazing! We had the shrimp and mango cerviche served on Chinese spoons and a tomato, mozzarella and basil pesto bruchetta for appetizers and they were a hit! They even made sure to put one of each at the head table placements to be sure my wedding party had a chance to try them. I had great reviews from all the guests on the Jack Daniels Smoked Brisket that Alyda had recommended. The food and people were wonderful and I would recommend their services for all occasions. Thanks again!!
Christine Houghton-Andersen

July, 2011

In addition to preparing outstanding food, J.R.’s Grill and Catering did many other things for our wedding reception to make it an exceptional event that our guests are still talking about. We received their full attention as our event was the only one on their docket for the day.

The Lakeside Event Center has great views and is located in the middle of Grand Lake.

 
Alyda and J.R. were very personable and attentive; we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves knowing we were in capable hands.

Nadin & Matt Hare


July, 2011

J.R.’s Grill Catering Service provided the most beautiful dinner for our daughter’s wedding reception this summer. With Grand Lake, Colorado being a popular venue for destination weddings, one cannot always be assured of quality, creativity, and professionalism. Alyda and Jon Parker provided us with the service, planning detail, quality of food and outstanding presentation that I had hoped for and then more. I cannot tell you the number of guests who complimented the food and professionalism of the wait staff and bartenders. You would expect this from a 5 star restaurant and hope for it in the mountains. It was truly everything that we had hoped for and more!
I would like to recommend J.R.’s Grill and their fabulous facility, Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center, over and over to the next wedding party, reunion, meeting, and event in Grand Lake, Colorado. You will not be disappointed!
Betsy, Ryan and I would just like to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you, for everything!!! I will forever be grateful for the hard work and efforts that were put forth from the two of you and your staff to make our day the best one!! You are the best and keep up the beautiful work.
Alice Fleming


July, 2011

My son got married in Grand Lake this summer. I had the rehearsal dinner catered by JR’s Grill & Catering. The dinner was excellent, and both Alyda and Jon were a pleasure to work with. They were open to every suggestion. They are extremely knowledgeable about the area and would always present any options available, and take the time to discuss them. They were also excellent in working with whatever the budget might be.
I would highly recommend them for any occasion and the scenery is spectacular. They told me to try not to stress they would take care of everything and they did.
It was a certainly a delightful experience working with them and they are truly nice people.

Sincerely,
Sally Sabin


July, 2011
Thanks for your email. I did have good trip home .... but I sure do miss that gorgeous Grand Lake, CO!! What a spectacular spot, and the weather is perfect .... cool and dry, and fabulous "hair days". :) The view from my upstairs bedroom was one of the prettiest I have ever enjoyed .... especially with the moon shining down/reflecting on that lake. It'd be a great spot for Honeymooners!

You all did a superb job with the catering. It was a pleasure working with you on all the pre-planning stages of the event. And, the food was so scrumptious, as well. You were very thoughtful to "go the extra mile" in preparing "Southern" Recipes for our Luncheon.

And, you did a fantastic job on every one of our recipes from the "Deep South" .... Scarlett O'Hara ("Gone with the Wind") would have been so impressed! Plus, all your staff did an exceptional job of serving our guests with great flair and graciousness. They all deserve an extra "pat on the back" for that, as well.
 

Thanks again for everything. I know you all had such a busy weekend for Greer's Wedding, and worked so hard to prepare for the Luncheon, Rehearsal Dinner and the Reception. Hope you all have had time just to "rest-up" some yourselves. :) Take care, and I wish you all continued success with your Catering Business!

Fondly,

Betty B. McRae
Waynesville, NC


May, 2011

We chose the Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center for our rehearsal dinner and ceremony. We chose this location for our ceremony because of the fabulous view of Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake. It just made sense to have our rehearsal dinner in the same location, so the wedding party would be familiar with the location before the big day. Working with the caterer/event coordinator, Alyda, we chose from a long list of appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts to create a customized buffet menu which would meet the needs of our diverse list of guests. The quality and quantity of the food exceeded our high expectations, and our guests were delighted to have so many options. Before dessert, we passed out gifts to our family members and wedding parties. Well, dessert was so good that my mother casually placed her unwrapped gift - a small silver pendant wrapped in white tissue paper - on the table while she was eating and then forgot to pick up it up off the table before she left for the evening. By the time we realized what had happened, the table was empty and we could not find the hand-made pendant anywhere. When I told, she Alyda what had happened, she told me not to worry, she would find it. A couple minutes later, she came out of the kitchen with the small tissue-wrapped pendant in hand! Assuming it had been mistaken for a used napkin and ended up in the trash, Alyda had thrown on a pair of gloves and quickly rummaged through the garbage and found the precious pendant. I was so moved; I could barely believe she had cared enough to dig through the trash for us! The ceremony went smoothly the next day and our guests were so impressed with the amazing view. We are forever grateful to Alyda, Jon, and everyone else at Western Riviera for helping us to make our rehearsal dinner and ceremony go so smoothly.


April, 2011

Dear Jon and Alyda,

We would like to thank you for your wonderful service. Our wedding, was definitely the best day of our lives. Thanks to your upfront approach to doing business with us on a budget, your availability, flexibility and exceptional service; it was a day to remember for us and our guests.

The Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center had everything we desired in a wedding venue; easy to locate, quiet small town atmosphere (that can only be found in a mountain town like Grand Lake), lodging near by and a view. It was important to us that we could hold our entire event there, wedding ceremony and reception.

We wanted our guests to experience the Colorado Rockies that we know and love, Grand Lake was an excellent choice.

J.R.'s Grill Catering supplied us with endless menu choices and we were able to create a menu that satisfied tastes on both sides of the family. Their professional, polite and clean staff were an absolute delight. The pass appetizers are a must. The buffet style dinner service was excellent, the tri-tip sirloin was a big hit, especially with the salsa! The bar service was prompt and very professional, with beverages everyone could enjoy.

We danced the night away at the Events Center. When our guests were through with the evening their motel rooms and cabins were only a short walk.

Our families and friends had a wonderful time, it was a great success! Thank you for a wonderful wedding day.

Sincerely,
Olivia and Brian Clark


August, 2010

I want to express my appreciation for the fabulous rehearsal luncheon that John and Alyda orchestrated for our son's wedding celebration. Their expertise in catering was magnified in the many facets of this event. Alyda was so helpful in assisting me through long distance planning - through our conversations, she provided insights in the planning that proved invaluable.

When we arrived at the site, it was set up beautifully. It was obvious countless hours had been rendered in our behalf. We have had rave reviews on the menu. Alyda fine tuned it to meet our needs, and it was absolutely delicious. It was what one might expect from a five star restaurant - the meat was succulent and the salad and dressings fresh and tantalizing.

I commend both Alyda and John for this exceptional event that will stay etched in our lifetime celebrations as one of the best ever!

With "grand" appreciation,
Claudia Miller


August, 2010

Hello Alyda - My friends and I had a wonderful time at your restaurant several weeks ago and really enjoyed the food. We will definitely be back!

Kind Regards,
Wendy Wildt


August, 2010

Hi there, I just wanted to let you know my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal as you had opened it up to the public. The food was top tier quality and the tri-tip steak sandwich was fantastic.

All the best !!!
Gary & Silvana Keirstead


July, 2010

Our family has come to know and appreciate the natural beauty of Grand Lake over the last ten years.

Our experiences have now been greatly enhanced with the opening of the Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center where we and dozens of guests thoroughly enjoyed a wedding reception there yesterday.

This venue was the perfect place to enjoy the spectacular scenery and lakeside activities and the experience was greatly enhanced by the services provided by J.R.'s Grill Catering. What a perfect combination.

Thank you Mike and Jackie Tompkins and the J.R.'s Grill staff for growing our appreciation of Grand Lake to unexpectedly higher levels. The Western Riviera Lakeside Events Center is a perfect place to host a special for any occasion.

Best Regards,
Robert C. "Bob" Balink


September, 2008

My husband and I wanted an intimate setting to share our vows with our family and friends. Grand Lake was the perfect place. The staff at the Western Riviera was knowledgeable and easy to work with; they helped us create a wonderful weekend for all.

Our guests were transported across the picture perfect lake by boat to Point Park for our wedding ceremony where we said our vows looking out at Mt. Baldy.

Everyone enjoyed a boat ride back across the lake to the beautiful event center...

while we were whisked away in our own private boat to toast our new life together.

Then we rejoined our guests as they greeted us on the deck of the event center. What a delight to enjoy the deck, the view and the delicious food. There was plenty of room for dancing and celebrating. It was truly a fairytale come true!

 Western Riviera Lakeside Weddings
419 Garfield Street, PO Box 1286
Grand Lake, CO 80447
Phone (970) 627-3580

Email
motel@westernriv.com
Websites www.westernriv.com
www.westernrivlakesideevents.com

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Western Riviera and Grand Spirit are trademarks of Grand Spirit LLC