The Bright Building — Attraction in Provo

So, let me start off by saying that if you are looking for a shabby-chic place for your small wedding reception, this might be the place for you. If you want to create that “Oh no! We took a wrong turn in the slums. Are we going to get stabbed? Is that a dead body? Wait, what light is emanating from that abandoned warehouse? Aaaah, it’s a wedding. How cute!” feeling then the Bright Building is for you. Or if you want your guests to think, "Are we in the big city?" This is the place for you. Unfortunately for us, our student council was dead set on this venue for our prom. I initially said, NO because it is definitely too small for a prom if you have more than 300 people attending. One of our council members was just itching to have that “lost in the hood” look for the most important night of her life. We still would not have chosen the Bright Building if it weren’t for the fact that they told us there was an outdoor section where kids could hang out. Unfortunately, we believed them. There was an outdoor spot about 20 x 20 in between the loading dock and two dumpsters. Also, it hadn’t been swept since Brother Brigham laid the asphalt back in 1898. The venue was amazing until everyone showed up. The parking lot filled within minutes, forcing everyone to find parking on the street--which really added to theme, “Lost in the Slums.” Kids were having to walk for blocks just to get that grimy Provo industrial vibe. When the place was full, kids were body to body, and they were getting dehydrated rapidly. And that lovely outdoor section they told us about? Well, you had to walk around the block to find it, but once you did it was worth it. You could lean against the blue dumpster or the orange one and shoot the breeze while the rotting breeze wafted over the bulging dumpsters. So, we were asked 10 hours before the venue started if we need any tables. My student council wasn’t sure, so they said NO. The Bright Building has a policy that ONLY THEY can put up or take down their tables which is a great policy IF THEY ARE AROUND TO DO IT FOR YOU! Setting up for events is a fluid event, you might get halfway through and think, HEY, WE NEED ANOTHER TABLE. That’s what happened to us, but because I am a fully-grown man with average muscle tone, and since there was another almost fully grown man with even more muscle tone there too, we were able to get some tables out and set them up. One of the tables was suuuper sketchy. The internal bracing kept slipping out and the legs kept trying to buckle inward. We finally duct taped them to keep the braces in place. At the end of the night, we folded the tables up and put them away. So, because we made a decision to use some tables (that were IN the building) and because we put them away (how inconsiderate of us), we were charged an extra $50. But, we were also charged another $100 for damage that was already on one of the tables. This place is sooooo hipster and trendy. A big old frappuccino machine gurgling in the middle of the floor on one of their pre-setup, tables would be soooo cute for your reception. Just don't lean on that table unless you want a river of scalding coffee flowing across the...

Our high school recently rented this venue for prom. Granted, the building is not meant for bigger events, just bear with me for a moment while I explain a few things.

First, the owners/managers should not have rented it to a group of our size. Venue owners are responsible for knowing their maximum capacity and renting their space to the appropriate crowd. I can honestly say I have no idea how the fire department did not show up and shut it down. And yes, the building owners knew how big our group was. We pre-sold enough tickets to know in advance that there would be around 500 in attendance, plus those who paid at the door.

Second, you cannot tell teenagers that they can rent the venue and that you will provide extra space in the back when that area is not accessible from the inside of the venue but only by walking around the back of the building. And that "extra space" cannot be a 20x20 slab of asphalt surrounded by stinking garbage dumpsters. Gee, how nice for our prom, in our fancy dresses and best suits, to stand next to mounds of reeking trash.

Third, the parking is a nightmare. Kids were parking blocks away. So you have a venue that is meant even for a party of about 200 people. But you don't have appropriate parking options within a reasonable distance. Nice.

As I said, I realize that this venue is not for a large group, certainly not for a prom with more than 200 attendees. The venue is for people who have a hankering to put on a hipster vibe wedding reception. (I guess...if your style is cheap. Because honestly, the only nice thing about the building is the...

We loved the bright building!! It was the perfect atmosphere for a the type of vibe I was going for. The space is super open with lots of opportunity to decorate in different ways. They provide plenty of tables and chairs and everything is super easy to rearrange. One HUGE plus of this venue is you get the option to book it for the entire day for super affordable! That made it so I could have my luncheon with close family and my reception all in the same day. And I had the building all day for decorating and clean up! They provide the big tables as well as a bunch of smaller tables for decoration. I love the arch as well! Our florist was able to add to it but it’s gorgeous even as it is. The kitchen space was perfect and there was plenty of room for our caterers to work. The sound system is super good too! I wanted to save money and go without a dj, so I just made a playlist and plugged my phone into the sound system and it worked perfect. Everyone that came to the wedding mentioned how much they loved the venue. I 10000% recommend! And Millie (the owner) is amazing in the process leading up to your wedding. She always answered my questions quickly and thoroughly. Loved The...