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We look forward to hosting you in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.
We selected a venue beneath the Granite Cliffs of the Catalina Mountains because we met in Tucson on a warm November weekend at the Society for Ecological Restoration Southwest annual conference. With enthusiasm, we gather in Tucson this May to celebrate love and share our commitment to a life in love with the world, in the world, in love with each other. May in Tucson should bring saguraro cactus flowers and a diverse array of birds. We hope your trip to the Sonoran Desert is lively with leisure and relaxation and hope this page helps you plan your trip. If you need any other information, never hesistate to reach out to us. In addition, we will have a dinner for those interested in joining to catch up with friends and famiy on Friday March 16th from 5-8pm at Reforma Modern Mexican.
Best,
Lauren and Michael
Friday, May 16
5:00-8:00pm
Taco Bar at Reforma Modern Mexican
Join Michael and Lauren for a casual dinner and catch-up.
Saturday, May 17
8:00-10:00am
Nature hike with Michael and Lauren
Botanize and bird in the beautiful Sonoran Desert.
4:00-5:00pm
Social hour at Bobcat Amphitheater
5:00-5:30pm
Wedding Ceremony
5:30-9:00pm
Dinner, Dessert, Dancing
The ceremony and reception will take place at the Bobcat Amphitheater at Catalina State Park located just north of Tucson in the Oro Valley. When you arrive at the State Park, tell the gate attendent that you are here for the Bansbach-Remke Wedding; you will not need to pay the entrance fee. Parking is limited at the Amphitheater so please carpool if possible. Additional parking is available close by.
A map to the Bobcat Amphitheater is provided below and a link to Google Map pin for the Bobcat Amphitheater and additional parking can be found here.
Directions to Venue
Agenda
Attire and Dress
This event is desert casual. We suggest colors and florals but pleast wear whatever makes you happy. Dress in a way that allows you to feel comfortable for a celebration of love in a outdoor setting. If you feel happy being a little more formal, that is wonderful, but sandals, shorts, sundresses are all welcome. Please be aware that spiny plants abound!
The ceremony will be a late afternoon event that carries into sunset and twilight hours. Expect the daytime temperatures to be hot with evenings warm. Rain may occur. This link will take you to a point forecast for the venue: Weather
Below is a graph with average day and night time temperatures for Tucson.
Lodging and Accommodation
Venue: Catalina State Park is located on the northern edge of Tucson, Arizona, in Oro Valley. Ceremony will occur at the Bobcat Amphitheatre.
Camping: There are campsites available on site at Catalina State Park: Camping Information.
Hotels: There are numerous hotels available in the area, including:
Fairfield Inn and Suites
Holiday Inn
El Conquistador Hilton
In addition, there are numerous AirBnBs or VRBOs available that have lovely access and ameninities.
Hiking and Activites
Catalina State Park provides access to numerous hiking trails that start at or near the ceremony location (Bobcat Amphitheater). These trails start at low elevations but allow you to see and experiance Saguaro cacti up close. Hiking may be best enjoyed in the morning or late evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. For information on these trails, please use the following link: Catalina Trails.
If you want to escape the heat and enjoy cooler weather and shaded forests, you may want to visit to the top of Mt. Lemon. Mt. Lemon is the highpoint of the Catalina Mountains and is a 1.5 hour drive from the wedding venue (Directions). Several trails traverse Mt. Lemmon; details can be found here: Mt. Lemon Hiking
Travel to Tucson
Catalina State Park is about a two hour drive from Pheonix Sky Harbor International Airport: Directions.
Sky Harbor has direct flights from many cities and ample car rental services.
Tucson International Airport also has several flights available from a variety of major airlines.
Tucson is located near a variety of wonderful attractions that we encourage you to take advantage of while in the region.
We love the Grand Canyon, where we have taken many backpacking trips since we began dating. We love seeing the view from the rim every time! Flagstaff, where Michael went to graduate school, is on the way to the Canyon and a great place to stay for a trip to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is less than six hours away from Tucson: Directions.
Saguaro National Park and the Desert Museum are both near Tucson and offer a fun day trip option! The West Portion of Saguaro National Park and the Desert Musuem can be visited easily in the same trip.
Finally, since we met in Tucson at a Conference, a cute trip could be to go see the University of Arizona Environment & Natural Resources building. This is where we first met. We were the only two presentors speaking about ponderosa pine at the conference. Fittingly, the building design is inspired by the famous slot canyons of the American Southwest. After Lauren's talk, we had our very first chance to converse at tables set up in the curving depths of the slot canyon where Michael used the pickup line - "hey, I liked your talk" and offered a business card as an offer to collaborate. Lauren accepted the card and replied with an invitation to go dancing.
The building is open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm and is shown below. Directions to the building here
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