tying the knot

Tying the knot on the Berkeley campus:
By Janet Huseby

Ann Bourguignon and Dan Van Auker were married in the late afternoon last June at the Newman Center on College Avenue. After the ceremony, the wedding party drove up into the hills for a reception at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science.




	Ann Bourguignon and Dan Van Auker at their wedding reception on the Lawrence Hall of Science's outdoor patio

It was a beautiful evening. While caterers set up tables in the patio behind the hall, guests were served drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Theview they enjoyed "was beautiful to behold," Ann said. "People were oohing and ahhing. It was a perfect moment for a bride to arrive. I walked in and thought, 'I'm going to have fun.' "

The couple chose Lawrence Hall because of its outside site with an indoor area as backup. The sit-down dinner was held outside - in the deck area behind the museum - and, in the cool of the evening, guests moved inside for dancing. As a bonus, the 40 some children had the hall's interactive science exhibits for entertainment. "We had a choice of dates so we ended up selecting one based on the exhibit calendar - we chose the dinosaurs," Ann said.

Lawrence Hall of Science is only one of many venues available on the UC Berkeley campus for meetings and conferences, receptions, and yes, weddings. Following are some of the top choices, all of which may be rented to the public:

Alumni House
Located between Strawberry Creek and Zellerbach Playhouse in the southwest section of campus, Alumni House features a room large enough for 100 dinner guests and a semi-private outdoor patio area. Constructed in 1954 through alumni donations, Alumni House is open year-round, except for academic holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.

For information, call (510) 642-1573.

Faculty Club
For more than 95 years, the Faculty Club has hosted memorable banquets and receptions. Its timber-lined halls and terrace seating area provide an ideal setting for indoor or outdoor ceremonies, small to large meetings and rehearsal dinners. The Faculty Club is located at the eastern side of campus next to Faculty Glade, which has been the site of a number of outdoor weddings. The "Great Hall" seats up to 200 guests and can accommodate 300 at a reception. In addition, two smaller rooms hold 60 and 80 guests, respectively. The club is such a popular wedding spot that reservations are foten made a year in advance.
For information,visit www.berkeley.edu:5035 or call (510) 643-0834.

Haas Clubhouse
Located above Memorial Stadium in the Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area, the Haas Clubhouse is a popular spot for special events. It has two large rooms and a kitchen. The building accommodates 125 for a sitdown dinner, 250 for standup.

For information, call (510) 643-6720.

International House
Serving the campus since 1930, International House is an international residential and cultural conference center. Located across from the central campus at Bancroft and Piedmont, its mission revival decor lends an elegant old California feel to banquets, meetings and weddings. International House features an auditorium, several small to large meeting rooms, an outdoor patio, catering services, and two guest rooms with private bath for overnight accommodations. International House facilities are available for rent for campus and community use year-round

For information, visit http://ihouse.berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-0589.

Lawrence Hall of Science
The Lawrence Hall of Science's main lobby, two large exhibit areas, and outdoor patio may be rented for receptions and/or buffet dining for 50 to 500 guests. The Small Planet Cafe on the lower level can seat up to 150. Rental includes access to the hall's hands-on science and math exhibits.

For information, visit www.lawrencehallofscience.org or call (510) 642-7723.

For information about other campus facilities for meetings and conferences call UC Berkeley Conference Services at 642-4444.