THEO CALLAN

GeneralManager ofthe Arizona Nordic Village

Theo Callan is the General Manager of the Arizona Nordic Village located off of US-180. The Village is a wonderful wedding venue for folks looking to express themselves in ways that are unique to each couple,but their ultimate goal is to provide visitors quality outdoor and environmentally sustainable experiences We had the opportunity to talk to Callan about this Flagstaff staple.

Tell us a little about yourself How did you end up working at Arizona Nordic Village?

My background is actually in elementary and special education, and I graduated and didn’t want to teach. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,and I really just wanted to be outside. So I put in an application, and, you know, here I am.

For those that don’t know, what is the Nordic Village, and why was it founded?

It was founded by a gentleman in 1984 in order to just create a cross country ski area, in conjunction with the Forest Service,and it has grown since then We have 30 miles of cross country ski trails, 15 miles of snowshoe trails and then 12 rental units for some outside of our parking lot and then five backcountry yurts that you can hike, bike, ski or snowshoe to. And we also host weddings and events in the spring and summer season,which has really grown for us as well.

Why would the Nordic Village be a good place to host a wedding?

My favorite thing about the Nordic Village in terms of weddings is that it’s really kind of a blank slate A lot of the things thatpeople do are just DIY–doing their own decorations–and we don’t have any restrictions onvendorsoranythinglikethat,unlike alot of venues. Plus, we’re really cost-friendly. In addition to being just an absolutely gorgeousareatogetmarried Youknow,we’rea really accessible option for people to kind of haveyourweddingthewaythatyouwantit.

Thinking back on your time with the Village, is there a particular wedding memory that sticks out to you?

Yeah! This past fall in the lodge,I started seeing people walking by with elf ears and archery bows and capes and things, and it turns out, they were having a Lord of the Rings theme wedding where the groom rode up on a motorcycle into the ceremony and the bride–who was really proud of an old Range Rover she had restored–rolled up in that. And then they got married.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

Probably just my being able to give people that experience. There’s no feeling quite like having somebody that’s nervous to go and stay in a backcountry unit or they’ve never camped before. They haven’t spent a lot of time outside, and then, they come back two days later and tell you that “This was one of the best weekend’s of my life, and I’m gonna come back again and again” I mean, that’s a really awesome feeling to provide people with that kind of experience.

Mormon Lake Lodge nestled amidst the largest stand of ponderosa pines in Northern Arizona just 30 minutes southeast of Flagstaff on the beautiful scenic Lake Mary Highway Mormon Lake Lodge is the perfect location to have your beautiful wedding or an event, that you will remember for the rest of your life Our tradition of dedicated service coupled with our western hospitality and charm allows for the successful combination of any event, large or small Our staff works hard to coordinate each detail to ensure unforgettable memories you will never forget We invite you to come out and experiment the rustic settings of Mormon Lake Lodge and the beautiful environment that surrounds it