The Des Moines, Iowa area has some absolutely incredible wedding venues! These are some of my favorite venues that I’m photographed wedding at in the last years. I did my best to choose different vibes – from beautiful barn venues, to industrial – there’s so many options to choose from!
These venues are photography friendly, some have great getting ready spaces, and the owners are so nice! I know selecting a wedding venue can be so overwhelming, so my goal is to help you feel the vibe of each wedding venue so you can select the best fit for you! And so, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite venues to photograph at!
Searching for venues in Des Moines IA for a wedding is no easy fete. There's so many great choices, and it's hard to know what to choose!
DES MOINES
wedding venues
If you’re looking for a wedding in the heart of Des Moines, IA, this part of the wedding venue list is perfect for you. These gorgeous venues are located in Des Moines or West Des Moines specifically!
Rollins Mansion
This gorgeous, historical venue was built in 1925 with Tudor architecture. History says that some of the beams were imported from an inn where William Sheakspeare performed. Rollins Mansion has a separate getting ready suite for the bride, with a space downstairs for the groom. There’s a gorgeous courtyard for outdoor ceremonies, a patio that’s perfect for receptions, and a indoor ceremony and reception spaces as well!
ROLLINS MANSION
2801 Fleur Dr
Des Moines, IA 50321
capacity: 500
The Tea Room
This is one of my all-time favorite venues to photograph weddings at. There’s a gorgeous, well-lit getting ready room, as well as plenty of space to have a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception!
The Tea Room has embraced its history and old photographs of the building in use hanging on the walls. The balconies make for some stunning portraits as well!
The tea room
713 Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
capacity: 500
The River Center
The River Center is one of my personal favorites. It’s very conveniently located and the two sides make it easy to transition between the ceremony and reception.
There’s some good places to take bridal party photos within an easy walking distance, and it’s a quick drive from everything downtown.
The River Center
340 SW 3rd St
Des Moines, IA 50309
capacity: 600
State Historical Museum
of Iowa
This Des Moines wedding venue can probably hold the most people. Its size makes it possible to have a ceremony location, while still having a reception space, in the same room.
There’s also many things for guests to look at around the State Historical Museum of Iowa during cocktail hour. It’s one block away from the Iowa State Capitol, as well as downtown Des Moines making it perfectly located for photos!
The State Historical Museum of Iowa
600 E Locust St
Des Moines, IA 50319
capacity: 500
Glen Oaks Country Club
There’s no bad place to take a picture at Glen Oaks Country Club! No matter where you turn, there’s gorgeous places to set up for a wedding, whether its inside, or outside!
The views are unbeatable, as is the reception space!
Glen Oaks Country Club
1401 Glen Oaks Dr
West Des Moines, IA 50266
capacity: 300
Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens
The Des Moines Botanical Garden has ample space for a gorgeous, classy wedding!
The ceremony spaces range from out on the lawn in front of a waterfall, inside the glass dome, or in the neutral ballroom. Each of these spaces are beautiful and can be decorated to suit any vibe of wedding.
Des Moines Botanical Garden
909 Robert D. Ray Dr
Des Moines, IA 50309
capacity: 220
Sylvan Theater - Greenwood Park
This is the perfect location if you’re looking for blank walls that you can turn into anything you want! The large room at Forte lends itself to a ceremony and reception space quite well. Parking is convenient and free.
The Sylvan Theater
4500 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
capacity: 200
The Surety Hotel
Surety Hotel in Des Moines is an unmatched location to have your wedding at! It offers stunning getting ready suites, and the Hippee Boardroom is the perfect place for a wedding party!
They have not only a gorgeous ballroom, but also a stunning solarium - giving you the choice of where you would like to have your wedding!
Surety Hotel
206 6th Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50309
capacity: 150
The Chateau at White Oak
With 21 acres of gorgeous land, rows and rows of vineyards, The Chateau near Des Moines is the perfect location for your intimate wedding ceremony!
THE CHATEAU AT WHITE OAK
15065 NE WHITE OAK DR
CAMBRIDGE, IA 50046
capacity: 250
Hotel Fort Des Moines
All the convenience of being in a hotel, but with the classic look of a gorgeous wedding venue! First build in 1919, Hotel Fort Des Moines was redone recently and has all the elegance of a building built in the early 1900s.
There's several different layouts that work well with this Des Moines wedding venue, and most of them can easily seat 200 people.
Hotel fort des moines
1000 Walnut St,
Des Moines, IA
capacity: 200
Bash DSM
Bash is another historical building in Des Moines. Built in 1917, Bash has worked hard to retain the character of the space, while also customizing it into the perfect wedding venue in Des Moines.
Bash
1312 Locust St
Des Moines, IA 50309
capacity: 300
Willow on Grand
Willow on Grand is the perfect new wedding venue on the block. Created by White Willow Event Planners, Willow on Grand is the perfect neutral backdrop to any wedding day! The getting ready room is beautiful with unique mirrors that make getting ready even more fun.
I cannot recommend this venue enough!
Willow on Grand
6011 Grand Avenue,
Des Moines, IA 50312
capacity: 300
The Prelude XII
If you're wanting the classiest wedding or photos that remind you of a European wonderland - The Prelude is the perfect wedding venue for you.
With a rose garden, stunning staircases, a pond, and a valley, there's no limit to places for photos or backdrops to your ceremony.
tHE pRELUDE
20632 35th Ave
New Virginia, IA 50210
capacity: 150
The Monroe
The Monroe, named for Marilyn Monroe, is a new, classy wedding venue in West Des Moines. With an outdoor ceremony space, an indoor chapel, a ballroom with a stately white wall and 3 walls of windows, a moody dark blue/green billiards room, and a stunning getting ready suite, this venue has everything you'll need.
The Monroe
1805 90th St
West Des Moines, IA 50266
capacity: 200
Iowa wedding venues
If you’re looking for a wedding venue in the area surrounding Des Moines, this part of the wedding venue list is perfect for you. These gorgeous venues are located outside of Des Moines!
Harpors Vineyard
This venue has indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces, as well as a pavilion that can handle all weather! Everywhere you turn, there’s places to take photos.
Harpors Vineyard is well known for their service and hospitality.
Harpors Vineyard
3014 Scott St
New Virginia, IA 50210
capacity: 2000
Honey Creek Resort
This venue has indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces, as well as a pavilion that can handle all weather! Everywhere you turn, there’s places to take photos.
Harpors Vineyard is well known for their service and hospitality.
Harpors Vineyard
3014 Scott St
New Virginia, IA 50210
capacity: 2000
Carper Vineyard & Winery
You can't go wrong with using this wedding venue just south of Des Moines! It's set in the rolling hills of Iowa, and the backdrop is stunning!
There's several amazing spots to take pictures around the property and sunset is amazing in the vineyard!
The patio is the perfect spot for cocktail hour, and then indoors works perfectly for a gorgeous reception, or a backup plan in case of rain!!
Carper Vineyard & winery
4603 Dakota St
Norwalk, IA 50211
capacity: several hundred
Magnolia Farms
Just 30 minutes outside of Des Moines, down a gravel road and near a river is nestled Magnolia Farms. This classic black wedding venue near Des Moines has an incredible getting ready space, outdoor and indoor ceremony places - as well as a gorgeous location!
A clean white interior makes this place so easy to turn into the wedding venue of your dreams!
Magnolia Farms
34386 Old Portland Road
Adel, IA 50003
capacity: 100 or so
WESTERN Iowa wedding venues
If you’re looking for a wedding venue in the area surrounding Omaha, or further out from Des Moines this part of the wedding venue list is perfect for you. These gorgeous venues are located in Western Iowa specifically!
The Palace Event Center
This gorgeous white barn venue near Omaha, Nebraska was dreamed of for years before it began to happen in 2016. The owners transformed the old barn into a classic wedding venue.
My favorite part of The Palace Event Center the beautiful getting ready space or the fountain out front – I can’t choose!
This wedding venue is a blank slate which makes it a great choice out of the wedding venues in Omaha.
tHE pALACE eVENT center
33153 IA-92
Treynor, IA 51575
capacity: 300
The Stables at Copper Ridge
Possibly one of my favorite venues ever, The Stables at Copper Ridge wedding venue is situated on 43 acres of rolling hills in western Iowa. Once an operating horse stable, this space was renovated into a wedding venue in 2016.
There’s a beautiful getting ready space with lots of light, but my favorite part – hands down – is all the beautiful space to take photos in outside!
The Stables at Copper ridge
2199 Ridge Rd
Denison, IA 51442
capacity: 560
Willow Creek Glass Chapel
This once farm has been in the same family for 6 generations. In 2002, the owners decided to turn it into a wedding venue built next to a creek. The chapel was built first, and the barn was then constructed out of other barns!
My favorite part of the Willow Creek Glass Chapel and Barn – other than the gorgeous walking trails and spaces to take photos – is the gorgeous chapel with entire walls full of windows! It’s such an amazing space. Its also so convenient to have a completely separate reception space so there’s no space flipping
Willow Creek Glass Chapel
4066 325th St
Shelby, IA 51570
capacity: 300
Tucker Hill Vineyard
This gorgeous vineyard venue north of Omaha, Nebraska is a GORGEOUS wedding venue situated on top of a hill. They have several places for an outdoor ceremony, and a spacious barn with 2 levels.
Tucker Hill Vineyard in Hinton Iowa might be a bit of a drive from Omaha, but is well worth it with its many locations to take photos, and killer views that come from its hilltop location.
TUCKER HILL VINEYARD
1001 Tucker Hill Dr, Hinton, IA 51024
capacity: SEVERAL HUNDRED
Bluebird Hill Wedding Venue
This venue has it all. A stunning getting ready space, indoor and outdoor ceremony space, tall trees to give shade, and open fields for stunning sunsets.
If you're looking for an intimate venue outside of Omaha or Des Moines, this one is the perfect venue for you!
Bluebird hill wedding & event venue
56741 655th St.
atlantic iowa
capacity: 300
