Wedding venues?
Posted by LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 160 comments
So my fiancé and I are looking for a venue that 1) isn’t a church (we’re not religious) 2) isn’t a barn (we’re not a very rustic couple) but still has greenery or an outdoor option and 3) isn’t stark white inside. I’m a pale girl who loves color and I don’t want the background of all my wedding photos to be white! Unfortunately, these 3 requirements are really tripping us up for DFW. We’re willing to drive anywhere in the greater metroplex, but all the quirky adorable greenhouse type places I’ve found have small venue capacities and we would have 150! Loved the Ft. Worth Zoo, but they’re dragging their feet communicating with us so I’m worried about that one. Anyone know of a hidden gem that I might have overlooked?
Bets4Real@reddit
Garden Cafe?
gardencafe@reddit
We're likely gonna be too small for \~150 but super appreciate the call out! Some info for others reading: https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/garden-cafe-dallas/40891295c6e1d4c5.html
No-Orange-123@reddit
I liked the Laurel in Grapevine!
madssn00py@reddit
Crescent Moon in Blue Ridge TX! My partner and I got married there in April and it’s absolutely gorgeous. The venue owners are also so so so sweet and accommodating.
janejacobs1@reddit
Event 1013, a landmark structure in historic downtown Plano, is lovely and very accommodating. (There’s also 34Events a few doors down but I only have experience with E1013.) You could possibly plan on an outdoor ceremony at the bandstand+plaza at beautiful Haggard Park, an easy 1/2 blk walk and have the reception at E1013. Then if closer to the day you see rain is forecast, switch your ceremony over to the venue. You can rent chairs for the park ceremony from Taylor Rental just a few blks away, as I did when I had my ceremony at Haggard Park—worked out great. If you have to move indoors, they can easily change the drop off location since both park and venue are so close.
ResidentNeither1220@reddit
We got married at the Perot Museum! Their events team was so easy to work with and since there are multiple floors, you can select your space based on your guest count and vibe. Plus if you use their outdoor space they have great rain plans in place! https://www.perotmuseum.org/events/host-an-event/
Dismal-Pollution4632@reddit
Venue 1842 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park is really nice and the grounds are beautiful!
Wrong_Dependent_5411@reddit
I went to a Perot Museum wedding that definitely was not visually boring
Weary-Idea1677@reddit
Le Coueur. Kind of regret not doing it there
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
Oh my gosh it’s GORGEOUS, how have I not heard of them before?!?
Weary-Idea1677@reddit
Haha, I don’t know how we stumbled upon it. But check it out, it’s beautiful in person as well!!
rhymes116@reddit
Doesn't adjust your question but if you're looking sound support for your ceremony I own and run my own company as mostly a one-man show. I'm talking about reliable wired or wireless mic systems and speakers. Message me if interested.
jtizzle555@reddit
Following
m_sirena@reddit
The 4 Eleven in Fort Worth for an industrial vibe venue
Necessary_Summer_369@reddit
On the Fort Worth side, the Marty Leonard Community Chapel is so unique and beautiful! https://martyleonardchapel.org/
juelzmitch@reddit
Ours was at the Nasher, 170 people. Food is expensive (but awesome) but we had a great time and the pictures were beautiful.
CommunicationOwn2775@reddit
Dallas world aquarium weddings are awesome
SaltyCurrent4975@reddit
Little Chapel in the Woods in Denton. Smaller, quaint little place
More-Talk9550@reddit
I don't know what your budget is, but, the Joule hotel lets you do a ceremony on the roof top balcony and your guests enter from a glass elevator from the street! Crescent Uptown was another one we looked at also! The Nasher Sculpture Center is another great one but books up quickly.
DejaBlonde@reddit
It'll be the other side of the metro, but I loved my wedding at Hidden Gardens. The owner is also a florist, and does give kind of a package deal if you use her for floral too. She had to do a second altar arrangement for us on the fly due to rain on the main seating patio, and it looked just as great: Floral Examples
I don't remember total capacity (this was 2019) but I only had about 100 people, and I could see there being room for 150.
PrincessAngieB@reddit
Second Hidden Gardens!!
TransportationEng@reddit
Winfrey Point on White Rock Lake. They book up fast.
Illustrious_Yam9210@reddit
I got married there. It is awesome
TransportationEng@reddit
We used Dryfuss House for ours, then it burned down.
Brassanthe@reddit
I came here to say the same thing!
WishboneLive4278@reddit
Dealing with the site manager at Winfrey Point was a horrible experience for my event.
TransportationEng@reddit
We didn't have trouble, but there may have been a different person.
Patient_Ant_3808@reddit
Off The Grid. Historic Dallas power and light building, friends got married there and it was great!
WiseMize@reddit
Go to weddingwire.com and search Hotel weddings in Dallas. So many Gorgeous venues at all prices! They list all around the DFW area.
peacelovetacos247@reddit
My friends got married at Knotting Hill Place in Little Elm. It was really nice and they have outdoor options, but the inside is pretty white so might not be what you’re looking for.
Ryxeria@reddit
Texas Discovery Gardens
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
I am so in love with them! Our only pause is that their flooring reminds my fiancé of his elementary school cafeteria lol, but we may just say screw it and rent an enormous dance floor 😂
HugsAreDrugs@reddit
Got married here as well and it was awesome
Orangechimney22@reddit
Was in bridal party for a wedding here and it was so nice. Hidden gem!
SBR2TH@reddit
We attended a wedding here and it was lovely!
SuccessfulExcuse@reddit
This is the real hidden gem! Had my wedding here during Covid, and it was exceptional. We just did the ceremony there, not the reception, so can't speak to that side of things.
QueenNibbler@reddit
Paradise cove in southlake fits this bill too. I got married there and they were great.
https://paradisecovetx.com/
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
Oh I’ve never heard of this one!! Do you by any chance remember the capacity?
QueenNibbler@reddit
I want to say 100-150? We had less than 50 people at our wedding so there was lots of room to move but it wasn’t cavernous. If it’s all outside, probably more.
Latinawithatude@reddit
Commenting because I’m getting married within the next year and these are our same requirements lol
Congratulations! Here’s a venue that I absolutely loved. But I feel weird having my wedding there as a prior friend did. It’s next to a garden center, which means they put effort in the lushness. You’ll be surrounded by trees. https://www.westongardens.com/weddings
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
Twin, if only we wanted to get married in Austin, the options that match our requirements would abound 😂 Also don’t give up on the Ft. Worth Zoo as long as you want any month other than October - they’ve just been yanking us around because they do their gala in October and keep pushing off setting the date. If we wanted November it would be no problem, but at this point I don’t want to change it on principle lol.
keesouth@reddit
The Arboretum is the first place that comes to mind.
goldenshear@reddit
I have worked a massive wedding at the Arboretum and that’s how I found out that they don’t have a rain plan so be wary of the time of year if you go with that
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
That was why we crossed it off the list! We want to get married next October, and I just can’t trust not having a rain plan 😅 Their one package with a good rain plan was reallyyyyyy pricey.
learningthings2814@reddit
Can confirm - if you do need the rain tent it'll cost you $20k. So beautiful there though
lcbtexas@reddit
I got married at the arboretum spring of 2022 and gambled on not using the tent at the degolyer house. It was absolutely perfect and gorgeous.
fakejacki@reddit
Oh if you want to do October I don’t think my option will work because of the fair. We did ours in February because of this
goldenshear@reddit
Yeah, definitely don’t put your guests through trying to find a hotel room in Dallas during TX/OU weekend
OriginalGeoff@reddit
Look at the Filter Building on White Rock as an alternative.
Tight_Cheetah_4474@reddit
My friends wedding was originally going to be at the Arboretum. And then it rained and they had to move it to a country club. Had it not been for the fact her family is very well off, it would have been disastrous. There response to the rain out was a shrug and oh well.
NegotiationSalt666@reddit
It’s expensive as hell though. Unless you’re doing a SMALL informal thing, if you’re ok with that, then it’s fine.
saison257@reddit
This is 100% the first place I thought of. I didn't have my wedding there but had my engagement and bridal portraits there and they were absolutely gorgeous. So much color and texture around.
Puffkie@reddit
Avalon Legacy in Mckinney
lovelylotuseater@reddit
I LOVED my wedding at the Trinity River Audubon Center
They have a few different configurations for spaces and rentals. We did cocktail hour outside the venue, a very brief standing ceremony on a rented platform on the swallowtail deck (less than 5 mins, getting in and out of seats would have taken longer than the ceremony) and the reception inside the main hall.
Miel120@reddit
This was mine! Their cook and the food was AMAZING. Boxwood also has other venues within their portfolio
I'm adding my florist too
https://www.instagram.com/casa_de_dahlia?igsh=cGRrMWJ2andiczJ5
Adjective_Noun4377@reddit
Best florist, ever.
furbybwaid@reddit
Came here to say this! A perfect fit for what OP is going for.
krollAY@reddit
We toured there and liked it but ultimately went with Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park because it was cheaper.
rabidcfish32@reddit
My second favorite wedding ever (next to my own) was at the trinity river Audubon center. It was still even transitioning at the time and not as beautiful as it is now
lisacsr@reddit
My daughter just got married there last month. The venue is gorgeous and the service and food were perfection!
salmon_guacamole@reddit
This! We had our wedding there and it was gorgeous
SubXeroz@reddit
Just went to a wedding here past month -- great venue!
IsJamalComing@reddit
Second this
livingthevida@reddit
Look at event1013 in Plano! We had our reception there since we did a destination wedding. Beautiful brick walls, an area in the back that you can do your ceremony in and can convert to the food area later in the night. Was very fairly priced and the staff was amazing to work with
Complex_Confusion552@reddit
Southside Preservation
CorsoMom3367@reddit
My son and DIL got married at The Springs in Denton in October, 2024. Beautiful wedding! Absolutely gorgeous venue!
interstatebus@reddit
We used Hickory Street Annex because we liked the industrial look. There’s not much of an outdoor area that’s green but it was some great photographs. They were also super easy to work with and recommended our wedding planner, who we absolutely loved.
http://hickorystreetannex.com/
doxie333@reddit
Beautiful venue and good area if out of town guests want to go to bars post wedding
doxie333@reddit
I had my wedding here in 2018! We also toured a lot of the other venues mentioned, the filter building was really small IMO - we had 160 attendees.
kitkat214281@reddit
We went to a wedding here. The bride reveal was top tier and a beautiful venue!
Practical_Ad_9756@reddit
Not a typical wedding venue because it’s such a hidden gem, but go visit the Farmers Branch Historical Park. They do have a chapel but they have a bunch of buildings that would also suit a wedding.
feistybean@reddit
I got married at Arrowwood Weddings in Palmer (Waxahachie area) and it was STUNNING and checks all your boxes
Usual-Bookkeeper7395@reddit
This is where my husband and I had our wedding so defiantly recommend!! Also they have covered space they can transform in case of rain, we got married in October too!
Usual-Bookkeeper7395@reddit
Not sure how far you willing to drive, but my husband and got married at Arrowwood Weddings + Events Venue in Palmer, TX and it was great! I can share more about our experience and our coordinator if interested too
Southern_Landscape24@reddit
Ashton gardens in Corinth is really pretty. The backdrop is trees
Dry-Jello7607@reddit
I second Ashton Gardens! Got married there in August and it is so beautiful with amazing staff and amenities!!
Zealousideal-Luck553@reddit
Thirding! I made a separate comment recommending this place because I also got married here and love it! So commenting here too 😊
Zealousideal-Luck553@reddit
I got married at Ashton Gardens in Corinth! It’s an indoor chapel but the windows are all floor ceiling windows and the backdrop is a wooded area so lots of greenery and light. It was perfect for us because we also wanted a nature vibe but without the chance of inclement weather.
One_Refrigerator_727@reddit
Had a similar sized wedding, and our recepetion was at the Marie Gabrielle. Marie Gabrielle Dallas | Best Garden Wedding in Dallas | Event Venue & Outdoor Dining Highly Recommend.
MozartOnMute@reddit
Oakview Lodge at The Springs in Aubrey.
https://springsvenue.com/denton/
Sad_Perspective_9265@reddit
Most universities do.
LadyWatz35@reddit
Myers Park in McKinney is beautiful and also super inexpensive, like unusually inexpensive. The rental for the ceremony was like $300.
LawyerSensitive2317@reddit
We got married at the Hall of State in Fair Park! It's an amazing art deco building and iirc, has some pretty outdoor spaces too.
Ichgebibble@reddit
We got married at Old City Park and it was very sweet but we didn’t have a ton of people
Caryatid@reddit
We got married at the Wildwood Inn in Denton! It was very affordable for the time (2017). With renting out the entire hotel, and having an open beer/wine bar and catering, it was maybe 7k total? We spent less than 10k on the ENTIRE wedding/reception. There’s an outdoor area, a covered patio, and a reception hall that has doors along the entire backyard facing wall that opens out to the patio.
SJC9027@reddit
Dang it’s like 25k now!
catracho4eva@reddit
Damn that’s crazy, just DJed a wedding there
Caryatid@reddit
Oh dang! Thats definitely WAY more than when we got married.
innocuouseight@reddit
Brake & Clutch!
Not_Dana196@reddit
Sixty Vines in Dallas has a sort of greenhouse that they do private events in. It would give the wedding a sort of brunch party or cocktail night out feel depending on what time it is.
atomicdustbunny07@reddit
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. Lucas Texas. . Check it out. It's pretty
CoachStoops@reddit
The courtyard at the Crescent Hotel in Uptown!
Haunting_Athlete_457@reddit
+1. Got married here.
anonny2144@reddit
Ballpark price? Dream venue
Haunting_Athlete_457@reddit
$50kish. Was 6 years ago though.
Remarkable-Talk-6197@reddit
Magnolia terrace in frisco
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
They are EXACTLY the vibe I wanted, though sadly they have a hard capacity of 100!
Peaceful_Petunia@reddit
Honey Locust Farms in Rockwall! It’s a plant nursery, very affordable wedding venue, and exactly up your alley. Much larger capacity than Magnolia Terrace and such a hidden gem.
xiasai@reddit
Honey Locust Farms in Rockwall has a similar vibe!
Interesting_Wheel_@reddit
Winfrey Point at White Rock might work
Rowpaxil1@reddit
We had our reception at the Rotunda at Chase Tower (Ross and Pearl intersection). The building is white inside but it is a cool building. Upper level looks down on the first level. The whole outdoor plaza and underground parking was included as well.
Professional-Mix9774@reddit
Filter House on White Rock Lake. It was a perfect venue for my wedding, the wedding was outside and reception inside. The lake was still and a rowing team propelled across the perfectly still lake as we were saying I do. The venue is big enough to have the ceremony inside as a back up, depending on the size of your event.
Ok-Winner-6803@reddit
A) The butterfly garden B) La couer in McKinney
Dontplaythatish@reddit
The graily in Waxahachie is gorgeous!
BellaWhiskerKitty@reddit
You could look at cross creek ranch in Wylie/east plano area. Pretty easy to book and relatively cheap. Max capacity of 300. It’s got the outdoor greenery, outdoor ceremony space both covered or uncovered options, pond with bridge, greenery, indoor reception space.
https://crosscreekranchtexas.net/faq/
Spamgela940@reddit
The aquarium, though idk what their capacity is. Friends got married there years ago and it was nice
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
They were actually my dream venue! Sadly, they haven’t ever restarted hosting weddings since COVID.
Appropriate_Field_69@reddit
We’re getting married at The Carlisle Room in downtown. Not necessarily colorful, but not white as it is completely decked out in the art deco style that was popular when the building was built.
axii-24@reddit
My sister and her husband got married at a beautiful venue in Denton!!
https://waltersweddingestates.com/venues/wildwood-inn-denton/
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
Oh wow, that is a gorgeous venue!! Sadly they have a capacity of 100, but I hope someone finds inspiration from this comment!
Facchino-PJJ@reddit
Mata Hari House holds up to 200
LiterallyAlwaysLost@reddit (OP)
Oh I’ve never even heard of them, this venue is fascinating!!
SipoteQuixote@reddit
Rose garden in ft worth?
silverspork@reddit
Ok, this might not be quite what you’re going for, but maybe?
We got married at Inclusion Coffee in Arlington - it’s our favorite coffee shop in the area. We rented the whole place out, along with the services of2 baristas (open coffee bar ftw). They have a ton of plants and natural light, but it’s very streamlined and easy to put your own decor/touches on the place. We loved it.
Various_Summer_1536@reddit
This seems like a good place to go visit! Is it similar to Bitty and Beau’s?
silverspork@reddit
I’m not sure - I haven’t been there but I’ll have to check it out if I’m up in Frisco!
pollyatomic@reddit
You’re looking for Chandor Gardens! We got married there in 2004. It’s a ways out but gorgeous and checks all your boxes.
https://weatherfordtx.gov/170/Chandor-Gardens
LilDebSez@reddit
Went to a craft fair there and thought it'd be great for weddings. So many unique little areas.
pollyatomic@reddit
It’s lovely. Our photographer really took advantage of those little spaces!
LilDebSez@reddit
Oh, I bet they were beautiful!
liqrslinger23@reddit
We had a really hard time finding a place that was flexible enough for a fall wedding and ended up here: www.partyoffthegrid.com/
Not sure what the rates are now, but it was reasonable at the time.
Various_Summer_1536@reddit
Thanksgiving Square.
PlantFreak77@reddit
Texas Discovery Gardens?
fakejacki@reddit
We got married at the Texas hall of state at the fair grounds. It was a great price(in 2016) and it’s a beautiful venue. Also they let you bring your own liquor which saves a ton of money.
uwpxwpal@reddit
I know everyone is calling out the Dallas Arboretum, but there are many other botanical gardens in the area. Grapevine has one. Denton has one. Fort Worth has one.
Happy_Diver_8515@reddit
Stoney Ridge Villa fits all your requirements. We're getting married there in September and the owners have been amazing so far. It's family owned and byo vendors.
Staff_Genie@reddit
There's what I believe to be a Boathouse on White Rock Lake. I went to a wedding there several years ago and the wedding itself was outside with the lake behind and the chairs on the grass and then the reception was inside
Designerfrog@reddit
The Joule is a nice outdoor option.
spoodlat@reddit
THL Botanical Gardens in Ft. Worth or the Japanese Gardens.
Designerfrog@reddit
Yes the Japanese Gardens are so lovely for a wedding, if you can do it after hours, so you don’t have people wondering around.
SJC9027@reddit
Check out Sunago bell in Denton
jamesdukeiv@reddit
I always recommend A&M Gardens in Azle, but it’s a bit of a drive from Dallas. Indoor recording area, outdoor ceremony area, absolutely littered with gorgeous photograph spots.
Remote_Location_7423@reddit
Clark Gardens in Mineral Wells/Weatherford was a gorgeous backdrop for my daughters wedding.
john_peel@reddit
House of DIRT in Bishop Arts might fit your bill. I’m not sure if capacity goes up to 150 but it’s worth checking out. Owned by DIRT Flowers.
no_car1799@reddit
http://www.lacrecientevenue.com/ They renovated the whole space
kitkat214281@reddit
Does the Dallas museum of art still do weddings?
new2thepartee@reddit
Nasher Sculpture Garden
Disastrous_Tension99@reddit
The downtown El Fenix rooftop!
rickmoney21@reddit
Hall of lights
seagyal@reddit
artspace 111 - all white inside but lots of outdoor space. reasonable ish and super easy to work with!
cdecker0606@reddit
Thanksgiving Square always looked like a cool place to me. You can rent parts of the garden or the whole thing.
Drewness326@reddit
I can’t remember the name of the place but it was like the old power station on white rock lake. Great location
1337lupe@reddit
wife and I got married in the ft worth botanic garden. highly recommend (if already suggested, apologies for double post)
garyjuergens@reddit
White rock filter building
SubXeroz@reddit
Maybe look into The Filter Building on White Rock Lake.
Should be big enough to accommodate your guest list. Beautiful scenery.
minlillabjoern@reddit
I came to suggest this. I’ve been to a couple of events there and they were lovely with the lake in the background.
txnewsprincess@reddit
Trinity River Audubon Center. I think Winfrey Point would also work, or maybe the filter room, but WP has to get booked super early.
CatteNappe@reddit
The Arboretum is hugely popular. Choice of multiple venues for various sized weddings; and definitely plenty of greenery and color. Not a "hidden" gem, though; so you may have already considered it.
MajorJax29@reddit
2616 Commerce in Deep Ellum
Angelfoodcake4life@reddit
The Discovery Garden in Fair Park would sit that many. It had beautiful grounds that are affordable compared to other gardens.
pandalovees@reddit
My sister in law had hers at weston gardens in fort worth. It was a very beautiful venue!!
steeleholtingon@reddit
There are a few in downtown Plano
Educational-Ruin-741@reddit
We're having our wedding at La Creciente in Oak Cliff, it's a beautiful, indoor/outdoor, affordable... The main reception space is white but the rest of the space is a beautiful pale pink color, with Mexican furniture/art and green tile at the bar, it's pretty charming!
i5landsinthestream@reddit
Some good recs but I’m surprised not to see Stoney Ridge Villa yet! One of the most gorgeous venues in DFW in my opinion. Not overtly religious in design to my recollection, and has both outdoor and indoor beauty.
Beginning-Head-4006@reddit
Just do it at the church anyway. Maybe you'll discover something. We all become religious anyway eventually
JKinney79@reddit
We did the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. Mind you this was 19 years ago, but it had less restrictions than the Dallas Arboretum. With the Arboretum you had to pick from a list of approved vendors for catering and things of that nature.
DurianWeird2902@reddit
Little Chapel in the Woods at TWU Filter Building at White Rock Lake Hall of State at Fair Park
anonymouse8200@reddit
Turner House in North Oak Cliff
too-fun-sidekick@reddit
Arboretum
Lee park
Marie Gabrielle
Arts district mansion
TressoftheEmeraldTea@reddit
I recently attended a wedding at the Hall of Lights, and it was a really pretty venue, especially during and after sunset.