Downtown Dallas Wedding Venue

We know Dallas is full of beautiful wedding venues—each with their own distinct personality. And with so many options out there, selecting the perfect place to host your special day is no easy feat. Of course, each couple will have their own priorities and aesthetic while seeking a venue. That being said, a downtown location can be an amazing benefit to you and your guests!

The Empire Room’s couples always highlight our location as a favorite feature of our downtown Dallas wedding venue. And we have to agree—a downtown location has a lot to offer. Take a look at a few reasons why:

• Character: nothing beats the inherent character of a wedding in the city we love most. Capture the spirit of The Big D by hosting your wedding in the heart of this urban landscape. Nestled in the Design District, our downtown Dallas wedding venue is a memorable space to celebrate your big moment. Plus, with indoor and outdoor options, you can customize our space to suit any style.

• Entertainment value: a central location ensures proximity to all kinds of Dallas attractions and nightlife. Guests will have no shortage of fun activities leading up to the wedding. And if the party goes on after the bride and groom’s grand exit? Guests are close to Dallas’s best nightlife scenes. In need of ideas? Check out our list of things to do in downtown Dallas!

• Ideal for out-of-town guests: make the entire wedding weekend a luxe experience for guests. Downtown offers a wide variety of convenient hotels, accommodations, and attractions. If your friends and family will be traveling to Dallas, let them experience an authentic taste of the city—with all the amenities and conveniences that will keep them comfortable.

• Unmatched views: our downtown Dallas wedding venue offers unparalleled views of the city’s nighttime skyline. Guests can stroll outside in our patio area as they take in the incredible urban view. Trust us—your friends and family will be talking about this stunning sight long after the night is over!

It’s easy to see that a downtown venue has a lot to offer. As for the cons list? There isn’t much to put on it! Some couples are initially concerned about parking—but our valet services are available to make transportation easy on guests and bridal party alike. We’ve worked hard to tailor every aspect of our service to accommodate urban couples and their guests… so you can relax and enjoy your celebration.

We may be a bit biased, but we think there’s a lot to love about a downtown Dallas wedding venue! If you’d like to tour our space and see for yourself, please get in touch. We would love to show you our one-of-a-kind wedding venue and begin planning your big day here at The Empire Room.

Every couple at The Empire Room brings a different vision to our versatile space. We provide a memorable setting (overlooking downtown Dallas!) and a blank slate space; our brides and grooms bring the rest to life. We love to see how each couple personalizes our unique Dallas wedding venue, transforming it into a one-of-a-kind space to celebrate their love story.

While an overall creative vision drives the event décor, we’re a bit partial to the little details… and so are wedding guests! Personalized details never fail to make an impression and set a celebration apart from the rest. So today, we’re covering a detail that has endless potential for customization: your menu display! Check out a few of our favorite ideas here:

• Paper: paper will always be a classic choice—and it can be personalized in so many ways. Have your stationer design a menu to correspond with your invitation suite, or wrap a paper belly band around your napkin and silverware. Whether your style is soft and romantic, or modern glam… paper can definitely work in your favor.

• Acrylic: we’re loving this recent modern menu trend. Use clear acrylic sheets with white paint lettering for a contemporary look. Use smaller acrylic sheets atop place settings, or opt for one large acrylic sheet to display near a buffet or reception entrance.

• Mirror: mirrors are another popular menu display choice at our unique Dallas wedding venue. Whether you love antiqued gold embellishments or a thin modern frame, mirrors are easily customizable to your tastes—and they make a major visual impact!

• Chalkboard: a tried-and-true option, chalkboards are versatile and inexpensive. Plus, a talented calligrapher can transform any chalkboard into a focal point of your décor. Keep it streamlined, or go all-out with detailed lettering; or, add botanical illustrations for a garden-style twist.

• Wood board: another big trend in wedding industry, natural wood panels are a timeless choice. Wooden elements are a great way to bring an organic touch to your special day!

• Fabric: go the extra mile with hand-lettered fabric menus. Drape them underneath each place setting, so the menu hangs over the edge of the table. Talk about wow-factor!

At The Empire Room, we work with Gil’s Elegant Catering to serve delectable dishes with impeccable service. Gil’s makes sure your menu display begins with a strong foundation: delicious, unique food. Whether you serve a formal plated dinner, or opt for interactive food stations… you can’t go wrong.

And don’t forget to check out our post on Wedding Signage You’ll Love. The pretty lettering shouldn’t stop with just the menu! Add one-of-a-kind signage to your big day for unforgettable impact.

Which menu display is right for you? We’ve seen them all at our unique Dallas wedding venue! We’d be happy to give you the grand tour and help envision your own special day right here at The Empire Room. Just give us a call.

Happy New Year, everyone! We had an outstanding year here at The Empire Room, but we have a feeling 2017 holds even more excitement in the future. We can’t wait to meet this year’s engaged couples, party planners, and corporate event managers.

We’re kicking off the blogroll this year with a highlight on corporate events. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting holiday parties, anniversaries, fundraisers, retirement parties, and more for local businesses like Boston Consulting, Kosmos Energy, and Faith Family Academy.

Hosting a significant event for your colleagues is an important opportunity to make an impression and connect with your coworkers. The best part? Every event is unique. The Empire Room has been transformed in countless ways to accommodate one-of-a-kind celebrations. Our versatile space is easily tailored to fit any theme or creative vision.

To get the ball rolling, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite features to include at corporate events. Take a look at our list:

• Food: great food is a must! Work with our award-winning catering partner, Gil’s Elegant Catering, to bring delicious flavor and unmatched presentation to your guests.

• Music: likewise, music is a must-have feature for any celebration. Our space is set up to accommodate both DJs and live bands—so take your pick! Get people out on the dance floor with a DJ, or let colleagues mingle on our patio with a live band playing in the background.

• Food trucks: who doesn’t love a delicious treat from a food truck? Our patio area makes it easy to bring in your favorite restaurants on wheels.

• Lighting and ambiance: create an atmosphere for your celebration with lighting features or drapery. Display custom logos with gobo lights, or spotlight key areas with pin lighting. The Empire Room is equipped with all the lighting technology you need to make it happen!

• Video displays: whether you’re revealing the company’s newest video, or recapping the year with a custom slideshow, video displays are a popular choice here at the top corporate event venue Dallas has to offer. We’re equipped with the functionality to display any media you have in mind.

• Unique “extras”: go the extra mile with memorable “extras” at your event. Include action stations and creative activities to set your celebration apart. Guests will be talking about these features long after the night as over:
  • Candy Bar
  • Cigar Roller
  • Whiskey Bar
  • Photo booth
  • Photo bus
  • Beer tasting
  • Cocktail mixology lessons
  • Vintage car display
  • On-site pizza oven

Ready to tour the best corporate event venue Dallas has to offer? We’re excited to meet you. Contact us here to schedule your tour and see what our space can do for your next corporate function.

Dreaming of your own Christmas wedding? We love the idea! However, holiday weddings come with a few pros and cons you might want to consider before setting the date in stone.

Pros:

• Event design: need we say more? Whether you’re embracing traditional burgundy and emerald colors, or working with a modern white and gold holiday palette, there are so many opportunities to craft an exquisitely designed event.

• More intimate crowd: some guests may have holiday plans, so you’re likely to end up with a smaller guest list. For many couples, this can be considered a pro—fewer guests means you can stretch your budget much further per head count. An intimate ceremony and reception allows you to truly customize the experience for each guest.

• A fun anniversary date! In the future, an anniversary near the holidays can be a fun pro of a Christmas wedding. You may have more time off around the holidays, opening up your schedule for anniversary travels or special celebrations.

Cons:

• Church availability: a Christmastime wedding might not be ideal if you plan to tie the knot inside a church; with countless holiday services going on, it’s hard to find a date and time for a wedding. Instead, consider a venue that can host both the ceremony and the reception without any previously scheduled religious services to worry about.

• Vendor availability: First things first! Make sure your Dallas TX wedding reception venue is available. Holiday dates can be tricky for wedding vendors—after all, they have holidays to celebrate too. You may have to sacrifice a couple of top choices in favor of available vendors (but don’t worry, there are plenty of top-notch wedding industry vendors out there!).

• Shorter guest list: while this is a pro for many couples, it can be a double-edged sword. If you intend to host a holiday wedding, make your peace with a shorter guest list. Some loved ones may not be able to attend a Christmas wedding, due to previous plans or holiday travel expenses.

Think a holiday wedding could be in the cards for you? We’d love to hear more about your ideas! Book a tour of our Dallas TX wedding reception venue to learn more about our offerings. In the meantime, check out our post on hosting a successful winter wedding here. We hope to hear from you soon!

And to all our couples, vendor connections, and loved ones… Merry Christmas! We wish everyone a happy holiday season, filled with joy, peace, and laughter. 

Downtown Dallas Reception Venue | Christmas in Dallas

One of the things we love most about our venue is our location. Nestled in the heart of downtown Dallas, our unique wedding venue setting is perfect proximity to the city’s best attractions and community… especially this time of year! If you’re celebrating the holidays in The Big D, take a look at our list of Christmas activities you might want to check out:

• Catch a holiday movie at Alamo Drafthouse: newly constructed just a few minutes away from our downtown Dallas reception venue, Alamo Drafthouse is a fun locale for offbeat movies and local brews. From Christmas romance to cult classics, there’s something for everyone.

• Experience Downtown Wanderland: close to our venue, you can visit Dallas’s Downtown Wanderland on Main Street. Browse pop-up shops, take in the lights, hear some live music, and catch a favorite movie screening.

• Reunion Tower’s Geo-Deck: if you’ve never visited Dallas’s infamous skyline “ball,” there’s no better time than the Christmas season. Check out the best view of downtown Dallas at Christmastime, and enjoy delectable sweets from Cloud Nine Café. Rumor has it Santa will even be there on Saturdays!

• The Twelve Days of Christmas at the Dallas Arboretum: one of the most popular Dallas holiday attractions, this fantastic Christmas spectacle is one for the books. Although it’s a bit of a trek, head over to White Rock Lake area for an evening of enchanting displays.

As a downtown Dallas reception venue, we love connecting to the city’s best events. Our location is convenient for Dallas locals, and perfectly situated for out-of-town wedding guests to enjoy Dallas attractions during their stay… especially during the holidays! We hope you’ll tour our downtown Dallas reception venue so we can talk about your vision for the big day, and we hope you enjoy a very merry Christmas here in our favorite city.

Recently engaged? Congratulations! We’re so excited that Engagement Season is finally here. This special window from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day holds more proposals than any other time of year. We think that’s plenty of reason to celebrate, don’t you?

If you’re sporting a new sparkly ring (or perhaps are expecting one in the near future?), this holiday season is guaranteed to be special. Perhaps you’re meeting the soon-to-be-in-laws, or spending Christmas with his family for the first time. Whether you’ve known his relatives for years or will be making introductions for the first time, Christmas is a perfect opportunity to make a great impression and spread some holiday cheer. After all, there’s a lot to celebrate this year!

So how do you make it through a successful holiday season as an engaged couple? We’ve got you covered with all the tips and tricks needed to breeze through a stress-free, cheer-filled Christmastime:

• Define expectations sooner rather than later: as wonderful as the holidays can be, Christmas can sometimes cause a few roadblocks for engaged couples. After all, now you have two whole families to think about! Will you open presents with his parents? Or are you dead-set on Christmas dinner with yours? Define your expectations early on, and ask your fiancé to do the same; planning ahead can help you both stay on the same page and avoid stepping on any toes.

• Never arrive empty-handed. Nervous about meeting his parents? Not sure about holidays with the future in-laws? Here’s our best tip: never arrive empty-handed. Grab a festive succulent arrangement or favorite bottle of wine to offer as a hostess gift when you knock on his family’s door. You’re guaranteed to start your visit on the right foot!

• Be ready for questions: if you’re recently engaged, you can definitely expect a lot of wedding-related questions over the holidays. Even though your families just want to share in the excitement, it can be a bit overwhelming for the bride-to-be. You and your fiancé might want to talk about a few of the “big questions” before any holiday parties (i.e., When’s the big day? Where’s the wedding? What are your colors?). It helps to have at least a general answer ready: “We haven’t set a date in stone, but we’re thinking about next August!”

• Bring a list:  We recommend making a short list of tasks you want to cover with any extended family—especially if they’re out-of-town relatives. Since everyone will be gathered together, it could be a good time to get family input on any wedding planning items. For example, invite your grandmother to join you for dress shopping and a modern wedding venue tour, or ask your future mother-in-law to start thinking about a guest list for x number of people.

• Spend some time for just two: in all the holiday chaos, don’t forget to set aside a little time for the two of you. Pick a night to cruise the neighborhood looking at lights, or decorate a tree together. Even though this time of year is a great opportunity to connect with family, it’s also a special holiday for the two of you as an engaged couple. Don’t forget to enjoy it!

With these tips in mind, the holidays will be a breeze. Set aside any wedding planning stress, and just enjoy celebrating this treasured time with friends and family. We hope you’ll tell your family all about The Empire Room, and maybe even schedule a tour to start talking about your wedding vision coming to life here at our modern wedding venue in Dallas.

Enjoy time with family (and with each other) during your special engaged Christmas! Stay tuned to our blog for more holiday tips throughout December. Again, congratulations!