• Banquet seating for 250
• Beautiful outdoor wedding garden
• Multiple, unique spaces across a sprawling campus

Let’s face it… some Indianapolis Wedding Venues are just naturally cool (without even really trying), and the Indianapolis Zoo & White River Gardens are definitely one of those ‘cool’ places to host your wedding! One of the Zoo’s main attractions to newly engaged couples is the number of fun, unique spaces it offers and the unlimited decorative potential of each space.

The White River Gardens area features two unique, and equally breathtaking, ceremony spaces… the glass enclosed Hilbert Conservatory and the outdoor marvel Efroymson Wedding Garden. Once the ceremony is finished, the Knott Garden is a perfectly landscaped outdoor space for an intimate cocktail hour, and the finally the Hulman Riverhouse, which can host a reception of 160 guests (see the lighting photos below!), provides an unmatched view of the downtown skyline over the White River.

The Indianapolis Zoo itself boasts three more unique wedding venues… The Party Pavillion, which is a tented patio near the front of the Zoo, The North Pavillion, which is another tent-like structure situated at the back of the complex, and lastly… The Dolphin Adventure Gallery with seating for 250. With an abundance of decorating options (again, see the photos below) and a setting second-to-none, The Dolphin Gallery is a truly awesome place to host your reception.

From the moment your guests walk into the Zoo, they’ll be surrounded with an exceptional partying environment… befitting of a great Indianapolis wedding! The Zoo’s wedding staff gets top marks for their hospitality and friendliness, and food offerings from the talented team at Centerplate have continued to raise the bar for wedding dining. In our view, Indianapolis Zoo weddings get a solid 5 Stars!

From Jackie…

“I highly recommend Wes, Tony and the rest of the Event One team for any event! They always greet us with a smile, provide clear communication in regards to their set up needs and/or special requests from the client, arrive on time, assist with the flow of events by helping with announcements… and they sure know how to keep guests on the dance floor. Overall Event One DJs pull off a seamless event! I can’t say thank you enough for the great service you have provided to our brides, and how stress free you make it not only for the client, but for us and our setup team. We look forward to working with you for many more events to come!”

~ Jackie Sabrosky, The Indianapolis Zoo

“You did an amazing job at our ceremony & reception. I couldn’t have asked for better! Thank you so much for making our day great!” ~ Tamara & Mark

“Event One DJs provided the ceremony and reception music for our outdoor wedding in August of 2010. From the very beginning we knew everything was going to be perfect! In addition to the online planning tools and our meeting with Wes we were absolutely certain we didn’t have to worry about a thing. We had planned on customizing our ceremony music and he gave us suggestions that we absolutely loved! Our guests told us how much they enjoyed the ceremony because of how personal the music was and kept raving for weeks after about how much fun they had at the reception. Wes knows how to keep everyone on the dance floor and that made our wedding last all night. Thank you so much for being such a vital part of our wedding day!” ~ Rachel & Jeff

“Wes did a wonderful job with our reception. He was always so nice and cheerful, even from the first meeting. Wes was always so helpful and a calming presence during the hectic planning times! He incorporated our cultural music and the slideshow very nicely. Thanks for making our reception awesome!” ~ Abigail & Rafik

Hulman River House Wedding

Looking for more Indianapolis Banquet Halls? Check out our Indianapolis Wedding Venues page.

A big thank you to Mario and the entire Gazette staff for including this article in the paper. It’s great to a see a local publication support local, like-minded businesses.

• Banquet seating for 800
• Gorgeous ‘Grand Hall’ with tons of character
• Attentive staff & varying food options

One of downtown Indy’s bigger reception venues, Union Station at Crowne Plaza is truly a sight to be seen! From their phenomenal location right in the heart of the city (within easy walking distance of major hotels, bars and restaurants), to the breathtaking interior that instantly transports you and your guests to a time when life was much simpler, Union Station stands strong as one of the premier Indianapolis Wedding Venues.

With two large, unique spaces (Grand Hall at Union Station and Illinois Street Ballroom at Union Station), Union Station Weddings offer a little something for groups of all sizes & budgets. Each of the two spaces offer multiple options for hosting your wedding ceremony onsite, plus a dedicated space to entertain your guests during the cocktail hour. As you would expect, food choices are plentiful and delightful with a distinguished and well-trained chef at the helm.

Katie McHone and her staff of friendly, outgoing hosts have painstakingly created one of Indianapolis’ great, well-rounded wedding venues! If you’re considering hosting your wedding in the downtown Indy area, be sure to make arrangements for a tour of Crowne Plaza Union Station.

“We were referred to Event One DJs by good friends of ours who were recently married. From the planning process, to the end of the reception, Wes was professional, organized and personable. He listened to what we wanted our reception experience to be, and really made it happen! He played our music selections, and the music we thought our guests would enjoy as well. It was like he read our minds! His equipment was perfect for the large venue, and the lighting he provided was not only affordable, but brought some glamor to the already elegant space. We consistently receive compliments about what a great DJ we had – there wasn’t a second there wasn’t a crowd on the dance floor!” ~ Brandon & Jennifer

“Wes provided a truly professional service and was very eager and willing to cater to our needs.” ~ Omer & Kim

“You made our reception so phenomenal!! Everyone had a great time dancing….packed floor for 5 straight hours!! We received so many compliments on how great the music was, and how much fun everyone had. We are so happy with the way the music and uplighting turned out! Could not have had a better DJ or experience!! We’ve already recommended you to three other couples we know getting married next year:) Thank you Wes!!” ~ Suzanne & Chad

“Wes was absolutely amazing! We (and our guests) had such a fantastic time. The dance floor was packed all night..he really kept the party going! We received so many nice comments about the slideshow…our guests loved it!” ~ Casey & Scott

“Event1 was great to work with, from the beginning to end. Tony was fantastic and made the reception flow seamlessly. Thank you!” ~ Annalisa & Matt

Looking for more Indianapolis Banquet Halls? Check out our Indianapolis Wedding Venues page.

• Banquet seating for 300
• Indoor/outdoor ceremony space
• Warm, inviting ballroom with great lighting
• Phenomenal food service & friendly staff

The Hawthorns is the ideal place to host your wedding on Indy’s north side, as it offers a tranquil and private setting, various food offerings from a talented chef, and a friendly staff to welcome your wedding guests. Banquet manager, Stephanie Rice, creates a relaxed and welcoming environment when planning every last detail of your wedding.

In addition to a warm, contemporary ballroom that can seat 300+ for dinner & dancing, The Hawthorns in Fishers offers a number of options for hosting your wedding ceremony, too (including a breath-taking outdoor patio overlooking the golf course!). With such a picturesque setting both inside and out, you’re virtually guaranteed great memories and phenomenal photos after the wedding.

For their consistency on great food and creating a warm, inviting space, we give Weddings at The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Before making your venue decision, be sure to tour The Hawthorn’s Blue Herron Ballroom, as you might just find your perfect party place!

Photo: SB Childs Photography

“Professional Party Starters is what Event One should be called!  Every time they are at our facility, the guests dance their hearts out until we have to kick them out!  Everyone of all ages is out on the floor dancing the night away!  Very creative and can certainly bring everyone together with the great music they provide… AND they can help you make your event unique with awesome bridal party introductions!”
~ Stephanie Rice, The Hawthorns

“Wes was very professional when meeting with us.  He knows the business and helped us beyond just music selection.  He gave us an itinerary for the whole reception making everything go seemless and putting us at ease.  The whole evening was perfect.  We were able to focus on each other and the guests while Wes kept the reception flowing smoothly.  Guests complimented about how nice everything ran!  We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Wes!   Thanks for everything!”
~ Matt & Kara

“We originally chose Event 1 because you knew so much about how to help with the outside ceremony. By the end of our wedding and for days after, everyone kept on commenting not only how great the wedding was, but also how great the dj was at the reception and that he was one of the best they’ve seen. Event1djs definitely helped to make the event a memorial one!”
~ David & Megan

“Our DJ did a wonderful job hosting our reception and we plan to recommend Event One to anyone we know moving forward in need of a DJ service!  Overall… phenomenal job!”
~ Ryan & Katy

“I heard several times that once your wedding day arrives, it goes by very quickly. That couldn’t of been more true. The day went by so fast and my attention was needed in so many different directions. It was VERY refreshing to have Jon there ‘running the show.’ He did great making sure we stayed on time with different activities as well as ‘reading the crowd’ and playing great music! He was also wonderful when my husband and I went up to him to with last minute music requests- he’d play our songs right away. I was very happy with how the night went, and it likely wouldn’t of been nearly as smooth without your help!!” ~ Andrew & Sarah

“My husband and I could not have chosen better when it came to our DJ. Wes never missed a beat. He was very professional at every meeting, followed up with us quickly and regularly, showed up early to make sure everything was set-up perfectly for the ceremony and reception, and really created a fun atmosphere at the reception (the dance floor was packed). Wes followed through on every little thing he promised and went far above and beyond our every expectation. My husband and I had complete piece of mind and confidence in Wes and EventOne, so we were able to fully enjoy a worry-free wedding day!” ~ Zach & Janell

“Wes did an excellent job at our reception and exceeded our expectations! The music selection was excellent and he kept the dance floor alive throughout the entire night. It was such a fun reception and we have received so many compliments about the music and lighting effects. Wes is very professional and he helped us through the planning process and made it fun. We will definitely recommend Event One Disc Jockeys to anyone planning a wedding. Thanks so much for being such a big part of our special day and for helping to make it the perfect day!” ~ Todd & Melissa

Looking for more Indianapolis Banquet Halls? Check out our Indianapolis Wedding Venues page.

Here are a few quick and easy tips for surviving the upcoming bridal show season:

1. Arrive Early! You’re in for a long day no matter what, but you should plan to arrive early to beat the crowds
2. Eat Beforehand Come well nourished, as good food offerings can be hard to come by at Indianapolis Bridal Shows (although there should be plenty of cake samples )
3. Bring a Friend to Take Notes Talking with a bunch of wedding vendors in a short amount of time can quickly get confusing. Have a friend at your side to take notes, and ‘star’ vendors that you felt a strong connection with.
4. Walk Down Every Aisle It’s easy to skip over vendors in larger bridal shows, but don’t short-change yourself! Take your time to browse every available display… that next great idea might be just around the corner.
5. Ask Questions of Everyone You Speak With Indianapolis bridal shows aren’t just meant to be a grab-and-go brochure party, but instead a chance for you to interact with, and gather information, from wedding professionals that have made weddings their careers. Be sure to ask lots of questions to absorb as much info as possible!

Upcoming Indianapolis Bridal Shows

Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show
Sat. January 7th & Sun. January 8th
11:00 am – 4:00 pm each day
Scottish Rite Cathedral
Indy Bridal Show Info

Bloomington Bridal Show
Sun. January 22nd
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Bloomington Convention Center
Bloomington Bridal Show Info

Indianapolis Bridal Shows

We’ve all heard a horrible rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer” at piano bar at least once in our lives (and probably will again sometime down the road), but don’t let that foul experience ruin you from the mega potential these dance-floor-packers hold at your wedding reception. Before you know it, you and your friends will be hoisting drinks and nailing every fourth word correctly as the dance floor comes alive around you!

Keep these on your ‘Must Play’ list: Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister Your Love – The Outfield You Shook Me All Night – AC/DC A few more for your consideration: Sweet Child ‘o Mine – Guns N Roses Nothin’ But a Good Time – Poison You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi Great 80′s Hairband slow jams: Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon To Be With You – Mr. Big I’ll Be There For You – Bon Jovi Stay away from: Rock You Like a Hurricane – The Scorpions The Final Countdown – Europe (unless it’s your Grand Entrance) I Wanna Rock – Twisted Sister

Indianapolis Wedding DJ

Indianapolis Photo Booth Rental

By: Deborah Bowman

As couples begin thinking about planning their wedding, they often have no idea where to start, how much to expect to spend and how to choose a ceremony/reception venue and reputable vendors. Couples are faced with numerous decisions and quickly discover how much time and effort is involved. A average wedding can take more than two hundred fifty hours to plan.

Wedding coordinators do not make decisions for you. They guide and assist you in making informed decisions. They will save you valuable time and enable you to get the most for your money. They also can act as the family counselor for brides and their mothers. A wedding coordinator can become as close as your best friend. You should feel like a guest at your own event.

Wedding coordinators can assist as much or as little as you desire. Customize a contract to fit your specific needs. Below is a listing of just some of the services that can be provided.

• Bride/Groom checklists to help stay on track during the planning process
• Assist in finding venues/vendors that fit your needs/budget
• Schedule & attend all vendor meetings
• Review all vendor contracts
• Develop and manage your wedding budget
• Assist with bridal attire selection
• Assist with invitation, menu, program, table number & escort card selection
• Assemble & mail invitations
• Monitor guest list and track RSVP’s
• Program assembly
• Assist with seating arrangements
• Assist with décor, linens & tablescape options
• Assist with favors & gift selections for guests
• Assist with guest accommodations
• Deliver gift bags to hotel guests
• Create a detailed timeline, vendor listing & floor plans
• Create a vendor payment schedule
• Contact all vendors to finalize wedding day details
• Assist with ceremony & reception set up
• Rehearsal, ceremony & reception coordination
• Collect wedding gifts & arrange delivery
• Bridal suite decoration
• Babysitting services
• Activities for children
• Assist with honeymoon plans
• “Day After” services
• Return rental items

A wedding planner can take care of any item, no matter how large or small. Their eye for detail will ensure the most minute details are perfected. Your wedding planner will become a great asset during the planning process, from providing wedding etiquette to sending you wedding homework to keep you on task. They are also there to research, answer and solve problems along with provide a peace of mind that will allow you to enjoy the planning process and look forward to a stress free wedding day. A wedding planner will turn your wedding day dreams into a beautiful reality.

Find a wedding coordinator that you feel completely comfortable with and have a good rapport.

Contributed by:
Deborah Bowman
A Touch of Elegance
Connect with Deborah on Facebook

Below are two testimonials from Deborah’s wedding clients:

Dear Deborah & Cassie,

What an amazing wedding! Andrew and I cannot thank you enough for everything you did to make our day so special. From the pre-planning fun of finding vendors, to making seating charts, to the day of activities, you held our hand through all of it. Not once did we fell stressed, overwhelmed or anxious. Your timelines and checklists helped keep us on track and feeling in control.

Our wedding day was a dream come true. You and your team did an amazing job of ensuring that everything went smoothly and ensuring that Andrew and I had the time of our lives (which we did!).

Thank you for all the hard work you put into the day. The compliments we’ve received on the wedding and on A Touch of Elegance’s work is a true testament to what an amazing job you did. Thank you for letting Andrew and I focus on each other and not worry about all the details on our big day. Not only did Andrew and I enjoy our time but so did our families. They got to celebrate with us feeling completely relaxed, happy and stress free.

Thank you so much for making our day so absolutely wonderful! We cannot say thank you enough for all your hard work, time and patience.

Laurie & Andrew Schneider
Wedding date: September 17, 2011

Dear Deborah,

What a wonderful experience Laurie’s wedding turned out to be! You were a superb overseer and we would have been lost without you. I enjoyed this whole process tremendously. It was delightful to get to know you and Cassie and I wish you many more years of wonderful wedding. Thanks so much for all that you did.

Fondly,

Kristin Fruehwald (Mother of Laurie Schneider)
Wedding date: September 17, 2011

Indianapolis Wedding DJ

By: Daniel Dodd

A wedding is more than just some casual party you spend an hour or two planning for and invite a few friends over. It is one of the most important days of your life. It’s an event that many brides have thought about all their lives and it usually takes months to plan for. The guests you invite for this special once in a life celebration are both family members and life time friends. The people you have chosen to attend will never be together in one place at the same time ever again. The detailed planning can seem endless when choosing the right dress, venue, flowers, colors, food, DJ and even how the tables are set. A wedding is not only time consuming to plan but requires a great deal of finances too.

After all the planning is completed and everything is purchased, the day finally arrives and is over in a few short hours. Most of what goes on throughout the day is merely a blur in your mind by the next morning. You try to remember your father looking at his little girl in a wedding dress for the first time with cloudy eyes filling up as he tries to hold back his tears. The first time you looked at your fiancé and realized in a few short minutes you will be pronounced husband and wife forever. Thinking back and wondering how your vows sounded as you gazed into each other’s eyes.

What would you give to be able to travel back in time whenever you want to relive that wonderful day of happiness and celebration? Capturing your wedding day on video can do just that. A professional videographer can capture and preserve both audio and video with digital clarity taking each and every special moment of your wedding day and turning it into a memory for a life time.

A professional wedding video is one item that is all too often over looked or passed off as being too expensive. Many brides may ask family members to video parts of the wedding using standard consumer video cameras and hope for the best. The one thing that is repeated time and time again from the brides who choose a professional videographer on their wedding day is how good of a decision it was having it preserved professionally for life. They like their pictures but always play their video when friends or family come over. If a picture is worth a thousand words then video with sound is priceless!

I would encourage anyone getting married to consider a professional videographer to capture their wedding day. All the time, energy, effort and money put into their wedding day would be captured and well documented for the rest of their lives. Don’t be fooled by thinking a family member or friend can video a wedding any more than them being able to shoot photos or DJ at the reception. You only have one chance to capture a moment in time and save it into a memory so don’t leave it to chance with a non-professional.

For a few examples of what a professional videographer can do for your wedding day, please click on the link below to view some music video highlights completed for other couples.

http://www.spotonvideoworks.com/beth-nick-wedding-day-highligts-page/

Contributed by:
Daniel Dodd
Spot On FilmWorks

Indianapolis Wedding Entertainment

By: Stephanie Rice

Our clubhouse has seen many weddings and events in the past year and none of these would have been as successful as they were without great vendors. It’s amazing to see an empty room fill up with tables, chairs, beautiful flowers, linens, cakes and all the pieces are in place but nothing comes alive until the DJ plays the first song.

We (the venue) get paid to fret over the little things like: salt and pepper shakers being full, sugar caddies being set up correctly, table numbers, forks, knives, spoons, napkins, chargers, and chair sashes but once our room is set it’s up to the rest of the vendors to work their magic.

The cake lady will always whisk in and out leaving a beautiful cake behind; and the florist comes and goes leaving beautiful live pieces of art on the tables. The DJ however is the magician behind the green screen. We’ve all seen wonderful movies and as the best parts are unfolding there is always music. This is the role of the DJ on your special day. They’re responsible for the constant soundtrack to the best day of your life. Now, the DJ will set the tone as guests enter the room, they will blare the boisterous music for your bridal party to enter to and they will embrace your entrance as Husband and Wife. So, what I’m trying to say is – don’t skimp on selecting your DJ. They have one of the biggest roles in your day and because they are such a large part if they don’t do a good job, everyone will notice and remember the failed attempt at conducting the orchestra of your big day.

A DJ is the make or break of the celebration of the event. The food will be forgotten and the long after the party is over the photos serve as the evidence that guests had a good time. When choosing vendors for your big day it’s always important that you mesh well with these people. Always remember they are human and mistakes can happen but you have to like the person to be willing to put such a big event in their hands. You will spend more hours interacting with these people over the course of your engagement than you will spend with your guests that evening.

As a venue we are always excited to see preferred DJs. There is nothing worse than getting to the end of party and no one is left except the bride and groom and a small handful of people. However, when Event One does a wedding we’re trying our best to usher the guests out who are still begging for “One More Song.” The first event that Event One did at our venue our staff was amazed at the fact that the Grandparents were cutting loose till the very end and parents were having so much fun kids were sleeping on our lounge furniture outside the ballroom because they didn’t want to leave. Now that’s a great party!

Contributed by:
Stephanie Rice
Catering Sales Manager
The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club

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