Your moment has finally arrived, and now it’s your turn to plan the wedding of your dreams! Naturally, the feelings of excitement are bound to take over as you’ve probably been looking forward to this ever since you found out that your partner is the one. However, not everything is so rose-colored in the world of wedding planning. On the contrary, you need to be prepared for some stressful moments, especially when it comes to picking out your downtown Austin wedding venue.
It’s no surprise that deciding on wedding vendors can become rather overwhelming since you need people who see eye-to-eye with your vision. Still, in our experience as Austin wedding photographers, couples find that choosing a venue is the most overwhelming part of the process, and the reason behind it is more than justified! Namely, the place you get married in Austin marks the spot where your relationship will flourish and enter an entirely new stage, so striving for perfection seems logical.
What makes the decision so stressful, however, is the abundance of downtown Austin wedding venues, each unique in its own right. You may have opened a venue directory before, only to close it as soon as possible due to the countless options in front of you. Nevertheless, you know that you should choose promptly since hundreds of couples just like you are looking for the ideal setting to start their new beginnings.
To get some weight off your back, we devised the perfect guide! In this blog, you will find some of the best Austin wedding venues, as well as tips that will help you narrow down your search. Our selection packs quite the punch, so let’s not wait any longer!
Tips For Choosing Your Downtown Austin Wedding Venue
As previously mentioned, deciding on the place to get married in Austin is not the easiest pill to swallow. Due to the abundance of options, you’re most likely already feeling stressed out because you don’t know where to start or what to look for. For that reason, we’re sharing a few helpful tips that’ll steer you in the right direction.
Follow Your Wedding Theme
The style of your celebration is the first thing you need to consider when deciding on the perfect Austin wedding venue. Some couples imagine their most special day surrounded by rustic elements and vintage vibes, while others fall head-over-heels for the simplicity of modernism. Once you have your style of choice, look for venues that will be able to accommodate your aesthetic preferences without anything clashing. Suppose an ultra-modern wedding with all kinds of state-of-the-art tech involved in a quaint farmhouse or a barn. Not the most matching pair, isn’t it?
So, picture your wedding down to the tiniest detail, and only once you perfect it can you start looking for downtown Austin wedding venues. In fact, because of your vision and creativity, the right one will find its way to you!
Don’t Rush The Process
We understand how you might be afraid that the best Austin wedding venues might get booked on your preferred date, but whatever you do, don’t decide on a venue simply because it’s popular or it’s constantly in demand. You will be surprised how many underrated venues out there might feature everything you need! With that in mind, take your sweet time when choosing your venue, especially because you’re aware of its significance. While ratings and reviews are really helpful, don’t use them as your main guiding points. Simply stick to your preferences and desires and ensure they can fulfilled at your chosen venue.
Ask For Referrals From Other Vendors
You can always get referrals from couples who have hosted their celebration of love at the Austin wedding venue you’re eyeing. However, you can always turn to other vendors for support if you're without any leads. Let’s face it - these professionals have been in the industry for far longer than you have, and they’ve picked up a few helpful tips along the way that will help you narrow down your search. In fact, you may even snag a discount since various wedding vendors collaborate with a selection of venues. Knowing this, aside from looking into our recommendations for the best places to get married in Austin, you can ask us for even more personalized suggestions!
Don’t Go Over Your Budget
Once you start planning your wedding, you’ll quickly realize how expensive they can get. Therefore, you must create a budget beforehand and stick to it at all costs. Of course, you’re bound to run into a certain Austin wedding reception venue that will put you in awe, but that feeling will quickly drift away once you get to know the price for it.
In the case that a certain venue goes way over your budget, you can go about this issue in two ways. For one, you can try to find a cheaper alternative that comes as a close second or go for the more dangerous approach - working around your budget. Still, in our expert opinion, the latter option is much riskier since you might end up sacrificing other highly important aspects. For example, you might book an inexperienced Austin wedding photographer, resulting in disappointing photos. It’s safe to say that no one wants this for their special day!
Our Selection Of The Best Downtown Austin Wedding Venues
With the tips out of the way, it’s time for us to finally present our picks for the best downtown Austin wedding venues! Again, you should take your time with your decision as you’ll always remember the place where you got married. We’re sure these venues will serve as a source of inspiration, so let your creativity run amok and picture your most special day in them. When you find the most attractive vision for a certain venue, that’s what you’ve always dreamed about!
The Addison Grove Weddings
Couples who want a dash of country charm to their Austin wedding venues shouldn’t look further than The Addison Grove. Located just 20 minutes from downtown Austin, this exceptionally grand space is enriched with natural treasures and even more spectacular interiors.
You can choose to host your ceremony in the gardens under dramatic oak trees, with a natural pond in the backdrop. From there, you can move the celebration to the rustic yet incredibly modern reception space with typical barn-like wooden beams, complemented perfectly by the dazzling crystal chandeliers.
Due to the expansiveness of this Austin wedding venue, you can easily accommodate 300 seated guests. Finally, ensure your photographer takes gorgeous getting-ready portraits in the elegantly-appointed bridal house infused with refined luxury and impeccable glamour.
The LINE Weddings in Austin
Originally built in 1965, The LINE Hotel has cemented itself as one of the most sought-after and best Austin wedding venues. It excels in various aspects, leaving couples in awe of how magical celebrations of love are. Aside from that, it makes you wonder how The LINE has made its reputation for itself.
Well, the reasons for it are quite clear actually! Firstly, this downtown Austin wedding venue has been recently renovated to fit the luxuries of the modern world. In turn, this has resulted in the establishment of two grand ballrooms, as well as a rooftop deck that has a capacity of 200 guests and features some of the most breathtaking sunset views of hill country.
Additionally, couples adore The LINE for their culinary masterpieces. As one of the best Austin wedding venues, it’s no surprise they do wonders in this aspect, considering they’re able to infuse a unique Texan charm in the most modern dishes. Also, their espresso martins have been dubbed the most tantalizing, so you can even include them at your celebration during cocktail hour. However, you need to be quick if you want this venue for your wedding. Since couples easily fall in love with it, available dates go down in the blink of an eye!
The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria Venue
No downtown Austin wedding venue is as gorgeous as the award-winning Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria. It sits on the shores of Lake Austin, right in the city's heart, and the natural surroundings will provide the best backdrops for your wedding portraits. Still, that’s not the only thing you can expect from this grandiose establishment.
Laguna Gloria is home to a Mediterranean villa built in 1916 by Clara Driscoll. This venue has been meticulously restored from that point, yet its original charm never faded. Knowing this, The Contemporary Austin has an abundance of both outdoor and indoor settings for your celebration of love, from the perfectly manicured Four Seasons Garden and the Temple of Love to the iconic villa itself.
Due to the venue’s size, you can host a lavish celebration with an expansive guest list, and the team behind the venue will ensure everything goes off without a hitch. Moreover, we all know that the weather in Austin can take us by surprise sometimes, so if rain is expected for your wedding, there’s nothing to worry about! You can easily set up a tent in any outdoor space, meaning that even the heaviest downpour won’t ruin your night!
Hotel Saint Cecilia
If you’re a couple that constantly falls in love with music and poetry, it’s most fitting that you celebrate your momentous occasion at the Hotel Saint Cecilia. Created in honor of the patron for the arts, this Austin wedding reception venue has been visited by countless musicians and poets throughout its existence, all of whom have left their special mark, one that can still be felt to this day.
It’s quite hard to capture what makes Hotel Saint Cecilia so unique. For some, it would be the majestic sun-kissed gardens that perfectly accompany the estate’s six bungalows. Others fall in love with the hotel's second-to-none service, making this an irresistible place to get married in Austin.
However, we believe that the most amazing aspect of the Hotel Saint Cecilia is the attention to detail. Since many have said that multiple rock legends, including the Beatles themselves, would love to hang out here, the music-inspired decor makes this place incredibly authentic. For one, you’ll find a record player in every room with a selection of some gut-punching evergreens that will put you in the best mood while you're getting ready for your big day. Furthermore, all of the bungalows are designed to pay homage to a notable name in the music industry, so if you and your loved one can’t spend a day without jamming out to some tunes, this downtown Austin wedding venue is the ideal spot for you!
Weddings at Barr Mansion & Artisan Mansion
From the outside, Barr Mansion looks like just another country house. But once you get inside it… well, just prepare to be blown away! This Austin wedding venue is just fifteen minutes away from the city's heart, yet its surroundings will make you feel like you’ve stepped into some sort of mythical paradise.
The sprawling gardens of the Barr Mansion are sure to capture even the most stone-hearted as the settings form a picture like something you read in poetry books. With that, the mansion is ideal for hosting rustic affairs where nature reigns supreme. Moreover, if you opt for an indoor celebration, you can host it in the glass-covered Artisan Mansion, which features spectacular views and beautiful interiors.
Still, the most iconic part of the Barr Mansion is its contemporary flair. While rustic to the core, the industrial elements, such as wooden beams and brick walls, make this space ideal for modern couples who want nothing but sophistication for their joyous occasion. As Austin wedding photographers, we especially love how much light this venue allows, which in turn will make your photos absolutely fabulous.
Blanton Museum of Art
Every wedding deserves an artistic touch that makes an event simply unforgettable. While there are countless ways you can achieve this, whether it's with decor or your attire, for the best effect, aim for a downtown Austin wedding venue that bathes in artistic richness. The Blanton Museum of Art, located at the University of Texas, is just that!
We figure you’re assured of what to expect from museum venues. But we want you to throw all your expectations away because the Blanton Museum of Art will surely surprise you. Boasting an array of art installations, including the renowned Stacked Waters by Teresita Fernandez, this place to get married in Austin is filled with eye-capturing spots ideal for your photo session.
From the moment you enter, you’ll be directed to the main atrium, where you’ll find sky-high ceilings and a gradient wall that fades from deep blue to the most pristine white. Since this eye-pleaser is located right next to a staircase, this poses the perfect opportunity for you to make an entrance no one is bound to forget! Luckily, you’ll have your Austin wedding photographer to capture it all in action!
Given the diversity of downtown Austin wedding venues, we completely understand why so many couples have difficulty finding the perfect one. Still, we hope our selection will serve as inspiration as these establishments are simply foolproof!
There’s still much more where that came from - all you have to do is inquire! Book an appointment with us free of charge and consider us to capture the most cherished memories of your special day. Here you will also find our packages that will give you more insight into our coverage. Finally, if you’re looking for more inspiration on how to make your wedding unique, check out the rest of our blogs!
