The Best Wedding Venues in Springfield, Missouri
Just started planning your wedding and looking for a venue? Are you looking at options for someone else’s wedding day? Springfield and southwest Missouri have the most incredible and unique wedding venues that cater to brides looking to have anything from large parties to intimate elopements — everything and anything from ballrooms to greenhouses to little glass chapels — from Joplin down to wedding venues near Branson, MO. Choosing a venue is usually one of the first and often one of the biggest decisions in the whole planning process. Most wedding venues offer full-day rentals with an option to have a rehearsal in the week before your wedding day, this means you can get ready and say wave goodbye to your guests within one place.
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Hey there! I am Kari Bjorn and I am a wedding photographer based in Fayetteville in Northwest Arkansas but I service all of SW Missouri as well.
How to know which Springfield venue is best for you?
Before you start booking your wedding venue, you should visualize your day. Understandably, many brides have mood boards ready when they get engaged — but it’s helpful to go back and discuss what matters to you. Hiring a wedding planner at this stage is not a bad idea. Next you can figure out your overall wedding budget and how much of that will go towards the venue.
More than likely, you’ll spend a decent part of your budget on your venue, this is also true for many of the other vendors who will work exclusively with you, like a photographer, videographer, or a band — vendors who will not book another job on your day and will spend a lot of time with you. You should have a reasonable idea of your budget and how much you’ll want to spend on other vendors before booking your venue, this greatly reduces the risk of you going well over budget later on.
Need help setting your wedding venue budget?
List all the possible vendors, from a venue and a photographer to he company that makes customized flasks your fiancé wants to give his groomsmen (I want you to be that specific.) Then, rate them between 1 and 5 depending on how much you’ll need them to make your day happen. It is definitely a good idea to reach out and ask the venue owner what the typical spend is, in addition to looking at their pdf price list. Also, look at the add-ons and they if they will be necessary to fulfill your dream wedding idea and vision. Once you have your wedding vision and budget, it is time to look at your ideal dates. Does a crowded dance floor matter a lot to you? Then a Saturday is pretty importantSet your wedding budget.
Estimate the size of your guest list
We’ll look at this in detail a little later but having a ballpark estimate of your guest list will help you narrow it down further.
What types of venues are there?
Early on in the planning process, you can familiarize yourself with the most popular types of wedding venues, like outdoor venues, barns, hotel wedding venues, modern and minimal venues, and historical buildings that have been converted into wedding venues. Once you find a few you like, you should definitely look at their reviews, and not only the ones on Google, anybody can leave a review there. Wedding-specific websites like Zola, The Knot, and Wedding Wire have reviews that are almost exclusively from couples that were married there.
The size of the venue matters — so does the shape
Obviously, you’ll not want to book a venue that is too small. But having one that is too big can also be a problem — leaving you feeling like the wedding is half-empty. Check out what the venue’s capacity is and if your guest count is around 50-70% of that, then you should be good. You can also look at photos from previous weddings and ask the owners how many guests were at that wedding. Some venues are big ballrooms where everything happens in the same room, some venues have multiple rooms and outdoor areas that can divide your reception up. If you want your guests to mingle and the dancefloor to be packed, I’d suggest going with a one-room type venue.
How much does it cost to rent a wedding venue?
Across the United States, couples spend about $6000 on their venue. The higher end is about $11000 and up — and the lower end is closer to $1800. Times are changing, the venue used to make up a pretty large portion of a couples’ overall wedding budget. We are now seeing more value being put on experiential things and less on things like catering and venues. On average, you can expect the venue to be somewhere between 10-30% of your budget.
The best seasons for weddings in Springfield and southwest Missouri
As one might expect, fall is the most popular and also the best season for most kinds of weddings in Springfield and southwest Missouri. Peak foliage is usually around mid to late October depending on how much rain we had in summer and how cold it is getting in fall. More summer rain and warm fall weather equal later foliage whereas dry summers and a colder fall equal earlier foliage. That’s good to know when planning a fall wedding in the middle of summer, right? Here are more answers to frequently asked questions.
Late April and May are also widely popular options for their mild weather and wonderful spring atmosphere. Summers can get hot so I’d not plan on doing anything too outdoorsy in July unless the venue has indoor and outdoor options.
Springfield Wedding Venues
Greenhouse Two Rivers, Highlandville, MO
A few minutes south of Springfield, Greenhouse Two Rivers is a true indoor/outdoor venue, it doesn’t really matter where you have your wedding ceremony on the property, you’ll definitely be surrounded by greenery. The event space is 7000 square feet and sits on a 20 acre land. It is elegantly designed and offers incredible natural light as it is almost entirely out of glass. Make sure to reach out and ask for their welcome guide, it is packed with useful wedding planning information.
Can host up to 300 guests
Price range is $2000-$4000
Bridal and grooms suites on site
Indoor and outdoor ceremony chairs, farm tables, decor, and a two-hour rehearsal are included
A warming kitchen is on-site with an oven, a fridge, a microwave and an ice machine
Take a look at Wendy and Colten’s day at Greenhouse Two Rivers
Under The Woods, Jane, MO
Under the Woods event center in Jane in southwest Missouri is one of those barn wedding venues that is also super chic and modern. Janet and Vic Underwood truly built a wonderful venue under the woods in the rolling Ozark hills! The barn sits on a hill with a parking lot below and shuttle access for everyone. The ceremony area is gorgeous and often shaded which is a big plus, nobody likes harsh sunlight and squinty eyes!
Price range is $2200-$3000
Capacity is up to 250 guests
Bridal suite on site
Multiple beautiful spots on the property for outdoor portraits and sunset photos
Access to the barn via shuttle from the parking lot
Haseltine Estate is a super versatile wedding and event venue in Springfield. They offer options for smaller gatherings up to 50 guests as well as full weddings for up to 200 guests. During high season, a tented patio is available for up to 75 guests.
Price range: $1300-$4200
Bridal loft and groom’s room for getting ready in.
Tables and chairs along with setup included in all packages.
No required vendor list, but they have a selection of vendor recommendations.
The James is a reasonably affordable, industrial wedding venue in Springfield. They offer a 14 hour rental period, most venues do 10-12 hours. They offer both a ceremony rehearsal, and then they host open houses where couples can come in to plan on-site.
Price range: $2000-$2600 for a 1-day rental
Two day rentals available for $2600-$4200
In-house decorations included in rental or you can decorate completely to your taste.
The Savoy Ballroom is a beautiful and historic wedding venue — with original ceilings and gorgeous chandeliers. They offer plenty of planning time with their couples and access to in house decorations, staff during your wedding, tables, and mahagony chaira.. This venue is perfect for couples with vintage styles.
Price range: $2750-$4800
Max guest count is 200-250
Staff on-site, set up and breakdown help included.
No bridal suite or getting ready space
The Finley Farms Wedding Chapel opened in 2021 to add to its outdoorsy and rustic wedding repertoire — alongside the outdoor ceremony areas that were already built. Finley Farms is versatile and can handle both elopements and smaller weddings and full weddings for up to 150 guests.
Prices start at $1500.
The Finley river makes for an amazing photo backdrop.
Guest counts vary between locations on the farm. Reach out to find out more.
Cute outdoor and indoor ceremony options available.
Southwest Missouri Wedding Venues
Dogwood Canyon (Lampe, MO)
Stonegate Glass Chapel (Walnut Shade, MO)
Big Cedar Lodge (Ridgedale, MO)
I Do Event and Wedding (Joplin, MO)
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