The 22 Best Kansas City Wedding Venues in 2024
Find the perfect KC wedding venue for your day, based on location, style, and budget — How to pick your venue in Kansas City!
First of all, congratulations on your engagement! Now that you’re engaged it is time for wedding planning. Planning a wedding in Kansas City can be a lot, you have so many options to choose from. Most couples start off by booking a wedding venue because it allows you to have a date set, and many vendors need a date to get you on their books. Read on to learn more about how to book a venue, what questions to ask, the best venues in KC, and much more!
Who am I?
Kari Bjorn Photography is a film and digital wedding photography studio in Fayetteville, Arkansas. My work is moment-driven, vibrant, and focused on honest storytelling. Serving northwest Arkansas along with Kansas City and everything in between!
What To Do Before Booking Your Venue
Before booking your wedding venue, you should probably visualize your day from start to finish in as much detail as possible. I know many brides-to-be already have mood boards when they get engaged — but it is super helpful to refresh and rewrite what truly matters to you and your partner. Hiring a wedding planner at this stage is not a bad idea. From a photographic standpoint, some venues offer a lot of natural light whereas others are darker and will need additional lighting. Neither is better, it is just a matter of taste.
Set Your Budget
You should consider your budget first and take it from there. I’d ask the venue owner or general manager what the typical and average spend is in addition to their package offerings. Look at the list of add-ons and consider if they will are necessary. Once you have your vision and budget, it is time to look at what season you prefer and your ideal dates. Does a crowded dance floor matter a lot to you? Then booking a Saturday is pretty important, for example.
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.
Look at the reviews
You should definitely look at reviews too, and not just the ones on Google. Everybody can leave a review on Google, but The Knot and Wedding Wire have reviews, mostly from previous clients, and they tend to be very honest.
Size matters, obviously!
You don’t want a venue that is too small! But bigger might not be any better. A venue that is way too big can result in it feeling empty. Generally, being at around half to two-thirds capacity will be good. Look at photos from previous weddings the venues have had and ask what the guest count was, simple!
Shape matters too
It is not only size that is important when choosing your wedding venue. Some older and historic places have many rooms and that will ultimately divide your wedding reception up. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you probably shouldn’t choose one like that if you want to keep it intimate and have your guests mingle throughout the day.
Does it have an indoor ceremony option?
Many brides-to-be want to have an outdoor ceremony. If that’s you, it is worth noting that choosing a venue that can accommodate your ceremony inside should it rain heavily on your day is going to keep a lot of stress and anxiety away in the days and weeks before when you will be refreshing the weather app multiple times a day.
How Much Does The Average Wedding In Kansas City Cost?
The average price of a wedding in Kansas City is close to what it was before Covid, or about $33,000. The Wedding Report says the average one in 2020 cost about $18,100 and $28,100 in 2022. It is probably safe to assume that the average wedding will be around $33k in 2023.
What Is The Best Time Of The Year For An Outdoor Wedding?
Fall and spring are the best seasons for an outdoor wedding in Kansas City. Late April to early June has the mildest weather. In the fall, you can expect equally nice weather from mid to late September into late October. If you have your eye on a date that falls within these ranges and you want a Saturday wedding too, get booking! More on that below.
How Far Out From My Wedding Day Should I Book My Venue?
This depends heavily on which season and day of the week you are getting married. A Saturday in spring or fall will get booked faster than a weekday in January. If you want a wedding on what will be a popular date, then I’d recommend 15-18 months out, just to be sure. Most couples with popular wedding dates book me for photos 12-18 months out. The more popular your desired venue is, the earlier you should reach out. Generally speaking, earlier is better when it comes to booking your venue.
Here’s a side note. Book the vendors first that are ‘one event per day’ — like a photographer or videographer. Those vendors book up faster whereas a florist or a bakery can take on many weddings in a day.
Schedule a few visits
Once you have your list down to a few favorites, it is time to schedule visits. Be on the lookout for open house events, many venues host them in winter and will advertise on social media or their websites. During open houses, you can walk around, ask questions, and get a feel for the vendors that frequently work at the venue or are on the preferred vendor list. Talk to the owner/manager and get a feel for them, are they invested in your vision? Do they ask questions about what you are planning? Or are they not really that interested?
Hopefully, you should have a venue that matches your vision, has your day available, is the right size, and has people eager to help you have your best wedding day.
The Best Wedding Venues in Kansas City
Loose Mansion
Address: 101 E Armour Boulevard, Kansas City, 64111
Phone: (816) 960-6501
Guest Capacity: Up to 400
Style: Mansion, Garden, Historic
Budget: $$$
28 Event Space
Address: 1300 W 28th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: (816) 283-8368
Guest Capacity: 150-200
Style: Loft, Ballroom, Banquet Hall
Budget: $$
The Guild
Address: 1621 Locust Street, Kansas City, 64108
Phone: (816) 471-8550
Guest Capacity: 240
Style: Ballroom
Budget: $$$
The Magnolia Venue and Urban Garden
Address: 601 Walnut St, Kansas City, 64106
Phone: (816) 876-1742
Guest Capacity: 225-250
Style: Industrial Loft, Banquet Hall, Garden
Budget: $$
Faulkner's Ranch
Address: 10600 Raytown Rd, Kansas City, MO 64134
Phone: (816) 761-5055
Guest Capacity: 250
Style: Barn
Budget: $$
The Gallery
Address: 61 E 14th St, Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 842-1045
Guest Capacity: Up to 600
Style: Rooftop, Hall, Modern
Budget: $$$
Oakwood Country Club
Address: 9800 Grandview Rd, Kansas City, MO 64137
Phone: (816) 761-5501
Guest Capacity: Up to 425
Style: Country Club, Ballroom
Budget: $$$$
UNION
Address: 1721 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: (816) 384-0648
Guest Capacity: Seats 200
Style: Loft, Industrial, Hall
Budget: $$$
The Everly Event Space
Address: 210 W 19 Terrace Ste 100, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-585-1616
Guest Capacity: About 250
Style: Ballroom, Loft
Budget: $$
The Bride and the Bauer
Address: 115 West 18th Street, Kansas City, 64108
Phone: (816) 984-8533
Guest Capacity: up to 250
Style: Historic Loft, Banquet Hall
Budget: $$
Hilton President Kansas City
Address: 1329 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 303-1628
Guest Capacity: 300-350
Style: Hotel, Ballroom, Luxury
Budget: $$$$
The Legacy at Green Hills
Address: 10243 N Green Hills Rd, Kansas City, 64154
Phone: (816) 204-1629
Guest Capacity: 250-275
Style: Barn and Garden
Budget: $$$
Madrid Theatre
Address: 3810 Main Street, Kansas City, 64111
Phone: (816) 753-8880
Guest Capacity: up to 500 (seated)
Style: Theatre, Ballroom, Historic
Budget: $$$ 1/2
The Pavilion Event Space
Address: 14831 E US Hwy 40, Kansas City, MO 64136
Phone: (816) 478-4848
Guest Capacity: 300
Style: Ballroom, Garden, Elegant
Budget: $$$
Oliver Building
Address: 1321 W 13th St, Kansas City, MO 64102
Phone: 816-421-5128
Guest Capacity: 300
Style: Industrial Loft, Banquet Hall
Budget: $$$
Vox Theatre Event Space
Address: 1405 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66103
Phone: (913) 730-6110
Guest Capacity: 300
Style: Urban, Banquet Hall, Historic
Budget: $$$
The Grand Hall at Power & Light
Address: 1330 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 384-2284
Guest Capacity: up to 500 guests
Style: Banquet Hall, Loft, Historic
Budget: $$$
El Torreon KC
Address: 3101 Gillham Plaza, Kansas City, MO 64109
Phone: (816) 945-4148
Guest Capacity: 250-280
Style: Ballroom, Historic
Budget: $$$
Pilgrim Chapel
Address: 3801 Gillham Road, Kansas City, 64111
Phone: (816) 753-6719
Guest Capacity: 72 seated guests
Style: Historic Chapel
Budget: $$
The Abbott
Address: 1901 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: (816) 982-1014
Guest Capacity: 500-1100 (seated & standing)
Style: Rooftop, Ballroom, Loft
Budget: $$$
The Alexander Majors Barn
Address: 8201 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO. 64114
Phone: (816) 444-1858
Guest Capacity: 150-175
Style: Estate, Barn
Budget: $$$
Carriage Club
Address: 5301 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 363-1310
Guest Capacity: 300
Style: Country Club, Ballroom, Luxury
Budget: $$$ 1/2
Wedding Photography Pricing
I offer many wedding collections — Everything from short and sweet elopement packages to full-day wedding shoots with everything included (film photography, photo booth, GIFs, you name it!) I am based in Fayetteville, AR and have no travel fees on full-day wedding collections for clients in OKC.
Prices for weddings start at $2500 and $1150 for elopements and intimate gatherings.
My collection add-ons include engagement photos, film photography, polaroids, photo booth, bridal portraits, 1-year anniversary sessions, and much more.