Gorgeous Downtown Charm in Historic Building
Catherine Drummond
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Chamberlain building was build in 1912 and was originally Taylor Automotive's showroom. Many of the historic characters such as high tin ceiling, penny tile floors and exposed brick are still around today in this beautiful, one of a kind, venue that you and your guests will rave about.
Huge floor to ceiling windows bring in so much natural light as well as showcase the amazing sculpture garden that is a photographers delight. Take a trip to the roof for even more breathtaking photo ops. With our attention to detail, amazing staff and fabulous location we are sure to make your event everything you have dreamed. We invite you to give us a call or email today to set up a time to tour what I am sure will be one of the best locations Des Moines has to offer. You will not be disappointed
Woman-owned Business
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Ballroom
Estate
Historic Venue
Industrial & Warehouse
Loft
Museum
Rooftop
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Cupcakes
Other Desserts
Food & Catering
Planning
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Catherine Drummond
Owner
Catherine's been operating Bash Events and Catering since 2015. Her and her staff work tirelessly to make sure that your wedding event is everything that you dreamed it to be. Email her to request a tour and she will happily answer all your questions and show you why Bash is where you want to be.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.016 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
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Carolyn R
5.0
6/26/2024
4.5/5 // We had a wonderful experience with Bash! Catherine really made our vision come to life and was so helpful throughout the process. The space in and of itself is beautiful and there are so many great locations for photos nearby. Luckily the space is gorgeous enough on its own to not need a ton of decor to bring it to life, as that’s an extra expense. Catherine had a full closet of decor that was available to use, we just had to provide candles. One of the biggest perks was that Catherine and her staff set up and tore down the entire wedding without any friends/family having to get involved. We were able to drop off all the signs/extra decor that we wanted the Wednesday before the event (Saturday), and it was all ready to be picked up the next day. Her pricing was very fair and she is very straight forward about expectations. The only con is that sometimes I felt like communication wasn’t the best (unanswered emails, difficult to get a response), but ultimately, everything was taken care of and was accomplished. Our guests had a terrific time celebrating with us and LOVED the soft serve ice cream machine!!
Alex K
5.0
5/05/2022
Catherine is amazing! She has the best place to get ready, have your ceremony and dinner, and then party. She is with you every step of the way and hires great people to help her out. Our family and friends said it was one of the best weddings they’ve been to in a long time!
Any questions?
Stacie C
5.0
10/14/2021
I cannot express enough good things about this venue. Not only was it the most beautiful space that needed next to no decorating whatsoever, but also the service from Catherine and her team was un-matched.
We booked this venue for a wedding during 2020, but of course, had to reschedule due to the pandemic. A stressful situation was made smooth by Catherine's grace and understanding in moving our day to October of 2021. She helped us at every step of the process: even having to coordinate with us from where we live in San Francisco. Any time we wanted to hop on a call, hash over questions, or any form of communication, Catherine was always efficient and attentive.
Leading up to the wedding, she helped us finalize everything to create our dream day. The venue is a dual-height space and she executed our vision for both a ceremony and reception using both levels. Additionally, there was a full bridal suite and mens room for us to get ready and hang out during down time.
We describe our day to people looking back as effortless, because Catherine and her team truly made the flow of the day and evening so seamless without coming to us with any of the coordinating. She truly allowed us to be present and focused on our people which was the most important thing for us.
Beyond the space and service, the food and drinks were impeccable! We had a pasta bar that I still think about to this day (the rolls are dreamy). In addition, Catherine is up front with her clients about drink prices and wants to help you spend your money most effectively. That solution for us was two signature cocktail pitchers, mojitos and margaritas, that were a hit!
I have missed countless compliments that I could continue to list off, but I will end with a giant recommendation to this venue and this team of servant-hearted people!
Marc & Mandy G
5.0
10/25/2020
Catherine saved us! When our April wedding had to be postponed due to COVID, Catherine was there to help guide us through to process of moving our special day! She was SO organized & easy to work with through the process. She reassured us everything would be ok & she was right! First off, the venue speaks for itself! We had tons of compliments about how unique and amazing the space was. We had both the ceremony and reception at Bash, and the expert staff was able to turn things over in an efficient and flawless manner. Couple that with the abundant menu options & DELICIOUS food, and our day was everything we imagined & more! Catherine went the extra mile for us in every facet of the day, and we couldn’t have imagined having our day anywhere but Bash!
Leslie H
5.0
10/16/2020
I wish I could give Bash, Catherine and her staff ten stars instead of just five! My best friend Jess was married here and EVERYTHING (seriously, EVERYTHING!!!) for rehearsal, ceremony and reception was amazing! You can tell that Catherine cares VERY much about giving the bride the day of her dreams- and knows exactly how to execute her vision. In these crazy COVID times, planning for the unknown can cause SO much stress and anxiety, but Catherine was communicative and proactive about solutions that kept everyone safe and healthy and eased the minds of the bride and groom in the months leading up to their big day. The Bash staff was SO friendly and inviting, the transition between ceremony and reception was seamless, the food was delicious and everyone had a wonderful evening celebrating the bride and groom! I can’t recommend Catherine or the venue enough! If you’re looking for a beautiful space, yummy food and (most importantly) an owner/coordinator who knows EXACTLY what needs to and can be done so you can enjoy the day- LOOK NO FURTHER! Catherine and the rest of the Bash staff- thank you for a night we will never forget!!!
Nicole M
5.0
10/05/2020
My husband and I hosted our wedding ceremony and reception at Bash on 9/6/20. Working with Catherine was an absolute joy! She is incredibly passionate about what she does, cares deeply about her couples, and has an in-depth knowledge of the wedding industry. She goes above and beyond to ensure her couples have the day of their dreams. Bash is a BEAUTIFUL venue. To find space in downtown Des Moines for a larger group of people is incredibly difficult, but Bash offers a fantastic location with plenty of space for a larger wedding. Catherine was so patient with us throughout the planning process. By no means was I a pro at wedding planning. Her advice with regards to many aspects of the wedding was SPOT ON. She is a straight shooter and will absolutely not lead you astray. She was completely respectful of our budget and was very open and honest about all costs associated with the wedding. Our wedding was absolutely gorgeous. Catherine and her team created a beautiful greenery and flower filled aisle, which is so much more than I could have ever imagined. They set up the entire wedding venue to be classy, elegant, and timeless. The food is DELICIOUS and absolutely irresistible. Our guests commented multiple times on how good the food was and how large the portions were. Catherine also baked and designed our wedding cake, which was not only beautiful, but rich and tasty. Catherine’s team is so friendly and kind – I honestly felt like I was a part of the family. Catherine and her team checked in multiple times with all of our guests to ensure that they had what they needed. To be completely honest, we could not be more happy that we chose to have our wedding at Bash! Working with Catherine was an absolute joy and she did everything in her power to ensure that we had the best day!
Ginny M
5.0
9/15/2020
Bash in downtown Des Moines is the Coolest place for a Wedding Event with the Warmest staff. Our Daughter and Son in Law were engaged November 2018 and selected Bash for their (originally June 2020) Wedding Reception venue. From the beginning, Catherine was professional, helpful, transparent about her pricing, and has really wonderful ideas and suggestions. Due to
2020’s unforeseen pandemic, we had to move the Wedding to September. Throughout the process of changing the event date, ups and downs of regulations and changes to keep all of our friends and family safe, Catherine was a rock. Allie and Sam had their magical day September 5, 2020. Bash was the perfect place; the decor, signature drinks, the plated dinner, attentive staff, the positive energy all made lifelong memories for our family.
Leah H
5.0
4/13/2020
We just got married at Bash in February and loved every single thing about Bash and the team! Catherine goes above and beyond to make your day as perfect as she can. She’s so quick to respond and has so many great ideas. Her food is absolutely amazing and the service is outstanding. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the venue, the staff and Catherine. Thank you guys for making our big day so amazing!
Ali H
5.0
3/27/2020
Catherine and her team at Bash were great to work with from the beginning planning stages to the big day! We were planning our wedding from a different state and she was very accommodating. Highly recommend!
Shelley H
5.0
2/26/2020
We absolutely LOVED Catherine and her staff. They made our daughter's wedding absolutely perfect. We could not have asked for a better experience. Catherine takes pride in every aspect of her work and it shows. The details and the extra effort she put towards the day was outstanding. We had both of children get married within six months and the other vendor (now out of business so be careful with chains) was so all business and no personalization. Best of choice of the total wedding! We just can't say enough!
Alaina C
5.0
8/14/2019
We LOVE Catherine and you will too!! We found Catherine and Bash 7 months before our wedding in a panic because our original venue canceled on us (but that’s a whole different story). The first thing I noticed about Catherine is how honest she is. Weddings are expensive and the venue and the food is a huge chunk of that (we used Bash for both). Catherine always talked mentioned the best ways to save money and made sure we were getting the biggest bang for our buck.
The venue is very beautiful and full of character. We had both our ceremony and reception in the venue and it worked out perfectly. I was originally worried about people sitting upstairs for the reception but there were no complaints and it worked out perfectly for all our guests! You seriously can’t find a better location for a wedding - within 5 miles of the airport, hotels, bars, restaurants.
She is super easy to get in contact with and very responsive. All of my questions were answered so quickly and thoroughly. She really knows her venue and gave us so many great ideas and pointers.
I was so worried about every little detail but the day of the wedding could not have been more perfect. We had such a great team of vendors and Catherine and her staff are a step above most. We received so many compliments on the venue and the food from our guests.
I could go on and on about Catherine, Bash and her staff but the short of it is - choose Bash for your events because I promise you will LOVE everything about the experience!!
Thank you Catherine!
Kim W
5.0
7/03/2019
Catherine and her team made sure our wedding was absolutely perfect! Catherine was accommodating to meet with us prior to our wedding to ensure every question was answered. The venue is simply gorgeous and the food was delicious. If you are looking for a great wedding venue, Bash has what you are looking for!
Kaylen G
5.0
12/15/2017
Catherine was simply AMAZING to work with. We had actually booked our reception while the venue was still being renevated over a year in advance. From the first time we met, I knew that it was going to be a great experience. We had a fairly large wedding (300+) and the space felt perfect. We didn’t have to set up a single thing prior to the wedding, and Catherine had everything we needed to pick up after boxed and ready to go. Last minute my mom threw out the idea of a late night cookie bar with milk and cookies for our guests and Catherine went above and beyond.
I cannot say enough amazing things about this venue from the space, the food, the organization, and the staff. If I had to do it over again, I’d pick Bash again and again!
Mercedies B
5.0
12/02/2017
Beautiful evening,in a beautiful space! We had a wonderful night at our wedding reception! From beginning to end, the whole process was insanely smooth. It was great knowing along the way that we were well taken care of and our special day was going to go off without a hitch. Catherine and her staff were more than accommodating, they made us feel like we were being taken care of by our own family. We brought in minimal decorations, because the space itself is so stunning. We had multiple compliments by guests on the unique space and food. The food was beyond amazing! We had heavy appetizers, and it was great being able to try a variety of Catherine's recipes! The cupcakes that we had were delicious, and we ended the night with a popcorn bar, which was definitely a fun touch. Everything went exceptionally well, and I can't rave enough about this space. We had a perfect night and it was all thanks to Bash and their amazing staff!
Kelli D
3.0
12/01/2017
Beautiful space! Tons of different wedding themes and styles would fit in this venue. I will preface with our event was amazing for our guests! Everyone had a great time!
Note to Brides- Catherine is very straight forward; she was very easy to work with on somethings and other things I felt like I had to push and wait for information or ask several times for the same information. I am the type of person who needs all of the information so I can make an informed decision especially when it comes to money.
Ask upfront how she would like to communicate, several times emails would go unanswered for weeks and then there was a stream of quick communication. Have several ideas ready and know ahead of time where you are willing to make sacrifices.
I felt very unassured of the pricing of things. During one of the last meetings I had asked for wine pricing so we could stick to our budget. Never received any pricing so we blew our wine budget out of the water. She asked what she had told me for pricing of the photo booth... and the bistro lights we wanted, but didn't think the cost was appropriate so we asked for no bistro lights...but they were still up for our wedding! We got lucky on that one! Also we had paid for the surface parking lot just behind Bash and several of our guests mentioned that it was not staffed or open. So don't pay extra for that.
Lastly, she had comp'ed us a few things and then ended up charging for them! So make sure you review your bill if you have made any different arrangements.
The great parts of working with Bash...
We were able to really let our imagination run with this space. Our theme was fall tropical and we were able to bring in tons of plants to really make that tropical feel. Luckily there was not an event the few days before so we were able to drop things off early which really helped. Catherine was quite accommodating in decorating our tables for us and making sure the place settings and seating arrangements were prefect. Also there are digital copies of the photo booth pictures so make sure to ask for those.
Like I said, our guests has just the greatest time. I will review the catering in another review.
Megan S
5.0
4/30/2017
Bash was a great location for our wedding. Catherine and her staff were on top of everything during the ceremony and reception. The food was really good. The upstairs space was a nice way to split the dinner portion from the rest of the reception. Pricing was fair and in-line with services received.
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$4,500 starting price
Catherine Drummond
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
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