Cincinnati Art Museum

d to believe how smoothly the events of the evening unfolded, but their special day was everything we had envisioned. Friends told us that we really needed to hire a wedding coordinator to handle all of the many details involved in putting together a wedding that goes off without a hitch. As we found out, that is absolutely not true - and would be totally unnecessary - when you work with professionals like Terri Simons at the art museum. From our tasting appointment in May right up to the wedding itself, Terrie did not skip a beat when it came to managing the organizational details of the event. On the wedding day, she oversaw every aspect of the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception – from greeting vendors and overseeing their set ups, to keeping the wedding party on time, timing the processional to a tee, straightening boutonnieres and bouquets. Everything. I don’t think there was a blade of grass out of place in the beautiful courtyard. During the reception, Terrie’s staff, including Captains Austin and Jordan, were flawless in their execution, delivering food that is on par with the best restaurants in Cincinnati. There was never a line at the bar, and the bartenders were friendly and fast. Our guests had THE BEST TIME! To a person, the entire CAM staff exceeded our expectations and helped create a wedding celebration that our daughter and son-in-law will remember for the rest of their lives. If you are planning a wedding, and want peace of mind from start to finish, you can trust Terrie to coordinate it for you, and you won’t need anyone else.

asses, and many other essentials as well as catering and bar services; the food was elegant and also delicious! The planning process was very detailed and organized, and our day-of coordinator went above and beyond to attend to every single detail with finesse and precision. The venue itself is stunning and, in combination with incredible staff, is an excellent wedding venue. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

l the more special. Our wedding was in the winter so both the Ceremony and Reception took place in the Great Hall (which was a dream!). The CAM staff did an amazing job flipping the space during cocktail hour but were also a joy to work with the whole day and the entire engagement leading up to the wedding. Special shout-out to the CAM Wedding Coordinator we worked with, Hannah! She met with us multiple times in-person as we got closer to our wedding and was always very responsive to all of our question by phone or email. She ensured that the wedding was truly our dream come true. The staff also handle setting up and taking down all the decorations, signs, tables, etc. used during the whole wedding day, which was so wonderful to us and our families. We appreciated it so much! Multiple guests came up to us during the night and told us it was the most beautiful wedding venue they've ever been to, what more can you say! Overall, we absolutely recommend the CAM to anyone looking for a wedding venue or event space! We'll never forget our time there and using it as your venue supports the great cause of art in Cincinnati!

question was ever left unanswered. The food was also AMAZING and we got so many compliments. If I had to do it all again, choosing CAM for our wedding would be a no brainer. Martha was amazing and helped coordinate everything. The day of the wedding, she made sure I didn't have to stress about anything and she made sure I didn't have to lift a finger!

had every detail planned, down to the private drinks and snacks for the bride and groom after the wedding and before they entered the party. The courtyard was breathtaking, our friends from out of town said it felt like they were in Europe and many of our Cincinnati friends were amazed that this beautiful space existed and they had never been. Surprisingly the food has been commented on as well- rave reviews from our guests - we chose the chicken and short ribs - for serving 140 people and having people say how good the food was that was a plus! We did the basic menu with the upgraded bar package. It was a perfect evening and many thanks to the incredible staff (Martha!) of the art museum where the attention to detail made for a memorable evening!

ace and the food. We were a little worried leading up to our day with the amount of coordinator changes we had due to people leaving CAM, but Terrie pulled through. Amazing!

um. There are so many photo opportunities at the Museum (front steps, galleries, grand staircases and more) and the Art museum's courtyard was a gorgeous backdrop for the couple's ceremony. We are definitely going to recommend more of our couples to the Cincinnati Art Museum for their wedding - It is just stunning!

ing go along so smoothly. The venue is stunning, comes with a day of coordinator and the food is fantastic. Everyone was constantly complimenting us throughout the night on the venue and it made everything super magical. It was 100% worth it.

outside in the courtyard and our reception inside, the pictures turned out incredible! The pricing was also more affordable than we thought. I would highly recommend having your wedding here!!

eeping us up to date. Our guests had a great time and really enjoyed the venue!

. Emily, our event coordinator, took excellent care of the entire day. No issues whatsoever. The wedding day was cold, snowy and rainy. However, once the guests arrived they didn't need to leave until the reception was over.

eat for our violinist, and we captured some incredible wedding photos in the courtyard and galleries. CAM provided both sides of the wedding party with a room to get ready, and had each dressing space set up with refreshments. We held the ceremony in the great hall, which felt like a fairytale. Thank you Terrie and CAM! This space could not have been more perfect.

nt call to keep our ceremony outdoors. Our original wedding planner stepped down half way through our planning, which can be worrisome, but our transition was smooth and everything went off without a hitch! The event staff was very professional, made sure that we (the bride and groom) always had our drinks topped off, and took care of our parents and wedding party as well. This venue is a one-stop shop, with catering and table/chair rentals included, making for a stress-free planning. We were able to be fairly customizable with our choices and the food is absolutely amazing! Photos are allowed in all of the galleries, and I am beyond excited to see the results of our first looks because there is no way they did not turn out beautiful when we had such beautiful spaces to work with. I cannot say enough good things about the Cincinnati Art Museum and our wedding day. We will cherish the memories made here for a lifetime and recommend this venue to anyone!

our coordinator - was well-known by our other vendors and worked seamlessly with everyone involved. There was only one hiccup about the drinks, but it was solved in a blink (we asked for scotch and it wasn't available at first, but it was brought out nearly immediately). The bar staff deserves an added thank you - not only was I never empty-handed and every drink poured with happy eyes, but a few waiters even danced with us and the kids (we asked them to join because they're seriously so fun), which was awesome. They were so awesome to be around. Our wedding included 9 children under the ages of 12, and we had permission to have a game truck parked by Pinocchio. The staff served the kids early, per our request, so that the kids could escape to the game truck. The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the bridal changing room (a banquet room with no glitz or glam). But c'mon, that's nothing. The CAM's atmosphere speaks volumes, and the people working - especially the wait staff - somehow made it even more spectacular. We have nothing negative to say and would recommend it highly.

Hall and in the Courtyard was gorgeous. They opened the Cincinnati Wing to allow our guests to view the artwork during the event. The chef helped us create a custom menu to match our guests.

as perfect! The food absolutely sensational ! The staff friendly, helpful and efficient! We couldn't have asked for more! We received numerous e-mails and texts letting us know how perfectly planned the evening was. We are blessed to have worked with some of the most professional teams out there. Thanks for a night we shall never forget!

ve and beyond to answer questions and accommodate our needs. She was very knowledgeable, had useful suggestions, and was quite helpful in coordinating vendors. As my mother noted, Terrie is genuinely kind and a generous soul. Those attributes come across in every aspect of her work as she truly cares about making your wedding day as beautiful and special as you had always dreamed it would be. Christian, the Chef, is a wonderfully talented, inventive, culinary wiz! To protect the art, there are limitations to how and what he can prepare, which he fully explains, and still manages to provided dozens of options. I took both of our parents to the initial menu tasting and Christian worked tirelessly to satisfy even the pickiest eaters on our guest list. Ours was the first wedding I have attended where the food was a highlight and not just the typical rubbery wedding chicken. (OK, the second. My BFF had a pretty sweet spread at her wedding too.) But seriously, we still get compliments from our families and friends regarding the delicious menu and the expansive open bar. We were married in the Great Hall and the setting could not have been more beautiful. The space is stunning. Because of the art work, you can not bring in certain typical wedding decorations such as potted plants/trees, or have open candle light, but the drama and grandeur of the setting made the need for additional flair or decor unnecessary. Eden Park makes a for lovely natural backdrop and the museum gardens are ideal for photography. We used almost 200 votives and simple flowers to create the indoor ambiance. Our wedding was decorated by history's artistic masters and our wedding photos in the various galleries will be cherished for their uniqueness as well as their beauty. At the reception, the wait staff was attentive and on point without being intrusive. They made sure the bridal party was served first, kept my cocktail fresh, and even set aside extra servings of our favorite cupcake and ice cream flavors. I swear I think I even had my own waitress dedicated to bringing me glass after glass of ice water once I started heating it up on the dance floor. I can not write enough kind words to express my appreciation. Terrie and the staff of the Cincinnati Art Museum did an amazing job and helped to make our special day absolutely perfect. Thank you guys! With love, Keely and Jason

itself was stunning to say the least and just about every one of our guests came up to us to compliment how beautiful it all was. Staff were also friendly and efficient. I don't think we could have picked a better place to get married!

hich was the perfect setting for wedding photos. Madalyn was easy to work with and reach by phone or e-mail, especially as it got closer to the wedding day. She did an excellent job coordinating on the day of and handling some minor issues.

. Madalyn from the museum made planning very smooth. She worked with my mother, my now husband and me, keeping us all in the loop. She had great suggestions for vendors and ideas to make the space even more beautiful than it normally is. We were married in a church. Then we had our cocktail hour and reception at the art museum. We were surprised with rain on our wedding day, so Madalyn and the rest of the art museum staff were able to host the cocktail hour indoors at the last minute instead of in the courtyard as planned. I was busy getting married at the church, so the art museum staff took care of rearranging everything without asking a ton of questions. The lobby is beautiful with a large Chihuly over the bar area. Our string quartet was located here, and music echoed throughout the museum. An art museum docent walked us around the upstairs gallery, pointing out popular places to take pictures with art. He even helped us move benches for photos and then put them back in their place. It felt like every staff member was excited about the wedding and went above and beyond to make it wonderful. The reception was in the great hall. Tables and chiavari chairs were set up with a large area by the stairs for the dance floor. Our flowers arrived very early, so the art museum staff stored them in the basement until it was time to set up. Once the museum closed for the day, the museum staff set everything up on the tables. We had sent electric candles for the steps and the staff put all of those out for us too. Art museum lighting is bright, so the museum recommended a great lighting vendor that put spotlights on the centerpieces and cake and uplighting along the walls and staircases. We had the great hall softly lit. We chose to add the Cincinnati wing to our package, which was an excellent addition. Guests enjoyed looking at the art when they needed a break for dancing. The food was wonderful, and the bartenders moved quickly, so there was never a line. Our art museum cocktail hour and reception were elegant and sophisticated. I was really proud of the party we had planned, and it was great to impress our guests. My husband and I live on the west coast, so we wanted to be sure we planned something spectacular to make it worth the trip for our guests to travel across the country. We received tons of compliments from our guests, and 8 months later, we're still talking about how much fun we had and how wonderful the wedding/ reception were. The art museum was definitely the right venue for us!

to do everything I wanted with the space. I highly recommend!

tween when we initially booked and when the final payments, etc. were due. My mom and I did not feel like all of these changes were communicated properly. I would recommend the museum to anyone, but just make sure that you are following up on pricing and keeping track of all of your paperwork. Other than that, the staff was great, the wedding planner was very responsive, and I felt that everything I needed was taken care of!

CAM is a Museum first, and wedding venue somewhere way down the list. Overall, CAM has a very large problem with knowing who is in charge. On the actual day of our wedding, there appeared to be at least 5 people "in charge" but without any official authority. This is a huge issue when you're dealing with multiple vendors. But leading up to our wedding day, our biggest grievance was with the event coordinator. She admitted being rather new to the position, and I have to assume with the wedding industry as a whole. It was very difficult to get a hold of her; reaching her on the phone was almost impossible, and emails went 3-4 days unanswered. We went with CAM because of the unique location, but I can't honestly say it was worth it in the end. We dealt with a lot of frustration and un-needed anxiety. And as a bride, you want as little stress as possible. If you choose CAM, know your wedding will beautiful, but it will be a tough road getting there.

wasn't very responsive which made it tough to communicate. If we had invested more time discussing the plan for the day - perhaps we would have encountered fewer issues in execution. (examples: Dinner, while absolutely DELICIOUS was served an hour late. I couldn't find a museum staffer to escort me and my husband to the galleries to take photos, so I literally have ZERO photos that include art --- kinda a big bummer when you decide to get married in an art museum). With such a large sticker price on the rental fee, I expected better service. (There's been a lot of turnover in staff - perhaps that was the issue) All in all - I would recommend this venue, with one caveat --- stay on top of the coordinator like white on rice! My biggest bit of praise goes to the chef. All of the food was amazing!

I found the event coordinator to be responsive and accommodating, especially because I was planning this from out of town. One of the big things that my husband and I wanted was a unique food menu. The chef worked with us to create that. Unfortunately, he left shortly after we created the menu...something we were never told until a week before our wedding. The food did not turn out how I imagined, but was still good. On top of this, the event coordinator we worked with all year could not make it to our wedding. We understand that things come up and were not mad about this....but her replacement had no idea what was going on. He kept asking me (on the wedding day) about things we had gone over the night before. This added more stress to an already stressful day. With that being said, the rest of the staff was great, especially the woman that was helping him that day. Also--if you get married in the courtyard, have your DJ bring in speakers because the museum's speakers were terrible out there. No one in the back could hear our judge speak. We had about 130 people at the wedding and were worried about the dance floor not being big enough. This turned out not to be a problem at all! The space was plenty big. Overall, the wedding was absolutely beautiful and the night went very close to what we imagined. Would definitely recommend the CAM!

res and was just beautiful for cocktails and the indoor room with grand staircase was very dramatic. I even used the stairs to walk down with my Dad to enter the room.

nd helping us plan details. The location was gorgeous, and we received compliments from everyone about how gorgeous the wedding and reception were. We are so thrilled with our decision, and we can't recommend the Cincinnati Art Museum enough!

anner Kayla, was very accommodating and the staff was very knowledgeable, overall they did a great job of making the day easier for us (the bride and groom). We were even allowed to take photos in any gallery area (although some areas without flash) so there were tons of great photo opportunities. I would definitely recommend this venue for anyone looking for something unique, unexpected and very high quality.

le. In the 10 months from when I booked the venue, I had 3 different wedding coordinators. None of them followed up, and it was up to me (the bride) to stay on top of things. A wedding coordinator for a venue should help relieve stress, not cause additional stress, and this was my experience with the Art Museum. I was constantly calling and emailing with no follow up. I booked the venue 10 months before my wedding and didn't receive a signed contract from them until 3 months before the wedding. If that isn't reason enough to cause someone to lose sleep, I do not know what is. I was lucky that in the end, the catering manager took over my event, and he was a pleasure to work with. The chef was amazing too and always followed through. There was also other staff that proved to be incredibly helpful the day of the event, but until the Cincinnati Art Museum gets better management for weddings, I would not recommend this venue.

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how they had never been to a cooler wedding. Everything was so perfect that day and if you really want to feel like a princess go with this venue.

all leading to the ceremony location, and she made sure that it was covered beautifully so that it would not interfere with flow of the wedding. She did a wonderful job and the location was spectacular!

and all of our guests raved about it.

ss than what a normal patron would pay. Had we had to pay full price we would not have been able to afford this venue.

gs to finalize all of the details however somet things were missing the day of ceremony. The wedding coordinator also continued to ask the bride, groom and our parents questions within 30 minutes before the ceremony that they were made aware of previously such as order of processional, names of picked ceremony songs and asked us for a lighter for the unity candle when we were told votive candles would be lit and set up. Due to the bridal party being very organized the ceremony went off great and the location was beautiful. Be very organized if you have your wedding here and your photos will be amazing.

n be interpreted different ways. A little pricey.

t to work with and I would highly recommend this place even though it was a little pricey, I will remember my wedding day forever!