Crystal Ballroom at the Rice

was unmatched by any other venue we visited. Jamie was a pleasure to work with and provided just the right amount of help and guidance through all the planning steps. She graciously shared all kinds of good advice and had many cost saving suggestions. We quickly learned to rely on her expertise. We were excited for the wedding day and relatively calm knowing we were in good hands with Jamie and her staff. The actual day of the wedding was absolutely flawless. Our guests (many from out of town) were floored by the beauty of the location, the wonderful food and the warmth of the staff. There were so many kind gestures throughout the event that made the day special for my daughter. I've never attended an event, anywhere, with a more dedicated, professional staff.

r two years to plan the wedding and went above and beyond anything we could ask for. The whole place was remodel and everything looks amazing. As for as the planning, Jamie answered everything within a day and was there every step of the way whether it was vendors I needed, amazing food tasting and checking up on us until we left our receptions. She even had a few surprises for the wedding parties waiting in our room while we prepped for the wedding. Food was amazing, people couldn’t get enough. The whole staff was wonderful, never had an empty drink in my hand! All in all, this is absolutely the best place to get married and host a wedding reception. Jamie and her team are the best there is in Houston.

and I) and our guests all night! They are the best!

RDINATOR on the day of our wedding. The new coordinator had only been working there for 6 weeks and admitted it was her first time working by herself. The new coordinator had NO CLUE what she was doing, and it was far too late once we figured that out. 2) THE STAFF STOLE THE REST OF OUR CAKE. My sister overheard two employees talking to each other about how much of the extra cake to pack up but it did not dawn on my sister until the next day when we realized that they didn’t give us our cake that the employees were talking about packing up our cake to take home for themselves! 3) THE VENUE (OR STAFF) STOLE THE REST OF OUR FOOD. We were told from the beginning by the lead coordinator when we were still deciding on venues that the leftover food from the buffet reception would be boxed up and would be ours to keep. There were two whole GIANT unsliced slabs of roast beef sitting untouched under heat lamps near the end of the evening, with no staff there to carve them—which was another issue since we also paid the venue SEPARATELY for carvers that were supposed to be carving the beef for the entire evening. Were the guests just supposed to carve off chunks of beef themselves with butter knives? NONE of the extra food was packaged and given to us. When questioned later, the coordinator recited an INCORRECT health code and RENEGED on our original agreement. 4) The top tier of our cake that was boxed up for us was HALF EATEN INTO 5) Our cake stand was not returned to us and I had to attempt to track it down along with the rest of our cake and food WHILE ON OUR HONEYMOON! When we met with the event coordinator in person to address our concerns, she just sat there with a blank legal pad with nothing written. She shot down each issue with, “I talked to each of my employees from that evening, and they said they didn’t take anything. They have no reason to lie to me.” She simply could not grasp the point that we were trying to make that OF COURSE her employees are going to tell her what she wants to hear because she is their boss and don't want to lose their jobs. There were so many other issues that just wouldn’t fit into to character limit of this review such as serving watered down gumbo, running out of many side items and sauces, and a poorly coordinated send off that resulted in both sets of our parents completely missing us walking out of the reception at the end of the night. I understand that this is a lengthy review, but we feel very strongly about no one else having to go through what we went through with them. As a physician and nurse practitioner, we have no ulterior motives in poorly reviewing this venue. It is not about money, but rather, it is about respect. We expected a certain level of service equal to not just the amount of time/money we invested in our wedding, but also equal to the reputation of the Houston tradition that is the Crystal Ballroom. It is sad that these are the people that are now entrusted to run such a treasured part of Houston history. Wedding Wire has strict character limits on their reviews, so here is a link to my full Yelp review of this venue: http://www.yelp.com/biz/crystal-ballroom-at-the-rice-hotel-houston?hrid=ixIf2Az05Tq3G8nbY4hgLQ

e wanted. We did the wedding package and despite some reservations about choosing an all-inclusive, everything was just fantastic. We loved the cake, the DJ, and the catering - all were complimented by our guests. The venue itself is also just an incredible value-add. We were able to go fairly minimal on flowers and the ballroom still looked gorgeous and didn't feel like a cookie-cutter venue. We also had several guests from out of town, many of whom had never been to Texas. The Crystal Ballroom helped show off some lovely Texas history and Houston's skyline.

r planner there the day of and she was a ROCKSTAR. Always asking what I needed, what she could help with, and keeping track of time for you. The food..AMAZING! All of my guests have said it is the "best wedding food" they've ever had and now want to try out Sambuca more! The ballroom is absolutely gorgeous, they are doing some remodeling, but it looks amazing so far. The servers were so nice, attentive to the guests, and quick. The value you get, especially if you do an all inclusive, is top notch. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still pick them. Heck if I ever have a big event again, I'd use this place. Seriously though, can't say enough about Jamie. She was always open to having meetings, quick to return emails (even if they had, what I would think, dumb questions), and always up front and honest. She's very helpful and can't boast on her enough. Alexandra - my day of gal, was a Gem! My mom afterwards asked if we could take her with us. She was so helpful and always checking in on us AND just a great person- we had several one-off conversations. Can't go wrong here! Jamie and her staff will do their very best - no questions asked!

t was a truer reflection of us and I fell in love with the elegance of the wonderfully restored ballroom. I worked with Jamie who made everything easy, despite me being an out of town bride. She always responded quickly and her staff was friendly and helpful as well. Contract negotiations went smoothly and there are multiple ways to pay. We did a tasting (to which you can have 4 people attend) several months before-- they use Sambuca for catering, and the quality of the food held true to the day of. There was a walk-through about 1 month before where they make a floor plan and ensure everyone is on the same page. We did both ceremony and reception here with a cocktail hour down on the first floor lobby. There is valet parking available for $10/car or you can pay for your guests. There are several hotels within walking distance (I walked over) and a lot of people used taxis/uber to get around too. We had around 200 people with a royal table, so the room looked full without being crowded, and the stage was perfect for our live band. I will say, try to see the ballroom at the time you're going to have your wedding, it absolutely looks different in the evening than in early morning light. Jamie and her staff were AMAZING day of, everything was running smoothly; they made sure we got fed and I always had a drink on hand. They were super sweet to me, and I really appreciate all they did for us. Love them, definitely recommend them.

architectural details, very classic decor that requires little addition to make the space wedding-ready, and the most gorgeous wrap around terrace that you can imagine! The price point of the venue is average. It was less expensive than hotels we had considered but more than the more casual types of venues. But what a great value for such an elegant venue! The only decor we really needed in the space was flowers and lighting. To be honest, we were a little unsure about the food after our menu tasting- we were kind of limited in options because of our wedding guests' dietary restrictions (we ended up going with a chicken option). But on the wedding day, we were very impressed and it came out quite well- especially for such a large group. Jamie, the venue coordinator, was really great. She was very helpful and extremely responsive. I had a million questions as I planned the wedding almost 2 years out, and she always always responded in a very friendly manner. She did a great job working with our coordinator and we couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding. Highly recommended!

d. Wouldn't change a single thing about our big day, and much of that confidence comes from the fact we had a team of people there for us to help make our wedding so amazing.

y are on it. They are so patient and kind. I never felt pressured or rushed to make a decision. The ballroom itself is simply stunning. So beautiful and so unique. Definitely nothing like it in Houston.

ie, the wedding coordinator at the Crystal Ballroom was a delight to work with. She was honest and straightforward from the first day we met her and made sure that we stayed on budget. The Ballroom offered a fantastic all-inclusive package for our Friday wedding that included the food, bar, cake, photographer and dj all for an amazing price. Jamie worked with us to get the menu we wanted as well as accommodating our personal/cultural touches. They also have individual/customized packages if you are not interested in using the all-inclusive plan. On the day of the wedding, service was fantastic. Even though we had a buffet, servers were very attentive filling empty glasses, picking up napkins and clearing up the tables. All of our guests were very happy. Everything went smoothly and we all had a wonderful time. At the end of the night Jamie also helped with cleaning up and packed up goodie bags with food and cake for us to take home. I would really recommend this place if you're looking for a fancy place without paying the huge price tag.

ess, although she was not there the night of the wedding; one of her employees was in charge that night and she was just as amazing as Jaime! Jaime gave it to me straight throughout the wedding planning process. I told her my budget and she was honest with me about what I could and could not fit into that budget. Jaime was so professional the entire time I communicated with her, and her employees were all so friendly and knowledgeable about my wedding plans which tells me they communicate well with each other at the Rice Crystal Ballroom. The food tasting I attended to decide what to include on my menu was so well put together; it was at the Sambuca restaurant in Houston, and there was a waiter there to see that my every wish was met while I tasted their delicious food with my family! Jamie even gave us each a free dessert off the dessert menu at the end of the tasting. I wish I could remember the name of the girl who was in charge on our wedding night, because she was AMAZING!!! Not only, were neither I or my groom ever without a drink in our hand, I was told none of my guests were left drinkless either! The flow of the reception went so well at the reception, with no long lines at the buffet, plenty of food to choose from, waitors circulating with drinks, no dirty plates being left on the tables, and the staff packed everything up for my parents at the end of the night and helped transport everything down the block to the hotel room my parents were staying at. The girl in charge was so great about maintaining our time schedule I never had to worry the whole night about things running behind. Lastly, I just want to comment on how beautiful the Rice Crystal Ballroom is itself with tall ceilings, chandeliers, a balcony overlooking the theater district in Houston, and large tall wooden windows and doors; it barely needs decoration, it is gorgeous on it's own. Basically I could not say enough good things about the Rice! If you can afford it, go with it because it is worth every penny!

ime, I always felt like I was the only one. She was AWESOME about responding to emails and answering all my questions (from stupid small questions, to major decisions). I feel like I owe her so much for helping ensure that our day was perfect. The food was delicious, just as I expected from Sambuca. We are still getting compliments from people on how delicious the food was, and was so different from the typical wedding food. The staff on hand absolutely made the night. We had our rehearsal dinner in the Empire Room the night before our wedding, and was able to meet the staff and so it was nice to establish a relationship with them and know all their names on Saturday. Anytime any family member was low on a drink, there was someone there with another one. I felt a bit ill after dinner (from a tight dress), Jamie rushed in with a cool washcloth and someone else was there to fan me, I felt better in no time and have never been served like that before! We got a sneak peek of the ballroom set up for the reception before guests were allowed back in (we also held our ceremony in the ballroom), and it literally took my breath away. It was just as I imagined it. All the staff kept telling me how gorgeous it looked (even though I'm sure they see weddings in there all the time!). I would highly recommend the Crystal Ballroom to anyone who wants the classic, timeless feel for their wedding. It was the wedding of my dreams!

few times, responded promptly to emails and calls, and answered any question we had throughout the whole process. Sambuca catered for us and the food was delicious! The venue itself is beautiful and doesn't require any extra decoration to make it look elegant. The lobby makes a great space for cocktail hour and the balcony and Empire room are excellent for pictures. I also loved that there was a beautiful dressing room for me and my bridesmaids. We were so thankful for Francis who checked on us girls frequently and brought us champagne while we got ready. She also brought my family, husband, and me drinks all night! Absoultely gorgeous venue and unbeatable service!!

he balcony is large enough for everyone to go outside. Jamie is very accommodating for any requests that you might have and the evening was flawless. I would highly recommend the Crystal Ballroom at the Rice for anyone looking for a venue. You will be in good hands and rest assured that everything will be taken care of for you.

d floor balcony. The wrap-around balcony outside of the ballroom is spacious and great. It has a large dance floor, and the stage is awesome if you are having a band. Definitely a great space for a big party! Jamie is top-notch and ensures that your evening will go smoothly. She is responsive to all calls, emails and questions, and accommodating of all special requests you might have. The quality of everything is just wonderful and the service is impeccable. It is expensive, but reasonable for downtown Houston and you are getting your money's worth with the high quality service and beauty of the venue. This venue definitely makes a statement of beauty, class, and a great party spot!

p then pack it up yourself before the wedding starts (because you won't have time after that). A lot of my stuff was mixed up in various bags and I had a hard time finding things later that night. they also packed up to-go food from the buffet and boxed up the cake for me. I thought that was really nice. they always made sure I had a drink in hand, and as the bride, that's important because I was so busy running around partying with everyone. Jamie was good to work with and always answered my questions.

unced. We cannot speak highly enough of how beautiful the venue was, and how amazing the coordinator, Jamie was!

ts in the same night), venue with significant capacity (400) in town. The outdoor porch/patio is a huge plus, with great views and convenient for guests to walk outdoors, see downtown, and access a 2nd bar set up on the patio. The dance floor is also very large, which can be very hard to find one big enough to accommodate hundreds of people comfortably. The food is provided by Sambuca, the hotel downstairs and owner of the Rice. Their food is amazing and they have so many items to choose from and ensure any tastes are available. The service is great. They really are experienced and have suggestions and knowledge to provide throughout the planning process, which is so helpful. Even more, their professionalism and organization the day of the wedding is priceless. They make sure EVERYTHING goes smoothly and can tackle any issues that arise, with class. They will accommodate you for any special requests and make sure you are tended to the entire night and ready for the various events that occur throughout the reception. For the quality of the venue, convenient location (I would also suggest booking rooms at the Magnolia across the street for guests), historic feel and aesthetic perfection, as well as food and service, the price really is reasonable. Nothing cheap but more than fair compared to other locations.

ving about it.

p of everything. Sambuca catered as it is located directley below and contracted through the ballroom and let me just tell you my guests thought it was the best wedding food they had ever had!!! I can not say enough how attentive and accomodating the staff truly was. It was beyond amazing and I know that any bride or bridezilla would be pleased! It was my dream wedding!!!!!!