Stories Above All!
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Jody Unger
SENIOR CATERING MANAGER
Typically responds within 24h
Nestled in the heart of the Short North Arts District, Columbus, OH, Hilton Columbus Downtown is the ideal destination wedding venue and destination. The vibrant energy of Columbus greets you at the door, and the neighborhood’s rich culture follows you throughout. The hotel is adorned with over 150 pieces of locally curated artwork from the lobby to the guest rooms. Step outside and immerse yourself in all that Columbus offers, including over 300 restaurants and entertainment venues within walking distance.
Whether you are planning a small, intimate wedding for 75 guests or a large, grand wedding for 800, Hilton Columbus Downtown can bring your vision to life. With over 75,000 square feet of event space throughout three ballrooms, the possibilities are endless. The grand ballroom features 20-foot ceilings, whimsically beautiful chandeliers, and a sleek design. The two junior ballrooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Columbus cityscape.
Expanding in Fall 2022, Hilton Columbus Downtown will be the largest hotel in Ohio, following a multi-million dollar expansion that will include a second tower. Together with the existing building, which will be undergoing soft good renovations, the hotel will have 1,000 rooms (including 85 suites) and 75,000 square feet of event space.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Ballroom
Hotel
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Food & Catering
Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Any questions?
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Jody UngerSenior Catering ManagerI bring over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry to my current role. I began my hospitality career as a Server while I pursued my degree in Hospitality Management at The Ohio State University. After graduating, I progressed through various roles including Banquet Manager, Director of Events and most recently to Senior Catering Manager at Hilton Columbus Downtown. I thrive in the vibrant environment of Hilton Columbus Downtown, the largest hotel in Ohio. In my leisure time, I cherish moments with my husband, Bill and our Bernese Mountain Dog, Rooney. I am an avid sports fan and take great pleasure in supporting my favorite teams! Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, I have an enormous passion for this city! Residing near Bridge Park in Dublin, I enjoy the lively and diverse restaurant scene. I enjoy the great variety of food offerings in both the suburbs and the city, particularly in the Short North which is at our doorstep at Hilton Columbus Downtown.
- Lauren Seeholzer-SmithSenior Catering ManagerHi there! I’m Lauren Seeholzer-Smith, and I’ve been making magic happen in the Events Industry for about 9 years. Hailing from Sandusky, Ohio, right off the shores of good ol’ Lake Erie, I bring a bit of that lakeside charm to everything I do. I earned my stripes at Bowling Green State University, where I studied Hospitality and Event Management. Go Falcons! Talons up! My hotel career began with a whirlwind tour through various departments, including front office, housekeeping, and reservations. This hands-on experience gave me a well-rounded foundation in the hospitality world. As I made my way to the vibrant Columbus hospitality market, I found my true calling in event management, specializing in small to mid-sized corporate and social events. In 2022, I proudly joined the Hilton Columbus Downtown team, where I continue to create unforgettable experiences for our guests. When I’m not orchestrating events, you can find me exploring new places with my spouse and animals, enjoying a good book, or attending any and all concerts. When it comes to dining, Columbus boasts a plethora of unique restaurants. My favorite area is definitely the Short North, with North Market being my top choice for its incredible variety of food options. It’s a foodie’s paradise! For entertainment, make sure to check out the concerts and shows at the many different venues Columbus has to offer. There’s always something exciting happening in the city. Lastly, if you’re a book lover, don’t miss the Book Loft in German Village. It’s a bookworm’s dream come true with its cozy nooks and endless shelves of books. Let’s make your next event a memorable one!
Reviews
4.7
out of 5.026 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Monica H
5.0
11/23/2022
Hotel was beautiful, spotlessly clean and staff were very helpful throughout our recent stay. We got married at a nearby venue downtown, so we reserved a block of rooms for our gue...
sts, suites for the wedding parties to get ready, and a bridal suite area as well. Everything was perfect-all my family and friends enjoyed their stay and I (the bride) loved getting ready in the spacious suite spaces with my bridal party! Charles H. was especially helpful with managing our room blocks and making us feel like guests of honor during our stay. Thanks Charles and the great team at Hilton Downtown Columbus!
Leah S
5.0
10/23/2022
The Hilton Columbus Downtown was a great choice as a hotel for guests and wedding party alike. The team was very welcoming and accommodating to make sure our guests had everything ...
they needed for their stay. The Hilton also had great spacious suite options for getting ready spaces on our wedding morning. Charlie was amazing at helping schedule the room block, rooms, giftbag drop off, and day after brunch!
Any questions?
Seth and Beth K
5.0
10/21/2022
We are Seth and Beth from Seth and Beth Wedding Photography. We have had the opportunity to photograph at the Hilton Columbus Downtown on many occasions now. We are so proud and th...
rilled to photograph every event here at the Hilton Columbus Downtown for so many reasons. We have only found exceptional service from every member of the team. Also, the Event Coordinators like Trevor care about each wedding like it is there own. What a special venue in Columbus!
Ali C
4.0
1/13/2022
Our wedding turned out to be a beautiful and memorable night and that is the most important thing! The hotel and banquet staff were so generous and accommodating and for that I am ...
grateful. The reason I gave the score of a 4 instead of a 5 is because there were so many miscommunications regarding the setup of our ceremony and reception even though all of the details had been reviewed several times in meetings and written out directly in emails. This created a little stress right before the ceremony was supposed to start because the tables were not set up and everyone was scrambling, but it all ended up working out perfectly. I know that is how large events typically come together, but during a time that should have been completely stress-free, that was unfortunately not the case. This is not any one person's fault as we had worked with 4 different event coordinator contacts at the Hilton since we originally booked the venue in November 2019 (this was due to Hilton furloughs and staff departures). Covid really messed things up for everyone when it came to communication handoffs and that's just how it goes sometimes. Overall, the Hilton was a beautiful location for a New Year's Eve wedding and we were so happy with our decision to have our special day there!
Response from Hilton Columbus Downtown on 02/09/2022
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Ali! It was a pleasure working with you and the entir...
e wedding party to make your special day a memorable one. We also appreciate the feedback as we continue to strive to provide exceptional service in every area of your wedding experience.
Emily S
5.0
12/13/2021
We had our ceremony and reception at the Hilton and it was great. We were a COVID wedding that was postponed a year and the Hilton worked with us to secure a new date and move arou...
nd a lot of the meetings that we had planned. We were very happy with the cocktail hour food and the reception dinner. The tasting with the chef was amazing and he was very receptive to our feedback and requests. They even helped us create a signature drink that was very important to us. The staff was incredibly helpful and professional.
We had a lot of meetings at the hotel before our wedding to make sure that we could check all of our boxes and visualize the space with our vendors. They were transparent with pricing and open to helping us make changes when we had to lower our guest list because of COVID.
Response from Hilton Columbus Downtown on 02/09/2022
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Emily! It was wonderful working with you and Steve in...
making your wedding weekend an exceptional one!
Jaclyn D
5.0
7/04/2020
Bryan and his incredibly talented team at The Hilton saved our wedding!! We decided to press on in a COVID environment and still get married June 27. Our original venue was unable ...
to host us, but we were fortunate enough to find Bryan and his team at the Hilton who planned and executed our perfect wedding reception in less than a month while making sure to keep all of our guests safe and happy! This team works miracles! Our reception was better than we could have ever imagined—from the setup, vibe, food and every detail in between—and the service was extraordinary! The communication was out of this world and every last detail was perfect. We can’t thank Bryan and the Hilton team enough and we strongly recommend this venue and team!
Sarah K
5.0
10/31/2019
Thank you to Mandy and the entire team at the Hilton for everything they did to help make our wedding weekend so special! We had a large wedding with a lot of out of town guests an...
d the entire staff made sure each and every one of them was taken care of from check-in to check-out. We hosted our reception and morning after brunch at the hotel and every detail of both were executed perfectly. We've been told by many of our guests that it was the best wedding food they've ever had, and we completely agree!
Toni G
5.0
10/15/2019
The hotel couldn’t have done anything else to make this the perfect wedding. Our out of town guests were blown away by the facilities and hospitality of the staff. The food surpass...
ed our expectations. No was not in anyone’s vocabulary, no matter we asked . Everyone made the day something we will never forget.
Timothy M
5.0
9/03/2019
We are Truly appreciative of everything the Hilton Staff did to make the wedding reception so special. Everyone at the Hilton was very cooperative and professional. We could not ...
have asked for any better. A special thanks to Mandy Berryman who exceptional in every way.
B D
1.0
6/24/2019
I had a very poor experience with so many mistakes and wanted share this experience.
I had around 55 guests and had requested for wine to be served at each table which the staff f...
orgot but they billed me as if they had served all 55 guests as stated in the initial estimate. When I raised this issue, I was told the consumption was equal to the total number of guest.
On our entry to the Burkhart hall as a bridal couple, we along with the wedding party were directed to the buffet table only to realize that there were empty containers at buffet table and so we went back to our respective tables until the food was brought in. This was so embarrassing.
In the 6 months, since I initially contracted for this venue, the director of catering and senior Event Manager changed. I had to submit proof of my initial deposit payments as there was lack of communication. Also, I was initially billed the new rates not the contracted rates. After pointing it out to the new Event Manager, I was given the initial contracted rates for the food. I'm grateful I had the receipts.
Lastly, I would say the Bryan Wright (director of catering and events) was worst person I have come across during this whole planning. He made my wedding preparation very stressful. I had one simple request, that if any excess food exist, my family would collect it. I was ready to sign any waivers (as my sister had done at a different venue). But, no mean no and I was given how the food would benefit the environment and homeless people. All he cares about is profit. I can understand few mistakes but this was horrible.
Response from Hilton Columbus Downtown on 07/18/2019
Thank you for sharing your experience with us as we can only improve opportunities that we...
know occurred. I do believe there was some miscommunication from small details such as the wine service, since the agreed upon order stated that wine would be on-consumption and not served during dinner. Our event staff did mix up communications with the buffet food being out already, that was a miss on our part and sincerely apologize for that mix-up. I was excited to hear however that the culinary team was able to get everything right out for you and your guests to enjoy! Unfortunately for all groups we do not allow excess food to be taken off property even with a waiver signed as there are potential loopholes and the venue could still be liable for any reactions prior to the event from the food consumption. That is one matter there is not much flexibility on unfortunately. I hope that our offering for the inconveniences you have experienced was reviewed and well-received. We all truly enjoyed hosting such a special day for the two of you and hope there are still great memories from that magical weekend! If there are any additional concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at 614-484-5265 or bryan.wright@hilton.com.
Thank you,
Bryan Wright
Director of Catering & Events
Sherrie K
5.0
4/29/2019
This review is for a hotel block. The Hilton was wonderful! Dana made sure that we had everything we needed throughout the planning process. She was very responsive in making sure ...
that we managed to have enough rooms for our guests, while not blocking too many - no easy task when March Madness is in town! Our guests loved the hotel and its proximity to restaurants and bars.
Kathleen B
5.0
4/06/2018
The Hilton did an AMAZING job hosting our wedding reception and weekend guests! The entire weekend seemed perfect.
Blaire did a great job with all of the planning and for the we...
ekend of the wedding Blaire and the other Hilton staff did a great job making our reception a splendid affair and making our guests comfortable during their weekend stay.
I was excited to have our reception at the Downtown Hilton - it is a great location and we were sooo pleased with how wonderful of a job the Hilton did.
Jacqueline B
5.0
11/01/2017
First off, Blaire Blechinger is the most amazing, efficient, enthusiastic wedding coordinator you could ever imagine. I hope the Columbus Downtown Hilton knows what a gem she is. ...
Our October 21st wedding of 240 guests was all we could have wanted and more. I attribute the joy and ease of the planning to Blaire!
Brittney F
5.0
6/21/2017
Truly amazed by our experience and I highly recommend having your wedding at the Hilton! Blaire, the wedding coordinator, was amazing to work with and always answered our questions...
in great detail.
On the night of our wedding, all of the servers/staff were incredible. Everything flowed very nicely and the manager would check in with my husband and I to see if there was anything else we needed (whether it was another drink or an errand, they did it with no hesitation!)
A few days before our wedding we dropped all of our supplies off at the Hilton (additional decor, seating chart, in memory of table, etc.) and everything was set up exactly how I requested. Very glad that I did not spend the money for an outside wedding planner because Blaire and her team were outstanding. It was everything I wanted and my family and I feel as if we got our money's worth throughout the entire process.
To top it all off, we arrived to our (complimentary) suite at the end of the night and they had a bottle of champagne, box of chocolates, and some keepsakes from our wedding waiting for us! So thoughtful!
Jessica Z
4.0
10/25/2016
This is such a wonderful venue! From the service, to the amenities, to the food quality- everything was spot-on! I would highly recommend it for a wedding.
The only grievance I...
have is that I felt I had to remind our coordinator about deadlines that were approaching, such as our room block ending for instance. It was also hard to reach her at times. I was fortunate enough to have some personal coordinators outside of the hotel helping me- and I feel that may have led to us not getting the full-service coordination from the hotel that we were counting on . I was also disappointed that the day before and the day of our wedding I was never approached or contacted by any member of the Hilton staff at any time.
These issues were not detrimental to our experience and there are so many great aspects to booking with the Hilton. Examples are: a private menu tasting, full-service staff, free parking for all consultations, and above all else, they were extremely accommodating. Our wedding was rooted in culture and our Coordinator and staff were so open to honoring our custom requests. We had the best day of our lives and the Hilton played such an important role in making it all happen!
Rima K
5.0
9/12/2016
I checked out many venues when I was searching for a place to have our wedding. Hilton downtown Columbus was one of the first places that I looked at, and I absolutely fell in lov...
e with it! It is so beautiful and modern. I would have to say, that the best part of the experience was Blaire, the wedding coordinator. She is just fantastic. She was quick to respond, organized, and extremely helpful and upbeat all along the way. Our wedding went off without a hitch and Blaire and the hotel staff were definitely a big reason for that!
Tal S
5.0
3/22/2016
The day after my husband proposed, I took my parents and my fiance to see the Hilton's George Bellow's Ballroom. From then on, I knew I wanted to get married at the Hilton. The ...
Hilton was above our price point, but we knew we needed a hotel because of all the out of town guests. I do not regret a penny spent on the wedding and am so glad we bit the bullet on the Hilton.
Not only is the hotel itself beautiful and new, it is modern and does not look like everyone else's standard ballroom. The food was delicious and the alcohol was top shelf. We hosted our rehearsal dinner and morning after brunch at the hotel as well. The bar hosted our guests before and after the wedding functions which made the wedding feel like a weekend-long function! Chrissy facilitated the myriad of room reservations for my family and Angie and Deborah kept us notified of all payments and charges.
Blaire was a dream to work with from beginning to end. She communicated frequently and met all our wants, needs, and desires. She facilitated, for example, craft beer, and kosher meal options. Her reputation preceded her and any wedding vendor I spoke to lauded her praises.
The hotel's in house A/V team set up a beautiful room and were pleasures to work with.
You will not regret hosting your event at the Hilton - we highly recommend it for any bride and groom seeking an amazing venue for their big day.
Chelsie P
4.0
12/18/2015
Overall great experience with our Hilton reception! Blaire was great to work with. The hotel staff was very helpful the entire weekend and made us feel special!
Highlights- food i...
s amazing!!! Great downtown location and the hotel is beautiful! Bar service was top notch.
We had our wedding on a weekend with downtown events so the valet was an issue for our guest.
I would recommend the Hilton Downtown Columbus.
Meghan M
5.0
11/13/2015
Due to my large extended family that travels well I had to quickly book a second room block and since the Hilton was across the street from the other one, it was a great choice :) ...
They were so helpful and accommodating and I could not ask for a better experience (especially since since I was a very stressed out bride).
Brittany A
5.0
11/12/2015
We had a very comfortable stay at this beautiful hotel! We chose this hotel because we wanted our wedding pictures taken here. Our pictures turned out amazing! The staff was friend...
ly and even upgraded our bridal suite so we could stay in it a couple of hours later that we originally planned.
Lindsay D
5.0
9/16/2015
The Hilton Downtown was absolutely wonderful. The coordinator we worked with, Blaire, was fantastic. I truly felt that she was just as excited as I was for our reception. I always ...
felt like all of our needs were being met. On the day of, all of the staff went above and beyond to make our day perfect. Our guests continuously commented on how friendly and accommodating the Hilton staff was. We also used the hotel for our room block, and had a great experience with that. They stayed on top of the block to ensure we always had enough rooms open for our guests. Could not have asked for a better experience from this vendor!
Renee K
3.0
9/11/2015
Nice room and they left chocolate dipped strawberries and champagne in our room!
ana k
5.0
7/29/2015
Blaire (wedding coordinator) was so amazing to work with; food and drink were delicious; valet was incredible and chip, the bellman, was a huge help!! From the front desk to the ba...
r staff, this place went above and beyond. The bridal parlor was a great addition, but the bridal suite was STUNNING. They sure know how to make a bride feel special!
Becky T
5.0
2/25/2015
We had our winter wedding at the Hilton and couldn't have been happier! It was absolutely beautiful and perfect. Blaire was amazing and so easy to work with. She made the whole pro...
cess very enjoyable. We received so many wonderful compliments from our guests on how great everything was. I would highly recommend the Hilton Downtown Columbus for any wedding!
Shoshana D
5.0
2/18/2015
We used the Hilton Columbus Downtown for our wedding reception on Valentine's day. We selected them about four months prior to the event, worked with Blaire on every detail, and w...
ere very pleased with the services we received. At first I thought it was pricey, but then I realized that that's just how much it costs! And, to help make things better, there were plenty of "complimentary" items such as the honeymoon suite, hospitality suite, and other things thrown in here and there. The food was AMAZING, people kept telling us how great their meals were. the waitstaff during the reception was wonderful. Attention was paid to detail, and there were no real issues! On occasion it was difficult to get prompt responses to questions, but then again, I emailed literally every day with questions so I imagine they had other people to worry about than me! We loved it. Minus the yellow curtains in the ballroom ;) But everything else made up for that and it was beautiful!
Audrey G
5.0
10/12/2014
We didn't hold any events at the Hilton, but our guests stayed here. I got a suite for the night before and about 7 of us had our hair and makeup done there. Later, my husband an...
d I did our photos throughout the gorgeous hotel.
The staff is just amazing there! They kept bringing us champagne while we were getting ready, and some women even came to clean the room while it was full of people so it would like nice in our pictures. When we came back from the wedding we found champagne and chocolate covered strawberries with a sweet note from the hotel.
It was my dream to do our first look on their gorgeous spiral staircase, and it was so wonderful, and we captured it so beautifully. We got such cool pictures on the staircase, the bridge, with all of the gorgeous artwork, and even on different levels across the hotel from our photographers. It was so much fun to be at the Hilton on our special day!
I will also say that we heard there were NINE(!!) other weddings at the hotel that weekend, and we still felt like the most valuable customers. They do a fantastic job and we had a wonderful time in this beautiful, beautiful hotel. I can't recommend letting htem be a part of your weekend anymore!
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Hilton Columbus Downtown
Jody Unger
|
Senior Catering Manager
Typically responds within 24h
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Hilton Columbus Downtown
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