Southwest School of Art

Absolutely gorgeous and unique venue. Must choose from approved list for catering but there are a lot of options. Our caterer (Pappas) also took care of rentals of tables and chairs, etc so that was easier than we initially anticipated. Sylvia is easy to contact and very polite. We had a little issue with parking - the lot is pretty small, and a section was reserved for a different venue on campus but there was no signage and nobody mentioned that and it wasn't in the contract. Overall loved and would absolutely use again

This is such a beautiful venue. Although there were a lot of rules and restrictions to follow regarding decor, the courtyards and chapel are so beautiful that you don't even really need much decoration in the first place. The riverwalk location is great for weddings with out of town guests and for after party shenanigans. We also used the onsite catering company, the Copper Kitchen, from the approved list provided by the venue. Keith, the events manager, is great, and it was so easy having the food and drinks come from right next door!

We hired one of this school's glass instructors, Larry West, to create a unity glass (a unique take on a unity candle or unity sand) for our wedding ceremony. We paid half of the cost upfront and were promised a sculpture and an ornament for each of our parents after our ceremony. We returned the mixed glass pieces to Larry in December 2015 and have not heard from him since - he won't reply to our numerous emails, phone calls, or requests for a refund. I'm not sure if he lost the glass pieces or he was dishonest from the start but it's disappointed that one of the most meaningful parts of our ceremony has turned out this way. We're incredibly disappointed with this school's instructor and the lack of communication on this issue. We will continue to wait for a response and solution to our problem.

PROS: The venue is absolutely breathtaking! Minimal floral is needed since it already has such a beautiful landscape and beautiful greenery everywhere. You have a plan B if it is raining on your wedding day and you were scheduled to be married outside! Their chapel can hold up to 500 guests! The set up flow is great! There is not one area that gets too congested, plenty of space for everyone! Your band will sound awesome inside the chapel! We did not use a stage, I was a little worried it would be weird being on the same level but it was fine! The chapel is breathtaking as well if you choose to get married inside! You are able to rent the Copper Kitchen if your wedding party is too big for the room they provide. We loved being able to all spread out in the copper kitchen before lining up to walk down the isle! Your guests can walk to their hotels easily! We did a river boat send off, and a lot of our guests just walked the riverwalk back to their hotels! This venue provides excellent vendor options. Bathrooms are nice and the stalls are big enough for someone to help you hold your wedding dress! VERY important ladies! Your wedding pictures will turn out breathtaking, I cannot express enough how beautiful this venue is! All of my wedding guests were gushing over the gorgeous venue and many said it was the most gorgeous venue they had been to! If you are looking for a beautiful venue in San Antonio, stop looking and start planning at the Southwest School of Art! CON: I only have 1 Con to this venue & it may only apply since this was a destination wedding, 98% of our guests traveled to San Antonio: They do not allow you to book your rehearsal time until 2 weeks before the wedding. This is extremely inconvenient! This might be okay if your wedding party and guests all live in the San Antonio area. However, none of our wedding party & the majority of our guests do not live in San Antonio. The majority had to fly in (purchasing flights months in advance) or drive 10+ hours to get to San Antonio. This was EXTREMELY stressful for everyone not being able to give a time for the rehearsal and not even knowing if the venue would be available for the rehearsal since they allow others to book the venue instead of you being able to book it for the rehearsal. A solution to this problem would be allowing brides to pay a small booking fee to book just the rehearsal time for that day early. This way it will not hold anyone up on travel plans, hold any printing handouts or email itineraries up until 2 weeks before the wedding, or stress anyone out! Had it not been available, we would have had to find a place in 2 weeks holding over 80 people in a town we are not from. Which would have been a huge inconvenience and turned me into a bridezilla. No one wants to be or deal with a bridezilla!

This space is completely gorgeous! The chapel is so beautiful you don't even need to decorate (and I didn't). What I love about this venue is that you get an outdoor and indoor space together. We had cocktail hour out in the garden and the reception and dinner inside the chapel. I would say the price is about average BUT you do have to bring in all rentals and things so account for that cost. My sister got married here eight years ago and I had my reception here a month ago. Definitely worth it to check out SSA!

First of all, the courtyard has been recently renovated and it is absolutely GORGEOUS. It is the perfect spot for a ceremony (though we chose the beautiful chapel for our ceremony) and/or cocktail hour! They have all new lighting installations around the grounds that make the place unbelievable at dusk. The Coates Chapel is also a lovely setting for a ceremony and reception. Seating inside the chapel is a bit tight for weddings of over 130, but we had 120 seated in the lower portion of the chapel comfortably. We were also able to comfortably fit 12 large round top tables and one large rectangular head table with ample space for a dance floor. The lower choir area was the perfect space for the buffet and cake table. All in all, we loved the venue and our guests raved about it as well! Gorgeous setting for photos, perfect size spaces for weddings of less than 140-150 people!

Such a gorgeous space to have my dream wedding!! The chapel is so historical and magical. The garden is gorgeous, and the gazebo was the perfect spot to have the ceremony, just off the Riverwalk. A lot of our guests came in from out of town, so it was a great location for guests to visit. It was so cool to be sent off on a river barge back to our hotel! I highly recommend hiring a wedding planner since there is no one there to coordinate all the moving parts of a wedding.

I LOVED having my wedding here and still wouldn't take it back, but they have so many rules so just make sure you know what you're getting into. They don't allow amplified music outside, and we had our ceremony at the gazebo and no one could hear our acoustic guitarist. It was a bit of a shame since it's such a beautiful spot. Sylvia is very easy to work with, the security guards are nice but they aren't cheap!

The Southwest School of Art is a beautiful location for both ceremony and reception. It used to be a convent, so it has very old, catholic look (which was exactly what I wanted). The Coates Chapel is gorgeous with its; dark wood floors, stone wall, stained-glass windows, giant chandelier, and an even more giant tapestry. The outdoor garden areas were also beautiful. These can be used for ceremony/receptions too (there is a cute gazebo right next to the riverwalk); however, we used it for pictures and the cocktail hour. The picturesque garden area also has stone paths, statues from the convent days, and direct access to the Riverwalk (off on a secluded part of the River, so there's no chance of strangers being part of your special day). My husband and I did our final send-off to the Riverwalk and had a nice, romantic stroll back to our hotel room. Another plus; there are a handful of very nice hotels within walking distance along the riverwalk from the venue. The only potential negatives is that there are many rules associated with using this location, since its a historic location; we never had any issues with them. The venue will give you (a rather large) list of vendors allowed to cater your event. Additionally, no speakers are allowed outside; so if you want music outdoors, you will have to hire live musicians. Overall, I loved this location and the venue was extremely easy to work with and accommodating!

If you have not visited the Southwest School of Art, you ought to before deciding on a venue. This location truly speaks for itself. There are 2 gardens, 1 directly off of the River Walk (about 10 minutes walk away from the touristy area) with a large gazebo, and a second garden with a statue and stone design. The chapel has hardwood floors and stone walls. It is absolutely stunning and really calls fewer decorations so you can save on draping and those extra touches. The rentals coordinator is Sylvia and she was very helpful and sweet. She is quick to respond and is flexible with your schedule. The only cons are that there are numerous rules because it is a historic site. This includes to amplified music in the gardens (you need a live musician) and no sparklers. As long as you don't mind the regulations, I would not hesitate to spend your big day here. My guests were stunned by the venue and loved the personal entrance to the Riverwalk. They book out very far in advance so this might not be the best place for you if your wedding is coming up quickly. However, they do have a waiting list for cancellations and you can always call Sylvia to ask. She will do her best. I have no reservations recommending this venue!!!!!

loved the location and history of the SSA Coates Chapel, the landscaping looks wonderful year round

The Southwest School of Art Coates Chapel has such character and ambiance that minimal decoration is needed to set the scene for a wedding. All of my guests commented on how beautiful the entire wedding was - partly due to the location. Included in the rental is the two additional garden areas backing up to the Riverwalk. My Groom and his groomsmen took a river taxi to the venue for added flair. The venue does not come with tables/chairs, so you have to budget that in with the caterer - but all in all, it was a beautiful night!

I have been to many weddings in San Antonio that is why we choose the school. I is and was the most beautiful location for a wedding. We had limited decorations because it is so lovely it needs no help. They are very fussy with rules and I must say there were big issues with the bathrooms and overflowing toilets but I absolutely do it all again and recommend it

The day of the wedding was unbelievable. The chapel is simply breathtaking and the acoustics are phenomenal. My only criticism - and it is a significant one - is that the venue is very inflexible. Rehearsal times are announced less than a month before the date, for example. This is the place for a magical wedding, no doubt about it. Just know going in that you will be limited by their policies.

The space could not be more beautiful. As other reviewers mentioned, it got hot during the reception, but it was August. It's a bit pricey to rent, but worth it. Keep in mind that weddings are not their main business. Service was acceptable, but might be better at one of those venues that does nothing but weddings and makes a good profit off of them. We had no problems, though. I'd recommend it.

I found this little gem by chance while searching on-line for a venue where we would have the option to have an indoor and outdoor reception. This venue is gorgeous and was the perfect place for our evening reception on a beautiful March night. We had many guests from out of town that were awed by the beauty of the gardens and the old chapel, its history, and the great location near the riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. Even born and raised San Antonians were amazed by it and praised it. The only issue with SWSAC is that they require you to choose from a list of selected caterers. This is helpful if you need a list to start from, but can be very restrictive at the same time. But overall, we couldn't have chosen a better venue that is not only beautiful, but also gives you a real taste of modern day and historical San Antonio. I will recommend it to brides everywhere forever and ever!

The Southwest School of Arts and Crafts has the most beautiful facility in san Antonio.

The Southwest School of Art and Craft is beautiful and the chapel was perfect for our wedding pictures. The only disappoinment was the poor A/C. It became very hot in the chapel during our reception. This was a huge let down.

The Southwest School of Art and Craft is a breath taking site along the San Antonio River. From the historic cathedral to the elegant gardens, one is lucky to experience. The beautiful iron gate entrance invites you in to the courtyard centered around a fountain. The inside of the cathedral is timeless with cathedral ceilings, chandeliers, and historic stained glass. The outside gardens seem endless. My guests were awed and wowed by the entire evening. I couldn't have wanted anything better.;The Southwest School of Art and Craft only offers the rental of the location in their price. Everything else must be through their approved list of vendors. However, this allows the bride and groom to add their own unique touch. Also, this site can book up to a year in advance. You must be quick to get the date you want.

the historic nature of the heart of texas, lots of trees, limestone buildings and walkways. the chapel was gorgeous.;the facilities managers are very difficult to work with and will not provide you a rehearsal time until 3 months out. They are very difficult to get ahold of and are poor at returning calls. They will nickel and dime you for historic fees, security fees, etc.

Southwest School of Art and Craft is a beautiful backdrop. The grounds are quintissential hill country and the chapel itself creates a very romatic mood. It's conveniently downtown and within walking distance from many hotels for guest convenience. I really thought it was a stunning venue.;The management imposes a lot of rules to conserve the property. They're very picky about set up both hours and what can be put on grounds. There are many rules but if you're willing to play along and be flexible to meet these rules then it's not so bad.

The SSAC was a beautiful setting that allowed a casual outdoor ambiance paired with the formality of period architecture. I think casually elegant is a great way to describe this venue. It offers exquisite indoor and outdoor settings, which is a welcomed option for guests.;In order to maintain the integrity of the property, they were very strict on their rules/policies. Make sure you are comfortable with the limitations before signing on with the SSAC.

I loved the historic nature of the venue as well as the limestone construction that is reminiscent of the hill country in Texas.;There is no lighting curbside when you make your getaway in the limo, so this makes for poor pictures.

It represented a true historical Texas experience with the hand cut limestone walls in the chapel and the beautiful gardents and access to the San Antonio river.;Potential construction. We were not warned or advised in any way of the renovation that would be taking place in the entry adjacent to the parking area or the scaffolding on the outside of the chapel.