5.0
Verified reviews from real couples
The Conservatory East Village
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Our wedding day was beautiful, and a big reason is because of how stunning our venue was. We didn’t need to purchase any decorations (other than a few things for the welcome and dessert tables) because the space is already gorgeous. Anthony was fantastic to work with and was very responsive whenever we had questions. Additionally, the quality of the space for the price is unbeatable. I would choose The Conservatory again and again!
Kaitlyn V.
5.0
The Conservatory was an amazing venue! Anthony was great to work with throughout the entire process. I loved all the options they offer in-house, but also appreciated the flexibility to bring in outside vendors if you prefer. The team working on my big day was incredible from start to finish, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
Ashley K.
5.0
Anthony Marinaro
EVENTS DIRECTOR
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Conservatory is conveniently located in the heart of Des Moines' East Village. Within blocks of some of the best restaurants, shops, and entertainment. The event center is comprised of a 5000sf ballroom that can be used as a large gathering space for a wedding, corporate event, or party or it can accommodate executive meetings, classes, and small groups that range in size and setup. The Conservatory can accommodate events for over 240 guests seating and over 250 for standing/cocktail setup. It provides the comforts of an inhouse bar, many catering options and, lighting/decor options, and a staff specially attuned to the unique needs of weddings clients, meeting planners, and all types of guests and attendees.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
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
Historic Venue
Loft
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Cupcakes
Other Desserts
Food & Catering
Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
2021 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Anthony Marinaro
Events Director
Anthony Marinaro is a wedding planner, business owner, and designer - known for his creativity, attention to detail, and thoughtfulness. With years of experience, he transforms couples' visions into unforgettable realities. Anthony and the team ensure every wedding is a seamless and magical experience.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.027 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Beautiful, affordable, centrally located venue with attentive, experienced staff and seamless coordination. Many in-house items are included, outside vendors are allowed, the space fits large guest lists and offers extended setup/teardown. Couples rave about the lively reception atmosphere and highly recommend booking.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 5
Kaitlyn V
5.0
6/29/2026
Our wedding day was beautiful, and a big reason is because of how stunning our venue was. We didn’t need to purchase any decorations (other than a few things for the welcome and de...
ssert tables) because the space is already gorgeous. Anthony was fantastic to work with and was very responsive whenever we had questions. Additionally, the quality of the space for the price is unbeatable. I would choose The Conservatory again and again!
Ashley K
5.0
4/28/2026
The Conservatory was an amazing venue! Anthony was great to work with throughout the entire process. I loved all the options they offer in-house, but also appreciated the flexibili...
ty to bring in outside vendors if you prefer. The team working on my big day was incredible from start to finish, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
Any questions?
Kayla A
5.0
3/16/2026
We had the most amazing experience at The Conservatory for our wedding! The venue is absolutely beautiful and the staff was wonderful to work with—so helpful, organized, and attent...
ive throughout the entire process. They made our day feel seamless and truly special. All of our guests couldn’t stop commenting about how beautiful the place was. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate! We highly recommend checking this place out for anyone looking for a venue! You won’t be disappointed!
Bellin B
5.0
8/25/2025
If I could give 10 stars to The Conservatory and Anthony I would. I went into the wedding planning process knowing that I wanted an affordable venue in a great location, and that i...
s exactly what we got with The Conservatory. Starting off with Anthony... I never planned to spend the money on a coordinator. I thought it was pretty extra and figured I could do it on my own. I quickly realized that hiring him would be 100% worth it, and IT WAS. If you book at The Conservatory, you can hire Anthony as a day of coordinator for an extremely discounted price. Except he didn't just help me the day of, he put tons of time and effort into planning my wedding for AN ENTIRE YEAR. He is so full of knowledge and expertise, has 25 years of experience in the industry, and is one to always keep it real with you. He has a strong personality and will tell you how it is, and that is exactly what you need in a wedding coordinator!!! I will forever recommend him to those planning weddings, because I truly could not have done it without him.
Now onto the venue... Here's a list of the best parts:
-Extremely affordable (1/4 of the cost of others in DSM)
-Can hold a lot of people (our guest list was 250)
-Prime location (1 block from AC Marriot, The Republic, and all the East Village bars)
-Comes with tables, linens, chivalry chairs, lighting, chandeliers, drapes, cocktail tables, guest book/card box tables, dessert tables, easels for signs, etc. This saved us a TON and required very little decorating on our end
-We were able to set up on a Tuesday before our Saturday wedding and didn't have to tear down until the Monday after the wedding. This is pretty much unheard of with most venues
-We were able to hire any caterer and also made/brought our own cocktail hour snacks
-No windows. This made for the perfect atmosphere!! We had a summer wedding so it stays light until 9PM or later. Our dancefloor was packed full from 6:00pm until the wedding was over at 11pm. People feel weird dancing in the broad daylight when its super bright, but we didn't have this problem! Many people said it was the most fun they've had at a wedding and the longest time they've actually spent on the dancefloor!
Overall we could not have asked for a better experience. If you don't book with The Conservatory, at least consider hiring Anthony as your coordinator! I think he cared a lot more about making the day perfect than I did, which is amazing!! I could not recommend more.
Angee C
5.0
1/10/2024
Working with Anthony was the best decision we made out of all of the wedding decisions. The venue is so incredibly beautiful! He made our wedding and helped us create the vision...
I had in my head. From the first meeting, he understood the assignment. The only disappointments I had, were the areas I didn’t put in his capable hands. If you can, book him for EVERYTHING, and you won’t go wrong. 3 months later and our families are talking about everything Anthony handled and had his hands in. It was just breathtaking. Thanks to Anthony and crew! I cannot give you enough credit for your experience, vision, and incredible venue! - The Cunninghams
Nat P
5.0
3/30/2023
I mean, talk about a versatile wedding venue. This gorgeous space has everything you need for your wedding. The venue itself is outstanding. Architectural beauty and great service...
!! The photos in the space are flawless and there are so many photo locations in the neighborhood.
Brit R
5.0
3/26/2023
We booked The Conservatory first and foremost due to its flexibility - we could pick our own vendors, there wasn't a food and beverage minimum and there's a parking garage next to ...
the venue. This location is perfect, less than a block away from the hotel and we could walk to Up-Down for pizza and drinks after the reception. The venue rental price was $2000 less than all the other venues in the area, such a good value. The whole team treated us so well - this was our best decision. Check them out today!
Mary C
5.0
1/16/2023
Beautiful venue and the kindest staff! Everyone took such good care of us especially the owner who made sure our every need was met and beyond. I couldn’t recommend this venue en...
ough, not only for the beauty of the space but for the outstanding customer service and attention to details. Kudos!
Paddy D
5.0
10/17/2022
Anthony and his team helped make my daughter and her husband's wedding absolutely perfect! The Conservatory is East Village's best kept secret! We had the ceremony and reception th...
ere. We hired Anthony as our Wedding Coordinator and used many of his suggested vendors. Saley listened to the couple's ideas of how they wanted everything to look and she made it happen with beautiful flowers, altar, and table decor!
Mary C
5.0
9/08/2022
Anthony and his team are outstanding! Our wedding was at The Conservatory and the service, venue style, and kindness of the staff was fabulous! I, also, hired Out of Box Weddings...
for event management, planning, and day of coordination but I ended up getting so much more. From instant email communications to answering questions beyond normal planning - Anthony came through and beyond. Can't thank him or his team enough!
Victoria D
5.0
5/18/2022
Wow Wow WOW!! We absolutely loved having our wedding at The Conservatory! Anthony is the most organized and helpful contact and when I tell you our wedding went perfectly, it reall...
y did! Everything was beautiful and thoughtful and better than I could have dreamed. :) Anthony has amazing attention to detail and offered so much wisdom in all areas of our preparation. We had both our wedding ceremony and reception in the space and he orchestrated a smooth "reset" of the room. Thank you thank you!
David B
5.0
12/31/2021
Outstanding service, perfect location - right next to everything - and beautiful venue! We are telling all our friends to check it out for their weddings and other events.
Jack T
5.0
12/30/2021
We held our wedding and reception at The Conservatory, and could not have been happier with the results. We worked with Anthony for planning and coordination, and he blew us away w...
ith his professionalism, attention to detail, and eagerness to work within our budget and get us the most out of it. He was responsive and helpful during planning and gave us some excellent recommendations for other vendors. The day of the wedding went off without a hitch, and the location gave us exactly the coziness and elegance that we were looking for. Saley’s work on the flowers was phenomenal and gave us exactly the feeling we wanted for the event, even when we weren’t exactly sure what we ourselves wanted. I couldn’t recommend The Conservatory enough.
Response from The Conservatory on 12/31/2021
Thank you Jack! It was a pleasure getting to know you and Merritt!
Emily M
5.0
10/12/2021
We had our “we do redo” ceremony and reception at The Conservatory and couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. Planning a wedding during a pandemic was not without its challen...
ges, but Anthony and Saley were amazing to work with and turned our wedding dream into reality. We were initially booked for a 2020 wedding, but chose instead to elope in a private ceremony and have a vow renewal and reception later. Anthony accommodated us in our change of plans without hesitation. His emails throughout the planning process were incredibly helpful with checklists of what needed to be taken care of to stay on schedule. Saley’s decorating was absolutely breathtaking. The venue is gorgeous, but the decor Saley provided elevated it to a level we could only have dreamed of. From start to finish, we can’t praise Anthony, Saley, and The Conservatory staff enough. Thank you all for making our day so special.
Love,
Emily & Seth
Abi Jo Z
5.0
10/21/2020
I would give more stars if I could! As if the unique and beautiful style of The Conservatory isn’t enough of a selling point, the staff is INCREDIBLE. Anthony and his crew were hel...
pful through the entire process! They also were so great at taking necessary pandemic precautions without taking away from the feel of the event. The day of the wedding, we were constantly checked-in with and they made sure that everything was moving along perfectly!! I can’t say enough great things, it was our dream day! Our families & friends were equally as impressed- highly recommend this venue & staff!!! Such a gem tucked away in the heart of East Village!!
Stacie N
5.0
9/01/2020
We just had our wedding here last Saturday 8/29/20. Anthony and Saley were nothing short of amazing!! Our wedding was everything we could have dreamed of and more. They have a list...
of preferred vendors that are very reasonably priced. We received nothing but compliments and phrase all not about the space. A lot of people were said the space was not around when they were getting married. We would work again with them in a heartbeat!
Rebecca D
5.0
3/10/2020
nice venue
Susan W
5.0
12/02/2019
Our son & daughter-in-law’s wedding reception was absolutely stunning and flawlessly executed and it we owe it all to Saley & Anthony (Artisan Floral and Events by Saley & Out-Of-B...
ox Weddings). Living in New York City and the bride & groom in Shanghai, Saley & Anthony were there every single step of the way from the concept and design of the wedding, from vendor selection to organizing and facilitating all vendors, and providing us with professional guidance in a non-obtrusive and tasteful way. Planning a long distance wedding reception is not easy.
You will spend a lot of time communicating with whichever planner you choose, so it's hard to overstate how important it is to actually like them. Saley & Anthony and their team are top shelf in terms of both professionalism and personality. It's worth noting that one of the best parts of working with them is that, besides being great at their jobs, they're also wonderful people. At every step of the process, they were kind, understanding, helpful, and, most importantly, consummate professionals who navigated obstacles with ease and made the planning process exciting, not overwhelming.
With all of our faith in Saley & Anthony we couldn't have imagined how beautiful the evening would turn out. Saley took our Chinese-inspired concept and transformed The Conservatory into Old Shanghai with hanging lanterns, parasols and vintage lighting, along with stunning flower arrangements. The room glowed.
We received overwhelming compliments on not only the design details, but how smooth, elegant and effortless the wedding reception was. It was the best decision we could have ever made to hire Out-Of-Box Weddings and Artisan Floral and Events by Saley to plan our wedding and feel so lucky to have worked with them.
Patrick K
5.0
11/22/2019
This was a beautiful venue! We had our wedding here a few weeks ago and it was wonderful. I love the art on the walls and all of the design choices are very tasteful. It really hel...
ped add to the atmosphere of our wedding and saved us from having to come up with our own decor. The location also made it super convenient for out of town guests. And I can’t say enough wonderful things about Anthony, who runs the place. He was so professional and really goes above and beyond to make your event the best.
Faith P
5.0
9/24/2019
Not only was this venue absolutely perfect, but Anthony made everything about our wedding day the greatest day of my husband and I's life. We were constantly well cared for, Antho...
ny and Saley basically planned and walked us through all the decor, and the only regret I have is that I didn't hire Anthony to plan the entire day. The venue accommodated our 200 guests wonderfully and is located right in the middle of The East Village, with plenty of parking and hotels in the area with lots to do for all your guests. I truly cannot say enough about how grateful I am that we had the chance to work with Anthony and Saley, and to have our reception at The Conservatory. :)
Jennifer E
5.0
9/04/2019
EXCEEDED EVERY EXPECTATION!!! We had our son's rehearsal dinner there in July 2019. It was absolutely AMAZING! The space is beautiful and was perfect for our group. Anthony was al...
ways available and very helpful during our planning process. We had never planned an event like this and he was happy to guide us in planning for an incredible celebration. We worked with Kayla at The Radish Catering (preferred caterer at The Conservatory)and the food was delicious! We gave her recipes and suggestions and she created an unbelievable Mediterranean inspired dinner menu. I highly recommend The Conservatory! Happy to provide more details to anyone who is considering The Conservatory for an event.
Tracy L
5.0
6/19/2019
We had a last minute (2 days before the wedding) change in venue and The Conservatory came through and was amazing.
Patricia S
5.0
5/30/2019
Due to the weather forecast, we moved our daughter’s reception from an outdoor venue to The Conservatory TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING! Anthony managed to pull it off without a hitch...
! Saley was on-site the night of and everything ran smoothly. It is a beautiful venue and they are more than willing to work with you and make your event EXACTLY what you want it to be!
Zach K
5.0
1/25/2019
Where to start? We met Anthony and from that moment on knew he was the guy to plan our wedding! Anthony goes out of his way on every occasion to make sure your special day is as sp...
ecial as you would ever dream.
My wife and I are from out of town and had to do several phone conversations with Anthony. He is super flexible and will make just about anything work.
He will sit down with you several times to ensure that everything will run smoothly on the special day. There is no need to worry about setting up or tearing down for the event.
Additionally if there is something special that you request he will do everything in his power to make sure it is available. Our special thing happened to be Scotch glasses!
The conservatory is located in the heart of downtown Des Moines and the venue is gorgeous.
We highly recommend you consider choosing Anthony and seeing all he has to offer!
Erica R
5.0
11/06/2018
We got married this past Saturday and it was absolutely perfect! Anthony and Saley were truly amazing! Our wedding was a dream come true and I honestly do not know what I would hav...
e done without them. We hired Anthony for Day of Coordination and he was there every step of the way making sure the event went smoothly. Saley, our florist took what I had in my head and brought it to life 100x more beautifully than I could have imagined. Everyone was telling us it was the most fun and beautiful wedding they have ever been to and I owe it all to Anthony and Saley. If you are thinking about hiring them I highly recommend it! You will not be disappointed!
Kodee W
5.0
7/17/2018
This is a great space! The venue is beautiful and they really do go above and beyond to accommodate what you would like! Anthony and his team did a great job from start to finish –...
and I would highly recommend working with them!
I would recommend meeting with Anthony to figure out details. He has a lot of great ideas and is super accommodating. Our wedding was really simple and we did no extra decorations – the venue itself is enough! They helped us out with centerpieces and they were simple and beautiful!
We held both the ceremony and the reception at the venue and it worked well. The changeover was smooth and The Conservatory talked us through how it would work at the rehearsal dinner. We had some of the guys in the wedding help with the changeover, but they could also provide staffing if you needed it.
We also did our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at the space. They gave us a deal to use it the night before the wedding and it worked out really well.
Another awesome aspect of this venue is that they allow you to bring in outside caterers (upon approval). This was such a blessing because we had specific vendors we wanted to use and not all places allow outside caterers. There is a small kitchen usage fee to do so, but it is reasonable.
The staff was super helpful the day of the wedding and made things work. We had a request the night of, and Jamie just made it happen. She was so great to work with! Jamie was also thoughtful and considerate. At a previous meeting I made a comment about liking the new Diet Coke flavors – and on the day of the wedding she had some for me!
The only “downside” to this place is that there wasn’t a room for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to keep their things in. I had a place to hide before the ceremony, but it wasn’t big enough for our whole bridal party (although, they could potentially make something work if you had a normal sized bridal party – we had 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen.) That’s the only critique that I could think of for this venue. Everything else was so very nice.
I highly recommend this space – it is beautiful and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful! Anthony is above accommodating and really works with you to make your day what you want it to be. This is a great venue! If I had to do my wedding over, I would pick them hands down!
Emily B
5.0
10/23/2017
Fantastic space for a wedding or any event. Anthony and Saley took great care of us from start to finish. They help shaped our vision for the wedding then and exceeded our expec...
tations. The level of service provided ensured that we didn't miss any steps along the way and everything was just the way we wanted. It truly was the best day!
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The Conservatory
Anthony Marinaro
|
Events Director
Typically responds within 24h
Wedding vendors in Des Moines
The Conservatory
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