The Filter Building on White Rock Lake

ied there. When we set our date it was the first thing I booked. I love that it’s very DIY- they don’t get in your business. They just let you do your thing as long as you follow the rules of the contact with vendors and such. It fit with our wedding theme because it’s a 1920’s industrial building and we had a vintage thing going on. There’s plenty of space for a small or big wedding, and the grounds are kept nice. Being right on the lake was such a nice touch. It feels so open. And even though it’s an older construction, when you get your decorations in there and some lighting, it totally transforms. They do have a lot of rules about which vendors you can use, and they up-charge you for the required security guard. We had to pay for extra hours too. If you want a food vendor that isnt on their list, you have to pay $400 from the jump. Fortunately I was thrilled to see that blue Mesa is one of their vendors so it wasn’t a problem for us. But just to have the string lights on the patio was an extra $400. This is not a venue specifically for weddings, so there is no good space to get ready in. The upstairs room is big but doesn’t have a bathroom. The bathrooms are downstairs so we had to get ready at a different location. Other than those things, some of which were inconsequential, it was great! Recommend for any event, just be prepared that they do not get very involved in the events that happen there. You kinda just get what you get. But it was perfect for us!

were looking for. It has amazing window lined walls that let in just the right amount of natural light for our July evening reception. We had a lot of young children attending our event so the space outside was great for allowing them to run around and be safe. Our only complaint was how hot it was in the upstairs "bridal suite" but luckily we didnt use this room that much. We loved that they provided tables & chairs as part of the rental package as this saved us a lot of money with rental cost.

st aesthetic, and so didn’t need to do much in terms of decor because of the exposed brick and polished concrete floor. Just be aware that you’ll want a wedding planner to help out the day of, as the venue pretty much only unlocks the doors. We were very happy we had our wedding there!

be. The staff were incredibly easy to work with. It was a breeze, really.

ceremony so our guests were able to enjoy shade & a breeze - definitely something to consider when you're booking to be outdoors. We did our couples photos on a neighboring dock and our photos are quite stunning. The lake and brick architecture make for a special backdrop to photos.

e a lot of things I was extremely unhappy about.. mainly the fact that they don't do anything except basically open the doors for you. When I say they don't do anything, I mean it. If you think they will set out chairs for your ceremony, you're dreaming. Think they would put linens on tables? Nope. You're doing that too. Think they would set up your floor plan in accordance with YOUR wedding / event? Nope... not doing that either. While they set out a basic layout... it's not your own layout. Want a rehearsal before the wedding? You probably won't get it as the venue will most likely be booked. Want to turn on string lights on the patio (that literally just require you plugging a cord into a socket?) That's an additional $400.00. While the chairs, tables and security is provided (for 4 hours), it's really just not worth the cost to have to do everything on your wedding. The venue should really do a lot more given the fact that you're paying upwards of $4,400.

an extra perk! Booking the venue was so easy through their venue coordinator, Michelle, and she was very responsive and easy to work with the whole time. You can make this space anything you want - our wedding featured a jazz band and very minimal decor aside from flowers and it looked and felt beautiful and elegant. It is truly a blank slate. We had 180 guests which is the max I would recommend if you want to have a band a dance floor. We did have 19 tables though, so you can make it work no matter how many guests you have! We had our ceremony on the lawn and reception indoors, but you can also set it up in any way you want! Make the space your own, and you won't regret it! And the lake views are unparalleled. Can't recommend it more!

e had less than 100 people). If you are looking for a more casual environment for your wedding, I would highly suggest checking out the filter building. It was perfect and the photos are just gorgeous.

rgeous, and if you're a DIY couple, this is the perfect place to do your wedding! PLUS, the caterers on their "approved caterers" list, are all amazing (we went with Blue Mesa, who are AMAZING). I cannot recommend this place for your wedding more!!

n house and book online. The venue is very DIY but the price is still amazing--considering most comparable places were hundreds or thousands more, or included tons of add-on fees. My best advice is to read the contract and usage policies thoroughly so you're fully-versed on what's include and what's not. Overall, highly recommend.

ing is not the most ideal venue - it is very difficult to work with. All communication is done via email and you must view on your own during viewing hours. No one ever meets with you in person. You also only have the venue for 8 hours and must pay extra fees for valet, security guard, turning on the patio lights and extra hours if you need them. While it initially seems like a reasonable venue, these extra fees really add up. You also have to bring EVERYTHING yourself. All they supply are tables and chairs - you must bring your own table cloths and teams of people to set up and tear down. The clean up checklist is extreme (washing the trash cans!) so make sure your caterer is aware or have the proper team in place to clean up. I do not regret having my wedding here because it was so beautiful but I wish I had realized how much extra work would go into planning it at this venue so I'm writing this review so other brides can be more prepared.

wn Dallas! The venue was a blank canvas which is great, but you've really got to be prepared to do everything yourself if you choose this venue. Knowing that now, I'd still choose it again, but I'd be more ready for the challenge!

e sure we could have the Filter Building as well! The building itself is a beautiful red brick, restored to its former glory by the City of Dallas a few years ago. The only decorations (besides centerpieces) we really used were up-lighting and some cute wooden signs in the windows because the space is so beautiful and charming on its own. We had right at 150 people attend our reception here, and I know the building technically holds 200, but 150 allowed enough space for a dance floor while still having a full-looking room. The pricing for the Filter Building can't really be beaten, and the preferred caterer list is about 20 vendors long... there is literally something for everyone. Some people may think it's inconvenient to have to go out and find all your own vendors, but if you're willing to do the work, it's a great way to save money (especially on the alcohol people!!) :) And! Carla is so easy to work with and very responsive when you have questions! Highly recommend all around!

nicely. It could easily have 150+ guests & still be perfect. I highly recommend this beautiful venue as your place to be married. Everything about it is stunning. On Saturdays @ noon, it is usually unlocked, so you can go check it out!

and bring a lot in. We rented outdoor vintage games and vintage china, desert station, and other props from Dixie Does Vintage. Also the patio is a great spot to make a lounge to hang out. Wish the brides room was a better place to take pictures but you can't beat the views!

reception inside. The venue is absolutely beautiful with greenery all around, amazing views of the lake, and I absolutely love the vintage, industrial, chic vibe of the building. It is perfectly set up for an indoor/outdoor wedding and out of the many favorite parts of my wedding, the venue was at the top of the list. It is easy to decorate and because of it's natural beauty, you do not need a lot. The staff that coordinates events are easy to reach and very helpful. The tables and chairs available to rent are in good shape. The approved catering list is adequate. The prices for everything are also very fair. The Filter Building was a perfect venue for my wedding!!

at either Winfrey Point or the Filter Building. WP was booked, so we did FB. And I'm glad we did. Admittedly, it's expensive for, essentially, an empty box ($2900 plus $500 for lights, $900 for valet, $325 for tables and chairs). But it's a beautiful box. The facility rents tables and chairs to you, which makes things easy. I hired a great caterer who set them all up for us, and had a coordinator help ensure it was decorated nicely. One thing to consider in terms of cost is that you can provide your own alcohol! I only spent about $2,000 total on alcohol and I've heard others state they spent nearly $10,000 at hotels, etc. I had a full bar, craft beer, nice wine. And since I bought from Spec's, I was able to return any unopened wine (I don't like chardonnay, I kept the wine I did like) and got $300 back. One thing that is not included are linens. Instead of renting them, I purchased linens from CVLinens.com. After the wedding, I was able to resell them, so, while I paid some for them linens (that some venues would maybe already have), I didn't pay too much. All in all, the location, view, pretty brick walls, etc, all made for amazing pictures and a wonderful day.

guests favorite part about the whole day.

is not enough time. If you want to get in early to the venue it is $100/ hr. I loved the string lights outside the terrace but those are an extra $500. I felt like this expense should be included in the bldg rental. I refused to pay and hung my own lights and used vintage lanterns on the terrace which ended up looking awesome. There is no kitchen, so keep this in mind. This will add extra expense for the caterer to bring in ovens etc to cook the food. All in all, I love the venue, but felt like they should adjust their pricing to include $2500 for the entire day and the cantina lights.

s are also clearly communicated, and the venue is beautiful. We received numerous compliments from our guests, and the wedding day went exceptionally smooth. I also took my bridal portraits at the Filter Building and am so glad I did. The setting was perfect. I've received many compliments on them as well. I would definitely recommend booking your event here!

ow you have to pay extra for chairs, tables, and the patio lights. They also don't have mirrors upstairs in the bridal room to get ready in except for one, and there isn't a place for the guys to really relax and get ready. They make do in a separate room so that was kind of a downer. But overall, it was fantastic. The day was smooth and the venue looked beautiful.

tment we had scheduled to walk through with our vendors. When we FINALLY got in touch with her she claimed that we hadn't set it up - I had the email confirmation to prove otherwise. It was during this walk through I noticed the building had some graffiti which I had not noticed before. I contacted Carla about it and got a less than rude response about how it had been on the building sonce 2000 and couldn't be removed. My catere even said something to her about it and she told the caterer that it had been on the building since the 30s...needless to say, it should have been brought to my attention on the intial walk through. The week of my wedding I got a frantic call from my caterer the because Carla would not return any of her phone calls. The caterer needed a document from her in order to get the permit to serve alcohol. Someone finally got in touch with Carla (several hours later) and she was rude and unprofessional on the phone. Thankfully, I had no issued on my wedding day but Carla was a headache to deal with!

to worry about too many decorations. Carla, the reservation coordinator at the filter building, was extremely prompt in answering all questions. We had an issue with our original date of the wedding and she was very flexible about changing the date for us. We have gotten so many compliments from our guest about the venue we chose and we wouldn't change that decision for the world!

verlooking the lake!!! The Filter Building has beautiful exposed brick and rafters requiring little to no decorating which cuts costs or leaves extra money for the centerpieces! Carla Rea is wonderful to work with too! She is straight forward with the polices and hands off leaving the details to you.

he venue overall. The main thing I would implore on future brides looking at this venue is you need to realize that it is SUPER DIY. You will literally be renting an empty space and there is little to no assistance from the lady who works there. I only saw her once on the day we singed the contract. When we scheduled to visit a second time to have a planning meeting she didnt show up. It was fine, but if you're looking for any assistance you're not going to find it here. They are also a *touch* strict on decor, which is a little annoying. The inside of the building has a sort of industrial look with metal girders and rafters. They will not allow you to hang anything here, no twinkle lights, no lanterns, nothing. This is kind of a shame b/c it really cuts down on the ambiance you are able to create in such an open space. Other than those small things, it worked really well as our venue. Our pictures turned out amazing and several of our guests came up to tell me how much they liked the space. It's also pretty affordable compared to venues with a similar style.

. We did our first look at a nearby pier and it was just perfect. Everything went smoothly and we received so many compliments on the venue from our guests. Also, the proceeds from the venue fees go to the non-profit White Rock Boathouse.

ne big problem...one of the air conditioners hadn't been turned on for our reception. Needless to say, I heard a lot of complaining from guests who were sweating in the August heat. (Which is why I had everything inside, to avoid the sweating!) This was even something that we expressed concern about with Carla, the person who manages the reservations, and she assured us that the air conditioners would be turned on the day before in order to ensure that the buidling was cool enough. This was their mistake and not only did they not call us to apologize (the off duty police officer had notified Carla of the problem), when my dad called her to express his disappointment she made an empty offer about refunding some of our money. Of course, that hasn't happened and probably won't - we haven't heard from her. My wedding day was incredible and it's the only thing that really put a damper on the day. The last thing a bride wants is to see her guests fanning themselves and looking miserable when she walks into her reception.

They even changed their table/chair rental package 2 months before our wedding, and if I had not known another girl that was getting married there to tell me, I would have gotten all the wrong linens. I wasn't notified of this from the venue even once. BUT, we got so many compliments on the venue, and it is very day-of friendly. It is truly amazing that it wasn't built specifically for weddings. The only issue is that the Groom's room is pretty tiny, but we had a family friend bring a travel trailer that worked perfect in the parking lot for the boys. I am ultimately so so happy we went with the filter building, even with the bumps along the way.

for the ceremony was amazing and the sunset made it even better. Carla was very helpful, chairs and tables are provided and you're pretty much free to do whatever you'd like to with the space!

h or as little decoration as you want. They were easy to deal with and were a great price for the size of the venue. Most everything else I looked at would have been double the price and not nearly as pretty.

hich are mentioned upfront), that don't seem like such a big deal, but turned out to be a little frustrating for me. The time you have the building is rather limited unless you are willing to pay for extra hours or do not plan to get ready there. Also, you must remove all the trash from the premises before you leave, which is not what you want to be worried about at your wedding. Overall, The Filter Building is a great venue and definitely worth a look.

our wedding. The entire event was stunning, I have received so many compliments for our wedding. The ceremony was outside over looking the water at 6 pm, the sun was still out but not as hot as it could be. The cocktail portion was to be outside on the patio overlooking the water, that is where we set up the outdoor bar and appetizers, it was so hot that some of our guests had to go inside earlier than anticipated, but that was not a huge issue as the reception area was already set up. I planned my entire wedding and my family and friends helped set up the reception. For out 6 o'clock wedding we got into the building at 2 and left that evening by 12; you rent the building for 8 hours, that is essentially a 4 hr ceremony a 1 hr clean up by catering and a 3 hr set up, but you can pay for extra hours which we did and I was very happy we did, it was crazy but a little bit less hectic.... We had about 100-110 people join us for our wedding and we had plenty of room for 15 tables that seated 8 people and a dance floor, there is a section that steps down at the back of the building where we put the DJ and that worked out perfect.. On the raised platform area we had the buffet table set up as well as the cakes and that went so well. Carla is easy to work with and extremely prompt at returning emails and phone calls. This was an amazing venue and it is something we will always remember; it really was a stunning wedding!

t we wanted. The space was perfect for our 100 guests. We chose to have both the ceremony and reception inside with the cocktail hour out on the lakeside terrace. This was something that I was apprehensive about, but the catering staff executed the room transition perfectly. You do have to pay more to use a caterer not on their approved caterer's list, which we did. This was not a deal breaker but something to be aware of. I don't know if it was just the timing of our wedding and that we booked a year in advance, but there was also some confusion about what was included in our rental fee, but we were able to sort everything out pretty quickly. Carla was always very timely in her communications, and I am very glad we chose the Filter Building.

a softer touch. Everyone loved it, especially me. Could not rate higher. Carla Rae, the Filter Building coordinator is a doll and a dream to work with!

g empty anitque picture frames. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars was that there we gnats all around and that the reception room did get a little hot.

ially compared to hotels, etc. While the catering list is not extensive, you can bring in your own, if you like, for an additional small fee. You can also provide your own alcohol, as long as it is served by TABC-certified bartenders, so this can also help with cost. For parties around 200 and below, it is a great space.

beautiful, historic brick building that has been renovated by a nonprofit corporation. Behind it is a grassy area that looks out over White Rock Lake in Dallas. Our ceremony was on that hill in the summer, but by 7 pm in June the area is in the shade and cooled by a breeze off the lake. It was just perfect! The facility has 150 white garden chairs on-site available for rental, along with about 14 round tables and a couple long tables. Indoors, the building has a black warehouse floor, brick walls, adn lots of windows overlooking the lake. The lighting is very pretty at night, and with just a little decoration for the tables and walls, it was a very classic place to have our reception. There is just one room that fits only about 200 people max though. They also have a kitchen for the caterer/cake person to use, and there are two rooms for getting ready (the girls' is upstairs, overlooking the lake!). This building is a do-it-yourself sort of place. Nothing is included in the initial price except the rental itself, so you have to rent tables, chairs ($5 a piece), tablecloths, and decorate yourself. They have beautiful rafter beams, but don't let you hang anything from the ceiling or have balloons inside for fire safety reasons. That's a bit of a pain. Otherwise, as long as you are willing to decorate and find your own caterer (or have a coordinator or someone do that for you), it's great. Having the reception and ceremony there was also amazing--the outdoor area was perfect for the ceremony and the chairs were brought in by the catering staff afterward and put at the tables for the reception. There was plenty of room inside for the tables, a dance floor, and a DJ (and all the normal sign-in and gift tables). I loved everything about my wedding at the Filter Building and would recommend it to anyone as a friendly place which makes for great pictures!