5.0
Praised by couples for:
Amenities
Unique aesthetic style
Helpful staff
A Historic Setting For Your Cherished Celebration
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Our wedding at the Tea Room was fantastic. The venue itself is stunning and was perfect for the amount of guests we had. Megan and Maddie made the planning process easy and stress-free. As a bride who was a little outspoken and overwhelmed by the opinions of family, the staff made sure my husband and I's vision and wants were heard and that we had the final say. The day-of staff was amazing and made sure the day was stress-free!
Lauren M.
5.0
Our wedding reception at the Tea Room was beyond our wildest dreams. Maddie worked with my husband and I tirelessly and was dedicated to making our day beautiful. She consistently went above and beyond to take care of us and make sure everything came together seamlessly. Between the convenient location, stunning windows, incredible staff, gorgeous lighting, and one-of-a-kind space I could not imagine a better reception venue. We looked at many Des Moines venues before booking the Tea Room, and I could not be more happy with our choice. You will not regret booking this space and creating a memorable night for all of your guests!
Julie K.
5.0
AWARD WINNER
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, the restored elegance of The Tea Room is a historic and iconic wedding venue. Offering a spacious, elegant setting, it is an ideal venue for an event to remember. From the luxurious decor to the experienced staff, this setting is here to cater to your long-awaited celebration.
The Tea Room’s main event hall offers over 5,175 square feet of space for you and your guests to enjoy. Thanks to its bright atmosphere, floor-to-ceiling windows, and elegant decor, it can provide a timeless setting for your event. Recently restored and revitalized, this venue maintains its historic presence while also offering modern conveniences and amenities. For more intimate occasions, the Garden and Jubilee Rooms present a relaxing, peaceful setting for your celebration. With 2,688 square feet of space, these rooms can welcome up to 150 guests for your event. These rooms also offer an elegant design, along with balconies overlooking the city streets, presenting a charming view of downtown Des Moines. As an added experience, you can also make the most of the Rose Room. This private suite allows you to prepare for your day in peace and tranquility.
To help your event run seamlessly, the Tea Room offers a day of event manager and staff to assist you with your celebration. They can also provide furniture and furnishings for your event, along with tableware for your wedding feast. Bartenders can be made available to keep you and your guests refreshed all night long. Additionally, this venue welcomes outside vendors and caterers, allowing you to add a more personal touch to your wedding celebration.
The Tea Room is captivating and the perfect venue for your special occasion. Reserve your date at The Tea Room to create memories that will last a lifetime.
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
Settings
Ballroom
Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Food & Catering
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
2022 '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
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Maddie MaherGeneral ManagerMaddie is the General Manager of The Tea Room. She is in charge of making sure all aspects of our venue run smoothly and to our client's satisfaction.
- Lori KonzenCommunications and Public Relations ManagerLori is the Communications and Public Relations Manager. She is in charge of cultivating relationships with clients. She handles tours and is here to answer your questions.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.021 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Lauren M
5.0
7/20/2023
Our wedding at the Tea Room was fantastic. The venue itself is stunning and was perfect for the amount of guests we had. Megan and Maddie made the planning process easy and stress-...
free. As a bride who was a little outspoken and overwhelmed by the opinions of family, the staff made sure my husband and I's vision and wants were heard and that we had the final say. The day-of staff was amazing and made sure the day was stress-free!
Julie K
5.0
2/15/2023
Our wedding reception at the Tea Room was beyond our wildest dreams. Maddie worked with my husband and I tirelessly and was dedicated to making our day beautiful. She consistently ...
went above and beyond to take care of us and make sure everything came together seamlessly. Between the convenient location, stunning windows, incredible staff, gorgeous lighting, and one-of-a-kind space I could not imagine a better reception venue. We looked at many Des Moines venues before booking the Tea Room, and I could not be more happy with our choice. You will not regret booking this space and creating a memorable night for all of your guests!
Any questions?
Mollie W
5.0
10/18/2022
We had our wedding at the Tea Room this fall and it was incredible. We did both our ceremony and reception there and it was just literally perfect. We did a shorter ceremony and th...
en a cocktail hour before the reception, the cocktail hour was 1.5 hrs since they had to fully flip the ballroom but it was the perfect amount of time to get a few more photos knocked out and still have some time to actually hang out with our guests and grab a drink before the night really kicked off. The Tea Room staff was incredible, answering all 7000 of my questions leading up to the big day and flexing with us where we needed. The bar staff was the talk of the town they really just went above and beyond, but the whole crew really was just awesome. And then of course the venue itself! The Rose Room wasn't big enough for my gigantic wedding party to get ready in but we did spend some time there before the ceremony and it was just great to have a home base. The balconies are absolutely legendary, the general history of the venue is so interesting and such a Des Moines icon. 10/10
Ali M
5.0
8/12/2022
We had our wedding reception at the Tea Room and would highly recommend it to anyone getting married. The venue is very spacious and absolutely beautiful. We got so many compliment...
s on how gorgeous the venue was, and we loved having the balconies available to use as well. We did not have to decorate much because of how beautiful the space is. The staff is amazing to work with - they helped the day run so smooth and we felt like we barely had to do anything. We worked a lot with Sarah and Maddie and they were both so helpful with answering any questions we had and helping plan our day. Would definitely recommend!
Erin L
5.0
3/15/2022
We cannot recommend The Tea Room enough! Not only is it the most gorgeous Des Moines venue with stunning windows and views, but the staff are absolutely amazing. We loved working w...
ith Sarah and Maddie. They were always responsive and had answers to every question. It is clear that the staff at The Tea Room are part of a well-oiled machine; they truly know what they're doing! As a couple we felt like we didn't have to worry about anything as they always had it handled. Our guests loved The Tea Room, and we are so grateful we chose it for our wedding reception.
Response from The Tea Room on 03/15/2022
Thank you Erin! We loved hosting your wedding and we are so glad we met your expectations!...
We wish you and Grant all the happiness in your marriage!
Rachel D
5.0
11/07/2021
The Tea Room was the site for our wedding ceremony and reception. I felt that the venue could not have been more perfect. It takes very little decoration because the venue is natur...
ally beautiful on its own. Even more than that, the staff is wonderful and helped every step of the way. They were always available to discuss on the phone and answered emails quickly about all my silly questions and concerns. Can’t say enough positive things about this beautiful space!
Samantha G
5.0
10/22/2021
We had our wedding reception here, and it was amazing! Sarah and Elizabeth are rockstars and made sure everything was exactly how we wanted it, and they kept me sane throughout the...
planning process in the month or so leading up to it! Guests commented on how stunning it was, the flow is so nice for a wedding, and our pictures inside are gorgeous. Such a pretty, elegant place!
Lisa G
5.0
6/24/2021
Our experience with the Tea Room for our son’s wedding was beyond outstanding! Every detail was carried out beautifully by an incredibly caring team of professionals. And the venue...
is gorgeous!
Response from The Tea Room on 06/25/2021
Thank you, Lisa!
Lisa M
5.0
6/23/2021
We had the most extraordinary experience with The Tea Room. We had our daughter's wedding and reception here, and Elizabeth and Sarah were incredible to work with. They handled e...
verything with such grace and thoughtfulness. The venue is gorgeous, the staff is wonderful. It was perfect in so many ways
We recommend The Tea Room with the absolute highest regard!
Response from The Tea Room on 06/25/2021
Thank you, Lisa!
Emily B
5.0
6/23/2021
We had our ceremony and reception here at the end of May and can’t say enough good things about the tea room and their staff! Elizabeth and Sarah were so helpful and responded quic...
kly to all of our questions (we had many as we were trying to plan while covid-19 guidelines were constantly changing) and accommodated even our smallest requests, I always felt like a priority and they were very flexible for scheduling meetings. Everything went so smoothly the day of our event, the staff were great and we had so many compliments on how beautiful the venue was. It poured rain during our ceremony which was beautiful with all the big windows, then during reception the weather cleared up and we had all the balconies open which was so nice for our guests to step out for fresh air. We are so happy with our venue choice. If you’re looking for a classic, historic, elegant venue look no further!
Response from The Tea Room on 06/25/2021
Thank you, Emily! We are so honored you chose The Tea Room for your beautiful wedding!
Jacob G
5.0
4/27/2020
My wife and I had our wedding at the Tea Room back in November and the experience was excellent. From the first time we toured to leaving for the night of our wedding, the staff we...
re incredibly helpful and professional. They were able to work with us to solve even the slightest of problems, and had excellent suggestions on layout, timings, drinks, and everything in between.
The venue itself is detailed and beautiful, and with a bit of decorations (we went minimal) it looks very sophisticated and timeless. We had our ceremony in the main room, and they were able to flip it for dinner in an hour, giving us plenty of time (but not overly long) for a cocktail hour. They have audio setup in house which was helpful for the ceremony, as well as projector equipment that we were able to use for a slideshow. Overall, fantastic location to host or attend an event!
If I did have to make a suggestion, I would say investing in a cart or two for clients to use for bringing in and out items would be beneficial for all especially since the parking is slightly lacking.
Tyler T
5.0
12/15/2019
Beautiful venue and a great staff to work with. Elizabeth and Dana are real pros and made sure the whole process went smoothly. They were so accommodating to every little request w...
e had and truly wanted to give us the best day possible, and it was!
Response from The Tea Room on 01/06/2020
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Tyler! We are thrilled your day was so perfe...
ct. We wish you a lifetime of happiness!
Abigail H
5.0
12/04/2019
Amazing location. They were great to work with and were very flexible with our schedules for meetings. The location its self was simple and classy and I couldn't have asked for bet...
ter. Elizabeth and Dana were the best! Thanks again for making our day so special!
Response from The Tea Room on 01/06/2020
Thanks for your review, Abigail! Your day was beyond special and we are so glad we could h...
elp with that.
Katie W
5.0
12/03/2019
The Tea Room is a fantastic venue to hold your wedding!I have had multiple guests comment on how beautiful the venue was, and they loved taking pictures on the balcony with the cit...
y views. Elizabeth and Dana are wonderful! They walk you through all the details, have excellent communication (even with my parents asking 8 million questions,) and executed our wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception beautifully! My husband was extremely nervous about the room flip and how it would go, and they pulled it off quickly and with no issues (Unless I never knew and that's even better! :) ) Thanks so much, Tea Room Team!
Response from The Tea Room on 01/06/2020
Thank you so much for your kind words, Katie! We are glad everyone about your day turned o...
ut perfect, especially the room flip. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!
Joshua M
5.0
10/30/2019
The new management (as of this year) was a breath of fresh air. My husband and I had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Tea Room and had to plan from across the country. Eli...
zabeth and Dana were super flexible in communication, including being willing to FaceTime with us. They were also very responsive to all communications. The whole event went super smoothly, and they took care of every detail for us.
The space is naturally beautiful, so decorating was super simple. The on-site kitchen allowed our caterer to serve food hot and fresh.
The bar and other staff were professional and friendly.
The thing I was most worried about was the flip of the ballroom between the ceremony and the reception, but it all happened well within the hour that we had for cocktails.
Overall, this really is a fantastic venue.
Response from The Tea Room on 10/31/2019
We appreciate your wonderful review, Joshua! Thanks for taking the time to give your great...
feedback. Your day was beautiful!
Bri G
5.0
10/30/2019
My husband and I had both the ceremony and reception at The Tea Room and it was the most perfect day. On top of it being a beautiful venue, Elizabeth and Dana went above and beyond...
the day of, making sure everything looked great and went smoothly. They were also incredibly helpful during the planning stages and all the small details you don’t normally think of. I can not recommend this venue and team enough! Thank you for making our day so memorable and special! 💗
Response from The Tea Room on 10/31/2019
Thanks for the great review, Bri! We are beyond thrilled that your day was so perfect.
Anne C
4.0
9/24/2019
My husband and I had both the ceremony and reception at the Tea Room and it made for a stress-free day! We worked with the Tea Room staff on so many little details and everything w...
as executed flawlessly! With hotels connected via the Skywalk, it made it easy for guests to come and go as well! And the balconies at the Tea Room make for great couple portraits!
Response from The Tea Room on 09/30/2019
We appreciate your review, Anne! So happy that your special day was stress-free!
Clare B
5.0
9/14/2019
The Tea Room aesthetic fit our vibe we were looking for. It is simply a beautiful and timeless venue. But more importantly the staff was helpful throughout the entire planning proc...
ess and the day went on with no issues. They were accommodating to small items we wanted to incorporate into our reception. They were very flexible with our changing number of guests and sent us multiple table arrangements to choose from. All emails were answered timely. They offer multiple bar options to choose from to meet our needs. Planning our event here was stress free due to how helpful the management team were. Would highly recommend having your event at The Tea Room.
Response from The Tea Room on 09/30/2019
Thanks so much for your wonderful review, we appreciate your kind words and are so glad yo...
ur experience was flawless!
Kayla S
5.0
8/10/2019
So thankful we booked our reception at The Tea Room. The captured the look we were going for, and everything was so beautiful and timeless. The staff was professional, knowledgable...
, and so easy to work with throughout the whole process of planning our wedding. When small issues came up they addressed them with ease and allowed us to enjoy our day instead of worrying about the small stuff. We had such a wonderful experience and are so thankful we chose this venue.
Response from The Tea Room on 09/30/2019
We are thankful you chose us for your special day, Kayla. Thanks for the review!
Laurie B
5.0
1/16/2019
My daughter and fiancé fell in love with the Tea Room their first visit. It is a beautiful space, and the owner, Mark Nelson, and his staff did everything in their power to fulfil...
l their dreams. The fabulous windows framed the wedding of about 150 guests. While the guests enjoyed signature cocktails in the outer halls, the inner room was flipped for a lovely banquet followed by lively dancing. As the mother of the bride, I never worried about food, drink or guest needs. At one point, I looked up and saw Mark Nelson himself pouring water for guests! Christmas was a wonderful time to have the wedding at the Tea Room, as their tasteful Christmas decor and trees added to our florals for an elegant, classy wedding and reception.
Chelsea H
5.0
7/31/2018
First, this place is every photographer's dream - white ceilings and walls, beautiful window light, and such a great, classic aesthetic. It also has gorgeous balconies for the per...
fect golden hour photos! But aside from its physical beauty, the location is great, and the staff is awesome! The Tea Room employees were incredibly kind and helpful! An easy recommendation for any couple looking for an amazing wedding venue in Iowa.
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