The University of Oklahoma Memorial Union

ent coordinator, for making our day special. We had originally booked in 2020 but had to cancel due to covid, but came back in 2022, and she made sure there were no hiccups. The courtyard was our first choice because it's such a beautiful space, but we decided to move indoors due to weather to the GRA rooms and it was perfect for our small wedding (~30 people). The rooms for my husband and I to get ready in were the perfect size, and had plenty of room for our bridesmaids/groomsmen to get ready. We actually managed to go into the courtyard and take pictures because the weather cleared up before we left, and they came out amazing! The little string lights turned on and it was so pretty. We could not have been happier!!

enal to work with! Sherry was our coordinator and made the whole planning process a breeze. Now for the food....you will not be disappointed in choosing the university's catering team for your special event! We chose the prime rib plated option with gratin potatoes and green beans almondine and our guests are still raving about. The 2 hors d'oeuvres we chose were a hit during our cocktail hour and our servers were professional and so accommodating! Even the lunch sandwiches I ordered for my bridesmaid while we got ready were delicious! I truly miss our special day because of how perfect Sherry and the Memorial Union's staff made it. It was perfection and I can't recommend the courtyard and ballroom enough for anyone planning a special event! Thank you so much to Sherry and her team!

r guests loved it. With having a large portion of our guest list being from out of town, it was so convenient to have the ceremony and reception in one convenient location!

planned and we really felt taken care of. It is a beautiful building with knowledgable staff.

did so much to put my mind at ease by coming up with little details that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise. She was quick to respond any time I had a dumb question, and she was always, always helpful. The food was incredible, the Union was beautiful, servers were kind and helpful to our guests, and the wedding went perfectly. As two OU alum, my husband and I couldn't have pictured a more perfect wedding. Thank you so, so much for everything you did to make our day amazing!

emony and the reception, and the ballroom was so beautiful that we only needed minimal decorations (which made this DIY bride very happy). The Union catering's food and wine were also AMAZING! My guests are still raving about the food and wine selection MONTHS after our ceremony. The staff were incredibly helpful and attentive to guests, making the process much less stressful. My husband and I would not have hosted our wedding anywhere else! Everyone had a wonderful time.

r wedding from out of state and it was seamless thanks to the union staff. I have only good things to say about our experience. You have the space reserved for the entire day, there are great rooms for bridal & grooms party to get ready. All the service staff were polite and everything was setup perfectly and on time. Food was great (Sooner bbq station). The Union is reasonably priced and you really get a great venue. Lots of great places for photos. The space worked well for both ceremony and reception. Thanks OU!!

ely beautiful. We keep reliving our day through pictures and videos. Our guests were so impressed with their pizza and wings! Everything was fantastic! Highly highly recommend!

ovides. It adds the perfect amount of rustic to the courtyard. When we got married, there were vines everywhere which made for an awesome contrast with the brick walls. Our ceremony was in the Molly Shi Ballroom. Even though the room is huge and we only had 80 people, it seemed full. There is so much room to add in extra things such as photobooths and games without being on top of each other. The balcony was awesome for the older folks that wanted to get away from the music. Finally, Sherry, our event coordinator was awesome. She made sure that we had everything we needed and even stayed through dinner time on our wedding day. Maintenance was very responsive when we were decorating if we needed anything. Highly recommend using this beautiful venue.

hing turned out fantastic. The food was great, we were able to the the bar the way we wanted. Everything looked amazing. The support staff were great and easy to work with. There were several events going on at the same time but they didn't interfere with our wedding or reception. I would recommend using them, especially if you want to make your planning a little less complicated.

was a huge help during the planning process. It was so great having everything we needed already there—tables, linens, seating, catering, and a beautiful atmosphere. The food was great, the staff was professional and courteous to our guests, and the day was beautiful and ran so smoothly. We’ll forever be grateful to the Union for being the perfect place to celebrate.

ys dreamed of having. Both our chicken and beef food options were highly praised by guests. Also, the covered garage parking turned out to be a big lifesaver since it started to rain on us. But above all, the second floor lounge and the ballroom looked INCREDIBLE! Thank you to everyone at the Union that made our special day come to life. I am one happy groom and I'm so appreciative.

ompliments on the Prime Rib, horse radish sauce and service. Cindy Smith and her wonderful catering department made all this possible. We had around 110 guests that flew in from all over Oregon, Omaha, Texas and Georgia. I can't tell you how grateful we are that we chose this venue. Thank you so much for all your hard work. This venue is worth every penny!!!!! Thank you, The Carsello's

inistration, and she was perfect. She helped us with the layout, and gave us a tremendous amount of assistance dealing with catering and alcohol planning. Working with the union is very personalized. There was no feeling of being a number or a simple customer. There was a clear feeling that Sherry cared as much as we did about having a successful ceremony and reception. The ballroom is perfect for a larger group in the summer, when outdoor weddings are a wee bit uncomfortable. There was ample space for seating and setup, and the room itself needs little to no decoration. The room was substantially larger than other venues we had considered with more traditional chapel-style set ups, and it was more flexible than setups with large pew seating. The room's acoustics are good. From what I hear, nobody had difficulty hearing anything. The lighting is perfect, and it's also kept at a perfect temperature, (something to consider with suits, or even kilts). Parking in the garage next door was free, as it was the weekend, and to the best of my knowledge, nobody had difficulty finding a spot, even with some maintenance/construction going on in the garage that weekend. One thing to be aware of is the low clearance on the garage. You may be in a tricky spot if you're in a raised pick-up truck and realize at the last moment that you won't fit. You're not exactly able to back up without some tire damage. Luckily, there is plenty of parking in a short walking distance for taller vehicles. For people with wheelchairs, the elevators are good, and the room is large enough that it should be absolutely no issue to move things around as needed. The staff are there throughout the event and take care of a lot of cleaning, limiting your main concerns to getting things out of the bride/groom prep rooms.

thanks to the gorgeous vines covering the walls and peacefulness the space holds. The Union staff was great to work with and helped us make sure every detail was in place. Decor required for the ceremony was minimal since the courtyard is covered in greenery and beautiful on its own. The union also has an arbor and other necessities to make the ceremony complete. Overall, the ceremony was lovely and the process was smooth. I can't recommend this venue enough for Norman weddings!

food- we did a bbq buffet, and the Union was kind enough to set up a private taste test for us before hand. Would definitely recommend this venue to anyone who is wanting to host a large reception in Norman!

ll of our guests raved about the food! Carolyn was absolutely wonderful and helped us get every detail taken care of. The Union staff was attentative and made our big day run smoothly. We cannot thank them enough! The Union is the perfect place for any event and I highly recommend it!

dio and lighting inside made it perfect for setting the right mood. OU has their own catering and event staff, which made set up/ decorating/ food service a breeze for us! The whole venue was reasonably priced, and for a wedding of nearly 150 people, we spent a lot less (food included) than anywhere else I had checked in the Norman area. Everyone that attended said it was one of the most beautiful weddings they had been to (I overheard guests talking amongst themselves, so I feel that is a true testimony vs just being nice to the hosts). You completely forget you're at a university; because of the Cherokee Gothic architecture, you feel like you're at a castle. And for out-of-town guests, there's a lot of neat shops, restaurants, museums, and even touring the school itself!

great (rare to find nowadays)! The food was impeccable and the night couldn't have been better. We will recommend them to all of our friends for the future if they want any events held. BRAVO!!

followed by our sit down dinner reception in the ballroom. The outdoor ceremony was beautiful with the ivy covered walls and light gray bricked courtyard. The union staff were very accommodating and set up chairs outside for us, however we did use white chair covers as the chairs provided by the union are a brown banquet chair that does not match with many wedding color schemes! The staff moved the wooden tables in chairs in the courtyard the morning of our ceremony and did so in a very timely manner. We only had to ask for something once and the task would be completed. We felt very confident that when the union staff said they were going to do something, they followed through. After the ceremony we had the reception in the ballroom which was absolutely beautiful. The windows are very high and arched and make for very pretty pictures. We were allowed to use whatever vendors we wanted aside from catering which had to be through the University Caterer. We enjoyed the caterer provided by the union as the were reasonably priced and had plenty of options to choose from. The union was also the most reasonably priced venue overall that we had found in the greater OKC area that still provided the aestheic and charm we wanted in a wedding. We were not interested in paying a large amount of money for a bland ugly room. We were also able to reserve the ballroom the Friday before our Saturday wedding two weeks in advance which was a great help. We were able to get into the ballroom at 8 am Friday to put on table linens, chair covers, put out votives and set up other decorations. We then were able to access the ballroom at 8 am on Saturday (wedding day) to let our vendors in to set up. Overall this was a great wedding venue and would use them again! The only two recommendations I would make to the union would be to consider investing in different chairs (chivari or garden chairs) as well as provided floor length linens for the guest tables. Gift/cake/head tables were all clothed in floor length table clothes, however they only provide lap length for the guest tables. I brought my own floor length table clothes and believe this may be a good thing for the union to consider providing!

ed. I worked specifically with Sherry and appreciated her laid back and efficient work style. My husband and I wish we could replay the night all over again! I loved the wood floor and chandeliers of the ballroom as well as the wide open space. Not to mention the food and bar services were amazing! We would give 10 stars to this venue if we could.

my picky relatives said it was the best fajitas they had ever had. Working with the staff day of was easy and if I had a question or an issue they would quickly answer it. Highly recommend this venue!

nice, simplistic, lowkey night. I loved it.

about the entire experience! Cindy Smith was our point-of- contact and was wonderful - friendly and extremely helpful every step of the way! The room itself is gorgeous (minimal decor needed) and worked perfectly for the number of guests that attended (375). In addition to the ballroom, we also reserved the GRA rooms, which was the perfect spot to put the bar and bistro tables - the separate space allowed for guests to mingle all evening while still staying in close proximity of the bar for refills. :) On a side note, the bar service was fantastic! I’m still receiving compliments on how fun the bar staff was - super friendly and weren’t afraid to prepare cocktails while dancing along to whatever song the wedding band was playing. We also appreciated the University Club (bar service is booked separately) for allowing us to use personalized cups and koozies at the bar. Also, by reserving the additional rooms for a minimal fee, it allowed for a larger area for the dance floor and wedding band and left plenty of room for the 35+ reception tables, caterers, cake and gift tables, etc. so that the room didn’t feel cramped. Other positives that stood out to me included: 1) My husband and I were able to have a few minutes to catch our breath before being announced and making our grand entrance to the reception - We had our own private room on the 4th floor where we were able to relax for a minutes – the catering and bar staff even provided us food and drinks. It also allowed me to check my make-up/hair and change into my reception dress 2) The parking garage was available to our guests and eliminated the head-ache of searching for parking spots (for the most part) 3) My table linen vendor was able to drop off my order on Friday (the day before my wedding) and the Union stored them in a secure facility before and after the reception (vendor picked up items on Monday) 4) Access to the ballroom was available ALL day Saturday – this allowed for my wedding coordinator, cake vendor, and florist to get there bright and early and set everything up so that my photographer could take pictures that afternoon 5) Many of our guests have complimented the food and said everything was absolutely delicious! 6) Balcony access allowed for guests to grab some fresh air. I highly recommend the Union as a wedding and/or reception venue – the staff was so helpful and accommodating and made my reception a stress-free event so that I could celebrate and enjoy the company of our guests. Thanks again to the Union staff for all your help! Five Stars!! Kristin and Matt Tullius

t everything ran smoothly, the staff was helpful and accommodating and really worked with us to make our day perfect. So many compliments on venue choice from our guests. We were very pleased :)

any worries. Overall, the Molly Shi Boren ballroom in the union exceeded my expectations for a perfect reception. Between a beautiful space, delicious catering, and helpful people the union is exceptional at serving brides and other groups to make events go smoothly.

nd are photographers were excited for the opportunity to shoot on campus. The OMU Staff are professional, responsive, and delightful. They go out of their way to make you feel like your event is a million dollar event.

chose both! Sherry was in constant communication with us beginning last fall when we started planning. She was extremely flexible to our many changes. In addition, both Sherry and Union staff were quite gracious at our rehearsal and on the day of the wedding when we needed accommodations based on family members’ and other vendors’ needs. All of our guests have been raving about the food and venue since the wedding. OU Catering staff were attentive to our needs. As an added bonus, the Courtyard and Beaird are already such beautiful spaces that we saved thousands of dollars on decorating! Thank you to Sherry and everyone with OMU for making our day seamless and special.

y what we envisioned. Great reception venue!

for pictures before the wedding. Everything with the reception went great, the space is beautiful, the food wonderful, everyone we dealt with was so nice and helpful, very stress-free, and as mother of the bride, that is what I wanted! Loved it!

re the event is wide. They make sure all of your needs are met before the event and during the event. Our wedding reception went off like clock work thanks to everyone who helped at the Union! We would definitely recommend this venue to anyone looking to have a reception in the Norman or surrounding areas!

m the planning to the actual event -- Cindy was our contact and a delight to work with. She was very accessible and helpful in every way. The courtyard was beautifully arranged; we had a little over 200 people attend and the venue fit everyone just right. We also were blessed with sunny skies and mild temperatures, which helped a great deal as well! The ballroom was elegantly arranged and decorated and allowed plenty of room for our live band, dj, and guests. The food was great and the staff was very efficient in service and clean up. To top it all off, the union was actually the cheapest of the venues we looked at. In all, I give this place 5 stars; it truly was the best choice we ever made and made our special day all the more special. James Warner

y perfect! We had a casual daytime wedding. We were able to get there early and set up so everything would be ready to go for guest at 11:30a. We got married in the circle of love – which means all of our friends and family stood in a circle around us as we became man and wife. We had a few chairs for those that needed to sit. The Union provided tables for guest book, gifts, unity sand, and the rest of the reception. They also provided the “pipe” for our diy photo booth. We served the pasta bar with some chicken and meatballs added on. We also had appetizers of fruit, veggies, meat, cheese and pigs in a blanket. My suggestion – get extra meats – they went fast. The catering staff was on top of everything. They even steamed the table cloths on our cake table. Now how is that for service! We also had a bar for mimosas, beer and wine. The bar staff & manager - Alvie were excellent! We had bride and grooms dressing rooms which were right down the hall. The reason we wanted to get married at the Union is because the room was lovely. We didn’t have to do much decorating because it has great personality! Well, and who isn’t an OU fan? And parking is right there – so that made it great for guest! Also we had some older family members that needed wheelchair access – the Union was perfect. Easy in and out. And the bathrooms were always clean! I’ve heard nothing but happy stories about how nice our wedding was and that the food was great. I couldn’t have had this happen without the wonderful staff at the OU Memorial Union. Having everything all together in one place makes it so much easier on you the day of your wedding! I hope your day is as special as mine was! Mrs. David Hodson (I love that!)

e or had their receptions there. The already knew the location & the services available. My only advance would to book way in advance. There happen to be a prom the night of our wedding so I wasn't able to have to ballroom on the 3rd floor. I also didn't want to change the date at all. It ending up being a blessing because the Bearid Lounge on the 2nd floor was half the price, less work to decorate such a larger room. It ended up all working out & was actually more intimate & perfect! We were given so many complainants on how wonderful the wedding was! The staff was amazing! Cindy was a great help & gave us tons of ideas. I could call her or email her and ask any questions I wanted! She was very helpful. The serving staff was also very helped to our families after everyone (including us had left). They stayed and helped our families with all our stuff, the gifts & the remaining food & cake to theirs cars. The only bad thing about the Union was the parking. The night before at the rehearsal & the wedding the parking garage had been reserved for other parties & the prom the night of the wedding. As the bride & groom there were two spots saved for us but everyone else had to park & walk. I knew that before I booked the venue but didn't think it would matter to much. Our wedding was at 6:00, and the prom was 8:00. Parking for the wedding was fine, bug Friday night for the rehearsal was terrible. There was a big event there & there was no parking close. I felt bad for our parents & wedding party who had to walk for parking. In the end it was fine & everything worked out. That was really only the most stressful about the venue was parking & trying to get everything into the venue for the wedding the night before. We were able to bring everything the night of the rehearsal & leave it in the grooms room which was locked overnight. That was a huge help! It was an amazing night & wedding. I'm happy with our decision to use the student union! AND not to mention the pictures outside were amazing! We Ioved the pictures outside on the grass!! They are probably my favorite from the wedding!

out fabulous, even with just table runners and centerpieces and small votive candles on the tables. It looked and felt magical. Cindy was our coordinator, she works at the Union Events staff, and basically helped organize everything. At the Union they do the food and drink through their internal service, no outside food or drink allowed. But the quality was VERY high, everyone raved about the food, and the bar staff was so super friendly and even rushed out to help clean up when I dropped a beer on the dance floor.... I would recommend this venue very highly to absolutely anyone, but especially people who want a low-maintenance wedding day. The price was a little higher than some other venues we looked at, but I'd say it was worth every penny. The Union took care of arranging the space, food service, bar service, and I was able to make little changes to the menu and number of tables the week before the wedding. SO HELPFUL, SO SUPPORTIVE, can't say it enough! Thanks to them all, it was a marvelous night and I barely stressed about a thing.

ent and the catering staff was right there to make sure you were served the whole time. Carolyn is fantastic she helped me every step of the way and made sure I got everything I wanted to make our special day a dream come true! If I had to do it again I would pick the Oklahoma Memorial Union hands down! I can’t thank them enough for making our wedding fabulous!

room. The staff was wonderful, they went out of their way to make sure the food and service were exactly what I wanted.The carving table with 3 types of meat for sandwiches,three dips, and veggie,fruit, and cheese all looked and tasted great. The food exceeded our expectations in fact. We got the wedding package that included crystal punch bowl, real plates, silver coffee servce,and also paid for glass champagne flutes as well. This helped make the wedding a memorable event. I would recommend this venue based on my experience. The room rental is for a 24 hour window which should be noted as many others in town were only 4-6 hours and it is a very busy day.

e requirements too since we were not using the building or any rooms for getting ready or anything else beyond the courtyard, but that part was perfect. Especially once we put out some decorations. The scenery and look of the courtyard is fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful outdoor venue. We chose a different venue for the reception only because we wanted a particular caterer and if we had stayed at OU, we would have needed to use their catering services as well. We wanted to keep everything in one venue, but it was worth it to us to use our caterer instead. Our experience with OU was great!

aughter and future son-in-law they check to see if OU did room rentals for weddings. THEY DID!!! When my daughter saw the Molly Shi Boren ballroom she wanted her wedding there. She loved the windows, the wood floors, the doors. She loved everything. For my husband and I, we also had a concern of finding a caterer. When we knew they offered catering services with staff, we were extremely happy. This meant we had one less item to worry about. When I started working with Carolyn Carter, she was very helpful and patient with me. We were on a tight budget and wasn't able to hire a wedding coordinator. There was several times I came to discuss the plans and ended up having many meltdowns in her office. Carolyn assured me this was normal for all mothers. Carolyn truly loves her job and working with brides, grooms and mother and fathers of the future newlyweds. So, not only is Carolyn a reservation and catering coordinator, she is a therapist. I will always be thankful to her for always listening to my concerns and fears. Thank you Carolyn. When it came time to choose our food, Carolyn did a wonderful job helping us choose the side dishes that would compliment our main dishes. The food was very delicious and our guest were extremely pleased with the quality of the food. We chose the bacon wrapped meatloaf and chicken parmigiana. We hired 2 extra staff members to cut our cakes and serve the punch. this service was only $50 more, for both, for 1 hour. I thought this was a great value and well worth it. The staff did a beautiful job cutting our cakes. I wasn't able to thank the staff that night. They were very polite and did an extraordinary job. I hardly knew they were there. I was not able to be there when our cake was delivered. Carolyn was very helpful with showing our cake maker where to set up our beautiful cakes. I definitely recommend anyone seek out reserving a room at OU. They have many choices for all kinds of budgets. All or most of the rooms have a similar feel as the ballroom. Our wedding photos also turned out beautiful because the school has so many photo opportunities on campus. one of my favorite pictures of our daughter is when she is coming down the staircase to the ballroom. They also provided us with 2 microphones for the officiant and toast. They made sure we had mirrors clothes racks and even a TV for the grooms to watch while they were getting ready. They loved having their sports channel. I can go on and on. I just want everyone to know just how helpful this school is with all your needs. They will do almost anything you ask them to do. Even make sure the floors are swept just before the wedding! Don't be afraid to ask. Carolyn and her team will do everything in their power to accommodate your needs. Again, check out this venue for your wedding. You will not be disappointed especially with the free counseling from Carolyn. I thank you all for making my daughters wedding go off without a hitch. Gratefully yours John and Becky McKenna Moore Ok

venue, and menu items that fir the size of the party, time of day, etc.-- and bringing things to our attention that, in our rush to do everything at once, we might otherwise have forgotten. The reception itself was as close to perfect as can be-- everything in place, outstanding and courteous service by the waitstaff, delicious food (and a chocolate groom's cake to die for...). It was truely an event to remember! Five stars to Carolyn and the Union Staff: for SErvice,Quality, and value!

ttention to all of our guests, and John with maintainence helped us with some set up! Could not have asked for a better group of people. We had absolutely no worries on our daughter's wedding day and our family and guests had a wonderful time.

was smooth and fast! The price is great too! It is a beautiful venue and I would recommend it to any bride looking for that perfect place to get married! It is a really good option for brides looking to have the ceremony and reception in the same place.

were answered quickly, any time we had to call or email it was never a big deal. During the day of, we had a few things we needed changed quickly and it was done exactly how we asked. Very impressed with the ease of everything there, and our guests loved it, too!