Willow

Willow was amazing! We could not say enough kind words about this company. We booked Willow in March 2019 for a wedding in May 2020. Like most couples, we rescheduled in order to protect ourselves and others due to the pandemic. We ended up rescheduling twice (once in Sept and finally in June 2021). Willow was extremely quick and organized when providing us potential dates and ensuring we were able to still hold our event. They did not require us to pay additional money to hold our new date. Leading up to our event, Sara Mendoza was so kind and allowed us to have a new tasting while we were back in town and constantly kept us updated as new changes occurred. We had the taco bar, carrot cake, and hazelnut cake. All the food was so delicious and addicting! The cake was the perfect balance of flavor, was moist (not dry at all!), and the frosting was light and not too rich. The cake design was exactly what we asked for. They also took extra time in the planning process to ensure my grandpa’s arbor was placed in a good area behind our cake table by measuring for us and offering to store it for us before setup. The night of our wedding was perfect. When we arrived, the staff at Willow had made us our signature drinks and a plate of chips/salsa and had them ready in the upstairs suite so we could take a moment and refresh (after taking many pictures in the rain haha!). Constantly throughout the night, multiple staff members (Meghan, Mary, Megan, Ray, Tyler and Tommie) checked on how we were doing and continuously asked if there was anything they could do to make our night better! They were quick to refill our champagne at the table, made us boxes of tacos and cake and made sure it was sent home with us (in case we felt too nervous to eat/didn’t eat enough), and multiple times throughout the night, brought us our drink of choice to us when we were busy talking with our guests. They were SO amazing and so kind. They made our special day even more extraordinary than we could ever ask for! So thankful for the staff at this venue. We highly recommend this venue to any couple! Sincerely-Erynn and Noah Watson.

STAY AWAY! I did not have my wedding here but I did recently have a 30th birthday party at the Slate. The General Manager is responsible for this venue too. She was not very professional. When I would email her about my event, she took days and sometimes weeks to respond to my emails. She waited to the last minute to rent my linens/napkins so I was not able to get the napkin colors I originally wanted. She ordered white plates instead of confirming the plate style with me. We wanted white and gold. I was told that there was only a cake cutting fee but when we discussed a dessert table and the items I was bringing, I was informed that because they were outside desserts I would have to pay this fee regardless if I needed anything cut 2 weeks before my event. She was rude to my event planner the night before when she was decorating the space and also inebriated. She turned the lights off on them while they were still inside. They had to use their cell phone lights to gather their belongings and exit the building. I did not have my correct final invoice until 10 minutes for party. She texted me and asked that I pay it before my event starts even though she has never been timely throughout this entire process. After I cut my cake at my party, I was told by my event planner that the GM refused to bring out the cake because I did not pay my invoice. So instead of being able to enjoy my party, I had to deal with the payment issues due to her unresponsiveness during the week. The employees who were responsible for the cleaning of the tables that we sat at were very vocal about how nasty it was offending many guests who attended and were still there. Overall, this entire experience was unpleasant and I would not recommend anyone to have their event here or at Slate.

The venue is absolutely gorgeous and the food was amazing! We got so many compliments on those. However, the wedding coordinator was very hard to get ahold of. It would take her days sometimes up to a week to respond to our emails or phone calls. Including the week of the wedding! It was very frustrating. The lack of communication was extra stress that could have been avoided! Especially for all of us who had to postpone weddings due to the pandemic. Thankfully the wedding night was perfect and everything went smoothly. The most gorgeous venue!

I was a bride that got married at this venue in April 2021. The venue was beautiful and the food was awesome! However, the venue coordinator was extremely disrespectful. She took over two weeks to respond to emails as close to one month out from the wedding. The day before our wedding we went to decorate the venue. The venue coordinator told me she was going to be there to show us our slideshow of pictures and have the tables set up. We got there and some random person let us into the venue. I called and text the venue coordinator multiple times and she didn't answer. Some of our tables were not set up. While decorating a couple and their family walked in for a showing, I told them I had not heard from the venue coordinator all day and they left. She called me back hours later and told me she was coming up to lock the venue. The day of our wedding she was extremely rude to our guests. She told my matron of honor she "had to drink water for 30 minutes because she wasn't wearing her mask correctly." She had the band announce the event was going to be shut down if people didn't put their masks on. I went up the the event coordinator at the wedding and asked why the slideshow of pictures wasn't playing and she said she would re-start it. I found out later that she turned to my day of coordinator and said " we will see if she asks about it again" At the end of the night she told the band they had 15 minutes to get out or they were trespassing. It's very unfortunate the way she treated our guests and vendors.

I have decided to edit my review. Some things have been discouraging, but I talked to the general manager, Sara, and my concerns were addressed. I will be updating my review as I go along to make sure other couples know what to expect from this venue.

I was in the wedding party of a wedding that took place at Willow in April 2021. Unfortunately I would NOT RECOMMEND having your next event or wedding at Willow. The day before the wedding we were supposed to be let in by the venue coordinator to get the space setup and so the bride could go over details with the coordinator. The venue coordinator however never showed up. We were later let in by someone random who stated that they did not know where the coordinator was either. When we attempted to call the coordinator she did not answer. However the bride was not surprised that the coordinator did not answer her calls as the bride explained that the coordinator took days to respond to her emails too. Then to top it off, while we were setting up ANOTHER bride, groom, and family showed up for a scheduled tour of the space with the venue coordinator. However the coordinator never showed up or answered their calls either. The day of the wedding the bride tried to reach out the coordinator multiple times and it took the venue coordinator hours to respond. I felt horrible for the bride as the day is already stressful enough and she couldn't get in contact with her own reception venue. We hoped the evening of the reception would be better, but unfortunately it was not. Multiple things were wrong like the entrance music and slideshow. Minor things, however due to the lack of communication it stood out more. Then it was like the venue coordinator was headhunting and only some rules applied to certain guests. Such as how many drinks a person could have, where you could drink your drinks at, and then the coordinator would only approach certain people who's masks accidently fell below their nose but the coordinator did not approach people who didn't have masks on at all. Also if you accidentally drop a drink on the dance floor be ready to be scolded. The bar is right next to the dance floor, which is great because it keeps the guests together but someone is bound to bump into another person and accidently cause a drink to drop or spill. If you do decide to have your event at Willow then make sure you tell your DJ/band to shut down early because the location gives them minimal time to tear down. The band that played at the wedding was extremely frustrated with how they were treated and ended up expressing their frustrations with the guests at the end of the night. The band explained that they were given 15 minutes to tear down and were threatened that if they weren't torn down and out of the building in a set amount of time then it would be considered trespassing. The space is truly stunning but due to the lack of communication, unprofessionalism, and disrespectfulness I would not recommend this place.

WOW. This venue has so much potential to be one of the best in STL. However, the coordinator is terrible. I was one of the bridesmaids in the wedding. The coordinator would not contact or respond to the bride on multiple occasions. She was also extremely rude. She got on the microphone and shouted at the guests -"If I see any of you without a mask on I will shut this place down!!" She was actually YELLING at guests. This particular reception had a live band. At the end of the show she told the band members they had 15 minutes to get their stuff together and leave, otherwise she would call the police for "trespassing." She was disrespectful and had the guests in complete awe. It was bizarre to see an adult act in this manner. I almost would question the status of her mental health. I really hope they make changes in the future to prevent further situations like this. It is such a beautiful venue and in a prime location.

I was originally planning to host my sister's bridal shower at POP and due to COVID-19, the team at Bailey's moved our group to Willow due to capacity restrictions. This is an unfortunate time for both the event industry and people hosting events, but Sara was wonderful, understanding, and accommodating throughout the entire process. On the day of, the venue was in tip-top shape and I noticed the staff taking steps to ensure additional cleanliness and sanitation. Further, the staff was so friendly, fun, and warm (I'm sad to say I don't recall all of their names!). One of them even put a few champagne bottle corks in the card basket as a keepsake - how thoughtful is that? The food was delicious as well, and I received multiple comments from guests about their overall great experience. Bailey's restaurants have always been a favorite of mine, but I would recommend the Bailey group for private events again and again and again!

The Willow was amazing! Between here and Slate (their other spot) we had the greatest experience. They were so helpful and accommodating to our needs and supported our entire process. The beautiful branch chandeliers added such a fun touch to our wedding. Elana and Sarah were so helpful and we loved working with them to create this day.

Willow was such a beautiful venue! The wooden branch chandeliers and metal and wood chairs really stood out to me. Since we had a winter wedding, we opted for most of the color coming from our color napkins and florals - not killing our budget on decor. The food was great and presented very well. Also, our event coordinator, Meghan, answered my zillion questions promptly and without frustration. I didn't have a wedding planner so I was very grateful to set up my items in the space the day before my wedding personally for peace of mind. We got lucky the space was available the day prior. All in all - thank you Willow!

I had my wedding in November 2019 and it was absolutely amazing thanks to the team at Willow and our event coordinator, Elana. We originally had a different coordinator who ended up moving on to a new place and Elana took over. Not once did we feel out of the loop as Elana did the best job keeping us informed and on schedule throughout our entire engagement. The day of the wedding went very smoothly and could not have been more perfect. The venue itself is a show stopper, so we didn't need as many decorations. We used Fifth Wheel Catering, and everyone RAVED about the food, which made us so happy! It was the most perfect day and I wish we could go back and relive it all over again! Thank you to the amazing staff at Willow who helped keep the day on track for us.

I had my wedding reception at Willow in Dec 2019 and could not have been more pleased. The decor was beautiful, the service prompt and professional, and the event coordinator, Meghan, did a fantastic job making sure the evening ran smoothly. She also did a great job coordinating all of the planning in the months leading up to the wedding. We used the Baileys Catering for food and cake and got so many compliments on how delicious the cake and burger bar were! Would absolutely recommend!

Willow was the perfect venue for our wedding reception! Even when our coordinator changed during our planning process, the team kept us informed and were responsive to my emails. Elena was our coordinator for the bulk of the planning. When my fiance made a special request for an array of rice krispies, Elena didn't blink an eye and made it happen! It was almost the most talked about part of the night! Our guests also raved about the gorgeous space and especially the chandeliers. The whole night at Willow was fantastic!

We had amazing experience at Willow. From the first visit we knew it was a special place, and from there it only got better. Elena and her team were on top of everything. They created detailed timelines, focused on the details that would make sure our guests had an awesome evening and were supportive with our plans. The event space itself is lovely, and at night, the chandeliers make the room look simply magical. You don't have to put a lot into this space to make it beautiful. So many of our guests have told us that the food was great, the space was beautiful and the staff was friendly. We loved how accommodating they were for different dietary restrictions. It took a load off our minds! We used their sound system for music and it worked out perfectly so another great add to this venue!

Truly cannot say enough good things about Slate, Willow, and the Bailey’s team. They were extremely helpful through the process, worked with us to make sure everything was exactly how we wanted it, and the day of staff were fantastic. It’s also a plus that the food is phenomenal and the venue is beautiful. We’ve gotten so many compliments on every aspect of our day and highly recommend anyone considering either Slate or Willow for their venue to move it to the top of their list.

Willow was my number one choice for a reception venue when I began looking. I was thrilled they had our date available. I loved everything the space had to offer, the overall feel and giant windows were both elements I had on my wish list and the grand staircase was a bonus that made for a special entrance. It was beautiful the day of the wedding, everything I wanted from the space itself. I would recommend this venue to anyone based on the look and feel. However, I was significantly less happy with the service of the event coordinator and catering staff leading up to and the day of the wedding. It was extremely difficult to get ahold of our event coordinator. I often called three times before getting a call back and would wait days to get an email response. It added an unnecessary layer of stress to my planning process. When I did get in touch with her, the follow up on my requests would again take days and I would have to ask a few times before getting answers. She did not take notes during meetings and when I made a comment about it, she ensured me she would remember everything. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The day of the wedding was a mess, quite honestly. The food was wrong, the quality control of the food was poor, and there was no champagne toast for my husband and I. I wish I had better service, but the venue itself was outstanding and we got nothing but compliments on that element. If you are going to book with Willow, please be sure to be on top of your event coordinator and triple check all of the details of the contract and tasting menu. Regardless of the planning and service, your wedding is guaranteed to be beautiful because of the event space!

We had our wedding at Willow about four weeks ago, and we are so glad that is where we were able to tie the knot!! The space is absolutely gorgeous, warm and inviting yet such a touch of urban class!! The space also provided very flexible ceremony, seating and entertainment areas with out making guests feel distant!! The addition of their bar really made the space functional! The ease of being pretty much a one stop shop between caterer, venue, tables/chairs, etc was very convenient for planning a wedding out of state!! We worked with Rae during planning process who then gave the reins to Elana right before our wedding, both of them worked through each detail and accommodated every request!! We had the taco bar, cake and late night snacks for the evening, all of it was absolutely wonderful, tasty, quick and well presented!! Any issues or feedback we had was handled quickly and professionally (not that we encountered many problems at all)! The location of Willow is a great location, with excellent walking distance to many hotels and after wedding party spots! We are fortunate to have had our day there, it was perfect in many ways!

We had our reception at Willow and they were absolutely amazing! About two months before my wedding, my coordinator left the company so Rae took over and was SO on top of it. They took care of so much! I can’t thank you enough!

Finding a good reception venue was the first big source of stress for me in the wedding planning process. Thank God we found Willow! It ticked all the boxes for what we were hoping for. The aesthetic is gorgeous; those chandeliers and twinkly lights looked absolutely magical as our reception wore on into the evening. The catering was delicious and affordable. Two months later, we are still getting compliments on that barbecue! Darcy was a dream to work with. She was so helpful, friendly, and organized, and everything worked smoothly with our vendors. Most importantly, my husband and I and our guests had such an amazing evening because the team at Willow took such good care of us. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Willow was an easy pick for us! We both work a few blocks away and have been eyeing it for years!! Once we stepped into the space there was no turning back! The space is beautiful and provides a great palette for any colors or theme you choose! The menu has so many different options and even then they are willing to work with you to create a menu that you love. Our coordinator, Rae, was awesome to work with and was always helpful in guiding us through the process. We added some extras and our numbers changed a few times. She was great at getting us a new proposal so we always knew where we were at with our budget. The food was SO GOOD! We opted for the taco bar, something different, and our guests could not stop talking about how much they loved it. We had several guests come up to us during dinner to express their love for the tacos and appetizers! The cake was amazing! Everything was set up perfectly and the staff was great all night. The new bar looked amazing. I could go on and on!! If we could do it again, we would choose Willow every. single. time.

We had our wedding reception here and it was an absolute dream! Willow was easy to work with and wanted to make sure our reception was exactly as we wanted. Not only is the space beautiful, but the food was incredible! We did the taco bar and enjoyed beer from local breweries! The location is also fabulous for guests from out of town because it is close to many great places to stay and eat! Darcy was on top of all details and offered great suggestions along the way! I cannot wait for us to get our wedding photos back because Willow is gorgeous!

Willow was a beautiful venue for our perfect day. Our wedding theme was secret garden and Willow fit the look flawlessly. The willow branch chandeliers were perfect and the stairs in the center of the room really made for a grand entrance. Our guests LOVED the look of the venue. The food was AMAZING. Months later I can't stop thinking about the feta cauliflower dish and my guests still rave about the chicken. Our wedding cake was moist and delicious, though I only had one bite (it's busy to be a bride), my guests loved it. We went with the chocolate hazelnut and the lemon lavender cakes, YUM. Rae is a gem and was so pleasant to work with. She put my mind at ease throughout the planning process and was always available to help. She would check in with me periodically to see how planning was going. Best of all she answered my millions of questions (over and over again) via email or phone and was patient and helpful. I only have a couple notes for consideration. Willow doesn't currently have a bar but uses tables pushed together as the bar. I wanted an actual bar so we rented one for an additional cost from a vendor they work with, Exclusive Events (who were great to work with). We also rented a couch from EE to put in the loft for guests to hang out, it looked fabulous. Rae said the bar is something they may work on installing in the future. The other note for improvement was that after the wedding my guests told me that they had run out of beer (all but the heavy beer). Luckily my guests didn't mind changing their drink of choice. One other thing to keep in mind is that you are at ground level and although the giant windows are SO beautiful with the natural light, you can see all the cars behind you on the street. Since the head table was placed with our backs to the windows we didn't want cars in the background of photos so we rented pipe and drape and put that behind the head table. Overall, the venue was beautiful and centrally located, the food was amazing, the drinks were tasty, the staff was friendly, and our wedding night was perfect. If I could do it all over again I'd do it the same way!

We adored working with Rae and the Fifth Wheel/Willow team! First off, Willow is an exceptionally beautiful space with lots of windows/natural light during the day and the most unique and beautiful chandeliers at night. Secondly, Rae was extremely accommodating for all of our requests, questions, and delayed responses. (Her responses, on the other hand, were timely and thorough.) We were able to customize so many things about our day to make it just. perfect. We are over the moon about it all!

Willow was absolutely perfect for our ceremony and reception! During the planning process Rae, our onsite coordinator, answered my (it seemed like) million emails on small detailed questions. On the day of all of the staff was very helpful and very nice especially to my now husband and I throughout the night. They easily handled when guests had arrived a little early and I needed to get "hidden" before the rest arrived. They flipped the room very quickly after we concluded with family photos and had everything ready for the reception. Food from Fifth Wheel Catering is fantastic (Bailey's owned catering). The venue at night is GORGEOUS with the lighting. Since we were an out of town couple we did very minimal decorations and in the space, you do not need many, so it works perfect for the minimalist!

We had our wedding reception at Willow and we were so happy with how everything turned out! Darcy was our coordinator and was so great to work with. She was super responsive to my many emails and was so helpful during the planning process. Willow was one of two venue spaces we toured for our reception and as soon as we walked through the doors we knew it was perfect for us. It's so simple but also so unique. The branch chandeliers are what really drew us to the space, and we loved the layout as well. The staff during our reception was also so attentive and professional. We are still hearing from our guests about how much they loved the venue. Would highly recommend!

I literally cannot describe how happy we were with Willow. Would it be weird to say we originally booked them because they have great chairs? We did, but there is so much about Willow that made our night perfect. Their space is unique and was a perfect size for our 100 person reception. The food was delish (we served BBQ). And our coordinator, Rae, was so kind and helpful and didn't even get annoyed when I asked a million silly questions and favors. Thanks so much to the Bailey's team members who made our night unforgettable!

I cannot say enough GREAT things about Willow and their staff! From the moment I found the venue online, to scheduling a tour, the walk through and then all through the planning process they were absolutely incredible. Rae is so kind and VERY responsive. She answered ALL of my questions and was so flexible in working with us on so many details. We had our ceremony and reception there and Rae helped ensure everything went smoothly. I didn’t have to think about anything that day because Rae and her team had everything taken care of. My husband and I enjoyed our whole reception and never once had to take care of any issues or concerns. Additionally, the food was PHENOMENAL. We went with the Fall/Winter menu and it was amazing!! Additionally, I wanted to do an espresso bar- and Rae made this happen seamlessly! So many compliments on the coffee!! On top of that, the venue itself is breathtaking. Just so gorgeous! And our pictures turned out amazing in there as the room is so stunning and beautiful- especially at night!!! You really don’t have to do much decorating as it is already so perfect! Anyhow, I could go on forever about how this is the best venue in St Louis. And I don’t usually leave reviews but when I was planning I read so many trying to find the best vendors because I am VERY picky and didn’t want to have even the slightest concern as I didn’t have a wedding planner- I just really wanted to enjoy the day to the fullest! That’s what Willow made happen for me and I am so grateful for that!! It has been over a month since our wedding day and people are still complimenting us on the food, the staff at Willow and the gorgeous venue! We could not have chosen a more perfect place to celebrate!! Thank you, Willow!!

We loved everything about Willow and highly recommend! Darcy, our coordinator, was incredible! She was so responsive and great to work with, in addition to the entire Willow team. The simple style makes is perfect for a city chic wedding but you could also decorate it to be more rustic, retro, etc. The food was great and our 185 guests were comfortable the entire night.

Willow is an amazing space with the best food! Darcy was there every step of the way. We received so many compliments on the space and our burger bar!

We couldn't have pictured a better venue for our wedding. We booked the venue out about 2 years in advance, and the entire staff has been so helpful and accommodating ever since. We worked closely with Rae, who helped our vision come to life. She responded to every email so timely and was always so on top of it with whatever request we had. And the day of the wedding, she made everything so stress free for my husband and I! No matter what we needed her to do, she had it done immediately. The rest of the staff could not have been any friendlier, the food (we did the burger bar) was delicious (we are continuing to get compliments almost 1 month later), and the cake was excellent! I wish I could give them higher than 5 stars! I would absolutely recommend them as a wedding venue for your ceremony, reception, or both!

We had a great experience working with Willow to make our reception a night we will never forget. I think that overall if you are looking for a venue to comfortably entertain a group under 200 in total guest count, Willow should be a strong contender! Our guests have not stopped complimenting how cool the space was. The food was great also. For us not living in STL, and planning our wedding from Chicago, the process was painless with Darcy's help and the 'one-stop-shop' with Bailey's restaurant group handling the food piece was a huge benefit for us. Thank you Willow team!!

I hosted an event with at Willow and everyone that walked in the door was blown away by the space. They we able to meet all of our needs for the event as well as serve everyone delicious drinks and yummy food. They are my go to for large events in the future!

I seriously fell in love the moment I stepped into Willow, its unlike any other venue in St.Louis. I was also blown away by the entire staff- they were more than accommodating to all of our requests and our day went exactly as planned.

This was the best venue Ive been to in a very very long time! The staff were amazing. The ambience was perfect. The whole thing was the best ever!

I remember walking by before my husband proposed to me and telling him that I wanted to have our reception there. When he asked the big question, I knew when finding our venue was going to be easy. We are so happy we picked Willow and Slate to have our big day at. Willow was just perfect from the space, food, drinks, cake, and staff. Rae was a big help she listened to what we wanted and gave us good advice and directed us to other vendors.

We attended a ceremony and reception at both Willow & Slate in downtown St. Louis. The venues were gorgeous, the food was delicious and everyone had a blast. Being in the event industry in Colorado, I can't help but observe the spaces and service throughout events. These guys were great and extremely professional! I highly recommend their services and venues.

Willow was an incredible venue to have our party! Rae and her team were incredibly accommodating and ran our event with the highest level of professionalism. The food was lovely. Willow’s esthetics were our dream look, and we couldn’t have had our wedding at a more perfect place for us.

Willow is a stunning venue that has great staff and food services. Rae, our coordinator, was so easy to work with and answered my millions of questions from the very beginning. She helped me figure out how to organize everything from the layout of the venue to the bar menu and so much more. During the wedding she stayed through dinner to make sure everything went off without a hitch. The venue was also very flexible with letting us drop off decorations before our wedding which was a huge stress reliever the day of the wedding. The catering and bar menus have so many different options for every type of event. We did the BBQ and it was delicious! The chefs are willing to get creative if you have a special request and make adjustments to the entrees for dietary needs. The bakery is also yummy and makes beautiful cakes. I got so many compliments from our wedding guests on the space, the food and the staff. Would 100% recommend Willow for your wedding or special event!

We just had our wedding here this past weekend and had a great time. The space is beautiful and requires little decoration, the food is very good, the pricing was reasonable for a wedding, and Rae was very easy to work with. It was a very good weekend and people really loved the space. We did have one issue with the bartenders refusing to hand out more than one drink at a time, doing so with attitude, and even being rude to me, the groom. This resulted in a constantly long line and just general inconvenience for everybody. I do not know if that was an off night or a regular thing and this would be my only complaint but that knocks an otherwise 5 star experience down to 4.

We had our reception at Willow and our ceremony at Slate, the other Bailey's space right down the street. Coordinating these was the easiest part of our wedding planning. Because the space is so beautiful, they provide all the plates/silverware/chairs/tables/linens, and they have catering and a bakery onsite, they are a breeze to work with. So many less vendors to try and coordinate! Rebecca was so easy and pleasant to work with (even while planning her own wedding a big move in her personal life!). She gave us personalized attention and was prompt to respond to all of the millions of questions I had. The space is absolutely beautiful and so unique. As others have said, you really don't need to bring much in for decor. It is incredibly reasonably priced for what you get. The food is outstanding and they have many unique menus to choose from, or allow for personalization if you want something else. We did BBQ and heard from several people (vegetarians included!) that the food was outstanding. The dance floor was the perfect size, and having the balcony was a lot of fun. I would highly recommend checking out this space!

My new husband and I really enjoyed hosting our wedding reception at Willow. Pros: The food was delicious, service the week of and day-of our reception was impeccable, and the pricing was great! You really can't find a beautiful, unique wedding venue that is reasonably priced in any major city...so glad a local restaurant group that cares about quality and service took it upon themselves to create this space in STL (thank you, Bailey's group!). Cons: We really only ran into a few snags during coordinating/planning with the staff (nothing major or crazy enough to write home about, but when you're wedding planning small snags feel big in the moment). I would suggest Willow to anyone.

We had our reception here in August. We worked with Rae, who was very gracious about my making all decisions at the last possible moment. If you are busy, Willow is especially amazing because they take care of everything--food, drinks, cake, etc. You don't really need to have any outside vendors except for flowers and music. We were able to fit our ~170 guests on the ground floor and used the loft for a guestbook and photo area, which worked out great. We really enjoyed the food and thought the alcohol packages were very well priced for quality drinks. Willow even accommodated some special requests we had, like a non-alcoholic beer option and a minimalist cake with fresh flowers.

We had our wedding reception at Willow in August 2017 and couldn't be happier with our experience. We didn't see anything else like Willow when looking for venues in St. Louis. The space is elegant and modern and requires little additional decor (although flowers really pop against all the white!). It was the perfect size for our reception of 160, but you can play around with the upstairs area to accommodate more or fewer guests without sacrificing the space's intimate feel. Rebecca and Rae were lovely to work with and very responsive. They let us customize our food & beverage options without upcharging to a more expensive "package." This was really refreshing in an industry that tends to nickel and dime you, and ultimately Willow's flexibility and laid-back approach was a huge selling point for us. For dinner, we did the burger bar. I was nervous about this initially since it's not a traditional choice, but we loved the menu during our tasting, and everyone raved about the food after. As a plus, this option is crazy affordable. To answer your groom's biggest question - the bar package was excellent. You get quality beverages (no well liquor, no domestics), but the pricing is comparable to an entry level package at other venues. (I believe we had Tito's & Four Roses, but the selection rotates depending on what's in stock at the Bailey's restaurants.) We requested a particular liquor over another, and they accommodated, again without any fuss or extra cost. There was one hiccup with the reservation of the parking garage. Willow made the request for us, but the garage was closed when our guests needed to park. It seemed to be an error on the part of the parking garage company, and we were refunded 100%. Ultimately, it didn't significantly affect anything for us the day of. Willow checked all of our boxes: Great food & drink, beautiful space, top notch service and affordable. Definitely give it a look if you are getting married in St. Louis!

I could see it in the eyes and smiling faces of our guests: they were happy and comfortable here and felt well cared for. The whole crew at Willow worked very well together to make the wedding reception a flawless celebration. Superb execution like this only comes from real pros!

What an absolutely lovely venue! My brother and sister-in-law had their wedding reception at Willow and it was a truly magical night. Food was delicious, drinks were flowing, and the ambiance was incredible. I was pleasantly surprised by the great acoustics, especially because the space is very open. Highly recommend Willow for a wedding reception!

We had our daughter and son-in-law’s wedding reception here. It was a great venue. The food and service were fantastic. Our friends that attended still tell us how much fun they had.

I recently attended a wedding reception at Willow and was blown away by every aspect of it. The venue itself is beautiful without being too over the top. I loved the simplicity of the space that allows for each event to have its own personal touch. The staff was wonderful and all of the guests had a great time. I hope to attend many more events at Willow!

We were so glad to celebrate the best night of our lives at Willow. We had friends in town from all over the country, many of whom were visiting St Louis for the first time. The team at Willow helped create an evening to remember! We heard from so many friends and family members that the night was truly special. (Full disclosure: I'm related to a senior member of the Bailey team. However, we did not work at all with that relative during the process, from start to finish - nor am I even sure that the organizer we worked with was aware of the connection.)

Rebecca was awesome to work with. She was very flexible, easy to contact and reasonable with requests. All my guests raved about the uniqueness of the room and loved the food. I recommend the BBQ, pie and tartlets. All the staff members during the event were nice, helpful and accommodating. My DJ and florist both said they had no difficulty getting access to the room to set up.

I cannot say enough great things about our wedding at Willow. My husband and I were looking for a unique space that was not too formal and fit with our rustic yet classic elegant tastes. I loved the space as soon as I saw it and knew it would be the perfect venue. Rebecca was great to work with and made special arrangements for a tasting to fit my schedule as I was planning from Texas. She made the planning process so easy, I think the reception was the least stressful part of the whole planning process. Our reception was great and my new husband and I were treated like VIPs from the staff. They brought us our food, drinks, and a tray of all our desserts, which we would have never tasted if they hadn't served them to us! Dave Bailey himself called us the week before the wedding and stopped by the night of. I cannot say enough great things about the staff at Willow and we are so thrilled with how our reception turned out.

Willow was an amazing, amazing venue for our rehearsal dinner from start to finish. I only have the best things to say about Rebecca - who organized our whole event. Right down to every last detail, everything was arranged perfectly and the team made themselves very available throughout the entire process (and on the day of the dinner!). Additionally, our food turned out great - through the catering company - and we even had two tastings to sort out the subtleties of our custom menu (the chefs prepared an Indian menu for us!). We cannot say enough good things about Willow and highly recommend having wedding events here!

We couldn’t be happier with our wedding and reception at Willow! Rebecca was great to work with, and she and the rest of the staff did such an excellent job making sure everything went smoothly on the day. We truly feel that the service at Willow went above and well beyond our expectations. We appreciated Rebecca’s flexibility, and relaxed yet competent style. It was a beautiful, delicious, meaningful, and fun day, and we’re so happy about how the whole thing went—ceremony and reception. The space is beautiful and unique, the food was terrific—especially the desserts (try the macarons!), and the service was fantastic. I especially appreciated how accommodating they were for the tricky dietary restrictions of some of my family. Thank you, Willow!

We had both our wedding ceremony and reception here and could not have been happier. Having recently moved to St. Louis, we were struggling to find a venue that met our taste and budget. I initially fell in love with the venue by accidentally walking past it and stopping dead in my tracks to admire the large floor to ceiling windows and stunning white branch chandeliers. There is a rustic/modern-chic element with this venue that makes it quite unique in St. Louis. Pricing was very reasonable and the packages were very flexible/customizable. From the very beginning we felt that we were working with professionals. Rebecca Darnell was AMAZING to work with and represented Baileys beautifully. She helped with all of our requests and did an amazing job giving us her personal attention. She made us feel that we were the most important event Baileys was having and was extremely helpful and accommodating throughout the entire planning process. My other vendors were also very excited about this venue as they all had nothing but good things to say about previous work experience with David Bailey, Willow, and Rebecca. I will break down by subject what we experienced: FOOD: My guests were very impressed at the quality of the appetizers and entrees. The food was seriously delicious and impressive. Not your typical wedding food. They offered a lavish list of options and meats to choose from for the entrees. The salmon is seriously some of the best salmon I have ever had. What I loved the most was that they catered special meals for my vegetarian guests…and no, I am not talking about veggies or pasta. They prepared a special stuffed bell pepper entrée that my vegetarian guests died for! Alcohol: The alcohol selection was very good as they offer better quality alcohol than other venues in the area. Cake: The cake…oh my god the cake….GORGEOUS and DELICIOUS. That is right – Bailey’s has their own baker and she makes outstanding cake! I gave her an inspirational picture and she made it come to life….if you are a cake snob like myself you will not be disappointed! Music/Dance: Acoustics were fantastic and the dance floor offered plenty of space for our guests to dance. Tables/Plates/Silverware: They have their own tables, silverware and chairs…no additional expenses were needed in regards to preparing the venue. What touched my heart the most was that David Bailey (the very busy owner of many successful restaurants and even spaces) stopped by to meet us and to wish us well on our special day. This was so sweet of him and only showed us how much he cared about his clients and that we weren’t just another number to him. There was so much personal touch to this venue space and staff. We were absolutely delighted that we chose them for our wedding. It was a perfect fit and a perfect choice. In summary, Willow is the perfect venue. The staff and management go out of their way to make sure your wedding is personalized to your needs. The food and cake are fantastic. The interior is so beautiful that the costs associated with decorating will be quite low. The alcohol selection is great. But really…it is a one-stop shop! The only extra vendors you would need to book are DJ and florist and you are done. This location is quite reputable in the community when it comes to food and service and the ambiance is quite perfect for a very unique and stylish wedding! Two thumbs way way up!!!

A friend of mine walked by this venue last year and told me to check it out. As soon as I saw the big windows, the lofty ceilings and the AMAZING chandeliers, I was in love. Then when I heard Dave Bailey owned the venue, I knew the food and service would be impeccable. And it was! Rebecca Darnell was our event coordinator and came into the process a couple of months after we started planning with Willow. She seamlessly wove her way into our plans. She was amazing at responding to our emails quickly and to solve all of our problems efficiently. It was really important to my mom and me that we had a venue coordinator that was very responsive because of course you don't think of some important stuff until the very last minute. The staff was extremely courteous and attentive during our reception. The venue itself was an amazing space to work in. As everything is white, we were able to add whatever colors we wanted without them clashing with the site. Willow has some really cool tables and chairs they provide, but linens are an extra fee. Since it is a new venue, they are still working out a few kinks. The biggest problem we had was with parking. There is a parking garage across the street and down a block that we were able to rent spaces, but it was not clearly marked. Several guests ended up paying for parking at other spots even though we already provided that service. A couple of signs could clear up that confusion quickly. The second problem is that many tables do not have great views. This is something that cannot really be fixed but is good to be aware of. The stairwell blocked some of the guests from seeing the dance floor while several tables upstairs had to stand at the railing to see anything. We had a head table at he front of the room so that people could easily see all of the speeches and cake cutting but if you wanted to watch the dance floor and were behind the stairwell, you probably had to move. But once all of the pomp and circumstance was over, I think the view over the railing was really neat for some guests. Overall we had an amazing experience with Willow and I will absolutely be recommending this venue to future brides and grooms!