8 Des Moines Wedding Venues for an Editorial Wedding
If your wedding vision lives somewhere between timeless, intentional and a little editorial, Des Moines has no shortage of spaces that already do some of the storytelling for you.
From historic mansions and downtown ballrooms to bright, modern spaces made for thoughtful details, these are eight Des Moines wedding venues that caught our eye—not only for how beautiful they are, but for how beautifully a wedding day can unfold within them.
As wedding content creators, we're always looking at a venue a little differently: the getting-ready light, the architecture behind a candid moment, the corners where your guests will gather, and all the little details that will eventually make up the story of your day.
Here are eight Des Moines wedding venues we'd love to see through the Stay in Frame lens.
01. The Tea Room
Downtown Des Moines • Historic, timeless + refined
For couples drawn to classic architecture and downtown elegance, The Tea Room is hard to overlook. Floor-to-ceiling windows, restored ornate plasterwork, Juliet balconies and a dedicated dance floor give the space the kind of character that doesn't need much help feeling special.
The neutral interiors also leave room for a couple's own design choices to take over, whether that means romantic florals, candlelight or something more minimal and editorial.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → The windows, architectural details and downtown setting create layers within the day—from quiet getting-ready details to a completely full dance floor—that would translate beautifully into wedding content.
02. Rollins Mansion
Des Moines • Romantic, historic + old-world
Rollins Mansion feels less like stepping into a traditional event venue and more like stepping into another era. Its historic architecture, gardens, terraces and collection of distinct interior spaces create a wedding setting that already feels layered and lived-in.
We especially love venues where different parts of the day can take on completely different moods without ever leaving the property—and Rollins gives couples plenty of spaces for getting ready, celebrating and everything in between.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → Old-world architecture, garden moments and the contrast between intimate interiors and open terraces make this exactly the kind of setting we'd want to capture with an editorial-but-unposed approach.
03. Willow on Grand
Des Moines • Airy, modern + romantic
Willow on Grand is for the couple who wants modern without losing warmth. Its cottage-inspired design combines large beams, bright natural light and thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor spaces with the character of its Waterbury neighborhood setting.
The result is clean enough to let your wedding design shine while still having personality of its own.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → Natural light will forever have our attention. Willow's bright interiors, outdoor courtyard and intimate cottage spaces create the kind of soft, effortless backdrop that makes candid wedding-day footage feel instantly elevated.
04. Curate
Curate brings a bright, modern feel to Des Moines' Historic East Village, with clean lines and an intentionally minimal backdrop that leaves plenty of room for a couple's own style to take over.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → Clean spaces let people become the story. Curate gives florals, fashion, tablescapes and candid moments room to stand out without competing with the backdrop.
05. The Monroe
The Monroe brings a polished, contemporary feel to West Des Moines with a flexible setting that can move naturally between indoor and outdoor moments throughout the wedding day. Its modern design gives couples room to make the space their own while still feeling elevated from the start.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → The Monroe has that rare polished-but-not-overdone quality we love—the kind of backdrop where thoughtful styling feels elevated while the candid moments can still feel completely effortless.
06. Hotel Fort Des Moines
Dating back to 1919, Hotel Fort Des Moines brings historic character and downtown sophistication together in a setting that feels made for a timeless city wedding. With multiple ballroom spaces and everything happening under one roof, the hotel gives an entire wedding day room to unfold without ever losing that elevated feel.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → A hotel wedding creates an entire story beyond the ceremony itself—getting ready upstairs, elevators full of your favorite people, portraits downtown, cocktail hour and a ballroom reception all unfolding under one roof.
07. Salisbury House & Gardens
For couples drawn to spaces with history, romance and a little old-world drama, Salisbury House & Gardens is hard to beat. Its architecture, gardens and collection of distinct spaces give the day a sense of place that feels completely different from a traditional event venue.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → If your Pinterest board is filled with old-world romance, garden portraits, champagne towers and imagery that could have been taken decades ago, this one practically writes the story for you.
08. Des Moines Heritage Center
Laura Nicole Photography
Des Moines Heritage Center brings together two sides of the city: the character of a restored 1909 train depot and the openness of a modern event space in the Historic East Village. For couples who want a little history without committing to an entirely traditional aesthetic, the combination gives the day plenty of visual variety.
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EYE → The contrast between historic architecture and a more open, modern celebration space gives you multiple visual worlds within the same wedding day—which is exactly what makes a recap feel layered rather than repetitive.
Already found your Des Moines wedding venue?
The venue sets the scene. The people, reactions and little moments happening inside of it are what make the day yours.
Stay in Frame captures Des Moines weddings through candid iPhone photo + video, vertical content and an editorial approach that lets you stay present while we document what the day actually felt like.
From the moments you remember to the ones you never got to see—we'll make sure more of it stays in frame.
