Skip to main content
Weddings
ARE YOU A VENDOR?

Downtown Aquarium

4.0 out of 5 rating 12 reviews
Houston, TX
Downtown Aquarium
Downtown Aquarium
Downtown as your backdrop
Downtown as your backdrop
A voyage under the sea
A voyage under the sea
Ride the carousel
Ride the carousel
Stunning backdrop
Stunning backdrop
Unique fishtanks
Unique fishtanks
Waterworks
Waterworks
Get ready
Get ready
Bouquet
Bouquet
Perfect bridal shoot
Perfect bridal shoot
Greet your guests with a Diver
Greet your guests with a Diver
Meet me down the aisle
Meet me down the aisle
Opulent table setting
Opulent table setting
Custom ice sculptures
Custom ice sculptures
Underwater themed wedding cake
Underwater themed wedding cake
Garden table setting
Garden table setting
Spacious banquet hall
Spacious banquet hall
Say
Say "hi" to our tigers
Mystical moments
Mystical moments
For the drama
For the drama

Interested in this vendor?

Underwater romance
1/20
From 50 to 450 guests
Ceremony/Reception
Indoor
Bar Services
4.0
Good

"Beautiful venue and very easy to work with! Was unique and private from the rest of the aquarium,..."

— User2991278

"Great place to have any kind of event, our wedding was magical thanks to everyone involved at the..."

— Lucero
U
L
M
B
A

Recommended by 80% of couples

About this venue

The Downtown Aquarium is an aquarium and wedding venue located in Houston, Texas that provides an unforgettable underwater adventure for couples on their wedding day. Located in the heart of Houston, this remarkable six-acre entertainment and dining complex is a 500,000-gallon aquatic wonderland that houses over 300 species of aquatic life from around the planet. The Downtown Aquarium comes equipped with a full-service restaurant and an upscale bar. This venue can provide the perfect aquatic backdrop to your wedding ceremony.

Facilities and Capacity
The Nautilus Ballroom is an elegant and refined space that is perfect for your wedding ceremony. This 6,000-square-foot ballroom can seat anywhere from 50 to 450 guests and has the capacity to fit state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment. The room can be divided into two sections for a general session or breakout session. The ballroom also features a wrap-around balcony for private use, a breathtaking view of the downtown Houston skyline, and a cylindrical aquarium tank in the foyer area. For a standup reception, this room can fit up to 600 guests.

Services Offered
The Downtown Aquarium is home to not only amazing sea life but also some of the best chefs and staff in the area. Their award-winning culinary team and experienced event coordinators can help provide exquisite catering and plan out the decor and event necessities. Services include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Catering
  • Cleanup
  • Setup
  • Event planner
  • Lighting/sound


Cuisine
The restaurant at the Downtown Aquarium caters to all your seafood desires with their wonderful palate of different fish cuisines. From sawfish to shovel-nosed guitarfish, their restaurant can serve whatever kind of fish you’re looking for. You and your guests can be seated around a 150,000-gallon aquarium that offers a stunning view of the underwater world while you wait for your meal. They also provide chicken, steak, salads, and pasta dishes for couples looking for more variety. The Dive Lounge is a mature and upscale bar area for adults to enjoy.

Links

Visit website

FAQ

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Chairs
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

50

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated

What event items are available?

Chairs
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Downtown Aquarium

Write a review
Write a review
Weddingwire
4.0/5 12 reviews
Google
4.1/5 25046 reviews
U
User2991278 Sent on 03/03/2017
5 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue and very easy to work with! Was unique and private from the rest of the aquarium, good service with very attentive staff on wedding day. Lots of space for dancing and eating!! Great views of downtown. Highly recommend it!
L
Lucero Sent on 11/21/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Great place to have any kind of event, our wedding was magical thanks to everyone involved at the Aquarium, specially Ms Mary Alice our wedding coordinator. Very clean and elegant place. The food was delicious and warm to every guest (we believe that is very important), reasonable prices, they helped us with decoration ideas and made it smooth for the vendors to settle things there. We were really pleased about the service.
M
Monica Sent on 08/10/2011
5 out of 5 rating
The minute I walked into the ballroom I fell in love. I told my husband this was the place I wanted our reception to be. The ballroom looks very elegant. A Mary Alice was such a wonderful coordinator. She took good care of me the day of my wedding. As from what family and friends tell me, the food was delicious! The view of downtown is beautiful! My photographer was able to take awesome pictures of us on the rides and near the tigers. I would recommend The Aqaurium to anyone who's getting married.
B
Brittney Sent on 02/10/2010
5 out of 5 rating
Loved working with their events manager! Still hear amazing things about our reception, 2 years later!
A
Angie Sent on 11/24/2009
5 out of 5 rating
Loved it!!! This place was absoultely amazing, and Mary Alice was wonderful to work with. I half-heartedly booked an appointment to view this venue (I guess I was thinking it would be too kid-oriented) but the moment I got off the elevator and saw the ballroom, I fell in love. I looked EVERYWHERE in Houston for a reception venue and had not found anything I liked. The second I walked off the elevator into the third floor lobby, I knew this was it. The ballroom is gorgeous, there is a view of downtown, and the grounds furnish a unique and beautiful backdrop for your wedding day (or night) pictures. We barely needed any decorations. Also, the price was very reasonable. Although I could barely eat that night (busy and nervous!), I am still hearing from guests how amazing the food was. And Mary Alice was a wonderful coordinator. I called her on my way from the salon to the ceremony, and she told me all the vendors were set up and ready. I wasn't worried at all about anything at the reception going wrong. And she was very detail-oriented and prepared up to the day of the wedding. I am just hoping one of my friends have a wedding here so I can return (and get a chance to eat this time!)
G
Melanie Sent on 10/16/2008
5 out of 5 rating
The best venue ever, they treated you like family and since the day we booked it the constantly made sure we had everything the way we need it. They day of they became the best wedding planners ever. Thanks to them everything was set up perfectly and the Manager Mary Alice was the nicest most caring person to work with. To all the future brides: wedding can be stressful but if you get married at the Downtown Aquarium the day off will be a breeze thanks to the staff there.
K
Kelsey Sent on 03/27/2012
4.5 out of 5 rating
The Nautilus Ballroom at the Downtown Aquarium is just stunning. We had both our ceremony and reception there (in separate spaces) - it was perfect for our small wedding. All of our photos were so incredible because of how unique and beautiful this venue is. We hardly needed any additional decorations. The food was delicious. It was such a fun and relaxed atmosphere for everyone. Mary Alice was helpful and the staff was friendly. However, I was under the impression that everything would be a bit more organized - there were a couple of times when guests were able to enter an area when they weren't supposed to. Despite these minor issues, I would definitely recommend the Downtown Aquarium to anyone - it's elegant, fun, and totally unique!
C
Cindy Sent on 06/26/2008
4.3 out of 5 rating
This was a picture perfect venue! The food was great! The wedding coordinator was very professional and courteous. The only problem was a lack of organization over seating arrangements for close family and the bridal party...but, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a big deal. I would definitely recommend this location to anyone having a wedding in downtown Houston!
U
User1936072 Sent on 11/16/2014
4 out of 5 rating
It was a beautiful Venue, there's no fish tank in the ballroom, but you can pay extra for a private exhibition to see the aquarium. The person in charge of the venue was very nice, but she made some mistake so make sure you check your numbers very carefully, other than that it was awesome. Most guest said it was a very enjoyable wedding and they had lots of fun.
S
Sara Sent on 10/15/2008
3.1 out of 5 rating
With the limited of time, they did a great job. I would recommend a wedding planner on coordinating your special event.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Read all reviews

Awards

12
illustration message review

Are you interested?

Map

Addresses map Open Map
Location

Schedule a visit

Get an in-person vibe check and have your questions answered in real time.

Wedding couple
Wedding Venues Houston Museums Houston
Wedding Venues Houston (City) Museums Houston (City)

Why use Weddingwire to message vendors?

  • Messaging our verified vendors on WeddingWire is complimentary, safe, and secure.
  • Effortlessly manage vendor communications and planning details in one centralized location.
  • Our mobile apps ensure you can stay connected with vendors anytime, anywhere.
  • For customized pricing and package information, messaging the vendor directly is the quickest way to get the details you need.

Downtown Aquarium frequently asked questions

Downtown Aquarium includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Tables
The space offered by Downtown Aquarium for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Museum
Downtown Aquarium offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
Downtown Aquarium offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Engagement Party
Downtown Aquarium offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
Downtown Aquarium offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Tables
Downtown Aquarium is recommended by 80% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.0 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.3 in flexibility, 4.3 in value, 3.9 in quality of service, 3.8 in average response time and 3.8 in professionalism.
View next Museum Weddings

Other vendors in Houston for your wedding

Wedding Venues