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Weddings

About

Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown is a hotel wedding venue located in the Historic East Villiage in Des Moines, Iowa. Abundant with style and sophistication, the hotel provides flexible spaces for various wedding-related events; indoors and outdoors!. The venue shows spectacular views of the river, city, and the downtown skyline.

Facilities and Capacity
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown can accommodate up to 550 guests in its three primary indoor spaces for wedding receptions. The three spaces which can be used include the Embassy Ballroom, the Junior Ballroom, and Scott’s Landing. The Embassy Ballroom can host grand celebrations, or be subdivided into smaller spaces. For more intimate celebrations of up to sixty to eighty guests, the Junior Ballroom and Scott’s Landing are available for rental. In addition to these three dinner spaces, the hotel's Atrium, the Simon Estes Amphitheater, and the Riverview Lobby and Patio can also be used for ceremonies and cocktail receptions of all sizes.

Services Offered
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers all-inclusive wedding packages, providing professional staff members to help with planning and coordination. These packages include the following event services:

  • Accommodations
  • Bridal suite
  • Setup
  • Event rentals
  • In-house bar
  • In-house catering
  • Lighting and sound
  • Cleanup
  • Outside vendors


Accommodations
The hotel features a beautiful open, atrium-style lobby and 234 spacious rooms in this all-suite venue. Additionally, the hotel feature 3 Governor's Suites and 1 Presidential Suite; great for wedding party preparation as well as wedding night stays. Accommodations also come with a complimentary shuttle service, based on availability, to the Des Moines Airport and other local areas.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$500

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$500

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

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Lighting/Sound
Linens
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$7.50

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast

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

1

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Hotel
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Pet Friendly
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Audio Equipment
Centerpieces
Chairs
Chair Covers
Dance Floor
Decor
Drapery
Furniture
Lighting
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
November
December

Reviews of Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown

D
Deborah Sent on 06/13/2022
5 out of 5 rating

A Wedding to Remember

We started planning my daughter's wedding during Covid. There was uncertainty as to what a wedding would look like if we could even have it. Staffing was not completely back and everything was unknown. My daughter and son-in-law were living in North Carolina and my son-in-law ended up being deployed and returning only a couple of weeks before the wedding. The Staff at the Embassy Suites Downtown Des Moines didn't blink an eye. They were very accommodating to our needs. The bride and groom couldn't make it to a tasting, so they allowed us to schedule one on their time. Claudia and her staff walked us through changes as our guest list went from between 100-150 to 250 guests. I truly cannot say enough good things about this venue, staff and hotel. The food was amazing. We never noticed the waitstaff unless we needed something. Marcy and her staff flipped the ballroom from ceremony to reception in less time than they had originally quoted us, which allowed us to move quickly to the fun stuff. I couldn't have imagined anything more perfect than what they created! The staff made this venue shine!
S
Sarah Sent on 10/14/2013
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I were married May 4th 2013 at the Embassy Suites, Downtown Des Moines, IA. I could not have asked for a more perfect day, event, venue and most of all wedding coordinator. Jessica Johnson went far above and beyond her duties in making this the perfect day. From day one, Jessica remained in contact with me monthly, if not weekly to assist in anything from DJ's, flowers, photographers, officiants, cake vendors...anything that I needed assistance with for that matter. Our ceremony was to be outdoors, and happened to snow the day prior to our wedding. We had to move everything indoors last minute. Jessica quickly arranged the ceremony to be held in an alternate ballroom, everything went flawless and I didnt have to worry about a thing. I couldnt have done all of this with out Jessica. She is an amazing asset to your company and I will forever recommend her as well as the Embassy to host any event! Thank you!!
N
Nikki Sent on 10/14/2013
5 out of 5 rating
The Embassy Suites on the River was so fabulous to work with. Jessica the event coordinator took her time to explain pricing, each package available, and she was very flexible with her time to meet us. She made both my husband and I very confident with our choice to have our reception at the Embassy! She's hard working and put in just as much time as we did to have the most beautiful reception ever. The Embassy crew accommodated to a large reception and guest list. We chose plated dinner for our guests and everyone got their food within a few minutes of each other. There wasn't any time waiting around for plates to be brought out. It was simply amazing! I would highly recommend Jessica and The Embassy Suites to any bride to be for a successful stress free planning party :)
U
User1377327 Sent on 10/13/2013
5 out of 5 rating
Our wedding reception was perfect! Jessica, the wedding coordinator was so helpful. She was professional and answered all of our questions promptly. We would highly recommend embassy suites for any event.
U
User1377121 Sent on 10/13/2013
5 out of 5 rating
The Embassy was the perfect place to have our wedding reception. Jessica was great from the beginning. She was able to answer all our questions and was wonderful to work with. On the night of the reception, everything was perfect. The room was set up beautifully. Myself, husband, and our families had no worries that night about anything. The food was excellent as well. We received numerous compliments about how our guests food came out promptly and hot. Overall our evening was wonderful and we could not have asked for any more.
C
Crystal Sent on 10/11/2013
5 out of 5 rating
We first met with Jessica after having a bad experience with our previously booked venue. She was able to take a stressful situation and turn it into a simple, fun, and exciting day - the way it should be!

Jessica and the hotel made everything flow and transition perfectly from the time of our initial meet until we checked out the day after the wedding. I should mention that we had our ceremony in the atrium, cocktail hour in the patio area, and then the reception in the ball room - so they had a lot to make happen, and did so with no interruption to our guests.

I really have nothing but great things to say. The food was great, the decorations looked perfect and were at no additional cost (unless you wanted something they don't have in stock), and the service was outstanding. Rehearsal was also a breeze. Jessica was there to make sure we had everything we needed and our guests enjoyed the complimentary cocktails and snacks provided by the hotel. I was told that we had one of the best rehearsal nights by many people in our party and that our wedding was a blast. I highly reccomend the Des Moines Embassy Suites for any of your wedding needs!
J
Jessica Sent on 08/28/2012
5 out of 5 rating
Embassy suites created an amazing evening for us for our wedding reception. They were easy to work with and i would recommend it as a venue to anyone.
A
Angela Sent on 07/21/2018
4.7 out of 5 rating
We were so thrilled with our reception! The site and event were very well-done! The staff was very professional and accommodating too! We definitely chose the right venue!
M
Megan Sent on 07/16/2018
4.7 out of 5 rating
Our guests were flying in from all over and needed a reception venue close to the airport & St. Ambrose Cathedral to reduce the cost of transportation. We went with the Embassy due to the outdoor space, open atrium and amazing coordinator Abby Dean. We were planning from out of town as well, but she made it incredibly easy to fit our schedules for the tasting and other meetings.

Our guests loved the free happy hour provided by the hotel Friday night and since we had an adult only wedding, those that were parents could attend the wedding with babysitters watching their kids just a couple floors up. The free shuttle service from the airport and anywhere downtown was used heavily and the drivers were fantastic to everyone.

We loved how easy it was to work with the team at the Embassy, even with some personnel changes. Onsite, the catering manager and staff were so accommodating Friday for the final details and our pretty custom setup we requested. The day came, and as per Iowa, we had a snowstorm in April - the team adjusted to move the cocktail hour from the patio to the atrium and it still worked beautifully. We received so many compliments on the cocktail hour food and dinner as well.

The only issue I would address up front is the number of bartenders, we tried to address it ahead of time that our large adult crew would definitely be getting after it, however it took my husband's persistence to get more staff and get the lines down for the bar. It was incredibly minor and resolved, but something for future couples.

It was the perfect space for us and we loved coming down the glass elevator from our complimentary suite Sunday morning to see the complimentary breakfast full of our friends and family.

We would have our wedding there 100x over, even with the blizzard!
U
User839494 Sent on 06/25/2012
4.5 out of 5 rating
Embassy Suites was our reception location on our wedding day. We had a beautiful reception and most of that was made possible by the hard work of Jessica (their wedding coordinator). The only problems we had were that the serving staff was very slow in getting the food to the tables for dinner, and they also took forever getting our wedding cake out to the tables, and they didn't serve wedding cake to you if you were not sitting down at your table (i.e. dancing), therefore many of our guests did not receive any wedding cake. The only other issue we had was that the serving staff did not serve our Vegetarian meals to the people we had specifically noted. That was frustrating, as we had taken so much time to go over that with our coordinator and then somehow there was a miscommunication. The reception venue was wonderful, though, and working with Jessica couldn't have gone better. I would definitely recommend this venue.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

12

Professional Network & Endorsements

5 Endorsements
Beyond Elegance Party Rentals Beyond Elegance Party Rentals Wedding Rentals

Beautiful place for a wedding reception and Event Staff is fantastic!

Skeffington's Formal Wear Skeffington's Formal Wear Wedding Dresses

The Embassy is such a great hotel!

Absolute Music DJ Service Absolute Music DJ Service Wedding DJs

An elegant setting with delicious food and friendly wait staff. Ceremonies can be conducted in the atrium near the waterfall.

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Map

Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown frequently asked questions

Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Linens
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Champagne Toast
The space offered by Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Hotel
  • Waterfront
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Audio Equipment
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Chair Covers
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Drapery
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Tables
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown is recommended by 86% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.3 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.4 in average response time, 4.3 in quality of service, 4.3 in flexibility, 4.3 in professionalism and 4.1 in value.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown currently offers 1 special WeddingWire promotion for wedding services.
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