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Weddings

About

The Charleston is located on the second and third floors of the historic Williams Building in lovely downtown Fullerton, California. The venue resides across from the Fullerton Train Station. Built in 1927, this venue has a special charm and the elegance of days gone by. The art-deco style and grandness of the ballroom which features high ceilings and wooden accents create a vintage feel, perfect for wedding receptions and special occasion parties.

Facilities and Capacity

The venue’s grand ballroom seats up to 200 guests and features beautiful wood on the floors and wood trim along the walls, stage, and ceiling. The stage is a great place if the wedding reception will feature a band. It can also be used for a sweetheart table to showcase the happy couple. Arched windows are set high into the walls that stretch up to the 22-foot ceiling. Wall sconces and chandeliers light the room with a romantic glow once the sun goes down. LED-colored lighting on the ceiling adds a fantastic flair to the celebration. The ceremony room is located on the third floor and is relatively simple so it can be decorated to capture the look, feel, and vision of your perfect ceremony. This space features hardwood floors and lighting overhead. The foyer and cocktail hour area boasts 2 bars that make a perfect space for your guests to mingle before entering the Grand Ballroom for your dinner reception. Your grand entrance into the ballroom will be a spectacular experience with beautiful LED-colored lighting to match your wedding decor and a built-in DJ sound system that is guaranteed to get the party started!

Services Offered
The Charleston offers inclusive packages to make planning your big day simple. Their packages include separate ceremony and reception spaces, catering by Chef John Paul, tables, chairs, linens, flatware, glassware, flowers, DJ, and a photo booth. The staff at this venue offer friendly and helpful day-of wedding coordination services to couples to assist them in hosting a stress-free wedding ceremony and reception at The Charleston.

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Frequently asked questions

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

Yes

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

5,500

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

4,000

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?

5,500

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

4,000

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

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Lighting/Sound
Linens
Parking
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?

$28

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

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer

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

50

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

4

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Historic Building

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

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

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
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?

Aisle Markers
Aisle Runners
Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Centerpieces
Chairs
Chair Covers
Dance Floor
Decor
Furniture
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

June
July
August
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
May
November
December

Reviews of The Charleston

Judee
Judee Sent on 06/05/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Dance the Night Away at the Fullerton Ballroom

For eight years the Admiral Nelson Ball has been held here at the Fullerton Ballroom, an historical site built back in the 1920s. We use the ballroom which easily accommodates about one hundred period dancers and has areas on both sides of the room which give those seated there unfettered access to the view. The Amerige Room, just a few steps away, is perfect for serving finger food. We especially appreciate the small room off the lobby for ladies to change into their period attire. The staff at the ballroom is easy to work with and very friendly.
T
Tom M. Sent on 05/24/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Highly recommended for large social gatherings

We booked the hall for my son’s wedding shower in May 2019. The event hosted about 50 guests. The facility was partitioned into three main, connected spaces: the main hall, the lobby, and the kitchen.

Main hall. The main hall is a large room with a sturdy wood floor (perfect for dancing), very high ceiling (maybe 20 feet), abundant chandeliers for lighting, a small stage, and cushioned seating along the sides. The room was equipped with an amplified audio system that boomed music from our mobile devices – attached using a mini-jack. We also used a wireless hand-held microphone that was great for communicating to our noisy guests across such a large space. We set up eight tables for our guests and two tables for food, and still had lots of free open space for moving around.

Lobby. The lobby is attached to the main hall through two large doors at the back of the hall. It is carpeted, spacious and proved to be a welcoming space for our arriving guests. The lobby is equipped with a bar made out of substantial hardwood and was an attractive spot for guests lean against and fill up on beer, wine and soft drinks. The hired bartender had plenty of room to store his supplies of drinks, cups, tapper, and ice. Yea, the lobby had a nice feel. And because of this, I would recommend that your pre-meal hors d'oeuvres and snacks be placed in the lobby, and not in the main hall.

Restrooms. Very clean and spacious Men’s and Women’s restrooms are attached to the lobby.

Kitchen. The kitchen is across a corridor at the corner of the front of the hall. This short corridor basically is the landing for the back entrance to the facility. Stairs and elevator dump onto the corridor and, voila, there is the kitchen too. The kitchen isn’t large. It’s about the size the kitchen in your house. Maybe a bit smaller. It is equipped with lots of counter space for conducting food operations. There is a standard refrigerator, and sink. The small size of the kitchen was the only “not great” feature of the facility. Still, all food-related operations proceeded without a hitch.

Loading and unloading. There is a “loading Zone” (yellow curb) directly adjacent to the back entrance of the building. Up to two vehicles can park there. This was very convenient for loading/unloading gear, food, and drinks. The path to the hall from the loading zone is very direct – from the loading zone, enter the building, then the stairs and the elevator are right there. Go to the second floor and land just outside the kitchen.

Parking. It is free to park in lots near the facility. This hall is located in a spot in Fullerton that is very popular for nightlife activities. There is a bunch of clubs, restaurants, and pubs in the immediate vicinity. As a result, we found that getting a parking spot close to the hall… well it didn’t happen. So we found parking easily enough in the nearby city parking structure (free), and in the lot near the train station (free). Since the parking lots and parking structure are very well lit at night, and since there was bubbly activity of people out for the evening, we always felt safe as we walked to our car late at night.

Train station. One additional item to consider. The hall is located across the parking lot from the Fullerton train station. Depending on the timing of your event, your guests might want to consider riding the Amtrak or the Metrolink to your event. But remember to confirm train schedules because weekend schedules are different from weekday schedules.

Finally, we found this hall to be a classy, attractive and feature-filled venue that supported all our activities, including socializing, dining, program presentation, music, and dancing. Logistics were easily supported by the adjacent loading zone, stairs, elevator and kitchen. We would definitely book this facility again if we had the need. In the meantime, I highly recommend it to anyone in need of a spacious facility to host your important social gatherings.
J
Jessica Sent on 02/28/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect venue for party people!

The Fullerton Ballroom was the perfect wedding venue for our reception! We rented the entire second floor and had our cocktail hour in the main lobby while our bridal party was taking pictures. We had 170 guests attend our wedding. The side tables, on each side of the main ballroom, were a unique feature that our guests loved. It seated about 50 guests and made our reception much more intimate, as our guests were facing in toward the center of the room. With this set up, we were still able to have a good size dance floor. This was important to us because our guests LOVE to dance and party! The Amerige Room, next to the main ballroom, was perfect for our buffet style dinner. The lobby felt very cozy. Our guests were able conversate and mingle when they were not in the main events room. The main ballroom was a favorite feature of the venue. Additional decorations, such as flowers, lights, and drapery, were not needed. The venue has so much character all on its own. Like I said before, my people love to party. At the end our reception, we invited all our guests to come to Downtown Fullerton to continue the party. I would say about 25% of our guests came out with us to continue the celebration and it was so easy to head straight downstairs to the bar on the first floor. If you have always dreamed of having your reception in a historical venue, don’t pass up this place. Many thanks to the Fullerton Ballroom for hosting our wedding reception, it was a magical day that we will never forget!
N
Niquelle Sent on 03/29/2015
5 out of 5 rating
I'm sure I got on the staff nerve while planning my event. However, they were very friendly and never showed signs of frustration.
V
Vanessa Sent on 05/16/2013
5 out of 5 rating
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place and Kim! She was AMAZING! We love her, our kids lover her too! She was so professional full of great ideas. We were all intertwined. When we walked into the ballroom we fell in love and even better when we walked into her office she had the exact same painting we did! At that moment we knew that place & her were the perfect match for us. She was extremely accommodating. (Especially since we had some possible party crashers) she took care of that with the amazing security staff she has on site. We choose all suggested vendors by Miss. Kim and they were all amazing. Over all our experience with the site and KIM were PERFECT! 5 stars ALL the way (times infinity) <3 =D
Vanessa & Anthony Marciano
U
User6691259 Sent on 05/02/2013
5 out of 5 rating
The Ballroom was everything I could have hoped for for my wedding. All of my guests loved that we had the reception in a real ballroom. Kim made my day extra special with all her small touches.
R
Rene Sent on 10/03/2012
5 out of 5 rating
To Kim and Her Staff, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a great place to have a wedding reception. Kim always greeted us with a smile and always was there to help us out in anything we needed. We knew the Ballroom would be ready to go by the time we got there and the recommendations she made were perfect.
Thank you again!
N
Nadiah Sent on 10/01/2012
5 out of 5 rating
This venue is amazing! Very affordable and the exact atmosphere for my retro inspired wedding. many of my guests couldn't stop talking about how pretty the venue was. The wedding coordinator at the ballroom, Kim, is one of the best people to work with. She is so sweet and super helpful...any question I had she answered right away. She never made a fuss when our appointments ran a little over...she really makes you feel like you are her number one priority. She also has a great list of vendors you can choose from. It really helps the wedding run smoothly since they are familiar with the ballroom. Here are a few of the vendors I used:

Food: Summit Events and worked with veronica medrano who is also amazing.

DJ: Kim actually suggested him, was Justin Garcia from Waveform Events.

Linen and Lighting: again I went with Kim's pick...his name is Oscar and he did a great job.

Cake: Patty's Cakes.

i trusted Kim's judgement a lot and I do not regret it. I definitely recommend checking this place out!
T
Tanya Sent on 04/23/2012
5 out of 5 rating
We just got married last month & I am soooo happy we chose to have our reception at the ballroom!! The place was so beautiful, elegant and just what I envisioned for our wedding! Kim was awesome!! She really listened to our ideas and took care of our event wonderfully!! Great price and beautiful place ! I am very thankful to Kim and the whole staff- very professional and simply NICE people! :)) thanks so much! ;)
B
Brandi Sent on 06/01/2010
5 out of 5 rating
We could not have been happier with this location. So much character and charm. The staff was a pleasure to work with. The location is beautiful on it's own, but breathtaking once decorated and filled with candlelight. I highly recommend it.
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Awards

15

Map

The Charleston frequently asked questions

The Charleston 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
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The Charleston includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at The Charleston includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Beer
  • House Liquor
  • House Wine
  • Open Bar
  • Signature Drink
  • Specialty Beer
The space offered by The Charleston for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Historic Building
The Charleston offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
The Charleston offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Charleston offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
The Charleston offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Aisle Markers
  • Aisle Runners
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Chair Covers
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Photo booth
  • Tables
The Charleston is recommended by 96% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in quality of service, 4.9 in average response time, 4.8 in professionalism, 4.7 in value and 4.6 in flexibility.
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