Award winner
Award winner thanks to recommendations from couples on WeddingWire.com.
- 2022
The District Venue
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"The District Venue was the perfect place for my wedding! Erika was very helpful through the whole..."
"Erika was absolutely amazing to work with! Nothing but great communication, willingness to make sure..."
Why couples loved this venue
- Helpful staff
- Guests comfort
- Quality catering
- Amenities
About this venue
A modern, yet elegant and industrial banquet hall in Ankeny, Iowa, The District Venue is the perfect indoor setting for your wedding ceremony and reception. With a space that includes countless services to fit any budget and style, The District Venue is beautifully structured to host any wedding event, such as a bridal shower, engagement party, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, or reception.
Facilities and Capacity
With 5,000 square feet of open space, The District Venue can accommodate up to 350 guests with convenient parking, as well as elevator and wheelchair accessible bathrooms. Conveniently, the two-story, all-inclusive banquet hall is located in the Greater Des Moines Metro area, in the heart of Ankeny’s Prairie Trail District. Nearby, there are also a variety of hotel options.
Services Offered
Couples hosting their event at The District Venue can find numerous services to assist with their planning. Complete with full liability insurance, The District Venue offers setup and cleanup, as well as all-inclusive wedding packages that provide you and your guests with full-service amenities regardless of your vision and budget. The event coordinator has the experience to guide you with event planning, and you will also have a 16-hour time block for access to the space on the day of your wedding. Couples will also have access to lighting and sound equipment to set the mood for their wedding. Use of the venue includes in-house, full-service bar and catering, as well as wireless internet, security and insurance, and an open vendor policy.
Included in your room rental are:
- Barware
- China
- Flatware
- Glassware
- Linens and napkins
- Tables and chairs
Couples may also choose to rent additional decor items to enhance their day.
Cuisine
In-house, full-service catering options include a choice of buffet, family style, or plated meals, complete with the appropriate number of servers and waitstaff. A complimentary menu tasting is included with all reservations!
Bar Services
The District Venue has a liquor license and insurance and offers a full-service bar that includes bartenders and a choice of cash bar, limited bar, or open bar. Couples will have the option to select from a wide range of alcohol options, such as:
- House beer
- House liquor
- House wine
- Premium liquor
- Signature drink
- Specialty beer
- Specialty wine
Experience
-
7 years in business
-
We speak English
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FAQ
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?
$4,000
What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?
$2,750
Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?
No
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?
Server(s)
What is the starting price per person for bar service?
$5
Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?
Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine
What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?
50
How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?
3
Describe your venue:
Banquet Hall
Loft
What kind of settings are available?
Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor
Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?
Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner
What event services do you offer?
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors
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?
Aisle Runners
Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Centerpieces
Chairs
Dance Floor
Decor
Drapery
Furniture
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables
What food and beverage items are available?
Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
What transportation and access is available?
Parking
Wheelchair Access
What months are included in your peak season?
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
What months are included in your off-peak season?
January
February
March
Any other questions?
Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!Reviews of The District Venue
Weddingwire
11 reviews
Google
135 reviews
Logan Sent on 08/02/2020
5 out of 5 rating
Loved every thing about it
The district venue is an amazing venue with an amazing staff. The venue is located in a great area with many photo opportunities. The staff was great with explaining anything we were confused on and doing everything they could to make our day wonderful.
Kaylee Sent on 01/03/2019
4.4 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue
The district venue is an absolutely beautiful venue and do set up and tear down of everything (aside from your personal decorations). Catering is expensive and does have to go through the venue. The venue does taste testing, which is very helpful. When ordering the food, you only need to request food for the number of people attending. If additional food is needed they will make more on the spot and the difference can be inside at the end of the night. Some cons, we had a large guest list and they put the food up against the wall, making it take forever for people to go through food and eat. The front of the room was fine eating while those sitting in the loft still needed to get food. It would have been better for them to have pulled the tables away from the wall and allow both sides to be used for the buffet. Additionally, our cake need to be in the frig and we head asked about the use of the frig and told this was not a problem. Unfortunately, the cake vendor was forced to put our cake on a bucket. This made her very uncomfortable as it was not sturdy and it was a 3 tier cake. Everything ended up ok but this just put the cake baker in a bad spot and they didn't want the cake to fall over. There is also a fee for using a credit card.
Megan Sent on 10/02/2026
3.8 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue and amazing food, but skip the in-house day of coordinator
Our daughter and her husband recently held their wedding at The District Venue. The venue itself was absolutely amazing. The space is gorgeous, the food was excellent, and the bartenders provided top-notch service throughout the evening. The servers were also polite and did a good job getting the food served to our guests in a timely manner.
However, do not hire their in-house day-of coordinator services. We paid over $950 for this add-on and did not receive the professional management or direction we were promised, causing immense, avoidable stress. Management later claimed a comprehensive timeline was made, but to this date we have never seen it. Furthermore, multiple members of the wedding party confirmed that the coordinator was completely absent when the ceremony started; she did not line anyone up or cue them to walk down the aisle, leaving everyone guessing. The only time the coordinator actually asked if we needed anything from her throughout the entire day was right before she left for the evening.
Furthermore, the cleanup staff got a bit "throw-happy" right in the middle of the reception. I understand their job is to clear the tables of dishes, but they went so far as to clear and discard guests' actual wedding cake before they even had a chance to take a bite. Custom decor, 18 wooden table numbers and 200 cork placecard holders, were also thrown in the trash because the venue deemed these items "intended for disposal". We erroneously assumed that custom made decor would be saved and not considered garbage, and that what we take in we take out.
We reached out to the venue manager, Erika, privately to resolve these issues and request reimbursement for our discarded items, but management completely deflected accountability and refused to offer any resolution.
If you book this beautiful venue, enjoy the wonderful food and atmosphere, but hire your own independent coordinator. Most importantly, if you have items you want to keep, make sure you explicitly tell them beforehand and assign someone to guard your belongings.
However, do not hire their in-house day-of coordinator services. We paid over $950 for this add-on and did not receive the professional management or direction we were promised, causing immense, avoidable stress. Management later claimed a comprehensive timeline was made, but to this date we have never seen it. Furthermore, multiple members of the wedding party confirmed that the coordinator was completely absent when the ceremony started; she did not line anyone up or cue them to walk down the aisle, leaving everyone guessing. The only time the coordinator actually asked if we needed anything from her throughout the entire day was right before she left for the evening.
Furthermore, the cleanup staff got a bit "throw-happy" right in the middle of the reception. I understand their job is to clear the tables of dishes, but they went so far as to clear and discard guests' actual wedding cake before they even had a chance to take a bite. Custom decor, 18 wooden table numbers and 200 cork placecard holders, were also thrown in the trash because the venue deemed these items "intended for disposal". We erroneously assumed that custom made decor would be saved and not considered garbage, and that what we take in we take out.
We reached out to the venue manager, Erika, privately to resolve these issues and request reimbursement for our discarded items, but management completely deflected accountability and refused to offer any resolution.
If you book this beautiful venue, enjoy the wonderful food and atmosphere, but hire your own independent coordinator. Most importantly, if you have items you want to keep, make sure you explicitly tell them beforehand and assign someone to guard your belongings.
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A Special Event DJ & Photobooth
4.7 out of 5 rating , 127 reviews
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The District Venue frequently asked questions
The District Venue 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 District Venue includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
- Server(s)
The bar service starting price at The District Venue includes:
- Bartender(s)
- Champagne Toast
- House Beer
- House Liquor
- House Wine
- Limited Bar
- Open Bar
- Premium Liquor
- Signature Drink
- Specialty Beer
- Specialty Wine
The space offered by The District Venue for wedding events is known for:
- Banquet Hall
- Loft
The District Venue offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
- Indoor
- Uncovered Outdoor
The District Venue offers the following types of wedding events:
- Ceremony
- Reception
- Bridal Shower
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsal Dinner
The District Venue offers the following services for wedding events:
- Bar Services
- Catering Services
- Clean Up
- Event Planner
- Event Rentals
- Get Ready Rooms
- Liability Insurance
- Outside Vendors
- Wifi
The District Venue offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
- Aisle Runners
- Altar/Arch
- Audio Equipment
- Centerpieces
- Chairs
- Dance Floor
- Decor
- Drapery
- Furniture
- Lighting
- Photo booth
- Tables
The District Venue is recommended by 90% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.5 in quality of service, 4.5 in average response time, 4.5 in flexibility, 4.5 in professionalism and 4.4 in value.