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Weddings

About

The Rapids Theatre is a historic wedding venue in Niagara Falls, New York. This extravagant venue combines rich history with modern amenities for Western New York couples looking for an art deco vibe. Originally built as a movie theater in 1921, The Rapids Theatre attracts couples who want the best of yesterday and today.

Facilities and Capacity
The theatre holds 240 guests in its breathtaking main room. Rental space includes the grand foyer decorated with marble and tile that is sure to amaze. The luxurious balcony is beautifully carpeted for guests to stand comfortably during cocktail hour before the evening events begin.

Services Offered
Couples that host their wedding at the Rapids Theatre will work with a personal wedding coordinator to help make their wedding dreams a reality. In addition, couples can prepare for the big day separately in private suites with champagne, fruit and cheese! Services from this venue include:

  • Exclusive use of the exquisite balcony and main floor levels
  • State-of-the-art sound and lighting systems
  • Flat screen televisions
  • Live feed video
  • Champagne toast for the head table
  • Cocktail service for the head table


Cuisine
This venue works exclusively with Rich's Catering and Special Events, voted Western New York’s best caterer by Buffalo Spree Magazine. Couples can design the perfect menu, including a variety of bar services, sure to impress guests and create a memorable evening.

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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?

$2,500

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

$1,250

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?

$1,000

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

$1,000

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
Dessert
Server(s)
Wedding Cake

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$20

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

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

1

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
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?

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

What catering services do you offer?

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

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
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
Drapery
Furniture
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

January
February
March
April
May
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

June
July
August

Reviews of The Rapids Theatre

A
Alison Sent on 07/25/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Best Wedding Ever!!

We had our wedding on July 5th, 2019 at the Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls with Rich’s Catering and it was perfect beyond belief! These two companies work together to plan the BEST wedding ever!! When you walk into the Rapids Theater you are instantly in awe! The venue is beautiful!! Due to the venue hosting concerts during the year, they are fully equipped with proper lighting and sound equipment! Because of this, our dance floor was full the entire night with the best sounds and lighting you could ever imagine! There were light and sound personnel present throughout the entire night making sure the lighting was the color we wanted and the music was the best it could be! Erik from Rapids and Maureen and Erin from Rich’s catering were the BEST! They were organized, professional, personable and kind. Maureen and Erik made the whole wedding planning process a breeze. Thanks to them, I was not stress or nervous once throughout the entire process! The entire serving staff from Rapids and Rich’s was professional, efficient and nice. The food from Rich’s was AMAZING! We had a sit down dinner and ALL 130 meals were hot, flavorful and delicious! You will NOT leave a Rich’s Catering wedding hungry! From the appetizers, to the main course, to the desserts, there were so many delicious options and choices! All 130 wedding guests are STILL talking about the food, staff and venue!! If you are looking for a BEAUTIFUL location with delicious food, a wide variety of centerpieces and decorations and an AWESOME wedding coordinator and staff please pick Rich’s Catering and the Rapids Theater!! You will not be disappointed!!!
B
Brittany Sent on 03/04/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Absolute best wedding venue

We walked into the Rapids Theatre and I was hooked! We fell in love with the venue and especially how EASY Lindsay and the Rapids team made the entire process! From start to finish there is not one thing I would change about our wedding. They fully transformed the theatre into exactly what we had dreamed of! We had numerous guests telling us this was by far the BEST wedding they have attended. Thank You Rapids wishing we could relive our wedding every single day!
Valerie
Valerie Sent on 01/09/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely perfect!

If you’re looking for a unique venue, this is it. Lindsay from Rapids is incredible. Every detail was done to perfection. The food provided by Rich’s was excellent. The sound system and lighting is concert quality. Everything was absolutely beautiful. When there’s no do-overs, why gamble? They delivered a level of service that totally exceeded my expectations.
Tawny
Tawny Sent on 09/18/2018
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I, had the pleasure of working with Rapids Theatre for our wedding day, on 8/4/18. From the moment I walked into Rapids Theatre, I knew this was going to be like no wedding I or any of our guests have ever been to. Lindsay was helpful, professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Our catering and planning was done through Rich's Catering, where Lindsay and Maureen work closely together, making sure that your day is perfect. When Rapids isn't hosting weddings, they are hosting concerts, which gave us the perfect opportunity to have live music. Our friends and family are all still raving about how it was the best wedding they have ever been to, and how amazing and kind all of the staff was . If you want something that is different than your typical wedding, something that your friends and family are not going to stop talking about, I give my full recommendation to Lindsay and Rapids Theatre. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and commitment to your customers, I could not have imagined a more perfect day.
D
Danielle Sent on 08/28/2018
5 out of 5 rating
I never dreamt of what my wedding would be like, but as soon as we toured, we knew the Rapids Theatre was the perfect venue!! Lindsay and her whole team were amazing from beginning to end with planning all the details to keeping the flow the day of. We felt completely at ease and remained stress free at our wedding! Such a blessing!! I would highly recommend this venue to all future brides!
B
Brianna Sent on 08/28/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Lindsay and the Rapids staff was AMAZING!!! our wedding day was this Saturday 8.25.18. The venue was clean, set up EXACTLY how we wanted it. We had the best experience and would definitely do it all over again!
Natalie
Natalie Sent on 07/17/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Best venue ever! My husband and I were looking for something different, a location and venue that we knew none of our guests had been to for a wedding, and this was it! I was skeptical at first, but when we met Marie and toured the venue, which was set up for a wedding that day, I was blown away. They know how to fill the space and make a large group seem small and vise versa. We had just over 100 guests, and it didn't feel too big or crowded. The staff was great. We worked mostly with Lindsay, who helped us set up our bar menu to meet our needs. Neither of us are beer drinkers, so we worked with Lindsay to add a few favorites to the line up. If you are looking for a unique indoor wedding, this is it! Any time of year will work. Plus, you get the benefit of having a few excellent photo locations close by (we went to Devil's Hole which was a 5 minute drive away). As someone who originally wanted everything to be outdoors, I wouldn't change my decision for anything. It was definitely the best day ever!
amandaaok
Amanda Sent on 07/10/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Lindsay and the rest of the staff at Rich's were unbelievable. Absolutely everyone in attendance RAVED about how wonderful the venue was and how amazing the staff was!! We could not have asked for anything more and I flat out told them that the cost could easily be doubled or tripled for the service they provide - we never could have gotten their venue, let alone all the extras (in sound, lighting, screen usage) that they provide for such a low cost here in CA, it would have been WAY out of budget for us!
S
Sabrina Sent on 02/10/2018
5 out of 5 rating
I had an amazing wedding at the Rapids. They were so helpful in planning my wedding and made everything so easy. Day of the wedding was magical and the venue was so beautiful.
K
Karen Sent on 01/14/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Rapids theatre was absolutely amazing!! Every part of my day was perfect! Marie was great! Her staff was right on! I truly had my dream wedding!!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

63
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

6 Endorsements
Birchtree fotos Birchtree fotos Wedding Photographers

I highly recommend having your wedding at the Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls, NY! I have personally worked with the owner & wedding event planner Marie & she is wonderful to work with. She is exceptionally accommodating and will make everything go smoothly and as planned with ease. It's absolutely beautiful inside of Rapids & rich in history that makes for outstanding pictures that last a lifetime, as well as amazing sound quality & video. In amazing venue all around.

Buffalo Wedding Chapel Buffalo Wedding Chapel Wedding Officiants

Great Venue, large and beautiful. Awesome concerts and well organized. Customer service is beyond good.

Soundwave DJ and Photo Soundwave DJ and Photo Wedding DJs

The staff at the Rapids Theater is absolutely amazing. They really cater to the couples needs and meet all of their expectations. The venue is stunning, and the atmosphere is the perfect place to hold your wedding. Whenever we work with Rapids, we can guarantee the night to be what every person dreams for, PERFECTION! Not only do us as vendors compliment their quality of service, but we hear about it from our couples too! If you are considering Rapids Theater do not hold off on you decision, its worth it!

Preferred Vendors
PREMIER PARKING services & systems
5.0 out of 5 rating , 1 review
· Wedding Limos
Rich's Catering & Special Events
5.0 out of 5 rating , 230 reviews
· Wedding Caterers
Soundwave DJ and Photo
4.9 out of 5 rating , 258 reviews
· Wedding DJs
Toy Bros
4.9 out of 5 rating , 667 reviews
· Wedding DJs

Map

The Rapids Theatre frequently asked questions

The Rapids Theatre 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 Rapids Theatre includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
  • Wedding Cake
The bar service starting price at The Rapids Theatre includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Beer
  • House Liquor
  • House Wine
  • Open Bar
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by The Rapids Theatre for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Historic Building
The Rapids Theatre offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
The Rapids Theatre offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Rapids Theatre offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
The Rapids Theatre offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Aisle Markers
  • Aisle Runners
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Chair Covers
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Drapery
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Photo booth
  • Tables
The Rapids Theatre 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, 4.8 in average response time, 4.8 in flexibility, 4.8 in professionalism and 4.8 in value.
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