Honey Creek Resort Reviews
Reviews
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![Makayla]()
Makayla Sent on 08/30/2020Search no more- this is the place
Absolutely amazing! If you are on the fence about booking Honey Creek Resort as your wedding venue, want a destination wedding feel close to home, or are simplyimg searching for the perfect place WAIT NO LONGER- book it! This place helped make my wedding day everything I had imagined, all while in the middle of COVID-19 and maintaining a priority for health and safety. The grounds are beautiful, a true gem in Iowa! We had our ceremony and reception lakefront behind the Resort- gorgeous spot in my opinion especially when paired with canopy lights. There are multiple different venue locations to choose from, inside and out. They also have walking/running trails (some lakefront) we enjoyed for father daughter runs, vow writing, after dinner walks, and stunning wedding pictures. The staff worked very hard to make sure they were putting together mine and my husband's vision for the day, set up and tore down all decorations etc in a timely manner. The food was great and they were willing to work with our budget- something we were SO thankful for. The rooms are wonderful -clean and accommodating- so you can rest assured that your guests can truly relax and celebrate with you! The resort itself has such a welcoming and inviting feel to it, we absolutely felt like family walking it and were taken care of as such. The front desk staff members were attentive and kind, always willing to go the extra mile with joy. They made some of my favorite memories possible!! Honey Creek's diamond is Delaney (their wedding coordinator). This woman is kind, calm, caring, levelheaded, and passionate about what she does. She is a problem solver and creative thinker - similar to the rest of the staff- going the extra mile to make your day perfect! She thinks ahead and helps you have a plan ready for whatever may happen. She also is a tough cookie, ready to take charge and keep the peace so the day runs smoothly. She works diligently in the months leading up the wedding, keeping you organized and on schedule. All that to say, you are in good hands at Honey Creek Resort. With COVID-19 going on, we weren't sure we would be able to have the wedding we had wanted...but Honey Creek Resort helped make our wedding day the best day of our lives. They were flexible, professional, and kind- and choosing to have my wedding there was absolutely one of the best decisions I have ever made. The memories we have there are so sweet of course because of the people and love that are housed in them, but also because this special place (Honey Creek) made them possible. This is a place my husband and I look forward to visiting for years to come.
All photos featured were captured by the talented and wonderful Haverlee Photography (https://www.haverlee.com/) -
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![Karen]()
Karen Sent on 10/09/2025Daughter’s Wedding at Honey Creek Resort
My daughter had the perfect wedding at the resort last weekend. The staff goes over and beyond their jobs to make sure everything is perfect.
The food was excellent- the setting by the lake for the ceremony is absolutely beautiful- the ballroom is good sized so had plenty of room to eat, mingle, & dance. I would highly recommend HCR and can not say enough good things about the staff! -
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![Alexis]()
Alexis Sent on 11/07/2020You need to use honey creek!
We used Honey Creek Resort and worked with Delaney to host our Rehearsal Dinner for wedding party plus guests staying at the resort for the weekend. Delaney was quick to respond, took care of anything we needed immediately, and was extremely professional throughout the whole process! Delaney is incredible and if you're planning a wedding at the resort or nearby, you need to use Honey Creek and Delaney! -
Lori Sent on 10/28/2020
Delaney was awesome to work with.
Delaney Evers is amazing at her job. Everyone at Honeycreek were very accommodating. But, we cant say enough good things about Delaney. She was very prompt at all communication's. She is a great problem solver. Very friendly and professional. I would highly recommend Honeycreek and Delaney to any of my friends and family. -
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![Sydney]()
Sydney Sent on 10/13/2020Amazingly detailed service
Absolutely the best experience we could ever have! Delaney and her staff knew what we wanted and how we wanted things before we could even express the words. They’re very attentive to your needs and are sure to take the time to hear you out! Not to mention the amazing views this resort has to offer. Our wedding and pictures are absolutely magical! -
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Kayla Sent on 10/08/2020
Amazing Venue!
We knew as soon as we drove into Honey Creek that we wanted to get married there, and Honey Creek staff went above and beyond to make our day perfect! We are both outdoorsy people and wanted to get married surrounded by nature. Honey Creek worked with us to create a brand new ceremony site that was exactly what we were picturing! But really we couldn’t have done it without Delaney and all the hard work she put into making our experience as stress free as possible. If Honey Creek isn’t on your list of possible venues yet, be sure to check it out! -
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Laura Sent on 09/23/2020
An Easy Day
Delaney was the perfect event coordinator! After daughter #1 had a home wedding, we were ready for daighter #2's wedding to be easy! Delaney was on top of every detail and took care of so much more than expected! The facility was beautiful and had lots of spaces for great events and photos! The day was a fairy tale! -
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![Isabella]()
Isabella Sent on 09/14/2020great venue, AMAZING coordinator!
Where to even begin. We loved Honey Creek as a venue for so many reasons—the views, the wow-factor, the destination wedding feel, the eco-friendliness, the price, the full-service, the many ceremony & reception location options, tons of beautiful photo opportunities—but what really sold us on Honey Creek was Delaney Evers. A Honey Creek wedding without Delaney would be like a peanut butter sandwich without jelly, like fresh baked cookies without a cool glass of milk. Delaney was AMAZING. She is a YES-woman through and through. If we wanted something, Delaney made it happen. I never once doubted her commitment to our big day or to our vision. She will pull all the strings, speak to all the right people, pull all the tricks out of her sleeve, and make it happen for your wedding, just like she did for ours. When the inevitable mishaps or changes in plan occur, you can feel safe knowing that Delaney is somewhere out there on the Honey Creek grounds doing battle for your dream wedding—and THAT is worth a million dollars!!
Honey Creek was a dream. If you’re considering this place as your venue—just go for it! I promise you won’t regret it. All of our guests commented several times about how beautiful the grounds are, how delicious the food was, how quick the banquet service was, and just how seamless of a wedding it was. People always say, “something will go wrong at a wedding”, but all my guests and I can truly say, thanks to Honey Creek, everything went right! -
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![Shelley]()
Shelley Sent on 08/31/2020Absolutely amazing!!!!
Delaney was the best to work with! So easy going and made sure our day was as special as ever😍 -
Shelby Sent on 07/03/2020
Book it, you won’t regret it!
Honey Creek Resort is where it’s at for your wedding and we highly recommend anyone get married here. We visited September of 2019, fell in love, and knew that day our search was over. Delaney, the HCR wedding sales manager, was beyond amazing and the resort was a great spot for a family reunion type gathering and our wedding since our guests could stay on site with plenty of activities. Since we are from out of town, this was a big seller.
We visited again for a menu tasting and vendor fair in November. There, we met some preferred vendors that work together seamlessly. We ended up working with the DJ (Joe Tafta with the Sound Doctor Mobile DJ), the Officiant (Crystal Creations), and one of the Bakers (Dawn’s Couture Cakes).
Throughout the planning process, we worked with Delaney for all of our needs and she answered countless questions from us. She was so patient with us and way exceeded our expectations. It was such a relief to not have to hire an additional wedding planner because she really handled everything. She also was in contact with the vendors making the behind the scenes plans which was the icing on the cake.
As the wedding day approached we were right in the midst of COVID. Delaney kept in touch and we were lucky to have her back at work a few weeks before the wedding. The entire staff at Honey Creek worked so hard to make the day possible despite regulations due to COVID and the changes/uncertainties with our guest list. In addition, Honey Creek was very accommodating with last minute changes due to weather and provided helpful and realistic recommendations. We originally booked the pavilion for both the reception and the ceremony so everything could be in the same spot. However, the thunderstorms had other plans and we moved the reception inside; which surprisingly made our families VERY happy.
Delaney and Stephanie make a great pair when it comes to wedding planning, setup, and coordination during the wedding day. The day of went very smooth and the food was delicious. They handled everything seamlessly and we didn’t have any worries on our wedding day. We couldn’t have asked for better.
Perks/recommendations HCR:
Getting ready at the cottages or the Bridal suite. Hair and makeup can come to HCR.
All decorations and linens you could need are provided unless you choose to customize or bring your own.
Rain backup and plenty of ceremony options.
On site coordination team.
Option to bring your own dessert.
Great food with the ability to customize anything; including a Gluten free meal identical to our main meal.
Reasonable bar and food pricing/options.
Family time at the Resort: golf, beach, boating, walking, biking, restaurant.
On site lodging (cottages or lodge/hotel)- pavilion is 1 mile from lodge and a 10-15 minute walk to cottages.
Many places on site for a variety of photos including: dock, lake, beach, fire place, large pavilion, smaller pavilion by lake, paved or unpaved wooded areas, and golf course/bridge.
Least favorite components:
Driving personal cars around for photos for site since the rental buses are a little pricey due to remoteness of HCR.
Bar at restaurant could be closed due to COVID of you’re looking for an after party.
Reservations and booking was complicating and frustrating at times.
Rehearsal is available on site but you may have to pay to rent the space you’re using or it could be being used for a wedding/other event. You can do a potluck style at their spaces or have HCR cater. The option we chose was to pick up food and eat at the cabins. -
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Mikaela Sent on 10/20/2019
Honey Creek Resort - Outdoor Wedding Dream
Honey Creek Resort was the PERFECT venue not only for my husband and I, but for our families. Having all of the amenities available for everyone to enjoy made Honey Creek the perfect long-weekend get away for our families who lived hours away. We were able to make this weekend special for so many of us, and that is thank to Delaney Evers in so many ways. Delaney's professionalism and get-it-done approach to planning and hammering out the details made sure everything flowed perfectly. The day-of was thunder storming and looking a little bleak for our would-be fairytale ceremony, but Delaney had faith and the weather radar and convinced us to go for the "high-risk, high-reward" option. Best call we could've made! Everything turned out to be exactly what we wanted, and people could not stop telling us how much they loved Honey Creek. If you are looking to have a venue with low-stress planning, plenty of space for you and your families, endless things to do, a beautiful backdrop, and the best staff - you've found it! We are so lucky to have found Honey Creek Resort! -
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Aleda Sent on 10/20/2019
Outstanding experience! Hidden Gem!
Our daughter and new son-in-law were married at Honey Creek in September, 2019. Delaney was our wedding manager and is new to the Honey Creek Staff as of approx late 2018 (so prior negative reviews should be discarded now!). Delaney comes with event planning experience from Los Angeles, California! And it shows! Better yet, she is local to the Honey Creek area, so can suggest local vendors or other hole-in-the wall ideas! We cannot thank Delaney enough for the assistance in planning the most beautiful, perfect wedding we could have ever imagined for our oldest daughter. We also had day-of assistance from Marsha. Both of them were in constant communication before the wedding, the day of the wedding, and even after the wedding is complete, they are still going above and beyond to execute wrapping up the loose ends to make the entire experience seamless! The banquet staff pulled off a delicious plated meal for over 200, and the bartenders were humorous and kind. We highly recommend Honey Creek for couples and parents seeking a wedding spot! This was a perfect halfway location for the couple (who lived just north of Kansas City) and us (who lives in Eastern Iowa) to have a "mini-destination" wedding. All within a 2.5 hour drive! Our guests enjoyed a weekend getaway! -
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![Jessie]()
Jessie Sent on 10/20/2019Perfect in each and every way!
Our experience using Honey Creek Resort for our September, 2019 wedding was nothing short of perfect!! Delaney Evers, our wedding manager, was the epitome of "above and beyond". She patiently answered each and every question (I had MANY), in a timely manner. Delaney addressed potential hurdles and challenges professionally, and ensured each detail was accounted for. She had the entire staff prepared for our weekend, and we truly believe if it was not for her thorough orginazition, things could not have gone as seamlessly as they did! Even a month after our wedding has passed, our guests continue to compliment us on how much fun they had, and how Honey Creek was an impressive "diamond in the rough".
In addition to our excellent experience working with Delaney, we appreciated the wonderful banquet staff of Honey Creek - how friendly they, and the bartenders were the day before (for setup), and the evening of our reception. A special shout out to Kip and Linda. Guests were amazed that they were able to pull off serving a multi-course, plated meal to over 200 guests, and everything was served HOT and delicious. Friends and family commented how refreshing it was to attend an event like Delaney helped us plan at Honey Creek, one that is not the "new normal": plastic folding chairs and a buffet line... but a plated, sit down, served meal. I could go on and on, but in closing, what a wonderful place to host our wedding! Engaged couples living in the Kansas City, Des Moines, Iowa City, Kirksville etc. surrounding areas : you definitely need to consider Honey Creek for your wedding and reception. Get in touch with Delaney. You will be SO thankful you did! -
![Rachel]()
Rachel Sent on 10/20/2019Magical Wedding
With only time to spare in making my dream come true — to ensure my mothers dying wish to be at my wedding would be possible Delaney and all the staff and Honey Creek worked their magic and made it possible!! The day was perfect and I couldn’t have asked for anything more! -
![Katie]()
Katie Sent on 08/12/2019Wedding at Honey Creek
Delaney, our wedding coordinator, and the rest of the Honey Creek staff were amazing! They never missed a beat and catered to our every need. Delaney was available whenever I needed her and paid attention to detail. The grounds were beautiful and every staff member we encountered was very kind. We can’t thank you enough Delaney! -
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Katie Sent on 06/17/2019
Southern Iowa Retreat
Gorgeous venue with great customer service! Always willing to answer any questions and was very flexible. So many places to take pictures, with different settings! Also great get-away/ retreat for the guests with water sports, fishing, beach, pool, golf... etc!! Would 100% recommend. -
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![Brigitte]()
Brigitte Sent on 12/29/2018Fantastic.
Our wedding coordinator Delaney made the entire event perfect. From coordinating vendors to unplanned last minute changes, she was there every step of the way. -
Eileen Sent on 06/12/2018The team at Honey Creek was amazing. Not only did they have a Mother's Day buffet, they also handled the wedding like nothing else was going on. I can't say enough about how awesome Tonia, Jewell and the whole team is at Honey Creek. They made this wedding the best. We had guests from 18 states, from Hawaii to New York. Everyone was treated like they were the only guests at the resort. THANK YOU.
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Taylor Sent on 12/01/2017We are from out of town and they did a fantastic job working with me on everything!!! Beautiful family friendly resort! We rented a whole culdasac of cabins for our families for the week and we had the best family reunion and wedding ever!!!! Also tons of locations on the property to get amazing photos!!! They even let us use the golf course before the wedding to get some groom photos!
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Jessica Sent on 10/07/2017This was a beautiful venue and has so many opportunities and activities for guests! There is something for everyone! The food was delicious and we appreciated the flexibility for our smaller wedding size!
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![Makayla]()
Makayla Sent on 09/25/2020Friendly and organize
Delaney was very organized. COVID made it hard and I didn’t hear anything for months, but once she came back to work she was quick to respond to all of my questions. Especially addressing safety concerns! We did have a few misconceptions about time of arrival and reserving the pool for kiddos, but all in all, we enjoyed our decision to get married at HoneyCreek! -
![Katrina]()
Katrina Sent on 10/27/2019We loved Honey Creek Resort!
My husband and I loved Honey Creek Resort for our wedding. The all-inclusive nature of the resort was a HUGE incentive because it took a large amount of stress off our shoulders in planning our wedding. Honey Creek offers a ton of onsite activities for guests including golf, a water park, bikes, and nature trails to keep guests of all ages busy outside of the wedding festivities.
Our wedding coordinator, Delaney, was phenomenal. She was in constant communication with us throughout the entire planning process, and never made us feel like we were bothering her when she had a whole bunch of other weddings on her plate. She was incredibly flexible and listened to us to help bring our vision to life.
We reserved a cul-de-sac of cottages for the wedding party and it worked out perfectly! We had our rehearsal dinner there where we grilled and had yard games, and it was so much fun! We had an issue where the water heater went out in one of the cabins the 2nd night we were there, but we texted “BUZZ the Bee” at about 7:30am the next morning, and maintenance was there within 10 minutes to address it.
I’m taking a star off the review only because there were a few issues that came up during the weekend that really shouldn’t have happened (however, we did tell Delaney about them, and she took notes and assured us that she would discuss it with the staff). We had several guests tell us that their check-in process didn’t go very smoothly (ours included). There was only one person working the front desk and also taking phone calls. She made it pretty clear to the guests that she was overwhelmed and made them feel like they were an inconvenience to her. We also had guests inform us that the service in the restaurant was incredibly slow. My aunt and uncle had gone down for breakfast on Sunday morning, and they waited for 20 minutes without being greeting or brought water/menus before just deciding to leave. There was also an issue with our room the night of the wedding. My husband had gone to check into our suite after the reception, and was told that there wasn’t a reservation. (We did end up getting a room, just not the one we were originally promised in our contract).
Other than that, if we were to do it over, we would definitely choose Honey Creek Resort again. The grounds are beautiful, the services are extensive, and everyone had a great time!
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![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 12/16/2024Not worth the headache
I cannot recommend this venue to anyone. Both my husband and I have deep personal ties to Honey Creek, having grown up visiting the area and spending most summer weekends boating on Lake Rathbun. Naturally, we were excited to book our wedding here under the promise of “new management,” but unfortunately, the experience turned into a complete nightmare from the moment we signed the contract.
We booked in June 2023 for a September 2024 wedding. During that time, we went through three different points of contact, each offering conflicting information. We were initially told the ballroom would be renovated, but that never happened. We were promised the option to purchase extra kegs, only to later be told that wasn’t possible because September was considered the “off-season.” Prices and menu items were changed without notice, and communication was consistently unclear and unreliable.
Some of the most frustrating incidents included being told the mother of the groom couldn’t have appetizers during cocktail hour, being promised real plates only to be given disposable ones, and expecting plated service but receiving a buffet instead. They also couldn’t accommodate a head table as originally discussed. When we drove an hour and a half for a scheduled meeting, the staff admitted they didn’t know what was written in our contract. The entire process was disorganized, frustrating, and far more stressful than it should have been.
While we did receive somewhat better customer service on the actual wedding day after voicing our concerns, the planning process remained the most difficult and stressful part of our wedding experience. The venue itself — we held both our ceremony and reception in the pavilion — did provide a stunning backdrop for photos, but the poor management and lack of professionalism outweighed the beautiful setting.
Overall, the venue is overpriced for the level of service provided, and I would strongly caution anyone considering Honey Creek as a wedding venue.
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