12 Timeless & Historic Wedding Venues in Houston

The Corinthian Houston is a historic Houston wedding venue.
Photo: Always Us Photography | Venue: Corinthian Houston | Cake: Cakes by Gina | Gown: Belle Âme Bridal | Linens & Furniture Rental: EB Inc Event Rentals

There’s something truly captivating about Houston’s historic wedding venues. Nestled amidst the city’s evolving skyline, these timeless spaces offer a blend of charm and grandeur, making them perfect for the wedding of your dreams! Each venue brings its unique story and architectural beauty, ensuring something special for every couple. From quaint 19th-century buildings to luxurious high-rises with panoramic views, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect backdrop for your special day right in the heart of Houston.  Click here to read the rest of this post »

Gray & Cream Spring Wedding at The Parador

Oddly enough, Lexie and Andy never crossed paths despite years of hanging out at the same restaurants, bars…even in the same volleyball league. But all that changed when a night out to watch a football game became a four-hour-long date. It wasn’t long before Andy realized he’d found something special with Lexie. Knowing her love of books, Andy presented the unsuspecting Lexie with a book to “read” the night before the two embarked on a family cruise. Flipping to the last page, an unsuspecting Lexie found a beautiful diamond ring, and took her first step on the path to forever love. Click here to read the rest of this post »

10 Historic Houston Venues for Weddings with Timeless Style

Writer: Laura Mericas

With their modern tech, high-end amenities and lavish interiors, Houston’s historic venues might look vintage, but they definitely feel brand new. Scroll with us, as we uncover their storied pasts, and show you how you can make your own history with a wedding at one of the city’s landmark wedding venues.

The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice

Crystal-Ballroom-at-The-Rice

Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema

History buffs will love that their first dance, first kiss and first forays into married life take place in a century-old venue that was home to so many firsts for their city and state.

“Our history is one of the big draws of our venue,” says Paula Foreman, director of sales for the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice. “It was the first public room in Houston with air conditioning, it had the first escalator, it was the original site of the Texas capitol…anything and everything that has happened in Houston has happened at The Rice!”

The repeating arched windows, 35-foot-high ceilings, and beautifully restored murals from 1913 truly take guests back to the turn of the 20th century. One can immediately imagine an opulent Art Deco-themed celebration or a classically elegant ceremony at this one-of-a-kind venue.

The Corinthian

The-Corinthian

Photo: J. Cogliandro Photography

A few blocks away, on the corner of Main and Franklin streets in downtown Houston, sits yet another historic gem: The Corinthian. The venue has taken on quite a different role from when it was originally built more than 100 years ago, then serving as the home of First National Bank, and standing as one of the tallest buildings in the state—a skyscraper of its day!

Today the neoclassical venue is known for its original colonnade of 24 Corinthian columns, which have framed some of the most elaborate events the city has ever hosted. “The stunning and timeless architecture allows florists and decorators to suspend exquisite chandeliers, floral accents and draping to highlight the original plaster ceiling in the Grand Hall,” says general manager Boyd Bryan. “Set in the rear wall, a towering Palladian window, often-times flanked with oversized floral creations, makes for a breathtaking and dramatic backdrop to the wedding ceremony.” You can see The Corinthian’s glory on display in countless weddings we’ve featured over the years, including Allie and Kyle’s ultra-decadent bash, Asmita and Rishab’s vibrant Indian celebration, and Kailey and Michael’s classic affair.

The Astorian

The-Astorian

Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema

One of Houston’s newest takes on historic ambiance aims to take brides and grooms not only to another era, but to a different place entirely. The Astorian, inspired by New York City’s Grand Central Station, with domed ceilings, handcrafted black-and-gold mosaics, soaring arched windows and a massive gilded clock, transports wedding couples and guests to the artistic edginess of Manhattan in the roaring 20’s.

Art is part of the venue’s origins, as it first served as an enormous paint factory when built in the late 40’s and then was home to famous Texas artist David Adickes’ sculptures of The Beatles and the U.S. presidents. It was named a city landmark in 2012 and three years later was transformed into one of the most distinctive venues in Houston by partners Romain Kapadia, Joe Pachioli and Juan Chao.

In the two years since the space’s restoration, the team at The Astorian has hosted off-the-charts celebrations for the likes of the Houston Texans’ football team and to-be-weds who relish high-glam revelry, along with gorgeous photo shoots, like this fabulous Weddings in Houston exclusive. “Couples love how the place has a festive feel to it,” Pachioli says. “It’s not a blank space. It has a vibe to celebrate.”

Historic Magnolia Ballroom

Historic-Magnolia-Ballroom

Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema

Wedding couples who prefer color “pops” and the taste of hops, will appreciate all that is and was at the Historic Magnolia Ballroom. Built in the late 1800’s, and the site of elaborate weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons and more for the past 30 years, the Historic Magnolia Ballroom once served as the executive suites for Houston’s Magnolia Brewery, where Downtown workers would gather for five-cent beers and sandwiches, and where the elite would enjoy exclusive beer tastings.

“There are so many wonderful venues opening up everywhere all the time, but you can’t give a place history,” venue manager Renee Pool says of the venue, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The venue’s colorful cypress-and-leaded-glass windows, paired with its on-trend bright wallpaper, and vaulted mural ceilings, create a joyous yet elegant setting for the most timeless of nuptials.

The Lyceum of Galveston Island

The-Lyceum

Photo: Rising Tide New Media

Standing originally as one of Texas’ oldest Lutheran churches, The Lyceum of Galveston Island today captures the Old World charm and culture of its coastal surroundings.

The venue’s square tower with its steeple, hipped roof, arched openings and beautifully restored double doors, sets the stage for an intimate spiritual ceremony and/or a lively reception.

The original floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows, which date back to the1850’s, leave guests and couples in awe, and create a colorful display of natural light throughout the space, which executive director Cynthia McEldowney says is a favorite element among wedding couples. “The Lyceum is adjacent to a present-day sanctuary, separated only by a beautifully landscaped courtyard featuring wrought-iron gates,” she adds.

Heather’s Glen

Heather's-Glen

Photo: Jessica Pledger Photography

Victorian elegance and Southern hospitality blend together beautifully at Heather’s Glen in Conroe. The venue, originally built in 1900, was formerly known as the Wahrenberger mansion, and was the center of Conroe’s social scene at the time.

That influence hasn’t changed much in the last century. Since the venue’s complete restoration in the early 90’s, wedding couples like Kaylin and Michael have sought out Heather’s Glen for their storybook nuptials.

The Antebellum-style-home-turned-wedding-venue now includes a cathedral-ceiling chapel complete with giant windows overlooking manicured gardens featuring two picturesque waterfalls, as well as hundreds of magenta and blush azalea bushes sprinkled across the venue’s grounds, notes owner Heather George.

Plantation-style columns and wraparound porches, and the option to wed under a moonlit gazebo, lend perfectly to weddings with a Southern-fairytale feel. “Some of the most memorable weddings at Heather’s Glen have focused on historical themes,” says George. “A New Orleans-style wedding complete with a second-line dance comes to mind.”

The Parador

The-Parador

Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema

The Parador, located in Houston’s posh Museum District, is a Texas Historical Landmark inspired by a bygone empire.

The immense estate, complete with dark wood beams, rustic three-tiered doors and winding gardens, “stands as a testament to the architectural artistry of a distant era, marrying Mediterranean style with Byzantine details,” says director Sheila Wells.

Originally built as a house of worship in 1928, the venue’s soaring 35-foot domed ceiling and stunning arched windows bathe wedding guests in a warm golden glow in the multi-leveled Duomo. Couples can wed within the glorious cathedral or outdoors among the tranquil gardens and sculpted fountains. Wells notes, “All of our events are lovely. However, when couples provide different settings with loveseats and couches, it adds a special warm touch.”

Majestic Metro

Majestic-Metro

Photo: Tara Star Photography

Want to see your name in lights on your wedding day, like Houston lovebirds Jennifer and Mitchell? Couples who book downtown’s Houston’s Majestic Metro will experience that special thrill during their night of glamour and grandeur at this restored movie palace.

“There’s eye candy everywhere in the building,” says managing partner Linda Warwick. “What you see is what you get here, and that’s huge for a lot of our couples.”

First constructed by legendary Houston architect William Ward Watkin in 1926, the stunning space was set to be torn down, but was saved and returned to its original glory in the 1990’s. Today, this remarkable site boasts one of the most advanced audiovisual systems in Houston, perfect for its all-inclusive, music-filled celebrations, all set within a vintage Art Nouveau interior. “Other venues stage spaces to look like this,” Warwick says. “Ours is the real deal.”

The Bryan Museum

Bryan Museum

Photo: Courtesy of The Bryan Museum

From its beginnings as an orphanage—one whose solid cypress beams protected its wards from the great storm of 1900 — to its brief stint as a private residence, to its status, today, as one of Galveston’s most beloved archives, The Bryan Museum stands out as a superb historic venue for a truly Texan wedding.

Depending on the season and weather, couples may opt to have their ceremony in the jasmine-covered gazebo on the museum’s grounds. Bryan Museum director of events Ann Urban notes that, due to Galveston’s fickle climate, most couples opt for an off-site ceremony, bringing their guests to The Bryan Museum afterwards, for a one-of-a-kind reception in the museum’s recently completed, and completely climate-controlled, conservatory. At just under 2,000 square feet, the Belgian-inspired structure features intricate ironwork and evocative emerald-color glass, along with a built-in green onyx bar. These features, combined with a dazzling floor that “really is like a mirror,” Urban says, make The Bryan Museum’s conservatory, itself, “a work of art.”

Butler’s Courtyard

Butlers Courtyard

Photo: Lindsay Elizabeth Photography

Commissioned by one of the first and most successful ranchers in the region and designed by a cowboy-turned-architect, Butler’s Courtyard allows guests to travel back to the times of dirt roads and horse-drawn carriages—but with modern conveniences aplenty.

The red-brick building in the heart of historic League City, now almost 110 years old, served as a center of commerce and trade along George Washington Butler’s sprawling property at the turn of the 20th century, and was home to a bank, grocery store, café and a spot for patrons to tie up their horses. Today, co-owners and best friends, Nancy Richards and Janice Gunnin-Wilson, have transformed the space into a vintage-inspired setting for rustic-elegant nuptials that blend historic surroundings with impeccable service: “The bride will have a team behind her at every point in the wedding,” says Gunnin-Wilson. “We treat each bride with white gloves and take care of her every need.”

The venue’s exposed-brick walls, weathered-wood beams, antique floor-to-ceiling mirrors and rows upon rows of sparkling chandeliers create what the owners describe as a feeling of “historic elegance,” ideal for intimate occasions, like the one imagined in this breathtaking shoot from florist Haute Flowers & Events, shot by Lindsay Elizabeth Photography. Those with a love for the outdoors can wed beneath the romantic archway in the courtyard, where hanging stained-glass artwork and a nearby barn-like structure make ideal backdrops for Texas-themed photo ops.

For at-a-glance details on size, capacity, disabled accessibility and much more, for any of the above venues, click here…and happy venue hunting, loves!

Blush & Gold Wedding by Christa Elyce Photography

From high school acquaintances to college sweethearts, Jessica and Lukas hit it off at a fateful New Year’s Eve party, where the pair spent the whole evening talking beside a crackling campfire. Four years later, the two lovebirds graduated together from Texas A&M–and not long after, Lukas surprised Jessica by popping the question: “He decided to take me to the restaurant we went on our first big date,” recalls the bride. “I somehow was completely clueless to what was really happening.” Once they finished eating, Lukas got down on one knee and asked Jessica to be his wife… “Obviously, I said yes!” Afterwards, the couple met up with family and friends at the fabulous Hotel ZaZa to celebrate their newly-engaged status. According to Jessica, “the whole night was absolutely perfect.” Fast-forward to the pair’s summer wedding at The Parador, complete with an emotional ceremony (“we were both bawling”) and a romantic reception with an “eclectic feel” that was achieved with lots of candles, mercury glass and blush flower arrangements. Check out their GORGEOUS photos from Christa Elyce Photography below!

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Photos: Christa Elyce Photography ~ Ceremony & Reception: The Parador ~ Bridal & Groom Suites: The Magnolia Hotel ~ Mother of the Bride Dress: T. Carolyn Fashions ~ Wedding Night Accommodations: Hotel ZaZa

Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography

“We wanted our day to reflect a coming together and honoring of those we love, so the winter season seemed like the perfect time for our celebration. I never could have imagined just how beautiful the evening would be, and my initial entry into the ballroom brought me to tears. The intimate lighting of hundreds of candles, the warmth of white lights on fir trees, the live jazz band playing classic tunes in the background, and being surrounded by the faces of those we hold closest to our hearts made it feel like an evening of coming home,” says Houston bride Ashley. The European-style gardens and elegant simplicity of The Parador made it the perfect venue for the couple, who brought in subtle design elements in a soft, romantic color palette of cream, champagne, gold and bronze. Please excuse us while we swoon over the gorgeous photos of this beautiful wedding by Akil Bennett Photography. We promise you will, too. Congrats to the lovely couple!

Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography Cream, Champagne, Gold & Bronze Wedding at The Parador by Akil Bennett Photography

Photos: Akil Bennett Photography ~ Flowers: Cornelius Florist Northwest ~ Cake: Nutmeg & Co. ~ Decor & Rentals: Jacquelyn Nicole Weddings ~ Wedding Gown: Alfred Angelo ~ MOB Dress: David’s Bridal ~ Wedding Venue: The Parador ~ Lighting & Entertainment: DJU Productions

Southwestern Rustic-Chic Wedding at The Parador by Sarah McKenzie Photography

For their October wedding at The Parador, Christina and Paul created a theme based on where they came from and where they’d been. In the bride’s words, “Our wedding was inspired by our travels, and each of our cultures and favorite destinations was reflected throughout some part of our day.” Set on the gorgeous grounds of The Parador, a circa-1928 Texas Historical Landmark that blends Mediterranean style with Byzantine detail, the couple’s wedding featured soft-hued succulents (even atop the lovely white wedding cake—perfect!), tables named for the couple’s many travel destinations, and culinary delights including green-chile risotto in honor of Paul’s home state of New Mexico. The bride’s delicate mantilla veil, meanwhile, spoke to her Mexican heritage. Despite the fact that both Christina and Paul are deaf, the pair made music a major part of their celebration, starting with a string-quartet processional of the Beatles’ “In My Life.” For their reception entrance, Christina and Paul chose the Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “to honor my late father and his favorite group,” the bride says. We are hopelessly in love with Sarah McKenzie’s timeless photos of this truly wonderful wedding. Congratulations, Christina and Paul, and thank you so much for sharing your special day!

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Photos: Sarah McKenzie Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero ~ Venue: The Parador