The Conservatory is conveniently located in the heart of Des Moines' East Village. Within blocks of some of the best restaurants, shops, and entertainment. The event center is comprised of a 5000sf ballroom that can be used as a large gathering space for a wedding, corporate event, or party or it can accommodate executive meetings, classes, and small groups that range in size and setup. The Conservatory can accommodate events for over 240 guests seating and over 250 for standing/cocktail setup. It provides the comforts of an inhouse bar, many catering options and, lighting/decor options, and a staff specially attuned to the unique needs of weddings clients, meeting planners, and all types of guests and attendees.​
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding, Vow Renewal Ceremony
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Cupcakes, Other Desserts, Food & Catering, Planning, Rentals & Equipment, Service Staff
Settings
Ballroom, Historic Venue, Loft
Business Attributes
LGBTQ+-owned Business, Woman-owned Business
Pricing for The Conservatory
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Starting Cost
Affordable
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Couples Usually Spend
Peak Season Months
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Peak Season Reception Cost
Peak Season Ceremony Cost
Peak Season Bar Service Cost
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The Conservatory Reviews
Angee Cunningham(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Working with Anthony was the best decision we made out of all of the wedding decisions. The venue is so incredibly beautiful! He made our wedding and helped us create the vision I had in my head. From the first meeting, he understood the assignment. The only disappointments I had, were the areas I didn’t put in his capable hands. If you can, book him for EVERYTHING, and you won’t go wrong. 3 months later and our families are talking about everything Anthony handled and had his hands in. It was just breathtaking. Thanks to Anthony and crew! I cannot give you enough credit for your experience, vision, and incredible venue! - The Cunninghams Reviewed on 10-01-2024
Nat Peterson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-04-2023 I mean, talk about a versatile wedding venue. This gorgeous space has everything you need for your wedding. The venue itself is outstanding. Architectural beauty and great service!! The photos in the space are flawless and there are so many photo locations in the neighborhood. Reviewed on 30-03-2023
Brit Rogers(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 13-08-2022 We booked The Conservatory first and foremost due to its flexibility - we could pick our own vendors, there wasn't a food and beverage minimum and there's a parking garage next to the venue. This location is perfect, less than a block away from the hotel and we could walk to Up-Down for pizza and drinks after the reception. The venue rental price was $2000 less than all the other venues in the area, such a good value. The whole team treated us so well - this was our best decision. Check them out today! Reviewed on 27-03-2023
Mary Chansler(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 07-01-2023 Beautiful venue and the kindest staff! Everyone took such good care of us especially the owner who made sure our every need was met and beyond. I couldn’t recommend this venue enough, not only for the beauty of the space but for the outstanding customer service and attention to details. Kudos! Reviewed on 16-01-2023
Paddy Degnan(other)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-10-2022 Anthony and his team helped make my daughter and her husband's wedding absolutely perfect! The Conservatory is East Village's best kept secret! We had the ceremony and reception there. We hired Anthony as our Wedding Coordinator and used many of his suggested vendors. Saley listened to the couple's ideas of how they wanted everything to look and she made it happen with beautiful flowers, altar, and table decor! Reviewed on 17-10-2022
Mary Carpenter(other)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-07-2022 Anthony and his team are outstanding! Our wedding was at The Conservatory and the service, venue style, and kindness of the staff was fabulous! I, also, hired Out of Box Weddings for event management, planning, and day of coordination but I ended up getting so much more. From instant email communications to answering questions beyond normal planning - Anthony came through and beyond. Can't thank him or his team enough! Reviewed on 08-09-2022
Victoria Dos Santos(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-04-2022 Wow Wow WOW!! We absolutely loved having our wedding at The Conservatory! Anthony is the most organized and helpful contact and when I tell you our wedding went perfectly, it really did! Everything was beautiful and thoughtful and better than I could have dreamed. :) Anthony has amazing attention to detail and offered so much wisdom in all areas of our preparation. We had both our wedding ceremony and reception in the space and he orchestrated a smooth \"reset\" of the room. Thank you thank you! Reviewed on 18-05-2022
David Bensen(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-11-2021 Outstanding service, perfect location - right next to everything - and beautiful venue! We are telling all our friends to check it out for their weddings and other events. Reviewed on 31-12-2021
Jack Thalacker(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-09-2021 We held our wedding and reception at The Conservatory, and could not have been happier with the results. We worked with Anthony for planning and coordination, and he blew us away with his professionalism, attention to detail, and eagerness to work within our budget and get us the most out of it. He was responsive and helpful during planning and gave us some excellent recommendations for other vendors. The day of the wedding went off without a hitch, and the location gave us exactly the coziness and elegance that we were looking for. Saley’s work on the flowers was phenomenal and gave us exactly the feeling we wanted for the event, even when we weren’t exactly sure what we ourselves wanted. I couldn’t recommend The Conservatory enough. Reviewed on 30-12-2021
Emily Marty(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-09-2021 We had our “we do redo” ceremony and reception at The Conservatory and couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. Planning a wedding during a pandemic was not without its challenges, but Anthony and Saley were amazing to work with and turned our wedding dream into reality. We were initially booked for a 2020 wedding, but chose instead to elope in a private ceremony and have a vow renewal and reception later. Anthony accommodated us in our change of plans without hesitation. His emails throughout the planning process were incredibly helpful with checklists of what needed to be taken care of to stay on schedule. Saley’s decorating was absolutely breathtaking. The venue is gorgeous, but the decor Saley provided elevated it to a level we could only have dreamed of. From start to finish, we can’t praise Anthony, Saley, and The Conservatory staff enough. Thank you all for making our day so special. Love,Emily & Seth Reviewed on 12-10-2021
Abi Jo Zabel(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-10-2020 I would give more stars if I could! As if the unique and beautiful style of The Conservatory isn’t enough of a selling point, the staff is INCREDIBLE. Anthony and his crew were helpful through the entire process! They also were so great at taking necessary pandemic precautions without taking away from the feel of the event. The day of the wedding, we were constantly checked-in with and they made sure that everything was moving along perfectly!! I can’t say enough great things, it was our dream day! Our families & friends were equally as impressed- highly recommend this venue & staff!!! Such a gem tucked away in the heart of East Village!! Reviewed on 21-10-2020
Stacie Nelson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 29-08-2020 We just had our wedding here last Saturday 8/29/20. Anthony and Saley were nothing short of amazing!! Our wedding was everything we could have dreamed of and more. They have a list of preferred vendors that are very reasonably priced. We received nothing but compliments and phrase all not about the space. A lot of people were said the space was not around when they were getting married. We would work again with them in a heartbeat! Reviewed on 01-09-2020
B W(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-03-2021 nice venue Reviewed on 10-03-2020
Susan Winn(parent)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-09-2019 Our son & daughter-in-law’s wedding reception was absolutely stunning and flawlessly executed and it we owe it all to Saley & Anthony (Artisan Floral and Events by Saley & Out-Of-Box Weddings). Living in New York City and the bride & groom in Shanghai, Saley & Anthony were there every single step of the way from the concept and design of the wedding, from vendor selection to organizing and facilitating all vendors, and providing us with professional guidance in a non-obtrusive and tasteful way. Planning a long distance wedding reception is not easy. You will spend a lot of time communicating with whichever planner you choose, so it's hard to overstate how important it is to actually like them. Saley & Anthony and their team are top shelf in terms of both professionalism and personality. It's worth noting that one of the best parts of working with them is that, besides being great at their jobs, they're also wonderful people. At every step of the process, they were kind, understanding, helpful, and, most importantly, consummate professionals who navigated obstacles with ease and made the planning process exciting, not overwhelming. With all of our faith in Saley & Anthony we couldn't have imagined how beautiful the evening would turn out. Saley took our Chinese-inspired concept and transformed The Conservatory into Old Shanghai with hanging lanterns, parasols and vintage lighting, along with stunning flower arrangements. The room glowed. We received overwhelming compliments on not only the design details, but how smooth, elegant and effortless the wedding reception was. It was the best decision we could have ever made to hire Out-Of-Box Weddings and Artisan Floral and Events by Saley to plan our wedding and feel so lucky to have worked with them. Reviewed on 02-12-2019
Tayren Carbary(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 09-11-2019 This was a beautiful venue! We had our wedding here a few weeks ago and it was wonderful. I love the art on the walls and all of the design choices are very tasteful. It really helped add to the atmosphere of our wedding and saved us from having to come up with our own decor. The location also made it super convenient for out of town guests. And I can’t say enough wonderful things about Anthony, who runs the place. He was so professional and really goes above and beyond to make your event the best. Reviewed on 22-11-2019
Faith Posthuma(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-08-2019 Not only was this venue absolutely perfect, but Anthony made everything about our wedding day the greatest day of my husband and I's life. We were constantly well cared for, Anthony and Saley basically planned and walked us through all the decor, and the only regret I have is that I didn't hire Anthony to plan the entire day. The venue accommodated our 200 guests wonderfully and is located right in the middle of The East Village, with plenty of parking and hotels in the area with lots to do for all your guests. I truly cannot say enough about how grateful I am that we had the chance to work with Anthony and Saley, and to have our reception at The Conservatory. :) Reviewed on 24-09-2019
Jennifer Economos(parent)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 19-07-2019 EXCEEDED EVERY EXPECTATION!!! We had our son's rehearsal dinner there in July 2019. It was absolutely AMAZING! The space is beautiful and was perfect for our group. Anthony was always available and very helpful during our planning process. We had never planned an event like this and he was happy to guide us in planning for an incredible celebration. We worked with Kayla at The Radish Catering (preferred caterer at The Conservatory)and the food was delicious! We gave her recipes and suggestions and she created an unbelievable Mediterranean inspired dinner menu. I highly recommend The Conservatory! Happy to provide more details to anyone who is considering The Conservatory for an event. Reviewed on 05-09-2019
Tracy Leavens(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-05-2019 We had a last minute (2 days before the wedding) change in venue and The Conservatory came through and was amazing. Reviewed on 19-06-2019
Patricia Scieszinski(parent)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-05-2019 Due to the weather forecast, we moved our daughter’s reception from an outdoor venue to The Conservatory TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING! Anthony managed to pull it off without a hitch! Saley was on-site the night of and everything ran smoothly. It is a beautiful venue and they are more than willing to work with you and make your event EXACTLY what you want it to be! Reviewed on 30-05-2019
Zach Kolar(groom)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-10-2018 Where to start? We met Anthony and from that moment on knew he was the guy to plan our wedding! Anthony goes out of his way on every occasion to make sure your special day is as special as you would ever dream. My wife and I are from out of town and had to do several phone conversations with Anthony. He is super flexible and will make just about anything work. He will sit down with you several times to ensure that everything will run smoothly on the special day. There is no need to worry about setting up or tearing down for the event. Additionally if there is something special that you request he will do everything in his power to make sure it is available. Our special thing happened to be Scotch glasses!The conservatory is located in the heart of downtown Des Moines and the venue is gorgeous. We highly recommend you consider choosing Anthony and seeing all he has to offer! Reviewed on 25-01-2019
Erica Rios(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-11-2018 We got married this past Saturday and it was absolutely perfect! Anthony and Saley were truly amazing! Our wedding was a dream come true and I honestly do not know what I would have done without them. We hired Anthony for Day of Coordination and he was there every step of the way making sure the event went smoothly. Saley, our florist took what I had in my head and brought it to life 100x more beautifully than I could have imagined. Everyone was telling us it was the most fun and beautiful wedding they have ever been to and I owe it all to Anthony and Saley. If you are thinking about hiring them I highly recommend it! You will not be disappointed! Reviewed on 06-11-2018
Kodee Wright(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 19-05-2018 This is a great space! The venue is beautiful and they really do go above and beyond to accommodate what you would like! Anthony and his team did a great job from start to finish – and I would highly recommend working with them! I would recommend meeting with Anthony to figure out details. He has a lot of great ideas and is super accommodating. Our wedding was really simple and we did no extra decorations – the venue itself is enough! They helped us out with centerpieces and they were simple and beautiful! We held both the ceremony and the reception at the venue and it worked well. The changeover was smooth and The Conservatory talked us through how it would work at the rehearsal dinner. We had some of the guys in the wedding help with the changeover, but they could also provide staffing if you needed it. We also did our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at the space. They gave us a deal to use it the night before the wedding and it worked out really well. Another awesome aspect of this venue is that they allow you to bring in outside caterers (upon approval). This was such a blessing because we had specific vendors we wanted to use and not all places allow outside caterers. There is a small kitchen usage fee to do so, but it is reasonable. The staff was super helpful the day of the wedding and made things work. We had a request the night of, and Jamie just made it happen. She was so great to work with! Jamie was also thoughtful and considerate. At a previous meeting I made a comment about liking the new Diet Coke flavors – and on the day of the wedding she had some for me! The only “downside” to this place is that there wasn’t a room for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to keep their things in. I had a place to hide before the ceremony, but it wasn’t big enough for our whole bridal party (although, they could potentially make something work if you had a normal sized bridal party – we had 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen.) That’s the only critique that I could think of for this venue. Everything else was so very nice. I highly recommend this space – it is beautiful and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful! Anthony is above accommodating and really works with you to make your day what you want it to be. This is a great venue! If I had to do my wedding over, I would pick them hands down! Reviewed on 17-07-2018
Emily Burton(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 07-10-2017 Fantastic space for a wedding or any event. Anthony and Saley took great care of us from start to finish. They help shaped our vision for the wedding then and exceeded our expectations. The level of service provided ensured that we didn't miss any steps along the way and everything was just the way we wanted. It truly was the best day! Reviewed on 23-10-2017