FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Must I put down a deposit to hold my event date, and if so, how much?
A: Yes. There is a $2000 deposit for all events, which is applied to the total price of your event.
Q: What forms of payments do you accept??
A: We accept personal checks, cashier’s checks, PayPal, Zelle, money orders, and cash. We do not accept credit or debit cards of any kind.
Q: Do you offer a payment plan for the balance of my venue rental fee?
A: We do not have a set payment schedule. If you are not paying for your reception in-full at the time of signing your contract, you may make payments toward your balance at your leisure. The final balance must be paid in-full no later than one month (to the day) before the date of your event.
Q: Is there a cancellation policy?
A: Yes. We understand that life is not always predictable. Should you need to cancel your event due to unforeseen circumstances, The Balcony Ballroom will refund you all payments made with the exception of your $2000 deposit. Your deposit shall be refunded only if the venue is booked by a new client for the same date and time of your cancellation. If your contract is not fulfilled due to disaster, mandatory evacuation, government mandated closure, or documented military deployment, ALL payments, including the deposit, will be refunded or reapplied and neither party will be held responsible. Please note that a “move” or “change of date” will be handled as a cancellation and a new booking, requiring a new deposit.
Q: Do you offer different packages?
A: Not here! We only offer ONE PREMIUM PACKAGE for EVERY event! The price will change with the number of guests booked and the day of the week you have chosen to celebrate. We do not offer in-season or off-season pricing, as it is perfect inside here 365 days of the year.
Q: May I choose the time of my event or does the venue have a set schedule?
A: The Balcony Ballroom has established event times relative to the ceremony times offered by local churches. The time of your event is predicated on the day of the week and the location of your marriage ceremony. Please use the following as a general guide:
Friday evening: 8:00pm-11:00pm
Saturday afternoon: 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday evening: 8:30pm – 11:30pm
Sunday afternoon: 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Sunday evening: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Q: May we hold both our ceremony and reception at The Balcony Ballroom?
A: OF COURSE!!! There is an additional $1,000 charge to have your ceremony at the Balcony Ballroom and you must provide your officiant. Our staff has the room transitioned from ceremony-style seating to reception-ready in under 3 minutes! Don’t believe us? Just watch for yourself!
Q: May I extend my reception past the offered 3-hour time limit?
A: You are welcome to add one additional half hour to your reception. This fee is $1,000, and covers all food and drink served during that half hour of additional time.
Q: May we have a live band at our event?
A: Of course! There is a $500 surcharge when having a full-sized, live performance band. This fee covers the logistics incurred preparing the venue for a live performance (i.e. room reconfiguration, extra staff, clean-up). This cost also covers band member food and beverage during the event. Band members will not be included in your final head-count. There is no additional fee to bring in a Second Line Band.
Q: Am I allowed to have my own DJ??
A: Although we love welcoming outside vendors to the Balcony Ballroom, we can not permit outside DJs in the ballroom. Why, you ask? Glad you did!!
With our DJ, we are connected via headset. This means any changes that need to happen “on the fly” will happen seamlessly and instantly. Communication is key!
At the Balcony Ballroom we do not allow explicit language played at any time, keeping your wedding chic and elegant with every note.
As our DJ is located in a private, discreet room, none of the equipment and speakers will be taking up any of your dance floor.
We have installed a touring quality music system, including (4) 18-inch bass speakers, to make sure the sound is bumpin’ and your guests are always dancing!!
Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t have a say-so!! You can be as involved as you want to be in your music selection. Just type up about 40 songs and email them in. This way we can know exactly what kind of tunes you are into. Whether it is country, Latin, or New Orleans’ bounce…. we’ve got you covered!!
Q: Do you offer a food tasting beforehand?
A: We do not offer tastings because:
You don’t have to choose, everything is included! Our Executive Chef has over 15 years of fine-dining experience. You can view his bio here. Please let us know if you have any food allergies or if you prefer a specialty cuisine. We will do our best to accommodate you.
The Executive Chef and Sous Chefs prepare your food fresh, specifically for your event. Menu items are chef selected with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. For these reasons, tastings are neither available nor necessary.
Q: May the bridal party dress at the venue before the ceremony/reception?
A: Only the Bride may dress on site. Everyone’s hair and make-up should be finished prior to arrival. All attendants, family members, and children need to arrive fully dressed and ready to rehearse for the ceremony. Doors will open ONE HOUR prior to the ceremony for the rehearsal.
Q: I’ve booked my ceremony/reception with The Balcony Ballroom! Now what?
A: Aside from making payments toward your final balance, we will need to meet with you the week of your wedding. This is when you will have your final meeting to confirm all of your ceremony/reception details. In the meantime, we are more than happy to answer any questions and to lend advice while you plan for your event. Please do not hesitate to contact us with anything you need!
Q: Will my wedding party have a rehearsal previous to our event?
A: You will have two rehearsals at the venue:
The 1st rehearsal for the couple will take place during the final meeting (wedding party need not attend). The final meeting with a Balcony Ballroom wedding architect will be the week of the wedding to finalize all customization details. Final meetings are held on Tuesday, Thursday & Friday.
The 2nd rehearsal will be with your wedding party, one hour before your ceremony.
Q: When do I need to submit a final head-count?
A: We don’t need to have your final head count until your final meeting the week of your wedding. If you are adding additional people to your reception, it is essential that we know in advance for staffing and catering purposes.
Q: Are children included in my guest count?
A: Children 4 years old and younger are not included in your final headcount.
Q: Is my wedding party included in the guest count?
A: Yes! Anyone who will be eating, drinking, (and dancing!!!) will be counted.
Q: Are outside vendors that I’ve hired included in my headcount?
A: The Balcony Ballroom allows for up to 4 hired vendors to work your wedding without being included in your head-count (i.e. photographer, videographer).
Q: When will I pick out my linens, lights, GOBO, etc.? A: Although you can stop by anytime to view our options, your final decisions will be recorded at the final meeting the week of your wedding. You may also view our linen and GOBO options on our Instagram account!