There are a lot of advantages to choosing a restaurant wedding venue. You can guarantee there’ll be great food, the décor is on point, and the staff is accustomed to handling events.

Did you know… there are lots of reasons why we love restaurant venues? Not only can they be a budget-friendly option, but restaurants already come with built-in catering and decorations. Generally, the staff is also accustomed to handling events, handling reservations, and provide great hospitality. When we work with restaurants, their servers & bartenders kill it!

And the best part is restaurants are EVERYWHERE! You don’t have to stress about postponing your event a year or two because they don’t have your wedding date OR spending your whole budget on rentals to fill up blank space. Some restaurants have a private event spaces or banquet halls available (or the option to do a full buyout and rent the entire place), so you’re bound to find a location that’s ideal for your big day (or your elopement!).

The CATERING shines

It’s the meal where restaurants truly shine. Since it is SUPER easy to do a tasting at different restaurants, the biggest pros of restaurant weddings are that you know the food is going to be delicious! If you like the standards of service at the restaurant on normal dinner service, you’ll likely get just as good (if not better) service for your wedding reception. Also two words: craft cocktails.

Working in their own kitchen, restaurant staff really can do what they do best. And hosting an event at a restaurant means so many more options for exciting local fare, and a chance to highlight your all-time favorites to guests. Another big reason why you may choose a restaurant wedding is if any of your guests have overlapping food allergies. If your chosen place cooks everything in house, it is pretty easy for the chefs to manage food allergies without prior notice—in fact, they do it everyday. The potential for customization is endless!

And with a restaurant, you can go back to sit at ‘your table’ and relive the magic over and over again from that night. You can have food you loved on your wedding day in the space where you shared your first moments as a married couple whenever you want!

SIZE Matters!

While we love restaurants, we also want to be honest a challenge you may face, and that is space. about I’m talking about: size, floor plan, and sight-lines. With a restaurant, you get a more limited space (generally not a worry for elopements) so any add-ons like a dance floor, DJ, photo-booth, or even space for a bridal party to stand, will take room away from the guest seating area, and indirectly increase cost.

My best TIP is to measure carefully! Restaurant tables are almost laughably small (most 2 seated tables are 24″ x 24.”) so if show-stopping centerpieces or layered table settings are on your must-have list, make sure to take this into account, whether that means budgeting for rentals or seating your guests accordingly.

The ideal size for most restaurant weddings is between 35 and 70, with a max of 100 guests depending on the size of the space. Though this might seem like a downside, we actually believe it can be an unexpected bonus. A restaurant wedding immediately makes things intimate and allows you to really connect with everyone there. If you’ve got a small-ish guest list, or if you’re looking for an excuse to trim the invites, this could be the solution for you.

Our Recommendations

If you’re planning your wedding in LAS VEGAS, then check out some of our favorite restaurant wedding venues below:

The Velveteen Rabbit (ceremony & reception)

This eclectic venue in the Las Vegas Downtown Arts District has the most magical craft cocktails you’d ever have & a cozy lounge feel for your guests to relax in. With this venue, you can do both ceremony & reception (with full buyout of the space) because they have an indoor & outdoor space available.

Their outdoor space is a lovely pink vibe and indoors has an intimate, exquisite taste in décor. Lucky for you, we have experience working with this venue on various occasions so if you have any questions, ask us at hello@p3events.com + check out our Instagram @p3events for previous posts on this venue!

Battista’s Hole in the Wall

Immerse in old time Las Vegas memorabilia and enjoy authentic Italian food with friendly personal service with Battista’s Hole in the Wall reception-only restaurant space. The décor is retro and the ambiance is intimate, plus you can always visit in the future to recreate & recapture that “wedding day magic.”

Since we’ve worked with this venue before, let us know what questions you have at hello@p3events.com

Carson’s Kitchen

If you want an upscale, modern vibe for your restaurant wedding, try Carson’s Kitchen. Fit with a beautiful indoor space AND a rooftop dining area + bar that’s perfect for that downtown Las Vegas vibe without being directly on the strip!

We recently just did a wedding (reception only) here. In fact this wedding couple did their destination wedding here from London, Europe! We cannot wait to share these photos AND if you check back to this blog in a few months, we may just add them for your enjoyment.

Peyote

Immerse yourself under the neon lights & vibrant colors of this venue! For an eccentric vibe, you will love the Peyote to host your wedding reception and/or rehearsal dinner. You can get hitched at Sure Thing Chapel and come here right after for some yummy bites & alcohol.

P3 Events has indeed have done a wedding rehearsal here, and have yet to host a wedding reception. That could be YOU! Send us questions at hello@p3events.com about this venue.

7th and Carson’s

An industrial, yet modern restaurant wedding reception feel with killer food and a delectable cocktail menu. While this is a reception-only space, it is one that accommodates a bit more guests than the rest.

This is a location P3 Events is highly LOOKING FORWARD to working with later this year. Follow along on our socials @p3events to see what we come up with for this space!

The Finale

You’ve done it! After a few meetings with several local restaurants, you selected one that fit your budget and style. So what next? Sign a contract and get all the details in writing. Then, book a follow-up appointment to discuss your menu options and meal customization. That appointment is a time to discuss the liquor options; such as ordering table wine in bulk, potentially with a discount. You may opt to choose “his” and “hers” signature drinks to jazz up your night!

In the meantime, visit the restaurant and take friends there! You won’t be inconveniencing anyone; in fact, they’ll encourage it. Make notes of anything that you’d iron out before your wedding day. Most of all, enjoy being in the space, share your favorite dishes, and start imagining your loved ones inhabiting the room.