Vendors & Local Partners
Every event at The Great Hall of Royal is a group effort. We handle the building, the setup, the takedown, the bar, and as much or as little of the food as you want. The rest, the photos, the flowers, the music, the hair and makeup, comes from people you hire yourself. The vendors below are ones we have actually worked alongside in this building. Nobody pays to be on this list, and you are never required to use them. This is simply the list we would hand a friend.
Photographers
Your photographer will spend more hours with you than almost anyone else on your wedding day. Like them first, and look at their work second.
When you talk to one, ask to see a full gallery from an indoor ceremony, not just the ten best frames from a sunny day. The Great Hall has high wooden ceilings and a lot of warm, dark wood, which photographs beautifully and is a real test of someone's skill with light. The patio and fenced yard are right outside for portraits when the weather cooperates. Our gallery will give you a sense of what the rooms look like on camera.
Hair and makeup
The bride's room exists for exactly this, so most people get ready here rather than driving in already done.
Ask whether the artist travels to Royal, how many people they can get through in a morning, and what time they need to start so you are ready before photos, not during them. And book a trial. It is worth the Saturday.
DJs and Live Music
Ask anyone you are considering to walk through the entire day with you, not just the dance. Ceremony sound, toasts, dinner music, and the reception are four different jobs, and not everyone does all four.
Practical questions worth asking: what equipment do they bring, how much space and power do they need, and how long does setup take. Tell us the answers and we will plan the room around it. If you are picturing live music out on the patio, mention that early.
Florists
Flowers are one of the easiest places to spend more than you meant to, and one of the easiest places to be smart.
Ask your florist what is genuinely in season for your date. In-season almost always looks better and costs less than something shipped in from far away. Then talk timing. We set the tables and chairs before anyone arrives, so florals go on last. Make sure your florist knows when they can get in the door, and whether they are coming back to move ceremony arrangements over to the reception.
Hotels and Lodging
Royal is a small town, so overnight guests almost always stay in Spencer, about fifteen minutes up the road.
Call the hotel directly and ask about a room block. Most will hold a set number of rooms at a set rate if you ask early enough, and it saves every guest their own search. Send the block details out with your invitations rather than after them.
Rentals (linens, lighting, décor)
Ask us before you rent anything. Tables and chairs are already here and we set them up, so the rentals worth paying for are the ones that add something you actually want: linens, lighting, a particular look you have had in your head since the day you got engaged.
Bring us a photo of what you are picturing. We will tell you honestly what you need and what you can skip.
Catering and the bar
We get asked about food and drinks more than anything else on this page, so here it is plainly.
Food is yours to decide. Some families do the whole thing themselves. Some bring in an outside caterer. Some have us cater all of it. Plenty split it, where you make the one dish your family would riot without and we cover everything else. We also do off-site and drop-off catering.
Drinks work differently, and we would rather you know now than plan around something else. All beverages are purchased on site, and the bar is staffed for every event, so nothing comes in the door with you. Not even Grandma's punch. Get us the recipe and we will happily make it. The reason is simple: policing your own party is the last thing anyone should be doing on the biggest night of their year.
Work here? Let us know
If you are a photographer, DJ, florist, caterer, baker, officiant, or planner who has worked an event at the Great Hall and you are not on this list, get in touch. We would always rather send people to someone we have watched work.
Same goes if you have not worked here yet and want to come see the building. Our door is open.
Still figuring out the venue?
If you are earlier in the process and still comparing places, start with our guide to choosing a wedding or event venue in northwest Iowa, then come walk through this one.
Bring your list of questions. We will tell you what we can and cannot do, point you toward the right people on this page, and send you off without a sales pitch. Schedule a tour or call us at 712-223-0025.