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The Dance Street Ballroom Reception & Celebrations Rates:
Saturdays & Sundays: $2500 Weekdays: $2000 Inclusions: We
provide a beautiful space ready to go - you add personal touches and
your choice
Capacity: 225 (200 seated at 10 per table, 25 at standing tables) Optional Services:
Policies and Informative Details: Alcoholic beverages - We like everyone to have a great time, but this is not the place for a drunk-fest. A couple of drinks to shake off dance-inhibitions? Sure! We're all for that. A banquet permit, ($10 at the liquor store), is necessary if you plan on having ANY alcoholic beverages.If you want to serve more than just champagne for the toast then you must hire a licensed bartender, either through a Preferred Caterer or from our Approved List. We're sorry, but you may not hire "someone you know." The bartenders should arrive one hour before your guests and plan on staying until the end of the night (usually 6 hours.) They are responsible for setting up the bar & keeping it tidy, serving all alcoholic beverages, checking identification, & monitoring guests' alcohol consumption. In our very litigious society their services are an essential element of any well-planned event. This requirement is ours, not the liquor board's, and is not negotiable. BEER & WINE: You may have one keg of beer for every 100 guests, with a 2 keg total limit. (Up to 4 cases worth may come as bottles.) Each keg serves 160, 12oz glasses. Wine & champagne are welcome in reasonable amounts. You may also add up to 3 cases of pre-bottled beverages, such as Mike's Hard Lemonade. CHAMPAGNE must be opened by Dance Street staff or the hired bartender. Corks must be contained & not shot in the air. Dance Street does not charge a corkage fee, it's simply an issue of mess and safety. Bottles may not be placed on the tables. Feel free to skip the Champagne in favor of a "toast with your preferred beverage." Many people are doing this if their group doesn't particularly care for Champagne. In order to provide HARD LIQUOR you must hire one of the three Preferred Caterers who we allow to do a full bar (no shots.) We've had a lot of problems with the hard stuff and are close to banning it all together. We've also had some really good events with it, so that's why we haven't. Please don't be the event to make us change our minds. Ask us about a "signature drink" as a compromise that will allow you to use any Preferred Caterer's bartender or our Approved Bartending Team. Miscellaneous details - Guests are NOT allowed to bring in their own alcoholic beverages. The bar will be closed down one hour before the end of your time slot (at the end of your 4 hour party block, usually when you are leaving.) You must provide adequate food in order to serve alcoholic beverages. Beverages - non-alcoholic - If you hire a full-service caterer they'll handle the punch, water, & coffee. Feel free to add iced or hot tea too, but don't go overboard with too many choices of beverages. If you hire a food-only caterer, or choose to do the food yourselves, then you'll want to provide your own punch, water, & coffee. That way it's available until the end of the party, not just until the caterers leave (often a 2 hour difference.) The best way to serve water is to buy one of the large beverage jars at Costco, about $25, and fill it with water, ice, & lemon slices if so desired. You can do the same for punch, but most people choose to use a punch bowl. Keep your punch recipe simple, such as Sprite & strawberry lemonade powder, or my favorite recipe: 2 cans frozen cranberry, 2 cans frozen orange, a 46oz can pineapple juice, a 2-liter of Sprite/7-up, plus 2-liters of water & ice. Mmmm! Guests will suck this down, though, so make sure you provide enough. One batch per 25 guests is reasonable, maybe a little more if you're not serving any alcoholic beverages. Capacity - 225 people by fire code. We will
seat up to 200 (at 10 per table) and provide bar tables for the other 25, which works
great for buffet-style food on disposable dishes. In order to
"set" your tables with china, flatware, & glassware you need to limit
yourselves to no more than 160 guests (8 per table.) Plated/served dinners are
limited to 125 guests. We suggest this as a limit for receptions
with live bands also. Combined ceremony/reception events are
limited to 175 guests (10 per table). Dance Street is happy to provide some peace of mind by being your back-up ceremony location. If you choose a different reception venue please make sure you ask about their policies on this issue, as not all facilities have the same rules. Children - Well-behaved children are a joy to have at weddings, and welcome at the Dance Street Ballroom. The facility is, however, designed for adults with lots of glass, candles, and other opportunities for ignored children to cause trouble. We expect parents and other adults to supervise any children in attendance and enforce good indoor manners. We love it when the kids dance and screech in delight, but if you want a place where they can run amok then please choose a different venue. Dancing - Most of the couples who are interested
in our facility want to have dancing at their receptions. Here
are some observations about dancing from our last seven years of
receptions: Decorating - You're welcome to do additional decorating as long as it fits within your time slot, or you book more hours, but most brides are happy to have us take care of this detail. In addition to our greenery, white lights and numerous candle sconces, we provide table centers with mirror squares, candles, and color-coordinated fresh flowers. We decorate the cake table with candles and flower petals or small vases. We also provide a vase of flowers for the guest book table and punch table. All of this is included in the rental fee. Except for unity candles, we do not allow additional candles unless they are fully contained in one-piece holders, with the flame at least 1 full inch below the top of the holder. (Wax on our dance floor is a major hazard, and this is a precaution to protect it.) Facilitation Services - The Dance Street Ballroom is one of very few owner-operated event facilities in the Spokane area. What this means to you is you'll be dealing with the same person from your tour, though the booking process, for any questions between then and your event, and on your event night. The person who makes the decisions, so there'll be no "well, let me ask my boss" issues. This allows a continuity of information and details that's hard to find anywhere else. We will certainly have a clue about your likes and dislikes, and how you envision your event. It also means we care very much about the experience you have, and will do all we can to make things as smooth and easy for you as possible. Favors - Feel free to do them if you want to, but don't feel like you have to. We're happy to put prepared favors out on the tables for you. Anything consumable is a good choice - candy, candles, flower seeds, etc. Magnets are always fun too, especially when they have your picture on them. Our only restriction is that we don't allow TULLE CIRCLES as a wrapping. They're very hard to see on the floor and very slick, which makes them hazardous. Please make sure your favor maker knows this. Food - This is a key element to any event, and one of the few particular details anyone remembers is whether or not they ate well. We do not have an in-house caterer and there are no exact catering requirements. We offer three catering options:
In all cases, we expect food to
come already prepared and essentially ready to serve. We
provide a small
food-prep area with a table, refrigerator, & sink that is curtained
off from the serving area. There is no kitchen, and
cooking is absolutely forbidden. We provide two buffet tables (with
linens) for serving, and we recommend that guests go through the buffet line on
both sides of the tables to make the line as efficient as possible.
This arrangement suits professional caterers just fine, and we're
happy to give a tour and explanation to any caterer who has not been
at our facility before. Dishes, napkins, flatware, & cups for non-alcoholic beverages will be included if you choose a preferred caterer, but you may still need plates, forks, & napkins for the cake. If you prefer to rent china, flatware, and glassware we'd be happy to suggest some reputable vendors. Remember that rented dishes require a lot more labor (= $) and space. If you like the convenience & economics of disposables then we suggest shopping at Costco or URM. Again, keep it simple. The pull-apart champagne glasses seem cute until you have to put them all together, find a place to arrange them, and figure out how to get them to the tables - very labor intensive little things. We prefer the little 5oz. cups that are miniatures of URM's normal beverage cups. Very cute and easy to handle.
GREEN DISPOSABLES -
There are now a lot
of disposable dishes out there made of cornstarch,
potato starch, or sugarcane. Plates, forks, cups, & to-go
containers are all available from a variety of companies.
We've tested the plates & forks from
Ecoproducts and found them to be
very sturdy, better in fact than your usual disposables. Besides being biodegradable (moot
point since Spokane burns its garbage) they are made without any
petroleum products, which is
a good thing. Check out these sources if you're interested in
such things, or ask your caterer if they offer such a "green
option." There may be a nominal fee to cover the difference in
costs. Friday Night Weddings - Consider these benefits to choosing a Friday date:
Guest Count - To figure out how many people you're going to have, wave your magic wand, utter your incantation of choice, spin the dial on a clock, and multiply by 20. Yes, it's that easy to figure it out. The best formula I know of is to count everyone you're inviting, and figure that 80% will show up if most of them are in town and it's a good-weather time of year, but not too hot. About 70% will show up if there are a lot of out-of-towners, if it's too hot, or if it's a bad-weather time of year. If it's two or three you might get 60%. Oh, and time of night makes a difference too. Some people don't like to be out after dark. Really, you just have to give it your best guess, make RSVP-ing easy, and then still contact the non-responders. RSVP cards are good, but I think it's also helpful to include a phone number and especially an email address for them to respond to. I wish there was a polite way to say, "RSVP if you want to eat." I'll certainly post it here if I figure it out. Head Table - Our layout does not lend itself to a "head table" where the bridal party is all seated on one side of a long table facing the crowd. We choose instead to put out a bridal party table on the edge of the dance floor. Considering how little time you'll spend sitting down this table can seat up to 12 if you really like each other. For groups of 100 or less we can put together two tables for roomier seating or bigger bridal parties. Another good option is to seat the bride, groom, best man, maid of honor, & their dates at the bridal party table and reserve another table nearby for the rest of the bridal party, especially if they have significant others they'd like to sit with during the event. We also have an intimate table for two for the bride & groom if that suits your style. Toasts are generally done at the cake table, which we find works much better than doing them at a head table long since demolished by empty plates and cups. Hours & Time - Dance Street only books one event per day (unless it's a 5 hour "smaller event".) Your time block can be anywhere from 10:00am to Midnight. The Midnight to 1am hour is an additional $250. Your time block is all inclusive and must allow for vendor set up & take down, your beverage & supply drop off, and your clean up (packing up gifts, leftovers, and any added decorations.) The seven hour block generally breaks down into 2 hours for set up, 4 hours for the party, & 1 hour for clean up. This seems to be just the right amount of time for most groups. Remember, you've had a really long, exciting day & will probably be very ready to go by the end.
Extra consecutive hours are available
for $150 each. Very few events ever need this, but it may be
necessary if you plan on having any family members set up food,
cake, or music, or if your ceremony is far away or fairly long.
Our 7 hour time block is based on a calculation that is driving time
+ ceremony = one hour or less. You may also need extra time if
you plan on having friends do extensive additional decorating.
DROP-OFF - We're happy to take in a bin with your toasting glasses, cake cutting set, guest book/signature mat/pen, favors, and cake plates/napkins/forks a few days before your reception. It gives us peace of mind to have these smaller, important items already here so that we can get them arranged where they belong. Music - WARNING: Your DJ/MC can create a very memorable party for everyone or completely de-rail your wedding reception. That probably sounds overly dramatic but it is nonetheless true. Remember, it's more about someone conducting the reception than about the music he/she plays. Please don't torture your friends and family with an unstructured reception. People like to be told what's going on and when, and they don't like to sit for very long after dinner. Your MC needs to announce your arrival, let people know when it's time to eat, when the toasts are about to happen, when to get cake, that you're about to do the first dance, etc. The music master also needs to play appropriate dinner music at a conversational volume, and multi-generational dance music when it's time to dance. Just because you only like 80s music does not mean your whole reception can thrive on it. The music master is there to read the crowd and keep them entertained by playing a variety of fun music. Please do not hesitate to ask us to recommend a worthwhile DJ. We provide this service ourselves for about 3 out of 5 events, but we're not necessarily right for everyone. Talk to us to see if we're the best choice for you. Almost all of the other quality DJs we know charge $750-$1000 (or more.) Daunting, I know, but don't hamstring your beautiful reception by trying to save a couple hundred dollars on this element. You're welcome to hire almost any outside DJ or band (check with us first.) The main rules they need to know are 1) no bubble machines and 2) NO DUCT TAPE! The approved methods of securing cords are gaffer's tape or the blue "painter's" masking tape. Your musicians can arrive up to 2 hours before your first guests in order to set up and must shut down the music 1 hour before the end of your time block (or sooner if they have too much equipment to clear out within an hour.) Due to past experiences our music system is not available for anyone else's use. Bands are also welcome, but they take up a lot of space and are generally not suited to receptions over 125-150 people. Make sure you ask whether they're equipped to act as MC as well as play music. We've found that many bands don't know the first thing about making the necessary announcements or pacing the reception. In that case you may want to appoint an articulate, outgoing friend to be the MC who takes care of such things. Make sure the band is willing to let him/her use their microphone. Out of Town / Destination Weddings - We're here to help. I've done one of these myself, and held enough here to know what special challenges you'll face. We're happy to share all of our tips for making things go as smoothly as possible. Pictures - Before or after? Most couples are now choosing to do all of their formal pictures before the ceremony. You'll still get that "first look" moment, it just won't be in front of all of your guests. It actually gives you the option of having that moment be just between the two of you and your photographer. It also allows your photographer to capture that moment with both of you in the picture instead of having to choose between you. Taking your pictures before the ceremony lets you get all of the pictures you want without the stress of rushing through them to get to your reception, and allows you to fully enjoy the moment. In our opinion, this is the way to go. Just make sure you're on time! Most photographers want 2 full hours of picture taking for medium sized groups: not-too-extended immediate families, 2-4 attendants on each side, plus a flower girl & ring bearer. Some couples are very set on the tradition of not seeing each other until she walks down the aisle. Keep in mind that the bulk of your pictures (at least an hour's worth) will involve both of you, as well as family members and the bridal party. This can be arranged, but in order to not sabotage your reception or your pictures, keep two things in mind: feed & refresh your guests while they wait, and make sure your ceremony and reception are in two separate locations. Why separate? The well-wishing of your guests will keep you from getting your pictures taken if you stay in the same place for the ceremony, pictures, and reception. The one exception would be summer weddings where you can disappear to nearby outdoor-picture areas (like Riverfront Park and the Arena grounds near the Dance Street Ballroom.) Reservations - A $500 initial payment will secure your date with us and is non-refundable. This is applied to your total bill. The final payment and $500 damage/overtime deposit are due at least 15 days before your event. There's an additional $200 damage deposit for chocolate fountains. Dance Street does not accept debit or credit cards - sorry! In case of a medical or military emergency, you may reschedule the same event for a new date which is within one year of your original date, excluding holidays as well as Saturdays from May-October. Current rates will apply to rescheduled events. Only one such rescheduling may take place. Please understand that we only have so many dates available, and when someone cancels a date it is very rare to re-book it. This is why your initial deposit is absolutely non-refundable. Smoking - Dance Street is, and always has been, a non-smoking facility. Smoking is permitted outdoors, 25 feet away from any entrance, as per the Washington Clean Indoor Air Act. Please remember that smoking directly outside the doors is pointless - it still comes straight back inside the facility. We appreciate it when you encourage your smoking friends and family to be considerate in this matter. Throwables - Silly string, party poppers, and confetti are not allowed on the premises, indoors or out. Rose petals and ribbon curls are fine inside, and bubbles or birdseed are fine outside. These will be distributed when you are ready to depart. Hand-held candles are fun outside. Sparklers sound fun but end up being more smoke than sparkle - which is not good for pictures. They're also illegal in the city, FYI. We hope you found this information helpful, and if you think the Dance Street Ballroom may be the perfect place for you then we look forward to hearing from you and giving you a tour. Smaller Events - $1500 - Corporate Banquets, Graduations, Birthdays, Anniversaries, & Memorials This option is great for corporate parties, birthdays, anniversaries, and graduation parties, or small cake & punch receptions. It is not a viable option for a dancing reception or for large groups. This option is available Monday through Friday only. The event time-block must end by 10pm in order to qualify for this package (party done by 9pm).
Location and
Directions Dance Street is located 1/2 block east of the
Spokane Arena, on the block of Dean Ave. between
Howard and Washington streets, one block south of Boone Ave., and two blocks
north of the Spokane River. Dean is the street on the "studio theater" side of the Civic
Theater. We are directly south of the Arena's auxiliary parking lot.
Hunter's veterinary clinic is on the corner of Washington and Dean.
The easiest approach is to turn onto Dean off of Washington. |