The Center


All-inclusive venue

The venue takes care of it all - food and beverage, rentals, the works!

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $10,000 for off-peak dates, and $18,500 for peak dates

Catering services pricing

$50 per person for off-peak dates, with a minimum total spend of $9,500

Guest capacity

Up to 300 seated guests


About this venue

The Center’s 15,000 square foot space serves as a stunning backdrop for any special occasion – whether it be a wedding celebration, engagement party, or rehearsal dinner. Our expansive floorplan showcases natural light, gleaming hardwood floors and a contemporary, clean design allowing The Center to become a ‘blank canvas’ to host your event. While planning can be stressful, our group of specialized experts will put you at ease as they guide you step by step and give you all the tips and tricks on turning your vision into a reality. Our team will ensure that at the end of the day you feel like the ‘Center’ of it all, so sit back, relax, open a bottle of bubbly and let the planning festivities begin!


Our event spaces

Grand Ballroom

Contemporary and customizable, right in the heart of downtown Cincinnati.

The Center, located in the Mercantile Building downtown, first opened in 1970 and was designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese. The space, formerly known as the Contemporary Arts Center, offers a unique setting and central location for a memorable event. The Center’s 15,000-square-foot space serves as a stunning blank canvas backdrop for any special occasion—whether it be a wedding celebration, engagement party, or rehearsal dinner.

Guest capacity

50-300 Seated

50-500 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Cocktail hour, Engagement party

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Included in this room:

- Tables and Chiavari Chairs - Lighting and Decor (Chargers, Centerpieces, Table Numbers, Uplighting, etc.) - Bridal Suite - Dedicated Event Team - Venue Coordinator, Security, and Event Planner - Linens and Napkins (will depend on Caterer selection) - Ceremony Backdrops and Draping - Expansive Hardwood Floors and High Ceilings - Large Picture Windows overlooking Downtown - AV including projector, screen, wireless and handheld microphones, as well as a podium

Room cost

$4,000 for 5 hours, $700 additional hour on a Saturday during peak season

Grand Ballroom

Contemporary and customizable, right in the heart of downtown Cincinnati.

The Center, located in the Mercantile Building downtown, first opened in 1970 and was designed by Chicago architect Harry Weese. The space, formerly known as the Contemporary Arts Center, offers a unique setting and central location for a memorable event. The Center’s 15,000-square-foot space serves as a stunning blank canvas backdrop for any special occasion—whether it be a wedding celebration, engagement party, or rehearsal dinner.

Guest capacity

50-300 Seated

50-500 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Cocktail hour, Engagement party

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Included in this room:

- Tables and Chiavari Chairs - Lighting and Decor (Chargers, Centerpieces, Table Numbers, Uplighting, etc.) - Bridal Suite - Dedicated Event Team - Venue Coordinator, Security, and Event Planner - Linens and Napkins (will depend on Caterer selection) - Ceremony Backdrops and Draping - Expansive Hardwood Floors and High Ceilings - Large Picture Windows overlooking Downtown - AV including projector, screen, wireless and handheld microphones, as well as a podium

Room cost

$4,000 for 5 hours, $700 additional hour on a Saturday during peak season


Available services that can be provided by The Center

Services & amenities

  • Bar services
  • Catering services
  • Clean up
  • Dance floor
  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite
  • Event coordinator
  • Event rentals
  • Event staff
  • Lighting/Sound
  • On-site accommodations
  • Service staff
  • Set up
  • Wedding cake services
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wifi

Transportation & access

  • Self parking - paid
  • Wheelchair accessible

Rentals

  • Barware
  • Chiavari Chairs
  • China
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting
  • Linens
  • Sound / AV

The Center menu options


Reviews

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5.0 out of 5

1 review

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  • Best Wedding Venue in Cincinnati!!!

    Verified review
    Robin F.Nov 13, 2020

    The Center was the perfect venue for our wedding! The space is absolutely beautiful and it’s perfect for couples like us who wanted to have their ceremony and reception in the same place. We had our ceremony in the dome room and our reception in the main ball room and it was absolutely beautiful! We got tons of compliments and how great the space was from our guests. It’s extremely convenient with many parking garages within a few blocks as well as various hotels nearby for guests to stay in. The staff at The Center is absolutely wonderful and even with all of the new restrictions that came with COVID they made sure we still had the perfect wedding. Katie was great and kept us up to date during all the craziness that was going on this spring and always answered any questions we had ASAP. I can not recommend The Center enough!!!


Preferred vendors of The Center

Caterer
Funky's Catering Events
Cincinnati, OH
Caterer
Jeff Thomas Catering
Cincinnati, OH
Caterer
McHale's Catering
Park Hills, KY