If you have chosen a Prado’s Grand Ballroom wedding, kudos! This is a fine venue with delicious food and an amazing staff. Based on my experience working weddings here, I’ve compiled some tips for your The Prado wedding.
PROS OF HAVING A PRADO’S GRAND BALLROOM WEDDING
- Easy to find
- Friendly staff
- Delicious food
- A million gorgeous places to take pictures within a one-block walk of The Prado or on-site
- C’mon, it’s Balboa Park…it’s The Prado! This space speaks for itself. It’s truly San Diego and truly legendary!
- The Prado’s Grand Ballroom can hold a lot more people than your average wedding space (I believe 300-400)
- The bar is not built-in so you can put it wherever you like
- Built-in uplighting and pinspots
- Ceremony site located on the property
- The Prado’s venue coordinator Rachael is a delight!
CONS OF HAVING A THE PRADO WEDDING (GRAND BALLROOM)
- Parking
- It is a difficult load-in for your vendors
- Most of The Prado’s Grand Ballroom weddings do not fill up the entire space…keep things feeling quaint by centering your dancing/head table/bar in the center of the room (avoid the urge to put your photo booth in one corner, your cake in another corner, etc)
None of these “cons” are deal-breakers at all. I still definitely give The Prado two huge thumbs up!
TIPS FOR A PRADO’S GRAND BALLROOM WEDDING
- Get photos down at the Japanese Friendship Garden and outdoor amphitheater! Take advantage of being in Balboa Park.
- Unless your wedding is in the hottest part of the summer, rent heaters for cocktail hour on the patio. It can be chilly after the sun goes down.
- Put your DJ down on the floor rather than up on the stage if you want dance floor lighting (dance floor lighting up on the stage will not project well to the center of the room 4 feet down).
- Be aware that they may have another event going on the same time as yours (if that is a concern to you).
- If your reception goes later than the time valet closes, make sure guests know they don’t need to leave early to get their cars–valet won’t lock them in!
- If a raging dance party is your priority, have the bar set up as close to the dance floor as possible (instead of putting the bar in the back of the room opposite the stage).
- Get a custom monogram (“gobo”) light…they help fill up the big floor and put the cherry on top of this elegant space.
- It’s easy to spread out to fill up the space….but remember a dance floor that is too big always looks sparse even when everyone is dancing. For 120-150 guests, 15′ x 15′ or 15′ x 18′ is ideal.
CHECK OUT SOME REAL PRADO’S GRAND BALLROOM WEDDINGS
- Diosa & Ryan, by DJ Staci
- The Prado Wedding on New Year’s Eve, by DJ Staci
- As featured in Style Me Pretty
- Jennifer & Chad, by Monarch Weddings
- Sherilyn & Ryan, by Jenny Thai Photography
- Julie & Josiah, by Thomas Bui Lifestyle
I hope these tips for a fabulous Prado’s Grand Ballroom wedding have been helpful. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I love working at The Prado!
Post by DJ Track Star Staci
I'm DJ Track Star Staci, an international DJ, MC, turntablist, & producer for 14 years. My clients have included: Lamborghini, Victoria's Secret, Reebok, and many more. My performances are trusted at A-list events like Comic Con, Entrepreneur of the Year, and movie premieres. I've rocked Sr. Frogs in Cancun, music festivals, the Vegas strip, celebrity events, & 500 weddings. Check my availability, get an instant fee estimate, or listen to some of my DJ sets or my original remixes & mash-ups.
