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BYOB weddings are becoming more popular as wedding price tags keep going up! Bringing your own alcohol can be a great way to save money. These 7 venues in Houston, Texas are our top picks for BYOB venues!
If you’ve read my blogs before, then you know that I say this often, but for some reason when you tack the word, “wedding” onto anything, the price tags start to go up! This also includes alcohol, unfortunately. Many caterers and all-inclusive venues will tack a heavy price tag onto the drinks, and having an open bar can cost a fortune! Hosting a wedding is certainly not an inexpensive undertaking. From the venue selection to the attire costs, it can all add up to an ungodly amount. If you’ve been reading this site for any length of time, you know we are always sharing ways to shave down your wedding costs without sacrificing your vision. We make it our mission to help our readers realize their wedding dreams without going bankrupt!
In addition to the number one budget hack to save on your wedding budget, we’ve identified an additional wedding budget tip that could save you thousands of dollars on your catering costs – purchasing your alcohol on your own and bringing it to your venue to be served. This can be a huge money saver! Most couples want to provide their wedding guests with amazing food and drink to celebrate their big day. And we’ve discovered that alcohol costs, not food costs, are the real culprit behind rising catering costs. One way to greatly reduce your alcohol costs is to choose a venue that allows you to bring in your own booze (BYOB). While this is a money saving option, it can also entail some hidden fees, so make sure to continue reading so that you can cover all of your bases!
Venues licensed to serve liquor at their facilities typically mark-up the liquor they serve by 70-80%. Yes, you read that right—70-80%! Thus, finding a venue that allows you to bring in your own alcohol, could reduce your alcohol costs by 50-80%. Purchasing the liquor you want to serve at your wedding at a liquor store and then hiring a licensed bartender to serve the liquor to your guests could be a game-changer in your overall wedding budget. This allows you to have the open bar that you want in a price range that will fit your wedding budget.
We’ve identified 7 venues in the greater Houston area that allow couples to bring in their own alcohol to serve to their wedding guests. The fact that these venues are BYOB makes them affordable wedding venues. The fact that we’ve identified them makes them stunning venue options for couples looking to save on their wedding costs.
Related Content: How to Save on Your Wedding Budget without Sacrificing Your Vision
Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #1. The Houston Event Venue | 5601 Navigation Blvd., Houston, TX 77011 | 281.961.8128
The Houston Event Venue is a warehouse-style venue located minutes from downtown Houston. The venue consists of two spaces–the “Modern Venue,” which offers 4,500 square feet of event space and the “Warehouse Venue,” which consists of 6,500 square feet of event space. The Houston Event Venue is a spacious wedding venue in Houston that will allow you to BYOB.
This event space is perfect for the couple who prefer a modern event design or a non-traditional warehouse setting. Both locations offer antique windows, cement floors, and original brick walls that date back to the 1930s!
At The Houston Event Venue, you can BYOB, but because they do not have in-house catering, you will have to set up bar services through one of their authorized vendors. I suggest calling multiple vendors and pricing them out, or seeing if you can get a good deal on bar services through your food caterer. Make sure to clarify whether you only want drinks served during cocktail hour, or if you would like an open bar. There is almost always a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages. With the ability to bring your own catering and alcoholic beverages, this venue is a must-see for couples looking for an affordable wedding venue that also allows them to offer their wedding guests access to all that downtown Houston has to offer!
Pricing: Available on website.
Capacity: The Modern Venue has a maximum capacity of 50 guests. The Warehouse Venue has a maximum capacity of 250 guests (exclusively indoors).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #2. LIFE HTX | 2515 Morse St., Houston, TX 77019 | 832.538.0372
LIFE HTX is a one-of-a-kind venue centrally located in Houston’s Montrose area. The venue is a contemporary wedding lover’s dream with custom-built, state-of-the-art features, and a sleek, urban sensibility. Life HTX is a beautiful, modern wedding venue that will allow you to BYOB.
Pure white, 14-foot gallery walls and 100-foot-long projector screens are the venue’s showcase feature. This allows clients to transform the space with any backdrop or scene. Additionally, the venue offers top-tier lighting and sound systems creating an immersive experience for your guests.
In addition to the 4,000 square foot event space, the venue also offers a 2,000 square foot pre-event space that can be used for a pre-reception cocktail hour or as a separate lounge during your reception. The possibilities are endless with this venue! Be sure to check out their Instagram page for ideas on how to transform the space.
At LIFE HTX, you can BYOB, but will also need to provide all of the drinkware and services, as they do not offer any catering services other than a prep kitchen. These services can usually be provided by your wedding caterer. Make sure that you have chosen one off of their approved list. There is usually a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages
Pricing: Contact venue for details.
Capacity: 250 maximum capacity (exclusively indoors).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #3. The Meekermark | 21156 Karen-Switch Rd., Magnolia, TX 77354 | 281.565.4285
The Meekermark is an incredibly unique Houston wedding venue with lots of character for a picture-perfect wedding day. In addition to a 4,000 square foot indoor event space housed in a stunning, reclaimed wood barn, you’ll be able to host your ceremony under the trees and beneath the stars in a unique open-air chapel, with floating windows and soaring white vaulted beams. The Meekermark is a beautiful historic wedding venue that will allow you to BYOB.
The venue is ideal for picture taking because the entire property was designed by wedding photographers with decades of experience capturing weddings at hundreds of local venues. “We took what we learned about lighting and elements that make amazing wedding photos, and incorporated it all into one amazing, custom-built venue!”
At The Meekermark, you can BYOB, but because they do not have in-house catering, you will have to set up bar services through one of their authorized vendors. I suggest calling multiple vendors and pricing them out, or seeing if you can get a good deal on bar services through your food caterer. Make sure to clarify whether you only want drinks served during cocktail hour, or if you would like an open bar. There is almost always a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages.
Pricing: Available on website.
Capacity: 225 maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor spaces available).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #4. 2K Reserve | 26290 Nelson Rd., Hempstead, TX 77445 | 832.373.2563
Designed by wedding professionals, the 2K Reserve is a classic space with a Texas feel. It was designed to suit the vision of any couple and every detail was thought out and implemented to ensure the couple could enjoy the perfect day. 2K Reserve is a classic wedding venue in Houston that will allow you to BYOB.
The venue boasts an indoor chapel and a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 300 guests. And since wedding professionals designed the space, they ensured that guests remained in close proximity to the couple no matter where they were situated in the chapel or ballroom.
At 2K Reserve, you can BYOB, but will also need to provide all of the drinkware and services, as they do not offer any catering services other than a prep kitchen. These services can usually be provided by your wedding caterer. Make sure that you have chosen one off of their approved list. There is usually a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages. Be sure to check out the venue’s Facebook page to see recent images of the space. As a venue that allows you to bring your own catering and alcohol, 2K Reserve is definitely one of Houston’s bargain wedding venues.
Pricing: Contact venue for details.
Capacity: 300 maximum capacity (exclusively indoors).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #5. 1940 Air Terminal Museum | 8325 Travelair St., Houston, TX 77061 | 713.454.1940
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum was Houston’s original municipal airport that now serves as an Art Deco/Art Moderne event venue to host your wedding. The stunning white structure features exhibit rooms filled with artifacts, photographs, uniforms, aircraft, and memorabilia that illustrate the history of Texas air flight. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is a spacious wedding venue in Houston that will allow you to BYOB.
You can host your wedding ceremony or reception in the venue’s curvilinear, two-story Atrium (the airport’s former lobby), the unique Starliner Theater, with its exposed brick walls and oversized industrial windows, or the Hangar, where you can dance the night away amid vintage aircraft.
At 1940 Air Terminal, you can BYOB, but will also need to provide all of the drinkware and services, as they do not offer any catering services other than a prep kitchen. They emphasize that all drinks must be controlled by a licensed bartender. These services can usually be provided by your wedding caterer. Make sure that you have chosen one off of their approved list. There is usually a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages. 1940 Air Terminal Museum definitely provides a unique space to fascinate your wedding guests. And with the option of providing your own catering and bar beverages, the possibilities of what you can do to entertain your guests are endless.
Pricing: Contact venue for details.
Capacity: 200 maximum capacity (museum); 500 maximum capacity (hanger) (exclusively indoors).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #6. Addison Woods Wedding & Event Venue | 1245 Pruitt Rd., The Woodlands, TX 77380 | 281.910.1574
Perfectly designed for weddings, showers, private parties, business meetings, and more, the Addison Woods Wedding & Event Venue is a real gem nestled in the woods north of Houston. The venue boasts multiple indoor and outdoor venue spaces to accommodate your big day. The Addison Woods is a versatile wedding venue in Houston that will allow you to BYOB.
The five-acre farm estate has every space imaginable to craft your perfect wedding day: an indoor chapel, an outdoor ceremony lawn, an indoor reception barn, a covered veranda, and an outdoor cocktail lawn. These spaces can be used interchangeably to your desire, so you never have to worry about inclement weather ruining your day.
You can select any alcohol vendor of your choosing as long as they meet TABC and insurance requirements and are pre-approved with a minimum of 60 days in advance. These services can usually be provided by your wedding caterer. Make sure that you have chosen one off of their approved list. There is usually a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages. Couples should not overlook this venue when searching for a gorgeous, yet affordable wedding venue.
Pricing: Contact venue for details.
Capacity: 300 maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor spaces available).
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Houston BYOB Wedding Venue #7. THE SPRINGS in Wallisville | 2610 Wallisville-Turtle Bayou Rd., Wallisville, TX 77597 | 409.277.1877
THE SPRINGS in Wallisville is seriously one of the most stunning venues in the greater Houston area! And the fact that the venue is BYOB makes it one of the most economical venues in the greater Houston area. The Springs in Wallisville is a stunning wedding venue in Houston that will allow you to BYOB.
Located just an hour east of downtown Houston, THE SPRINGS in Wallisville offers a charming white pavilion for your ceremony, nestled among gracefully swaying trees and lush green landscaping. The three-story Dutch barn is guaranteed to wow your guests with bright, whitewashed wood walls, dramatic cathedral windows, and an impressive grand staircase.
The venue is completely BYO, allowing you to bring in your own catering and alcoholic beverages. You will need to provide all of the drinkware and services, as they do not offer any catering services on site. These services can often be provided by your wedding caterer. There is usually a fee for these services, so make sure that you have accounted for that in your wedding budget. When you tour this venue, make sure that you ask for more information and any fees related to bringing in your own beverages. If you’re willing to drive a bit outside of the city, the beauty you’ll appreciate and the savings you’ll enjoy on your big day will be well worth it.
Pricing: Contact venue for details.
Capacity: 224 maximum capacity (indoor and outdoor spaces available).
If you do decide to go with a BYOB venue, make sure you understand all of the rules for serving alcoholic beverages at the venue (e.g., if you’ll need a licensed bartender to serve the alcoholic beverages) and factor in any additional costs these regulations may require. Ask as many questions as you can when you are planning out your venue and catering so that you know every fee that they may charge for bringing your own drinks and any other important details. Happy planning!
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