With its meandering bayous and many lakes, and its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is a city defined by water. Which is wonderful news for Houston to-be-weds searching for water view wedding venues! Few natural features offer a more romantic backdrop for picturesque outdoor ceremony than sparkling, rippling, shimmering water. Fortunately, if you’re getting hitched in the Houston area, you’ll find an abundance of wedding venues that take full advantage of expansive water views, including these 5 wedding venues in and around the city.
1. Waters Edge
Combining a contemporary resort feel with elegant outdoor and indoor venue spaces, Waters Edge offers exactly what its name implies: a wedding as close to the water as you can get. This waterfront wedding venue’s sleek, modern, blank-slate ballroom is a pristine and versatile canvas upon which you can create whatever wedding scape your imagination can conjure up. And, because this Clear Lake wedding venue hosts just one event per day, you know your wedding will receive the attention, and enjoy the privacy, it deserves. Every space, indoor and out, has a water view at Waters Edge. For outdoor ceremonies overlooking sparkling Clear Lake, your aisle is a palm-lined path hung with twinkling string lights, and your altar a chiffon draped canopy covered with cascading flowers. Cocktail hour can be enjoyed on the 2,500-square-foot patio, with its unique fire-pit fountain. And don’t forget to inquire about the venue’s exclusive new “lake limo,” which can transport you to or away from your wedding, as you wave to your gathered friends and family.
2. Balmoral Crystal Clear Lagoon And Beach
Balmoral Crystal Clear Lagoon is a little slice of paradise, with its gorgeous island-inspired lagoon and white-sand beach. Couples can host their wedding ceremonies and receptions on the Great Lawn, in the Castle Hall Clubhouse or at the relaxed and casual Serenity Beach Pavilion. For larger groups, the Amenity Village Clubhouse is the most popular venue on the grounds, with 7,500 square feet of space overlooking an enticing infinity pool. The clear-blue lagoon is the focal point of this enticing water view wedding venue, offering a scenic background for a laid-back beach wedding, or a romantic fairytale wedding. The venue also features fluttering palm trees and a cascading waterfall, perfect for Instagram pics, or professionally framed shots. Bonus: The resort-style venue’s on-site amenities are available to you and your guests both prior to and after the wedding. Anyone up for a relaxing beach day, or perhaps a little paddleboarding or kayaking?
3. The Woodlands Resort
Just north of Houston, The Woodlands is a forested oasis that feels blissfully far away from the hustle and bustle of the city’s center. It’s also home to The Woodlands Resort, which sits upon 500 acres of natural surroundings, and features superb golf, a luxurious spa, multiple restaurants, and a waterpark and lazy river with private cabanas. This full-service resort offers a complete destination wedding experience (at a destination just 30 minutes from downtown Houston), including comfortable guest accommodations, unique wedding venues for everything from your rehearsal dinner to your post-wedding Sunday brunch, and tons of activities to occupy your grateful guests. For an outdoor ceremony that makes the most of The Woodlands Resort’s idyllic natural setting, say your “I do’s” al fresco, on the resort’s breezy Lakeside Terrace. Or keep things reliably climate-controlled indoors, in The Glass, the property’s aptly named glass-enclosed wedding venue, overlooking sparkling Lake Harrison.
4. Hotel Galvez & Spa
The “Queen of the Gulf,” as she’s commonly known, stately Hotel Galvez & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Hotel, has played host to exceptional events for more than a century. Past guests at the award-winning property include U.S. presidents, international dignitaries, countless celebrities…and many happy wedding couples and their friends and families. Situated overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, just a stone’s throw from Galveston’s historic mansions, and the bustling shopping, dining and nightlife of the popular Strand District, Hotel Galvez has long been a destination wedding favorite for wedding groups from around the country, drawn to the hotel by her Southern grandeur and storied past. You’ll find numerous options for an outdoor water view ceremony at Hotel Galvez, including sprawling Centennial Green, offering sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico, and Oleander Green, with its trickling water wall and lush greenery. For indoor reception festivities, the Terrace Ballroom and adjoining Veranda feature floor-to-ceiling windows for maximum natural light and stunning views of the Gulf.
5. Kemah Gardens
Set on four privately accessed acres of fragrant pines and shading trees, and located just a few minutes’ drive from lively Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah Gardens is just about as peaceful and private a wedding venue as you’re likely to find. Outdoor weddings can be held in the climate-controlled pavilion, with room for 150 guests; the adjacent covered patio can hold an additional 60 to 70 revelers. Couples love to hold ceremonies beneath Kemah Gardens’ flower-adorned vintage arbor, which overlooks a sun-dappled lake that offers peak views at sunset. For evening waterfront ceremonies, the lake’s illuminated fountain makes “I do’s” a visual treat for couples and guests alike.
