Des Moines, Iowa › Wedding Venues › Thoreau Center
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About Thoreau Center
Thoreau Center is a wedding venue serving couples across the Des Moines area from Des Moines. Beyond wedding venues, the business also offers wedding caterers, wedding rentals — a range that can simplify vendor coordination. This profile is free to claim; verified couple reviews — never payments — determine how it ranks.
Hotels near Thoreau Center
The closest places for out-of-town guests to stay around Des Moines, nearest first. Ask the venue which ones offer a room block.
- Home2 Suites
- Hotel Fort Des Moines
- Holiday Inn Des Moines Downtown
- Des Lux Hotel
- Des Moines Marriott Downtown
- Hyatt Place Des Moines Downtown
Hotel data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are straight-line from the venue.
Verified reviews
No reviews yet. Only couples who book Thoreau Center through Lazo can leave one, and it’s the only thing that moves a Lazo Score.
Frequently asked questions
Planning a wedding venue in Des Moines
How much do wedding venues cost in Des Moines?
Venue pricing in Des Moines spans widely — from around $3,000 for simpler spaces to $15,000+ for full-service estates and resorts. The real number to compare is total cost: ask what's included (tables, chairs, linens, staffing) and what's required (mandated caterers, minimums, service fees).
What questions should we ask on a venue tour?
Ask about rain plans, vendor restrictions, overtime fees, when vendors can load in, what the service charge covers, and exactly when you get the space. Get the full fee schedule in writing before signing.
How does Lazo rank wedding venues in Des Moines?
Rankings come from the Lazo Score — verified reviews weighted for recency — and are never sold. Vendors without verified reviews yet start at the community baseline of 65 and earn their score as verified reviews arrive.
Des Moines weddings, month by month
Days typically top out between 65° and 85° in May, June, August, September. The driest months are January, February, December.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31° | 14° | 11% | 4:26 PM | 5:09 PM |
| Feb | 36° | 18° | 14% | 5:09 PM | 5:48 PM |
| Mar | 49° | 30° | 16% | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM |
| Apr | 62° | 41° | 25% | 7:17 PM | 7:55 PM |
| May | 72° | 52° | 27% | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM |
| Jun | 82° | 62° | 25% | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM |
| Jul | 86° | 66° | 20% | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM |
| Aug | 84° | 64° | 21% | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM |
| Sep | 77° | 55° | 17% | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM |
| Oct | 63° | 43° | 15% | 5:55 PM | 6:33 PM |
| Nov | 48° | 30° | 14% | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM |
| Dec | 36° | 20° | 11% | 4:00 PM | 4:45 PM |
Average highs, lows and the share of days with 0.1″ of rain or more, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals at Des Moines International Airport (3.9 mi from Des Moines). Golden hour begins when the sun is 6° above the horizon; both times are for the 15th of each month in Des Moines.
Getting to Des Moines
| Airport | Distance | Est. drive |
|---|---|---|
| DSM Des Moines International Airport | 4 mi | 5 min |
| FOD Fort Dodge Regional Airport | 73 mi | 1 hr 50 min |
| ALO Waterloo Regional Airport | 92 mi | 2 hr 20 min |
| City | Distance | Est. drive |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 179 mi | 3 hr 40 min |
| Minneapolis | 235 mi | 4 hr 50 min |
| St. Louis | 273 mi | 5 hr 40 min |
| Milwaukee | 309 mi | 6 hr 20 min |
Straight-line distance from central Des Moines; drive times are estimates, not routes. Airports with scheduled passenger service, from OurAirports.
Details
- Based in
- 3500 Kingman Blvd, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA
- Where
- Des Moines · 2 miles west of central Des Moines
- Listed under
- Wedding Venues · Wedding Caterers · Wedding Rentals
- In Des Moines
- One of 110 wedding venues we list · 22 within 3 miles
- Phone
- (515) 279-7312
- Website
- Visit site
Around Des Moines
- Wedding Venues nearby
- 22 within 3 mi, 43 within 10
- Guest hotels
- 43 within 5 mi
- Communities served
- West Des Moines, Clive, Urbandale, Windsor Heights
Distances are straight-line from Thoreau Center; counts come from the businesses and venues Lazo lists around Des Moines.
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