Sherwood Forest Event Center is Des Moines' boutique wedding venue for couples who want their day to feel unlike anything else in Iowa. Located in Windsor Heights, just minutes from downtown Des Moines, our industrial-chic space combines soaring ceilings, cascading chandeliers, and warm lighting to create an atmosphere that feels both grand and deeply personal.
Whether you're envisioning an intimate celebration for 50 or a full reception for up to 250 guests, the space transforms completely around your vision. Every wedding at Sherwood Forest looks different, because every couple is different. That's not an accident. It's the whole point.
Reception Space
A space that transforms into anything you can imagine
The main reception space at Sherwood Forest seats up to 250 guests beneath a ceiling of cascading chandeliers that catch the light at every angle. The warm, industrial-chic design, exposed elements, rich textures, and carefully considered lighting, creates a backdrop that photographs beautifully and feels even better in person. There is no other wedding venue in Des Moines that looks quite like this room.
Ceremony Space
A ceremony space as intentional as the celebration that follows
Sherwood Forest includes a dedicated ceremony space, separate from the reception room, designed specifically for the moment you say your vows.
Light, airy, and beautifully appointed with warm wood flooring, the ceremony space feels intimate without feeling small.
And then there are the doors.
Two grand sliding doors connect the ceremony space directly to the reception room. When the ceremony ends, your guests step into the full chandelier-lit reception space.
32 ft Bar
One of the longest bars in any Des Moines wedding venue
Our stunning 32-foot full-service bar is fully stocked and staffed, with custom bar packages designed to fit your celebration. Whether you're envisioning a classic open bar, a curated cocktail menu, or something in between, our team will build a package around what you love. And because we're an open catering venue, your guests eat exactly what you want them to eat, bring your favorite Des Moines restaurant or caterer and let us handle the rest.
Bridal Suite
Your morning, your space, your way
The Sherwood Forest bridal suite is designed for the getting-ready experience as much as the wedding itself. Bright, beautifully appointed, and completely private. It's the perfect space for you, your bridal party, and your photographer to capture those first-look morning moments before the celebration begins. You deserve to feel as good before the ceremony as you do during it.
Our bridal suite includes a large dedicated vanity, designed specifically for hair and makeup with the kind of lighting and mirror space that your artist needs to do their best work and you need to feel your most beautiful.
Grooms Lounge
Because the groom deserves a great space too
The Sherwood Forest Groom's Lounge was designed with one thing in mind, making sure the other half of the wedding party feels just as taken care of as the bride.
Completely separate from the bridal suite and entirely its own space, the Groom's Lounge is masculine, relaxed, and built for the morning of. Comfortable seating, a TV, and drink package options mean the groom and his crew can settle in, take a breath, and enjoy the hours before the ceremony.
And then there's the speakeasy.
The Groomsmen have access to our speakeasy pool table room, a space that most wedding venues don't have and can't replicate. It's the kind of detail that makes groomsmen genuinely excited to show up, and the kind of room that ends up in getting-ready photos that look nothing like anyone else's wedding.
Outdoor Photo Ops
Outdoor photo locations that look like they were designed for your wedding day
Just steps from the venue, Sherwood Forest sits alongside a lush public park and walking trail that serves as a natural extension of your wedding day experience, and one of the most beautiful outdoor photo settings in the Des Moines area.
Mature trees line the walking paths and frame open green spaces in a way that feels both grand and intimate at the same time. Modern bridges cross through the landscape creating natural focal points that photographers love and couples remember. The whole setting has a quiet, unhurried quality to it, the kind of backdrop that makes portraits feel editorial rather than posed, and group shots feel like a genuine moment rather than a lineup.
The best part is that it looks different every single time of year, and it looks stunning every single time.
In summer the park is at its most lush, deep green canopies overhead, open grass catching the golden hour light, walking paths shaded by full mature trees that create natural tunnels of soft, even light that photographers dream about.
Come fall, the foliage transforms the entire setting. Warm amber and burnt orange through the tree line, fallen leaves on the paths, that particular quality of autumn light that makes every portrait look like it belongs in a magazine.
In spring the park blooms. Fresh greens, flowering trees, and that soft bright quality of spring light that makes everything feel alive and new, exactly the energy most spring couples are looking for in their photos.
Whatever your wedding date, the park delivers.
Details at a Glance
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Capacity: Up to 250 guests
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Style: Industrial-chic, chandelier-lit, warm and editorial
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Location: 7400 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights, IA 50324, minutes from downtown Des Moines
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Bar: 32-foot full-service bar with custom packages
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Catering: Open catering: bring your favorite local restaurant or caterer
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Décor: In-house design by Loved and Cherished, included
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Ceremony & Reception space: Both included
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Stage: Built-in stage for ceremony, band, or DJ
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Bridal suite & Grooms Lounge: Private, fully appointed
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Parking: Ample on-site parking for guests
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Events: Weddings, milestone celebrations, corporate events
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Outdoor space: Public park and trail for lush photo opportunities