251-300 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 300 guests
About this vendor
The Paxton Ballroom, originally built in 1882, is perfectly suited for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and ceremonies. In 2007 the ballroom was restored to its original grandeur and reopened as downtown Omaha's premier wedding venue to continue building our history... together.
Amenities + details
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Reception Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Wireless Internet
Guest Capacity
- Up to 300
Settings
- Ballroom
- Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Other Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Rentals & Equipment
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.044 reviews
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We cannot thank the Paxton Ballroom enough for helping make our wedding and reception absolutely perfect! The team was so helpful and attentive, making sure every detail was just right. The ballroom itself is absolutely beautiful, providing the perfect backdrop for our special day. Their expertise and professionalism truly made our dream wedding come true. All of our guests raved about the food and loved having the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in the same building. We would highly recommend the Paxton Ballroom to anyone looking for a fantastic wedding venue. 😊#PaxtonBallroom #DreamWedding #PerfectVenue
The Paxton was the perfect place for my wedding reception. The room itself is so beautiful so minimal decor is needed. Having the ballroom, caterer, and bar vendors all in one made everything so easy. In addition, table, chair, linen, and dinnerware all came with the rental of the room as well. Such a time-saver and planning relief. Chad was so easy to work with and responded so quickly. The food Abraham's catering offered was delicious! I assumed that the food we had at the tasting would be different when preparing for 200 guests, but it came out exactly as we tasted...which was delicious. The staff was also amazing and went above and beyond to make everything go super smoothly. Couldn't recommend enough.
The Paxton was the first decision we made when it came to planning our wedding - and it was the best decision!!!
Beyond the Paxton being absolutely beautiful, one of the best features of this venue is that the rental fee includes chairs, tables, real China, table cloths and napkins. I found most other venues do not include this which is a large additional cost on top of the rental fee (a tip for future brides looking for venues).
Chad was awesome to work with. He was laid back yet extremely organized. He ensured that our day ran smoothly from start to finish. His crew was also amazing! Abraham catering allowed us to create a custom menu for our reception and the food was incredible.
Thank you Chad and Abraham catering!!! I would highly recommend the Paxton Ballroom!
We could not have picked a better location for our ceremony and reception! Chad is amazing and helped make our wedding day ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Could not recommend more.
The Paxton was beyond perfect for our wedding day! Chad, Kara and the entire staff were knowledgeable, organized and all around wonderful. Abraham Catering put on a delicious meal that all our guests were raving about. The beautiful art deco ballroom was exactly right for our winter wedding. Thank you for making our day so special!
The Paxton was one of the first decisions we made in our wedding planning, and honestly it was one of the best! Chad was delightful to work with, he always responded to my emails within a couple of hours and made everything run so smoothly. The food, the drinks, the room, it was all perfect. I am so happy we went with The Paxton for our wedding reception, and I would HIGHLY recommend it to everyone!
Absolutely beautiful! We were married in April of 2018 and e have received multiple compliments since our wedding about the Paxton ballroom. We were so excited to have our reception at the ballroom with its elegant feel and overall history. I was with one planner at the beginning of the planning but she took a different job so I was switched over to Chad. It was a smooth transition with communication and paperwork. He reviewed our information before we met for the first time and was able to help plan and update as we went. They were very accommodating for changes we wanted with the bar and helpful with questions and planning. Both my parents and in-laws live out of state and Chad was very understanding in allowing us into the ballroom when they were in town to see the venue and plan. The food was delicious and the entire evening was perfect.
The staff that helped us was amazing. Kara did all the details before the wedding and then her husband helped during the wedding! They answered any questions i had throughout everything and i highly recommend!!
Having our ceremony and reception at the Paxton was the best wedding decision we made. Nancy was an absolute pleasure to work with . She was prompt to every meeting, and responsive to every email and phone call. Our initial floor plan and estimate was accurate from our discussions and she was even helping ensure all items were set up the morning of our wedding. The wait staff and bartenders were beyond fantastic. Abraham Catering did an amazing job on the food. We received nothing but compliments from our family and friends. They all made the evening run flawlessly--from dinner being served to cake cutting to cleaning up. We are so happy with our wedding and a big part of that is due to Nancy and the team's efforts! Thank you!
We were recently married (9/29/18) and had our reception at the Paxton Ballroom, one of Abraham Catering's locations. I cannot say enough good things about our experience with them from start to finish.
Kara, the venue manager (and so much more!), was upfront about everything they could offer, always did what she could to accommodate any request we made, and gave us great advice on the flow of the reception. She was always kind but never afraid to offer advice/opinions without being pushy. Working with her made the entire wedding planning process so much smoother than I anticipated. She was also great about working with our other vendors so I didn't have to coordinate between vendors much.
The venue looked amazing and required minimal decoration. Another plus was we did not have to rent anything! The food was fantastic (appetizers, buffet, and nacho station - I loved it all), and our guests agreed. The staff was also great, and we had many of our guests comment on how great the bartenders were.
We had a great wedding day, and a lot of that was thanks to the good work of this crew. I highly recommend using Abraham Catering for any event. And if you can, request Kara :)
The Paxton Ballroom is a GORGEOUS setting for a wedding and/or reception, and the staff is extremely knowledgable & flexible in allowing people to decorate with limited restrictions. We were able to use the lobby for our cocktail hour before having guests make their way upstairs to the ballroom for dinner, which worked out perfectly. The food was great as well. Since they didn't have an event the night before ours, they even allowed us into the ballroom a day early to set up. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is because one of the event planners was a little unorganized in communicating. We were stood up for appointments 2 different times, which made us a little uneasy about how things would go the day of the wedding. In the end, the day went exactly as planned & we were extremely pleased - would just recommend more proactive communication to alleviate some of the stress on brides/families who already have a lot on their plates during this time.
I mostly worked with Ben, but met Chad the week of my wedding because they would both be supporting the various events in their venues. They are both wonderful - they are always so helpful, extremely flexible with a busy schedule, and always nice to work with.
The Paxton as a venue was amazing - the setting was beautiful and worked great with my flowers and lighting. We had tons of compliments. I love that the ballroom and building is authentic - it's still relying on beauty and charm from nearly 100 years ago.
As for the staff, in addition to Ben and Chad, I cannot say enough great things. My mother is still talking about how they made the night feel "like ours." The managed everything with minimal oversight from me, they were so friendly, and they let my family relax and enjoy the moment.
Ben may not be right for some brides - he certainly waited for me to come to him with questions and direction. I considered him easy-going, which was perfect for my approach. I'm busy, and I appreciated not having to return calls or find time to respond to emails. I loved being able to email Ben on my own time, and I never worried if I didn't get an immediate response. And day of, everything was done and ready before any guest arrived! But there was still a tower of beer cases in the ballroom at noon - I know that's the sort of thing that would worry some. It was completely taken care of with no prompting from me, though.
Overall, I am so glad I chose the Paxton! It was a big part of our incredible night.
The Paxton was amazing and Chad was a delight. If you have your reception here I recommend taking pictures on the roof you will be in LOVE. Our guest are still raving about the food we served during cocktail hour and our reception was 6 months ago!! I loved this place and I highly recommend them. The staff is easy to work with and very friendly.
The Paxton was an amazing venue for our big day and the staff was so fabulous to work with. They did a wonderful job coordinating with our other vendors and made sure the reception ran seamlessly. Elizabeth is a dream to work with and she is the best!!!!
My groom (yay) and I had our wedding ceremony and reception in the Paxton Ballroom on October 1st! It was WONDERFUL and GORGEOUS and the entire staff was amazing! Throughout my planning process, Chad (the venue manager) was always available to answer any questions I might have. He was incredibly patient, polite, and really helped to calm my nerves!
The building itself it so truly breathtaking. It fit perfectly in our theme of gold/1920's/classic beauty. I loved tall ceilings and the ornamental details that could be found by just glancing around the room!
We began with the ceremony in the ballroom. Immediately following the ceremony my wedding party jumped on a trolley to go downtown, guests were invited to the mezzanine for cocktail our, and the Paxton staff with the help from my wedding planner flipped the ceremony room into a reception space for 240 people! It was amazing to walk back into the ballroom and see a completely different space!
The food was simply AMAZING. People are still raving about it! The Paxton has an exclusive caterer (Abraham Catering) that they use for meals. At first I was concerned because they seemed a bit pricey, but once we had our taste testing all of my doubts went out the window. It was the BEST wedding food I had ever had! Well worth every cent!
If anyone is thinking about getting married close to downtown Omaha, I would HIGHLY recommend the Paxton Ballroom! The food was OUTSTANDING, the space was big enough to include all 240 of our guests, and the staff made us feel so welcome and cared for! We have people still raving about every aspect of our wedding, and I think the Paxton Ballroom deserves the most credit! Thank you for making our day so special and amazing!
The Paxton Ballroom was everything we could have asked for in a wedding venue and more. It was elegant, romantic, and logistically set up perfectly for our size of wedding (about 250 guests). The ability to utilize the lobby for our cocktail hour and move into the ballroom for dinner and dancing was a nice touch. Throughout the entire process they were professional and went above and beyond to help us make our wedding perfect. Could not recommend this venue more to those looking for a classic ballroom look.
The Paxton as a venue was great. We received so many compliments. The staff with catering, bar, and security staff were amazing and made sure they took care of my husband and I. There was not a single person that wasn't willing to help us with anything we needed.
After originally deciding on the Paxton we were happy. As the wedding got closer we found it more and more difficult to get simple things done. It would take several days a multiple attempts to get a response via email and every time I called it went straight to voicemail. The week before the wedding was stressful. (like it could be anything else) It took a string of over 20 emails to try to get an accurate invoice so we could pay the remaining balance in full. We are going on 3 weeks from the wedding and are still waiting on the refund we are owed.
We are not sorry or upset that we selected Paxton Ballroom as our venue for our reception, day of everything went off without a hitch. We just wished that leading up to the wedding that communication was clearer.
Everything was perfect on our wedding day! Chad and his team are excellent to work with. Very pretty venue. Would highly recommend to anyone!
I do not have enough words in my vocabulary to say how great our experience was with The Paxton. Chad and Elizabeth were the coordinators who helped us set up everything, from recommedning DJs, to their favorite foods with the caterer, to being on site all day to make sure we didn't have to worry about anything.
We held our ceremony and reception here and they let us come in early the day before to set everything up as well as opening early on Saturday for our florist, cake and last minute things. The staff was so friendly not only to us but to all of our guests as well. Everyone love the bartenders and went out of their way to say how nice everyone was. Since the main room needed to be switched from ceremony seating to tables, they gave us an hour to take pictures on the roof with the beautiful skyline and our guests hung out on the mezzanine with cocktails and snacks. They did all of the work with the tables and we had two people follow to put centerpieces on the table. I never had to worry about anything and my day was entirely stressfree, they even let us keep the decorations overnight so we didn't have to move everything out as soon as the reception was over. I am so happy with the choice of going with the Paxton for the entire night, I would HIGHLY recommend it!
I would definitely recommend The Paxton for your wedding reception! They were great to work with, the space was beautiful, and the food is so delicious! Its a great price for all you get! We had about 280 guest and everyone fit nicely in the space!
Chad is so helpful, patient, and flexible! I loved my wedding at the Paxton. Not only are the people great to work with, but the venue is great for pictures. It has a lovely art-deco feel. The only minor problem we had was that a number of our guests got stuck in the parking garage. I told Gary (the on-call person) and he took care of it.
We loved working with Chad at the Paxton Ballroom! He was wonderful and flexible. The ballroom was perfect and I loved how open it felt as well as the historical details throughout the building. Thank you so much for such a beautiful wedding reception!
This is a beautiful venue with a vintage feel. The coordinators are very helpful. We are going to have amazing pIctures from the rooftop.
Cahd was awesome fro the beginning, helpful, quick to respond, and made the whole process so easy. The staff the night of the wedding were so professional while very personable! It was an absolutely beautiful ballroom and had so many people comment on the location.
The Paxton is amazing, beautiful, and ornate. I have enjoyed working with and utilizing this venue. I cannot say enough positive words regarding Chad, the general manager. He is responsive, flexible, and honest. He left no stone unturned and everything was very upfront - nothing hidden. Working with Chad and the Paxton eases your mind, and makes the wedding day (almost) stress free! In addition, the the overall price for food, beverages, and the venue rental is great when comparing the value and service you receive. I know Chad has several other venues he manages as well - 1316 Jones, the Pella at Blackstone, and Lucille's. Really, any of them would be amazing to work with! Highly Recommended!
I knew that Chad, the manager of the Paxton, was going to be awesome to work with when he responded to my initial information-gathering email within 5 minutes. We were in contact all throughout the wedding planning, and he was always great about answering questions and providing suggestions for my husband and my wedding reception.
At the wedding reception itself, Chad greeted us, offered his congratulations, and helped the DJ coordinate everyone getting in line for the wedding party’s entrance. When it came time to eat, the Paxton representatives made sure my husband and I got to get in line first for the buffet, and even carried my plate back to my seat so I wouldn’t get food on my dress (which was a life-saver). They made sure the rest of the night ran smoothly and if there were any hiccups, I didn’t know of them!
To give a bit of advice to future brides and grooms, I would definitely recommend having your wedding reception at a place (like the Paxton) that pretty much handles everything (tables, chairs, linens, catering, bar, security, parking). That way, the only stuff YOU have to worry about is just anything extra you want to bring (decorations, centerpieces, guestbook, etc.).
I can’t stress enough how nice it was to work with Chad and his team. Overall, our wedding reception was everything we could have hoped for and was as stress-free as possible. :)
The Paxton Ballroom staff, manager Chad, and the venue was simply amazing and elegant! Every detail was attended to and they went above and beyond our expectations! Chad is a pro--he knows what needs to be done and keeps everyone calm. The food by Abraham Catering was absolutely delicious! Everyone raved about the beef and the salmon--crazy they can serve that many people and not sacrifice on the quality!! It was a dream come true for Jess and Tom (and us)! Thank you thank you!! :))
Jacque Grabouski
Without hesitation, I recommend the Paxton Ballroom to any couples looking for a venue for their wedding reception. The venue is elegant and classic. The customer service was tremendous. Our reception was everything I could have hoped for and more.
My husband and I held our reception at the Paxton Ballroom in early October 2013. The General Manager, Chad, was incredible to work with. He provided helpful suggestions and direction but was flexible and open to our ideas. He met with us several times prior to the wedding. He made the process very easy and stress-free. At the reception, he greeted us as soon as we sat down, got us drinks and offered to bring us food - excellent customer service throughout the entire process!
The catering and bartending staff were very professional and competent. The catering staff kept tables clear, but I hardly noticed them working the room. They flawlessly prepared 200 guests for a champagne toast. They seamlessly transitioned the cake from the center of the room to be cut and served. The bartenders were fun and engaging, yet professional.
Our DJ was Jerome Kenkel of Complete Music, the company with which the Paxton has an exclusive contract. Jerome was so great! He met with us twice before the wedding. He truly listened to what we wanted, and he created the atmosphere we were hoping for by his music choices. He also played many of the songs we requested, and he handled guest requests very well.
The food at the Paxton was good (so I hear - I didn't get to eat much of it). We served heavy hors d'oeuvres at 7pm, including a roast beef carving station with buns. We had some concerns that there wouldn't be enough food, but this was not a problem at all. Everyone had plenty to eat. We also served late night pizzettes and burritos, which people really enjoyed.
There is nothing I didn't love about the Paxton. It was the most beautiful celebration we could have imagined. Thank you to Chad, Abraham Catering, Jerome Kenkel and all those with the Paxton who helped make the evening so special.
Beautiful place, couldn't ask for a better reception hall/ Make sure you make us of the projector to do simulcast, it makes the crowd go crazier lol. Chad is a sweetheart, patient and kind. He is a good guy!
We were absolutely thrilled to have our reception at the Paxton Ballroom. From our first meeting to the big day, Chad & all the staff were wonderful to work with. They made sure we got what we wanted & the prices were very reasonable. I would highly recommend checking it out! Hap Abrahams catering was divine, we got so many nice remarks about the food & the venue from our guests. It was so nice not having to worry about renting tables, chairs, linens, etc. Choosing the Paxton was definitely one of the best decisions we made while planning & the beauty of it set the tone for our reception!
What an amazing location!! We had our ceremony and reception at the Paxton and I would recommend this venue to anyone planning an event. The service was impeccable!! The food was AMAZING!! The location is gorgeous!! My guests loved it!! They seamlessly transitioned the room from ceremony to reception while my guests enjoyed cocktails, cheese, and fruit in the mezzanine area. Hap Abraham Catering operates the Paxton so you don't need to worry about finding a separate caterer or drink service. They are amazing at what they do from beginning to end. The cheese tray at cocktail hour was delightful. It is priced per person, however, we were encouraged to only order cheese for about 1/2 of our guest count since many people would be busy with cocktails and others would be taking family pictures. It ensured we did not have a lot of leftovers that went to waste. For dinner we had the roast beef, chicken veronique, thunderbird salad, roast potatoes, and green beans almondine. All were FANTASTIC!! The roast beef was truly amazing!! The chicken had a lovely creamy sauce with little grapes in it. The thunderbird salad is divine! We had the blue cheese on the side!! Several guests threatened to take the whole bowl of salad home. Even the potatoes and green beans were delicious. The drink service was prompt and incredibly friendly. The staff were ready with coffee after dinner and they cut and plated our cake after we did the official "cake cutting" pictures. They even boxed up the top tier so we could freeze it and they cleaned and wrapped our cake topper. Communicating with Chad was amazingly easy. He always responds promptly and is a tremendously nice guy!! Working with someone so organized makes planning very easy!! Chad orchestrates things like this everyday and his feedback was always spot-on (for example, I am so glad he suggested renting the stairs for the ceremony)!! You will not regret using this gem of a facility. I would not hesitate to recommend Hap Abraham catering or event facilities to anyone EVER. They were perfect!!
Chad, Ben, and the rest of the gang made sure everything was perfect for my reception at the Paxton Ballroom. The interior is beautiful and was just what I was looking for. I did not feel the need to rent other chairs, linens, etc. and just used what they had which was perfect. We chose to do an all inclusive special for everything that was $40 per person. The price included parking, use of all their items, a buffet, and unlimited beer and wine. We didn't really do any decorating either because the space is beautiful in itself which is the point to me! The food was not super special as they have an exclusive caterer so if you are a foodie then this may not work. However, people raved about the lemon herb chicken on our buffet and I heard no complaints nor do I have any about the food. Great deal for everything that was included in the package!
We were very pleased with our reception! Chad was amazing, he was so helpful and did whatever necessary to accommodate us. The room looked beautiful and the food was great- we received quite a few compliments on it.
we had a wonderful time at the Paxton. Excellent food/ beverage and place to hold a 250+ wedding recepetion. Thanks for EVERYTHING!
I recently had my wedding at The Paxton ballroom. We were looking for something classy but indoors. I love the art nouveau-style of the building. Chad and Hap Abraham catering - The Paxton's catering partner - were great! The food was delicious and Chad was truly so flexible and accommodating. We got married on the stage, and our wedding party of 9 plus us, a huppah, and our Rabbi fit on the stage easily. We had about 250 guests and the wedding and reception were both in the ballroom. Our cocktail hour was on the balcony outside of the ballroom and it worked well. I would absolutely recommend The Paxton and their staff.
The Paxton was the perfect venue for our ceremony and reception. Chad and the staff did an amazing job. The transition from ceremony to reception was done in a flash and the room was beautiful. The food was amazing and everyone was so very nice. Chad was very easy to work with and I would recommend The Paxton to anyone. What a great experience!
The Paxton Ballroom is stunning and the history of the building fit in well with the "old Hollywood glamor" theme we were going for. Chad, the event coordinator there did an amazing job and met with us several times so that he knew exactly what we wanted and made the day go very stressfree for us! Abrahams Catering is always amazing and the food was delicious!!
Chad (the manager) and the staff at the Paxton Ball room were great! Communication was quick and easy, they were able to pull off everything I wanted and the ballroom was beautiful! It was so beautiful that I didnt want to decorate it much! I just put centerpieces on the table but I didnt even have to do that! I would HIGHLY recommend this place to ANY bride!
It was absolutely beautiful and the staff made everything run smoothly the day of the wedding. It was a little expensive, but it was definitely worth it.
We loved our wedding at the Paxton. Chad was very nice and met with us whenever we had any questions about rentals, music etc. They were VERY accommodating and the ballroom is gorgeous.
The Paxton is such a beautiful and intimate setting for a wedding! The staff was very professional and articulate. Chad, the manager, took care of everything and was great to work with. He responded to all inquiries within a timely manner. I couldn't have asked for better people to work with and when I saw the ballroom setup for our reception I teared up - it was gorgeous and just what I wanted.
Having our reception at the PaxtonBallroom was the best decision I made during the planning process!! Chad is wonderful, and he made everything fun and easy. It was so nice to be able to relax and know that everything was going to be taken care of!! The food was fabulous and of course the ballroom itself is BEAUTIFUL!! We were going for a vintage feel at our wedding and the Paxton definitely fit that! I would choose the Paxton time and time again! It was absolutely perfect!
They were a pleasure to work with. Chad made everything so easy and we did not have one issue on the day of the wedding. I had my ceremony and reception there, so they had to flip the room during cocktail hour. Everything went seamless and the food was delish. I do not hesitate in recommending!
If you are a bride who values beautiful Art Deco decor, wants to spend your wedding day enjoying the moments instead of "last minute planning", is looking for an incredible wedding coordinator who has all the answers, needs a large stage for a live band, wants good food at a fair price, or just wants your wedding day to be perfection- you need to have your reception at the Paxton Ballroom. Timeless elegance, spacious accommodations, impecable service, and the answers to all your wedding day questions is what you will get. The Paxton Ballroom is Omaha's best kept secret, but you might want to book it now before everyone else catches on! Happy planning!
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1403 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE
The Paxton Ballroom
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