Prom season is upon us again and making your prom memorable and fun starts with picking the right venue. Several factors determine whether a prom is a smashing success or a discarded memory. Most importantly and first on the list of priorities is picking the proper venue. The venue should have enough room to support the size of your group and certainly "wow" the students. A venue with architechtural character and charm reduces the need to spend precious dollars on decor. Another consideration are the acoustics of the space. Outside of the venue, the entertainment (music and sound) is a critical determining factor in the overall success.

The Indiana Roof Ballroom has been providing wonderful prom memories to many Indianapolis area high schools for numerous years. The ambiance and decor of the "Roof" creates the perfect backdrop for the most magical prom experience. With little or no added decorations, the Indiana Roof Ballroom whisks you away into a starry night Spanish village. Under the twinkling stars and moon, the terra cotta rooftops, rod iron gates, lit windows and grapevine lined column arches transcend you into another time and place. The ballroom, originally designed for ballroom dancing and big band orchestras, has an accoustical sound unmatched by today's standards. The Indiana Roof Ballroom is the perfect venue to host a magical prom experience that will provide many treasured memories.           


 

Thursday, April 11, 2013 coach Chuck Pagano joined the long list of famous people to grace the stage of the Indiana Roof Ballroom to speak of his recent battle to overcome cancer. He spoke to a crowd of approximately 450 guest gathered to honor the Brady Achievement Award recipients. His message about becoming the Colt's head coach following a trying time and also of his own tribulations was both moving and inspirational.

``They refused to live in circumstances, they lived in vision,'' Pagano said, referring to his players. ``What got me out of this hospital besides all the love and support from this community and this team and this owner was watching them (the Colts) fight. It's amazing what you can do when you have the proper state of mind. We can, we will, we must, no matter what the odds, no matter what the circumstances, we will get the job done.''

``We're all faced with circumstances, we all have conditions, we can focus on those or we can live in vision. I talked about mindset up there,'' he said, referring to the introductory video. ``When I took this job, this organization was completely blown up. Now you realize there are only 32 of these jobs, and it's completely blown up and you're certainly not going to say no if they offer you the position. ... They gave us zero chance to do anything. `` A moving speech from a determined cancer survivor capped another great night. #

I was recently looking through articles and came across an excellent article that explained how to find the perfect wedding venue. After reading through the article I realized that The Indiana Roof Ballroom is the perfect wedding venue - and the reasons why are below!

The first was that the space have “A Roomy Fit” – That is easy, we can fit up to 800 guests, but our average wedding is 180 – 200 people; allowing ample space for a dance floor and so that guests do not have to be squished around tables just to fit.

Next they pointed out having “Eating, Drinking and Partying Areas” – We use the bar lobby and promenade area for the cocktail reception, and then switch to the ballroom for dinner and dancing.

The next two items were “Privacy” and “Lighting” – When it comes to privacy the article described having a space that does not allow general public to walk through; as we are rented out you don’t have to worry about any unwanted guests entering the space during your wedding. As for “Lighting” we have so many unique theatrical options that you can incorporate into your ceremony and reception that it will be plenty bright and one of a kind!

The next two go hand in hand, “A Great View” and “The Right Color” – Our space, while it does not look outside, has such a unique feel it does not really need any extra decorating. The architecture within the space, and the hand painted ceilings is enough décor and blends in with most wedding colors, which helps you stay within your budget – also an added bonus!

“Ample Outlets” and “Good Acoustics” also go hand in hand – These two are simple, the space when it was first built was built for dances, therefore, we are equipped with plenty of plug-ins for your band or D.J. – and the acoustics are great!

Lastly “Plenty of Parking” was listed in the article – We are attached to the Embassy Suites Parking garage, but being downtown there is also a TON of other parking options within one block of us!

We really strive to be one of the most accommodating wedding venues in Indianapolis, and the article really helps go through some of the important things to look at when choosing your wedding venue. To read the article, click the link below:

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/planning-a-wedding/articles/finding-a-wedding-reception-location.aspx

So many times when I am giving site tours of the Indiana Roof Ballroom I talk with brides and grooms or parents of the bride or groom about how they are having trouble cutting down their guest list. I also hear a lot about how they feel they should invite so and so, or feel bad not inviting children; however, one thing that is very important when planning your wedding is staying within budget and your biggest cost is how large your guest list is.

We work really hard with our brides and grooms to stay within their budget that they have set for themselves, but the easiest way to ensure you will stay within budget is to have a solid plan when inviting guests to your wedding. I always try to explain how the method I used when I got married, but sometimes it just does not seem to come out the right way.

I found www.theknot.com to be very helpful in planning my wedding, so I went back to that website to try to find the article I read about how to determine who does or does not get invited. The link below is to the article and it does an excellent overview of how to determine who should come and it also gives a couple rule on how to determine who gets cut from the original list.

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-guests/articles/how-to-make-your-wedding-guest-list.aspx?MsdVisit=1

My hope with this week’s blog is that it will help ease the process of inviting guests for our brides and grooms. To look at pictures of prior weddings we have had here check out our photo gallery or video gallery.

As many of you may know The Indiana Roof Ballroom has one of the most unique dance floors around. The Roof was first opened in 1927 after the completion of the 8,700 square foot circular dance floor.

Our dance floor was created with one-inch strips that were soaked so that they could follow the curves of the floor. One of the most unique aspects of having a wedding with us at The Roof is that you get to dance on the same floor as Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and many more.

We also have a series called the Big Band Dance Series that allows dance companies and ballroom dancers the opportunity to use our unique floor for a fun evening filled with dance. We often encourage our brides and grooms to practice their first dance at one of our Big Band Dances before their wedding day arrives.

One of the dance groups that we have seen for many years are the Indy Dancers. The Indy Dancers formed their club in 1983 originally as a disco club, however, throughout the years they eventually added in ballroom, Latin and swing dances. In 2002 Indy Dancers became incorporated and was established as a non-profit. Their motto is "We dance just for the fun of it." 

Here at the Indiana Roof Ballroom the Indy Dancers come to our Big Band Dance Series, but they also schedule events with us privately. This year they are celebrating their 30^th Anniversary Dance with us, and we are thrilled to have them back. Indy Dancers considers their dances parties, because they love having a fun time dancing. They meet every Tuesday and the first and third Saturday of every month at various locations around Indianapolis.

We are so appreciative of groups like the Indy Dancers who come to enjoy our unique ballroom floor. In the words of Lawrence Welk, the Indiana Roof Ballroom has “the most comfortable dancing surface in the world;” what better place to have your first dance as a husband and wife!