Tell me a little bit about your venue!
Nestled in the heart of Oakland, and within close proximity to a number of premier hotels, Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum boasts the timeless elegance of renowned architect Henry Hornbostel with one of the larger ballrooms in the region that features an ornate high ceiling. Traditional elements of our classically beautiful yet neutral backdrop allow our clients to use the room as is for a simple and sophisticated aesthetic or as a blank canvas allowing more extravagant visions to flourish.
Our grand ballroom’s hardwood floor can accommodate up to 300 seated guests in a variety of setup combinations, depending on your food service style, and up to 22 at a head table onstage, with ample room for a dance floor. Should your guest count exceed our main level seating capacity, additional seating can be arranged in our balcony overlooking the ballroom, accessible via staircase.
While the foyer outside of the grand ballroom is a lovely included cocktail hour location, couples have the option to upgrade to either an airy outdoor experience on our front patio or amidst the museum’s first floor lobby and surrounding corridors allowing guests to take in a unique look at American history as told through military equipment, artifacts, and personal mementos of service members throughout the ages.
We offer the opportunity to host your wedding ceremony in a number of on-site locations if you are also hosting your reception on site. Whether you’re planning a Christian, Hindu, multicultural, interracial, Jewish, same-sex wedding or anything in between, we’re the perfect venue for celebrating the next chapter of your love story!
We are a 501(C)3 non-profit organization.
What makes your space unique?
The events team here at Soldiers & Sailors prides itself in its emphasis on client convenience throughout your wedding week, arguably one of the most stressful weeks of your life! On your wedding day, we include access to the rented spaces from as early as 8 a.m. to midnight for receptions ending at 11 p.m., which allows you and your vendors ample time to create your vision and perfect those final touches well before your guests arrive.
On-site storage of your personal items from as early as the Tuesday prior to the wedding until the Monday following your wedding eases so much pressure on our couples and their families day-of and it allows you to relax and enjoy your day. Further peace of mind is achieved with the presence of our in-house venue coordinator who is present prior to cocktail hour and stays to ensure everything is running smoothly through the opening of your dance floor.
What is your ideal client like?
It may sound cliché, but we genuinely enjoy working with all of our clients. There’s a special place in our hearts for those who really invite us into their vision and tap into our experience to make their day that much better. We love being part of your vision, hearing ideas that are unique to you, and helping you best achieve that goal in our space. You want a your greyhound dressed in a tux to be your ring bearer? You’re going to have a pierogi race in the ballroom and want to make sure there’s room for the runners? You want to ride into your grand entrance in a Power Wheels SUV? We’ll help you through it! We love couples who aim to have a fun evening surrounded by loved ones in an elegant space where they know they’re being taken care of.
