Q&A

Ruby's all-inclusive rental fee is $4,800 Monday through Friday and $5,800 on Saturdays, and weekday daytime events are $600 per hour (5-hour minimum). Cost has always seemed like a rather big question to us. So we put it on the home page of our website.

We also charge a single number for our venues. It includes everything we provide. At the risk of belaboring the point - there is only a single number that we charge at Ruby. We don't like line items and we don't like hidden costs. And we don't think that you should have to contact us to find out what the rental cost is. (We do charge a $500 application fee to vet and onboard a vendor who is not on our approved vendor list, but that is up to you.)

The rental fee, though only one number, is based upon day of the week and month of the year - somewhat like an airplane ticket. We do change the prices from time-to-time based upon availability. The contract rental fee is the fee currently in place on this website, not the fee in place when a client initially contacts us or comes on a tour. You can find our rates here.

What makes this a great question is that most venues have so many separate cost line items that they have to package them up in a proposal. That's a fun start to wedding planning. We don't like line items, so everything we provide is included. No proposal required. Hashtag JustOneNumber.

For those clients who haven't yet seen Ruby, we sometimes get this question: is Ruby only the building (as in the rental fee does it only include the building)?  As architect/ designers this causes us much heartache as we include so much more than found elsewhere. In fact, if we think all events need something building-related, we build it in to save couple time, expense, and undue vendor complications.

A sample of what we provide, beyond the comprehensive space itself, is BYO alcohol, front and rear courtyard tents, audio systems, production lighting, image projection, managers, host insurance, parking, ice, taxes, card fees, clean-up, and security. When you add it all up (and sit down when you do), these add-ons usually run far more at other venues than our rental fee.

Pull up a stool and we'll tell you the best part. We're a BYO alcohol venue, which for the younger set means you can bring it. You don't buy it from us. So no, we don't offer bar packages. Which is a good thing. Bringing your own alcohol has three tremendous advantages: 1) it saves vast sums of money, 2) it lets you choose your preferred brands (not what we buy for you), and 3) it is far easier (ask a venue for their bar menu if you haven't yet had the pleasure). And we're all about keeping things easy for our clients.

Some clients may dismiss the cost benefits BYO and say they are not big drinkers or won't serve alcohol. But, that's where non-BYO venues really sting with their drink price minimums.

All of the big liquor retailers deliver alcohol. They help you determine order quantities, and they usually accept bottles for return. Since you own the alcohol, you can always take home anything that's leftover.

Right, this is generally something we're rarely asked, but that's so shocking to us that we have to ask it on your behalf.

AUDIO is usually considered the most important thing by couples, and they are not necessarily wrong. It's definitely in the top three. Our audio system is built into the Hall and the acoustics in the Hall are fantastic. Bands and DJ use our audio system, and they're welcome to use our built-in 16-channel mixing board.

LIGHTING, at least to us, is the most important element for any event - more important than even the other two of the big three - audio and bar. Lighting determines the way the venue looks at night, both inside and out. For that reason, we take lighting very seriously. In the Hall, for instance, we wash the white plaster walls and wood ceiling in light colors selected by the client. Often we will change lighting settings throughout the event (for instance, between wedding ceremony, dinner and reception).

IMAGE PROJECTION, like lighting (well, it's actually lighting), is the projection of a couple logo/ monogram onto the white plaster wall of the Hall. Think of this like branding the main space. Very cool. Wait til you see it in person.

Since these systems are critical for all events, we build them in and merely make them configurable by our clients. This avoids the costly and complex process of hiring vendors to design and install these systems. Simple is better.

We believe that if we cannot offer a particular product or service better than everyone in Nashville, we're not going to require that a couple use us for that product or service.  Rather, we give couples the ability to procure those services from other, far better vendors. And trust us, we're not the best coordinators - or for that matter bartenders, photographers or DJs. And we don't think any venues do those other non-venue things well.

So, in addition to getting highly qualified vendors, you'll be able to select vendors at varying price points and service offerings. The free market at work.

Yes we do, with some exceptions. We strive to balance quality with freedom of choice, and the way we do that is with an approved vendor list. Think of this list as vendors who you can pick with confidence. They won't ruin your event. And you don't need our approval to pick them. They've been to our venues many times, are true professionals, and have insurance on file with us.

Any vendor not on this list will submit a vendor application. We'll verify that they are a true vendor and we will often have them come in for an orientation. We charge a fee for this onboarding. Approval of a vendor who is not on our list is not a given.

Some exceptions to our vendor process are as follows:

COORDINATOR/ PLANNER - You may use any professional, Nashville-based coordinator. We do provide a list of recommended coordinators. We require at least month-of coordination as we will collect a list of vendors, event timeline and floor plans at least 30 days prior to the event.

OFFICIANT/ MINISTER - Anyone may officiate or minister your wedding ceremony. That includes your grandfather.

We love the outdoors. We love it so much that we located Ruby in a city park and surrounded Ruby with courtyards and decks from which to enjoy it.

Everyone uses the courtyards for everything from cocktail hour, to cigar smoking, to bluegrass bands. And the park is great for even more wedding photos (and since no buildings are built there, we have an unobstructed view of the sky from the courtyards, as well as great privacy).

But the outdoors depicted in most venue's socials is a unicorn. Most days are either sunny or rainy and both are not ideal for wedding ceremonies or receptions - unless the venue's outdoor areas are paved and covered. Paving prevents heels from sinking into the dirt or mud and covering keeps the sun and rain away. Renting a tent and flooring last minute when the weather is known is an awful shock.

Ruby's courtyards are paved and mostly under two permanent tents, so they're usable and pleasant almost all of the time. In the winter, the tents are equipped with clear sidewalls and they may be heated.

Parking remains important, for both vendors and guests.

We provide a free parking lot next to Ruby so you'll have the parking that you need - without having to look at an ugly parking lot. Vendors, get away cars, and grandma can park immediately behind Ruby.

What did we forget to ask? We hear this quite a bit. Most couples are new to the wedding venue selection dance, and, well, they are a bit intimidated by it. So they use this as a catch all question.

Since this is such an open-ended question there's no telling how we'll answer it on any given day. We may talk about architecture and design, the importance of systems such as lighting for an event, or we may preach the perils of the venue industrial complex that couples will soon experience (you will know it by the lack of pricing on their websites).

We hope that you find comfort in knowing that everything you will want to know is already on this website. It's certainly rare in the venue world, but we respect your time and want to be immediately helpful. So the short answer is no, you should have everything you need regarding Ruby, but we'll also review everything on your tour.

When you sign up for a tour, you may very well be lucky enough to be on a group tour. Group tours tend to be fun (the more the merrier), and usually many questions are asked. Groups learn from the questions asked by others on the tour. Think of it like a steep but enjoyable learning curve. You'll leave fully understanding what is in front of you. Then again, you may end up on a private tour.

We think you should expect quite a bit on a tour of any wedding venue. At Ruby you'll have a supremely knowledgeable host and you'll leave having every question fully answered. There will be no waiting for follow up information. Come with the hard questions.

Clients who book their event at Ruby usually return several times with family, friends and vendors. The process to reserve what we call Site Visits is the same as for your original tour. You'll have your run of the space, but we'll be available to answer questions and test lighting and image projection.

Yes. We are connected to the inter-webs.

Yes. There are no steps into the building from the handicap parking area behind Ruby and there are no steps inside the building.

Ruby's Venue Managers are facility managers, or what we refer to as the pilots of the plane. Our managers control all physical aspects of the building from audio, video, lighting, and HVAC. They help bands/ DJ connect to our audio system and perform crucial sound checks, project your logo on our wall, set your desired lighting color and brightness, etc. They are onsite the entire day.  Here's an article for further reading.

Host insurance is your liability insurance for your event. It's separate from the insurance carried by Ruby and your vendors (which we verify separately). It's required by almost all venues.

We purchase a $1 mm liability policy, which includes liquor liability, for you. This means that the premium is built into your rental fee and you won't be shopping for insurance that you have to deliver to your venue. Since we purchase it, we know our clients have it. It makes everything simpler.

Yes. It protects against financial loss if your event needs to be postponed or canceled due to family illness, extreme weather, or other unexpected reasons. Since the investment in an event is high, we think this makes sense for all clients to purchase. Policies are readily available online or through most insurance agents.

Excellent question. 250 lbs, but there's more to the story.

Yes. You're welcome to bring your dog. After the ceremony they need to robotaxi home.

Yes. We love the next generation. Whether you invite them to your wedding is entirely up to you. We do have a city park with a playground surrounding us if one needs a release valve.

Yes. Dance floors protect our hardwood floors, nudge your guests to dance, and tell them where it is okay to dance. All very important when you think about it. Dance floors may not be laid prior to the wedding ceremony.

Outside yes.

Candles provide essential ambiance at every event. But, they do have to be in votives/ vases. Candles along a ceremony aisle must be pearled candles (flame candles that don't spill wax when your guests invariably knock them over).

Nope.

No. This is due to restrictions imposed by Davidson County, not by us. If a venue in Nashville tells you otherwise, red flag.

Couples often try to make their reception location work for a ceremony, and for good reason - it avoids duplicative costs of two separate locations, as well as transportation logistics.

But, ceremonies are very often held at Ruby because it makes sense on two levels. First, we have to say, the Hall is one of the most fitting and impressive places in Nashville to have a wedding ceremony. We don't think any compromises are involved. Second, and equally important, we run a very tight operation so that the transition from ceremony to reception is executed quickly and reliably. Your guests will be most appreciative.

Ceremonies take place in the Hall. There are several excellent ceremony layout options in the room, with the far wall and park-facing layouts the most popular.

After the ceremony, guests adjourn to the Treehouse Courtyard for drinks and appetizers. The wedding vendors will transition the Hall from ceremony to reception within an hour. After cocktail hour, guests re-enter the Hall, and the Hall and the Treehouse Courtyard become one large space for the reception.

You can find many wedding videos on our YouTube channel.

You can see them in the videos above or in Instagram and Pinterest posts.

1.5 years. 18 months. 548 days (excepting leap years).

Once you've selected Ruby, send us an email with your preferred date. We'll reply with a web link to a proposal (contract and online payment). Super fast, super easy.

Only informally, and only for a couple of days.

Ceremony rehearsals are held the morning of the wedding. It's fast, the room is already set, and the wedding party will remember what they just rehearsed. And the night before, you can spend more time socializing without the work part.

Although ceremonies make perfect sense at Ruby, there are some beautiful ceremony-only location in Nashville. If you decide to have only your reception here, you're most welcome to use the dressing room before the ceremony and all that that entails - breakfast, hair and makeup, and dressing.