Discover endless possibilities for your wedding day at Pinter’s Event Center! The venue just outside of Decorah, Iowa, is fully customizable to suit your unique tastes.
The Pinter family’s journey began in 1998 with a landscaping business, expanding to include a garden center, bakery, pumpkin patch, children’s playground, and apple orchards. In 2020, they added the event center. Owner Elisa Pinter shared that customer demand for a wedding venue led them to build the event space.
The premier wedding venue in northeast Iowa boasts a generous banquet facility that accommodates 460 guests. This expansive building encompasses a caterer-friendly preparation room with a refrigerator, a full bar (alcohol extra), and spacious restrooms. With garage doors opening onto a paved patio, guests can seamlessly transition to a rustic 100-year-old barn.
Co-owner and husband Shane Pinter discovered the barn in Charles City, Iowa, and dismantled it. He then reconstructed the barn at the Center, complete with a striking limestone foundation. The barn is designed to accommodate 136 guests, and while the main floor lacks heating and air conditioning, its layout promotes natural airflow. The loft is a generously sized, air-conditioned, and heated dressing room for the bride and her attendants, featuring a bathroom, abundant natural lighting, and plenty of seating.
Situated in front of the barn is a natural stone amphitheater, providing seating for 200 people and offering breathtaking views of expansive Iowa farmland. The barn and amphitheater are ideal settings for on-site wedding ceremonies, requiring minimal decorations to enhance their inherent charm.
The backdrop for your wedding photos will change depending on the time of year you choose for your ceremony. In April and May, the apple trees bloom with delicate flowers. May showcases a full bloom in the greenhouse. June, July, and August offer lush greenery and blossoms all around. Come September, the apple trees are adorned with vibrant red apples.
Ample parking, accessible parking spots, a pergola, fountains, and a koi pond enhance the overall experience.
The center is available for Saturday weddings from January to September and November to December. A few dates are still open in 2024, and they are already starting to book weddings in 2025. Winter weddings are popular, and they have even hosted a New Year’s wedding.
The rental fee for the banquet facilities, barn and amphitheater is $7,500 for Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and an additional $1,000 for Sunday if needed to clean up. If your wedding is taking place off-site, the rental fee for the indoor event is $5,000, which includes the bar, catering preparation kitchen, and playground area.
Couples are provided with a list of vendors familiar with the layout at the center. Food vendors must be licensed caters. Elisa shared that one wedding featured a food truck.
Elisa will be on-site throughout your event, assisting the bride as needed. One month before the wedding, Elisa will schedule a meeting with the bride to review the setup and finalize all the details. The staff ensures that the tables and chairs are arranged before your arrival and they tear them down after the event. Despite challenges like a power outage during one wedding or a rainstorm during another, the Pinter team ensures seamless experiences.
Elisa embarked on her journey in the hospitality industry by baking and decorating cakes in her home. Over time, her business grew, and now the garden center is home to a bakery that features delectable and beautifully decorated cakes and cupcakes and a variety of tasty fudge. Additionally, they offer a diverse range of vibrantly flavored popcorn. Don’t hesitate to request a complimentary tasting!
The venue has become a destination, attracting couples from various locations throughout Minnesota and Iowa. Brides and grooms love Decorah!
The center hosts an annual bridal show, allowing brides to tour the venue and connect with experienced vendors. This year’s show is on Saturday, March 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center. Brides can register online at www.eventbrite.com starting at the end of the month.
Schedule a site tour with Elisa online at www.pinterseventcenter.com or by calling (563) 382-0010. Follow Pinter’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pinterseventcent and Instagram at www.instagram.com/pintersindecorah/ for updates and photos. Located just minutes west of Decorah, Iowa, at 2475 State Hwy. 9, Pinter’s Event Center promises a five-star wedding experience.
