# US regional English: the facility where wedding receptions are held **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634 "2012-08-25T20:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/1 "2012-08-25T20:35:51Z")
The title is the question: cities in the Rust Belt tend to have many large rental facilities that are popular sites for wedding receptions and banquets. The name for those facilities seems to vary from place to place. Cleveland: [party center](https://www.google.com/search?q=cleveland+%22party+center%22) Buffalo: [banquet hall](https://www.google.com/search?q=buffalo+ny+%22banquet+hall) Rochester: [party house](https://www.google.com/search?q=rochester+%22party+house%22) So, what are such places called around your neck of the woods? ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/2 "2012-08-25T21:04:12Z")
The Country Club. 😉 No really, I’ve always heard of it referred to whatever it is - the museum, the country club, the marina, the ranch, the Botanic Gardens, the B&B, the Hot Springs Resort, etc. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/3 "2012-08-25T21:19:04Z")
bowling alley. lots of dinner places or taverns have a banquet hall or dance hall. in older times a dance hall might be its own entity. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/4 "2012-08-25T21:34:35Z")
**Jane,** these are places with no function other than doing “functions.” They don’t berth boats, exhibit art, offer golf/tennis/bowling or public dance nights. They may not be as common everywhere. What they do offer is catered meals, and often subcontracted services like music or flowers. In downstate New York and New Jersey, they’re _catering halls,_ but in Connecticut, they’re _banquet halls_. The latter also autocompletes on Google for many locations between Miami and Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/5 "2012-08-25T21:36:28Z")
South: the church basement or fellowship hall. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/6 "2012-08-25T21:37:20Z")
I’ve spent most of my life in Chicago, and have only heard them called _banquet halls_. That’s not just what people call them verbally; it’s generally on the sign out front. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/7 "2012-08-25T21:41:19Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > South: the church basement or fellowship hall. Just another place that serves the function of what, in urban areas north and east, is a full time business. I used to lead a band in the New York area and worked in many such places. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/8 "2012-08-25T21:42:18Z")
What they call themselves in their advertisements is not necessarily the same as what their customers call them. I’m a Clevelander, and I’d be much more likely to refer to such a place as “the hall” than as “the party center”. Like, if I were just leaving a wedding, and I needed directions to get there, I’d ask “Does anyone know how to get to the hall?”. This is doubtless because, in my demographic, most places where wedding receptions get held _do_ call themselves a “hall”: The church hall, or the VFW hall, or the volunteer fire hall, or what have you. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/9 "2012-08-25T21:52:05Z")
If you’re a party planner, and a little stuck up (and you very likely are), it’s the “venue.” ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/10 "2012-08-25T21:59:22Z")
I would refer to this as a “reception hall” (DC/MD). ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/11 "2012-08-25T22:25:07Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > **Jane,** these are places with no function other than doing “functions.” They don’t berth boats, exhibit art, offer golf/tennis/bowling or public dance nights. They may not be as common everywhere. What they do offer is catered meals, and often subcontracted services like music or flowers. > > In downstate New York and New Jersey, they’re _catering halls,_ but in Connecticut, they’re _banquet halls_. The latter also autocompletes on Google for many locations between Miami and Chicago. Okay. I guess according to Google it’s “Denver reception venues”. I’ve heard of ‘hall’, but usually it really is just, “Where are you holding the reception?” or “What venue are you using”? or “We’ll be at the Broadmoor”, not “The reception hall is located at 1823 2st Street”. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/12 "2012-08-25T22:30:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What they call themselves in their advertisements is not necessarily the same as what their customers call them. I’m a Clevelander, and I’d be much more likely to refer to such a place as “the hall” than as “the party center”. Like, if I were just leaving a wedding, and I needed directions to get there, I’d ask “Does anyone know how to get to the hall?”. I’m from NYC and if I needed directions, I’d be looking for directions to the hall, too. But if I’m booking a place to hold a wedding reception, I’m looking for a catering hall. If I’m holding a baby shower, I’m looking for a VFW hall. People have showers at catering halls, and weddings at VFW halls, but a catering hall is very different from a VFW hall. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/13 "2012-08-25T23:07:18Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > . . . these are places with no function other than doing “functions.” They don’t berth boats, exhibit art, offer golf/tennis/bowling or public dance nights. They may not be as common everywhere. . . Well, in Los Angeles, at least, such places might be listed as “wedding reception venues,” but the location itself is usually attached to something that does in fact have another function, such as a hotel, restaurant, Such-and-Such Club, etc. So it’s not going to have a big sign in front that says, “banquet hall,” or whatever, although inside the location the particular room might be labeled that way. I know I’ve seen somewhere, at some point in my life, a facility or two that are simply labeled “banquet hall,” but those are so rare I can’t even remember where they were. So in general, if someone asks, “Where’s the reception going to be held?”, the answer will be, “At the Yacht Club,” or “At the Sportsman’s Lodge,” or something like that. For the most part, in California you’re not going to find in any community a location that’s generically referred to as “the party center,” or “the banquet hall,” with or without a proper name tied to it. Fraternal order halls sometimes serve this purpose, too, because most of their members have died anyway, and so they often rent the facilities out for receptions, quinceañeros, etc. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/14 "2012-08-25T23:30:54Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > Okay. I guess according to Google it’s “Denver reception venues”. I’ve heard of ‘hall’, but usually it really is just, “Where are you holding the reception?” or “What venue are you using”? or “We’ll be at the Broadmoor”, not “The reception hall is located at 1823 2st Street”. When I lived in Denver, Northeastern Italian-American style banquet halls were very rare. Hotels, country clubs, and so on served a similar function. Like Doug said, though, I’m wondering about the places that do just wedding receptions and similar affairs. A few links: > **[Home - Michael's](https://michaelswny.com/)** > > Celebrate Yesterday Today and Tomorrow with Us! Michael’s Event Center Weddings. Banquets. Events. Michael’s Event Center in Hamburg, NY Michael’s
 for special events celebrating yesterday, today and tomorrow! We welcome you to invite your friends,... > **[The Columns - Banquet Facilities & Wedding Venue in Buffalo, NY](https://thecolumnsbanquets.com/)** > > The Columns is a modern, dignified banquet and reception facility perfect for your next event. Based in Elma, we serve the Buffalo, NY region. Call today! [http://www.samuelsgrandemanor.com](http://www.samuelsgrandemanor.com) > **[éčżć…ćł¶ăźăƒăƒŁăƒƒăƒˆăƒŹăƒ‡ă‚ŁăŻæœȘç”Œéš“ă§ă‚‚ć•éĄŒç„Ąă„ă‹](https://www.gregorsgardengrove.com/)** > > éčżć…ćł¶ă§æ±‚äșșă‚’æŽąă—ăŠă„ă‚‹æ–čは、è‡Șćˆ†ăźç”Œéš“ă‚’æ°—ă«ă—ăŠă„ă‚‹äș‹ăŒă‚ă‚ŠăŸă™ă€‚éčżć…ćł¶ăźäŒšç€Ÿă«ă‚ˆăŁăŠăŻă€è·ć‹™ç”Œéš“ăŒæ±‚ă‚ă‚‰ă‚Œ ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/15 "2012-08-26T01:16:16Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > bowling alley. in my family, it’s the bar. But generally, just “the reception” - there’s not a specific name other than that or the place’s proper name. And I’m in Atlanta, fwiw. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/16 "2012-08-26T01:35:03Z")
Upper midwest - a dedicated reception/party facility is a **banquet hall**. “Party house” sounds like a rental property in a college town, usually occupied by a group of people not yet accustomed to the responsibilities of living on their own, including keeping noise to reasonable levels, not letting guests pee in the front yard, putting empty liquor bottles in the trash rather than throwing them in the street, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/17 "2012-08-26T01:48:24Z")
> [@booklover](#): > > I would refer to this as a “reception hall” (DC/MD). Yep ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/18 "2012-08-26T01:59:01Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Cleveland: [party center](https://www.google.com/search?q=cleveland+%22party+center%22) > Buffalo: [banquet hall](https://www.google.com/search?q=buffalo+ny+%22banquet+hall) > Rochester: [party house](https://www.google.com/search?q=rochester+%22party+house%22) While “party house” is the most common name in Rochester, “banquet hall” is used almost as frequently. Example: [http://burgundybasin.com/](http://burgundybasin.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/19 "2012-08-26T02:02:55Z")
So BH is obviously the national default term for the dedicated business. Whatever else you call it depends on where you’re from. [[QUOTE=dictionary.com](http://QUOTE=dictionary.com)] **banquet,** noun 1. a lavish meal; feast. 2. a ceremonious public dinner, especially one honoring a person, benefiting a charity, etc. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634/20 "2012-08-26T03:01:26Z")
If it’s only business seems to be a place for wedding receptions, holiday parties, class reunions and so on, folks around St. Louis will probably call it a banquet hall. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-regional-english-the-facility-where-wedding-receptions-are-held/632634.md?page=2)