Wedding Flowers at Chase Park Plaza

Designing for the Chase Park Plaza requires an understanding of architectural weight and historic grandeur. This is not a “blank canvas” venue; it is a storied Art Deco landmark that demands flowers with enough structural integrity and scale to stand up to its ornate plasterwork and soaring ceilings.

The Spaces

Khorassan Ballroom

The Khorassan is a feat of engineering with no pillars to break up the sightlines, meaning your floral design is visible from every corner of the room. The sheer volume of the space can swallow small arrangements, making scale your most important variable.

• What works: Tall, architectural centerpieces using branches, delphinium, or eremurus to bridge the gap between the table and the ceiling.
• Skip: Short, airy bud vases on their own; they will disappear in this 500-capacity room.
• Watch out: The ornate ceiling is a masterpiece, but rigging from it requires early coordination with the venue and professional installers.
• Budget hero move: Use a mix of high and low centerpieces. Place the tall arrangements on the tables closest to the entrance to create an immediate “wall” of flowers.

Starlight Ballroom

Located on the 11th floor, this space is defined by its windows. The light here is exceptional, but the view of Forest Park is the primary competitor for your guests’ attention.

• What works: Low, lush “sunken” gardens that run the length of long tables or compact, dense rounds that feel like an extension of the park outside.
• Skip: Massive pedestals that block the Arch or the park skyline during the golden hour.
• Watch out: The natural light shifts dramatically here; choose flower colors that hold their pigment in both bright afternoon sun and dim evening candlelight.
• Budget hero move: Focus your budget on a lush floral install for the head table, positioned against the windows to frame the couple.

Zodiac Room & Terrace

This space offers a transition from a sophisticated interior to a rooftop experience. The terrace is one of the most coveted spots in St. Louis for a ceremony.

• What works: Ground-level floral “nests” or heavy-based arches for the ceremony that can withstand the wind gusts common on the rooftop.
• Skip: Top-heavy arrangements on narrow stands; the wind at this elevation is unforgiving.
• Watch out: The indoor-outdoor flow means your flowers will be moving through different temperature zones.
• Budget hero move: Repurpose ceremony “nests” from the terrace to the base of the sweetheart table or the cake display inside the Zodiac Room.

Empire Room

The Empire Room is the venue’s jewel box, recently renovated to feel more intimate and contemporary while maintaining its historic soul.

• What works: Monochromatic, textural designs using high-end blooms like ranunculus, sweet pea, and garden roses.
• Skip: Oversized, sprawling installations that make the room feel cramped.
• Watch out: The wall molding is a feature in itself; don’t hide it behind massive floral backdrops.
• Budget hero move: A single, high-impact floral “moment” on the mantle or at the entrance.

What Works at Chase Park Plaza

• Verticality in Design: In the ballrooms, height is your friend. Whether through tall glass trumpets or elevated stands, lifting the flowers into the room’s mid-section creates a sense of luxury that matches the architecture.
• Classic Palettes: Creams, whites, and deep greens never fail here. The neutral walls and gold accents of the ballrooms provide a perfect stage for timeless, high-contrast color stories.
• Structured Hedges: Drawing inspiration from the formal Mediterranean pool area, use structured floral hedges or “living” aisles to guide guests through the grand transitional spaces like the lobby or hallways.
• Mirror Reflections: Many rooms at the Chase feature mirrored panels. Position your arrangements to take advantage of these reflections, effectively doubling the visual impact of your floral budget.
• Monobloom Groupings: To compete with the Art Deco detail, sometimes simplicity is more powerful. Large clusters of a single flower type (like all-hydrangea or all-rose) provide the visual “weight” needed in the larger ballrooms.

Budget Guide

The Chase Park Plaza is a venue where “less is more” only works if the “less” is exceptionally high quality and perfectly scaled to the room.

Tips

• Rigging Restrictions: Always confirm weight limits for the ornate plaster ceilings before dreaming of heavy hanging installations.
• Wind Resistance: The Zodiac Terrace is beautiful but breezy; ensure all outdoor structures are weighted with at least 50 lbs at the base.
• The Hallway Pivot: Use the grand mirrored hallways for your “reveal” or portraits, and place a few petite arrangements there to soften the transition for guests.
• Repurposing Logic: Moving flowers from the Zodiac Terrace to the Starlight Ballroom is a long walk; ensure your floral team has the manpower for a quick transition.
• Seasonality at the Pool: If using the pool area for cocktails, choose hardy tropicals or greenery that won’t wilt in the Missouri humidity.