The Perfect Setting for a Beautiful Wedding
Distinguished by its romantic setting on the banks of the Mississippi River, The Merrill Hotel stands apart as a wedding destination. The elegance, grandeur, and history are not only felt the moment you enter our hotel lobby, but also as you walk the banks of the majestic river flowing just steps away from our front door. If you’re looking for a stunning natural backdrop for your wedding ceremony, you can’t go wrong with sunsets on the Mississippi River. It will instantly make any wedding venue feel romantic, and you’ll have wow-worthy photos to enjoy for the rest of your life.
Every bride and groom dreams of a magical Muscatine wedding. The Merrill Hotel, the #1 Hotel in Iowa and TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice #20 Hotel in the USA, is the answer to that dream, and within an hour to Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City.
Wedding Gallery Request InformationYour Happily Ever After Begins in Muscatine
When planning your big day, every detail is important, and The Merrill Hotel wedding specialists will not only help guide you through the process, but also assist in coordinating your plans at the hotel. Whether your wedding is formal, informal, themed, indoors, or out, our staff will be prepared to help with every logistical detail, from catering, seating arrangements, and high-tech sound systems to unique downtime and guest activities. During preparation and on the big day, The Merrill Hotel staff will be close at hand to support you and ensure every detail is customized to your desires. Our goal is to help you take the guesswork out of the process, making the execution of your big day as seamless and smooth as possible.
Wedding Reception Options Include:
- Wedding Reception Set Up & Tear Down
- Tables, Chairs, Hotel’s China, Glassware & Cutlery
- White Linens and White Napkins
- Wooden Parquet Dance Floor
- Traditional or Family Style Head Table
- Elegant Mirror Centerpieces
- Votive Candles with Tea Lights
- Cake Table / Gift Table
- Wedding Cake Cutting & Service
- Reduced Guest Room Pricing
- Complimentary Honeymoon Guest Room (night of reception)
- Complimentary Gift Opening Room the day after your wedding
- Guest Coat Check
- On-site Valet Service
- AV Equipment with Onsite AV Technician
The most memorable day of your life is designed with a thousand details. At The Merrill Hotel, we pride ourselves in offering a creative choice when it comes to function space. Whether you envision an intimate gathering for 50 or a lavish celebration for 250, there’s venue space that is perfect for you.
Grand Ballroom – 4719 sq. ft. with Outdoor Terrace of 1250 sq. ft. with River View
Book your wedding in the spectacular Grand Ballroom featuring unparalleled views of the Mississippi River. With floor-to-ceiling windows, alongside an outside terrace, your guests will be taken by the serenity of the rolling river. This highly desired room, with its elegant lighting and rich beautiful colors, offers spaciousness and grandeur with a fifteen foot ceiling. The Grand Ballroom can accommodate a private ceremony for 100 – 500 guests or an exclusive dinner reception for 450 guests.
Clark Room – 2000 sq. ft. with River and City Views
The Clark Room mirrors the Grand Ballroom with ambiance and design. With its large windows facing East, your guests can enjoy both a river view and Muscatine’s quaint downtown. The Clark Room's intimate setting accommodates a private ceremony for 50 – 200 guests or a private dinner reception for 150 guests.
Clemens Room – 2000 sq. ft. with River and City View
The Clemens Room is an exact replica of the Clark Room with large windows, ambiance, and design. Boasting river views and downtown views from the West, this room is a quaint option for your dream wedding. The Clemens Room can accommodate a private ceremony for 50 – 200 guests or a private dinner reception for 150 guests.
One of the most important elements that contribute to the success of a wedding is the food! No matter how beautiful the venue or how great the DJ, people will always remember the food . For your perfect day, know that The Merrill Hotel’s Executive Chef Tessa Crookshanks understands the importance of customizing the perfect menu — one that is equal parts unique, delectable, and universally appealing. With fresh sustainable options sourced from local growers, every course will live up to your highest standards. Choose from a wide array of wine, beer, and craft cocktails to complement your cuisine of choice. Whatever your culinary wedding wish is, The Merrill Hotel is the wedding venue that can deliver it.
Where your wedding guests relax and lay their heads is of course critically important to the overall wedding experience. At The Merrill Hotel, rest assured you and your guests will find our 122 guestrooms — including two Presidential Suites and 14 Junior Suites — spacious, comfortable, and relaxing. We trust each guest will find all the comforts they desire from complimentary Wi-Fi and Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities to a large work desk, refrigerator, and coffeemaker right in their room.
Host your wedding at The Merrill Hotel and enjoy special group rates for wedding party members and guests with a block of 10 or more rooms.
You and your guests will find all the amenities you’ll need as you enjoy your stay at our AAA Four-Diamond hotel. The Merrill Hotel offers:
- Free Parking
- Valet Service
- Room Service
- Lobby Lounge
- Large Fitness Center
- Indoor Heated Saltwater Swimming Pool
- Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services
You’ll understand why The Merrill Hotel has been named The Best Iowa Hotel by U.S. News and World Reports for two consecutive years as well as TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice #20 Hotel in the USA.
A wedding on the banks of the Mississippi River can be truly magical. The beautiful outdoor setting and fresh river air create an atmosphere that’s perfect for weddings indoors or out. The Merrill Hotel abounds with lovely settings where you, your family and your guests can share the enchantment of the event in surroundings of unsurpassed beauty.
Don't miss a beat with the help of our Wedding Planning Checklist! We'll guide you through the entire process.
Wedding Special Offers
Picture a gorgeous Mark Twain sunset as the backdrop for your wedding in our Grand Ballroom at The Merrill Hotel. As rare as a pearl found in a Mississippi River clam, The Merrill Hotel immerses guests in a genuinely unique Iowan experience. Book your wedding with us to take advantage of the following special wedding offer.
Book your wedding at The Merrill Hotel and receive the following:
- Complimentary suite the night of the wedding
- Complimentary rehearsal dinner space rental upon availability
- Discounted room rate for standard guest rooms
- Complimentary room upgrade for both parents
- Complimentary dressing room
- Champagne toast during the reception
- Complimentary Riverview Junior Suite for one night on 1st Anniversary
- Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points to redeem towards hotel nights, food, travel, & shopping
Photograph compliments of TKM Productions
Wedding Testimonials
Don't take our word for it!
Scroll to see what The Merrill wedding experience is like in our guests' own words. It is our honor to help each couple have the perfect best day of their lives.
A Hidden Gem
My husband and I stumbled upon this hotel in 2021 when we were looking for a wedding venue and I can honestly say that this hotel is such a hidden gem! It has a beautiful modern feel to it and we quickly fell in love with the venue! Working with Dana and Gretchen to make our dream wedding come true was an absolute pleasure. They were always quick to respond to any questions I had and were very accommodating when it came to some of the ideas and details I wanted to incorporate into our day. One of my biggest fears when it comes to wedding food was that it wasn't going to be warm enough when served but they Chef and staff did an amazing job getting the food out quickly! All of the guests were RAVING about how delicious the food was and it truly was! The ballroom overlooking the river is gorgeous and is big enough to hold a good amount of people. We also had our ceremony in one of the side conference rooms and guests loved that everything was all in the same location, but separate rooms so they could enjoy cocktail hour without having to worry about getting the space set for the reception. I cannot recommend this spot enough to other brides looking for a venue and is really pretty affordable for what you get and the experience The Merrill Hotel provides.
- Abby & Mitch, married October 2022
We Had The Wedding of Our Dreams at The Merrill Hotel
When my husband and I were deciding between hosting our wedding in Chicago versus Muscatine, The Merrill was an easy decision with their high end space and accommodations, hospitable staff, and accessible managers. We felt very well treated and their flexibility was above and beyond. We deeply appreciate their attention and focus in making sure our wedding was a success and that our guests felt at home. - Shikha and Tyler Cooney, married July 2022
A Rare Gem
The Merrill is an exceptional hotel designed for hosting special events. The location is stunning and the place is run by staff which is 100% committed to make each occasion a life-time experience. My daughters' wedding was memorable from start to finish, with rave reviews by all guests! Thank you MERRILL! - Mr. Gupta, daughter married July 2022
Recommendation
We had our wedding and reception here. It was amazing!! The staff was very helpful in planning the event. The food was delicious, the hard part was deciding what we liked better to have for our wedding dinner. The balcony off the ballroom was a big hit with all of our guests and provided more room for them during our reception. - Kali, married January 2021
Best hotel stay we have had in the last 38 years
My son was married Saturday, May 15 and it was great! The ballroom, food and drink - thanks to Dave the F&B manager, wedding coordinator, and Jeff who served us food and drink at the reception, and thank you to the chef who did an excellent job with the reception food, and every great meal we ate in the restaurant. My son's Chairman's Suite was like something out of a Hollywood movie! We are beyond pleased. And in our room #226 the bed was so comfortable that we checked your website trying to purchase one for our home. From the front desk to housekeeping every request was met with "no problem we will take care of it." After the wedding our granddaughter wanted to stay in our room and Carolyn in housekeeping brought in a roll-away bed for her at no charge. Over the four day stay at The Merrill we were treated like VIPs and we appreciate it. Thank you all. - Michael and Madelyn, son married May 15, 2021
Our Wedding
We LOVED our wedding at the Merrill. Lisa, Justin and all the staff were all so helpful and polite. If I needed anything they were right there and they took care of every detail. The food was fabulous and the drinks were great! The venue was perfect and our guests had a blast. I would recommend this hotel and wedding venue to everyone. - Lisa, married October 10, 2020
Wedding Reception
My wife and I decided to have our wedding reception at the Merrill and it was fantastic! Lisa from the Merrill was our wedding coordinator and she was great to work with! Due to the pandemic we had to move our date and jumble rooms along with other details. Lisa was so helpful all the way through the process! The Merrill facility is top notch! Everything from the food to the service and accommodations was class act. We had the Chairman's Suite, which was spacious and well furnished with great views. Justin was the event coordinator. He went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed, even when it was very unique to our event. He met with us several times to make sure things straightened out! We highly recommend this facility for anyone looking for a wedding. - Brad, married September 2020
The Wedding Venue Was PERFECT!
The food was amazing, the staff was terrific, the setting was priceless, and the evening was magical! It was a fairy tale weekend and The Merrill is top notch. Lisa, our main contact and planner, was so awesome to work with. She was so nice, friendly, helpful and responsive. Class act! I truly can't say enough about The Merrill. The rooms were beautiful and so clean. I LOVED this venue and would highly recommend it to everyone. - Angela, married July 25, 2020
Professional and Beautiful
My husband and I and our daughter Anna (actually everyone from wedding planners to Florist to both sides of our families) were so impressed by everyone (Lisa and her staff). Muscatine is so lucky to have such a beautiful place to hold receptions and to be able to work with such professional people like Lisa and her staff. Hats off to Chef Tess also! - Sharon, married June 8, 2019
Exquisite!
My husband and I couldn't be more thankful/happier with our perfect WEDDING DAY here! We were lucky enough to have our wedding and reception at The Merrill Hotel in their ballroom on the 6th floor of the hotel. Everything from the very beginning of planning process to the last minute of our day was perfect! Lisa, our wedding coordinator, was wonderful to work with! Justin, our ballroom coordinator, was always catering to our every need! The staff in the whole hotel was WONDERFUL! Words can not thank ALL of you enough for working so hard! I highly recommend this hotel for your next event or hotel stay!! THANK YOU!! We will be back for our 1st Anniversary!! - Shontel, married February 10, 2020
Beautiful Venue
"We had our wedding reception at this beautiful hotel with all wedding guest being from out of town. It was the perfect venue that was able to provide us with a beautiful ballroom, amazing hotel rooms, and a great location in downtown Muscatine along the river. The view is breathtaking and our guests are still talking about our wedding at the Merrill. We had the perfect day celebrating with all our family and friends at this amazing venue. Special thanks to Leanna who helped plan our wedding reception and put in lots of time to make sure our day was incredible!" - Hilary, married April 6, 2019
An Amazing Experience
"Working with the Merrill was such a great experience! From the first time we met I felt like I was working with a friend. They were attentive to my needs & had a great eye for detail. On the day of our reception the banquet staff blew it out if the water! The banquet hall was stunning & service was wonderful. Our guests raved about the food served & loved the amenities offered with staying at the hotel as well. I highly recommend the Merrill Hotel!" - Gina, married on October 6, 2018
Everything Was Great!
"Everything was great! The venue, the staff and everything!!!!" Jenna, married on September 8, 2018