How do I book my event at Hickory's Hall?
Once you have confirmed a date with us we will send you a contract that includes all of the pertinent information for your event. Your event is not finalized with us until we have received a signed contract and your deposit.

Is a Deposit Required to rent Hickory's Hall?
A $500.00 deposit is required for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday events. A $200.00 dollar deposit is required for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday events. This deposit will be subtracted from your final bill. This is a NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT.

When are my menu selections made?
Final menu selections are required two weeks prior to your event. We will be happy to substitute available menu items to create a special menu for you although additional charges are possible. Vegetarian and special dietary options are available, we do require and exact count of guest requiring special meals.

When is my final guest count due?
We ask for an estimated number of guests when you book your event. A rough final estimate is required two weeks prior to your event. A final guest count is required 48 hours in advance of your event. If notice of your final guest count is not received 48 hours prior to your event we will use your two week estimate number for food preparation, table setting, and billing purposes. Your 48 hour final guarantee number is the number you will be billed for unless the number of guests served exceeds your guarantee number. Number of guests served is determined by a plate count taken immediately after your last guest has passed through the buffet line.

What is the deadline for changing the details of my event?
The deadline to make any changes to your event including serve times and arrivals is two weeks prior to your event. We will set up a meeting with you to finalize all of the details for your event two to three weeks prior to your event.

Are there other charges assessed to my bill not listed in the information?
What are the tax and gratuity rates? Prices for food and beverage are per person and do not include tax and gratuity. A 7% Sales Tax and a 15% Gratuity will be assessed to your food and beverage bill. Due to fluctuating food and beverage costs we cannot guarantee prices for more that 90 days prior to your event. Building rental, entertainment fees, and equipment charges are subject to tax only.

How is payment for services to be made?   What forms of payment do you accept?
Payment is due on the day of your event unless other arrangements have been made. Separate checks are not available. We accept cash or checks. We also accept pre-approved purchase orders or vouchers. We do not accept Credit or Debit Cards. The final bill amount is determined by your 48 hour guarantee number or the number of guests served whichever is greater. Number of guests served is determined by a plate count taken immediately after your last guest has passed through the buffet line.

How are your buffets displayed?
We will provide table covers for the buffet table. We have white, sage, ilac, red, maroon / cranberry, navy blue, red and white checkered or hunter green table Linens to choose from. We provide modest table decorations to accent the buffet. Enhanced buffet display is available upon request although an additional charge does apply. We use decorative trays and bowls for cold foods and steam chaffing dishes for the hot foods.

How are your buffets served?
All buffets are self-serve. Your guests will serve themselves one time through. Once all of the guests have been served they are welcome to return for second helpings.

Can we bring in our own food or beverage to serve to our guests?
With the exception of a wedding cake and wedding mints we do not allow any outside food to be served at Hickory's Hall. It is illegal to bring any beverages into Hickory's Hall so outside beverages are not allowed at anytime.

Is Guest Table Service Provided?
Hickory's Hall will have staff available for guest table service. This includes clearing plates, filling water glasses, and other requested services.

How long will the food be served?
All buffets are limited to 1 ½ hours of service. Because of strict food safety regulations we cannot leave a buffet up any longer than 1 ½ hours. If you have questions about this policy we will be happy to put you in touch with our regulating authority. We do have food items that do not fall under this policy such as popcorn and snack mixes. We would be happy to make this available during the duration of your event.

What happens if we have more guests than we anticipated or we run out of food?
For groups of 75 or more we are prepared to serve an additional 10% or 20 people, whichever is less. We ask that you do not figure this amount into your calculations when you place your order. Please guarantee the actual number of guest you are expecting. If your guest count exceeds the amount of food available or your group exceeds the amount of food allotted to your event, you may request that additional food be brought in. A $50.00 charge plus the cost of the extra food with be added to your final bill.

Can we keep any leftover food from the buffet?
We will package any remaining food left on the buffet table for you to take with you after you event is over. Any food items not removed at the end of your event will be discarded. This includes any leftover cake or mints.

How can we decorate Hickory's Hall?   What kind of decorations do you allow?
You are more than welcome to decorate Hickory's Hall for your event however a few rules do apply. A member of Hickory's Hall Staff must be present during decoration. Most decorations are acceptable however Hickory's Hall has the right to limit decorations we feel are inappropriate, damaging to the building or unsafe. We are unable to hang items from the ceiling, palm trees, speakers, or lighting display. We would be happy to assist you with decorating ideas or show you examples of past events. All decorations must be removed at the end of your event.

When can I decorate at Hickory's Hall?
If there is not an event the day before your event and a monitor is available you are more than welcome to come in and decorate. This time needs to be finalized at your two week meeting. If there is an event the day before your event you can come in any time after 8:00 am on the day of your event. We allow a two and a half hour window for decorating the hall. If you feel you need more time or you exceed your time a $25.00 per hour fee will be charged for the monitor.

What if we leave our decorations or items behind?
Can we leave items behind to pick up later?
All items that your group brings in must be removed on the day of your event. If rental items are to be picked up from a rental company we will set up a time with you for pickup. If there is an event the day after yours all items including rental items must be removed at the end of your event. If decorative items or cakes etc. are left behind we will discard them. If all your decorations are left behind we will charge a $25.00 per hour clean up fee. If during cleaning we find personal items or valuables we will put them in our lost and found for a period of 30 days before discarding.

What if we have more guests invited that there is seating available?
We do have a number of tables available for use by your party however if your needs exceed the number we have available we will be happy to rent them for you. Seating for 350 people will be available. The rental fee will be charged to your final bill.

How many tables does Hickory's Hall have?
We have a number of tables available for use. Currently we have approximately 60 guest tables for seating that seat 4 and 6 guests each. We also have tables for head tables, presentation tables, cake tables, gift tables, and other uses. If your group requires more tables than we have available we will be happy to rent them for you. The cost of rental will be assessed to your final bill. We have 350 chairs available for seating.

What kind of schedule do I need to give you regarding my event?
In order to make your event a great success we ask that you let us know what kind of schedule you would like to have for your event. Scheduled items include: cake arrival, florist arrival, DJ arrival, guest arrival, cocktail hour, dinner hour, cake cutting, toasts, and dance times. This will help us to help your event run smoothly. We will go over all of this items in your finalizing meeting.

What if our event is running behind our schedule?
We understand that events can run behind and we are flexible. However we cannot guarantee the quality of the food items indefinitely. We prepare your food to be at its best at the time you schedule your meal.

How long is the building available on the day or our event?
If the building is available the day before your event you are welcome to come in and decorate. You will be given 2 ½ hours to decorate in. Additional time is $25.00 per hour with an minimum one hour charge. On the day of the event the building is yours for the day but we do require that you make an appointment to decorate as we are not in the building all of the time. Please let us know when you would like into the building and we will gladly be there to unlock the doors. The building is not available without a staff member present. The week before your event we will give you contact numbers to reach our staff on the day of your event. The building is available for rent until midnight on the day of your event. If extra time is required we can discuss your options when you book your event.

What are you policies regarding Alcohol Consumption?
The safety of you and your guests is our top priority. While we want you to have the best event possible we also want it to be safe and enjoyable. As such we do have several policies regarding alcohol. Many of our policies are based on the Iowa Liquor Laws and are not negotiable.

• No outside beverages may be brought into the Hall at any time. Please leave all coolers and drinks in your vehicle. If alcohol is brought into the building we will confiscate and discard it.
• Coolers are not allowed outside of the building or on the patio, coolers will also be confiscated and disposed of.
• We reserve the right to refuse service to an individual or an entire group if we feel they have had too much to drink. We reserve the right to shut down our bar at any point if problems arise with members of your group due to alcohol consumption.
• We do not tolerate underage drinking at any time. We will ID all guests at the bar, (including the wedding party). If they do not have an ID they will not be allowed to drink. If we find that a guest has been providing a minor with alcohol we will ask the minor and guest to leave the event.
• We do not allow any drinks on our dance floor during the dance portion of your event. We do this to protect our floors and to prevent slipping and tripping of your guests. We will ask guests that have drinks on the dance floor to set them down, or take the drink for them.
• We do not allow smoking in the building. We have a patio that is available for smoking. Drinks are allowed on the patio as long as they stay within the fence. Drinks are not allowed outside the front door.
• Last call for all alcohol purchases will be made 30 minutes prior to the end of your DJ time.
• We will not allow anyone we feel has had too much to drink to drive themselves home. We will gladly call and pay for a cab to take them safely home.

We encourage you to ask any additional questions you may have.