A 1922 church in Kansas City, and the couple who restored it
When was Melrose Abbey built?
Melrose Abbey was built in 1922 by Swedish immigrants, as a Gothic church in what is now midtown Kansas City, Missouri. Its stained glass, 35-foot suspended domed ceiling and 12-foot chandelier are all original. In 2024, after a full restoration, it reopened as a wedding and event venue.
Is this the Melrose Abbey in Scotland?
No. There is a famous Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders — a 12th-century Cistercian ruin, genuinely spectacular, and not available for your wedding. We named this building in tribute to it. Ours is Melrose Abbey Kansas City: a working venue in Missouri, built in 1922, with heating that works and a roof that is entirely present. The name is also a play on Abby's — Melrose Abbey, run by an actual Abby. Yes, we have heard the joke. We made the joke.
Can we have a real church wedding here?
Yes. Some couples come to us because they have always pictured a church wedding. Others come with a church of their own and choose this one anyway, once they have stood under the dome and seen what the light does through the 1922 glass. This is a real church, and a full traditional ceremony is entirely at home here. Bring your own clergy — your pastor, priest, deacon, or the officiant your family has always used. Unity candles, communion, processionals, and every custom you grew up with belong in this room. We are a wedding venue rather than a congregation, so there is no membership requirement and no waiting list, and every couple is welcome. Your faith and your traditions lead the day; we simply hand you the building.
Can the wedding party stay overnight?
Yes, and almost no other Kansas City venue can say it. Melrose Hotel occupies the suites inside this building and sleeps 24. The wedding party gets ready upstairs in the morning, the ceremony and reception happen downstairs, and at the end of the night everyone climbs the stairs instead of finding a car.
How much does a wedding at Melrose Abbey cost?
The full venue is $8,500 on Saturdays, $7,500 on Fridays and Sundays, and $5,000 Monday through Thursday. Every rental is 14 hours, 9am to 11pm, with one event per day and both event floors included. Bar packages and hotel suites are priced separately; catering, photography, florals, music and planning are not included.
How many guests does Melrose Abbey hold?
Up to 200 guests seated for the ceremony, with the reception on a separate floor of the same building. Both floors are included in every rental, and there is only one event per day, so the whole building is yours.
Is the ceremony indoors?
Yes, entirely. Every ceremony happens beneath the original stained glass, which means there is no rain plan to arrange and no tent to rent. If an outdoor ceremony under open sky is essential to you, this is not the right building — and we would rather say so before you drive over.
Does Melrose Abbey host events other than weddings?
Yes. Corporate and non-profit holiday parties, fundraisers and galas, quinceañeras and sweet sixteens, engagement and cultural celebrations, and photo and film shoots. These most often take place Monday through Thursday, when the full building is available for $5,000 — the same 14 hours and the same two floors as a weekend wedding date.
Where is Melrose Abbey?
3931 Washington Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 — midtown Kansas City, minutes from downtown, the Country Club Plaza, and the Crossroads Arts District. Guests most often stay downtown or on the Plaza, and the wedding party stays here.