Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
College Park, MD 20742
(map) Phone: 301-405-9756
Reviews for Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
GUEST
We had the perfect wedding at the perfect location, could not have asked for a better support staff who were flexible, interactive throughout the time the location was booked. The day went perfectly without any hiccups. I would thoroughly recommend this venue and our vendor to anyone:-)
GUEST
This is the perfect venue! I searched for months for a venue that would provide ceremony and reception services. My husband and I met at Maryland and graduated from Maryland in 2005 and when my father suggested the Alumni Center, we visited and immediately fell in love with the venue. It is beautiful and even more so with the bells and whistles provided by the caterer, florist and lighting company on the big day! The staff at the Alumni center couldn't be more wonderful. There was actually a second staff member the day of my wedding and it was extremely comforting to know that they were willing to go above and beyond on our special day!! I would definitely recommend newly engaged couples, especially with ties to Maryland, to check our the Alumni Center. It is gorgeous and the staff is excellent!!
GUEST
Working with the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center made wedding planning easy! Angela was very responsive and flexible, even when I had to make last minute changes. She always answered all my questions and was very professional the day of. The space looked beautiful on the day of, and she was there to make sure everything and everyone was right where it was supposed to be. I would recommend the Alumni Center to anyone who wants to get married in a beautiful and spacious place that has an extremely helpful staff!
GUEST
GUEST
We first worked with Dakia & then with Angela. They made everything easy from every last detail!!! Our Reception was everything we wanted it to be!The Alumni Center is the perfect place for wedding receptions. All of our pictures were so elegant. I would recommend the Riggs Center to every bride!
GUEST
We had our wedding reception at the Samuel Riggs Alumni Center and it was PERFECT! From day 1, Angela was so helpful in answering questions (and immediately) about anything and everything! She let us see the space numerous times just so we could be sure it was "the one". Since no one had an event planned the day before our wedding she let us in early to do the set up which was really helpful. On the day of everything ran smoothly and she did everything she could to assist. The best part was we used the garden area for cocktail hour instead of the hall and people couldn't stop talking about it for days! It was beautiful and we had perfect weather for it. Everything turned out great and we couldn't be happier!
GUEST
The Riggs Alumni Center was a great venue for our wedding reception this past July! The staff is very professional and attentive and the venue is beautiful! Our guests were very impressed with the space and it was very convenient being located close to the beltway.
I would definitely recommend the Riggs Alumni Center to other brides!
GUEST
Perfect location/service with very reasonable price. I give them perfect 5 stars!
GUEST
The event staff here is GREAT!!!!!! We worked with Dakia Kelly Adams, she was always responsive, she took notes, and she knew her place. She asked all the right questions, she probed to see what we wanted. She didn't try to force her ideas on us, however, she did offer suggestions to make the day better. She answers all calls and emails very promptly. She kept a smile throughout the whole process. Even when we went back and forth on things she was there to make the transition smooth.....
THe event space was lovely, we got married in the garden which was beautiful. There was no need for decorations which also saved us money. THe garden decorated itself, and the staff at MD set it up butifully. It comfortably held 230 people. The reception area was marvelous. The walls are such that it will work with any color scheme. If you have lighting this is the perfect location.....We were pleased with everything. If we were to do it all again this would be the place, and we would work with Dakia Kelly Adams.
GUEST
We wanted to personally thank you for making our day special. We really appreciate that you were willing to help us out on a lot of things including working with our schedule for the rehearsal (although that was a game night) and being creative with the place card setting (which I mistakenly left at home). Although it was not expected of you to help with those issues, we are grateful that you were there to do so.
Also, my husband really enjoyed that you allowed the game to be on during the reception. So once again, thanks for making it possible. We truly value your service and everything you did for us
GUEST
We are so happy with how everything went, it was absolutely perfect! It was so special for us to be able to have both our ceremony and our reception on campus at our alma mater, where we first met. The venue is so gorgeous, it is such a beautiful backdrop for photos! We got so many compliments on how beautiful the Alumni Center was, especially from our fellow alumni (who hadn't seen it, as it was built after we graduated in 2004). Everyone was very impressed!
Dakia was extremely professional and pleasant to work with. She was very responsive and patient, both throughout the planning process and on the day of our wedding. It's great to have the person you've worked with all along be your day-of contact. Also, because Riggs uses required caterers, everything flows very smoothly because the caterer and the Riggs staff are familiar with each other and the venue. The event can get a little pricey, compared to other venues, because the Alumni Association is responsible for providing the alcohol, so I feel like we paid more than if we had the event somewhere else, but for us, the venue was so special that it did not matter to us. And, I would say that it is worth any premium you may pay at Riggs to have the entire building to yourself the day of your event - to not have other events sharing the bathroom, for example, or really ANY of the facilities (the beautiful rotunda, the gardens, etc.) made our event much more intimate and classy.
One lesson learned, if you are considering having your reception here - I would strongly recommend getting a lighting vendor. I didn't realize until too late in the planning process that we would have to get outside lighting vendors, and I did not like how bright the room remained during the dancing part of the evening - it was basically the same lighting that we had throughout dinner. But, that is a small issue to an otherwise perfect day!
I think that Riggs is unmatched for those that want to have their entire wedding on campus/in College Park (our ceremony was in Memorial Chapel on campus). I would certainly recommend the Alumni Center to anyone planning any event, especially a wedding!
GUEST
excellent facility and staff. Always available to answer our questions and flexible enough to work out th eplan and layout that would fit our needs.
GUEST
The Alumni Center was an amazing venue that all of our guests raved over. A large glassed atrium started the evening with cocktails, followed by a spacious room with a more than ample dance floor to celebrate the event. Our band was pleased with the space and stage provided and our caterer said the event coordinator was fantastic to work with and the facility made it a pleasure to cook and serve. We were always able to get in touch with our event coordinator and she had great ideas to supplement ours. They were extremely professional, hard working, pleasant, fun and engaging. We would book a future event here without hesitation.
GUEST
Excellent! Ms. Roberts did a wonderful job! Our hopes were to use the garden for our ceremony, but weather did not cooperate. Staff at Riggs would not let the day be any less special and took care of all our needs. Being a UMD Alum, I guess I should not expect anything less, but their commitment to service was second to none. The facility is absolutely gorgeous, AND affordable!
GUEST
My big day was none other than the storm of the decade 12/19/09 and the staff especially the coordinator working in concert with the caterer made my day extra special for my husband and I. We were blanketed with snow and very beautiful people celebrating our special day. The staff was tops for braving the weather and putting their special touches to the day. I would surely plan an event at this venue again. It was beautiful nestled in the snow..
GUEST
Jeff Sansouci (our coordinator) was extremely helpful and responsive to our ever-growing needs. At every turn, he was open-minded, detailed and energetic to meet our expectations. His staff performed beautifully on the day of and everything turned out great. The biggest success story was probably how smooth the dinner reception went considering the number of vendors we had going at the same time (e.g., one caterer to source food, one caterer to serve food, DJ, florist for centerpieces).
Riggs is certainly a beautiful venue that anyone would love to have their wedding reception in, but the manpower and leadership behind the venue makes it a lasting value.
GUEST
GUEST
My wedding was amazing! I appreciate all the emails and visits that we had. The staff was very helpful and friendly. I would do it again there.
GUEST
My husband and I graduated from UMD in 2008, and since UMD is where we met, we wanted to have our wedding there, complete with ceremony in Memorial Chapel on campus. We were assigned to work with Heather Gleason. At first, I was hesitant because she was a new event planner (she told us ours was her first wedding); she did make a few mistakes (telling us we could have certain things at the reception and then telling us later that it wasn't possible). However, after working with her, I am glad she handled our wedding. No matter how many times I emailed or called her to talk about the reception, she always answered all of my questions. She was always pleasant to work with and never showed a bad attitude (which I am grateful for since I definitely sent her a million emails about everything). One thing that I was happy about was her ability to guide us with the bar situation. We wanted to stay on budget, but didn't want to be tacky and have a cash bar or drink tickets. Heather was able to work with us to have an open bar, but tailored it to our needs (we had a Sunday wedding and knew folks weren't trying to get wasted like we did in our college days, LOL). With her help, we were able to stay exactly on budget.
As far as value goes, I felt like Riggs really nit picked on every detail. For example, there is a very large, ugly portrait of Mr. Riggs himself in the ballroom. No one wants to look at a huge portrait of a random guy in their wedding photos. When I inquired about covering it up, Heather told me there was a $150 fee to cover it up! $150?! That could have been $$ well spent on something nice for our wedding! In the end, the portrait was covered during the reception and I don't believe we were charged for it (thank God, or there would have been some yelling from my mother).
Another thing is that Riggs will NOT store anything for you. I am grateful that they ended up making an exception for me, but I'm sure it was an accident and I didn't even know they did until the day of my wedding. This was one of those details I didn't hear about until the Friday before my wedding when my event rental company tried to deliver the hurricane globes for my reception. I got a call right before my rehearsal dinner from the delivery man, spoke to Heather, found out the globes could not be stored there, and then frantically tried to contact my caterer to see if she could take the delivery. It made for a very frustrating hour and resulted in my only bridezilla moment with my maid of honor. In the end, it turned out that Riggs DID allow the hurricanes to be stored there (I only heard about this on the day of my wedding, when I was getting ready at the chapel; up until then, I had settled with the idea of not having the hurricanes if they were unable to be delivered).
A good thing to say for the value is the fact that if you book your wedding and/or reception there, your event is the ONLY event held there that day. This was very helpful since I was a little worried about random people who might do some wedding crashing. The only time I know of two weddings happening in the same day is when one of the event planners held her reception there in July after a daytime reception; the exception was made for her since she's an employee.
Other than the few wrinkly details, everything else was a breeze. Our wedding turned out beautifully, and I'd like to thank Heather and the rest of the staff at Riggs for their hard work.
GUEST
Jessica Roberts was the BEST thing that happened to my husband and I. She was all that a bride and groom could ask for. She was extremely flexiable, patient and professional.
I appreciate the outstanding effort she put into making our day EXTRA special.
GUEST
Samuel Riggs Alumni Center
Being an alum of the University and a staff member, we were able to get a good price on the hall rental. We also had access to rent out various rooms for the bridal party to change and for the tea ceremony in the Chaney Library. Working with the staffers there was simple, but it took some time to get back to us. Although they were not able to provide the bartender that we requested from the University, they did provide a good bartender. The room was set up before the caterers and coordinators arrived and according to the way I wanted tables/chairs placed.
We did not see the staffers there hovering around us, but when we needed them they were easy for my coordinators to find.
GUEST
The Riggs is truly a beautiful venue however there were a few instances that were a turn off:
1. Error in bill when 8 months prior to the event
2. The long time lapse awaiting the updated floor plan
3. The additional costs for everything as at times it felt that the "human" element was turned off and everything was an automated transaction even for minor requests
The Riggs Center is a great space for weddings, we've done dozens of weddings there since it opened and they've all been fabulous! The ballroom itself is great because there's so much you can do with it in terms of uplighting and decor - it's like a blank slate you can make into anything you'd like. We highly recommend it, and look forward to many more outstanding weddings there!
~ Evan Reitmeyer, MyDeejay
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your network. We look forward to building a beautiful relationship with you in the near future! JB Yong Photographer - www.SweetDreamsStudio.com
About Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
There are endless possibilities when you host your special day at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. Our dedicated staff is here to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. With an ideal location, free parking, top caterers to choose from and unique event space—the wedding you've always dreamed about is within your reach.
FAQ for Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
The room rental fee includes the use of tables, standard red conference chairs, set-up and general clean-up. The room rental fee is based on a four-hour event. This block of time is for the actual event. Caterers and vendors will be admitted to the venue space two hours prior to the event for setup. Clean-up must be completed within one hour after the event. The Event Manager must approve additional set-up/clean-up time.
When is the rental fee due?
Rooms will be reserved on a first-received basis with a signed contract and 50% deposit returned to the Event Manager. Room rental rates less than $500.00 are due in full. The remaining balance of the facility fee is due two weeks prior to the event. Room rental fees are subject to change; any price changes will not affect contracted clients.
What is your cancellation policy?
The room rental deposit is non-refundable. You must cancel your event at least 30 days in advance. If cancellations are made in less than 30 days, the client could incur the remaining room rental balance if the space is not re-rented. For reservations made less than 30 days in advance, the entire room rental charge is due and is non-refundable. *Note: The Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center follows the University of Maryland inclement weather procedures. If event is canceled due to inclement weather, we will make every effort to reschedule for another date.
What are my payment options?
All bills are prepared by and payable to the University of Maryland Alumni Association. Payments may be made by check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Maryland sales tax will be added to all applicable charges. Those organizations that are exempt from Maryland Sales Tax must provide a copy of their Maryland Tax Exemption Certificate to the Event Manager at the time the reservation is made. There will be a $30 service fee for any returned checks.
Do you require a security deposit?
No, but in addition to the rental fee, a valid credit card is required to be kept on file with the Event Manager for any damages that may occur. The client will be notified within two weeks of the conclusion of the event if any damages occur.
Are any discounts offered?
Discounted rates are offered to current University of Maryland faculty, staff, and students. Please speak with an Event Manager for more information.
Does this facility require event insurance?
Yes, please refer to #13 under the Rental Policies and Procedures at http://www.riggs.umd.edu/rental.html.
Are priority reservations granted for campus groups?
Priority reservations are only given for activities, programs and meetings that are directly related to the development and maintenance of alumni programs of the Alumni Association of the University of Maryland. The periods surrounding all home football games, Homecoming, the Holiday Season, Maryland Day, Reunion Weekend, Leadership Conference, Alumni College and Commencement will be blocked out for use by the Alumni Association and released to others after the Alumni Association’s schedule is completed. In general, these events are scheduled at least one year in advance.
What are your business hours? Should I schedule an appointment when I need to see an Event Manager?
The Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm. The building is closed on Saturdays and Sundays for private events. Appointments are recommended, so we request that clients contact their Event Manager to schedule accordingly. Additional appointment hours are available by request.
What additional equipment is available for use?
Chivari or other special chairs, audio/visual aids, lecterns, LCD players, dance floors, staging and tenting etc. are all available for use. Rental equipment may be arranged through the Event Manager. Charges will be billed directly to the client.
Do I have to use a caterer from your list?
To ensure the success of your event, the Alumni Association has pre-screened a wide range of excellent local caterers that offer a range of cuisines. Riggs Alumni Center clients must contract directly with one of these required caterers for their food, non-alcoholic beverage, linen and china/service ware rental needs. Please visit our Required Catering List at http://www.riggs.umd.edu/caterers.html .
What event planning services do you offer?
At no additional fee, the Riggs Alumni Center staff offer event planning services should you need assistance.
The Event Manager can arrange services and help you begin contact with preferred caterers and vendors.
What is your alcohol policy?
Our policy states that persons must be at least 21 years of age to possess or consume alcohol. Alcoholic beverages may not be sold or served to individuals who appear to be or are intoxicated. All alcoholic beverage services must be arranged through the Riggs Alumni Center. Please visit http://www.riggs.umd.edu/drinks.html to review our Alcohol Beverage Arrangement Options and Pricing. Bartenders should be contracted through your caterer. The Alumni Association assumes no responsibility for the improper and/or illegal consumption of alcoholic beverages during your rental at the Riggs Alumni Center.
Is there parking available for my guests?
During Summer 2009, paid parking is available for guests at the Union Lane parking garage located two blocks away from the Riggs Alumni Center (see staff for details). In addition, free surface parking is available in Lot 1 to guests Monday-Friday after 4:00 p.m. and on weekends, except during University of Maryland home football games. Go to www.umterps.com for sporting event schedules. Valet parking can be arranged, for a fee, for your event by an Event Manager.
Are there any restrictions for the facility use?
• The use of rice, confetti, birdseed or other similar related items including smoke, fog, colored water, and open burning candles are not allowed inside the center.
• Banners, signs, decorations, etc. may not be taped, glued or otherwise affixed to walls, floors, or columns and/or hung from light fixtures and ceilings. The Riggs Alumni Center can provide adequate directional signage for your event, at an additional cost.
• No Riggs Alumni Center property, fixtures or furnishings may be moved without specific approval of the Alumni Center staff.
• Food and/or non-alcoholic beverages must be provided by required caterers.
• The Riggs Alumni Center is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is permitted outdoors in designated areas only.
• Gambling of any kind is prohibited.
• No pets of any kind are allowed except those used by the disabled.
• Lost or misplaced items are not the responsibility of the Riggs Alumni Center.
Deals for Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
Events for Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
