Plan Your Wedding | Rhatigan Student Center | Wichita State University

At the Rhatigan Student Center, our vision is to create a unique and convenient experience for all. We value creativity and celebrate all love, cultures, and traditions. By offering all-inclusive packages and customization options, we can curate your event to be memorable from your first visit to the last dance.

To ensure a smooth process on your wedding day, an event coordinator is required for all events taking place at the Rhatigan Student Center. Planning a wedding can take time and effort, so our event coordinators provided a venue reservation timeline below to help get you started. This timeline is not a one-size-fits-all approach as customs and traditions play an important role in the planning process as well. You can use this to however it works best for you.

Wedding Venue Timeline

AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OUT

Getting started can be overwhelming, but don't worry. Here's everything you need to do at least six months out (or greater) before your wedding.

Make a Wedding Checklist

First things first, get all your ducks in a row. When planning a wedding in only six months, you will need to make a wedding checklist that you can edit and refer to throughout the planning process. This will make your life a thousand times easier and keep you on track. This will help our Event Services out when it comes to the venue reservations.

Figure out your Budget

Before you start shopping for anything, it is important to know how much money you are working with. This will determine exactly how much you can allocate to anything you buy or book. Do not make the mistake of not budgeting ahead of time and running into roadblocks down the line.

Plan your Guest List

You may not have the exact names early on, but you should get a rough estimate of how many people will be coming to your wedding. Do not skip this step, only to find out that your favorite venue, like the Rhatigan Student Center's Beggs Ballroom, is too small for your guest list! Plan ahead!

Find a Venue

When it comes to finding a venue, it is important to start early. Most couples book their wedding venues an entire year in advance. So we encourage you to contact us, schedule a tour, and visit the facility when you have a chance!

Meet with your Event Coordinator

Once you visit the facility, meet with your designated event coordinator to go through preliminary details, such as rental space guidelines, catering options, and other logistics. This will help you determine what you need to complete for the reservation process.

Pick a Date and Reserve the Space

It's impossible to plan much without knowing your wedding date. When you meet with our event coordinators, check with them the venue's availability, and make sure to check in with your close friends and family about dates. Once you have settled on a date, lock it in with us! We have various wedding packages that you can choose from or even build your own! Click here to learn more!

Pay your Deposit

You will need to pay the $250 deposit at the time of reserving the Rhatigan Student Center.

Choose your Food Service Provider

Chartwells is the premier dining services partner at Wichita State University; however, we offer flexible catering options from a list of approved caterers. If the preferred caterer that you are seeking is not on our list, then we encourage you to request them to apply to become an approved caterer by filling out the Approved Caterer Application form.

Select your Menu

Meet with your caterer to sample your wedding cuisine options. Treat your tastings like a date with your future spouse and enjoy yourselves! For food lovers, this can be one of the most fun parts of wedding planning.

Other Details

While we help you focus on your venue planning timeline, we also want to remind you of planning your wedding party, attire, engagement shoots, photographers, musicians, gift registries, invitations, honeymoon, and other aspects of your wedding process.

TWO MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Purchase Liability Insurance

Purchasing liability insurance for your big day will make sure you can enjoy your day without worry. Most wedding and event liability insurance can cover costs resulting from three main situations: (1) if a guest of the event is injured or damages the venue's property; (2) if you need to postpone your wedding; and (3) if your own property gets damaged at the event.

Purchase Food

If you are satisfied with your menu selection from your preferred caterer, then it is time to confirm details and purchase your food.

Complete Alcohol Request Form

Planning to provide alcoholic or malt beverages at your wedding ceremony? Then you will need to make sure you complete the Alcohol Request form, which must be approved by Wichita State University's General Counsel prior to your big day. Any alcoholic service requires a licensed bartender and that bartender must be present throughout the event. Learn more about alcoholic service in our rental space guidelines.

ONE MONTH BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Finalize Venue Details

Meet with your designated event coordinator and finalize the details and room sets of the venue.

Pay Final Contract

Pay the final amount of your venue contract to ensure that your event takes place on your big day!

TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING

Review Final Details

The big day is closing in, so it is time to look back on all your efforts to make sure everything is covered. Run through your bookings, decor selections, menu, and everything else you have been planning. Make sure you're not missing anything, and double-check that your vendors are still confirmed for your wedding date!

Your event coordinator will review the details of your event with the building managers responsible for setting up your event.

Parking Reservations

During the fall and spring semesters, Wichita State's main campus is a permit-only parking environment on weekdays when the university is open for business. Visitors to the university may park without a permit for three (3) calendar days during each semester. Visitors may park in lots marked with prominent "V" signage. Please avoid parking in red parking lots.

Parking in our Parking Garage by the Rhatigan Student Center is available at an hourly rate. Levels 2, 3, 4 and second and third ramps are hourly parking at $1.50 per hourYour event coordinator can provide you with an access code for the RSC Parking Garge. The access code will allow your guests to park at no cost to them. Following your event, you will be billed at $1.50 per hour for guests who utilized the RSC Parking Garage.

Parking lots on the the perimeter of the campus are available for large events that require additional space. You can work with your event coordinator to request reserved parking.

Learn more about Parking Services by clicking here!