Rialto Theatre — Attraction in Tampa

As a producer and musician, I work with & in different venues and stages all the time. It’s a part of my livelihood. I had my wedding at the Rialto a couple of weeks ago. I’ve never in my 15+ years of performing dealt with the stress of renting a venue such as this one. There were a lot of unexpected expenses that had to be paid on our end. Our contract stated that we were to pay a $250 security deposit. Both parties signed the contract. Hope reached out saying that we had to pay $500 if we wanted to do our wedding at the Rialto. She gave us a rough time throughout that dispute. We did not end up paying it because the contract stated otherwise. After that, it seemed that she started to make last minute changes that we had previously agreed to. ALL ON THE WEEK OF THE WEDDING! Some of these changes were vital parts of making our wedding what we wanted it to be. Mind you, we’ve been in agreement for over a year! Our wedding rehearsal was an epic fail. We had a time slot selected about 4-5 months before the wedding. A couple of weeks before the wedding, Hope told us that we had to change the time of our rehearsal to 2:30PM on a Friday! That was VERY inconvenient for me personally and our party because it’s afternoon time on a weekday AND we had a wedding party of 30+ people. That’s 30 different schedules that had to be rescheduled. During our rehearsal, there were other vendors from another wedding, talking, yelling AND setting up all DURING our rehearsal! Chairs, tables, and decorations were all going on during that time. The venue is only but sooo big! AND IT WAS HOT!! That’s not it!* Hope told me and my fiancé that they replaced all air conditioning units before our big day. Previously, a co worker of mine told me that the air at the Rialto was an issue from a wedding she was in a couple of months ago. 3 people fainted at our wedding because of how hot it was. Thankfully we had a couple of guests that were registered nurses. We made sure that our guest list met the standards for fire code. Lastly, after the wedding, Hope made up an excuse stating why she wouldn’t give us our deposit back. She stated that our food catering company used the Rialto’s extra sodas that they had in stock. I don’t understand how that was possible because the catering company served only tea and water.. 🤔🤔🤔.. That clearly wasn’t factual information. Our wedding planner had a FULL crew which they did a phenomenal job with pre production and post. Our contract stated that they were to be done with cleaning etc by 1:00AM. They were done by 1:30AM. Hope said that they didn’t finish until 3:00AM. Because of the rules that the Rialto stated on how the vendors needed to be scheduled & where they entered etc, made it impossible for everything to be done BY 1:00AM. She also said that there were garbage bags left in their recycling bin. There was no where else for the vendors to put the garbage. The Rialto did not provide any of that information to our vendors. For these reasons, we didn’t receive our deposit back. I’m also seeing a trend from other sources about the Rialto’s staff and for couples not receiving their deposits back. Overall, the wedding was a success and it was beautiful! But, my personal experience with the staff at the Rialto was horrible and I absolutely positively wouldn’t recommend...

We recently got married in February 2023, and we couldn't be happier with our decision to choose The Rialto Theatre as our wedding venue. Living in Florida, we wanted something different from the typical beach, barn, or hotel ballroom weddings that are so common in the Tampa area. Inspired by the electric vibe of cities like NYC, we envisioned a downtown wedding with a touch of vintage charm. With our ceremony taking place at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, we needed a venue conveniently located nearby. The Rialto, a converted 1920s theatre, perfectly fit the bill and offered a truly unique experience for our guests.

One of the standout features of The Rialto is its stunning architecture. The giant archway and brick wall in the back add an incredible amount of character to the venue. Stepping into the theatre, it felt like we were transported back in time. The atmosphere was absolutely enchanting, and it created a memorable backdrop for our special day.

We were pleasantly surprised by the affordability of The Rialto compared to other popular venues like Armature Works or Oxford Exchange. The fact that it came as a blank canvas was actually a blessing in disguise. We had the freedom to handpick each vendor and bring our vision to life. This allowed us to stay within our budget and find vendors that perfectly matched our preferences.

While The Rialto doesn't come fully equipped with everything, they do provide a small inventory of tables, chairs, and vintage furniture, which we found to be quite helpful. However, one limitation we encountered was the inability to hang anything on the walls. The rest of the walls, apart from the brick wall, were a bright stark white, which gave the venue a somewhat sterile look in our wedding photos. In hindsight, we would have invested in draping or finding creative ways to decorate the walls to add more visual interest.

Another aspect to consider is that The Rialto does not have a kitchen, which meant we were unable to have a seated dinner. As we had a 115-person wedding and utilized the entire main area for seating, the lack of a pop-up kitchen posed a challenge. We opted for a buffet-style dinner, which ended up being cost-effective, but it's something to keep in mind if you have your heart set on a seated dinner.

One concern we initially had was the feedback we heard about the owner from other vendors. Many of them expressed their frustrations with working with the owner of the venue. However, we had a completely different experience. Throughout our planning process and even on the wedding day, we had no negative interactions with Hope, the owner. Our wedding planner handled any potential issues that may have arisen, and we didn't encounter any problems ourselves.

All in all, The Rialto Theatre provided us with an extraordinary wedding experience. Its vintage charm, unique atmosphere, and affordable pricing set it apart from other venues in the Tampa area. While there were a few limitations, such as the white walls and lack of a kitchen for a seated dinner, the overall experience surpassed our expectations. We highly recommend The Rialto to couples looking for an unconventional and vibrant wedding venue that will leave a lasting impression on...

If I could leave zero stars, I would. Hope, the owner and operator of the Rialto Theatre, displayed a glaring lack of professionalism and disregard for the comfort and safety of my guests.

The most egregious issue was the venue's unbearable heat due to inadequate air conditioning, which Hope assured me was fine despite my repeated concerns. The situation became so dire that my brother had to step in and move a fan after the ceremony—something that should have been handled long before the event. Guests, including pregnant family members and my in laws, left early because of the stifling conditions. This was not only unacceptable but a borderline safety hazard.

Hope’s response to this issue was to deflect blame onto us, suggesting we should have texted her during the event to adjust the air—an absurd excuse for her failure to manage the situation.

To make matters worse, Hope accused us of lighting sparklers or candles indoors, which never occurred. Her baseless claims, without any evidence, are insulting.

Similarly, she criticized our breakdown crew despite her own tardiness disrupting the schedule. Her attempts to enforce arbitrary rules and deflect blame further highlighted her disorganization and lack of accountability.

Adding insult to injury, the curtain separating the reception area was not closed at the agreed-upon time, spoiling the reveal for our guests. This was yet another failure on Hope's part that she refuses to acknowledge.

After Hope received our money, that we were extremely timely in paying, her minimal pleasantries disappeared. She tried to renege on our pricing and decreased her inventory from 30+ items to about 10, without notice. She made the process unnecessarily difficult for every vendor involved and created friction, resulting in several complaints from my vendors about her behavior. Her poor communication extended to my wedding coordinator, whom she repeatedly undermined. Weeks before my wedding, she even attempted to poach me as a client by bashing my coordinator, hoping to take over the role and charge a coordination fee.

My last email to her has gone unanswered. No surprise.

Hope’s handling of our wedding was riddled with issues, from her unprofessional communication to her unethical attempts to justify withholding funds she was contractually obligated to return. Her actions caused unnecessary stress during what should have been a joyous occasion. I cannot recommend the Rialto Theatre to anyone looking for a reliable and professional venue. If you value clear communication, accountability, and a well-managed event, there are other beautiful venues in Tampa,...