Nestled within York Street Yards just south of I-70, Realm (RealmDenver.co) is a hybrid photography studio and event space where any vision can come to life. Co-founded by EB Combs, Jonathan Combs and Rachel Nichols and designed with versatility in mind, the venue offers the 1,600-square-foot Open Space, 700-square-foot Sun Room and 190-square-foot Loft furnished with mid-century modern furniture and décor brimming with crisp daylight. Book the Open Space for a more intimate event, or book the full venue for all of Realm’s indoor and outdoor spaces—it all depends on your event needs.
As more brides and mothers-to-be look for a place where they can host expertly curated bridal or baby showers and receive superior service, Realm is establishing itself as a go-to venue. Clients are coming to us for more elevated showers,” EB says, “and there are so many fun ways to leverage this space and play it up.” Here, EB shares what makes Realm special, how clients can make the space their own and why showers are an essential part of life’s celebrations.
Your vision for Realm
Before we opened in 2019, Jonathan, Rachel and I noticed that many venues in town weren’t accessible to creatives. We come from a background in design and photography and wanted to create a place that serves as both a photography studio and a beautiful event space. This building was a World War II military medical warehouse, and we got to build out the entire interior how we wanted. It has clean lines, lovely neutrals and really great natural light everywhere. When you walk through the doors, Realm allows you to feel like you’ve arrived somewhere entirely different.
Benefits of hosting a bridal or baby shower at Realm, instead of at home
Getting out of your home makes it much easier. Our staff handles the cleaning, so you’re not spending time sweeping and wiping down tables. Realm makes people feel comfortable; it has that living room aesthetic. And scale is really important. Our clients can host a custom shower event for up to 50 in the Open Space or up to 130 with the full venue. The space lends itself to curiosity, imagination and play, which really supports the festivities of showers.
Creatively customizing an event
Jade did a butterfly release on the patio, which was really sweet. Sydney had real tattoos at her wedding shower. Balloon installations are a popular trend, and we’ve also seen coffee carts and bounce houses. Our moveable walls can create different vignettes within the area. It’s very fun, playful and energetic. Realm leans towards the unexpected and allows people the ability to do something true to them. Our hope is that our clients never feel like they have to fit in a box.
Vendor flexibility
Our clients can work with any food vendor they’d like for delivery. For catering that operates on-site, we have a stacked vendor list to choose from. Live music and DJs are welcome; from spinning vinyl to live quartets, we’ve seen quite a variety come through our doors. Clients have the ability to source their alcohol from wherever they please—it just needs to be served by an insured bar service.
How you elevate a client’s experience
Our space is well-maintained and cared for. From the moment you first tour the venue to the day of your event, we maintain high standards to deliver an experience with human solutions. We want to support our clients throughout pre-production. During all events, we always have a venue manager on-site for support as it’s needed.
Redefining the importance of shower celebrations
It’s so special to have a space where you can take beautiful photos with your people–especially with the generational component of events like these. Moments shared with those we love are so important to capture because life, after all, is fleeting. Baby and wedding showers are such important moments to be celebrated. I think what stands out about the events we’ve seen take place at Realm are the hosts who dream up something that is true to them. Everyone’s take is wholly their own. Realm is simply there, waiting to be reimagined.
