photo by Jeff Dose
Weddings
18 Wedding Venues You Need to Know About in the Twin Cities
Massive warehouse spaces, cool science museums, historic houses and boutique hotels fill the streets of Minneapolis, and we’ve been on the hunt to find the best of the best that also double as wedding venues. If your vibe is...
photo by Jeff Dose
Massive warehouse spaces, cool science museums, historic houses and boutique hotels fill the streets of Minneapolis, and we’ve been on the hunt to find the best of the best that also double as wedding venues. If your vibe is simple and timeless, we’ve got a beach club for that. If you’re more of the loft venue type, we’ve got plenty of those too.
If you’re a Twin Cities local, we’re pretty sure there are at least three venues on this list you haven’t heard of yet. If you’re planning a destination wedding to the area, we’ve got you covered too. After all, there are countless microbreweries and something like 10,000 lakes to explore nearby. What better way to spend a celebratory weekend than splitting your time between drinking holes and swimming holes while also throwing your most unforgettable party yet.
Reporter: Alyssa Brown | Venue: The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen
If you’re a Twin Cities local, we’re pretty sure there are at least three venues on this list you haven’t heard of yet. If you’re planning a destination wedding to the area, we’ve got you covered too. After all, there are countless microbreweries and something like 10,000 lakes to explore nearby. What better way to spend a celebratory weekend than splitting your time between drinking holes and swimming holes while also throwing your most unforgettable party yet.
Reporter: Alyssa Brown | Venue: The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen
Set just along the banks of the Mississippi River, in the St. Anthony neighborhood of Minneapolis, Machine Shop is a cool industrial space with a mezzanine, huge ceilings and windows and a cozy cocktail bar. Saying this spot is picturesque is an understatement, as it really does feel like the quintessential Twin Cities party spot.
This stunning photography studio also doubles as an event space. If you’re looking for a space where you can have an intimate wedding without needing to bring in a whole lot to make it stunning and memorable, Studio 125 is too legit.
With a mix of historic elements like raw brick walls and industrial windows, and newer additions like all-marble restrooms, contemporary art and modern chandeliers, Loring Social is one of those rare venues that gets it all right and appeals to a variety of wedding styles. Check it out if you’ve got a guest list of as many as 500.
While there are a ton of cool warehouse spaces in Minnesota, not many have the added cool factor of a courtyard. PAIKKA is a rad venue in St. Paul that has various spaces so you can create just the right flow for your wedding. Maybe start with a ceremony and cocktails in the courtyard before heading into the warehouse space for dinner and dancing.
A dramatic column-lined entrance leads you into the famed Minneapolis Institute of Art. Spacious corridors and a modern addition set the scene for weddings that allow you and your guests to be surrounded by masterpieces.
If you’re looking for a spot where your wedding reception can have all the feels of a super cozy dinner party, be sure to check out The Copper Hen Cakery and Kitchen on Eat Street. From the equestrian toile wallpaper to the copper ceilings, the décor at this farmhouse is completely perfect as-is.
You’ll find the 40-room Lora Hotel right along the banks of the St. Croix River in Stillwater, in an historic warehouse that was built as a brewery all the way back in 1868. In the building’s current life as a boutique hotel, each guest room has the feeling of an old cellar with limestone walls and all new, very modern furnishings and décor. As for weddings here, you may want to keep it small with about 40 guests in the private dining space of the hunter-and-gatherer style restaurant, or you can buyout the whole place for an additional hundred seats and a bit of outdoor space.
A photography studio by day and party spot by night, 514 Studios has no shortage of beautiful backdrops for your wedding celebration. Located in the North Loop, this spot is super convenient to downtown and has an exclusive vibe that’ll have your guests feeling like they’re walking into some hidden nightclub or secret party spot for your wedding. Do we hear rumblings of a surprise wedding, anyone?
The roll-up garage doors at this Uptown studio open right out to the grassy park beside it, making for a beautiful indoor and outdoor use space. Anahata Studio is an awesome fit for a wedding of 45-75 guests, or perfect for a rehearsal dinner or welcome party to kick off the wedding festivities.
RELATED ARTICLES
You might be interested in…
Located in the North Loop, Aria is one of those big, beautiful brick warehouse spaces in Minneapolis you’ve spotted and always wanted to go in but never had the chance. Well, now’s your opportunity. Just invite up to 500 of your nearest and dearest to tag along for the best night of your life and say “I do” to your sweets under twinkling chandeliers, soaring ceilings and surrounded by a whole lot of love.
At Mill City Museum, you can exchange your wedding vows surrounded by beautiful old limestone walls that open right up to the sky above. This 120-year-old former flour mill can be set up for a wedding of up to a thousand guests with a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.
If you’re a Minneapolis local, no doubt you’ve spotted the arresting structure that’s known as the McNamara Alumni Center. Set on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus, this towering copper memorial hall is a fabulous spot for a wedding of epic proportion.
Get married on the rooftop with the Mississippi River as your backdrop and head inside for photos under the huge astronaut or dinosaur bones at the Science Museum of Minnesota. This St. Paul space can host up to 400 guests, indoors or out.
Lofty ceilings, wood floors, exposed brick and tons of natural light make the spaces at Day Block Event Center glow. Just add about 200-250 of your closest friends and family, a really rockin’ band, your favorite caterer and your boo to pull off the most epic wedding this historic warehouse has ever seen.
Located in the heart of downtown, this spot is great for setting up shop for a long weekend of introducing your out-of-town guests to the Twin Cities. The private dining rooms are perfect for a smaller soiree, while the ballroom can suit a wedding of up to 600 guests. Be sure to snag a block of the rocker-cool suites too.
If classic, simple and elegant are three words you’d use to describe your dream wedding venue, Calhoun Beach Club could be right up your alley. The gathering spaces at this athletic club feature tall ceilings, arched windows, tons of sunlight and views out to Lake Calhoun from the spacious deck.
Ever dreamed of an at-home wedding a la Father of the Bride, but maybe never had quite the right home for it? Well, The Blaisdell is here to fill in what you’ve been missing. This gorgeous old Georgian mansion sits in the heart of the Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District in South Minneapolis and boasts 18-foot ceilings, skylights, a parlor, a louge and a 300-person ballroom.
This is one of those great spaces that can be adapted to suit a group of just about any size (seriously, up to 4,000 guests). International Market Square is a massive design center in Downtown Minneapolis with a 5-story atrium and a glass roof up top. Arrange it any which way you like, but plan to bring in a big, loud 12 or 15-piece band for the ultimate dance party.
Scroll for more
