Venues - Comparison Matrix

	My recommendations for wedding sites in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area:
		Chapels      Parks      Gardens      Mansions      Museums      Hotels      Farms      Historic Sites     Amphitheaters      Restaurants     Comparison Matrix

Ceremony/ reception site		Phone		Seating capacity		Rental fee		Type		Lowest-priced entree - see important notes below		Other notes		Picture
Padelford Riverboats		(800) 593- 9308		710		$5,500		Mississippi paddleboat		$20.00		More often, instead of $5,500, it rents for $1,650 for 3 hours.
Semple Mansion		(612) 290- 4448		250		$4,600		Mansion		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		See reviews of weddings in mansions
James J. Hill Library		(651) 265- 5447		175		$3,700		Historic site		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		See reviews of weddings at historic sites
McNamara Center at the U of M		(612) 238- 4012		170, or up to 800		$3,500		Historic site		$19.00		See reviews of weddings at museums
Cedars Hall		(612) 379- 8989		450		$3,500		Banquet hall		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		The banquet hall can be divided for much smaller weddings, too.
Weisman Art Museum		(612)  626- 5241		240		$3,400		Museum		Unpublished prices; estimated $50.00		See reviews of weddings at museums
Landmark Center		(651) 292- 3228		450		$2,750		Historic site		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		See reviews of weddings at historic sites
The Great Hall		(651) 228- 9456		300, or up to 500		$2,450		Historic site		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		See reviews of weddings at historic sites
Blaisdell Manor		(612)  870- 7875		400		$2,350 plus other variable fees		Mansion		You must use their catering, which start at $25.00 per entree		See reviews of weddings in mansions
Walker Art Center's Galleries or Rooftops		(612) 375- 7553		150		$2,200		Museum		$50.00, includes salad and dessert		See reviews of weddings at museums
Harriet Island Pavilion		(651) 292- 7010		275		$2,000		Historic site in a park		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		In a huge park, right on the river, across from downtown St. Paul.
Edinborough Park		(952) 832- 6790		350		$2,000		Indoor park		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		Unique indoor-park environment with more than 6,000 trees, plants, and flowers.
Lady Of The Lake		(952) 929- 1209		150		$2,000		Boat		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		Ceremonies are usually held on the boat before the launch.
Mill City Museum		(612) 238- 4012		130, or up to 700		$1,850		Museum		$25.00		See reviews of weddings at museums
Gale Mansion		(612) 870- 1662		220		$1,850		Mansion		$22.00		See reviews of weddings in mansions
Dakota Lodge		(651) 437- 3191		200		$1,600		Golf course		Outside licensed caterers allowed*
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum		(952) 443- 3018		Several sites, from 10-300		Several sites. $500-$1,000 for ceremony. $1,050-$2,000 for reception.		Gardens		$20.49		Now has a reception hall, too.
Hillcrest		(651) 774- 6088		200		$1,500		Upscale country club/golf course		$15.50		Incredible view from the balcony.
Minneapolis City Hall		(612) 596- 9518		275		$1,500		Historic site		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $15.00-20.00 per entree
Black Bear Crossings at Como Lake		(651) 488- 4920		200		$1,400		Park pavilion		$24.00		See reviews of historic wedding sites
Woodbury Central Indoor Park		(651) 714- 3500		320		$1,400		Indoor park		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		An indoor park with banquet rooms.  Here's a virtual tour.
Richardson Nature Center		(763) 559- 6700		150		$1,400		Nature center		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $12.50 per entree		The building incorporates sustainable design principles.
Elm Creek Park's Chalet		(763) 559- 6700		200		$1,200		Park pavilion		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $12.50 per entree		Huge fieldstone fireplace,  cathedral-style ceiling, overlooks a park.
Van Dusen Mansion		(612) 874- 1900		350		$1,200		Mansion		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00 per entree		See reviews of weddings in mansions
Lake Harriet Spiritual Community		(612) 922- 4272		200		$1,100		Church		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		Beer and wine only. Limited dancing.
Columbia Manor		(612) 789- 2627 option 5		200		$1,050		Country club/golf course		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00 per entree		Outdoor wedding ceremony location available.
317 on Rice Park		(651) 726- 8800		180		$1,000		Historic site		$19.50		Historic building.
Cowles Conservatory at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden		(612) 370- 4929		75		$1,000		Museum		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00 per entree		See reviews of weddings at museums
The Braemar Room		(952) 826- 6791		250		$1,000		Country club/golf course		$17.00		Rated one of the top 75 public golf courses in the nation.
St. Paul College Club		(651) 227- 4477		200		$1,000		Mansion		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00 per entree		See reviews of weddings in mansions
Centennial Lakes Park & the Park Centrum Building		(952) 832- 6789		120		$950		Park pavilion		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		Modern building, plus an outside wedding site location on a small lake.
Riedel Mansion		(763) 757- 3920		50-100		$60-70/hour		Mansion		Outside licensed caterers allowed*		1880s mansion in a park.
Harrington Mansion		(612) 871- 3555		50		$600		Mansion		$18.00		See reviews of weddings in mansions
W.A. Frost Restaurant		(651) 224- 5715		48		$150		Restaurant		$23.00		Beautiful 1800s restaurant. No dancing.
Forepaugh's Restaurant		(651) 224- 5606		200		$150		Restaurant		$17.50		Victorian restaurant in St. Paul. Restrictions on time. No dancing

My goal is to have information about every single reception site in the Twin Cities, with pictures, contact information, capacity, prices, and pictures.  Feel free to email me if you have pricing info, notes, or pictures of any upscale wedding ceremony/reception sites I've missed, and I'll put it up right away. I receive no pay for listing these sites; rather, this is simply helpful information. Other wedding guides, such as the Knot.com, etc., don't list every Twin Cities site because they only accept sites that pay. In addition, this is the only guide available in Minnesota, either online or in print, that shows prices for wedding reception sites.

If you want to sort the list by seating capacity, city, or anything else, feel free to copy and paste it into an Excel document. The pictures don't copy/paste well, but the text and links do.

I've assumed a 10-hour rental: 2:00-4:00 pm pictures, 4:30 pm wedding, 5:00-6:00 pm cocktail hour, 6:00-7:30 pm dinner, 7:30-midnight dancing.

 

Important note:  Pricing can be difficult to compare, but here is how it's done:

    * Rental Fee:
          o If there is a rental fee, it's listed.
          o Some reception sites waive their room rental fee if you use their catering and you make the minimum     food/beverage charge, which is usually $5,000-$10,000.
    * Food and beverages:
          o Food and beverages are extra, often with a minimum charge.
          o If outside catering is allowed, that means you can bring in your own licensed caterer, whose fees range from $10-$50/person.*
    * Other usual charges (per person):
          o $5 for linens
          o $5 for tables and silverware
          o $5 for salad
          o $3.50 for dessert
          o 20% more for security, bartenders, and servers (Sometimes this is a flat fee.)
          o 7% sales tax
    * So, a $20 entree would then total $48/person.
    * In addition, an open bar costs approximately $30/person.

So, while this matrix is helpful, the final price varies greatly.

These Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, wedding reception and ceremony sites are sorted by rental fee - fancier places naturally charge higher rental fees. The exceptions are restaurants and hotels: Upscale restaurants charge a low fee because they don't allow dancing and, thus, weddings there don't take much space. Upscale hotels charge a low fee because they make their money solely from the catering.

Tip: Once you visit a site for your wedding ceremony and/or reception, if you decide that you really like it, book it immediately. There are a limited number of event spaces in the Twin Cities area, and they book up quickly

As detailed above, prices usually end up costing another $25/person more than this, once the salad, dessert, linens, tables and silverware, servers, and taxes are factored in.

Large-Capacity Wedding Reception Sites in Minnesota:

Hi, Rev. Coleman - you have a wonderful blog and your chart on reception venues in the Twin Cities is great. However, I am looking for a site in Minneapolis or St. Paul, MN, that can handle 400 people for a sit-down dinner. Any ideas? Thanks so much!

Answer:

Good question! Here are the largest-capacity wedding reception venues in the Twin Cities, with their seating capacities:

Minneapolis - Seating Capacity of Large Reception Sites

Graves / 601 Hotel - 400
The Westin Minneapolis- 400
Ukrainian Event Center- 400
Marriott City Center Hotel- 400
Solera Restaurant- 450
Museum of Russian Art - 500
St. Anthony Banquet Center - 500
Atlas Grill - 500
Blaisdell Manor - 650
Mill City Museum - 700
Hilton Hotel - 800
Hyatt Regency Hotel - 800
International Market Square - 800
McNamara Alumni Center - 800

	My recommendations for wedding sites in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area:
		Chapels      Parks      Gardens      Mansions      Museums      Hotels      Farms      Historic Sites     Amphitheaters      Restaurants     Comparison Matrix