Venues - Comparison Matrix

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

Ceremony/ Reception Site		Phone		Seating capacity		Rental fee		Type		Lowest priced entree - see important notes below		Other notes		Picture  (click photos to enlarge)
Paddleford River Boat		(800) 593 9308		710		$5,500		Mississippi paddleboat		$20.00		More often, instead of $5,500, it rents for $1650 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Weisman Art Museum		(612)  625 9683		240		$3,400		Museum		Unpublished prices, estimated $50.00		See reviews of weddings at museums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
Historic Concord Exchange		(612)  233 1699		250		$2,500		Mansion		$21.00		See reviews of weddings in mansion
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
Walker Art Center's Gallery 8 Cafe		(612) 375 7553		150		$2,000		Museum		$50.00, but 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*
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		Here's a 360 tour of the room
Black Bear Crossings at Como Lake		(651) 488 4920		200		$1400		Park pavilion		$24.00		See reviews of outdoor 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		TRP's policy states you must use one of their caterers, which start at $12.50		The building incorporates sustainable design principles and exhibits them for interpretive benefit
Elm Creek Park's Chalet		(763) 559 6700		200		$1,200		Park pavilion		TRP's policy states you must use one of their caterers, which start at $12.50		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		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		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		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
Blaisdell Manor		(612)  870 7875		400		$1,000		Mansion		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00		See reviews of weddings in mansions
St Paul College Club		(651) 227 4477		200		$1,000		Mansion		You must use one of their caterers, which start at $25.00		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
Black Bear Crossings at Como Lake		(651) 488 4920		200		$1850		Park pavilion		$24.00		See reviews of outdoor wedding sites
Riedel Mansion		(763) 757 3920		250		$700		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
WA 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 on 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 site 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 on the web or in print, that shows prices for wedding reception sites.

If you want to sort the following 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 2-4 pm pictures, 4:30 pm wedding, 5-6 pm cocktail hour, 6-7:30 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, 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
          o $5 for linen
          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
    * An open bar optional)
          o $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, and upscale hotels charge a low fee because they make their money solely from the catering.

Tip:  Once you visit a site, if you decide that you really like one, go ahead and book it immediately.  There are a limited number of event spaces in the Twin Cities area, and they book fast.

As detailed above, prices usually wind up 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's 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     Amphitheatres      Restaurants     Comparison Matrix