Venue Reviews - Weddings in Minnesota Mansions
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These
Minneapolis
and St. Paul sites are all gorgeous mansions that are available to
rent for both wedding ceremonies and receptions. The Saint Paul
mansions are all on gorgeous Summit Avenue, and the Minneapolis
mansions are in South Minneapolis, just south of downtown. Like all the premier wedding ceremony and reception sites in the Twin Cities, you are either required to use their catering, or in some sites you are required to use one of their approved caterers. All these premier Twin Cities wedding venues have the pretty standard $8-10K food and beverage minimum if you are having your wedding on a Saturday in the summer (prices are much more flexible on other dates), plus their rental fee.
The wedding sites reviewed are as follows:
St. Paul mansions:
- University Club on Summit Avenue
- St. Paul College Club
- Summit Manor
Minneapolis mansions:
- Semple Mansion
- Van Dusen Mansion
- Gale Mansion
- Blaisdell Manor
- Harrington Mansion (now closed)
Semple Mansion in Minneapolis
100 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404 - (612) 290-4448
   
The lobby of the Semple Mansion and the
grand staircase, which leads up to the Grand Palladium
Ballroom. New! The Semple Mansion has newly restored their bar, called the Copper Lounge, with beautiful woodwork, a working fireplace & working kegs for Cocktail/Social hour. |
  For wedding receptions at
the Semple Mansion,
the head table is usually placed by this marvelous stained
glass, the centerpiece of the ballroom. The stained glass
is in-between the two entrances, which are at the top of
the grand staircase.
 The lobby of the main floor at the Semple Mansion (also pictured to the left) may either be set up for wedding ceremonies, or set up for your cocktail hour or even reception. |
The Semple Mansion (the Grand Palladian Ballroom) is right next to downtown Minneapolis, close to the Uptown neighborhood. The mansion is also known by its largest and most famous room: the Grand Palladium Ballroom, which is the only original ballroom left in Minneapolis. Built in the style of the Second Renaissance Revival, the Semple Mansion has a classy old-world feel to it. The breathtaking lobby has a large, three-tiered Swarovski crystal chandelier encompassing 36 candle-shaped crystals. The amazing Grand Palladium Ballroom is on the third floor. While most other wedding reception halls are rather plain,because the reception hall is a latter-day addition to the mansion, the Semple Mansion is different from other Minneapolis and St. Paul mansions because its ballroom is period, too. Rather than the dark woodwork of most of the mansion rooms, the ballroom has large white columns with gold leaf and a Renaissance-style painted, curved ceiling. The terrace off the ballroom has a beautiful view of downtown Minneapolis. Built-in seating around the edge of the ballroom provides fun and cozy places for guests to sit.
You can choose from nine caterers at the Semple Mansion, which can bring down costs. Common Roots provides all alcohol services, and are happy to work with you to find a beverage service that fits your budget (no minimums).
Great place for a rehearsal dinner: The award-winning Rudolph's Ribs, about three blocks away, which offers private dining.
Closest hotel: The 3.5-star downtown Minneapolis Convention Center's Millennium Hotel is six blocks away.
Capacity: 250 guests
Location: 100 West Franklin Ave., Minneapolis
Site Rental: $4,400 for a Saturday
Food/Beverage minimum for a Saturday: No minimum.
Phone Number: 612-290-4448 (Ask for Katherine Hendrickson or Britty Glenn - both are very friendly and easy to work with - you'll love them!)
University Club on Summit Avenue in St. Paul
When you add Terrace Room (below right), it can hold 160 guests.
The main lobby of the University Club on Summit Avenue, which has the longest stretch of Victorian homes in the world.
The Terrace Room at the University Club, one of the rooms adjacent to the main Summit Room. Guests love this one because it overlooks the Mississippi River Valley.
Sometimes wedding ceremonies at the University Club are held in front of the fireplace of the Summit Room, with the reception in the other rooms.
Outdoor wedding ceremonies can be held across the street at the gorgeous Summit Lookout Park, which overlooks the Mississippi River valley.
In addition to the larger rooms at the University Club, the Fireplace Room is sometimes set up for receptions. Also, the Fireplace Room is used for (very) small wedding ceremonies.
This downstairs room of the University Club is sometimes used as an informal area for the Groom and his attendants to prepare before a wedding ceremony.
The University Club in St. Paul actually has two locations, and this review is for the Summit Avenue location on the top of Ramsey Hill (the other location is in downtown Saint Paul). The food is by the same people who run the award-winning W.A. Frost Restaurant on Cathedral Hill in St. Paul.
Wedding ceremonies at the University Club on Summit Avenue can be held in any of several rooms, depending on the size of the wedding (from 5 to 200). Most of the wedding receptions (dinner, dancing, etc.), though, are held in the large Summit Room, which has a gorgeous view over the Mississippi River Valley. Food tastings are complimentary, plus, you can get a wedding cake through them via the award-winning Buttercream Cakes.
Note - usually there's no incentive for you to let a venue know that you found their venue through my website, so often a venue doesn't know that it's my site that recommended them. So, for a limited time:
- If you contact the University Club in St. Paul, MN , please let them know Rev. Tomkin sent you (even if you don't use my services).
- If you do book the University Club for your wedding reception (again, even if you do not use my services), let me know and I will send you a FREE bottle of champagne--right to your home. You can use it to celebrate booking such a fabulous wedding reception venue!
Closest hotel: The 5-star Helmsley Saint Paul Hotel is about a mile-and-a-half away.
Capacity: 160 guests. While the club doesn't offer valet parking, they can help coordinate this service with a vendor.Note: Smaller weddings of 5-80 guests may use one of their other rooms - one has a fireplace, others have the amazing view of the river valley.
Site rental fees vary greatly depending on the day, the room, and the season. For instance, for a Saturday in the summer, the fee would be $2000, and food/beverage minimum $5,000, or $1500 on rental and $2100 food/beverage minimum on non-Saturdays...or even less, depending on season and day. The University Club asks that you please contact the management to get specific quote because the price varies so much, it really varies on the circumstances.
Phone number: (651) 222-1751 (Julia Struve). The fastest, easiest, and best way to contact her, though, is via e-mail at jstruve@universityclubofstpaul.com.
St. Paul College Club Mansion in St. Paul
990 Summit Avenue, St Paul, MN ?55105 - (651) 227-4477 The Georgian Revival St. Paul College Club is on historic Summit Avenue, which has the longest stretch of Victorian mansions in the world. |
 The St.
Paul College Club is one of the few sites that
offers an outdoor wedding ceremony location as well as an
indoor one. This is a small shot of the beautiful
backyard. Here's another picture of one of the outdoor
wedding
ceremonies.
|
 The reception hall of the St.
Paul College Club , called the Great Hall, can be
set up ahead of time because the wedding ceremony is
usually held in another room.
|
Most
indoor
wedding ceremonies at the St.
Paul College Club are held in this Living Room in front
of the fireplace (pictured to the right). The Living Room has
changed quite a bit in the last few months, which you can't see in
this picture, but it has new floor-to ceiling-curtains, two new
chandeliers, new fireplace decor, wood flooring, new carpet for
the staircase, and new curtains in the sun-room.
Wedding
receptions at the St.
Paul College Club are held in the
neighboring ballroom called the Great Hall, and two rooms upstairs
are specifically designated for the bride and groom as dressing
rooms, providing ideal private locations for wedding preparations
and photo opportunities.
The St.
Paul College Club is unique among St Paul and
Minneapolis venues in that it charges an hourly rental fee
instead of a pre-set fee, which makes it one of the most
reasonable prices for these large, grand Minnesota wedding
sites. The hourly rate is from $220-$275, and as far as I can
tell, the St. Paul College Club is the only
Minnesota wedding venue that works this way. The club includes
table linens, linen napkins, and rose centerpieces for every
one of your guests' tables. Their personal French chef caters
all of their weddings, lending variety to their menu choices.
Their staff is very professional, experienced, and friendly -
they ensure that your guests' needs are always taken care of.
You can bring your own liquor for the bar, which is amazing
and basically unheard of at reception halls - stocking the bar
on your own can save you thousands of dollars at your
reception.
The St.
Paul College Club is on Summit Avenue, a block from
the parallel-running Grand
Avenue, which has many great restaurants for a rehearsal
dinner, including the Lexington
restaurant (old-school American). Or you could venture
downtown to Meritage
(a French Brasserie), which is located on St. Peter street.
Closest hotel: The 5-star Helmsley Saint Paul Hotel and the is about a mile-and-a-half away.
Capacity:
250- 325 guests
Location: 990
Summit Avenue,
St. Paul
Site Rental Fee: Hourly
rate, which is from $220-$275
Food and beverage
minimum May-December: $3,500
Phone Number: 651-227-4477
(Ask for Katie Hanafin or Beata Vanderzee.)
Van Dusen Mansion in Minneapolis
1900 LaSalle, Minneapolis, MN 55403 - (612) 253-0255.
Looking almost like a castle, the Richardson Romanesque Van Dusen Mansion is one of the most beautiful sites for weddings in Minneapolis.
This elegant room on the main floor of the Van Dusen Mansion is sometimes used for the receiving line after the wedding ceremony.
Top picture - Van Dusen Mansion on left, carriage house on right.
Bottom picture - The courtyard between the two buildings (perfect for outdoor weddings).
Interior of the Van Dusen Mansion's carriage house. Used for wedding ceremonies or small receptions (or great for dancing!)
One of the 3 upstairs overnight suites you can rent for the night after your wedding, or you may use it as a posh dressing room.
The Van Dusen annex (Event Center) is used for large wedding ceremonies, and for large receptions.
Great place for a
rehearsal dinner: The award-winning Rudolph's
Ribs, about four blocks away, which offers private
dining.
Closest hotel: The 4-star Hyatt
Regency is about six blocks away.
- Rental fees and capacity (for a Saturday afternoon/evening):
- Mansion, both floors - $2,000. Seated - 75, cocktail reception - 150.
- Event Center - $3,000. Seated - 200, cocktail reception - 200.
- Carriage House - $2,000. Ceremony - 100, cocktail reception - 150.
- Courtyard - $500. Ceremony - 150.
- Overnight suites - $325, must be rented with an event space.
- Food and beverage minimum for a Saturday: $8,000
- Phone Number: 612-253-0255, ask for Lisa Brenna.
Gale Mansion in Minneapolis
2115 Stevens Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN ?55404 - (612) 870-1662?
When wedding ceremonies are held outside at the Gale Mansion, the wedding is usually set up on this south-side porch (with the one-story columns on the right side). Guests are seated in rows of chairs facing the mansion.
This is the main room set up for a wedding reception inside the Gale Mansion. If the wedding is indoors, it is usually held here, with the bride and groom standing in front of that far window.
Here is the bride's dressing room at the Gale Mansion. The groom and his attendants get a more masculine room.
The Gale Mansion faces the beautiful Washburn Fair Oaks Park, where kids can run and play (if supervised).
Great
place for a rehearsal dinner: The award-winning Rudolph's
Ribs, about a mile away, which offers private
dining.
Closest hotel: The 3.5-star downtown Minneapolis Convention
Center's Millennium
Hotel is six blocks away.
Location:
2115
Stevens Ave., Minneapolis
Capacity: 120 guests for an indoor ceremony; 220 guests for an
outdoor ceremony
Site Rental Fee: $1,700. They provide the catering, and the food
minimum varies depending on the time of year.
Food and beverage minimum for a Saturday: $4,500
Phone Number: 612-870-1662 (Ask for Angela.)
New: More notes on the
Gale Mansion
Blaisdell Manor in Minneapolis
2322 Blaisdell Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404 - (612) 874-0880. |
 |
 |
Blaisdell
Manor is a beautiful mansion in South Minneapolis
that is warm, inviting, and full of old world charm. The
Georgian-style manor was built in 1915 by railroad tycoons. For
over 80 years, brides have been sashaying down the grand staircase
in the foyer to greet on looking loved ones. Blaisdell Manor can be rented as a whole or by the room, accommodating a variety of budgets and wedding designs. The Manor boasts a 2-story Grand Ballroom, complete with a ceiling fresco and tiered lighting to set the mood for any event. Blaisdell Manor is the only mansion in the Twin Cities with an attached ballroom that accommodates more than 300 guests. The Bovey and Windus Rooms are named for the original owners. Both rooms are wonderful options for bridal showers, grooms dinners, intimate receptions, and smaller ceremonies. They are both furnished with wood-burning fireplaces, bay windows, and offer plenty of mingling space. If your wedding is smaller (less than 50 guests), they have outdoor space, as well.
Three Sons Signature Cuisine is the exclusive caterer at Blaisdell Manor.
Great place for a rehearsal dinner: You can have your rehearsal dinner at Blaisdell Manor, or at St. Anthony Main Event Center catered by Three Sons Signature Cuisine (about 5 miles away), or at Buca di Beppo, an informal Italian restaurant that serves Italian meals family-style and can accommodate large groups of people (about 1 mile away).
Closest hotel: The 3.5-star downtown Minneapolis Convention Center's Millennium Hotel is about a three miles away.
Capacity: 10 to 400 guests
Location: 2322 Blaisdell Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Site Rental Fee: Room rental fee for the Ballroom, Bovey, and Windus for a Saturday is $2,000, plus a $350 ceremony fee and other variable fees, such as bartender, security guard, servers, and cleaning. Aaron at Blaisdell asked me to point out that like all site rentals, Blaisdell's fee does not include food for the reception ($7,500 is the Saturday/holiday food/beverage minimum, plus 18% service charge and 7.775% sales tax). Blaisdell Manor can be rented as a whole or by the individual room. A link to their pricing sheet may be found on this page. Please contact the team via this link at Blaisdell Manor directly for detailed pricing information.
Phone Number: 612-874-0880.
Summit Manor is perfect for smaller weddings. Many other sites will not accommodate
30 to 100 guests very well.
Outdoor weddings at the Summit Manor are held on this front lawn, with the bride and groom standing on the porch, and the guests seated on rows of chairs in the yard. The processional comes up this walkway.
Wedding ceremonies at Summit Manor are often held indoors, too. The rich woodwork makes an intimate, cozy setting.
For an indoor wedding ceremony at Summit Manor, the bride usually gets ready upstairs, then comes down this grand staircase for the processional.
Summit Manor (Summit Mansion) on beautiful Summit Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota, is one of the smaller mansions in town, making it perfect for more intimate weddings. There are very few sites that are good for 30 to 100 guests, which makes Summit Manor even more special. I am very fond of this this little gem. You can have your wedding outside on the beautiful grounds or inside in the big room in front of a fireplace. The stairway pictured above (to the right) works well for the bride's grand entrance.
Summit
Manor asks that visitors call the manager directly at
651-387-3283 to inquire about rental fees. Basically, on a
Saturday in the summer, the rental fee is $275/hour with a 4-hour
minimum (totaling $1100), and $20-$35/person for food with 100
person minimum, (about $2,000-$3,500) but rates are much more
flexible when it's a Friday or Sunday, or in cooler weather.
Capacity: 150 guests
Location: 275 Summit Ave., St. Paul
Phone Number: 651-387-3283
Chapels
Parks
Gardens
Mansions
Museums
Hotels
Farms
Historic Sites
Libraries
Amphitheatres
Restaurants
Comparison Matrix