Review of 317 on Rice for weddings

The sketch above is just to give you an idea of what is where
around St Paul's downtown Rice Park,

including the following wedding ceremony and reception sites:
317 on Rice, the James J. Hill Library, the Landmark Center,
and the Saint Paul Hotel (off to the left, not actually pictured)

Question:

Hi Rev Tomkin Coleman,

I just wanted to be one of the many who thanked you for this wonderful blog and website. I recently got engaged and this site has been my 'how to' guide for the first steps of planning. I am starting to look at upscale wedding reception locations in the Twin Cities and I was hoping that you might be able to offer some advice.

Since the wedding will most likely be in the winter, and we were looking at your review of Rice Park for weddings, we thought that the Rice Park in downtown St Paul, MN would be an amazing site during the time of the ice sculptures. One of the sites right next to the park is 317 on Rice park. I was wondering if you had any experience working with this venue. I am one of the many college students that is looking for a fun site, yet is also on a budget. Hidden fees seem to pop up every where so having a place that prides itself on giving exact costs is helpful.

Again, I am so glad that you can offer great advice to naive engaged people like us. We appreciate it!

Bride Checking Things Out


Answer:

Dear BCTO,

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments - you made my day!

Yes, I've performed many wedding ceremonies at Rice Park (in the summer), and also at 317 on Rice - and 317 is a terrific place! Very classy, and the people there are wonderful. It would probably be too chilly in the winter to have the actual ceremony in the park, but your photographer would be estatic to have the wedding photos taken there - how beautiful would that be? Wow!

I hope this helps!

Warmly,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Weddings in Minnesota

University of MN's Weisman Museum for weddings

Question:

Hello, Rev. Coleman,

Thank you so much for your review of the University of Minnesota's Weisman Museum, and it's use as a unique wedding ceremony and reception location in the Twin Cities. We get lots of calls from couples who have found us through your website, and, of course, we always love it when you officiate here. I was just writing to let you know that we have a new coordinator for weddings. She is Chris Cunnington and her number is 612-626-5241.

Thanks much, we love your website.

Katie

Katie Rodgers
Asst. Events Coordinator
Weisman Art Museum
612.625.9683



Answer:

Good evening, Katie,

So good to hear from you! Thanks for the news, and the pages have now been updated.

I always love performing wedding ceremonies at the Weisman Museum - it's a gorgeous and unique site. So many U of M graduates (and art lovers) have wonderful memories of the site, and great to have a place that's meaningful and special. Every wedding ceremony I've performed there has gone really well - you people are amazing. Looking forward to next time!

Warmly,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Minneapolis Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding piano in Minnesota

Question:

Note received on my Facebook account:
"Become a fan of Pianist For Parties, Sharon Planer" - The link to her Facebook fan page is http://bit.ly/1NczM7

(Sharon is an amazing musician, reviewed on my MN weddings music page, at this link on how to look for a wedding pianist in Minnesota.)



Answer:

I then left the following note on her Facebook fan page:

You're the best, Sharon! My face always lights up with joy and I let out a sigh of relief when I see that you are playing piano for a couple's wedding. I immediately know that I'll hear beautiful music, all the cues will be spot-on,... that there will be no awkward moments, the bride and groom will be happy with the music, and that all the guests are going to be comfortable and relaxed. You're the only pianist I recommend to couples - simply the best. Keep up the great work!

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Minnesota Weddings



Follow-up:

Thank you for your kind comments, Rev. Tomkin. I love performing when you are the officiant! Your weddings flow the smoothest--no doubt, due to the way you cover every detail thoroughly making it easy for everyone to follow your direction. As a musician I find it so easy to follow your cues, enabling me to perform at the exact moment necessary. You make my job easy! It is obvious you care about each couple and have the talent to create a unique and meaningful ceremony each and every time.

I shout your MN wedding blog from the rooftops--anyone planning a Minnesota wedding, this is a MUST READ.

-Sharon Planer, Pianist for Parties

Rasberry Island weddings

Question:

Rev Coleman -

I am wondering if you have performed any wedding ceremonies at Raspberry Island in St Paul, MN and if you have is it a good location for those that have a bigger amount of guests?

Thank you.

Inquiring Bride



Answer:

Dear IB,

Short answer:
Nope, the island is too small, and dominated by the Minnesota Boat Club (which is available for wedding ceremonies and receptions, though).

Long answer:
The wedding ceremonies I've performed on Raspberry Island (on the banks of the Mississippi River in St Paul, Minnesota), were at the Minnesota Boat Club that is on 50% of the island, and not on the small park-like land surrounding it. While one could imagine getting married on the island (and not renting the Boathouse), the city's website says that they're not giving out wedding permits for Rasberry Island by itself, or, at least, not at this time. There are many other St Paul (and Minneapolis) parks that work well for wedding ceremonies that work really well, though.

Warm regards,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Minneapolis Weddings

Green weddings in Minnesota

Question:

I was wondering if you knew any environmentally friendly wedding reception sites within the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. We are looking at about 200 people.

Thanks,

Green Groom


Answer:

Dear GG,

What a neat question!

While there isn't any MN reception sites that I know of that specifically cater to green weddings, the most important and significant way to make a wedding green is to cut down on transportation - 200 guests running around town to 3 different places burns up a lot of carbon! So, if you can have your ceremony and reception in the same place, that cuts down on a lot of travel, and then, even better, if you can have your guests stay at the same site (for instance, if everything is done at a hotel), that's the greenest.

In other words, the greenest way of having a wedding in Minnesota is to find a site that can host all three of the following:

• Wedding ceremony
• Wedding reception
• Wedding guest accommodations

With these ideas in mind, the Saint Paul Hotel works wonderfully for wedding ceremonies, receptions, and then the guests can stay there, too. Or, you could have your wedding ceremony at 317 on Rice, the James J Hill Library or Landmark Center (reviews of these last two Minnesota wedding reception sites here), and the guests could just walk over from the Saint Paul Hotel. All of the above sites are on the edges of Rice Park (pictured here on the right) in downtown Saint Paul, M. Here's a phototour of the gorgeous park and the surrounding historic buildings, four of which host wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Next, catering can emphasize local ingredients, which cuts down on lots of carbon costs (food/beverages are the largest part of a wedding budget). You may want to check out this wonderful article on going green for MN weddings, and my green wedding article, too.

I hope this helps!

Warm regards,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Minneapolis Weddings




Follow-up:

Thank you very much, Rev. Coleman! My bride to be and I have started to look into the options you mentioned on helping reduce the footprint of our wedding. We are looking at trying to find a building that also took into account green features. I know Dakota County Parks has "Schaar's Bluff Gathering Center," as an example, it uses rain water collected from the roof for the toilets, uses a wind turbine to generate the electrical usage, and other features as well. The problem was it has a capacity of 75 seated. I was interested if you are aware of any buildings that had a low eco-footprint but a larger capacity?

GG


Answer:

Dear GG,

Now that I re-think it, the Minneapolis Central (downtown) library is eco-friendly, with its green-roof and other designs. Its Library Commons is a dramatic 7,000+ square foot, five-story, luminous atrium.

Weddings there are catered by Mintahoe, and Mintahoe runs events there. Their phone number is (612) 253-0255. Then the Marquette Hotel (in the IDS building) is within walking distance of the library, to cut down on guests' carbon emissions.

I hope this helps!

Warm regards,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman

Violinist for weddings in Minneapolis, MN

Dear Readers,

I love to pass on unique wedding information when I come across it:

Last Saturday, I officiated for a terrific couple who chose the Carlson Towers for both their wedding ceremony and reception - beautiful spot! (FYI, the site is reviewed here.) I got to talking with
James Plattes, the head of Larkpur Strings, who played the music for the ceremony, and he encouraged me to check out his website.

I'm glad I did! Not only does Jim provide string quartets and Piano/Violin/Bass trios, he also specializes is strolling-musician kind of work...now that is a great idea.

You can read a fascinating article about having a strolling violin for your wedding reception - I love it!

The music from the Larkpur musicians was beautiful, too - I have heard them a half-dozen times in high-end wedding venues across the Twin Cities, and I highly recommend them. My hat's off to James - once again, great job!

Warm regards,

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Minneapolis Weddings with Rev. Coleman

Favorite wedding caterer in Minnesota - Fabulous Catering

Question:

Hello, Rev. Coleman,

Can you help us with a referral? We found our singer, Diane Martinson, through your recommendation page for wedding musicians in Minnesota, and we were wondering if you had a recommendation for a wedding caterer? We're getting married at my parents' house on Lake Minnetonka.

Thank you!!!

Minnetonka Bride



Answer:

Dear MB,

I've written about them before, but I'll say it again - I love Eden and Dawn of Fabulous Catering in Minneapolis, MN (their picture is from a wedding event at Semple Mansion). They are amazing - high-end, and worth it! Why?

• True foodies* - they love what they do...they're not just doing it because it's they're work, but because it's their passion. They will go the extra mile to make your wedding food brilliant.
  *It's funny, I like food (much like I like music), but when talking with real foodies, it's totally different...they LOVE food, and really want to make people happy with their food. It's like people who are real audiophiles...people who love music that much really love music, they know every single band in the genre of music they love, and they have every good piece of music technology, and can talk about records vs. CDs all day, etc... Now that's the kind of person you want to hire for your wedding. Someone who really loves everything involved in what they do.
  
• Really nice. Like, REALLY nice. It's funny, people always treat me extremely well because I'm the minister, but it was really eye-opening when I got married last year, that I found that people weren't as on-their-toes friendly and available to my fiance (now my wife). I think what happens is that the managers and owners are always friendly...but sometimes, managers and owners have to hire so many people that service can suffer. Not at Fabulous Catering wedding caterers! Wow, Eden and Dawn make everything really personalized... and that is a rare and wonderful treat.

Sorry, I'm kind of going on and on here...but it's nice when I can recommend a vendor so wholeheartedly.

I hope this helps!

Rev. Tomkin Coleman
Wedding Planning and Officiating in MN