Historic Minnesota Wedding Venues

Ideas & Inspiration

Anne Costello and Noah Johnson married at St. Paul's legendary James J. Hill Library.

Historic Minnesota Wedding Venues

Looking for a reception site that’s unique, visually stunning and impervious to the whims of Minnesota weather? One of several historical sites around the Twin Cities may be your solution. Whether you’re in search of a fairy-tale castle or the romantic gloom of a candle-lit cavern, read on to find the perfect piece of history to host your wedding guests.

Why host a wedding at a historical venue?
Vintage is in, but it’s practicality, not trends, that helps make venues like the James J. Hill Reference Library in St. Paul appealing. Says newlywed Anne Costello, “My husband and I wanted a location where both the ceremony and the reception could take place, and we wanted a site that would allow us to bring in our own caterer and beverages.” James J. Hill Reference Library’s ceremony options and open catering policy fit the bill.

Local couple John and Ansley Grams, who were married on Halloween in James J. Hill, also appreciated the library’s beauty and elegance for their neo-Victorian gothic ceremony. “Everyone we approached went, ‘Oh, you’re goths. You want plastic bats and skeletons, right? I have the perfect Frankenstein costume,’ ” says Ansley. The library’s open vendor policy helped the Grams pull together the dark-yet-sophisticated wedding of their dreams.

James J. Hill Library event coordinator Beth O’Connor explains that in addition to the flexibility the library offers, she hears “over and over that it’s a unique spot, a treasure that not a lot of guests have been to before.” (And, of course, nothing makes a party more fun than misbehavior. O’Connor explains that the James J. Hill Library has “all the ingredients to have a good party, because you’re doing things you shouldn’t do in a library, like drinking and dancing—real naughty!”)

One-of-a-kind ambiance is a top selling point for many couples, including newlywed Kelsey Heenan, who held her reception in the Washington County Historic Courthouse in Stillwater. Seeking a venue outside the traditional hotel or country club options, Kelsey decided on the courthouse to wow her out-of-town guests. The hilltop building offers beautiful views of the St. Croix River and historic downtown Stillwater, which, Kelsey says, makes it “feel like the whole town is part of your reception.” The couple’s California friends and family were charmed by the quaint setting, and Kelsey says she “felt like a princess” in the scenic surroundings.

Of course, throwing a good party is high on any bride’s priority list, and the task is made easier by the multitude of memorable entertainment options offered by these historical landmarks. At the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul, for example, wedding guests can take part in a “Gangster Tour” of the caverns, a former speakeasy where John Dillinger once took to the dance floor.

The Turnblad Mansion in Minneapolis, which houses the American Swedish Institute, is the only registered castle in the Twin Cities area; tours are included in the price of rental packages. (The American Swedish Institute will undergo a renovation next year that will expand its rental options even further. The venue will be unavailable between May and October of 2011.)

Anne Costello and Noah Johnson decorated the James J. Hill Library with vintage hankies, vases and an old typewriter. (Photos by Laura Ivanova Photography.)

The basics of having a wedding at a historical venue
A little research goes a long way if you’re considering a historical venue, as not all locations offer the same amenities. For example, at Minneapolis’s Mill City Museum, which features the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, D’Amico Catering handles all aspects of event rentals for the breathtaking industrial space along the Mississippi, which can accommodate up to 500 guests.

Jenna Fritze appreciated this streamlined process for her May 2010 wedding, and as a former D’Amico employee, she knew the catering would be spectacular. “D’Amico’s catering has so many choices for appetizers, entrées and desserts, and as we were tasting the food it seemed each dish was better than the next. We’ve had a lot of people tell us it was not just the best wedding food they’ve ever had, but the best food they’ve ever had,” says Fritze. The centralized planning makes coordinating an event at the museum a snap.

Other venues offer a selection of catering services or have completely open catering policies. Besides food and drink, the layout, amenities and location of a venue are also important considerations. The Turnblad Mansion, for example, holds particularly lovely winter weddings in its grand hall and solarium (50 guests for ceremonies, 185 for dinner), though the mansion’s relative proximity to the Walker Sculpture Garden also makes it a popular reception site for outdoor summer weddings.

For slightly larger parties, the Wabasha Street Caves, James J. Hill Library and Washington County courthouse all have capacities of 200 to 250 guests, though each venue offers completely different rental options. The Caves have a large dance floor surrounded by dining alcoves and an impressive 60-foot bar. The James J. Hill reading room boasts extended library-size tables for family-style dining, as well as a convenient downtown location across from the renowned Saint Paul Hotel. Finally, Washington County Courthouse offers both indoor and outdoor space for rent, with ceremonies on the romantic grounds.

Jenna and Kyle Fritze's guests marveled at Mill City Museum's age-old beauty, comparing it to a European castle. (Photos by La Vie Photography.)

Decorate—or don’t!
While some plain-Jane reception sites may cry out for yards of tulle and buckets of flowers, many of these featured historical locations require little addition to their natural good looks.

“The [Mill City Museum] itself was so beautiful that we didn’t need much decoration,” says Fritze. To enhance the museum’s beauty, she added a simple array of lanterns, moss and rocks. Even with these relatively modest additions, the reception was gorgeous, and guests commented that “they felt like they were in a European castle.”

O’Connor says many brides feel the same way about her facility: “The James J. Hill Library has so much natural beauty that that’s one of the reasons people like it—it doesn’t need a lot of decorations.” For stressed or time-strapped brides, the appeal of a historical venue’s good bones is clear: time saved decorating is time to relax or spend preparing for other parts of the big day.

Though adornment may not be required, that doesn’t mean every bride forgoes the process. A recent spate of vintage-themed weddings at historical locations matches the history of a reception site to its décor. To prepare for her wedding at the Washington County courthouse, Kelsey Heenan scoured thrift stores for vintage books and other secondhand items to use for decoration, explaining that the charm of Stillwater was “perfect with the vintage theme.”

Anne Costello used vintage elements and whimsical décor to match the library setting of her wedding, including a set of old family wedding portraits and a typewriter in lieu of a guest book. Mercury-glass vases and candle holders, along with vintage hankies, completed the personalization of the James J. Hill library.

Of course, sometimes the opulence of a setting is best matched by highly elaborate décor. John and Ansley Grams were delighted to find the James J. Hill Library a natural setting for their gothic wedding; its stately architecture was a perfect fit for their darkly elegant theme. Friends of the couple provided professional lighting and music; the blue lightscape made the library look “ethereal, like a painting or a dream,” says Ansley. The ceremony incorporated a fog machine and the sound of old church bells. Blue and black flowers, black linen, black china, and pomegranates—“the fruit of the underworld”—completed the table settings. Any other venue might have been overwhelmed by the couple’s theme, but the library’s timelessness suited the trappings. Says Ansley, “All of our guests said it was hands-down the most beautiful thing they had seen.”

A fascinating legacy
The physical splendor of these sites will impress any guest, and luckily for history buffs in the crowd, there’s plenty of trivia and intrigue to go along with the architecture.

“Everybody wants to know who lived in the house,” says Gegi Carlson of the American Swedish Institute, explaining that the Turnblad Mansion was built between 1904 and 1908 by Swan J. Turnblad, whose very successful Swedish-American newspaper provided the funds. “Turnblad wanted the house to last 100,000 years, and he always had the idea that he would gift it to the American Swedish community,” says Carlson.

The Turnblad may have had admirable goals for his property, but other venues have less sterling legacies. The Wabasha Street Caves and the Washington County Courthouse have both played host to notorious outlaws; lucky (or delinquent) wedding guests can even spend time in Jesse James’ old cell in the courthouse.

A slightly checkered past, however, can give a place character and romance. James J. Hill Library, says Ansley Grams, “feels full of life. It is a place that, if walls could speak, we’d love to hear what they had to say.” A beautiful ceremony can take place almost anywhere, but with a storied location as the site of the reception, a wedding becomes more than a party—it’s a part of history.

More Historical Twin Cities Wedding Venues

• Christos Union Depot
  Details: Restored neo-classical train station in downtown St. Paul. Marble dance floor; catering by Christos Greek Restaurant.
  Capacity: 240 (ceremony), 350 (reception)

• Saint Paul Hotel
  Details: Landmark 1910 hotel in downtown St. Paul; fully restored. On-site catering; staff wedding coordinators; multiple venue options.
  Capacity: 120-500, depending on room and type of function

• St. James Hotel
  Details: 1875 four-story Italianate hotel in downtown Red Wing. On-site catering; staff wedding coordinators; guest shuttle service.
  Capacity: 340

• Nicollet Island Pavilion
  Details: Historic structure on Nicollet Island Park. Catering and events by Mintáhoe; multi-level decks; views of downtown and Stone Arch Bridge.
  Capacity: 600 (seated), 1,500 (reception), 10,000 (overall event site)

• Landmark Center
  Details: Repurposed courthouse/post office in downtown St. Paul. Open catering policy; permanent and rotating exhibits.
  Capacity: 20-1,000, depending on room and type of function

• St. Anthony Main Event Centre
  Details: Three-level restored industrial space overlooking Mississippi River downtown. Outdoor deck space; catering by Three Sons Signature Cuisine.
  Capacity: 550 (seated), 1,000 (reception)

Get more from Minnesota Bride! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.