It’s your special day and there is no undo button, so making the right choice about where your celebration will be held is crucial. Everyone has their own personal tastes so exploring all options is your best bet in making the right kind of memories. I have listed the top 5 venues in order in the western suburbs and Minneapolis. I have highlighted the benefits of each venue and all other information necessary. I did not list actual prices since they are subject to change but I did rate the price ranges by either low, medium, or high. Hopefully this will help in making the right choice for you.
1. Medina Entertainment Center Medina, MN
This is just a wonderful place to hold any event but it is especially great for weddings. It is located about fifteen minutes west of Minneapolis on highway 55 with more then enough on-site parking. The Medina Entertainment center has been in operation for over fifty years. This facility has three different rooms to accommodate weddings of all sizes. They have a brand new bar and restaurant area, a game room, and full bowling facility to keep all ages entertained. They do on-site or off-site catering and very honestly the food is great. There friendly staff is their to assist you every step of the way to make your wedding experience both easy and memorable. “Images” is a private banquet room on the main level with its own entrance and patio area. It has its own kitchen facility, a stage, and a beautiful built in bar. It has a dance floor and built in sound system. This room is perfect for small to medium size weddings. The party rooms” can be one large room or divided into three smaller rooms “Rosewood”, “Teal wood”, and “Oakwood. These rooms are also on the main level and are connected to the main kitchen. A portable bar equipped with a very skilled and pleasant bar tender can be added to any room. There is a dance floor and a built in sound system. This is perfect for weddings of all sizes. Then there is the Grand Ballroom. This is on the top level of the facility. The Ballroom is a semi-private or private room that has a capacity of over 2,000, but is a very intimate setting and looks truly breathtaking fully decorated. It features a very large dance floor, a state of the art sound system, and three built in bars. It has a professional size stage built to hold bands of all sizes or even the largest DJ set up. This room is for medium to large weddings and makes for a night to remember. Perhaps the best feature is the Medina Inn located steps across the parking lot so your special night will end safely and comfortably for all your guests. This venue is in the low to medium price range for any size event. For more information visit www.medinaentertainment.com. For pricing details or to set up a tour call Jill or Janine at (763)478-6662.
2. Plymouth Creek Center Plymouth, MN
This facility has possibly the most beautiful banquet room in the state. It is located about ten minutes west of Minneapolis. It has free on-site parking. This is a newly built venue that is perfect for both the reception and the actual marriage ceremony. If you chose to have the ceremony on site you have two options. The first is a room on the lower level that can be arranged to nicely accommodate your wedding. The second is my favorite, outside in their “Millennium Garden”. This is an amazing piece of landscaping that you have to see to believe. It has everything you could want from all the most beautiful flowers to a coy pond. Fully decorated for your event this garden will be the marriage location of your dreams. For your reception they have a great banquet facility that has a wall of windows that wraps around the room. The view from the upper level where the banquet facility is located is exceptional, you can see the garden from anywhere in the room. Outside the wall of windows is a deck that also wraps around the room so you can enjoy the view outside as well. Further past the garden is a wetland reserve that is great for watching the wildlife that lives there. The inside of the room has great views as well. It has impressive architecture with high ceilings and recessed lighting built in to set the mood as the sun goes down and the dancing begins. The room has a built in stage and dance floor, but you will have to find a DJ or band because there is no sound system built in. The facility is connected to a full size kitchen, but they do not cater in-house so you must enlist the services of a local catering company. My suggestion would be to contact my previous listing, the Medina Entertainment Center, along with a full menu of banquet food to chose from, they also offer bar services. You have a choice in the style of meal service as well. You can chose from a buffet style meal, or a sit down meal with every guest served individually, and you can add a carving station. Their great service and better food will make your wedding meal something to remember. This venue falls in the medium price range including room rental, bar/catering, and entertainment. For more information visit www.plymouthmn.gov go to the “Facilities” tab and click on Plymouth Creek Center, or call (763)509-5280.
3. The VanDusen Mansion Minneapolis, MN
This is an exquisite venue that will add style and class to any occasion with a focus on weddings. It is located in the Stevens Square Neighborhood in Minneapolis. there is city street parking. It is part of the Mintahoe Hospitality Group. Mintahoe is a company that owns an operates many banquet facilities that are worth looking into as well. This is a mansion built for George Washington VanDusen in 1891. This is a place bursting with history and many great stories. I’ll give you only one right now. This mansion was neglected for many years and was set to be demolished in 1994 but was purchased at the last minute by a private party and completely repaired but kept true to the period. It has since been turned into a banquet facility by Mintahoe. They do all their own custom catering, and are there to assist you in event planning. They have been in the catering business since 1991 and they have four different choices for your catering needs. You can chose from Apples Catering, Perfect Host Catering, Picnics Plus, or Professional Foodservice’s drop-off dining. Each of these catering choices are all in the Mintahoe family and each of them offer specific menu types from classic to contemporary. They offer full bar service for your reception through Mintáhoe Catering & Events’ Beverage Services division. This is an Ideal venue in Minneapolis, it is truly a spectacular place to have a wedding. Who wouldn’t want to have their reception in a 12,000 square foot mansion. It is a perfectly preserved piece of history the rooms are uniquely furnished from floor to ceiling with everything from fabulous paintings to ornate chandeliers. The grounds are beautifully landscaped, there is a music room with a grand piano, and the dining room has a brilliant long table that you are sure to never see anywhere else. Even if you do not use this mansion as the venue for your wedding I would highly suggest going on the grand tour. This would surely make a wedding reception that every one of your guest would never forget. I guarantee they would be talking about your wedding for years to come and brides, all your lady friends will definitely be jealous. This venue would be in the medium to high price range including room rental, bar/catering, and entertainment. For more information visit www.thevandusenmansion.com or call Matt Anderson at (612)871-2702.
4. Hilton Garden Inn Maple Grove, MN
The Hilton Garden Inn is located about fifteen minutes northwest of the Twin Cities. They have free on-site parking. This type of venue is on my list because I wanted a more traditional reception choice for the western suburbs of the Twin Cities. This particular hotel is on my list because of the knowledge and ability of the staff, the functionality of the banquet room, and the size and price point. This venue has a very nice banquet room that looks great fully decorated. The staff is there to assist in choosing the exact menu and type of service that will suit your needs. The location is also a big plus. For your traveling guests it is the perfect area to spend a weekend, with lots of brand new shops and restaurants and minutes from downtown Minneapolis, there is plenty to do to make a great vacation for every guest. The banquet room is equipped to hold up to one hundred people. There is one hundred twenty spacious clean guest rooms. They have a pool and hot tub to relax in before or after the big event. They have a built in sound system inside the banquet room. After dinner in your private banquet room you can go for drinks in the Pavilion Lounge or at the Great American Grill inside the hotel. There is also a beautifully landscaped patio. This venue falls into the low price range and is great for smaller weddings or to make a weekend of it in a wonderful area. For more information and to take a 3D tour visit www.hiltongardeninn.hilton.com or call (763)509-9500.
5. Pracna on Main Minneapolis, MN
Last on my list is a great intimate venue that will surpass every need in a rustic city setting. It is located on Main Street in Minneapolis within the historic buildings of St. Anthony Main. They have an on-site parking ramp available. This venue was erected in 1890 which makes Pracna on Main the oldest restaurant on the oldest street in Minneapolis. They offer horse drawn carriage rides through the city and along the river, there is great walking paths, and a fantastic view of the city skyline. All this alone makes this a romantic night to remember, but add family and friends, a beautifully decorated room, and tasty food and no one will ever forget your special day. The store front will take you back in time, and the decor inside will make you feel like your in Paris or Italy. When you leave the cobblestone street and enter Pracna on Main you will enter a new world of elegance. You will love the brick walls and floors, and the fireplace will make your love burn more, if that’s possible! The lighting will set the mood as you and your loved ones share a wonderful meal that the friendly staff helps you pick. Dance in the glow of the lights of the city at night on the outdoor patio. Inside, enjoy drinks and dance the night away on the moonlit dance floor. There is room for one hundred fifty for a seated meal or three hundred for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing. They can form this great historical venue to cater to your specific needs. This venue falls in the low to medium price range and really makes a unique and fun place that you will absolutely love. For more information visit www.gatheringguide/pracnaonmain.com or www.stanthonymain.com or contact (612)805-8207.
Sources Cited:
The Van Dusen Mansion
www.thevandusenmansion.com
Mintahoe Catering and Events
www.mintahoe.com
Pracna on Main
www.gatheringguide.com/pracnaonmain
Hilton Garden Inn
www.hiltongardeninn.hilton.com
