Twin Cities Wedding Venues Perfect for Photography
You probably landed on this page since you have started planning your wedding and are looking for the perfect Twin Cities wedding venue for you! Minneapolis and St. Paul have quite an array of venues, from barns to mansions and everything in between. When choosing a wedding venue, you want to pick one that suits the vibe you are going for. Your venue is one of the most important factors when it comes to how your photos will turn out.
Whether your vibe is bright and colorful or dark and moody, there is a venue for everyone on this list. In this list, I will be covering venues in the Twin Cities only – find my greater Minnesota list here.
My Favorite Twin Cities Wedding Venues
The Lowlands
Starting off this list, we have a wedding venue located in St. Paul called The Lowlands. Built in 1929, it was initially a metal manufacturing business. In 2017, it was repurchased and reopened in 2023 as a wedding venue just across the Wabasha Bridge from the heart of downtown. This venue offers beautiful getting-ready spaces and industrial modern ceremony and reception space, and is close to Harriet Island Park if you want some outdoor scenery for your photos!
Website // Instagram // See more from The Lowlands and this beautiful wedding here.
Urban Daisy
This space had to have been one of my favorites for photography in 2024. Located in the Twin Cities Northeast neighborhood, it’s perfect for those of you who love Minneapolis. It is a blank slate, with high modern industrial ceilings and large windows for the best natural light. This venue does amazing with colorful florals. If that is your vibe, I say this venue is perfect for you!
Van Dusen Mansion
Okay, enough with the white modern Twin Cities wedding venues. Are you looking for something a little more on the classy side with an old-money vibe? Van Dusen Mansion may just be the perfect Twin Cities wedding venue for you. This venue is able to host up to 200 guests and is located just south of the heart of Minneapolis. Their outdoor ceremony space is gorgeous, and with multiple different rooms throughout the venue, there are endless options to get the best photos!
Website // Instagram // See more photos here!
The 1893 at the Historic Grainbelt
When it comes to Twin Cities wedding venues, this one was a hidden gem! Located just a short walk from the Mississippi in the Northeast neighborhood, this venue genuinely surprised me. Fitting up to 300 guests, this space offers a different charm than we see with other venues. With large stained glass windows and a bank vault (yes, an actual vault), this venue has tons of character.
Website // Instagram // See more photos here!
Minneapolis Club
Keeping with historic charm but literally right downtown, we land at the Minneapolis Club. A building built in 1907, the Minneapolis Club sticks out like a sore thumb right downtown among the modern skyscrapers! With multiple rooms to host your wedding, there is so much variety and potential for photos here.
Machine Shop
Located only a couple blocks away from one of the Northeast’s cutest street, this venue gives you all of the industrial vibes you could imagine. Only being a short walk away from iconic city skyline views, this Twin Cities venue is perfect for you if you are looking for something very city – without being downtown.
St. Paul College Club
Have you dreamed of having your wedding in a mansion? The St. Paul College Club may be perfect for you. This venue is situated on Summit Avenue in St. Paul, one of the metro’s most affluent neighborhoods. I mean, come on, it’s next door to the governor’s house! This venue I would say is the lighter version of Van Dusen mansion. So, between these two, it’s whether you want to get married in Minneapolis or St. Paul!
Website // Instagram // See more photos here!
Nicollet Island Pavilion
Situated on the iconic Nicollet Island, this venue gives you options for the best of both worlds – St. Anthony Main or downtown – for your photo locations. This Twin Cities wedding venue was built in 1893 and was acquired by the Minneapolis Parks Board in 1976. It was eventually restored to be a beautiful wedding venue right along the Mississippi.
Minneapolis Events Center
This venue seems very popular among couples, as I have photographed multiple weddings here! It appears that this venue works for all seasons and, again, is perfect for those who love an exposed brick vibe right along the Mississippi.
Renaissance Hotel – The Depot
This venue is right off Washington Avenue, the heart line of downtown Minneapolis. It is only a short walk from Stone Arch Bridge but offers a wide variety of buildings and unique backgrounds nearby. There are two separate event spaces here, one a very old ballroom, and the other a giant wide open space with large windows looking out to the city!
Although I don’t have photos from these venues, here are some other honorable mentions of other Twin Cities wedding venues that I would LOVE to photograph your wedding at!
- Mill City Museum – situated right by Gold Medal Park and the Stone Arch Bridge, it has beautiful architecture.
- American Swedish Institute – the Twin Cities’ very own castle-like venue.
- The Whim – a perfect blank slate for the colorful wedding you have been dreaming of, with gorgeous windows and architecture nearby!
- PAIKKA – a Twin Cities venue with lots of charm but still has that industrial feel.
- A’BULAE – the St. Paul venue with an AMAZING ceremony space.
- Como Park Conservatory – every plant lovers dream of a wedding venue.
- The Essence Event Center – a venue that was an old train yard, with a hotel right on site!
- Minneapolis Institute of Art – the perfect venue for classy, elegant art and fashion lovers.
Maddi Waldo Photo is a St. Paul-based wedding and elopement photographer who specializes in documentary-style wedding photos with an editorial edge. Reach out to inquire about wedding availability here!
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