The Best Rehearsal Dinner Spots for Your Minnesota Wedding
Photo by Jillian Blanc Photography
how will you Kick off your
Minnesota wedding weekend?
Wedding weekends typically start the day before your actual wedding, this might be because of final preparations like a ceremony rehearsal, or it could be to accommodate guests traveling from out of town and arriving early.
Easing into the weekend by getting the ‘haven’t seen you in ages’ small talk out of the way is a great way to avoid spending your wedding night feeling slightly out of place. Instead you can spend yor reception rehashing old stories and reminiscing about ‘the time that…’ and making new memories.
Just like the day-after-brunch-plans, your pre-event-dinner-or-drinks is an opportunity to spend more time together, celebrating your relationship and the people who support your life.
Here are 3 ways to start your wedding weekend:
Photo by Rock N’ Roll Wedding Club
Ceremony Rehearsal + Rehearsal Dinner
Your ceremony rehearsal can take place at your ceremony venue (easily done if you are getting married in a church) or at another location (hotel, restaurant, park), and it will include every one in your wedding ceremony (officiant, parents, siblings, wedding party, flower girls and ring bearers and their parents, readers; optional: ushers).
Make a dinner reservation for after the rehearsal (typically 30-45 minutes when run by a professional) for all of those people and their plus ones. This can easily be 30+ people so check out these Twin Cities rehearsal dinner venues:
O’Shaughnessy Distilling
Dianne’s Place
Pinstripes
Aster Cafe
Paris Dining Club
Forgotten Star Brewing
The Market at Malcom Yards
Day Block Event Center
Pryes Brewing
Glass House
Gatherings at Station 10
The Revel Room
The Annex
Vinai
Photos by Rock N’ Roll Wedding Club
Welcome Dinner
Have your parents met your partner’s parents? Are they barely acquainted? If you can forgo a ceremony rehearsal - not as scary as it sounds - then make a more intimate dinner reservation that only includes parents and siblings. Use the time to connect and come together without all the distraction.
This might be a more intimate party of 15 or less. You’ll want a venue with a private dining space, somewhere quieter where parents don’t have to yell to be heard, and you’ve got your own server. Here are my Twin Cities welcome dinner venue recommendations:
Alma
Riva Terrace
Spoon and Stable
Maison Margaux
ie - Italian Eatery by Travail
Cedar + Stone, Urban Table (Bloomington)
Lela (Bloomington)
Restoration Hardware Rooftop Restaurant (Edina)
People’s Organic Edina (Edina)
Martina
Colita
Photo by Whims & Joy
Welcome Drinks
Looking for something more casual or more inclusive for your wedding guests the night before? Host a happy hour with light bites for anyone can make it.
In this case you won’t need to be as diligent about RSVPS (just ensure your space can accommodate everyone who might come) and you can opt for an open tab instead of renting out a private space.
Check out these Minnesota metro area welcome drink location ideas:
Breweries: Nine Mile Brewing, Wooden Hill Brewing, Bad Weather Brewing, Utepils Brewing, Surly Brewing, Minneapolis Cider Company
Hotel bar: AC Hotel of Bloomington, Delta Hotel Minneapolis, Emery, Rand Tower Hotel, Hyatt Centric
Airbnb rental or family member’s backyard
Catering options: Root to Rise, Chowgirls, Surdyk’s, Union Hmong Kitchen, Quince
Bartender options: Steady Pour, Liquid Motion
Staffing options: Host a Toast or Hire a Host
Photo by J Olson Photography
planned perfectly with Expert tips
Whether you are planning your own welcome event, or your mother-in-law-to-be has offered to take on the task, follow these expert tips to plan your wedding weekend welcome event.
Most restaurants will not want to book 4 months in advance or more, but getting on their radar can’t hurt. Reach out and ask when you can book and then set a calendar reminder for before that preferred date.
Choose a rehearsal dinner venue that is close to accommodations to keep logistics straightforward and stress-free.
If you are opting for an experience, like a boat ride rehearsal dinner or Big Stone Mini Golf welcome drinks, arrange for transportation to ensure everyone arrives on time and departs safely.
Don’t forget to send out invitations along with wedding invites and track RSVPs so you can provide the venue or caterer with an accurate headcount. Zola or Minted have easy multiple event features
Hire your photographer to attend a portion of your welcome event to capture this part of your weekend
Plan for a few toasts at dinner to take the pressure off of your wedding day toast session, typically this would be the host (parents) and maybe siblings or additional friends.
Combine an intimate welcome dinner (5pm) with welcome drinks (7pm) to include everyone who might be in town early
