The Grand 1858 at Minneapolis Event Centers

My husband and I fell in love with this space the minute we walked in! We went to Minneapolis Event Centers to tour their 2 other rooms, as The View wasn't done yet. But even seeing before it was finished, we knew it was the place for us. The team, and especially our coordinator Melissa, were very helpful throughout the entire planning process - they were quick to respond, listened to our needs, and executed the day perfectly. This space was just the right size for both our ceremony and reception - our guests were really blown away by the staff and the venue itself. Their in-house caterer was awesome - the appetizers, dinners, and late night snack were delicious and displayed with professionalism and creativity. The location is great, especially for out of town guests who can stay in nearby hotels and take photos at the Stone Arch Bridge.

We had a fantastic experience working with the MEC to execute our truly magical New Years Eve wedding. The venue was beautiful and provided the warmth necessary for a very cold winter wedding in Minneapolis! Our guests traveled from NYC and Los Angeles for our wedding and nonetheless could not stop raving about the excellent food, the beauty and utility of the various spaces for the event (we used the Riverside Room for the ceremony and the reception and the newly expanded View room for a pre-wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour), and generally how smoothly everything ran. That was in large part due to the awesome work of Jamie and Wendy who helped us with all of the details big and small and who met with us to go through our menu, food item by food item, when we became worried about putting together a vegetarian wedding. In terms of decorations, used some candles on the tables but were struck by how few flowers were needed because of the great look of the Riverside and View Rooms on their own. One thing that we added at the last minute was several uplights for the ceremony (for a low cost) which helped light up our ceremony (otherwise it might have been a bit dark in the room for an evening ceremony, FYI). I got ready with my friends in the bridal suite which was a fun, spacious, and attractive spot to prepare in. We were worried that costs would balloon at the MEC (as is common in wedding planning, the initial proposed amount is generally far from the final amount) and while there was some increase, it was within what we had estimated and not beyond. The folks at MEC were conscious about our budget and helping us to stay within it. All in all, it was the perfect spot to throw our perfect wedding. I recommend it highly and without reservation!

We’d rate our experience 4.25 stars, but rounding up to a 5 because overall, we had a very positive experience and would get married here again!!

We had a lot of guests from out of town so the location is awesome for that! We loved the historic charm of the building and the exposed beams with lighting included. We loved the courtyard where we got married. We loved the getting ready rooms for the girls and the guys. Sienna was our Day of Coordinator and was super helpful and set up everything that we needed! They added fresh flowers to the pots the day of the wedding in the outdoor ceremony space, which was beautiful! All of the day of staff were great and super helpful! No major complaints for the day of! The food was truly incredible—we’re still hearing compliments from guests about how much they loved every dish! Drinks were great too. Highly recommend adding the indoor sparklers—they were such a fun surprise for guests and totally worth it.

The day-of service was a 10/10, and that’s what matters most! The team here runs weddings like a well-oiled machine, and it shows in how smoothly everything flows.

Cons
- One of the vendors we booked from their preferred list was later removed due to venue insurance/vendor requirements. It caused some awkwardness and stress, but we pivoted and had our florist create a floral arch instead, which worked out beautifully.

- There are fees for early access to suites, and another fee if vendors need to set up before noon. We only paid for the suite access, but it would have been nice if vendor access was included since the early access fee is not cheap.

- The venue is very strict on outside food and drinks, which we understand. However, since no food service is available before 11 am, it would be great if they offered a light morning option (like pastries, fruit, or bagels) for couples and wedding parties who access the suites early.

- Planning meetings were a bit inconsistent since we worked with different staff members. Everyone was friendly and helpful, but we did receive conflicting information at times (like deadlines for seating charts, place cards, and what the DOC would or wouldn't set up). It all got clarified closer to the wedding, but it caused some unnecessary stress.