Wedding Day Plan: Our Lady of Lourdes Ceremony + Minneapolis Event Centers Reception

7pm Ceremony

at Our Lady of Lourdes Church
with a Minneapolis Event Center reception to follow

Samuel and Louisa were married this past summer on St. Anthony Main near downtown Minneapolis. The bride wore a classic Jenny Yoo gown with a blusher, and the groom looked incredible in a white tuxedo with black detailing. Their ceremony was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, and following the ceremony we walked from there to the reception hosted in the River Room at Minneapolis Event Centers. This sequence of venues works SO WELL. The Church is a gorgeous, historic French Catholic Church (perfect for a timeless ceremony) and the walk to the event center takes about five minutes (where the celebration can continue.) Walking through the area in the summertime was perfect, although you could also drive and park in the next nearest ramp if a walk through the city isn’t your jam.

I’ve had a few other couples do this specific wedding day plan and each time it has gone really smoothly. Depending on what time your ceremony is at the Church, your guests can transition slowly to the reception with their own cocktail hour at nearby restaurants on St. Anthony Main. There are many to choose from, but my favorite is Wilde Cafe + Spirits with their signature and seasonal cocktails AND gelato counter. If you have a later ceremony in the evening, like Samuel and Louisa did, your guests can walk right to MEC and be welcomed into your reception.

Here is an example timeline of their day if you are considering these two venues for your wedding! If your ceremony at Our Lady of Lourdes happens to be earlier, check out this blog post to see how Derek and Colleen’s wedding day progressed.

THE SCHEDULE:

Getting ready at Minneapolis Event Centers (MEC)
4pm First look Bride and Groom at MEC courtyard
4:15-4:45 Portraits of Bride and Groom at MEC courtyard/around St. Anthony Main
4:45-5:30 Bridal Party photos around St. Anthony Main
5:30-6 Family photos outside front of MEC
-walk or drive to Our Lady of Lourdes Church-
6:15 Bride hidden in church basement hangout room, guests start arriving
7pm Ceremony at Our Lady of Lourdes Church
-walk or drive to Minneapolis Event Center-
8pm Cocktail Hour @ MEC begins
8:15 Golden Hour Photos for Bride and Groom (outside of Church and down toward the Mississippi River)
8:45 Buffet of finger food and hors’ doeuvres
9:15 Speeches
9:30 Dance begins!