As a photographer, I have visited many places designed to hold a large capacity of people for a formal event. With hundreds of weddings under my belt, here are my favorite Minnesota wedding venues because of their accommodations, staff & organization, beauty and scenery. As a photographer, these are also aesthetically pleasing venues that I love to capture & edit. They have gorgeous backdrops and offer pretty indoor areas as well. All around, 10 favorite venues in Minnesota, and in no particular order:
Grand Superior Lodge, Two Harbors, MN. This venue is amazing for a couple who wants to make a weekend of their wedding. Nearby the resort, there’s Rustic Pies, which is a popular dessert vendor for many couples, Gooseberry falls, which is less that 5 minutes away, great for photos or a hike, and Two Harbors, which has a golf course, a variety of restaurants/bars, and plenty of tourist attractions worth checking out! The space is a cross between Northern Minnesota rustic with modern touches. The ballroom, which holds 180 people seated, has huge windows overlooking the shore. The biggest bonus about renting the venue has to be the outdoor space it comes with, the patio is brick with a large wooden arch, which is where wedding ceremonies take place. Throughout the evening the space is used for cocktail hour, bonfires, yard games, and of course exploring the shore of Lake Superior. From the event manager: “A few things I would love to note would be we have this beautiful beach house, which is the closest to the lake anyone can stay on the North Shore! Many couples will rent is out for their wedding weekend and use it as a honeymoon stay as well. Our lodge also has an awesome bar, along with two great restaurants, giving you and your guests plenty of options for food and drinks. We also have a rock (I know funny, of course we have rocks) that is a popular spot to take pictures day of, with the right angle is makes it look like the couple is floating on top of the lake.”
(see also my blog post labeled “Wedding on Lake Superior” for more images from a 2025 wedding there!)
Agate Acres, Two Harbors, MN has the perfect spot for a wedding set in the countryside. They also offer florals from their farm that are grown onsite! Their greenhouse reception area offers beautiful ambient lighting and enough space for all your loved ones. The back field is perfect for sunset photos and the cherry on top is the tractor hayrides they offer.
Gathered Oaks, Alexandria, MN is set on a small lake in western MN and can hold up to 225 people. There are so many options for photo locations and their ceremony set up is always gorgeous. The outdoor spaces are perfect for cocktail hour and they have bright + beautiful on-site lodging. The grain bins are a one-of-a-kind experience that couples can give to their guests! And the farmhouse is equipped with 11 bedrooms + 10 bathrooms! Crazy! Gathered Oaks has separate getting ready spaces for both him & her, plenty of windows, and a phenomenal staff. Other grerat attractions in Alexandria include Ida Graves craft cocktails, Carlos Creek Winery, golf at the esteemed Alexandria Golf Club, swimming at Pilgrim Point, and Gathered Oaks’ own Monday night wood fired pizza + live music nights in the summer, if you want to extend your stay! (See my other blog post “September Wedding at Gathered Oaks” for more pictures!)
The Grainary at Lake Valley Farm, Poplar, WI is a rustic modern property in the countryside of northern Wisconsin. With several buildings for plenty of space to host your celebration, this venue features a groom’s loft, bridal cottage, the hayloft- featuring a soaring ceiling and a signature moss-covered iron chandelier, and a patio space that is lovely for cocktail hour. Accommodating up to 200 people, guests can enjoy the open-air reception space that seamlessly invites the outdoors in during dinner; then dance the night away in front of the grand indoor fireplace or gather around one of five outdoor fire pits as evening falls. The property offers a rich variety of backdrops, from the infinite horizon of expansive tall-grass fields to the modern contrast of bold black architecture. Capture sophisticated imagery against sleek modern finishes, warm reclaimed brick, weathered beams, and the striking industrial lines of the grain bins.
Harvester Square, Saint Cloud, MN. This venue is perfect for those wanting an entirely indoor space that can offer plenty of square footage for ceremony & reception. With its historic meets modern luxury design, they can seat up to 400 people and have 3 different ceremony set up options. Located in town, it has a distillery next door and have a great partnership with them for groomsman dinners and a place to go for guests before the wedding. The getting ready suites for both the bride & groom are spacious, the sunset photo op location is the rooftop (amazing), the bar is huge, and the sound is easy to control in there. You can’t go wrong with this charming brick venue.
Ivy Black, Saginaw, MN. A large, modern, black barn that boasts timber beams, large windows, and a guest capacity of over 250. It is located about 15 minutes from Duluth and provides the perfect escape from the city while being just minutes away. Situated on 60 acres of beautiful grassy field with trails along the property, Ivy Black provides perfect picture opportunities for nature lovers. This venue also offers a variety of ceremony locations (3!!) on site and their getting ready suites are perfect for spending your wedding morning at the venue. The indoor space contains a lot of natural light through large windows with a neutral color palette throughout the venue with wooden beams throughout the building to create a warm and inviting yet polished and upscale feel. I love this venue so much, I booked it for my own wedding!
Northern Pacific Center, Brainerd, MN is a privately owned historic railyard property originally built in 1871, making the spaces over 150 years old. The venues feature original brick, concrete floors, vaulted ceilings full of chandeliers, timeless architecture, and industrial-inspired design, with modern amenities. It’s the perfect blend of historic and romantic while being effortlessly elevated. They have multiple venues varying in size, giving couples flexibility while keeping everything conveniently located in one place. Blacksmith Main, our historic Blacksmith Shop venue, can accommodate up to 350 guests and is ideal for cocktail hour and reception. Two South is the largest space and a historic Machine Shop building, accommodating up to 400 guests, and is perfect for hosting both ceremony and reception all within. Three Main is a ceremony only space that seats up to 300 guests and features an original train track aisle and arched door backdrop, plus romantic drapery and chandeliers. The Luminary venue is more of an intimate sized space, and especially popular for micro weddings, intimate celebrations, and rehearsal dinners. Luminary seats up to 300 guests for ceremonies or receptions up to 150 guests. Each reception venue also includes attached outdoor patios, giving guests the room to mingle indoors and out. The entire property is connected by sidewalks, making it easy to move between spaces. We also include plenty of free onsite parking. One of the biggest perks of Northern Pacific Center is that everything is truly in one place. Notch 8 is our onsite restaurant and exclusive catering team. Guests can also enjoy Loco Espress, an onsite coffee shop/boutique. Perfect for morning-of coffee runs! We’re also conveniently located in the Brainerd Lakes Area, with close access to hotels, resorts, VRBOs, and shuttle services. Couples also have access to 47 acres of our outdoor land, offering endless opportunities for outdoor portraits and golden-hour photos. You can actually view their pricing here: https://www.northernpacificcenter.com/pricing-guide
Bavaria Downs, Chaska, MN. Specifically the Edward Anne Estate at Bavaria Downs. This place has a European vibe that is hard to find in the Midwest. A beautiful patio, plenty of indoor space, and a very large ballroom to host all your people. The architecture and landscaping is unbeatable. The Bavaria Downs company offers several venues, The Edward Anne Estate (pictured), Equestria West, Woodland Glasshaus & three more city venues. I highly recommend checking them out if you are looking for an upscale and a specific aesthetic for your wedding day.
The Barn at Stoney Hills in Cushing, MN was designed for couples who want their wedding to feel unhurried, meaningful, and beautifully their own. With multiple ceremony locations, space for 350+ guests, and on-site lodging for up to 25 guests, the venue is designed to feel warm, elevated, and comfortable — a place that feels just as beautiful in quiet moments as it does when filled with celebration. This venue boasts over 400 acres of property so there’s lots of places for great photos, like the field for sunset portraits and the pond with row boat is a unique touch to get those Notebook-like portraits.
Last but certainly not least, Ivory North, Mora, MN. This venue is set in the country where the owners put so much work into their property, & it shows. Historic white barn meets meets modern flair, where “old meets new” in this renovated one-of-a-kind space. They have multiple buildings on site, including the white barn, dining pavilion, patio spaces, getting ready buildings, & a little black greenhouse in the woods, perfect for sneaking away for the first look. With 40 acres of land, there are plenty of options for outdoor ceremony & photo locations and they can comfortably accommodate up to 200 guests. The owners intention with their place has always been to honor God & they strive that Ivory North be a blessing to everyone who encounters the property.
