Dinnah and Jeff Wedding at Muse Event Center Minneapolis, MN

This Minneapolis wedding is not an intimate wedding (for Minnesota), but a huge celebration with a modern ballroom that I will detail soon. But, before diving into their wedding reception at the Muse Event Center on the North West loop, let me introduce you to this lovely couple.

Dinnah and Jeff are clearly one of my favorite couples of the year. They are friendly, candid, honest, they love, trust, support each other madly, and last but not least, when they see each other their faces are transformed.

It all started with a first contact on the internet, followed by a meeting in a cozy coffee shop, in the north suburb of Minneapolis. Dinnah grew up in Minnesota (in the Twin Cities’s neighborhood), and is a specialized teacher working with disabled kids. Jeff comes from Chicago and works for a phone company. He is the guy climbing on pylons to fix the lines. They met through mutual friends in Chicago, and since then, they have stayed together.

Engagement session in Minneapolis

For their engagement session, Jeff and Dinnah chose two popular spots well known by Minneapolis residents: the Stone Arch Bridge and The Tattersall Brewery. Jeff was quite nervous at the beginning of the session, but picture after picture he started to relax. Dinnah was gorgeous from the beginning to the end. She helped him to feel confident, and showed a lot of complicity with her beloved one. I loved the way they held their hands and watched each other. Dinnah is the kind of woman gifted with natural beauty, a large smile that inspires joy and happiness. Jeff is a caring man, protecting her, paying attention to her and making her laugh all the time. We started by taking pictures at the park facing the Stone Arch Bridge. It was a sunny day and we had some great light. Then we moved to the brewery to enjoy the opening hour. Luckily, it was almost empty and, as VIP people, we got access for 5 minutes to the back room, to take a picture featuring the wood barrels. Their engagement session was a great pleasure, and I knew their wedding at the Muse Event Center would be special!

The getting ready for the bride

On this special day, I worked with Ian Hanson, he was a good second shooter! He was taking pictures of the groom and the groomsmen while I was shooting pictures of the bride having makeup. She got ready inside of her mother’s house, surrounded by close family and bridesmaids. Everyone was pretty relaxed, having breakfast and drinking mimosas. When I arrived, I first took pictures of details, such as earrings, shoes, and the engagement diamond ring. During this time, Dinnah had her makeup done by a great makeup artist. Her skin was so beautiful that I couldn’t resist taking close-up shots. After the makeup, I took some shots of the bridal squad wearing their silk dresses while they shared a bottle of champagne. While I was going back and forth from inside to outside the home, I noticed that the garage’s door had 7 windows. What an odd coincidence that the bride and bridesmaids were seven. So, I staged a silhouette picture using the door that I am pretty proud of. Then the bride revealed her dress to her friends and got ready.

First look at Como Park

It’s at Como Park, located in the immediate city suburb area in St Paul MN that they decided to have their first look. Given I didn’t want a lot of visitors in their pictures’ background, I decided on a spot quite far away from the entrance of the park. Jeff was very nervous and excited to see her. It was difficult for him not to spin to her knowing she was coming. It was such a cute moment to see his amazed face when he discovered her. Dinnah was even more beautiful than what he imagined. Then we took some bride and groom pictures, using the pines and other trees. But it didn’t take long for the family to arrive. So we staged the family pictures. It was a nice reunion moment because some people traveled from very far away and hadn’t seen each other for a while!

Wedding Ceremony at the St Stephanus Lutheran Church

For their wedding ceremony, they chose the Lutheran Church located in St Paul, MN. It is a red brick church on two floors. I asked the second shooter to stay on the wood balcony while I was taking pictures from the ground floor. The young pastor was pretty relaxed and gave me all the liberty I could have wished to take pictures. He was the type of young pastor who managed to find the right words and breathe life into old religious texts. That was a great ceremony, full of emotions. Check the bride’s face, you may see some tears. After the ceremony, the entire bridal party went to an adjacent room to sign the marriage certificate. Then they headed to their venue, the Muse Event Center.

Wedding Reception at the Muse Event Center Minneapolis

Given Dinnah and Jeff both have large families, they needed a wedding venue located in the twin cities with enough space to host a large number of guests. After some deep search, they decided on the Muse Event Center. It has a large two-level room, with balconies and overlooking mezzanine. It’s located in the north-west loop of Minneapolis, close to other wedding venues, such as the 514 Studios. Located in the west area, a neighborhood which is a throwback to the post-industrial time, the red brick has a touch of a New York building. That being said, the inside has been renovated in a very modern way to host large events. For instance, the foyer featured HD displays.

Ethiopian tradition

Dinnah has some Ethiopian roots, and wanted to include some tradition in her reception. They entered the venue’s foyer to special Ethiopian music, acclaimed by the guests’ applause. When all the guests were seated, the catering staff started to serve people food and we used this opportunity to escape to take more pictures.

Getaway

It was sunset time, and Minneapolis streets were almost empty. We used a restaurant and bar’s facade for a romantic image and then climbed on the rooftop. We had a great view of Minneapolis downtown and the city skyline. The newlywed couple was happy and it was a real pleasure for me to create such memories. It’s always great to have a variety of backdrops. But, the groom received a phone call from his best man: the couple was expected to show up for the toast! I took a last picture featuring the stunning view, and we quickly returned inside.

Great Toast and Dancing

After some great toasts, the staff moved some tables, opened the foyer’s bar, and thus turned the reception center into a club to party all night. The bride and the groom opened their first dance together, followed by parents’ dance. I was happy to climb on the overlooking mezzanine to take pictures. Then the DJ put on some Ethiopian music and the couple had a lot of fun on the dancefloor. The entire room turned into a huge ballroom. Some shy people enjoyed the scene from the balcony, but most of the guests partied in the foyer.

When should you consider the Muse event center for your wedding?

If you are in search of your wedding venue, you may consider the Muse Event Center for several reasons.

A place for gatherings and receptions

First, as mentioned, it has a very huge space that can fit a lot of guests, so it’s convenient for large gatherings. The venue is also equipped with a variety of lighting and HD speakers.

Choose Your Caterer

While they recommend caterers, you are free to select the one you want and compose as you wish. For instance, the mother of the bride cooked a lot of food.

Well Located in MPLS

Secondly, it’s located on the north-west loop of Minneapolis, 5 minutes driving from downtown and very close to all the photogenic spots. It’s an area that generates a lot of inspiration, and you can see a lot of new cafe shops and fancy restaurants opening.

Nicely Decorated

The Muse Event Center is more than a convention center. It has been renovated with taste and soul. They also recommend some florists in the cities that can enhance the place.

Facility

The Muse Event Center offers a getting ready room for the bride and the groom. An extra room on the lower floor of the building was also available. I’m not sure if it’s still existing, given that I see on their website they now sell an extra area on the third floor called the club, that is a throwback to the old fashion club spirit. The center is equipped with all kinds of rental equipment that couples and vendors could wish: makeup table, couch.

Planners

While you can work with the planners you want, the Muse Event Center will also help you make everything go smoothly.

Parking

Also, the wedding venue offers a free parking service, which is not the case for all reception places. This is very appreciated in the twin cities.