Wedding Venue: Married in the Museum
Elements Cafe with Edison Lights
Even disregarding the coronavirus-related chaos that has changed every aspect of life in 2020, weddings look different today than they used to. The ever-escalating drive to create the most picturesque wedding possible has also inspired couples to make sure that their special day
reflects their personalities, both as a couple and individuals.
For example:
My sister, who is gluten-free, and her husband, who proposed marriage by filling their freezer with customized ice cream—forewent a traditional wedding cake and rented a frozen yogurt truck instead. One of my cousins went full farm-boy at his wedding reception and ended the night with a bonfire so big that my uncle had to maintain the blaze with a tractor. A pair of my friends replaced the glass clinking tradition at their reception with a giant DND die and a trivia game. I even know a couple that incorporated one of those inflatable T-Rex suits into their wedding day.
Weddings today are best when the couple being celebrated is true to themselves. There are few higher pleasures than an open invitation to celebrate the love of a couple you treasure: quirks and all. If any of your and your partner’s quirks are remotely science based, one way to celebrate that part of yourselves is to host your reception (and even ceremony!) at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Jennifer Ernst-George, Event Sales Manager at the Science Museum of Minnesota,
has seen some delightfully nerdy design elements at weddings and receptions at the museum. “Some couples have woven science themes into their wedding celebration as simple as using periodic table element signs for their table assignments, or a dinosaur-couple cake topper,” she
says.
View from Elements Outside Terrace
There are a wide range of packages to choose from and price points vary depending on the room and the day of your event. “The most popular wedding space is Elements Cafe because that room offers an amazing view,” Ernst-George says, “The museum is built into the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul and features stunning panoramic vistas of the river.”
It runs around $3,800 for a Saturday night rental, which includes the room, “a dance floor, and set up and tear down of in-house tables and chairs. Wedding guests also receive passes to go into the museum galleries anytime during open hours on the day of the wedding,” Ernst-George says. There are additional costs too, including the wedding ceremony at the venue, but it is possible to celebrate your special day entirely at the Science Museum of Minnesota!
Because the Science Museum of Minnesota just reopened in early September, they are not quite ready to start taking reservations for event spaces yet. Determined to make every element of operation as safe as possible, the museum is reopening carefully and instating new procedures as it does. “We are following the guidelines of the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC,” Ernst-George explains, “Wellness checks are administered for all museum employees and vendors upon arrival at the museum. We have devised new room layouts to accommodate
fewer people per table, and all museums and catering staff will be wearing masks.”
Photo by Joe Feder
But events are on the horizon! “We hope to be up and running events soon!” Ernst-George continues, “We are going to be offering ‘mini-monies’ and are working out the details on that.”
A “mini-mony” is exactly what it sounds like: fewer people celebrating in a shorter time frame. Realizing that a lot of us are not comfortable with full blown celebrations during a pandemic, these packages generally assume a ceremony-only preference where it is easier to follow social distancing guidelines. “Couples can choose to pay for additional services like getting-ready rooms or a champagne toast,” she says. “Mini-monies’ are more budget-friendly and offer a cool space for wedding celebrations.” The idea is still a work in progress but keep your eye out for the official announcement!
If you are looking for a unique, beautiful place to celebrate your love, the Science Museum of Minnesota is a great option. Whether you have the patience to wait out COVID restrictions so you can get the full experience, or if you are excited to learn more about hosting a “mini-mony”, you are sure to have an incredible experience celebrating your love against a backdrop of the Mississippi bluffs or in a room full of dinosaurs.
