Welcome to the River Room!
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Dawn Kuehl
EVENT SALES MANAGER
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
We have prime weekend dates now OPEN and ready to book for 2025/26, with a capacity increase that brings us to 120 starting in April 2024.
The River Room at the Aster Cafe is a charming European Villa, located under the trees on the prettiest street in Minneapolis. The River Room, with its vintage light fixtures and handmade copper and oak bar, is often used alongside our Shasta Tent, for a combination of outdoor ceremony and cocktails, and inside dining and dancing. Also available are our Hepburn and Redford bridal suites, so you can prepare for the big day while sipping champagne with your closest friends and family.
Reach out today—let our Events Team take care of you at one of the signature Wedding venues in Minnesota.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 150
Settings
Backyard
Beach
Waterfront
Garden
Historic Venue
Restaurant
Tented
Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Food & Catering
Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Tents
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Dawn Kuehl
Event Sales Manager
I have been in the wedding industry for years! I am here to listen to your needs and show you what we have to offer. Our event spaces are historic and gorgeous, I am obsessed with the history of Main Street so be ready to hear some fun stories/ history of all of our venues!
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.032 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The River Room at the Aster Cafe is consistently praised by multiple reviewers for its stunning setting, excellent service, and delicious food. Serina and Dawn are highlighted as exceptional coordinators, ensuring a smooth and memorable wedding experience. Guests were impressed by the beautiful decor, cozy ambiance, and accommodating staff, making it a highly recommended choice for weddings. The onsite options for both intimate and larger weddings, along with the efficient coordination and quality service, contribute to numerous positive reviews for the Aster Cafe.Review photos
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Andi E
5.0
8/05/2025
We got married in the River Room at Aster in July 2025 and let me tell you all - it was STUNNING. From start to finish, Dawn and Serina were a delight to work with - so collaborative, personable, and supportive. Our bartender, Hannah, was a superstar behind the bar. The kitchen and support staff were killing it - all the food was delicious and the room remained clean yet cozy all night long. Our guests were impressed with the entire event from food, to drinks, to environment, it all went smoothly and exceeded our hopes and expectations. No regrets whatsoever - have your event here!!
Divya P
5.0
6/16/2025
The wedding experience for us, and for our guests, was absolutely fantastic at Aster!! We were so glad that we did the ceremony under the Shasta Tent. It made for such an intimate setting (and the florals and decor made it look even more so lovely.) And the River room was a perfect reception space for us, with it's warm, unique interiors.
The food was also absolutely delicious. With an intercultural wedding, we were a bit worried about catering to a wider range of tastes and preferences, but everyone LOVED the food. We still receive compliments on the food---especially the sweet potato empanadas and the Moroccan chicken.
It was one of the best days of our lives, and more importantly, our guests had such a good time! We couldn't be happier. Thanks so much to Serina and the rest of the Aster staff for making the experience so smooth and fun for us.
Any questions?
Emilia L
5.0
5/21/2025
We had a beautiful wedding in October in the River room. The prep was smooth, staff were kind and professional, fantastic experience!
May S
5.0
5/09/2025
We got married at the River Room in Fall 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. The venue was stunning on its own, and we barely needed any extra florals or decorations. Our guests raved about the food and drinks, and the chef was incredibly accommodating of all kinds of dietary restrictions.
Our venue coordinator, Serina, was an absolute dream to work with! I knew we were in good hands from the initial planning call. She was consistently responsive, detail-oriented, and went above and beyond to answer every question I had. A huge thank you to Serina, Dawn, and the entire Aster team for making our wedding day so effortless and memorable!! We highly recommend the River Room for any event!
Leah
5.0
4/28/2025
We booked the Aster Cafe River Room and grooms suite for our wedding and cannot recommend the space and team enough!
Our wedding was non-traditional, we had an off-site ceremony and used the River Room for our after party. We had about 150 guests, an open (hosted) bar, open concept seating and buffet for dinner. Half way through the night, the Aster team flipped one room to accommodate our DJ and dancing, and kept the tables, dessert and the bar in the other half. The team, Dawn and Serina were incredibly communicative leading up the event, working with us on last minute changes and then worked quickly and quietly night of without asking any questions of us, letting us enjoy the evening without having to direct the event.
The food was delicious, our guests raved the food and all the options! We ordered just about one of everything on the menu, leaning into flatbreads, skewers and finger foods. Serina worked with us to accommodate a large number of dietary restrictions (GF, DF, vegan, shellfish) and even special ordered a nut-free dinner for my brother-in law from Aster and delivered it to him while dinner was being served.
We had an open or hosted bar, offering everything on Aster's menu. Serina suggested setting aside a dollar amount and switching to a cash bar if we hit our limit and though our guests were well served we came in right under the amount and were able to keep the bar open until the very end. She even helped us special order a few bottles of fernet per the groom's request :)
Bc our ceremony was off-site we didn't get ready at the venue but ended up renting out the grooms suite so we could stash our things and have a quiet place to retreat to if needed and we ended up using the room a lot! Many of our close friends had the door code and were able to use the room to also freshen up, chill out or use the bathroom. Everytime I went upstairs I was excited to see different parties hanging out.
Our wedding was the last week of November and we only used the River Room at night. The vibes were so cozy and perfect, we had hundreds of candles lit and some minimal but large floral arrangements on the tables and bar. The space was minimally decorated but beautiful in warmth cozy light.
Would 10/10 recommend using Aster, Dawn and Serina!
Sadie Ann N
5.0
4/24/2025
Loved our wedding at the River Room / Aster Cafe. It was a stunning venue and perfect for our cozy and intimate wedding. The food was also incredible, it truly was a gourmet experience. We also had a great experience with the staff, especially day of, they were super fun and our guests had great interactions with them.
Elena R
5.0
4/23/2025
Everything here was absolutely perfect. The food was excellent, the staff were so lovely, and the setting was gorgeous. We had practically nothing to worry about from the first point of contact and I would gladly recommend the River Room and the team at Aster to anyone getting married. The space was great for our wedding (around 100 people).
Jamie W
5.0
4/30/2024
We hosted our Fall 2023 wedding for 86 guests at The River Room + Shasta Tent, and it was a dream! As a type-A bride, Serina the venue coordinator was incredible to work with. She was highly communicative, professional, responsive, and ensured every question I asked was answered attentively no matter how small. I chose the (1) venue because it had so much character, and required so little decor to make it really look beautiful, (2) because I loved that we had indoor + outdoor spaces and our guests didn't have to travel between locations, and (3) we could do all of our photos on St. Anthony Main and not have to bus around our wedding party in order to get gorgeous shots.
We rented the Hepburn Suite for getting ready, which was a wonderful space and also gorgeous for photos. If you are getting married there, having one of the suites as designated space for your "stuff" is a must - even if you are getting ready off-site.
The Shasta Tent was great for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and speeches. And the River Room transformed beautifully from our dinner to the dancing/reception flip. Our 86 guests were cozy but all fit comfortably. For the reception, we were able to have a DJ, karaoke, and photo booth, as well as keep tables and high boys out for guests who didn't care to dance, and there was plenty of room for all.
The whole staff, the food & drink, the venue itself - everything about the River Room was great. Highly recommend for an intimate wedding!
Erin D
5.0
6/29/2023
Having out wedding was at Aster Cafe in their River Room was wonderful! The room itself was beautiful and unique which meant we had very little of our own decor. We had the ceremony and cocktail hour out in the green Shasta Tent and it was beautiful too! Loved that there was an option to utilize both spaces. Serina was wonderful to work with as well. Great communication, knowledgeable and timely. She was great to talk to during the planning process and she was great to work with day of. The bar staff was 10/10 and the food was 10/10 (Jefe). For anyone who is wanting a smaller wedding under 100 people I highly suggest Aster Cafe and their River Room. Thank you Serina and Aster Cafe for the best day!
Abigail M
5.0
6/22/2023
We loved everything about having our wedding in the Aster Cafe "River Room." Working with Serina made the day of and the planning go so smoothly. We heard from everyone at our wedding that it was some of the best wedding food they had ever had. The staff was incredible and super attentive. The room looked beautiful with minimal decorations. I could go on and on! We can't recommend it more!
Laura K
5.0
5/23/2023
The Aster was so lovely for our wedding! We couldn't be happier with having our big day there. Serina was patient and helpful during all of the planning, and the Aster staff were great on the wedding day. The venue itself is so lovely, especially at night with the soft glowing lights, and skyline twinkling through the windows. The Hepburn Suite was such a beautiful place to for all the girls to gather and get ready, and the Redford room was fun for the groom and his guys. Lovely venue, and great experience!
Rebecca N
5.0
10/15/2022
The Aster was perfect for our big day. We rented the River Room and Shasta Tent. The venue coordinator, Serina, was so easy to work with and an excellent communicator. We planned our wedding from San Diego and she made the process so easy. She was also very flexible when we had to make some last minute changes.
We also paid a little bit more to customize our menu. Charlie had a great pulse on the type of meals we wanted and the execution was beyond anything I ever expected. Even 5 months later, people are still talking about the food! The drinks were really great as well.
The bar and wait staff were so attentive and considerate. I was obviously rushing around all day, we were taking pictures when dessert came out so we missed it. At the end of the night when everything was closing down, one of the wait staff brought me my dessert that he had saved for me. You can imagine my joy after a long day and a few palomas, haha!
The space and the location are dreamy. It was perfect for our wedding with 75ish guests. The European style vibes from Aster paired with a beautiful June evening along the Stone Arch Bridge made for a totally magical evening.
Amalia C
5.0
9/13/2022
The River Room at Aster Cafe was the perfect place for our intimate reception. We had 65 people in attendance and had plenty of space to move about comfortably. The River Room requires very little décor, as the room speaks for itself. We added white linen tablecloths to help lighten up the space and that really helped the photography be light and airy. The staff was so helpful and friendly, with timely service for salads and entrees. Speaking of food... The Aster Cafe events menu is AMAZING, perhaps dare I say better than the regular café menu. Everyone raved about our wedding food and I continue dreaming about the buttery steak that was cooked to perfection. The chef was able to accommodate all of the food allergies in our group and folks report the accommodations being just as tasty!
Sarah M
5.0
7/18/2022
The River Room at Aster Cafe was perfect. The staff was amazing to work with. We mostly worked with Serina Brasseur for planning. Serina was unbelievably patient with my many questions. They also let us reschedule because of concerns regarding rising COVID-19 numbers in 2021 so we got legally married and then had our party at Aster in 2022. We had 68 guests and that felt pretty good in the space. There is a room flip if you plan to do dinner and a party/dancing, but the staff was very speedy and people just chatted in the hallway for a few minutes. Food was delicious and came out pretty timely given the large number of guests. Would absolutely recommend working with Aster.
Alicia F
5.0
6/22/2022
Our wedding at Aster was beautiful and incredibly easy. I was not stressed at all, they took care of everything they said they would and the staff were incredibly kind and helpful! The space is gorgeous and we got lots of compliments on how everything looked, but more importantly how delicious the food was and how the staff were very nice! We loved our wedding at Aster and I’m so thankful to them for our beautiful day!
Emily D
5.0
2/17/2022
We had our rehearsal dinner and welcome party at the River Room and it was absolutely incredible. Serina was so helpful throughout the planning process and the event went off without a hitch. The low lighting and hanging lights make this venue stunning in the evening and our guests were all very impressed. From the food to the bar to the atmosphere, everything was absolutely perfect! I would highly recommend hosting your event at this venue!
Dan W
5.0
2/10/2022
Serina was a huge help for us while we planned several iterations of our wedding day as state health mandates changed. Serina helped show us how different sized groups would fit in the space and the ceremony flip to reception was flawless and the brunch was amazing. We were so glad that we didn't have to stress about working with our venue during our wedding planning.
Kimberly B
5.0
2/07/2022
We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the River Room. It was the perfect venue for our December wedding, the Christmas lights and the ambiance were breathtaking, and we even saw a few horse drawn carriages go by during the ceremony. Serena and her staff were top notch and went over and above to be sure we were getting everything we wanted.
Brooke H
5.0
1/26/2022
We used this space for our rehearsal dinner in June of 2021. It was absolutely the perfect size for our group. With the bar and dinning area there was plenty of room for everyone to have a great time. Serina did a wonderful job helping us plan our event!
Elena E
5.0
11/07/2021
From start to finish, working with the Aster for our wedding venue was a great experience! We were mainly in contact with Serina, who was an incredible coordinator. We also worked with Jamie and Dawn, who were both very helpful. The venue made our wedding simple-- it had everything included from food, to decor, to the bar. Our only vendor besides the Aster was our photographer, which made everything much easier to manage. The taco barre was a hit and desserts were tasty. Staff working the event were efficient and professional. We also booked the Hepburn Suite to get ready and have an extra space. Since it's just upstairs and such a beautiful room, that was totally worth it. We loved getting married in the River Room and would recommend it to anyone!
Cecilia M
5.0
10/02/2020
Serina, Jamie, and Dawn were so wonderful to work with. While COVID wanted to throw a lot of wrenches in our plans, the team at Aster were empathetic, accommodating, and overall wonderful to work with. While it wasn't what we really planned, our entire day was spectacular and we had our dream wedding. Thank you, Aster staff, for being a part of our special day!
Chelsey K
5.0
5/31/2020
The Aster Cafe made our wedding so memorable and enjoyable. They have an excellent team- we are STILL getting comments about how great the bar staff and wait staff were. Considering it was the middle of the largest blizzard of the year, staff could have been crabby and late, but everyone was smiling and quick to help when needed. The coordinators were so helpful and reassuring through the planning process, and so kind through the event, handling everything with such grace. The River Room was perfect for our group of about 80.
The planning process was also a highlight of the experience with the venue. We toured the room a couple of times, and the coordinators were quick to answer questions and work with our ideas. While creating the menu we changed our minds multiple times but they helped us refine our ideas and it turned out amazing- all of the food was incredible.
January 18th, 2020 was both the coldest and best day of our lives. Despite the storm, it was not at all stressful and that was largely in part to Aster.
Mary R
5.0
10/21/2019
The River Room was everything we had hoped for in a party for the "night before" the wedding. Truly, everything! The room, the location and the views - all as charming as could be. The food was delicious with much to choose from and the tasting dinner that is a part of the process was fun, festive and quite helpful in choosing a menu. The planning process felt completely collaborative toward my vision for the party - it was really accommodating and all the costs were easy to both understand and to flexibly work through for different ideas until we honed in on what we ultimately wanted. Everyone we worked with from the initial salesperson, to the event staff, to the kitchen staff, bartenders and servers were friendly, professional and very hospitable. All of our guests were very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Just beautiful.
Alexandra D
5.0
10/18/2019
Aster hosted our groom's dinner, and it was a night to remember! We booked the River room, and it was perfect! The venue has so much character, beautiful view, and very roomy.
The bartenders, servers, and the Chef were fantastic! We had many great drinks, and everyone is still talking about the food. I'm telling you... the food was some of the best I've ever had.
I strongly recommend you consider the Aster cafe for hosting your groom's dinner or wedding, for that matter!
Erin O
5.0
10/01/2018
We had our ceremony outside in the Shasta Tent and dinner/dancing in the River Room. We wanted a smaller wedding (75 people) in a space that wouldn't require additional decor. Everything about the Aster perfect. The Aster staff and Dawn, the event goddess, were so helpful and kind! The majority of our guests were from out of town and we wanted to show them how beautiful and fun Minneapolis is. The Aster was the perfect location to show off our love for the city. Dawn kept in touch with us throughout the process and she was so prompt with answering all of our questions as we planned for our day. For dinner, we had a taco bar from Jefe and our guests raved about how much they loved the food. We wanted to have a friend host trivia during our reception, and Dawn worked with him to figure out all of the sound/equipment needs that he would have. My goal for our wedding was to plan a relaxing and fun day, and the Aster totally helped make that possible by being so easy to work with. My husband and I couldn't stop talking about perfect the day was and our guests loved how beautiful the space is. I would absolutely recommend the Aster to anyone looking to have an intimate wedding with minimal stress!
Tim R
5.0
9/26/2018
Aster Cafe and Dawn were fantastic! Dawn and the entire staff were a pleasure to work with and did a great job.
Everything went off without a single problem or mistake. Dawn was confident, efficient, supportive, funny and kind. Great job to both Aster Cafe and Dawn, the Event Goddess! Thank you very much.
Rebecca L
5.0
9/23/2018
My father and I hosted my sister’s wedding at the Aster. We had the ceremony outside and the dinner/dancing inside. The event goddess helped us with every detail and things went super smoothly the day before and day of. With such a beautiful space, we just needed to bring a few flowers to accent the space. The staff was awesome, space beautiful and food delicious. I would totally recommend the Aster cafe for any special event. The compliments keep rolling in!
Thelma P
5.0
9/18/2018
Held a rehearsal dinner for bridal party and followed it up with welcome party here for all of any of our guests that arrived from out of town and local guests that were available to attend. The event goddess was great in in helping us plan the entire evening. She was quick to respond to any questions we had. Dinner was absolutely wonderful and the setting in the river room was perfect.
the welcome party flow from the River Room to the outdoor tent. This allowed guests to have plenty of space to mingle. Staff throughout the evening was top notch, making sure all was taken care of! Hats off to the folks at Aster Cafe for providing a memorable event!
Stephen M
5.0
9/14/2018
My son's wedding rehearsal dinner was held at the Aster. We were all very pleased with the event, the venue, the food, and the wonderful staff at Aster. It was a great evening of the two families getting to know one another and being waited on by the Aster staff. Dawn was so pleasant to work with on arrangements, and the staff that night were ready all night to fulfill our needs. It was a very enjoyable evening and we are thoroughly happy. Here's an enthusiastic recommendation for the Aster to host your next event!
Dawn H
5.0
8/10/2018
We had the most delightful and delicious "post wedding brunch" imaginable in the River Room at the Aster Cafe! On Sunday, August 5th 2018 from 11-2 we hosted 85 guests with fabulous food, amazing views and fun beverages! Our guests truly enjoyed the special location on historic Main Street with spectacular views of downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River. Every detail of the event was handled to perfection! The River Room was absolutely beautiful and the food was fresh, creative & delicious! The staff was helpful and took care of every aspect of our very special day. It was truly a wonderful way to say goodbye & thank all the guests who attended the wedding. Their comments were "this is so awesome", the food is amazing", "what a view" and honestly, I could not agree more! Thank you so very much to the team at the Aster Cafe for making this wedding brunch something we and our guests will not soon forget! It was EXCELLENT!
Anonymous
5.0
7/10/2018
My husband and I held our small wedding reception at Aster Café and couldn't have been happier with our choice! Dawn, the event sales coordinator, was absolutely wonderful to work with and made planning our reception a breeze. She is professional, knowledgeable, detailed, and makes you feel so comfortable because you know everything is taken care of. My guests all raved about how much they loved the reception venue and how great the staff were! I will forever recommend Aster Café to those in need of an event room in Minneapolis.
Scott D
5.0
3/26/2018
What a beautiful venue! Worked with Dawn for our son’s Groom’s Dinner on March 16th. She has the wonderful ability to connect and understand what we were looking for, what was important for the bride and groom and also what kind of event we wanted to have to compliment the wedding. She knows how to assist with the plan and really helped us with not only with the menu but also the agenda for the evening. River Room was incredible, especially in the evening. Food, servers, bartenders were high quality and well planned and very well done- no surprises and everything went perfectly! Aster, along with Dawn and her team provided a wonderful experience for friends and family- much appreciated!
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Aster Cafe "River Room"
Dawn Kuehl
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Event Sales Manager
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Aster Cafe "River Room"
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Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure. Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place. Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go. For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.