Cannon River Winery - Minutes South of Twin Cities

eception myself to save some money and I was nervous about the night of—could I actually enjoy the celebration. Abby and the rest of the staff checked in with me throughout the night but they took care of everything so I was able to enjoy the evening with my hubby!

the winery with climate control. We received and continue to receive compliments about our amazing venue. Super affordable for everything they offer, a fraction of the cost of venues in the twin cities yet only minutes from the cities. We chose the reserve package, best decision we could have made. They included shuttles, putting up the decorations, tearing down, and overall coordination of vendors. They were so responsive and flexible in making last minute changes. The day truly went off without a hitch, thanks to the amazing event manager. If we had to do it all over again, we’d choose CRW again.

to the wedding and answered all my questions. Wish I could re-live the day all over again! All my guests said they had so much fun. Highly recommend Cannon River Winery for your wedding!

flawless. We can’t say enough wonderful things about these people and this space. It was worth every penny. We wish we could do it again!

ing even 3 weeks later!

xpenses of a lot of decoration. They are flexible and work hard to ensure your day is exactly how you want it to be. Definitely recommend for a 'destination' wedding close to home!

ontact with helped us very much and was friendly. Overall a wonderful experience and beautiful venue. Able to work with just about any type of wedding or event!

tely stunning.

! We hired Anne as our day-of coordinator, and it was the best decision we made throughout the entire planning process! From our initial meeting with Anne learning about the venue, up to our wedding day, it was a fun and stress-free process. Anne is a wonderful person to work with - you won't regret hiring her! One thing to mention - we had our initial tour/meeting late in the fall. The vineyard was closed at that time, so we were unable to actually tour where we would hold our ceremony. We booked the venue (vineyard for ceremony, and winery for reception) without touring the vineyard, and didn't think twice about it! We knew how beautiful it was from just looking at pictures and videos. Once we were able to tour the vineyard in the spring, we were BLOWN AWAY. It definitely exceeded our expectations and we are so glad we chose to get married there. The winery reception space is gorgeous, but also a blank space that can be decorated in so many ways! I also have to mention that Anne's staff at the winery was great to work with! Her bar manager went above and beyond his duties, in order to help us create our custom bar menu. We received many compliments from our guests on how beautiful our venue was, and everyone had such a great time! If you're looking for a unique and beautiful wedding venue, look no further!

ted about this place from start to finish. To start, the venue is GORGEOUS. Our guests thought they were placed in Napa Valley with the stunning vineyard and private outdoor ceremony space. It truly felt like a dream. The reception center is right down the road, is gorgeous and so easily fit our 170 guest party. Second, Anne and her team are absolutely amazing. From day 1 they were responsive, organized, creative, assertive, kind, and SO efficient in their planning. Anne is a genuinely caring person who took us in personally, met our families, held a wine tasting, and cared for us and organized EVERYTHING throughout the planning process. Marcie, the event coordinator took care of every detail on the day of and was on top of everything from managing our party, vendors, flowers, food, the timeline, decor, etc. which allowed us to relax on the big day. I would recommend this venue and team a thousand times over! Such a gorgeous hidden gem in Minnesota. If you are looking for a stunning, unique, outdoor venue and want to feel confident in your planners, choose Cannon River Winery. Your guests will be very impressed!

ervice at other venues we looked at. We couldn't have asked for a better venue for our ceremony and reception.

t on. The gal in charge made everything so easy. We were picked up at a hotel and didn’t have to drive. Such incredible service. Everything was just amazing. If you are looking for a venue, check them out

planning, chatting about life, and tasting (and retasting) the wine. She know what works and what doesn't and helps keep your planning on track while giving you plenty of room for creativity. It was a such a relief to have our day in her hands and know that we could relax and enjoy it. She really does run a tight ship, which was so helpful with our giant wedding party (a bit like herding cats). Anne's team is fantastic as well - Marcie is one of the kindest people to work with and put me so at ease on the day of! The vineyard was gorgeous in early June, and everyone commented on how cool/unique of a ceremony location it was. The event center is perfectly elegant, vintage, and rustic all at once. Though we didn't pay for the clean up service, the staff was kind enough to pack up our desserts and decor at the end of the night so we didn't have to worry about it until the morning. This venue may not be your cheapest option out there, but every penny is worth it! Just a classy, beautiful place with many charming details. Highly recommend.

tables/chairs spoke for themselves and made the need for extra decor minimal. The staff was SO accommodating. Anne/Marcie answered my emails same day, and offered meetings to make us feel comfortable and prepared for the wedding. HIGHLY recommend day of coordinating, set up and take down. Worth the extra! While most brides utilize the outdoor vineyard space for their wedding ceremony, we opted for a church wedding, but the staff was ready and excited to let us still use the vineyard space for photos. We had a blast and our guests had a blast! I would easily choose Cannon River Winery again!

the planning process was great. Anne was quick to respond and offer helpful suggestions. The day went off without a hitch and we even had a few extra guests that came to the reception who previously rsvp'd no- yes, this can happen. Anne and staff made sure they felt welcome and even got out an additional table with place settings immediately. This was a really big deal to me because the room was already pretty full, but they went right to work on making sure we were accommodated. The food, decorations and all other details were great. As a mother, you worry about everything and this was our first daughter getting married. One other thing, we received raved reviews from our guests and the gals downstairs really were good to my guests. Everyone felt welcome. Thank you for making my daughter's day so special

ried out exactly the way we had pictured. The food was amazing and the bar staff was super accommodating. If you are looking to get married, Cannon River Winery is a must see. The pictures do not do it justice. Thank you Anne, Marcy and staff for helping make our day absolutely perfect. We are over the moon with happiness!

y. Overall Planning: Anne was prompt with emails and sending out notices if we missed anything, and was cordial enough to let us drop off our decorations the night before. Day of: I met Anne, her assistant and the General manager before I started getting ready and everything was going smoothly. We were told that Anne would be our 'Main contact' throughout the day and she would be there to help out with the ceremony. That changed, and the assistant was sent out to the vineyard with the GM. Vineyard: Due to being in the middle of harvest season, we knew that there may be a few workers out in the vineyard when we arrived at 2p.m. They did not leave until before the ceremony started. My brother had to ask the workers TWICE to stop using the bobcat so we could have our first look and take family photos without it in the background. Bussing: There is required bussing to the vineyard site due to limited parking. Cannon River has an "exclusive" bussing company they use.. We needed 3 buses- 1 from the hotel and two from the winery. At 2 p.m, before our first look (3 hours before the ceremony) the assistant notified my husband that one driver was sick and they could only get 2 buses and " It happens all the time and we just make it work". We were NOT refunded for this bus. If we would known earlier we could have secured another bus. One of the two drivers got LOST on the way out to the ceremony. The guests that were on the first round of buses were not notified that the ceremony would be starting 30minutes later due to a bus needing to pick up the rest of the guests. Ceremony: There is a charge for rehearsal, so all planning and timing needs to be done the day of. The wedding party is to walk through the vineyard rows as an aisle to the ceremony site. The GM and assistant were using texts to notify when to send the bridal party down the aisle, which was delayed due to limited cell service. Reception: GREAT! Ryan is the head bartender and was absolutely amazing to work with! Cannon River is an AMAZING venue and was wonderful location for our wedding, but we expected more respect and organization for those 'What If/ Backup events. Overall I am pleased with how everything turned out but just wanted to give an honest review to those looking to have their wedding here, and hopes their day will be smoother than ours!

ks the vines. The winery has this nice rustic/modern look about it. Honestly, I could never do the venue justice, this is a must see venue! It is simply gorgeous and affordable! Also the wine is really good and who doesn’t love wine?! All the staff is friendly and helpful. We toured with Anne in September of 2016 and fell in love with everything. She was super knowledgeable, helpful and detail oriented. She was quick to get back to us on any questions we had and was very professional. We worked closely with Anne and she made sure our dream wedding came to life and everything went smoothly. We are still receiving compliments for having such a beautiful venue. We have even gone to the winery for a fun date night! We highly recommend Cannon River Winery for its beautiful scenery, great service and phenomenal wine!

did a great job painting a picture of how beautiful our summer wedding could be.. even though it was the dead of winter at the time! She was always willing to answer any questions that we had and was very prompt in her responses. She took the time to get to know us and treated us like our wedding was the only one.. even though this was far from reality! She was a great sound board for our ideas and gave us honest feedback and did not try to oversell us on any extra expenses or services, which was appreciated as we were trying to stick to a budget. At first I was a little reluctant about choosing from their preferred venue provider list for catering, DJ, decor, etc but it was so great in the end. All of the vendors that we worked with were familiar with the venue and had worked with Anne in the past. They were all so comfortable with the venue and the timing of events that they were able to answer any of our questions and put as at ease. I totally understand now why they do it that way! The vineyard is stunning for photos and the ceremony. It really feels like you are in your own little world when you are there. Cannon River Winery and vineyard really are a hidden gem that I am so thankful that we found! Our guests absolutely loved the setting and were shocked by the beauty of the vineyard; we received several compliments on the unique location. Thanks to Anne and the Cannon River Winery for making our wedding the best day ever!

n happen! I worked with Amanda and she was AMAZING! She worked with me for a few months to ensure everything in the plan was perfect. We did a private wine tasting in the timber barn at the winery and it was perfect! The view was beautiful and we were made feel like our experienced truly mattered. I would HIGHLY recommend Cannon River Winery to anyone looking for that personal touch, and the breathtaking views didn't hurt either!

we were her only clients. I highly recommend her services at the winery. I also believe she does weddings off-site in the off season. Cannon River Winery's staff was excellent. The ceremony site in the vineyard is gorgeous! We loved the reception site, but the Vineyard completely through us over the top!! Our guests were taken care of and the food was amazing. Honestly, best day every.

make sure every detail was spot on. We couldn't have asked for a better day. If you haven't picked a venue yet, this is a MUST SEE! This is truly a magical place with a completely private ceremony space. Gorgeous!

day of the wedding!! My only complaint was that the chairs at the ceremony had bird poop on them, which was not cleaned, so our bridal party had to go around and clean all the chairs. I feel like this should have been done before hand. I was also very nervous about the busing situation to the vineyard for the ceremony, but I didn't hear one complaint about this- the guests actually thought it was pretty fun!! I would HIGHLY recommend having your wedding at the Cannon River Winery if you want a beautiful, classy and unique wedding experience. All of our guests complimented the location!! Thanks for a great experience :)

s stunning. It will take your breath away as well as your guest's! It even rained on our day and it was still so beautiful. Canon River is a wonderful venue for any event you are hosting. They made our day perfect!

absolutely picturesque with the barn looking out over the vines into the valley. Not only are the views incredible, but there is also a consistent, pleasant breeze which makes it an enjoyable temperature on even the hottest of days. Plus, the natural beauty of the setting requires minimal added decor. Amanda, the ceremony site lead was excellent to work with. She is very professional and knowledgable of what's necessary for a successful event in the space. Our officiant even noted how impressed she was with the organization of our rehearsal and how smoothly everything moved along. The staff makes the logistics of getting in between the vineyard and event center a breeze with pre-arranged transportation, too. The reception venue is also stunning with its mix of rustic, modern industrial elements. Anne, the main coordinator, was also wonderful to work with ensuring all details leading up to and on the day of were executed flawlessly. All of the winery staff and bartenders were so helpful and professional, too. We received so many nice compliments on our venue as well, with a few guests saying it was one of the classiest, most well organized weddings they'd ever been to. We had so much fun, I thought we may have to start kicking people out because so many guests were still there at last call! I highly recommend the venue for its beautiful settings, wonderful MN wines and phenomenal event staff. Thanks again Amanda and Anne!

best of both worlds, providing both shade and breeze with an open frame so that you don’t lose that outside feel. The reception room above the winery is equally spectacular. Custom bar, old-school hardwood floors, it’s got it all. Both the vineyard and winery were virtual playgrounds for our photographers and videographers. The staff is great. We initially worked with Mary to set main details into place and cannot say enough nice things about her. She was awesome. Anne took over a few months before we got married, and was up at the reception on our day. She is coming into her own; don’t be afraid to ask her questions. Amanda ran our ceremony and was AMAZING. She exudes kindness, confidence, and competence, and there’s nothing more important on your wedding day. Tip: Rent a bus from Northfield Lines (by far the best value and there’s a winery discount—shout out to Gary!) to transport your wedding party to and from the vineyard. Prior to the ceremony, the staff will have you park it towards the back of the vineyard, hidden from guests. It was KEY to our hot day in June. It was a day we’ll never forget. Book this venue!!

eyard more enjoyable for everyone. We had our engagement pictures in the vineyard beginning of October- where the staff was very flexible to accommodate, working around our work schedule to find a time for pictures. The staff checked in with us multiple times during the planning process... including sending a bottle of wine with cannon river winery wine glasses! We used the barrel room for getting ready which was spacious and nice pictures were taken amongst all the barrels with my dress! The reception at the winery was flawless. Anne made sure everything ran smoothly. The bartenders were excellent. Our guests were very impressed and we heard only good things about the day!

ue. It's the little things that really stood out and Anne was so a accommodating. Cannon River Winery is a class act

ul space for a reception. Anne and Amanda were so great to work with and everything went smoothly. Highly recommend!

to help you achieve your dream wedding and always responded quickly. People couldn't stop talking about how pretty everything was. The vineyard is absolutely breath taking and the ceremony is the same. It is truly one of a kind venue.

r wedding. The space is beautiful and we had so many guests comment on how much they loved the location. We are so glad that we had our reception here.

a backdrop. Your aisle to walk down is formed by grapevines in the vineyard. The event center for the reception has a perfect mix of rustic and modern in the heart of a cute little downtown area in Cannon Falls. Mary, the coordinator is tremendous and she will bend over backwards to make your day perfect. She knows her stuff, is very experienced in the industry, and is on the ball. Our DJ ended up in the hospital the day of our wedding and she went to work to find us a new one the day of the wedding! Everything went smoothly and our guests were none the wiser of the change. If you are a looking for a beautiful, unique, outdoor venue but want it for a fraction of the cost of the venues in the twin cities, drive just 30 min south of the suburbs to Cannon Falls and have a beautiful picturesque wedding at Cannon River Winery!

ue ceremony venues you could find in MN. Better yet, it's not that far from the Twin Cities. I walked down the aisle between grape vines down to a barn frame with an beautiful view. We had nearly 150 guests for the ceremony (and about 185 for the reception). It was absolutely perfect. Two items to think about: there is no restroom at the ceremony site and you probably need to shuttle your guests if you have more than about 50. The wedding party was able to drive separately and we had a few handicapped people that needed to arrive in cars, which was no problem. We had our rehearsal in the vineyard the night before the wedding and the venue provides a ceremony coordinator. We were able to have our DJ at the ceremony site as well. The reception venue is in downtown Cannon Falls. Mary is an excellent coordinator. The space is a great alternative to a barn wedding. It has wood floors, exposed wood beams, but best of all bathrooms and air conditioning (unlike other barn venues). The only complaint I have is that you need to get your alcohol through the venue, which is expected as it's a winery, but the beer especially was ridiculously expensive. Unfortunately, expensive alcohol is something that goes along with weddings, but it's hard to accept. You should consider budgeting $300 kegs of beer into your calculations when determining if you can afford this venue. That being said, it was otherwise a really great value for us. There are only four food vendors you may choose from, but we loved ours (Cannon River Catering) who provided exceptional value as well. We shuttled our guests from hotels in Red Wing to the ceremony, the reception, and back to hotels. I think this was in the end a good choice, however even though Mary takes care of working with the bus company, getting shuttle information to guests can be a huge pain. The shuttles were worth the hassle so that our guests were safe, but beware that you need to intricately plan your schedule and especially invitation wording if you do shuttles for both the ceremony and reception at this venue. Mary was great at helping us with those details. I absolutely recommend this venue for both ceremonies and receptions. If I could go back in time, I would select the very same venue.

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