4.8 out of 5 stars and 89 reviews
4.8
(89)Best of Weddings (5x).100 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
$5,150 starting price
201-250 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 250 guests
About this vendor
Award-winning wedding and reception venue in Minneapolis. Restored to its original 16th century Italian Renaissance style and opulence, the Semple Mansion is a magical, picture-perfect venue for your dream wedding. The Semple Mansion provides several stunning rooms for ceremonies, receptions, social hours, and relaxing including the Grand Palladian Ballroom. #DreamWeddings #SempleMansion #theKnotMN #mnbride #DreamWeddingEvent #semplemansionparking #mansionweddings -
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Guest Capacity
- Up to 250
Settings
- Ballroom
- Castle
- Estate
- Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
- Rentals & Equipment
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
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4.8
out of 5.089 reviews
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The mansion speaks for itself, so beautiful. The amount of complements we got on the venue! Katherine is AMAZING as well. Highly recommend!
I can’t begin to describe how incredible it was to work with Semple Mansion. Katherine was absolutely incredible and so helpful. The venue is just breathtaking and all of our guests were amazed with how beautiful it was! If we had to do it all over again, we would pick Semple again and again. Thank you for everything!
Katherine Semple was absolutely the best!! She answered all of our questions leading up to the wedding quickly and efficiently!! The mansion is absolutely beautiful and Katherine made the day stress free, handling the vendors as they arrived, helping to set up our pre-champagne pass, organizing guests and waiting with me before I walked down the steps to my daughters. She was the calm in a fabulously crazy day. Thank you Katherine. Could not have asked for a better venue or venue coordinator.
Semple Mansion has my wholehearted recommendation. I was married at Semple Mansion two weeks ago, and I couldn't imagine a more perfect wedding venue. If you are looking for a classy, elegant, stunning wedding venue in an ideal location in the city, look no further!
As soon as I stepped foot in the mansion, I felt my search was over. The main level has a perfect space for your ceremony, along with a bar and lounge area for cocktail hour. The basement has the super funky Wine Grotto, where you can have an additional bar! The groom and groomsmen also have ample space to get ready and hang out in the basement where these is a billiards table.
Upstairs, there is a stunning bridal suite, which was one of the main features I was looking for. It was so valuable to me as a bride to have that spacious, private area as I got ready with my girls. It's also the perfect place to disappear to for a few minutes when you need space on your wedding day.
Finally, the ballroom is a showstopper. The ballroom is the *perfect* setting for a formal dinner, and after dinner, you can either have your dance upstairs in the ballroom or back downstairs (we chose upstairs).
The mansion is of course stunning on its own, but I recommend contacting the in-house decor vendor, Leslie at Charmed Boutique. Leslie has a gorgeous inventory of decor that complements Semple Mansion perfectly, and she is delightful to work with!
The layout of the mansion is simply perfect for a wedding. There are ample spaces for your guests to spread out throughout the day, from the Wine Grotto in the basement to the front porch outdoors to the spacious ballroom upstairs. I was having so much fun upstairs that I actually forgot to even visit the Wine Grotto!
Beyond the venue itself, the incredible coordinator, Katherine Bailey, makes the entire process so smooth and enjoyable. Katherine is the best! She is incredibly helpful and responsive, and I am so grateful to have had her on my team.
I will always remember this place so fondly. Do yourself a favor and book Semple Mansion for your wedding! 10/10 recommend.
We can't recommend Semple Mansion enough! This gorgeous historic venue was the perfect place for our August wedding. The entire process from initial tour to follow-up after the wedding itself was easy and enjoyable. The staff is so helpful, available, and personable (Katherine is a rare gem!). We felt supported and celebrated every step of the way. It can be difficult to find a mansion venue that doesn't feel broken up into rooms that split up the guests, but Semple Mansion has the perfect layouts for both ceremony and reception needs. It's easy to spend the entire day there and not feel like you need a change of scene. It was also super convenient to utilize the high-quality vendors that are already based within Semple Mansion. Guest parking is no problem, the ballroom is stunning, and we also loved that we could utilize the grand piano for live music during our ceremony. We couldn't dream of a better wedding venue.
We got married at Semple Mansion this October, and couldn't have had a better experience. It was a beautiful space with so much charm and character. The venue manager, Katherine, was absolutely incredible! She made planning from the start seamless, and was always so responsive and helpful with any questions that we had. 10/10 recommend!
The Semple Mansion was the perfect place to have our wedding ceremony & reception! Katherine is the absolute best! Every detail is taken care of. The location is beautiful. Our wedding day was the best day and our guests had a fantastic time. We highly recommend Katherine and the Semple!
We held our July 2021 wedding reception at the Semple Mansion and we loved it! We envisioned an elegant, classy wedding and Semple Mansion was a great fit! We specifically loved the dark wood architecture, the grand staircase, the open floorplan, and the mansion’s general charm. Since the Mansion has its own character, very little decorating was needed. We served dinner in the beautiful 3rd floor ballroom, and our reception on the 1st floor. Additional benefits were the bridal suite, ample parking, the ability to stock the bar, and Katherine Bailey, who supported us throughout the planning process.
Semple mansion was the perfect place for our reception! Katherine was an absolute delight to work with. She was so friendly and willing to answer questions. The space itself is absolutely stunning. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a space more elegant. I would highly recommend Semple Mansion!
My husband and I booked Semple in the fall of 2019 for our May 2020 wedding, and we initially had a positive experience in communicating, touring the venue, and planning for our special day. However, our wedding was right during the COVID-19 lockdown in Minnesota and it became apparent that our plans would need to change due to the pandemic.
My husband and I decided to still get married with only 10 people present, as per the CDC guidelines at the time. Semple was not willing to host even this small ceremony - understandable - but they also were not willing to refund our money. They offered us a new wedding date, but we were not interested in postponing our wedding. We were just severely downsizing.
Ultimately, we hired a lawyer to work through the process of getting our deposit and full payment back, as Semple was not able to perform the services we contracted them for. The back-and-forth during these legal proceedings was messy, and Semple misinformed their lawyer on several occasions about our history and specific situation. (Perhaps they had us mixed up with different clients? Fortunately, all my correspondence with Semple was in writing and ultimately this was our saving grace.)
My advice to future clients looking to use this space is to a) communicate primarily via email so as to have a paper trail, and b) be absolutely certain of the cancellation policy as outlined in your contract. (There were details of what would happen if WE cancelled after paying, but no details about what would happen if the VENDOR - Semple - cancelled after receiving payment.) We spent 4 months trying to negotiate and while we did receive our payments back thanks to hiring legal help, we were left with an overall sour taste towards Semple and their administration as a whole.
I know COVID has affected the event industry tremendously and this venue is simply trying to survive, but please read your contract and have those conversations prior to entering into service with Semple to ensure that YOU too are protected should the worst come to pass.
Katherine was simply phenomenal to work with during our whole wedding planning process, but went the extra mile to make sure my husband and I, our guests, our vendors, and their staff were comfortable and safe during our pandemic wedding in July. She arranged our COVID seating well ahead of time AND texted photos of what it would look like. She's so friendly and responsive, and I'm so glad we were able to still have a beautiful, safe wedding at Semple.
We had our wedding at Semple Mansion in June of 2019. It was everything that we could had dreamed of and more! Katherine is fantastic to work with and is very quick to respond and help along the way of preparing for the wedding. She was able to answer every question that we had in a timely matter.
Me and my husband Jon currently live in California but we met eachother in Minnesota. We decided to have a winter wedding in Minneapolis because our friends and family live there and it really meant a lot to have all of our loved ones there for us.
Photography was a import to us. We were ready to spend our money on the best photographer. We talked to many photographers and decided on Brittleigh. Her work was not boring and what you call a "basic bitch". We loved her style, her personality, her professionalism, and knowledge about photography. She told us when and where we should shoot and made our decisions easy. We just got our photos back and we love them. We are getting an album created right now!! Britt is great.
Our son was married at Semple in November 2019 and it was perfect in every way. The mansion is simply gorgeous and needs very little in decorations to add to its natural beauty. They had both the ceremony and reception there and there are fantastic spaces for both plus lots of other rooms to explore or for guests who want a break from the action. Katherine, the venue director, was amazing. She was patient, knowledgeable, friendly and very easy to work with. We loved the spaces for both the bride and bridesmaids and groom and groomsmen to get ready and the ease of getting ready on site. We also loved the flexibility and quality of the recommended vendors and being able to provide our own liquor. We highly recommend Semple Mansion to anyone.
We had our wedding in August 2019 at Semple Mansion and absolutely loved the venue! Katherine was so easy to work with throughout the whole process and no question was too small for her to promptly answer! The venue is gorgeous and we lucked out with nice weather so we got to make use of the front patio and lawn on our day as well. We loved all the different areas of the mansion our guests could visit throughout the day. I also loved the bridal suite - such a great space to get ready in on the day of! I definitely would book again :)
We had our ceremony and reception at Semple this past August and it was the best decision! The mansion is very well cared for and immaculately clean. The architecture is gorgeous, so all we really brought in for décor was flowers. Rental was reasonable, and they have a fantastic list of preferred vendors. It was such a relief to have everything onsite, and my bridal party loved getting ready in their newly-renovated suite. Thank you!
We had our wedding at the Semple Mansion on 5/11/19. Our guests all absolutely loved the venue. Katherine is a complete gem and so accommodating. The venue is so beautiful on its own and requires very little in the way of extra decorating. My bridesmaids loved the bridal suite! We could not have asked for a more perfect day!
We used the Semple mansion for our wedding reception. It was a gorgeous venue that fit our 200 guests, but felt intimate at the same time.
Our favorite things:
- The grand staircase. It made the best place for first look and family photos.
- The ballroom. We had both our dinner and dance in the ballroom, and we splurged on additional lighting for the dance. It was worth every penny.
- The cozy corners. The getting-ready spaces made for amazing pictures, the wine grotto was a guest favorite, and the library was a great place for guests to escape from the action and have a conversation.
- The parking. Our guests really appreciated having a parking lot right across the street, which feels like a rarity in the city.
- The up-front conversations about cost. Katherine is very clear about what things you will need to pay for or add on, which is helpful from a budgeting perspective.
Things to consider:
- We found it much easier to communicate with the venue in person or over the phone, as opposed to email. We wanted to use the ballroom for our dance, which they don't typically recommend, and we had lots of questions about the logistics of the day. It was easier to get our answers and communicate our vision through actual conversations.
- Potential couples can tour during the getting-ready time. It wasn't an issue on the day of our wedding, thankfully, but when we were walking through the venue with our photographer to prep our shot list, we didn't like feeling pressured to hurry because another couple was about to start shooting their photos.
Overall, we are so happy that we chose the Semple.
Semple Mansion provided my son a magical place for his wedding day!
The staff was amazing and supportive not just on the day but for all our questions leading up to the day. The mansion is beautiful and elegant as well as providing plenty of space to allow guests to be comfortable. From beginning to end it was everything we could have hoped for in a venue.
Thank you to the staff for providing exceptional service on my son and now daughter in laws wedding day!
Semple Mansion was the perfect venue for our January wedding! Everything was so beautiful, elegant, and classy. The staff members were friendly and helpful from beginning to end. We had the gorgeous, intimate wedding that we always wanted!
My husband and I had a perfect wedding at the Semple Mansion!
Katherine and team were a pleasure to work with and made everything very easy -- even though we live in Washington, DC and were planning everything from halfway across the country. They have a lot of expertise with weddings, the caterer we worked with at their recommendation was great (Deco), and the space is beautiful.
Our foremost objective was for our friends and family to have a good time, and all of the guests had rave reviews about the venue in particular and the wedding in general. The downstairs was a lovely space for the ceremony and dance, and the upstairs worked out perfectly for dinner and speeches. We recently received all of our photos and they really turned out well, in part because of the great lighting and backdrops both inside the Semple Mansion and on the adjacent patio.
We didn't know what to expect heading in, but in hindsight the Semple was the ideal place for our wedding. Highly recommended -- we couldn't have had a better experience.
Semple Mansion was everything I dreamed and more. The historic beauty and charm of the facility means all the decor you need to bring are simple centerpieces and a few pieces of signage. Guests raved (and are still raving) about how beautiful everything was, and how great the staff were.
We were looking for a venue that was able to accommodate getting ready on site, the ceremony, and reception all in one place. It also had ample parking which is a rare find in Minneapolis. The mansion has nooks and crannies that guests are invited to explore, and offers so many unique photo opportunities. The mansion is also GORGEOUS with several ornate chandeliers, original woodwork, hand painted ceilings, stained glass, many fireplaces, cozy vintage furniture, and more. Semple also recently renovated its bridal suite and it is AMAZING! Plenty of vanity stations for getting ready, comfy furniture for lounging by the fireplace (yes, it has its own fireplace!), a storage closet to keep things out of sight for pictures, and a nearby restroom; it comfortably held my small army of a bridal party (7 bridesmaids and 2 PAs). My now husband was also grateful to have his own space to get ready for the guys - the cozy & quiet billiards room in the basement.
Katherine, the venue director, is the icing on the cake to Semple. She went above and beyond to help me plan every detail, and was extremely friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. I was so grateful to have her both leading up to our big day, and at our actual wedding helping vendors get settled, coordinating things, and helping with whatever it was we needed assistance with. She was extremely prompt with replies to my questions and provided insight on things we hadn't even thought about. Her help and her staff truly made our wedding the most perfect day. The transitions throughout our wedding were seamless and many guests commented about how efficient and professional all staff at the venue were and that they clearly knew a thing or two about weddings & events. ;)
I really can't say enough about Semple Mansion, Katherine, and her brilliant team. I recommend Semple 10000000000% to anyone looking for a fairy tale wedding. I can't wait to get our photos/videos back so I can relive the day again.
Thank you for everything! <3
- Olivia & Chris
We were so happy with our choice to have our wedding at Semple! It is truly beautiful and Katherine was very helpful and knowledgeable. There were a few small things that weren’t ideal. One being that a tour took place while we were getting ready. Even though this was allowed in the contract, there wasn’t any warning that people were going to come through while people were changing! When we got our wedding video back, we also noticed that the moment we recessed from the ceremony, staff jumped in and started to stack up the chairs, even though a song was still being performed.
Overall, we’d still recommend Semple to anyone in a heart beat! Our guests all commented on how much they loved our venue. Compared to farm venues, Semple seems reasonably priced and we were so glad to have AC on our hot wedding day! Thanks, Katherine!
I cannot say enough good things about Semple Mansion! It is a beautiful venue. Our guests were amazed by all the different rooms, the chandeliers, the grand staircase and so much more. The director, Katherine, kept in touch in the months before the wedding, checking on things we needed, etc. The staff we encountered were super friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this venue, it is beautiful!
Semple Mansion is a beautiful historic venue, but the day of our wedding had some downsides. Dirty Q-tips left out, broken blinds, and multiple tours being held during the morning of our wedding. Katherine is an amazing coordinator, but the venue staff/cleanliness seemed unprofessional.
Katherine and her team were wonderful to work with for our wedding ceremony and reception at Semple Mansion on September 28th, 2018! From the moment we toured, to the end of our wedding reception the customer service, organization and knowledge of the venue and vendors was exceptional! Our wedding ceremony and reception went so smooth and the day was absolutely beautiful. I hope I get to come back to Semple and enjoy this fabulous venue as a wedding guest someday soon!
The Semple Mansion was the PERFECT place to hold our ceremony and reception. Katherine and Breanna are THE BEST and made our day perfect! I cannot thank them enough for everything they did. Our day went off without a hitch and they made the planning process a breeze.
If your looking for the perfect wedding/reception venue, look no further. The Semple Mansion is the best you can find. Every room is absolutely beautiful and perfectly equipped with everything you need. The girls got ready in the bridal suite which is absolutely stunning! The boys got ready in the billiards room which kept them entertained for hours. Bre and Katherine were such a joy to work with and made sure everything was perfect for our big day. I am so thankful we found this place and I can’t imagine having a better experience anywhere else. It was perfect!
We booked Semple Mansion without even seeing it first, and we were so happy with our experience. Katherine was just lovely to work with, and the space is beautiful. The bridal suite has recently been re-decorated and it is absolutely beautiful and very spacious. I had over 10 people getting ready with me, including flower girls and it was very comfortable. There is parking available, and the venue is just a short distance from downtown. Some hotels provide a shuttle, but we hired a shuttle service to make sure we could accommodate everyone. I felt like the price was fair, and that Katherine was always transparent about pricing (no surprises at the end). They also have recommended vendors, which was helpful and made the day go smoothly. We highly recommend Semple Mansion.
The venue is absolutely gorgeous and Katherine was wonderful to work with!
Fantastic venue and staff. Katherine and her team were very prompt on all questions leading up to the wedding and day-of were attentive to any last minute items that came up. Couldn't have asked for more. We will definitely be recommending Semple to our friends and family.
I've only had one wedding, so it is with a lack of comparable experiences I write this review. Furthermore, I work in a high acuity area of health care, so I recognize my standards for having something done correctly are near perfection, which is perhaps very different than the acceptable standard in the hospitality industry. With that disclaimer, I will give my honest review of our experience at Semple Mansion.
1) It is a beautiful venue. We loved the building itself, and our pictures will reflect nothing but beauty. The details of mansion cleanliness and maintenance leave a little to be desired up close and in person.
2) You pay a premium. All in, we ended up spending $8,000 on this venue for a hosted bar, Saturday night ($5,200 rental fee, $2,000+ for bar tenders not including alcohol, $730 fee to bring in a caterer from their preferred vendor list.) I thought $8,000 would bring with it customer service excellence. It did not. Everything was a confusing mess with conflicting information being given. Maybe this is unusual, but we got tossed around between Katherine and Breanna. The two regularly contradicted one another and inaccurately relayed information back and forth. Katherine is a kind person who generally is helpful. Breanna has a flippant attitude and brought with her a negative energy that was noted by several in my bridal party on the morning of our wedding. Oh, and least I forget to mention, you and your bridal party will be on display to a half dozen tours as you get ready in your underwear and robes the morning of. Cheers!
3) Details, details, details. The day of our wedding many details were off. Nothing big enough to spoil the day. Nothing big enough for outsiders to really take note. However, if I am going to spend hours planning details and putting them into lists and diagrams just as I am asked to do by the venue, I would expect the people charging me $8,000 to read and follow those documents.
All in all, we wouldn't have changed our decision. We loved the mansion itself, but the customer service was the low point of our big day. I do believe there are competing venues at comparable price points with far superior customer service.
Semple Mansion is extremely elegant, made planning simple for us and was the perfect venue for our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. It is a stunning venue. We planned our wedding from afar and Breanna and Katherine were such a pleasure to work with and made it easy by being super responsive and organized. We are so happy that we found the Semple Mansion. Also, their ballroom is amazing and the most beautiful space for a lovely dinner and dancing ever.
Semple is amazing! After touring 10 (maybe more) wedding venues for a month, I knew after 5 minutes of touring Semple and meeting Katherine that Semple was the place we had to get married! The Mansion is gorgeous, and during/after our ceremony & reception, guests were very happy and impressed with the venue. Katherine is great to work with, knows her stuff, communicates promptly and positively, and helped execute our wedding day plans! Also- I can't imagine getting married anywhere that doesn't give you the full day on-site, and plenty of space to get ready! <3
We had the best day. It was so perfect. I am so in love with the mansion. It is beautiful and elegant. Fancy but comfortable. There are many rooms with different vibes so everyone can have the party or event they want. We couldn't have pictured saying "I Do" anywhere else! We got lots of compliments on the venue also. Everyone loved it. Especially the wine grotto and billiards room!
We got married on a Sunday which helped keep the cost down. But Katherine is very upfront with pricing. She explains it all and its one price not itemized and confusing. Just one simple price for everything and for the entire place for the entire day!
Take them up on their offer to bar tend for you. Their bartenders are AMAZING.
So worth it!
Semple was an amazing site for our wedding day. We actually rented the entire mansion for the entire day, but held our ceremony elsewhere, and had our cocktail hour and reception there. Our guests were blown away with how breathtaking and memorable the entire building was. Katherine, the venue manager, was extremely professional and helpful. My father called it a "storybook" wedding and it really was: classic, beautiful, elegant, everything we hoped it would be.
Having our wedding at Semple Mansion was the BEST decision we could have made. The mansion itself is stunning and perfectly matched our Gatsby-inspired wedding vision. Our guests couldn't stop talking about how beautiful it was and how perfectly intimate our 183+ wedding felt (which can be a hard thing to pull off in many other venues). Plus, the price is definitely reasonable and they offer 10 different catering options, in addition to allowing mansion access (throughout the entire mansion) all day long. One major reason we chose Semple over other mansions is because they didn't nickel and dime us for "extra hours" before 3pm - instead, their rate was up front and 100% fair, which we really appreciated. Beyond that, the staff (especially Katherine!) was phenomenal. They were incredibly helpful with any questions we had, and throughout the entire night, Katherine was there to lend a hand. Plus, the transitions between floors for different parts of the evening was flawless. Our wedding was absolute perfection and we highly recommend Semple to anyone looking for a venue!!
We had a mid-September wedding at Semple Mansion and couldn't be happier with how everything turned out! Katherine and her team were so helpful with everything leading up to our big day, and all throughout the day as well. The space inside the Mansion is amazing and makes for a perfect backdrop for a wedding. Our guests raved about the event and everyone couldn't stop commenting about how much fun they had. Thank you Semple Mansion for making our big day such a great success!
We couldn't imagine having our wedding anywhere else! It was an absolutely stunning venue that made our day feel so special. We received so many compliments on how spectacular the setting was. Katherine was such a pleasure to work with - she knows her stuff and was totally on the ball throughout our planning process.
We could not have chosen a more perfect place for our wedding day! From 9am until midnight we felt like royalty! Katherine did a wonderful job bringing us through the whole process, with every detail ranging from the floor plan to rentals and day of events. She even helped pack up our decor at the end of the night! Our guests were talking about this venue days after the wedding! I highly recommend Semple Mansion for a wedding venue or any event for that matter. It’s absolutely breathtaking and will make memories for years to come!
We could not be happier with our decision to have our ceremony and reception at Semple Mansion. Katherine walked us through the entire process to ensure we had the wedding day of our dreams and it turned out to be even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. Semple is so unique and special and it fit our style perfectly. I could not ask for more!
We couldn't have asked for a better venue for our big day! The mansion is gorgeous, full of beautiful details. Our guests favorite part was the wine grotto. Katherine and Laura were extremely helpful and quick to respond to any questions we had. We had multiple guests say this was the best wedding they'd been to, and we credit the Semple for the majority of that.
We couldn't be happier that we booked semple mansion for our wedding! Everything there is naturally so beautiful we didn't want to add a lot of decorations we wanted to show off the mansion. Also Katherine was so incredibly helpful! You can tell she knows exactly what she is doing and if we forgot something. She was right there to pick it up and make sure everything was taken care of! It really made for a perfect day for us!!
We are so glad we chose Semple Mansion for our wedding reception. It's a spacious and versatile facility and it's absolutely gorgeous. I can't imagine a better place to host a formal event. The furniture pieces they provide go perfectly with the space and everything was ready to go the moment we arrived at 9am. We used the mansion for getting ready and taking photos in the morning, we used the downstairs area and wine grotto for cocktail hour (they provide a piano, so it was easy for us to have music!) and the ballroom for dinner and dancing. Our guests loved having the freedom to use all of the different spaces. We found great vendors through Semple and everyone who attended had a wonderful time! We loved that they allow renters to bring in their own alcohol because that made an open bar more affordable than with many packages we saw at other venues. Katherine was a joy to work with. She is very organized, always responds quickly to emails, and made the planning process easy and stress free. I would highly recommend Semple Mansion!
We picked Semple Mansion because it was a beautiful, large space that we could utilize all day. It is also one of the few venues in the Twin Cities area that allows you to stock the bar which is a huge financial savings (We spent under $5000 all-in cost on the bar and alcohol for 200 guests). Having 3 floors really allowed us to utilize the space for many different purposes throughout the night without causing our guests to wait for 'change-overs'. Even in the historical space, we were able to have a live band (which was a must-have for me). The open concept on the main floor provided plenty of space for dancing, a separate and quieter, yet connected area for guests that wanted to chat and the bar close by.
I enjoyed working with each of the staff members. I appreciated their flexibility with planning and day-of for our wedding. Throughout the planning process, Katherine sent me reminders well in advance on payments, decisions that needed to be made etc. which helped me stay on top of things. It was extremely helpful to have a day-of coordinator there the entire day to greet and direct vendors as they arrived and set-up (which is included in the site cost). Our guests loved the bar tenders who were very personable (not grouchy) and helped ensure our guests had a great time. For brides with kids attending the wedding, Semple provides ample rooms where a babysitter can come and watch children. For my 9 month old niece and nephew, we used the bridal suite after dinner for them to sleep in (you couldn't hear the music downstairs) and hired a babysitter to come and watch them - it allowed our families to enjoy the evening and not take any extra trips home to drop them off. My only recommendation would be to check as part of planning how many wine pours are served during dinner. We only had one wine pour during dinner and I would have preferred 2-3 or that the servers left a bottle of wine at each table after the first pour. Overall, I highly recommend this space!!
Absolutely perfect reception venue for our romantic daughter - it was just magical from beginning at 9AM to end at midnight. Katherine and Laura were perfect at getting everything set for us. We rented the whole mansion for the whole day so we could feel like we lived there for a day! The guests could not stop talking about how beautiful and perfect the venue was. Half of us stayed upstairs mostly to dance and others used the first floor or basement rooms for a little quieter place to talk. I can't imagine anything better. The ballroom on the third floor is magic in itself. Our other vendors (Deco Catering and Positively Charmed Decor) worked flawlessly with Simple. Wish we could relive the day, it was perfect!
We toured 8 different wedding venues, but from the moment we walked into Semple Mansion, we were sold. The space is truly stunning, and it provided the perfect setting for our January wedding. There are lots of unique nooks and crannies, both for the bridal party to use and for guests to explore, and the ceremony space was perfect in every way. While the staff is very up-front about it, it is worth noting that there are a lot of fees on top of the base rental fee: there is a huge bill for the bar (not the liquor, but for the set-up, staff, glassware, etc), wedding insurance, parking fees, etc. We feel it was worth every penny, but this is helpful to know from a budgeting perspective. Our one word of advice would be to also hire an outside wedding coordinator. The money you pay goes toward the building--not toward the staff. While they say they have a "day-of" coordinator, that person does very little during the course of your wedding day. We highly recommend the space and feel it was worth the value.
The staff were so friendly, professional, and helpful to work with throughout the wedding process! They made our bridal party and guests feel so special during the big day! Katherine answered all of our questions and was extremely organized and easy to work with during the wedding planning :)
Prior to being engaged, I had my heart set on Semple Mansion for my wedding day. Even after touring 4 other venues, both my husband and I felt like Semple was the one! The mansion is a beautiful, grand space that was perfect for our ceremony and reception. We decided to book the whole venue, as we wanted all spaces available due to our guest count. The cost to book Semple Mansion is quite an investment, but it made our wedding day truly special and unique. We went with a Friday evening wedding, which many of our guests actually preferred and it was a bit cheaper on the investment. The Bridal Suite on the 3rd floor is fantastic for the girls to get ready and the Billiard’s Room in the basement is great for a guys hangout spot. We had our ceremony on the main floor, cocktails in the Copper Bar and main floor, and our dance back on the main floor. The 3rd-floor Ballroom is truly stunning, and we decided upon this for our dinner. Working with Katherine and Lauren was truly a pleasure. They were always very prompt to answer my questions and helped to remind me of various things during the planning process. Both were there during the day of my wedding to help check in vendors and to change over the space. Unfortunately, we did find that there were some issues with the toilets/sinks being in working order and it could have used a dusting prior to our event. With Semple Mansion, you do have to choose from their list of preferred Bar and Food vendors, but this wasn’t a problem for us. There are some things that are not included in the rental price but can be rented through them (linens, parking), which was very helpful! The mansion was perfect to do both our events in one location, which is easy for guests and the wedding party! Truly, it looks like a picture from Downton Abbey. It’s beautiful on every level and it helped to incorporate our Gatsby/1920’s theme perfectly! If you can afford the investment, I would HIGHLY recommend this place for an event, as we received so many compliments about Semple Mansion!
The Semple Mansion was the perfect venue for our wedding. We wanted something that was elegant and classy and didn't need much additional decoration. The grand staircase, the fireplaces, the chandeliers, the painted ceilings, and the woodwork are just a few of the charming features of this venue. What was even more amazing was Katherine. She was a pleasure to work with, she answered every question I had and portrayed professionalism at every level. It was easy to put my trust in her that the day would go smoothly. If you are looking for a classic venue in Minneapolis, you cannot do better than Semple. Our wedding was perfect, thank you Semple.
This venue is beautiful. It was absolutely perfect for us to hold our entire day in one place and be able to spend more time with our guests. From getting ready in the morning to packing up at the end of the night, we were always in a beautiful space. To have access to multiple floors gave our wedding such a unique feeling. It felt intimate (even though we were in a huge mansion). The space is so breath taking that I had minimal decorating needs. It was absolutely perfect for our wedding day. Laura and Katherine were so nice to work with. They made the day run so smoothly for us. This will always be one of our favorite places.
So happy me and my fiancé chose the Semple Mansion for our big day. Loved the beautiful look of the exterior and interior of the mansion. We barely needed any decor as it was already decorated so beautifully. Love the character and history of the place. The staff was wonderful, very good communicators as I knew exactly what to expect for my big day. And all of it panned out just like I had hoped. No hiccups at all. All of my guests loved the venue and we just had the best day. Could not recommend the mansion any more than possible. It was fantastic!
We absolutely fell in love with Semple Mansion from the moment we walked in! It is STUNNING, and we quickly knew that it would be the perfect place for our wedding reception. Katherine and Laura were both very helpful and so easy to work with! Everything went so smoothly on our wedding day, and our guests loved all of the charm & beauty of Semple Mansion! Would highly recommend!
This was a FANTASTIC venue to have our reception.
My wife and I live in Australia, and the staff were extremely helpful in liaising with us across different timezones to ensure the day was spectacular.
The venue itself is beautiful - a big historic mansion just 10 minutes drive from downtown. We also had our ceremony here and it was great having everything in the one place.
Also - loved the wine cellar downstairs.
Great wedding venue and would highly recommend it to anyone!
The Semple Mansion is the gold standard for wedding venues in Minneapolis! Very prompt and professional to work with. Their attention to detail is excellent. Highly recommended!
Beautiful venue! They worked well with our other vendors (but they require you to use a specific list of caterers). It was great to have the venue all day for both our ceremony and the reception. I felt so beautiful walking down the wide stairs with my father. Our pictures on the front steps looked really good too! We couldn't be happier with our special day.
Beautiful venue! The space speaks for itself. Staff was incredibly helpful and fun! They anticipated everything. It was also nice we could bring in our own alcohol.
The Semple Mansion was the perfect ceremony and reception venue for our September 2016 Wedding. Katherine and Laura were wonderful to work with, always very helpful and responsive. The space has a wonderfully authentic, elegant vintage feel, with lots of space and for planning your perfect day. Little additional decor is needed, just add flowers and you'll be set!!!
Because of the vast array of spaces to use throughout the evening (Copper Bar, Ballroom, Wine Cellar, Lounge etc.) I recommend an additional day-of-coordinator or wedding planner to make sure each event within the wedding flows smoothly and your guests are in the right place at the right time. A great space for Brides who want to be creative and "hands on" with their wedding planning.
I loved Semple Mansion from the moment I saw it. There is a grand opulence to the venue. Katherine was absolutely fantastic in answering emails and helping us with details leading up to the big day. Laura was so helpful the day of the wedding and truly went out of her way to make our day special. It was especially nice to be able to bring in our own alcohol, which was particularly important to my father, who wanted a specific type of wine. The Mansion is so gorgeous on its own that we didn’t really need to bring in too many additional decorations. It was wonderful to be able to have the entire Mansion to ourselves so the guests could wander to all the different floors and rooms. We were also impressed that there was an elevator for a handicapped relative and for transporting large items upstairs. The bridal suite and groom’s room are perfect for getting ready. We also purchased the lot across the street for guest parking, which made it easy for out of town guests. I highly recommend this venue!
My wedding at Semple Mansion was so special. Katherine and Laura, the event coordinators, helped make the planning simple and organized. They were willing to answer all of my questions and eased my concerns. Their presence on the wedding day was beyond helpful and they did their best to ensure the night was perfect. My guests continue to tell us how much they enjoyed our wedding and loved the venue. The mansion is a beautiful, historical, and unique venue that sets it a part from others. Our ceremony and reception were both at the mansion and the transition from the main floor to upstairs for the reception went smoothly. Our wedding day was beyond my expectations, thanks to the staff at Semple Mansion and the mansion's gorgeous charm.
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100 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
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