The Essence Event Center — Attraction in Saint Paul

We had our wedding at The Essence in August 2023, and they were a dream to work with. We had toured a few venues but knew immediately after our initial meeting that The Essence was the right choice. In our first meeting, they were clear and transparent about all fees, details, planning timeline, etc. There were no surprises (for example, we toured in 2022 and they told us that they were in the middle of updating their 2023 bar menu prices, so we knew there would be changes). Throughout the planning process, staff were very responsive when we had questions and always on time when it came to scheduling follow-up calls and meetings. We never had to nudge them on anything.

On the day of the wedding. We had access to the entire building for the whole day, which made it so easy for the bridal party and family to get ready without the stress of transportation between multiple venues or getting ready spaces. The getting ready rooms were absolutely gorgeous, spacious and very functional (steamers in each room were a great bonus). We had plenty of entertainment and space for everyone to get ready, including a kitchen space for everyone to eat lunch together. Bathrooms were roomy and clean, and every room was well-equipped. It's clear that the every aspect of the venue has been put together with thoughtfulness and intention.

Staff were so kind and helpful. My husband and I barely interacted with afternoon/evening staff, which I think is a testament to how smoothly run the operations are. Nothing came up throughout our wedding day - they worked seamlessly with every single vendor.

The venue itself is beautiful. The building itself meant that we could save money on rentals/decor, because it was already such a visually appealing space. You can spend as much as you want on decor here, but we leaned towards the low end and everything still looked amazing. They have a very well hooked up sound and A/V system - that was designed and set up by DJ - so our DJ didn't have to bring a ton of equipment. The Essence also had a A/V staff member that walked our DJ through using the sound system the morning of, so we didn't have to worry about troubleshooting.

A few additional perks: Plentiful free parking Separate reception and ceremony space (with the ceremony space flipping to a dance floor later) so that guests who wanted to chat and visit with one another didn't have to yell over music. Creative and wide open bar menu - so many signature drinks to choose from. Great temperature control (it was a hot and humid day but the venue stayed the perfect temperature). Full kitchen for caterers, which allowed us to cater with Peking Garden to serve a traditional 10-course meal to our Vietnamese family.

The last thing we'll add is that we hosted a multicultural wedding with a lot of Vietnamese friends and family present, and from the get go, The Essence got it. They knew what to expect, were very culturally competent and eager to make all of our guests feel welcome and honor our practices and traditions. It was so easy working with them from start to finish, and they helped make our wedding day perfect. Would highly recommend this venue...

My wife and I got married at The Essence Event Center earlier this month (October 2024) and the day was filled with so much light and joy. Searching for a wedding venue was such a long process for us. We toured several places in the Twin Cities and not one of them could compare to The Essence Event Center.

The venue has a great balance of tall ceilings in the cocktail hall, cozy wood beams in the reception hall, and streaming light coming in through windows throughout the whole building. On top of that, you have the 2nd floor get ready spaces which have everything you could possibly need that morning. We invited our wedding party to join us in having mimosas and breakfast together at the venue and the moments we shared while getting ready and reminiscing about our relationship and our friendships are some of our favorites.

The venue has in-house sound so we never once had to worry that our guests couldn't hear our vows or speeches. Not only that, but because they have a livestream option in the reception hall some of our guests were able to step out of the ceremony with their children if needed but they could still enjoy the video and live sound!! Our DJ used the house sound & dance lighting and we had an absolute blast on the dance floor.

Our guests are still talking about our signature cocktails. We did The Essence Old Fashioned and Cranberry Gin Gimlets with real floating cranberries & rosemary. Creating the bar was easy and fun because we never had to fit outselves into a certain bar package... everything was customizable!

Time and time again, our loved ones have reached out and commented on how well everything flowed in the night. We owe a HUGE thank you to the Essence Event Center staff. Each person from the floor staff to the bartenders to the venue managers made a positive impact on our day. Your tireless efforts to make sure the building was spotless, the layout was perfect, and the drinks were delicious did not go unnoticed by us.

We would recommend this venue to anyone who is looking for a timeless backdrop for their wedding day. When you book with The Essence, you gain the dedication of their entire team working towards a common goal. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the love and support through our wedding planning process... you made our dreams come true!!

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The Essence Event Center is one of the most beautiful venues I have been to inside and out! The space is so versatile and it was really nice to have multiple different options for where the ceremony could be and how the reception space could be utilized. Also, don’t underestimate the big beautiful doors. I do not think I will ever forget the moment the doors opened up for me to walk down the aisle to At Last - it was magical. There is so much natural light and tons of opportunity to use lights against the brick, hanging from the metal and wooden beams, and the beautiful brick cutouts along the venue walls. The getting ready space was also amazing! Not only is it perfect for getting ready photos throughout the day, there is plenty of space for the entire wedding party, photographers, hair and makeup, videographer, and all of the wedding family members. Having enough room and a designated space to spend the day leading up to the wedding made things so much less chaotic. Everything was all in one place and we didn’t have to rush to get anywhere. Being able to be on site all day starting right away in the morning made it so we had more than enough time to get ready and be in the moment to enjoy every minute without feeling strapped or short on time. There is also a great kitchen/community space between the bride and groom suites so we were able to keep everyone well fed and fueled throughout the day. Also don’t underestimate how much your guests will love having surface and garage parking for free right out front of the venue, while still being close enough to the cities that it is a short uber to downtown MPLS or STP. Last but not least, the Essence Team is truly excellent. Nicole was fantastic throughout the wedding planning process. She is very easy to reach and quick to respond to any and all questions and was easy to schedule meetings with. Her recommendations for our layout, bar order, and even timeline were spot on. The team on the day of the wedding was also great in making sure everything went according to plan smoothly but also operating very under the radar so it felt like it was only friends and...