Wedding Planning Guide For The Whim Weddings
THE WHIM minneapolis, minnesota
At Style-Architects Weddings, we have decades of experience planning and designing weddings at some of the most stunning venues in Minnesota. The Whim remains a favorite among our clients and a top choice for us to work our magic.
Located in Northeast Minneapolis, The Whim is one of the city’s most captivating modern event venues. With lumber ceilings, sculptural details, and beautiful natural light, it offers an attractive aesthetic that provides the perfect canvas for building your wedding design upon. As wedding designers, we thrive on creating unique spaces for each couple, so our designs have ranged from neutral/ethereal celebrations to receptions bursting with bold color, and everything in between. Each celebration incorporated an entirely different color palette and vibe, and The Whim complemented and elevated each one perfectly.
Convinced yet? Let’s take you inside what it’s really like to host a wedding at The Whim and learn our tricks for maximizing the space for your celebration. If you want more advice on wedding venues first, check out Wedding Planning 101: Venues.
why we love working at TheWhim
Another important feature of this venue that many might overlook is the staff. The Whim has an incredible team with prior wedding industry experience, so they knew to add all of the special touches needed to make a perfect venue. Some of these features include:
A flexible bar service, so you can have the flexibility to build the perfect bar package to suit your needs.
An outdoor space, which is very difficult to find in Minneapolis venues. The patio is perfect for cocktail hour, cooling off when dancing, access to late-night food trucks, and special exits.
Substantial access to on-site free parking for both vendors and guests.
Lots of gorgeous, large spaces for the wedding party to get ready.
A flexible floor plan - there are many ways to lay out the space. With considerable access to power sources, DJs and dance floors can go just about anywhere, offering endless possibilities. Even smaller groups can be accommodated in the front of the venue.
We appreciate that The Whim was designed to cater to the needs of both clients and creatives. The space is intentional, not just pretty! There’s power, lighting, and ease for efficient load-ins, all great accommodations for setting up large events. Paired with the high ceilings, natural lighting, and flexible canvas, it’s a planner’s dream. The built-in styling elements give you a designer look without needing to start from scratch.The layout flows naturally, allowing us, as planners and designers, to guide both you and your guests through an experience that is seamless and curated from start to finish.
photos by: Russell Heeter, Robert Evans, Brandon Werth
designing weddings at TheWhim
The Whim strikes a perfect balance of an industrial base with soft presentation, thanks to thoughtful design touches like the black, paned windows, architectural archways, moody speakeasy with built-in lounge vignettes, and soft lighting that flatters everyone and everything! Every detail is perfection, down to the crossback chairs. There is no hiding or working around unsightly details, so we are able to create to suit any vision.
As such, every wedding at The Whim can be completely personalized. Whether your vision is sleek monochromatic minimalism or dazzling over-the-top glam, we can guarantee the venue will elevate your vision. The natural light adds beautiful charm (especially in Minnesota winters) and the existing architecture provides so much texture and interest that you don’t need to incorporate extreme design just to make a statement. It’s a space that’s open to any vision, so get dreaming! Check out Wedding Planning 101: Vision Development for starter assistance.
ceremony and reception spaces at TheWhim
The Whim has many unique spaces that add so much character to the space, as well as allowing for multiple ways to configure your event, all under one roof. Here’s a peek at the notable spaces:
The Main Event Space
This is the heartbeat of The Whim: an open-concept space with 14-foot ceilings and whitewashed walls that’s perfect for ceremonies, receptions, or dramatic floral installations.
photos by: Russell Heeter, Robert Evans, Russell Heeter
The Patio
The patio offers a relaxed, open-air extension of your celebration. Whether you use it for post-ceremony mingling, casual lawn games, or a quiet getaway for guests, it adds charm and another space for your guests to gather.
The Mezzanine and Upper Suite
Connected on an upper level overlooking the main event space, these two rooms provide a great space separated from the main event.
The upper-level suite provides a gorgeous setting for the bride and her squad to get ready, with luxurious touches such as full mirror, soft seating, and a custom-built-in vanity. This space is generally not open to guests.
Through the doorway, the mezzanine is a versatile favorite. It’s perfect for first looks, photo ops, added lounge seating, or (a crowd favorite!) late-night snacks and dessert displays. It also offers a perch with a railing and small staircase; perfect for ceremonies, grand entrances, speeches, and more. We love to dress up this railing to create a focal point for these festivities.
photos by: Brandon Werth, Robert Evans, Russell Heeter
Glass Menagerie Room
The Glass Menagerie Room is a flexible space you can use however it best fits your day—whether that’s for your bar or special activation, cocktail hour, dessert, a photo booth, extra getting-ready space, or simply a quiet moment away from the celebration. The built-in bookcases are often used to display photos and other decor elements, or can be used as a back bar to beautifully display glassware or bottles when the bar is set in front of it.
photos by: Robert Evans, Russell Heeter, Russell Heeter
The Speakeasy
The speakeasy is an unexpected gem, perfect for late-night specialty cocktails, cigar rolling stations, arcade games, or just a quiet get-away for guests. It can be styled to match your vision and also serves as an additional getting-ready space earlier in the day, if needed. Truly one of the highlights of this venue!
what type of couple will love TheWhim
The Whim is for the couple who wants a space that’s modern but still soulful. If you're drawn to clean lines, creative textures, and thoughtful design details, this is your place. It’s especially ideal for couples who want to break out of the ballroom mold but still care deeply about guest experience, flow, and elevated aesthetics.
insider tips for a wedding at The Whim
Lighting is your best friend. The Whim already has ambient lighting, but layering in candlelight, pin spots, uplights, chandeliers, specialty pendants, or warm washes over your installations makes the space glow. The ceiling is made to hang just about anything, just about anywhere.
Play with fun design. The tall ceilings and architectural shapes practically beg for hanging installations, chandeliers, or other suspended designs - especially in the skylight.
Use the ancillary spaces strategically. The speakeasy makes for a fabulous post-dinner specialty bar or whiskey tasting lounge. Or, add arcade games or karaoke for additional entertainment options for guests. The Mezzanine and Glass Menagerie are great spaces for showcasing desserts or late night snacks or serves as a gorgeous space to house a stunning lounge grouping, perfect for a quiet get-away corner for guests. They can even become a cocktail lounge, a photo moment, or even a cozy cake-cutting backdrop. These spaces are fabulous, versatile, and underutilized, so utilize them!
Be mindful of the venue size. The Whim is incredibly spacious, which is amazing for large events. However, smaller groups tend to spread too thin if all spaces are activated at once. To perfectly accommodate smaller groups, transition through the different spaces, “closing off” spaces at certain times to keep everyone close. If you don’t have a large group, consider not using the Glass Menagerie once cocktail hour is over. Position the bar closer to the dance floor and do not extend guest tables all the way into the space - keep them and the dance floor more centrally positioned.
The Whim wedding cost
For our clients hosting weddings at The Whim, we typically recommend a budget starting around $75,000, depending on guest count and design scope. This includes venue rental, full-service catering, floral and décor, rentals, DJ, and photography. If you want a fully hosted bar or if big design choices are important to you (such as a floral installation spanning the ceiling) the price will be higher. Our Wedding Budgets blog may help you figure the initial costs of your wedding.
The Whim offers a generous 12-hour rental window, tables and chairs for up to 300 guests, two private suites with lounge furniture, and an on-site venue host. Catering is not included, so couples have the flexibility to choose caterers from a curated list of preferred vendors. The bar service is provided by The Whim.
photos by: Russell Heeter, Brandon Werth, Robert Evans
how we’ve transformed TheWhim
Want a peek into how we’ve used our design skills to transform this venue? Simply scroll back through the blog! Each photo featured comes from a wedding we’ve planned. To view more from these weddings, feel free to check out their galleries linked below:
Airy & Modern The Whim Wedding
Blue Garden Party The Whim Wedding
Vibrant & Playful The Whim Wedding
Whether you're dreaming of a fabulous wedding at The Whim or aren't sure where to begin in planning your special day, we’re here to help. Our design and planning packages are tailored to guide you through the process with expertise, style, and a little bit of magic. Click the contact button below, and let’s work together to bring your vision to life!
As Minnesota wedding planners and designers, we provide award-winning, high-end services tailored to discerning couples across the region. With a focus on meticulous design, seamless execution, and personalized experiences, we bring each couple’s unique vision to life while managing every detail with professionalism and care. Our expert teamwork combines creativity and precision to ensure a flawless celebration, reflecting sophistication and elegance at every step.
mother-daughter
dream team
Hey there! We’re Rachelle and Anna—mother and daughter…by law, but we like to think of it as family by design. Rachelle’s been in the wedding and events world for over two decades, and for half of that time, she’s had Anna by her side. Our love for details and logistics pairs perfectly with our skill for style and design, making us the ultimate left-brain/right-brain dream team. That’s why we’re called Style-Architects Weddings! We’re obsessed with what we do, and with over 20 awards under our belt, we’re confident we can turn your dream day into a reality.
Rachelle, owner of Style-Architects Weddings, brings a distinctive blend of business expertise and creative vision to every celebration. With an MBA and a background in corporate event planning, she excels at organization, budgeting, and project management while pairing those skills with a refined design sensibility. Her passion lies in creating weddings that feel effortless, meaningful, and beautifully curated; events that reflect each couple’s unique story. Under her leadership, Style-Architects Weddings has been recognized with awards from the International Association of Live Events, The Knot, and Minnesota Bride, and is regularly featured in leading industry publications.
Anna is a seasoned wedding planner with deep experience in event design and logistics, known for her calm approach and meticulous attention to detail. Since 2013, she has been dedicated to crafting personalized celebrations that are both thoughtfully designed and flawlessly executed. Anna’s focus is on ensuring couples feel supported throughout the process, allowing them to enjoy a stress-free planning experience and a wedding day that feels as effortless as it is beautiful. Her work with Style-Architects Weddings has earned industry recognition and consistent features in publications such as Minnesota Bride, a testament to her commitment to excellence.