Day Block Event Center Weddings: Planning Guide

Yes, Day Block Event Center hosts weddings. It is an event center in an 1883 building at 1103 South Washington Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, holding up to 250 guests banquet-style or about 200 for a seated dinner. Approved outside caterers are allowed, but alcohol service goes through Day Block Brewing Company, on the first floor.

This guide covers Day Block's published pricing, rules and spaces, plus the photo planning I would do for a restored 1883 building a short walk from the Mississippi riverfront.

Is Day Block Event Center still booking weddings?

Yes. Day Block's event calendar shows booked dates and open inquiries, runs into 2028 and links to a Reserve Your Event page.

The building dates to 1883 and was renovated in 2006 and 2019, according to the weddings page. The page highlights high ceilings, wood floors, windows and exposed brick walls, a 50-foot balcony overlooking the Minneapolis skyline, elevator access and rooftop access for wedding photography.

Spaces, capacity and what the rental includes

Day Block's floor plan lists three rooms: the 2,100-square-foot East Room, the 900-square-foot South Room, and a 700-square-foot North Room used for storage and staging that can't be rented on its own. The FAQ puts capacity at up to 250 guests banquet-style across the East and South rooms, or about 200 for a seated meal with everyone in the East Room.

The FAQ also describes a common wedding flow: the ceremony in the East Room, then cocktail hour in the South Room while the East Room is set up for the reception. The rental information page says tables and chairs are included, listing 20 round 60-inch tables, 10 round 48-inch tables, 10 cocktail tables, 20-plus banquet tables, 250 black chairs, a portable bar and decorative wine barrels, with a Day Block representative on hand during your event.

What does Day Block Event Center cost?

On the pricing page, Friday through Sunday rentals are by the full floor only: $4,000 on Friday, $5,000 on Saturday and $3,500 on Sunday. Monday through Thursday evenings run $1,250 for the East Room, $1,000 for the South Room or $2,000 for the entire floor. The page lists no food and beverage minimums, though outside catering fees may apply.

The FAQ spells out the payment terms: 50% of the room rental fee holds your date and is non-refundable, a $500 security deposit is due 120 days before the event, and bringing in outside tables and chairs carries a $250 fee. If a prepaid event is cancelled 120 days or more ahead, the FAQ says 50% of the rental amount is refunded.

Catering, bar and decor rules

You can bring an outside caterer, but the FAQ says it must be licensed, insured and approved by Day Block management, and outside catering fees may apply. Day Block Brewing Company also caters, with flexible minimums the FAQ says are typically no more than $2,000. For any alcohol service, Day Block Brewing Company's beverage service is required.

Decor rules from the same FAQ: tea lights must be enclosed in glass and other candles need management approval, nothing can hang from electrical equipment, conduit, water pipes or air ducts, and adhesive damage to the walls can come out of your security deposit.

The timing rules shape your photo timeline. Weekend rentals get access at 10 a.m., the event itself can run up to eight hours not counting setup, music must be off at 11 p.m., and the event must be over by midnight.

Location, parking and access

Day Block's location page says the venue is within walking distance of the Vikings stadium, the Guthrie Theater, the Stone Arch Bridge and Gold Medal Park, near the Mill District riverfront and the Hiawatha light rail line.

For parking, the FAQ points to a lot kitty-corner from the venue that holds up to 110 cars, plus metered parking on most streets in the East Town area. On a big Saturday that lot can fill, so share rideshare and light rail options on your wedding website.

The rental information page describes the building as ADA accessible, with stairs or elevator access. Ask which entrance guests using the elevator should use, and whether the balcony and rooftop can be reached without stairs.

How should you plan photos at Day Block?

Windows, brick and evening light

Windows and exposed brick can look beautiful, but the result depends on which way the windows face and when you are in the room. Tour at your ceremony hour and note where daylight lands in the East Room. After sunset, the room looks like whatever lighting is in it, so ask what house lighting dims and budget for uplighting or string lights if you want warmth on camera.

Rooftop and balcony portraits

Day Block advertises rooftop access for wedding photography and a skyline balcony. Ask when you can use them, how many people can go up at once, and whether access depends on weather. Plan a 15-minute rooftop window close to sunset; my Minnesota sunset times by month guide gives you the time to aim for.

Using the whole evening

Because the event can run eight hours, music stops at 11 p.m. and everything ends by midnight, a 4 p.m. ceremony uses the full window. Schedule the last dance and your exit before 11 so those photos aren't rushed.

Weather backup

An East Room ceremony is its own rain plan, which is a real advantage for an April or October date. The weather question is outdoor portraits: pick an indoor backup spot along the brick walls or near the windows in case the rooftop is off limits.

Where can you take portraits near Day Block?

You can walk to the river. Day Block lists Gold Medal Park and the Stone Arch Bridge as within walking distance, and Mill Ruins Park sits right beside the bridge.

Mill Ruins Park is managed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board as part of the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park. It sits directly adjacent to, and partly underneath, the 1883 Stone Arch Bridge, next to St. Anthony Falls, with a pay parking lot. During ongoing construction, the Park Board says the lower ruins stay accessible from the trail near the 35W Bridge Remembrance Garden but have no through access, so check the route before your date. The regional park page notes that the park board maintains the bridge deck.

Photos in Minneapolis parks need a permit. The Park Board's photography and filming permit page lists an individual or group portrait permit at $47 per 1.5 hours or $315 per year, with applications at least 10 days before the shoot. My Minneapolis wedding photo permit guide and Stone Arch Bridge photo permit guide go deeper.

Gold Medal Park is closer, but check its current photography rules before you build portraits around it.

Questions to ask before you book Day Block

1. Is our date open, and does our rate include the entire floor?
2. How long does the East Room take to reset after a ceremony?
3. When can we use the rooftop and balcony for photos, and how many people can go up?
4. Which caterers have you approved before, and what outside catering fee applies?
5. What bar packages and minimums does Day Block Brewing Company offer for our guest count?
6. Which entrance and elevator should guests with mobility needs use?
7. Can vendors load in before 10 a.m., and what does early access cost?
8. Where should guests park if the 110-car lot fills?

Comparing downtown venues? My small Minneapolis wedding venues roundup, small wedding photography page and wedding venue guides are good next reads, and my wedding photography packages start at $3,100.

Frequently asked questions

How many guests can Day Block Event Center hold?

Day Block's FAQ says the event center holds up to 250 guests banquet-style using the East Room and South Room, or about 200 guests for a seated meal with everyone in the East Room. Many couples hold the ceremony in the East Room, then move to the South Room for cocktail hour while the East Room is set up for dinner.

Can we bring our own caterer to Day Block?

Yes, with approval. The caterer must be licensed, insured and approved by Day Block management, and outside catering fees may apply. Day Block Brewing Company also offers catering on site. Alcohol is different: any alcohol service has to go through Day Block Brewing Company's beverage service, so plan your bar with them rather than your caterer.

What time do weddings at Day Block have to end?

Music must be off at 11 p.m. and the event must be over by midnight, according to the venue's FAQ. Weekend rentals get access at 10 a.m., and the event itself can last up to eight hours, not counting setup. Build the last dance and your exit into the timeline before 11 so those photos aren't rushed.

Is there parking at Day Block Event Center?

Day Block points guests to a nearby lot kitty-corner from the venue that holds up to 110 cars, plus metered parking on most streets in the East Town area. For a large guest list, share rideshare and light rail options too, since the venue's location page notes the Hiawatha light rail line is nearby.

Can you take wedding photos on the Day Block roof?

Day Block's weddings page lists rooftop access for wedding photography and a 50-foot balcony overlooking the Minneapolis skyline. Rooftop rules are not published, so ask when you can go up, how many people can join, and what happens in bad weather. Aim for a short rooftop portrait window close to sunset.

Sources

• Day Block Event Center: Minneapolis Wedding Venue
• Day Block Event Center: FAQ
• Day Block Event Center: Pricing
• Day Block Event Center: Floor Plan
• Day Block Event Center: Rental Information
• Day Block Event Center: Location
• Day Block Event Center: Calendar
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: Mill Ruins Park
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: Photography & Filming Permits