Nicollet Island Pavilion Wedding Photographer

Nicollet Island Pavilion is the iconic Minneapolis wedding venue — Mississippi River on one side, downtown skyline on the other, and a soaring open-air pavilion in between. It's where you go when you want your wedding photos to scream Minneapolis. Sunset over the Mill District from the pavilion's deck is one of the best wedding photo opportunities in the entire Twin Cities.

The space accommodates large weddings (up to 600), has gorgeous chandelier-lit interior options for cooler months, and puts you steps from the Stone Arch Bridge for portraits. I've shot summer and fall weddings here and know exactly when to step outside for that skyline sunset shot.

Best for

• Skyline weddings
• Large guest counts
• Summer/fall outdoor receptions
• Iconic Minneapolis aesthetic

A photographer's tips for shooting here

• 1.Stone Arch Bridge is a 3-minute walk — golden hour portraits there are non-negotiable.
• 2.Sunset from the pavilion's east deck gives you the entire downtown skyline.
• 3.Time the ceremony so the recessional happens during golden hour.
• 4.The wrought-iron staircase makes a stunning first-look frame.

Planning your wedding at Nicollet Island Pavilion?

I'd love to share a full Nicollet Island Pavilion wedding gallery and chat about your day.

If you love Nicollet Island Pavilion, you might also love

• Aria

  A historic North Loop warehouse turned high-design wedding venue with two stunning ballrooms and a downtown skyline.

• Mill City Museum

  Industrial flour-mill ruins on the Mississippi with the Stone Arch Bridge and downtown skyline framing every photo.