Are you looking for a unique wedding venue that has locations to match any vibe from light and airy to dark and moody? Aster Cafe may be the perfect fit! With various options including the outdoor Shasta Tent and moody Hall of Kings space, there is something for everyone at this venue! To help you learn more about the Aster Cafe, we interviewed their Event Sales Manager, Dawn Kuehl.
How old is your building, what is its history and when did you start doing events?
Hall of Kings (HOK) in the Prince Building is from 1877. So much history… but the first use was the Salisbury and Satterlee Mattress Factory, see photo below. The River Room (RR) in St Anthony Main was built in 1855. The history of it is a rabbit hole of information, but THIS website is a great place to start!
We started doing events in the RR in 2013 and HOK in 2017. Our bridal suites are in the Pracna building, circa 1890. Frank Pracna and his family lived where the bridal suites are now and would go down the stairs that are in the suite to run Pracna bar. The Hepburn Suite was also once a steakhouse called Herman’s in the 1970s.
What do you think the best feature of your venue is?
The natural beauty of the spaces and of course the view from the River Room! Also, we have created a very unique vibe with our decor. The HOK is very cool that is has a speakeasy vibe being underground.
What do you think is the biggest challenge of working in your space, and what are some best practices for it?
Sometimes it’s hard to find HOK. It is often really busy around the Shasta Tent at the RR when we are having weddings. Best practices are signs and ushers. There isn’t anything to be done about how busy things are around the Shasta Tent.
What do you think is the perfect number of guests for your venue, assuming everyone will be sitting at a table at one time? What is the benefit of having this number of guests?
With the recent expansion, the River Room is nice with 140. At Hall of Kings we can seat 190, but I think 150 feels good. The benefit is not feeling cramped.
What is the most interesting thing someone has done at a wedding at your venue?
The most interesting thing is probably a Tarot/Palm Reader. A man also married 2 women at the same time once.
Do you require a professional planner or day of coordinator at your venue? Why or why not? If you don’t have one, or have one that doesn’t do a good job, how does it affect you as a venue and the wedding as a whole?
We do not require a Day of Coordinator. It affects us in the sense that we are not sure who the point person is and if things are not on time or different than the BEO (banquet event order), we are not sure what action to take. We ALWAYS ask who to talk with prior to the event, but sometimes things change day of. We don’t require a DOC because some couples can’t afford one. I strongly encourage that couples do hire one when I tour with them. I even suggest that they lower their host bar amount to hire one and how very important it is to have one for their big day!
Huge thank you to Dawn for taking the time to answer these questions for us! We hope that this inside scoop on Aster Cafe has been insightful. If you are getting married and in need of a Planner or Coordinator, be sure to send us a message!
