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26601 Chippendale Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057 | 651-264-9510
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Game Time at The Gardens

Let the games begin! Our spacious green lawn is made for more than just admiring—they’re the perfect playground for your event. Guests can soak up the sun and enjoy the fresh air while playing cornhole, giant Jenga, or any other lawn game of their choosing.

 

“We absolutely loved the welcoming environment, encouraging personalization and expression.  We loved the flexibility of being able to customize our food, decor, etc. I am still getting compliments on the great venue.”  ~Devin H.

Woman in red sleeveless summer dress expressing excitement as she has gotten the Jenga blocks to stack high without falling down. while a man in sunglasses with a drink in his hand smiles behind her at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

Man is blue shirt throws a bean bag in the game corn hole as a woman in a hot pink sleeveless summer dress stands next to him drinking a bottled water while a man and two children are behind them playing a colorful game of Jenga balanced on an upside down milk carton at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

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How to Throw a Brunch Wedding Reception

Here are some great brunch wedding reception ideas to consider

 

A beautiful brunch wedding reception.. an elegant garden party! ~ How to Throw a Brunch Wedding Reception

Most couples don’t think twice about a midday wedding followed by an evening reception. After all, that’s the traditional wedding framework and it’s what we’ve witnessed time and time again. But imagine for a moment morning nuptials followed by a late-morning or early-afternoon brunch. The morning is intrinsically more tranquil and reverent. It’s fresh and inviting, more casual and low-key…and it might just be the perfect time to say “I do.” Morning weddings and brunch receptions are gaining popularity. Here are some great brunch wedding reception ideas to consider if you decide a morning wedding is the perfect way to begin your life together!

Having a brunch wedding doesn’t mean you have to skip the first dance together!

The timing: You and your significant other may be morning people but more than likely not all of your guests are. Plan to walk down the aisle no earlier than 10 a.m. and schedule brunch immediately following. Brunch receptions typically take place sometime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Consider welcoming guests to your wedding with a coffee cart and pastry trays to help them acclimate to the day.

The venue: Morning weddings lend themselves to less traditional and more casual wedding venues. When choosing your venue, consider area parks, greenhouses, the beach or even your own backyard. Scout it out in advance and pay attention to how the morning light plays on the surrounding features. If your wedding is during the colder months, an indoor venue with plenty of windows for natural light and a great view of the autumn colors, snowy woods or early blooms might make the perfect backdrop.

Many couples also look for covered patios, garden pergolas, and open-air reception spaces that allow guests to comfortable enjoy the beauty of a daytime celebration regardless of the weather. With a venue that offers natural decor with surrounding greenery and seasonal blooms, minimal decor helps create a relaxed feel.

So relaxed… so much fun… the casual brunch reception.

The Gardens of Castle Rock is also a wonderful venue option for your spring, summer or fall wedding. With four ceremony and outdoor reception sites to choose from in the midst of our enchanted garden surroundings, your brunch reception on our grounds will leave guests reminiscing long after your big day.

The fare: Because of its unconventional nature, the menu really takes center stage at a brunch reception (alongside the beautiful bride and handsome groom, of course!). Your options really are endless. Just think “lighter fare” and go at it! Brunch can be served buffet style, as a sit-down meal, as a cocktail brunch or any combination of the three. Host a build-your-own-omelette, crepe or waffle station, serve mini breakfast sandwiches or French toast dippers. Serve veggie and egg frittatas, smoked veggies or smoked meats such as salmon or tuna and don’t forget to include a wide array of pastries and croissants.

Feel free to mix it up a bit… how cool is a open coffee bar!

For brunch, a wide beverage assortment is just as important as your plentiful cuisine choices. A coffee bar with drip coffee or specialty coffee beverages, iced or hot tea (depending on the season) and fruit smoothies and juices will ensure that you’ve got something for everyone’s palate. If you decide to serve alcohol, mimosas, Bloody Marys, screwdrivers and sangria are popular choices. A bubble bar – champagne with berries – might be especially fun at a spring or summer celebration.

The attire: A morning wedding and brunch reception naturally lend themselves to a more casual atmosphere and dress code for the guests and wedding party – the bride and groom included. Kristin Doggett, co-founder of Bellafare, a boutique event and wedding planning company, says that a sundress for women and slacks and a shirt for men are certainly appropriate while brides often choose dresses with shorter hems or more casual fabrics and grooms often opt for lighter-colored suits. The wedding party attire is up to the discretion of the couple and often follows suit with sundresses and slacks.

That casual laid back vib of a brunch reception. ~ How to Throw a Brunch Wedding Reception

The festivities: Because an early-in-the-day reception doesn’t lend itself to a crazy, late-night dance, couples often bring in a string quartet or a bluegrass band for brunch music and midday dancing. For outdoor receptions, lawn games such as cornhole and horseshoes are a fun addition!

The budget: One of the best parts of a brunch reception is the ease on your budget. Because you won’t likely offer an open bar or hire a DJ or full band you save money on these big-ticket items. Breakfast fare is substantially cheaper than dinner fare and venues often offer lower rates for off-peak times.

Casual brunch receptions offer more time to connect with guests. ~ How to Throw a Brunch Wedding Reception

If you’re interested in throwing a morning wedding and brunch reception, we would love to connect with you about all of our amenities here at The Gardens. Give us a call at 651.264.9510 or email us at info@thegardensofcastlerock.com

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Wedding Day Fun! Outdoor Games for your Reception

Wedding Day Fun! Outdoor Games for your Reception

Make your wedding day fun and enjoyable for everyone!

 

The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Minnesota Outdoor Wedding Venue - Outdoor Games for your Wedding

One of the pleasures of a daytime wedding is the chance to play outdoors with family and friends. While daytime dancing is still an option, you can broaden the activity choices by offering fun diversions for folks of all ages.

To make your outdoor wedding reception even more memorable consider creating a dedicated lawn game zone that doubles as entertainment and decor. Popular lawn games like giant Jenga or Connect Four, and personalized cornhole boards not only keep guests engaged but also add a visual charm to your wedding. These interactive outdoor wedding activities are perfect for cocktail hour.

There’s so much more to choose from, so consider your guest list and your theme. Do you have lots of families with young children? Athletic 20-somethings? Seniors? Is your theme and decor casual and outdoorsy? Vintage?


Jessica & Carson at The Gardens Of Castle Rock ~ Minnesota Outdoor Wedding - Lawn Games SignIf you and your crowd love the vintage charm of a bygone era, consider complementary recreation. Consider Italian bocce, or its French cousins pétanque and boules. Offer these traditional European games accompanied by a refreshing aperitif like Pernod, as they’re enjoyed in Italy and France. There’s even a cocktail called the Bocce Ball, featuring orange juice, vodka and amaretto. These leisurely pastimes are the perfect opportunity for some playful competition while catching up with old friends or making new ones, and kids can join in too. Croquet and badminton are also great options for traditional fun that appeals to many generations.

The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Minnesota Outdoor Wedding Venue - Outdoor Games for your WeddingFor a more Americana-inclined crowd, set up corn hole games and lawn bowling. If your crowd is competitive, set up teams and playoffs, and reward the champs with a trophy.

Maybe inspiring laughter and silliness is more your style. Draw on classic contests from church picnics like three-legged races, potato sack races and egg-and-spoon races. Stencil circles on the lawn for an adult-scale Twister game. A giant ring toss, using lawn flamingos for targets, or a javelin throw using pool noodles will provoke lots of belly laughs. Set up a glow-in-the-dark outdoor bowling alley with colored glow sticks in water bottles as the pins. Bring the hilarity onto the dance floor with a limbo competition.Maggie & Jarred at The Gardens - Wedding Day Fun ~ Outdoor Games for your Wedding

If your crowd is more crafty than competitive, set up a paper airplane table. Include a few books or diagrams with design ideas, and encourage folks to write on them and send airborne messages. A few stations for making giant soap bubbles will entrance kids and adults too.

Michelle & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Minnesota Garden Wedding Party - Wedding Day Fun with board gamesHow about a scavenger hunt? There are plenty of ideas online for scavenger hunts for kids, picnics, weddings and more. Various scavenger hunts require collecting items, spotting items or taking pictures of specific things. A kid-specific version can task children to spot natural features like an insect, a seed and a forked stick. Check the internet for inspiration and printable checklists.Ariel & Matt at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Minnesota Outdoor Wedding Venue - Outdoor Games for your Wedding

Make the most of your outdoor wedding by bringing friends and family together to laugh and show off their skills. For some folks, diversions like these are just the ticket to enjoying themselves and finding a way to “connect across the aisle” with new people as two families celebrate merging into one.

Leigh & Kyle at The Gardens ~ Wedding in the Woods - Wedding Day Fun ~ Outdoor Games for your WeddingBy choosing a wedding venue that can host your ceremony and reception you’ll have more time to enjoy the day with friends and family.  So much more fun playing yard games then driving from one location to another.  The expansive lawn area right next to the reception patio The Gardens is the perfect venue to host your wedding day fun.

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Bright Beautiful Wedding Day!

A bright beautiful wedding day! An amazing Minnesota fall day for a wedding.

What more could you ask for… everything was just the way it was planned, nice!

A wonderful outdoor wedding ceremony, surrounded by family and friends was amazing on the Grand Promenade. With beautiful music and the sun shining, all attendees celebrated Sunny and Brian’s love. The whole ceremony was captured by the GoPro camera on their dog’s back… now there’s a cool point of view… The animal theme continued inside the gorgeously appointed tent with all seating assignments grouped by animals… made for a great way to release tables for dinner. Everyone enjoyed the lawn games and hanging out by the fire… Dancing late into the evening!

Thank you Sunny and Brian for sharing your beautiful day with us at The Gardens!

Savor the moment, one last kiss on the promenade! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Savor the moment, one last kiss on the promenade! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Everything as planned, nice! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Everything as planned, nice! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The Grand Promenade.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The Grand Promenade…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

A big beautiful blue sky.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

A big beautiful blue sky…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The Grand Promenade just before the ceremony... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The Grand Promenade just before the ceremony… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Anticipation building... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Anticipation building… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

One last photo before heading down the aisle... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

One last photo before heading down the aisle… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Surrounded by beauty.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Surrounded by beauty…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Beautiful music... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Beautiful music… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

You may kiss your bride.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

You may kiss your bride…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

It really was a beautiful day... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

It really was a beautiful day… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The best dog.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

The best dog…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time for some fun... Lawn Games! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time for some fun… Lawn Games! Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

All set up and ready to go for the reception.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

All set up and ready to go for the reception…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Gorgeously appointed tent.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Gorgeously appointed tent…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time to celebrate... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time to celebrate… Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time for a toast.... Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events - Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

Time for a toast…. Sunny & Brian at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ Weddings & Events – Beautiful Outside Fall Wedding

 

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