Weddings on the Mississippi

Flowers Make My Day.

2010-07-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

I really do love flowers. I know that when I get married, the flower portion of the budget will be *slightly* bigger than the average. The thing I really love about flowers (especially in weddings) its something you can really see where the money goes. I certainly won't lie and say flowers are cheap. They're not. But, when you purchase $1500 worth of lilies - it shows! There are other items that just don't show quite as nicely :)

Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio brought over a lovely little garden this week for me to stare at all week. Nestled in this little square pot are beautiful light pink Asiatic Lilies, Purple Billy Buttons and a beautiful, whopping pink King Kong Rose (which is officially my new favorite rose).

Pink King Kong Rose & Purple Billy Buttons.

Wouldn't this make a lovely centerpiece for a wedding? First off, Asiatic Lilies come in a variety of colors so you can easily incorporate your specific color. And of course, you could find a rose in just about any color of the rainbow for some accent colors (or the other way around!) I also think something like this has so much character to it - its like adding a miniature garden to each table! And, me being a flower/garden lover - how you can I not love that!

St. James Hotel Pajama Party

2010-07-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the 5th Annual Pajama Party here in Red Wing! We all had tons of fun! - Even when the tornado sirens went off! Luckily, the St. James Hotel has a fabulous (complete with a bar!) that everyone was able to fit comfortably into. And, the tornado missed Red Wing :).

Here's some pictures from the PJ Party!
The Very-Berry Martini, served in a specially decorated PJ-Party keepsake martini glass!

(Photo courtesy of Kate Myers, a.k.a The Rad Housewife!)
For those who pre-registered for this great party, they received a Pajama Party Goody Bag - full of great things! (Chocolate...candles...lotion...and tons of other great items!)

This is the group of girls who competed in the Kid's PJ fashion show! The girls who won had quite the PJ style & personality!
The judges table with the St. James Hotel girls!

Be sure to check back for updates on the 6th Annual PJ Party coming up next June!

2010-06-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

As I walked into my office on Tuesday morning, it was immediately obvious what the flowers on my desk were going to be. The Casablanca Lily is one of the more potent varieties. The smell is almost intoxicating. And of course, they are beautiful!

As always, thanks Brian! If you're looking for some fantastic flowers for your wedding, I highly recommend Brian. Brian can do everything from simple little Gerbera daisies to brighten up any room or mood.

Brian also recently enhanced some of our Victorian-style lanterns with a wreath of carnations and sterling roses.

As always, thanks to Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio!

The Brightest of Bright Pink Weddings!

2010-06-08T15:05:00.001-07:00

So, a couple weeks back we had such a fun wedding! Adam & Emily had a perfect day here in Red Wing. It was a little touch & go in the morning - there was a scare of rain - but as you can see, by the time the afternoon & ceremony rolled around, it was a perfect summer day!

Our beautiful bride!
And her fancy new bling-bling!
I love this picture. Love love love! This is how happy you should be at your wedding.

But above all else, I love first glance pictures. This is when the couple sees each other for the first time. They are so full of emotion - its such a special moment between the bride & groom.

Heading back inside to begin the festivities :)

Congratulations to this wonderful couple! They were so much fun to work with! Also, a big thanks to the Ultimate Pink bride's wedding crew:

Photography: Brandon M Sweet

Videography: Sarah @ Princess Bride Cinematic Video

Photobooth: Xtreme Photobooths

And a big - HUGE - thank you to Brooke @ Affordable Elegance! Brooke is the kind of person who will help you out in the biggest pinch you could come across. Imagine this little scenario:

220 chair covers don't fit my chairs. Doors open in less than 2 hours. Eeeek!

Luckily - with the swift help of Brooke, our Ultimate Pink Bride walked into this:

For more pictures of this great wedding, check out Brandon Sweet's blog!

Introducing....the all new St. James Hotel Candy Buffet!

2010-06-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend was wonderful. We had a beautiful wedding. We also debuted the fantastic new St. James Hotel Candy Buffet! We're pretty excited about it.

Peanut M&Ms were the big winner in the candy buffet!

And of course, a local Red Wing favorite, Knudsen Caramels, which are made locally! You can talk to anyone within a 50 mile radius - Knudsen Caramels are the best! And, also, one of our bride's favorite sweets!

Candy buffets can be a whole lot of fun - this particular one was ATTACKED. For many of the guests, this was their first time seeing a candy buffet - and oh-my-god, were they pleasantly surprised. Guests were able to fill up their own bags to save a little treat for later! This candy buffet included some other favorites such as: Swedish Fish, mini-Candy Bars & chocolates from Red Wing Confectionary (also made local!), among many other items and of course, wedding cake!

The Big Boot: Bridal Style

2010-05-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am a true Minnesota girl. However, many of my friends & family are not. When I began working here, I of course told all my friends & family that I would be working at the historic St. James Hotel in Red Wing, Minnesota. Everyone's response?

"You mean where the boots are made???"

Heck yes where the boots are made! Red Wing, Minnesota is home to Red Wing Shoes!

Now, if you've been reading the St. James Hotel blog for quite some time now, you'll remember when we moved the Big Boot. Just joining us? Click here for the original post about our 'Big Boot on the Move.' Here's a general summary: Red Wing Shoes built a Big Boot. It's pretty awesome. (See below).

Ever since the Big Boot was stowed in its permanent home over at the Red Wing Shoe store, I have been eagerly awaiting a wedding picture involving the Big Boot. So you can only imagine my excitement when Jenna Sefkow, of Jenna Sefkow Photography posted these two little gems to her site.

Yes...she's sitting on the classic Red Wing Boot Style No. 877. It is a size 638 1/2 D. She is also wearing the matching boots - of course in a much more appropriate size.

If you'd like to see some more pictures of this adorable baseball-inspired wedding, check out Jenna's facebook page!

2010-05-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

Me = bad blogger on occasion. We've been really busy at the St. James Hotel this last few weeks that I haven't even gotten a chance to blog! Of course, I'll never be too upset if I'm too busy with weddings!

Brian brought over some great flowers last week for me. Tulips are always lovely as well as roses. He also put in some big, full green spider mums, which I really love!

Interestingly enough, our wedding last weekend uses the green spider mums as a base for their very beautiful centerpieces. Check those out here! Jenna Sefkow did a great job behind the camera!

So this week, Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio brought over some lovely lilies in a very unique vase that is suspended in a wrought iron arm. Pretty nifty!

Brian shared with my a great little piece of advice as well! If you look closely, you'll notice the little pollen-pods inside the lily are missing. Those are, in fact, the part of the lily that can stain your dress! So, a quick tip to a no-mess bouquet? Pop those little pollen-pods right off, and you'll be clean & pollen free!

It's Finally May!

2010-05-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well, May is finally here! Minnesota is officially in bloom! The lilacs have bloomed, and my flowering crab-apple tree at home is a beautiful shade of pink.

The view from the Summit Room is just as gorgeous as ever. With a little bit of rain in the upcoming week, this lush & picturesque paradise will be even prettier!

While I'm sure many of you don't want to have rain on your wedding day; rain before your wedding day is very good thing! (Some people say that rain on your wedding is actually good luck). However, a nice shower a day or two before the big day makes everything super fresh and green. So...remember pray for rain before the wedding!

And speaking of water, I got a little ambitious when watering my arrangement from Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio and managed to spill water all over my desk. See it in the bottom corner of the picture? Oops!

This week Brian brought over Pink Lilies coupled with Purple Lisianthus and Gorse for the greenery. I really love the lisianthus. They look to me like frilly roses. And the purple & pink is perfect for this beautiful May day! Thanks Brian!

How do you pronounce that?

2010-04-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

I'm always shocked by some of the names of flowers and specifically how are they are to pronounce. The most popular culprit would have to be the Orchid family, full of names like Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, and Paphiopedilum.

So, when Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio brought over my flowers this week and said,

Alstroemeria

I said, "Alstro....what?"

Needless to say, the flowers on my desk are lovely. The Red Alstroemeria looks lovely with the Cherry Brandy Ecuadorian Roses - the colors fit together so nicely. I am a very big fan of the vase that he used this week as well.

For a small arrangement, it really gives it a little something extra, don't you think?

Back to the subject to which the post is actually about...I've been learning so much about different flowers, and particularly their uses in table-top arrangements. Some drink up the water much quicker than others.

It also gives me an idea of what a bride is feeling like during a floral meeting. Phala-what? Dendro-who? Ridiculous, wait - redonculous....hold up, renunculous? A floral meeting can be quite intense for someone not 'in-the-know' of the floral biz. My recommendation? Pictures.

Elbow Grease

2010-04-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

We have this old candelabra here at the St. James Hotel. Last week it looked like this.
I can't quite figure out where this lovely piece came from, or how old it actually is. I decided that this would be a lovely centerpiece for the head table at the wedding tonight. The wedding is having simple candles & mirrors on the table for a classy & elegant look. I thought the candelabra would add a nice touch to the special table.

However, as you can plainly see...it definitely looks aged. It also had wax all over every nook & cranny (of which there are many.) So I decided to give it a go and see what I could do for this poor old candelabra.

And let me tell you what! With just a little silver polish & some elbow grease, its looking wonderful!

Flora

2010-04-22T06:45:00.001-07:00

I realized this morning that I had not posted my weekly flower delivery from Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio. I've been very busy around the office for the passed couple of days - in fact we actually had a trade show yesterday!

Anyway, this week Brian brought me beautiful orange lilies with some greenery. I also really like the vase that he used this week. Not to mention...look at all those beautiful buds about to burst open!

The New Trend That I LOVE.

2010-04-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

As usual, I've been cruising all my favorite weddings blogs (as any good, self-respecting wedding coordinator does...). StyleMePretty, The Wedding Chicks (we were featured there too!), Ruffled, Snippet & Ink, the Ritzy Bee...and many more of course.

I have to say I think I've stumbled upon my new favorite trend: the matching bridesmaid's outfit (that isn't a dress). For example, this little gem (on StyleMePretty earlier today), the bridesmaids wore matching Pucci skirts and varied white tops. OR...this one where the ladies wore classy, grey pencil skirts (with pockets!) and ruffled white shirts. Or how about this spectacular parking garage wedding (again from StyleMePretty, and yes, that's really a parking ramp!) where the girls wore plaid skirts and cardigans!

First off, the 'wear-it-again' factor is great. Your ladies will actually be able to wear it again - not like in 27 Dresses:

"The best part is; you could just shorten it and wear it again!!!!!"

I think all of these look really great on the ladies as well. After all, isn't the cardigan & pencil skirt a woman's bread & butter?

This wardrobe choice is definitely not for an extreme black-tie event...obviously. But I really think that its catching on!

Victorian Dining Room!

2010-04-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to share some pictures of the Victorian Dining Room. The was the original 'dining option' at the hotel when it was originally built in 1875. I love this room because there is very little decoration needed (assuming you like the Victorian style!). The room has 14' ceilings that are pressed tin. It also has beautiful old gas-lamp chandeliers that have been converted to electricity, so the historical charm is very rich.

This group chose to do a 'Harvest Table' which can seat 12 guests. This was a nice way to incorporate their whole family without doing the traditional head table.

This group did a small half-moon table for them and their two attendants.

Her centerpieces were very simple - she really didn't want to over-power the already present ambiance of the room.

The Victorian Dining Room is great for small groups under 80 guests.

My Weekly Flowers!

2010-04-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't blogged since my LAST weekly flower delivery - sorry about that! I'll try to get better - but we're just so busy here at the St. James Hotel!

Our wedding/event season officially (at least in my book!) kicks off on April 24, which is only 11 days away! We're starting out with a bang (230 guests...yes, a bang)...although as many of you know, that's pretty average for Minnesota! We're all very excited here at the St. James for our wedding season.

Because when it comes down to it, who doesn't love a great party? Our catering coordinator here at the hotel just had her wedding (Congratulations Mrs. Ryan!) and my-oh-my was it a great party! With only a few minor issues (dress straps snapping off...) everything went great! Actually, looking back on it, I don't think I've ever had a wedding go that smoothly. Seriously.

Well, back to my actual post - my weekly flower delivery from Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio!

This week's arrangement is lovely. The Cherry Brandy Ecuadorian Roses remind me of a beautiful sunset in South Florida. And the bright magenta heather fits in perfectly! As always, thanks Brian!

Flowers!

2010-04-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Well, here in the Red Wing area, Spring is just raging right on! After a beautiful sunny (sans precipitation) March, April is in full-force with rain!

Its amazing how green the world turns with just a quick shot of rain! Well, with all the new budding life, it has made me yearn for fresh flowers.

*because who doesn't love fresh flowers on their desk*

Brian over at Inspired Home & Flower Studio put together this lovely little bouquet for me of beautiful pink, yellow and purple tulips. The photo doesn't do it justice, bu he also put some river rock in the bottom of the vase as well. It looks great with the lush green stems!

Keep Calm & Carry On

2010-04-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed anything different about the St. James Hotel wedding blog? I sure hope so! Recently, I stumbled upon the ridiculously cute and chic, Shabby Blogs! If you haven't checked out all their unique blog backgrounds yet, you really should!

Check them out! shabbyblogs.com

They frequently add new things as well! This morning, I just added a saying that I found on their site,

"Keep calm & carry on." (Please see to the right!)

Of course, this phrase can apply to almost any/every walk of life. In fact, I'm finding it more and more useful in my own daily travels.

But I really think the concept of 'Keep calm & carry on,' really works if you're planning a wedding. Afterall, before you know it, it will be your wedding day. There's no stopping it! So, you only have one choice, and that is to carry on. And usually its a lot more fun if you're calm.

Remember this about planning a wedding, various things will go wrong. If you're hoping for a day without any hiccups at all, I'm sorry but that probably won't happen.

I'm not saying that everything bad will happen. But not everything will go exactly as planned. However, it can still be a perfect day. Just remember to Keep Calm & Carry On!

Iron Works Suite

2010-03-12T14:43:00.001-08:00

Well friends, I can't tell you how excited I am to finally post some pictures about the St. James Hotel's newest room (its really more of a suite!) It's actually a fully-furnished apartment! I like to call it the Iron Works Suite, as it resides in the old Red Wing Iron Works building - which is actually older than the hotel! The Iron Works building was built in 1857! However, on the inside...you would never know!

Note the granite counter-tops!

Beautiful & modern, the Iron Works suite has all the features you could ask for - spacious living room area, a wonderful kitchen with granite counter tops, a full refrigerator, laundry and a wonderful master bath with both a shower and a whirlpool. It also has two sinks!

Give us call if you'd like to stay here!

2010-02-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

March Madness

2010-02-16T10:56:00.000-08:00

Looking for a place to get married in March? How about the St. James Hotel! Book your wedding for any time in March we'll waive the room rental and you'll receive a complimentary champagne toast! Any wedding, 3 to 300!

Photo Credit: Shelly Mosman

Call or Email Jessica Today!

Jessica Hazelton

651-385-5548

jessica.hazelton@st-james-hotel.com

Crystallized Frost

2010-02-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick warning -this post has nothing to do with weddings, other than the color white. Which there is a lot of.

I feel I can safely say that I've been all over this planet. I grew up in Minnesota, went to college in Iowa, dabbled in Florida for a bit, traveled through the desert of the Middle East, the mountains of Switzerland, e.t.c.

Throughout all of that - I still stand my ground that Minnesota is one of the most beautiful places on this planet. See below: Frost Crystallization.

Even though this is a fairly common occurrence, I still think its pretty cool! And to think...in just a few short months, my entire front yard (currently covered in crystallized frost) will be a beautiful, lush green haven.

A January Wedding

2010-02-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

I just received the most wonderful note from a client. Its notes like these that make me absolutely love what I do.

Dear Jessica and St. James staff,

Our family would like to thank you for making our wedding weekend at the St. James a wonderful memory – a memory that we will all cherish forever. Our experience with your team of people was great from beginning to end. Jessica did a great job of coordinating and helping, advising and encouraging. She answered all of our many questions, both before and during the wedding weekend. She promptly returned the many phone calls from Becca. The Summit Room was just perfect for our reception, down to every detail. Peter and his team did a professional job of serving the food and beverages in a timely manner. We have heard several comments that “this was the best food we have ever had at a wedding.” Your staff was very kind and courteous and was always available to help. The room accommodations were comfortable and clean. The Mezzanine rooms were a great place to dress before the wedding and to unwind after.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

You greatly exceeded our expectations.

Gwen, Twin Cities

I Love Letterpress

2010-02-11T14:57:00.001-08:00

Who had two thumbs and LOVE letterpress??

THIS GIRL.

I recently was at a book signing held at the beautiful Monique Lhuillier salon in Edina. (Please see beautiful dresses below!)

The book signing was for the new book Weddings by Tara Guerard, photographed by Liz Banfield. First off, the book is spectacular. Not only is the photography phenomenal - as usual - but Tara has many wonderful tips about throwing absolutely wonderful events. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this fantastic book.

As a favor, each person received the most beautiful letterpress thank you notes from The Lettered Olive. While I've always known that letterpress is a beautiful form of the written word, I don't think I ever appreciated letterpress the way it should be appreciated.

The touch of it is wonderful. Running your fingers over the indented design. The paper is soft and thick. It truly is heaven in the form of paper!

Which eventually led me to my latest impulse purchase: an L Letterpress Kit from Lifestyle Crafts.
Needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my brand new letterpress. And then...let me tell you what...EVERYONE is getting a hand-written note from me on a beautiful custom letterpress note.

Oh, and stay tuned for pictures of my letterpress designs.

2010

2010-01-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ahh...2010 is upon us. We're very excited here at the St. James Hotel to see what this fresh new year will bring us. Here are a few things that I am looking forward to.

My 4 beautiful January brides (well, now 3 because we already had 1 wedding!)

Bridal University on January 29th & 30th

Co-worker Ashley's Wedding (don't worry, I'll tweet it!)

Watching the snow melt (I do realize that its 3-4 months away...)

June, because Minnesota & June go together like peas & carrots, movies & popcorn, rum & coke...you get the picture.

So, we're officially in a new year which means one thing in particular: engagement season! All the best to my fellow wedding-pros during this busy time! And of course, happy new year!

Top 10

2009-09-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

I really do consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world. I absolutely love my job! I mean, honestly, how could I not?!?!? As the wedding coordinator at the St. James Hotel, I get to talk about weddings...let's see...all day long! Most of my clients are some of the happiest people (getting married!) and no two brides are alike. So, that is, in short, why I love my job.

The truth is, I used to talk about weddings all the time before I had a job in the wedding industry. Back then, it was tragic. Seriously - can you think of something more depressing than a single girl (a deathly single girl!) buying seven bridal magazines in one shot?

But the reasons I love weddings are still the same, whether its for my job or for my personal life! So, I give you....

The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Weddings!

10. It's a party, and who doesn't love a good party?!

9. Buttercream. 'Nuff said.

8. The most beautiful fabrics in the world.

7. Jason Mraz "I'm Yours."

6. Phantastic Photography!

5. Vibrant Videography!

4. The fact that you can go to your best friends wedding, whom you thought you knew everything about, and meet some of the most interesting characters on this planet that you never knew existed.

3. Butler Passed Hors d'Oeuvres!

2. Champagne.

1. The fact that a wedding is a celebration of love, and how can you think that's not great?

10-10-10

2009-09-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

October 10, 2010

Book your wedding at the St. James Hotel on 10-10-10 and receive these 10 special offers!

1. Theme Drinks for Rehearsal Dinner

2. No Cake Cutting Fee

3. No Bartender Fee

4. 50 % off Room Rental

5. Complimentary Champagne Toast for All Your Guests

6. 1 Complimentary Room Centerpiece

7. Complimentary Whirlpool Suite for the Mr. & Mrs!

8. Wedding Night Surprise!

9. Complimentary Breakfast for Two the Morning After

10. Complimentary Stay on Your One-Year Anniversary

October 10, 2010 - 10 Great Offers!

My first show!

2009-09-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

So, this past weekend was my first wedding show. It was down in West Des Moines, IA. I went to college in Iowa (Luther!) so I will of course enjoy any trip to the old IA. We were down at the Hy-Vee Conference Center. What a great space - huge! I also met some great people!

I never realized how crowded those things get. Truthfully, I felt bad for the brides, wandering aimlessly in hopes of finding their perfect wedding hidden among booths of various vendors. I also didn't realize how big some people do their booths. I was feeling a little empty in my booth, all by myself, alone with my pamphlets. But then, my friend Sam showed up! It was a wonderful surprise to see a familiar face!

It was definitely a learning experience - now I know what to expect for the next one!

Victorian Beauty

2009-08-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

The St. James Hotel, built in 1875, retains a lot of Victorian charm. One of my favorite spaces to hold an event is our Historic Lobby area. This space includes: the Victorian Dining Room, the Historic Lobby and the Historic Library. Also in this space is the Grand Staircase which is the original staircase from 1875!

Let's start with the His

toric Lobby. 14' ceilings, Victorian furniture and the original front desk. Today, that front desk makes a great bar. A

ll the furniture in this room is movable, so it can be transformed into a variety of spaces. A few weeks ago we had a wonderful couple hold their

ceremony in this space. The Grand Staircase is one of our most popular photo spots in the hotel.

As the original staircase it is a great piece of history, but it's also a great way to show off your beautiful train!

Off to the right of the Historic Lobby we'll find the Library. Not only is this a perfect place to cozy up with a

good book on a rainy afternoon, but it's also a gorgeous s

pace to hold a ceremony and a beautiful b

ackdrop for photos. This rich space is always set with luxurious leather chairs and a crackling fire.

The last space in the Historic area is the Victorian Dining Room. This room, with ornate 14' ceilings is an ideal space for a small reception.

This Historic section of the hotel is one of my favorite, mainly because it embodies the spirit of the St. James Hotel so much. There is so much character in these rooms that are a perfect addition to any wedding.

StyleMePretty Inspiration Board

2009-08-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

Style Me Pretty recently launched their 'Style Circle' which is awesome! I adore it. Their inspiration board builder is fantastic, in fact, I'm re-posting it here! I apologize if it is a bit small, so head on over to SMP to check it out!

When I think of a historical space, like the St. James Hotel where I work, I think of richness and decadence. But I've seen the 'historical' aspect go too far to the point of an "old timey photograph" -- the kind where no one smiles. This dress has a few frills that resemble a traditional petticoat and corset. My idea of 'historically chic' is: always structured at the core, but frosted with lace, gargoyles or any other kind of decor. At its base is a simple shape, flower or silhouette, but it is layered with beautiful embellishments.

I Love Flowers.

2009-08-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

This may seem obvious, but seriously, flowers make it happen. They add so much depth to the event. We had a wedding this past weekend here at the St. James with some great flowers on the cake. The cake was from Hanisch Bakery in Red Wing. The flowers are by Glenda from Flair Your Affair.

The thing I love about flowers the most? They photograph so well. It could be because I'm a garden freak, but I just am always thrilled with photos of flowers. The colors are so vi

brant and they have so much depth. Flowers look spectacular when paired with: detail shots of the wedding dress, detail shot of tablescapes, detail shots of the rings and not to mention, shots of just the flowers themselves.

A nice thank you...

2009-08-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I love weddings. I love everything about them. That would be my primary reason for being a 'wedding coordinator.' We had an awesome wedding here at the St. James Hotel about 2 months ago up in our Summit Room. Not only was the wedding wonderful, but everyone had a great time. The mother of the bride sent us the sweet note:

Our sincerest thanks for an incredible St James experience at our daughter Katherine's wedding reception on June 26! I have so many areas I'd like to mention but perhaps you have a survey that you'd like me to take. I'd be more than happy to.

Our personal thanks to you Chef Michael also.. I am sorry I missed you the morning after the reception. I was up in the Summit Room de-decking the halls. I want you to know that the food was outstanding, from the hors d'oeuvres to the main entrees of leg-in Chicken Marsala 'a la Michael' and the Salmon Florentine. Many, many of our guests have raved about it and thanked us for a 'lovely evening' VS a great wedding reception. The 'lovely' evening was our goal, but you, Michael, and your staff exceeded our expectations. Our dinner was, by far, the best we have ever had the pleasure of eating at any wedding reception, any type, anywhere. I would

love to come back some time soon to enjoy and savor it again.

Katherine's reception was very relaxing, classy, paced perfectly with yours Ashley and Michael's assistance in the planning stages knowing that it was imperative to stay on time to achieve the outstanding result we did.

Additionally, each time we came to the St James we were welcomed, greeted,

sought out, paid personal attention by you and Chef Michael. We couldn't

have asked for anything nicer, more personable, more reassuring, and instilling confidence each step that we would be very happy on June 26. We were not just happy, we were thrilled, elated. I am still reliving the entire event and our stay at the St James on June 25 and June 26.

I would recommend the St James to anyone and we are thrilled that we chose the St James Summit Room. Please thank all of your staff involved in our reception. They were impeccable--friendly, helpful, gracious, no task or request was beyond them. We so appreciate the excellence that the St James displayed!

Stay tuned for pictures from this fabulous wedding!

The Summit

2009-07-29T07:19:00.001-07:00

One of the most common problems with historical buildings is that they can rarely accomodate a large group. Some places will max out at 100 guests. The St. James is rare in that we can accomodate a wedding group of up to 340 in the Summit.

Located on the top floor of the hotel, the Summit can seat over 300 guests and has a dance floor built in. With a million dollar view over looking the Mississippi River, this space has everything you need for your wedding.

The Summit can also be a great place for your ceremony. What better backdrop than the natural beauty of the river?

Having your ceremony and reception in the same location can make the day run very smoothly. Transportation is much less of an issue, not only for you and your wedding party, but for your guests as well.

The Boot

2009-07-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know that this is NOT by any means a wedding post, but I had to share it with everyone any way, because its pretty cool. Today the World's Largest Boot was put into its permanent home here in Red Wing, Minnesota. The boot will reside atop the new Red Wing Shoe Store & Museum in downtown Red Wing. The boot is a size 638 1/2 - D, roughly the size a 12-story man would need.

The boot is a complete replica of the Red Wing Shoe Boot Style No. 877.

The new store will be opening on August 3rd. Not only will it be a retail shop, but also a museum with tours.

History

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The St. James Hotel was founding in 1875 by 11 local businessmen who saw a need for a first class eating and sleeping establishment. As Red Wing was one of the largest cities in Minnesota at that time, the hotel flourished. Charles Lillyblad and his wife Clara ran the hotel for many years. Charles passed away in 1931, but Clara ran the hotel until her death in 1972.

Today the St. James Hotel is one of the premier places to visit in the Midwest. The St. James Hotel can accomodate weddings up to 300 guests. Our wide variety of menu choices, either by package or a la carte as well as our million dollar view make the St. James a great place to have your wedding. Whether you're looking for a small intimate affair or the wedding bash people talk about all year, the St. James Hotel has the perfect space for you.

Welcome!

2009-07-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting the St. James Hotel wedding blog! The St. James Hotel is the premier location for weddings in Southern Minnesota. Located in the quaint town of Red Wing on the Mississippi River, the St. James Hotel is full of history, elegance and hospitality.