It was my pleasure to be invited to the Blaisdell Manor 10 Year Anniversary Open House and tour this fantastic space! Blaisdell Manor is located in the heart of Minneapolis, and it boasts so many wonderful features. When entering the manor, you are greeted by a beautiful little garden with stone tables and benches for guests to lounge and the perfect backdrop for pictures.
Recently, Blaisdell Manor was remodeled and I must say that it was done very tastefully. The style stays true to the original architecture of the time period and everything has been wonderfully restored. The grand staircase is breathtaking, and I can imagine wonderful pictures of the bride gracefully descending.
Blaisdell Manor has a variety of rooms for every type of special event. They have "The Boardroom" which can accommodate 8 to 10 people for an executive meeting. During weddings, this room is used as the "gift room" to keep presents secure.
Across from The Boardroom is The Bovey room. It is generally used for small wedding ceremonies of up to 100 people, or for cocktail hour while the Grand Ballroom is being changed over from ceremony space to reception venue. The Bovey room can
accommodate up to 85 for a cocktail hour and is often used in conjunction with the Windus room.It has lovely neutral green walls and a beautifully restored fireplace and a very regal feeling to it.
Upstairs, there is the Windus room. This room has also been recently remodeled and is a perfect place to host a smaller reception of 125 or less. Again, it is often used for cocktail hour for larger weddings whilst the Grand Ballroom is being changed over from the ceremony site to a reception space. The Windus room boasts rich taupe colors, another fantastic fireplace and a wet bar. It also has luxurious leather furniture for lounging.
The Lounge is located in the basement of Blaisdell Manor and is a delightful surprise because it breaks with the decidedly Victorian feel of the rest of the house. It Has seating for 150 guests, a dance floor, stage and another wet bar. This room is very versatile and could be transformed to fit with any event design using ceiling drapings, linens and floral centerpieces!
Of course, Blaisdell offers everything you would need for a wedding and reception including a bridal suite for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready in. The dusty rose decor is very romantic and this area is outfitted with a vanity and beautiful fireplace. There is plenty of room to lounge with ample seating. The romantic decor would contribute to beautiful "getting ready" photos.
Finally, the Grand Ballroom is the jewel of Blaisdell Manor. It has fantastic vaulted ceilings with a sky mural and can accommodate up to 300 people for a ceremony or reception. This space has wood floors perfect for dancing the night away, and three levels of recessed lighting to make any event design look outstanding! Another plus to this room is ceiling drapings are approved for use and they look absolutely fantastic in this space.
However, I think the most fantastic selling point of this space has to be the cuisine. Blaisdell Manor is operated by Three Sons Signature Cuisine and their menu is absolutely impressive! The caterers generally create custom menus for their clients and they are no stranger to mixing exciting palettes together such as Japanese with Italian.
For the open house event, they had wonderful Hors d'Oeuvres that included Mini Beef Wellingtons, Sweet Potato Fritters with Toasted Walnuts, Coriander Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine Poached Pear. They also served delectable Calamata Olive, Truffle White Bean and Artichoke Roasted Red Pepper dipping sauces with Artisan breads.
Another great option that was presented was the Build Your Own Potato Martini Station which is an increasingly popular heavy Hors d' Oeuvre. It included Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Baby Red Potatoes and a number of toppings such as Diced Bacon, Sliced Scallions, Horseradish Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Wild Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Whipped Garlic Butter.
The Baja Margarita Salad Station was another delight. It featured Romaine Lettuce, crumble Queso Fresco, Chorizo Sausage, Chili Pulled Chicken , Pico De Gallo, Black Bean Corn Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Sweet Peppers and Four Tortilla Strips. Everything you would need to make a perfect Mexican inspired salad.
Main Dishes that were presented at the open House included everything from Rustic Italian cuisine to Japanese seafood dishes. They presented guests with Pizza Napolitano, Beignet Calamari on Dill Aioli with Deep Fried Capers, Roasted Sweet Vegetable Terrine and Basil Ricotta Citrus Cream for dipping.
The Grand Ballroom had a Chef Performance Bar with chefs creating fantastic cuisine right in front of your eyes. Some of the dishes included Nega Maki, Pan Seared Chicken wrapped in Pancetta with White Wine Sauce, Seared Diver Scallops with Citrus Aioli, Crispy Flour Tortilla Stuffed with Cuban Pulled Pork, Corn Salsa and Salsa Verde, Pan Seared Button Mushrooms with Sweet Port Glaze and Grilled Flat Bread.
At last, we come to dessert. Yes, Three Sons also has signature desserts and designer wedding cakes that they offer. The wedding cakes are fabulous in taste as well as design. Whether you want something simple and elegant or intricate, they can do it. The desserts were also fantastic, they did yummy Tropical Kiwi and Mango Mousse Shooters and Chocolate Petite Fours with Raspberry Jam. The Lemon Cream Tartlets with Pistachios were heavenly. Any delicious dessert you have in mind, whether it is a cake or something a little different, Three Sons can make it happen!
PHOTO CREDITS: WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS
