TOUR FAQS

HOURS: The Venue is open from 10 AM-12 AM on Friday/Saturday and 10 AM-10 PM Sunday. Our hours are set by the city, so we are not able to add on any time to allow your event to go later into the evening. Early Access for the Cottage and Granary Suites is available for an additional cost ($200 per hour beginning as early as 8 AM).

CAPACITY: We can accommodate up to 295 guests inside the French Country Hall for the ceremony and/or reception. We can accommodate up to 295 guests for an outdoor ceremony. The Historic Barn can fit up to 250 guests for a ceremony.

CEREMONY: Our outdoor ceremony space is called the Willows. If you would prefer to host your ceremony indoors, you can choose from the French Country Hall and the Historic Barn. Our 18+ acre property also allows for many other ceremony spaces. Feel free to ask if you have a specific vision in mind!

WEDDING PARTY SUITES: We have two onsite suites, the Cottage and the Granary. These spaces are available for your wedding party to get ready for the big day. You may keep personal belongings in the suites for the night, but we suggest having your crew pack up belongings for easy grabbing at the end of the night. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages (including alcohol) to serve to your wedding party and family members prior to the ceremony beginning. There is absolutely no alcohol allowed in the suite once the ceremony begins; our team will bring any alcohol found to the bartenders and you will get it back at the end of the night! (You can lock leftover alcohol in a vehicle or give it to the bartenders to hold until the end of the night).

THE WILLOWS: Our most popular outdoor ceremony space, the Willows, is located about 1/4 mile down the gravel road. The walk is 8-10 minutes for wedding guests. We have an optional Trolley available for rent that will bring guests to and from the meadow.

MUSIC POLICY: Your DJ is welcome to play ceremony music outdoors. Once the ceremony is over all music must be kept indoors. For social hour on the patio, the DJ usually sets up a speaker in the Historic Barn and we can prop the doors open so it can be heard on the patio, but speakers are not allowed outside. Music must be off and guests off the property by the end of your venue rental (12 AM on a Friday/Saturday or 10 PM on a Weekday/Sunday).

CATERING POLICY: We have an open catering policy. Bring your favorite caterer! We have a preferred list of caterers that have been preapproved; other caterers are welcome with prior approval. Caterers must be licensed and full-service; drop-and-go catering is not allowed.

BAR SERVICE: All alcohol for your event must come from our bar service. Our team is happy to assist with creating an affordable bar package tailored to your event, with no minimums! You will pay $295 per bartender; most events will require two bartenders, but some events with higher guest counts or complex menus may require a third. You can reach out to our bar manager, Jordan, any time with questions or to request a quote! Simply send him an email at bar@abellaeventsmn.com or schedule a phone call using this link! 

SECURITY: Security is required for all events and provided by the venue. There is a $300 security fee for this service.

ONSITE RESTROOMS: Yes, we have handicap accessible bathrooms with five spacious stalls for the women, and two urinals plus two stalls for the men. Changing stations are available in both restrooms. There is also a restroom in the bridal suite for the bridal party.

DECOR: You are welcome to bring in your own decor - we also offer fun rental options to save you delivery fees and stress of hauling a trailer onsite. We do not allow glitter or confetti. Faux flowers are allowed, however, we only allow real petals for dropping for outdoor ceremonies; fake petals may dropped for indoor events. If you are using an excess amount of petals (think: lining the aisles), we may ask your coordinator to help with cleanup.

PETS: Couples’ pets are welcome to join in on the fun for photos and your ceremony. They must be taken home after the ceremony and you must have prior approval. No other pets are allowed.

CHILDREN: Children must be supervised at all times.

ONSITE PARKING: We have a large parking area and attendant provided. We also have a golf cart to help transport guests if needed. Shuttle services are available through third parties (see our list of preferred vendors). No overnight parking allowed.

HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE: We have wheel­chair-accessible restrooms and designated handicap parking. Service animals are allowed. The property is mostly handicap-accessible with packed gravel roads; the ground at the Willows is grass. We can also make certain accommodations for guests with special needs; just let us know the specifics and we can help!

TABLES + CHAIRS: We provide and set up all tables and chairs for ceremony, reception and dance.

COORDINATION: All events include a venue manager to take on tasks like stocking bathrooms, setting up tables/chairs, driving the golf cart, etc. You are required to have a day of coordinator or point person designated to manage your event - tasks like communicating with vendors, executing the timeline, setup/cleanup, etc. We offer a Day of Coordination Package to help your special day run smoothly. Please inquire if you are in need of our event coordinating services. You can see a list of coordinator duties here (an Abella coordinator would perform these tasks with the coordination package).

SMOKING: We kindly ask that smoking happens in the designated smoking area near the edge of the patio. There is a cigarette disposal there for your convenience.

REHEARSAL (optional) : For $300, you will have access to Abella’s ceremony space and rehearsal for 90 minutes. If there is a wedding the day before yours, you can schedule your rehearsal earlier in the week. Many events also practice/rehearse during the day of their event; there is no fee for this. We do not host dinners, but have some great nearby rehearsal dinner recommendations!

SPARKLERS: We love a good sparkler exit, but we have special rules that you need to follow for everyone’s safety. All sparklers must be kept on the gravel and cannot be on the white patio. We’re happy to help orchestrate this!

CANDLES: Real flame is allowed but must be in a glass container with the flame enclosed.

INSURANCE: Event Host Liability Insurance is required. We require $1M with host liquor if alcohol is served. Abella must be listed as additional insured. You can often add this coverage to an existing policy, or ask us about vendors.

RESERVING YOUR DATE: Reserve your date for a $100 non-refundable deposit (that is applied to your balance) for 7 days while you are finalizing your decision for the perfect venue for your event. The rental divided into 2 payments. 1st 50% with signed agreement. Six months before your wedding the remaining 50%. The damage deposit, security fee and event insurance are due one month prior to your wedding. Ask our team about alternate payment plan options.