This week’s VOW is The Lumber Exchange Event Center. This amazing venue provides you with unique options to fit any part of your wedding celebration or preparation. The variety of spaces they can offer you ensures that your day will be truly unique and one of a kind! The swanky location caters to your imagination, and the excellent staff can help your dream come to life!
Q: What does the Lumber Exchange Event Center specialize in?
A: With such a versatile space, we can confidently say events of all types and sizes! We love weddings and have perfected that experience, but we also know how to throw a great party. With the help of our recent expansion, we are now able to host multiple events in so many unique spaces. We truly have a fit for everyone!
Q: Where are you located?
A: We are located at 10 South 5th Street, downtown Minneapolis in the stunning Lumber Exchange building.
Q: What makes the Lumber Exchange Event Center stand out compared to other wedding venue options?
A: Besides our incredible team of professionals and our amazing spaces, we have the unique ability to host all aspects of your wedding. With our other venues inside the Lumber Exchange Building, The Pourhouse and The Exchange & Alibi Lounge, we have a place for every stage of your marriage journey. From engagement and bachelor(ette) parties to your anniversary celebration years later, we want to be there to celebrate the most memorable times of your life.
Q: When and how did the Lumber Exchange Event Center begin?
A: When The Pourhouse opened in 2012 it quickly garnered success as a great restaurant. As it flourished into a prosperous event venue and we continued to receive event and wedding requests, we decided the third floor space in the Lumber Exchange Building was the ideal venue for larger events and weddings. The Fountain Room was opened to fulfill that vision.
To cater to the upscale, swanky socialites of Minneapolis, we opened The Exchange & Alibi Lounge. This modern, sophisticated space not only attracted happy hour goers and nighttime clubbers but also provided us with additional space to host events like wedding receptions, cocktail hours and corporate parties.
We are now thrilled to launch our newly expanded and redesigned event venue, the Lumber Exchange Event Center.
Q: What’s an average event day like for the Lumber Exchange Event Center?
A: Our team works together like a well-oiled machine to ensure your event runs smoothly and exceeds your expectations. When you arrive onsite, our Engagement Manager Chris will greet you and make sure all your needs are fulfilled. Your Event Manager, which you will have worked with to plan your event, will be onsite throughout the entirety of your event. They will orchestrate all event vendors and staff, answer questions and make sure you and your guests are having fun! Our team will remain onsite after your event has ended to direct guests, break down your event setup and ensure you leave happy and satisfied.
Q: What would you want couples searching for the perfect venue to know about the Lumber Exchange Event Center?
A: The incredible versatility of our space and our dedication to making your event special will be the beginning of the reasons you will choose us. Our unique and stunning spaces will make your decision easy. Each room provides the perfect backdrop for photos your friends will talk about for years to come!
Q: Do you have any memorable Lumber Exchange Event Center wedding stories that you could share?
A: One of the first weddings I ever did in the Fountain Room, chose to offer a taco buffet dinner for their guests. Who does that? I thought they were crazy! It ended up being one of my favorite weddings because it was such a hit—those are the events you keep with you forever. They were such an awesome couple that I still keep in contact with them!
I had another beautiful bride that wanted surprises coming from every direction to keep her guests on their toes all night. We set up a timed out schedule for a mariachi band, an aerial silk dancer, a drum band, sparkler girls, surprise door entrances and more!
Each event is truly special in its own way. It’s like getting a new job every day—of course certain aspects are the same, but the set ups and ideas are all new. It makes our job way more fun!
Q: What is your favorite thing about the event center?
A: The ability to make each and every wedding completely different on a week to week basis. With so many unique spaces to work with, our options are truly endless. It is totally fun and inspiring to plan and execute an event style or theme that has never been done before in one of our spaces! It keeps us on our toes and allows us to get creative. Now with the addition of our new spaces, we are excited to dream up even more awesome events!
Q: How far in advance should the couple book their wedding venue?
A: This extends farther out each year as our spaces become increasingly popular! For your own sanity, we recommend you book your wedding venue 1 to 1.5 years in advance. However, we have planned weddings from start to finish in less than one month. It all depends on what your needs are and what your event vision entails!
Q: What do you like about working in the wedding industry?
A: My favorite part about working in the wedding industry is the fact that the events we host are so important to the couples and families. Not only do these events change their lives in an unforgettable way, but they also truly change ours too!
Q: What are some venues couples could use for other parts of their wedding celebration (grooms dinner, bachelor(ette) parties, etc)?
A: We have a space for every stage of your marriage journey! Our unique spaces can flexibly accommodate any engagement or bachelor(ette) party, rehearsal dinner or anniversary celebration.
The Fountain Room, River Room, Dylan’s and Sawyers on 5th are our newly remodeled spaces. Their charmingly historic aesthetic will surely wow your guests.
The open layout of The Exchange features a dance floor, exclusive VIP seating and a built-in photo area, while the Alibi Lounge at The Exchange is a quaint and stylish space perfect for any swanky cocktail reception.
On the mezzanine level of The Pourhouse, Vintage Showcase and Hideout boasts lounge, booth and tabletop seating options. Each has a private bar and restrooms. The Hideout features an exclusive bar and DJ booth. A glass partition allows the room to be closed off or left open to keep the party vibes flowing!
The Lumber Exchange Event Center Lightning Round questions:
Q: Describe yourself (or the event center) in three words:
A: Swanky, Elegant, Magical.
Q: Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall?
A: For a Minnesota wedding, the second weekend in October.
Q: Red or White?
A: Depends on the season, but truly love both!
Q: Heels or flats?
A: We work with four floors of space and rock an average of 30,000 steps per day—flats are a must 😉
Q: Veil or no veil?
A: No veil
Q: Black Tie or Farm to Table?
A: Personally, Farm to Table, but our venue is definitely Black Tie. Luckily you can host both types of events at LX!
Q: Chocolate or Vanilla?
A: Chocolate
Q: Milk, Dark or white chocolate?
A: Milk
Q: What’s your go-to comfort food?
A: Wine
Q: What is your favorite board game?
A: Yahtzee
Q: Favorite music genre?
A: Classic Rock
