Where is it and where should we park? Como Conservatory – Both the ceremony and reception will be held indoors in the main Conservatory building. You will enter via the “Palm Dome” and follow signs for the Lindgren/Thoreson ceremony and reception. Parking is available for free in the Palm Lot Estabrook. More details on the venue can be found here.
What time should we arrive and what is the schedule for the evening? We will have access to the Ordway Garden Room beginning at 6 pm, and the Sunken Garden beginning at 6:30. We are planning on a “cocktail half-hour” beginning at 6 and running until the start of the ceremony. We expect the Ceremony to begin about 6:45, a half hour planned for the ceremony and pictures, and then moving into the reception, with the meal likely served around 7:30 or so. We have the space until 1 am, but are planning on a last call at midnight.
What should we wear? After extensive research (we clicked on not one, but three links in a google search!), we’re calling it “Cocktail attire,” but you’ve all been to a wedding before and know how to dress. Our only word of warning is that as the Sunken Garden is effectively a giant greenhouse, it may be warmer/more humid than expected for a mid-October evening (we honestly don’t know what it’s going to be like in there that time of night) but you’ll be in there only for the brief ceremony.
What will we be eating/drinking? At this point, we don’t know (we’re doing a tasting/menu planning session in mid August and will be finalizing after that). We are planning on having drinks and a couple of appetizers available at the Welcome reception, and the meal after the ceremony will likely consist of a salad course, three entree options (including a vegetarian), and cupcakes as a desert. As we don’t know the final menu yet, we’ll be reaching out to each of you in September to get your preferences. We will have an open bar for beer (Sam Adams, Modelo, Summit, and similar), wine (red/white), as well as soda, and a mocktail option. Mixed drinks will be available for purchase (we’re not covering the cost of those).
Should we bring a card/gift or send one if I can’t attend? We describe our philosophy here, but we’re requesting no material gifts please.
Besides a gift, what else shouldn’t I bring? Como has a few restrictions on the venue: No animals, sparklers, throwing of anything (birdseed, confetti, etc), balloons, or bubbles.
Where should we stay if we’re from out of town, or just want a staycation? We are not reserving a block of rooms to allow people to book accommodations that meet the needs of their family and budget. We would suggest one of the northern suburbs – Roseville or Arden Hills if you’re wanting a location close to the venue. There is a Paul McCartney concert that night in Minneapolis as well as the MEA conference (Minnesota schools are off October 16th and 17th and many families travel during the long weekend) which will affect availability/price. Our suggestions can be found here.
Are there any shuttles? No, but we do want you all to be safe and encourage you to have a designated driver, car pool, or utilize a ride share service. We will provide $20 Lyft or Uber credits for anyone who requests them.
What is the RSVP deadline? We need a final count by September 15th, so we’re asking for RSVPs no later than September 1st. You can fill out the form here (enter the password in lowercase!)
Can we bring kids or a plus one? We have strict limitations on how many we can have at the ceremony and reception, so we are asking only those named on the invitation to attend.
What if there are last minute updates? We’ll keep the main page of the website up-to-date, and really if there’s any major changes, we’ll reach out to you all directly.