Where Should You Elope in Minnesota?
Wondering where you should elope in Minnesota? It’s no secret that there are tons of beautiful places to elope in Minnesota (okay, maybe you did NOT know but I am here to show you there are!). Whether you’re looking for a venue, state park, or beach, we truly have it all! Here’s a list of my favorite spots to help you with planning your Minnesota elopement!
State Parks to Elope in Minnesota
You will need a state park pass for your vehicle that you can purchase on site or online in advance here.
Interstate Park / Taylor Falls:
Located in Taylor Falls, Minnesota and crossing over into St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin – this beautiful park has everything you need for an outdoor adventure elopement only one hour from the Twin Cities! Imagine saying your vows then getting into a canoe on the St. Croix River together and enjoying the beautiful views.
There are light hiking trails that are perfect for surrounding yourself with nature. You can even spend some relaxing time kayaking in the water (if that’s something you love to do!).
Itasca State Park
Itasca State Park is Minnesota’s oldest state park, and it’s a 32,000 acre sanctuary where the Mississippi River begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
If you elope here, you can rent a kayak or canoe and spend some time on Lake Itasca after you say your vows. And if you’re not into kayaking / canoeing but still want to be on the water, they offer guided boat tours!
There’s a canopy of super tall pine trees that would be a beautiful photo op, in an area called Preacher’s Grove. Almost anywhere you go in the park is beautiful and you’ll be surrounded by nature!
There are quite a few lodging spots within and near the park, such as Leech Lake Bed & Breakfast, Douglas Lodge, and Pine Park Resort. These would be perfect for a relaxing stay in nature after your elopement.
Afton State Park
Afton State Park is a small but beautiful state park located on the banks of the St. Croix River. It is less than an hour from the Twin Cities. There are 20 miles of hiking trails within Afton State Park, so perfect for the adventurous couples out there that love to hike! You can go on a pre or post elopement hike and enjoy all the scenery that this park has to offer.
There’s a beautiful, secluded beach that’s about a ½ mile hike from the parking area where you could have your ceremony or take photos after your ceremony.
Overall, this is a great park to elope at if you don’t want to travel too far from the cities and want a combination of trees, nature, hiking, and a beach!
Outdoor Parks to Elope at Near the Twin Cities, Minnesota
Make sure to check out the Minnesota parks and recreation guide for how to get married at one of the parks and additional information.
Waterpower Park
Located in the heart of St. Anthony falls near downtown Minneapolis and the Stone Arch Bridge there’s an outlook to the river at Waterpower Park. I had a couple elope here summer of 2022 and it had a beautiful view of the city skyline and water!
After your ceremony at the park you can take photos at the iconic Stone Arch Bridge that’s just a short walk away.
Boom Island
Boom Island has one of my favorite views of the Minneapolis skyline. It also has an open field and small trail that is great for a variety of photo backdrops in one spot.
Minnehaha Park
You can choose from two ceremony spots at Minnehaha Park – Longfellow Gardens or Pergola Garden. Both have the option to reserve a 3 hour time-slot for your ceremony and photos.
Longfellow Gardens provides a picturesque backdrop for weddings and other ceremonies. The formal garden, featuring a pergola, graces the top of the land bridge, providing a stunning view of the downtown skyline.
The Minnehaha Falls Pergola Garden features perennial native wildflowers and grasses that border the southeast overlook of Minnehaha Falls. The blooms, and the butterflies they attract, peak from June-September, just in time for “wedding season”. Its beauty, space and convenience make the Pergola Garden one of the most popular wedding locations in the Minneapolis park system.
The park is super close to the Minneapolis Airport (MSP) making it easily accessible if you’re flying in family for your Minnesota elopement.
One Hour North of the Twin Cities
The Havens — Stylle Hytte, Brook Park
The Havens’ Stylle Hytte (“quiet cabin” in Norwegian) is a Nordic-inspired A-frame cabin on 5 secluded wooded acres in Brook Park — just one hour north of the Twin Cities. The property has trails winding down to a private riverfront, a cozy living room with real wood fireplace, loft and bedroom both with queen beds, and an outdoor electric barrel sauna.
It’s the rare property that feels genuinely remote while being completely accessible. For couples who want to elope close to home in a setting that feels far from everything — this delivers. The property is elopement-welcoming as long as headcount stays within property limits.
The Havens also operates additional properties locations in Pine City, Brook Park, Taylor Falls, and Two Harbors.
Best for: Twin Cities couples who want a beautiful private woodland cabin elopement without a long drive.
Brainerd Lakes Area
Nature Link Resort — Catalyst Venue, Nisswa
Nature Link Resort sits on 14 wooded acres on Clark Lake in Nisswa — 1,400 feet of shoreline, a private beach, a private island, and towering pines in every direction. The Catalyst event center is a modern, lake-inspired venue with floor-to-ceiling views of Clark Lake, indoor and outdoor ceremony options, and on-site lodging in their collection of beautifully designed cabins.
Couples can reserve the entire 14-acre property and house elopement guests in Nature Link’s 10+ cabins — waking up together in the pines, gathering for the ceremony surrounded by the lake and forest, staying the night in the same place where they got married. The Paul Bunyan State Trail runs right past the end of the driveway.
For elopements, Catalyst offers hourly rates for smaller intimate ceremonies — making it flexible and accessible for couples who want the beauty of the space without a full wedding package.
Best for: Couples who want a complete lakeside resort elopement experience in a beautifully designed, nature-connected setting. catalyst@naturelink.us
Breezy Point Resort, Brainerd Lakes
Breezy Point Resort sits on 3,000 acres on Pelican Lake — a full-service resort in the heart of the Brainerd Lakes area with ceremony locations at the Point Lawn overlooking the lake, multiple reception spaces, on-site lodging for guests, and complete event coordination. It’s been hosting weddings for over 90 years.
The Point Lawn ceremony site with its sunset views over Pelican Bay is beautiful, and the Antlers Pavilion surrounded by gardens is a lovely alternative. For couples who want a true destination resort wedding experience with everything coordinated in one place, Breezy Point delivers that beautifully.
Best for: Couples who want a full-service lakeside resort experience — lodging, ceremony, reception, and multiple days of celebration in northern Minnesota.
Central Minnesota — Cuyuna Lakes Area
Hilhaus A-Frame, Crosby
Hilhaus is a custom-built modern A-frame cabin in Deerwood, just one mile from historic downtown Crosby and minutes from the globally-ranked Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area mountain bike trails. The cabin features a swinging chair on the back deck, fire pit, loft queen bedroom, main-level queen suite, local art throughout, and upgraded Starlink Wi-Fi.
As an elopement location, Hilhaus is extraordinary — the outdoor deck, the wooded property, and the modern interior design create beautiful getting-ready and portrait moments without leaving the property. Crosby’s charming downtown and the Cuyuna mining lakes nearby add variety for the rest of the day.
Best for: Couples who love a beautifully designed, modern cabin in a unique Minnesota town with incredible outdoor recreation nearby.
Cuyuna Matata Cabins, Crosby
Cuyuna Matata is a collection of three private cabins on 8.5 acres along the serene Pine River — just 10 minutes from Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. The three distinct cabins (including the Tiny Pine A-frame with its private barrel sauna and patio overlooking the river, and the Nature Cabin with hot tub and sauna) can be rented individually or together for an entire private 8.5-acre micro wedding retreat.
Cuyuna Matata actively hosts micro weddings — their website has a dedicated micro wedding page, and the property is designed for the intimate elopement experience. The river, the wildlife, the pine trees, and the beautifully designed interiors create an environment that feels genuinely restorative.
Best for: Couples who want a private riverside property with hot tub and sauna for a small intimate wedding or elopement of up to a few dozen people on 8.5 private acres.
Outdoor Spots to Elope at on the North Shore of Minnesota
Onyx Beach / Black Beach
This is a small but beautiful beach located on Minnesota’s North Shore in Silver Bay! It’s one of my favorite spots for elopements in Minnesota!
Black Beach would be such a unique spot for your Minnesota elopement. As the name suggests, it’s filled with fine black sand that lines the shore of Lake Superior.
Black Beach is also bordered by jagged cliffs and rock formations that would make for a beautiful background/photo location for your elopement! You can reserve a camping spot at the beach and spend the evening of your elopement by a campfire making s’mores (aka my favorite food!!) or eating some pie from Betty’s Pie! Or you can find a nearby North Shore Airbnb / hotel!
Winter at Black Beach is arguably even more stunning than the summertime, when there’s a blanket of white snow that covers the beach and provides a stark contrast to the sand. Whatever time of year you pick it’ll be beautiful!
Tip: take photos at both Black Beach AND Palisade Head with your photographer! (Although I only recommend Palisade Head during the late spring, summer, or early fall as the road up to Palisade Head can be dangerous to drive on if wet or icy.) I also recommend grabbing a slice of pie from Betty’s Pie and have a little picnic on the beach while watching the sunset!
Palisade Head
Hands down, Palisade Head has one of the most breathtaking views in the state of Minnesota. It is a large rock formation on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. It is technically part of Tettegouche State Park but is not connected. This would be an absolutely stunning and unique park to elope in Minnesota.
Say your vows near the edge of a cliff and walk around for some beautiful portraits. After saying your vows at Palisade Head, you can drive over the Black Beach and watch the sunset with a picnic! As mentioned above, you can reserve a camping spot at the beach and spend the evening of your elopement by a campfire making s’mores. Or you can rent a North Shore Airbnb.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
A historic lighthouse perched on cliffs 130 feet above Lake Superior, built after the legendary 1905 storm. The surrounding park creates stunning portraits combining historic architecture with raw Lake Superior drama.
Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts — Tofte Cove
Bluefin Bay in Tofte is one of the North Shore’s most beloved intimate wedding destinations — and for good reason. The private Tofte Cove ceremony site sits right at the edge of Lake Superior, with the pebbled beach and rocky shoreline creating a naturally beautiful ceremony backdrop. The Beach Patio, where the resort’s lakewalk meets the waves, is another stunning option.
Bluefin hosts events for up to 80 guests across its three resorts — Bluefin Bay, Surfside on Lake Superior, and Temperance Landing — with private dining rooms at the Bluefin Grille for reception dinners. Tofte Cove has a maximum capacity of 30 for ceremony; the Beach Patio fits up to 80. Rooms include fireplaces and jetted whirlpool tubs. Bluefin has been named Minnesota’s Most Romantic Resort multiple years running — earned reputation.
Best for: Couples who want a full-service intimate wedding or elopement on the shore, with lodging, ceremony, and dinner all in one beautiful place.
The Havens — Superior Hideaway, Two Harbors
The Havens is a collection of thoughtfully designed cabins across Minnesota — and their Superior Hideaway location in Two Harbors on the North Shore is extraordinary for elopements. Four private cabins (two luxury tiny homes and two modern A-frames) perched overlooking Lake Superior, each 150+ feet apart for complete privacy. The hillside location with lake views creates stunning getting-ready and portrait moments that look like they belong in a design magazine.
Couples who have stayed here describe arriving, looking out at the lake, and knowing immediately that this is where they wanted to get married. The surrounding North Shore landscape — Black Beach, Tettegouche, Palisade Head — is all within easy driving distance.
The Havens also operates additional properties locations in Pine City, Brook Park, Taylor Falls, and Two Harbors.
Best for: Couples who want a private, beautifully designed North Shore base for an elopement or intimate wedding weekend.
Cascade River State Park
A cascade of waterfalls dropping through old-growth forest to Lake Superior — intimate, canopied trails with beautiful waterfall-through-forest scenery in a more remote North Shore setting.
Jay Cooke State Park
Just south of Duluth, Jay Cooke offers dramatic St. Louis River gorge scenery through ancient rock formations — the iconic swinging bridge and surrounding forest trails are beautiful in every season.
Grand Marais — Artist’s Point
The charming fishing village at the end of the shore — Artist’s Point extending into the harbor with views across Lake Superior toward Canada. One of the most beloved portrait locations on the entire North Shore.
Outdoor Venues to Elope in Minnesota
Nature Link
Nature Link is a newer venue in Minnesota. Marketed as your modern link to nature, this resort is making an effort to help people disconnect from the distractions of modern technology and get back in touch with the nature around them.
Nature Link is located a few minutes from downtown Nisswa, and sits on 14 wooded acres on Clark Lake, with 2,200 feet of shoreline. The resort has forests, a private beach, and a private island for their guests – what could be better than that!?
There are two ceremony sites to choose from on the property, one indoor and one outdoor. The outdoor ceremony spot is tucked in the forest surrounded by towering pine trees.
When you elope here, reservation of the 14 acre property can be included so you can house your elopement guests in one of their 10+ cabins. This venue will also provide a venue coordinator to help ensure your day runs smoothly.
You can view a gallery of beautiful images from this venue here.
Pinewood Wedding and Events
Pinewood Wedding and Events is a modern, woody venue located about an hour north of Minneapolis in Cambridge, Minnesota. It is one of my favorite venues that can be used for both weddings or elopements in Minnesota.
It was built by a couple who are lovers of the outdoors and wanted to create a venue that’s perfect for couples wanting to get married surrounded by the beauty of nature.
This is a 10 acre property that is pretty secluded. You have access to the entire property with the getting ready suites for the entire day of your elopement.
Their outdoor ceremony site is located in the middle of countless towering pine trees which is part of what makes this venue so unique and beautiful. If there’s inclement weather on your elopement day, the second floor of the indoor space can be a stress-free backup plan for you and your partner. Whether you get married inside or outside – every inch of this venue is absolutely stunning!
Bluefin Bay
Bluefin Bay is known as Minnesota’s most romantic and renowned lakeside resorts, located on the shore of Lake Superior. With this north shore venue you can have your small ceremony at the secluded cove that’s on the shore and exclusive to Bluefin Bay guests. There’s also three sister resorts on this property.
Bluefin Bay hosts events with up to 50 people, so it is perfect for elopements or intimate weddings!
This would be a beautiful spot for a winter wedding as well! If you want to get married outdoors but don’t want to worry about hiking in the snow/cold weather, you can elope here in the winter. Since it’s located on the North Shore of Minnesota, there is a lot you can explore before / after eloping here!
You can have an intimate dinner/reception after your ceremony indoors at Bluefin Grille, their onsite restaurant/intimate event space.
Como Park Conservatory, St. Paul
Como has both indoor and outdoor spots for your elopement! This greenhouse is filled year-round with seasonal blooms and tropical plants. The Sunken Garden is the most sought-after ceremony space in the Twin Cities.
Best for: Botanical elegance, year-round availability, and portraits with genuine variety within one location.
Indoor Venues to Elope in Minnesota
Ramsey County Courthouse
The courthouse in St. Paul, Minnesota can be the perfect location to get married in the Twin Cities! This historical building is at the heart of St. Paul where you can elope with a judge as your officiant.
After you elope at the courthouse, you can head over to a park to take some more portraits like Mariana and Thomas did for their courthouse elopement.
Quincy Hall
This is a modern event venue located in downtown Minneapolis in the Arts District. They have an eclectic, modern, industrial vibe in terms of style and decor!
It’s a very open and expansive space. You have room to play around with the setup and it provides an overall clean slate for whatever the theme of your elopement is.
You can also elope somewhere outdoors or in the state parks talked about above, and then have a reception at Quincy Hall with your friends and family. It’s not too far from the Minneapolis Airport if you’re having anyone who needs to fly in.
Union Depot
Switching gears a bit, we have Union Depot. The Union Depot is a railroad station in the Twin Cities with tons of character. This unique venue has a 1920s style.
There are technically five indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces which gives tons of room & opportunity for photos!
The Waiting Room specifically was restored to its original elegance and is definitely the most picturesque out of all the indoor spaces.
The North Plaza can also be reserved for your elopement, but regardless is a super beautiful place to take photos!
Hutton House
Switching it up once again, we have Hutton House! This is a 12,000 sq ft modern event space with a gorgeous outdoor courtyard. I have personally toured this venue since I moved super close to it and every inch of it is stunning!
This is an all-white indoor venue with TONS of natural light and a great blank canvas if you have an “extravagant” vision for your elopement! Or even if you just want to keep it simple!
It’s privately nestled near Medicine Lake, just minutes from downtown Minneapolis so you’re not too far from the city.
Also a beautiful place for a winter elopement when the courtyard is covered in snow.
Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen, South Minneapolis
A beloved South Minneapolis neighborhood restaurant and bakery — intimate, warm, and genuinely beautiful for small celebrations of 20–50 guests. Exceptional scratch-made food and in-house wedding cakes.
The Van Dusen Mansion
Another great option for couples who want to elope at a venue! This unique mansion venue has both outdoor and indoor ceremony spots and looks like a castle! Located in Minneapolis, the historic Van Dusen Mansion is perfect for any time of the year and hosts both full size weddings and elopements.
Let’s get to it!
There is no better time than now to get started on planning your elopement in Minnesota! I would love to help you photograph this special day! Your photos are what you will hang up in your home together, look at in albums that sit on your coffee table, and what you’ll share for generations to come. Reach out to me via the contact form on my website and let’s chat!
Other helpful resources for planning your Minnesota elopement:
- Minnesota Parks and Recreation Wedding Planning and Permits
- How to Plan a Minnesota Elopement
- Should You Have a Weekday Elopement?
- Where to stay for your Minnesota Elopement
Follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for inspiration for your Minnesota elopement.
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