McNamara Alumni Center
University of Minnesota
200 Oak Street S.E., Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-624-9831
View their website
Average Base Cost: $22,000
Average base cost for a McNamara Alumni Center wedding is calculated by figuring a 125-person guest list for a Saturday (April-October) wedding in Memorial Hall and $100/pp for food/beverage. Entertainment, flowers, additional decorations and rentals, transportation, and photography are not included. Price is rounded up to the nearest thousand. Gratuity and tax is included.
*Prices subject to change
How it Breaks Down
Facility Rental Fee: There are two separate packages available at the McNamara Alumni Center for weddings, the Memorial Hall Package and the University Hall Package. The pricing for each is below:
Memorial Hall:
Up to 400 people
Saturdays | April – Oct: $4,700
Includes Johnson Great Room for ceremony (up to 176 guests) or additional reception space
Saturdays | Nov – March: $3,200
Can add Johnson Great Room for ceremony (up to 176 guests) or additional reception space add $1,000
Fridays & Sundays | Any time of year: $3,000
Can add Johnson Great Room for ceremony (up to 176 guests) or additional reception space add $1,000
What’s Included:
- Memorial Hall
- Custom set-up including tables and chairs
- 7 hr rental with room access 3 hours prior
- Built-in terrazzo dance floor
- Built-in stage with lighting
- Water feature lined with candles
- Wireless microphone for toasts
- House music with 20 channels
- Audio connection for custom playlist
- Wedding party room
- Storage the day before
- 2 parking spaces at front entrance
- Heritage Gallery museum open
- Fireplace lounge
- On-site event staff
Optional Add-ons:
- White pipe and drapes: $100
- Additional hour, applies if guest arrival is before 5 p.m.: $150/hr
- Screen and projector for wedding slideshow: $250
- Memorial Hall room flip for ceremonies with more than 176 guests: $500
- Rental of entire facility or for ceremonies having + 250 guests
University Hall
Up to 150 people
Saturdays | April – Oct: $2,700
Includes Thomas Swain Room for ceremony (up to 108 guests) or additional reception space
Saturdays | Nov – March: $2,200
Includes Thomas Swain Room for ceremony (up to 108 guests) or additional reception space
Fridays & Sundays | Any time of year: $2,000
Includes Thomas Swain Room for ceremony (up to 108 guests) or additional reception space
What’s Included:
- University Hall, Thomas Swain Room and The Commons
- Custom set-up including tables and chairs
- 7 hr rental with room access 3 hours prior
- Outdoor patio
- Outdoor water feature
- Built-in terrazzo dance floor
- Wireless microphone for toasts
- Ceremony AV (podium, lapel & wireless mics)
- House music with 20 channels
- Audio connection for custom playlist
- Wedding party room
- 2 parking spaces on Walnut Street
- Storage the day before
- On-site event staff
Optional Add-ons:
- White pipe and drape: $100
- Additional hour, applies if guest arrival is before 5 p.m.: $100/hr
- Screen and projector for wedding slideshow: $150
- University Hall room flip for ceremonies with more than 108 guests: $300
Note: UMAA Life Members receive $100-$300 off their wedding package. Life Members also receive a $100 gift card from D’Amico Catering. At the time of making your reservation, the person’s life membership must be paid in full. More information on this benefit can be found on the U of M Alumni Association Website.
Food/Beverage: All food, liquor, beer and wine must be supplied and prepared by D’Amico Catering. You can see their sample reception menus here (note that a cash bar is listed for several of them, so assume an additional $20+/pp if you include a 5-hour bar).
- Hors d’oeuvres: $3.25-$4/pp
- Starters: $9-$11/pp
- Salads: $6.50-$8.25/pp
- Plated entree: $23-$44/pp (buffets range from $31-$38/pp)
- Wine/Beer/Liquor (prices based on consumption): $5.50-$6.50 and up per drink.
- Cakes: From $4.75-$5 per person
D’Amico Catering provides at no additional charge linens, china, flatware, votive candles, hand-pinned skirting for food and beverage tables and all serving pieces. You may upgrade your table linens to floor length for an additional charge of $15 per dining table. McNamara also rents candelabra, fire pits and other items.
There are food/beverage minimums that must be met, listed below according to venue area:
Memorial Hall
Friday Night: $6,000
Saturday Night: $10,000
Sunday Night: $2,500
University Hall
Friday Night: $2,500
Saturday Night: $3,800
Sunday Night: $1,000
Notes:
- Sunday nights of holiday weekends are subject to Saturday night food and beverage minimums. Exceptions may apply for short-term bookings and holiday weekends in select months as determined by D’Amico Catering and McNamara Event Management.
- All food and beverage purchased, including consumption from a cash bar, prior to tax and service go toward the food and beverage minimum.
More Stats
Space Type: Inside
Size: Up to 400 depending on the space you choose (see above)
Bridal Suite: You can set up an area to change in
Parking: There are 3 public parking ramps located within two blocks of the Alumni Center: University Ave Ramp, Oak St Ramp, and Washington Ave Ramp. Guests should expect to pay around $8-$10 for parking. Guest parking can be paid for by the couple in advance by making reservations with their McNamara event coordinator.
How Will Grandma Get There? McNamara is connected by tunnel from the University Avenue Ramp and adjacent to The Commons Hotel. Other hotels in the area include the Courtyard by Marriott and Aloft.
Party On! The bar needs to close by 11:30 p.m., and guests need to vacate by 12:00 a.m.
The Report
Construction on the McNamara Alumni Center was started in 1998 and completed in 2000. It sits on an area of land that used to house the Memorial Stadium, and still has an arch that was previous used as an entrance. With 75,000 sq. feet of copper, 2,200 rose-colored blocks, and 500 steel beams, the architecturally stunning building (named after University alumnus and football player Richard McNamara) is on University property, but is owned by the University of Minnesota Gateway Corporation. Fun fact: The McNamara Alumni Center was used in the Incubus’s “Drive” video.
Woman Getting Married Says
This is one of the more architecturally amazing wedding venues we’ve written about, and it doesn’t have a crazy price tag to match. Despite not being able to bring in your own vendors, the pricing for their in-house caterer is competitive (which is great). Brides who have gotten married here rave about the service, and it was picked as one of the “Top 50 Places to Get Married in the US” by Brides magazine in 2015, and one of the “10 Coolest Places to Have a Wedding Reception in America” by Buzzfeed in 2013. The venue books up fast so if you know you’re definitely interested I would check it out as soon as possible.
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