Choosing to get married in a literal cave
The Wabasha Street Caves have a history deeply rooted in St Paul, and this is a truly singular place to have your wedding. Many couples choose the caves because of the history and “speakeasy” vibe. There is also a cache in bringing your guests into a cave for your celebration, an experience unto itself.
If the sandstone caves along the bluffs of the Mississippi river could share stories, we could get a full glimpse of our history – carved by water and time, home to breweries, then prohibition smuggling, occasionally cheese or mushrooms or storage. Now dancing and celebrating weddings can be added to that history.
History of Wabasha Street Caves
These caves were carved out and used for industry as early as the 1800s, then storage, and finally as a speakeasy and restaurant in the 1920s and 30s. The history of St Paul’s gangster era overlaps with this history of these caves. They have operated as a tourist destination and event space in the last decades. There are weekly historic tours of the caves available for those who like a deep dive and behind-the-scenes views.
Spaces for your wedding at Wabasha Street Caves
For those choosing a wedding at Wabasha Street Caves, there are several spaces open for guests and events. The main (first) cave is generally where reception dinning and dancing will be located, as it has a stage and all the lighting/audio set ups for this type of event. The rest of the caves include a long bar space perfect for cocktail hour, a fireplace room for ceremonies or additional dinning, and several small nooks for your guests to enjoy.
Unique Photo locations for your Wabasha Street Cave wedding
The main spaces of the caves have been built out to accommodate all the modern needs of spaces (light electricity and HVAC). They also have their natural sandstone walls covered to protect them from erosion or vandalism. Many of the wall treatments are original to the speakeasy era, and so bringing those elements into your wedding photos can be lovely.
But if you are getting married in a cave, you will also want to make sure you work with the staff to have some access to the un-renovated caves for a few portraits.
Using outdoor space at Wabasha Caves
The exterior of the caves reflects the time this was a restaurant and features a vintage brick castle façade. To the sides, a mix of the natural sandstone bluffs and foliage can make for a lovely portrait space.
Photography lighting for a cave wedding
A literal cave requires a special approach and appreciation for how to bring in light – not to overpower the dark ambiance, but enough to bring definition and structure to parts of the day. A mix of flash and LED lighting meant we could highlight the action of the ceremony and reception without being obtrusive. I used a pixelstick in the totally darkest parts of the cave to bring in the Minneapolis skyline for a dramatic end-of-the-evening shoot.
Planning a Wedding at Wabasha Caves?
You love caves and dimly lit celebrations, I love to bring just the right amount of light and magic to the party. I’d love to chat with you about all the things you are planning! Lets connect!
