Hilton Mall of America/Airport

I loved this location because I had been to a work party there before, and knew that it would be perfect for a wedding. The thing I liked best about meeting with Melissa and talking about our plans for the wedding was how knowledgeable the Hilton’s wedding Specialist was on everything to do with wedding. She let us know of all the details she needed, and then supplied us with a tour and a general idea of the many ways the night could be. They had really beautiful small rooms for small parties, but because of the number of guests we had, we needed one of the Valley Ballrooms. They were able to take care of the linens and dishes and centerpieces, and provided us with a wonderful menu to choose from. I think it’s great that the ballroom also has a place for dancing, so the night was able to continue after the meal. Some of the other places we looked at didn’t have a dance floor, and really, that makes a big difference.

We were going to Greece the day after our wedding, but seeing as this was one of many traditions people wanted us to keep, at midnight Brian and I were put into the Limo and we were driven over to the Hilton with the best man and the maid of honor. The room was fantastic, the bed was huge and very comfortable, and I loved that there were a huge whirpool! I could have spent my entire week in that whirpool. The Hilton staff also made our stay very special by bringing us chilled wine and strawberries. The brunch that you can order by room service as a married couple was also really tasty, it was a shame that we couldn’t have stayed longer!

This was a beautiful location. Even thought this is not the new Hilton, it has a charm and classic beauty that I think newer hotels lack. The ballroom was perfect, there was more than enough room for our guests, and the menu was wonderful! We went ahead and ordered the chairs with the skirts, and the room looked like a winter wonderland. I think the best part is that the wedding planning staff at the Hilton already have a working contract with Buttercream Wedding Cake (which was what I wanted), and I didn’t have to worry about ordering a cake, making sure the linen was there, or setting tables. It was like having a wedding coordinator the day of. I have so many beautiful pictures of me in my wedding dress coming down the spiraling staircase at the hotel, and of the waterfall in the main lobby. The best part about having the reception at the hotel was that once people were done, they could go to their rooms and rest. Also, the younger nephews and nieces were able to enjoy the pool and the Mall of America the next day.

As we had the reception in the hotel, we were given a fair rate on the hotel rooms, which averaged out to about one room free out of ten. We estimated how many rooms we would need, and blocked off 80% of that figure (this was suggested by several people). I do not think it is the bride or the groom’s responsibility to book rooms for all the guests, and many people lived in Minneapolis, so they just went home. But for family and friends that were coming out of town, this was a great option. Also, because of the proximity of the airport, we knew that if the hotel had booked up, our guests would have other accommodations nearby. We also did a quick pricing search for our guest who would claim that the Hilton would be too expensive, and the truth is that all hotels run about the same price.

Hilton MOA has one of the best reception ballrooms. It isn't in the basement, and it has tall ceilings with chandeliers. You also get to use the hallway out side the ballroom for cocktail hour- it has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the MN Valley wildlife refuge area. It is beautiful. We had a tough time working with their wedding coordinator - she was impossible to get a hold of and often did not paint the full story for us. Prices went up after we signed (which was not disclosed to us) and they changed the policy about candles after we signed. Overall, they did exactly what we wanted with set-up and even moved our gifts in to one of the conference rooms to be locked up during dinner so we didn't need to worry about them. The food was EXCELLENT and everyone was served at the same time. If I had to give this vendor a grade, it would be a B.