Historic Wedding Venues in Minnesota — What It's Like to Get Married in an 1898 Landmark

There's a reason couples travel to Italy or Europe for wedding venues. Old buildings have something new construction simply cannot replicate: depth. Character. The sense that something meaningful happened here before you arrived, and will continue long after you leave.

Minnesota has its own version of that. And The Broz Event Venue in New Prague is one of the state's most remarkable examples.

Built in 1898 by Cass Gilbert

The building that houses The Broz was designed by Cass Gilbert — the same architect responsible for the Minnesota State Capitol, the United States Supreme Court Building, and the Woolworth Building in New York City. It opened in 1898 as the Hotel Broz, once considered the finest hotel in Minnesota.

The first wedding held in the building was in the 1890s. The original wedding dress from that ceremony is displayed in the foyer — a quiet, remarkable reminder of how many couples have stood in these rooms before you.

What Makes the Architecture Special

The Grand Ballroom features original tin ceilings, soaring ceiling height, crystal chandeliers, hardwood floors, and exposed brick and stone walls. These aren't reproductions or attempts at vintage aesthetic — they are the original materials, carefully restored. Natural light pours through tall windows in a way that modern event centers cannot engineer.

The Prohibition-era Speakeasy is a bar hidden within the building — dark wood paneling, intimate booths, shelves of spirits, and framed photographs that tell the history of the space. It became a speakeasy during Prohibition and has never lost that atmosphere.

Multiple Spaces, One Historic Property

What sets The Broz apart from other historic venues is the sheer variety of spaces under one roof:

• Grand Ballroom — up to 300 guests for dinner

• Outdoor Lawn — ceremonies up to 300 guests

• Upper Deck — elevated intimate ceremonies up to 175 guests

• Brick Room — dancing and late-night

• Paver Patio — cocktail hour with café lights

• Speakeasy Bar — craft cocktails and intimate gatherings

• Bridal Suite — bright, spacious getting-ready suite

• Groom's Quarters — putting green, poker table, smart TV

• Hotel Broz — 8 boutique hotel rooms on-site

A Living Piece of Minnesota History

When you choose The Broz, you're not renting a building — you're stepping into a chapter of Minnesota's story. The architecture cannot be reproduced. The setting cannot be built from scratch. And the photographs from a Broz wedding have a quality and depth that couples describe as unlike anything they've seen from other venues.

Plan Your Visit

The Broz is located in historic downtown New Prague, MN — about 45 minutes southwest of Minneapolis and 45 minutes northwest of Rochester. Tours are available by appointment and at our regular open houses.

Visit thebrozeventvenue.com to download our free pricing pamphlet and schedule a tour.