When Brett and Erin Hautala began planning their fall 2008 wedding, they cast a wide net in seeking a reception site. They toured the Carlson Towers, the Medina Country Club and several hotels. In the end, though, they celebrated their nuptials at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove. “The atmosphere was perfect,” Erin Hautala says. “It didn’t feel like a convention center or a hotel. It didn’t feel open to the public. It felt like a private club. It felt exclusive.

“We live in Maple Grove, and we work in Maple Grove,” says Erin, noting that before she and her now-husband Brett decided on a reception site, they already knew their wedding service would be held at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in their hometown. While many bridal couples opt for downtown reception sites offering old-world charm, cosmopolitan design or views of glittering city lights, the Hautalas felt secure holding their party closer to home, in part because the Rush Creek space was right next door to their church. “The location was extremely convenient,” Erin says. “It was definitely a good thing. We didn’t lose people between the church and the reception. The out-of-towners didn’t have to find two different places. The patio at happy hour was packed.”

The roughly 180 guests attending the Hautalas’ reception dined on filet mignon and walleye stuffed with wild rice, and then danced the night away with the help of a deejay. It was the perfect finish to a picturesque day, and looking back, Erin wouldn’t reverse any of her decisions. “A downtown reception,” Erin admits, “was something that was out of our price range. With Rush Creek, though, I never felt like I was giving anything up by being in the suburbs. The food was really good and the ambience was top of the line.”

In fact, many Maple Grove businesses offer top-of-the-line service when it comes to hosting a wedding reception. We’ve pulled together a list of some the area’s best event spaces, so that you can get ready, get set, and get married in classic Maple Grove style.