Duluth Wedding from Laura Ivanova Photography

Mallory Recor
March 19, 2013
Categories: Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance
Tags: Candles, Elegant, Outdoor Wedding

There is one color I fell head over heels with a long, long time ago, and it has never quite left my heart. So when a wedding with a palette built around a mint dominated ballroom pops up on my radar, it’s like instant swoon. Laura Ivanova Photography‘s dreamy images captured a wedding so deserving of the adjective “perfect” it left me breathless, thanks to the sophisticated palette and the extra sweet love. Click here for more!

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From the photographer … Kerstin & Erik were married in Duluth, MN… a beautiful city in northern Minnesota on Lake Superior and Kerstin’s hometown. They found a gorgeous, classic ballroom in downtown Duluth to host their party and based their color palette and many of their design choices off of the ornate design of their venue. A medallion on the ceiling became a design element in their letterpress wedding stationery, and their elaborate 5 tier cake took inspiration from the color of the room.

From the bride … Erik and Kerstin decided to get married in Kerstin’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota. Since the majority of their wedding guests were coming from out of town, Erik and Kerstin decided to plan a weekend full of activities for their guests. On Friday, the couple hosted a private screening of Casablanca–one of Erik’s favorite movies–at the Zinema 2 cinema in downtown Duluth. Guests munched on popcorn, and they could fill their own candy bags with a selection of black and white confectionary treats. The black and white sweets table was designed to match the wedding’s color scheme and to mirror the classic feel of the film.

Their wedding ceremony was held at Old Main Park, which was once the location of the University of Minnesota Duluth’s chemistry building. The four story brick and stone building was constructed in 1901, but it later burned down in 1993. All that remains of the building today are a few archway ruins, indicating what was once the front wall and side entrances to the building. Kerstin had first discovered this unique park in elementary school, because her neighborhood soccer team held practices on the abandoned field. Kerstin and Erik decided that this park was perfectly suited to the timeless and classic feel they envisioned for their big day, and they liked the idea of being the first couple to hold a wedding there.

Erik and Kerstin incorporated many different wedding traditions into their ceremony. Specifically, in lieu of a unity candle, Erik and Kerstin participated in a Hands Ceremony. This ceremony is related to handfasting, a ceremony of bethrothal that dates back to pre-Medieval times. During this ceremony, Kerstin and Erik held hands, and the Reverend blessed these hands so that the bride and groom may continue to build a loving relationship together. Additionally, in order to wish the couple a loving and joyous union, the guests recited an Irish blessing for the bride and groom, and they threw lavender and rang small bells as the bride and groom recessed. The couple also had a string trio play traditional Irish songs prior to and following the wedding ceremony.

The wedding reception was held in the Greysolon Ballroom. Kerstin has always loved this beautiful, historic building, which was once deemed one of the finest hotels in the continent when it was built in 1925. The bride and groom used the ornate crystal ballroom as the inspiration for their wedding theme: they incorporated images of the gold moulding flowerettes on the ballroom’s ceiling in their wedding invitations and even on their cake! In addition to using the reception venue as a source of inspiration, the couple also incorporated elements of black and white in order to give the event a classic, timeless feel.

Erik and Kerstin included many special touches into their wedding reception. Kerstin’s mom, Melanie Grune, hand-knit a unique, colorful pair of socks for each of the groomsmen, and she made personalized beach bags in bold, floral prints for each of the bridesmaids. Additionally, the couple incorporated elements of French culture into the wedding reception: the couple’s first dance was to the French classic “La Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf, and, in lieu of a traditional guest book, guests signed “La Vie en Rose” records. Guests had a choice of a variety of wedding favors, which included small French soaps, French candies, and mini-champagnes. The couple also hosted the “Just Married Mojito” as their signature cocktail and local beers from Minnesota’s north shore during the evening’s festivities.

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