In my book, a sweet Midwest wedding is about as good as it gets. And while there may be no rugged coast or that special California sun, it’s the sense of homey charm and timeless design that makes this wedding so all-around lovely. Add in the peach and ivory blooms from Munster Rose plus a ball gown made for dance floor twirling, and you’ve got a recipe for an unforgettable day. Emma Freeman Photography caught all the details just perfect for pinning and you can see it all right here.
From Munster Rose: Classic and timeless, with personal touches, tasty sweets, and possibly the most gorgeous couple you’ve ever seen. That pretty much sums up this vineyard wedding captured by Emma Freeman. Kathryn and Mike met while in college at The University of Minnesota. Mike hails from Ohio, and Kathryn is a Minnesota native. Since the couple are midwesterners, they chose a location that encapsulates the beauty of this region. Morgan Creek Vineyard in New Ulm was perfect (and also in Kathryn’s hometown) Kathryn wanted the decor to compliment the outdoor setting, while maintaining the sophisticated feel of this affair. Add to that a touch of fancy-DIY and the day would be perfect.
For flowers we chose a tasteful palette to compliment the attendants’ navy dresses. Hues of white, ivory, dusty gray, peach, and fresh green were perfect for this outdoor soiree. We used romantic petal-y blooms with bits of foliage, designed in vintage silver, mercury, and etched glass containers. To this classic design Kathryn added personalized touches– chalkboard wine glasses, paper fans, and a hand-built riddling rack. The riddling rack served as a place for guests to offer words of advice and well wishes to her and Mike on their anniversaries to come. It was one of the first things Kathryn knew she wanted at her wedding. After much debate and many offers to “just buy one” Kathryn’s dad finally built her this rack. And it was gorgeous. Throughout the whole process Kathryn’s go-to source for inspiration was Style Me Pretty. She drew on colors, florals, and projects she had seen on SMP throughout her months of planning. With so many SMP details, (plus desserts from Cocoa and Fig), what could make for a better day?
From the Bride: When I think about our wedding so many beautiful memories come to mind – reading the vows we wrote together, the gorgeous flowers, dancing with my father. It was absolutely the most perfect day. As a little girl though I didn’t dream about my wedding, what color the flowers would be or what my dress would look like when I twirled. All I really knew when we got engaged is that I wanted to celebrate our wedding outdoors surrounded by all of our closest family and friends. After months of searching for the perfect venue, Mike and I stumbled upon Morgan Creek Vineyards, a family-owned winery nestled along the hillside just outside of my hometown, on a weekend trip to visit my family. It was the middle of January and completely covered in snow, but the minute I stepped out of the car I knew it was where we were supposed to be married. I later learned the winery only holds four weddings a year, so I couldn’t believe it when they said they still had a date available. I don’t think I stopped smiling for a week!
Once we decided on the venue we jumped into planning mode. I spent hours poring over inspiration on Style Me Pretty and in magazines. Mike and I both agreed we wanted our wedding to be personal and a lot of fun for our guests. My mother helped with each of the DIY projects from the chalkboard menus and table runners to the adorable bowtie for my nephew, the ring bearer. My father made the riddling rack to hold the wine bottles that our guests placed notes of advice and well wishes in, my favorite piece of our décor. Guests found their table on an old window pane that we found at the local antique store my mother and I visit often. The outline of the oak tree that sits at the base of the vineyard tied our stationary together. We served wine and gourmet wood-fired pizzas made by the winery and beer from the local brewery (America’s second oldest family-owned brewery!) We used a dessert stand from my late grandmother’s collection and I carried her handkerchief in my pocket. Guests enjoyed the photo booth set-up by our wonderful photographer and danced night the away to music hand selected by Mike, right down to the very last song. And at the rehearsal the night before, we offered a tour of the brewery for the bridal party and served our favorite ice cream from Mike’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio at my favorite café.
Planning an outdoor wedding in Minnesota in the middle of July proved to be a bit of a challenge, but when the day came our amazing vendors didn’t miss a beat and the day went off without a hitch! One of our favorite moments was pausing at the top of the hill overlooking the crowd of sparklers held by all of our family and friends that traveled across the country to celebrate with us, feeling so grateful and incredibly loved.
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Wedding Photography: Emma Freeman Photography | Wedding Venue: Morgan Creek Vineyards in New Ulm, Minnesota | Floral Design: Munster Rose | Wedding Planning: Fab Event Design | Wedding Invitations: Paper Rock Scissor | Desserts: Cocoa and Fig | Wedding Dress: Wtoo by Watters | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew | Hair and Make-Up: Smart and Chic Bride | Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Groom’s Tie: Banana Republic