We’ve shopped and baked to our hearts content and now it’s finally time to relax. And what better way to do just that than with this lovely wedding bursting with holiday cheer. Park Place Planning and Events created a festive masterpiece perfectly suited for this adorable couple, with Rochelle Louise capturing every detail. So grab that new cozy throw and settle in for some heartwarming moments right this way.
From The Bride… On August 9, 2013 my life changed forever. I met Andrew almost by accident, but I believe fate intervened. I was meeting a few friends at a local drinking establishment to watch the MN Vikings first pre-season game. One of the girls I was meeting ran into a few people she used to work with, Andrew being one of them. We all watched the game together with Andrew and I sitting right next to each other. Instead of watching the game, though, we just talked and talked…finding out we had so much in common. Unable to resist the chemistry and connection we had, we began dating officially on January 1, 2014. From then on, our romance was a whirlwind. We both knew we had met the love of our life and on May 24th, 2014 Andrew proposed to me atop a hill overlooking the beautiful Michel-Schlumberger vineyard. All of my dreams came true at that moment. I was going to marry my best friend.
At first, Andrew and I had a very difficult time deciding when and where to get married. After considering many destination locations, we knew without a doubt that we wanted to get married in our home with our friends and family on Thanksgiving Day. Throughout our entire relationship, Andrew and I deeply (and often!) appreciate how blessed we were to find each other and how lucky we are to be taking this journey as a couple. As such, it seemed perfect to get married on the day in which we give thanks. Our home is considered an “Urban Farmhouse” – featuring reclaimed wood from Northern Wisconsin and modern amenities – creating a unique blend of old and new. It was a perfect spot for our wedding. For wedding colors we landed on cranberry and dusty blue; perfect for late fall and the holiday.
The theme for our wedding was ‘Gratitude.’ We wanted gratitude to be the staple of our day – gratitude for each other and gratitude for our friends and family. I also insisted, all along, that we keep the wedding “casually elegant.” I didn’t want to go overboard, but rather I wanted it to be simple, stylish and appealing. Our wedding planner and florist did an amazing job with everything! Andrew wanted to surprise me with the decorating, so he worked with Krista & Karolee throughout the planning process. The first time I saw the wedding area was when I was walking down the aisle. Talk about trusting the experts! To say I was blown away was an understatement.
There are so many special touches that made our day absolutely perfect. I have to say my wedding planner, Krista, thought of everything! From the lanterns guiding the way up the front steps to the Welcome chalkboard greeting guests. From the MN Vikings Groom’s cake to the basket of blankets in the heated tent. From the real-flower collar for Cooper to the beautiful placards describing every detail. From the “doggie” boxes for leftovers to the beautiful and ‘grateful’ bottles of wine. From the liters of Fireball to the after-party snack feast. Krista thought of every single thing we could ever want or need.
We have so many special memories of the day! One of my favorites was the memorial area we set aside to honor both of our fathers, who had previously passed away. We had pictures, flowers and candles in a special area that became the area where we lit our unity candle. Our mothers lit the smaller candles in memory of our fathers and then we used those candles to light the unity candle. Another special moment of the day was visiting Lake Harriett to take pictures. We had been there for our engagement pictures, so we wanted to go again on our wedding day. We had no way of knowing that it would be the coldest Thanksgiving in history! In any case, the pictures were exquisite and totally worth freezing my toes off. And, finally, our most favorite thing was the feeling we both had throughout the entire day. To be in our home with our closest family & friends – amongst the soft candlelight, marrying each other. It was truly the perfect day.
Photography: Rochelle Louise Photography | Event Planning: Park Place Planning & Events | Floral Design: Zinnia Designs | Cake: Cocoa & Fig | Invitations: Paper Rock Scissor | Catering: Calhoun Beach Club | Venue: Private Residence | Custom Chalkboard: Bear Fox Chalk | Rentals: Apres Party And Tent Rental