Take everything you’ve thought about a vineyard wedding and gently toss that out the window. Because this, my dears, is the vineyard wedding glammed up with chandeliers, macaroons, glitter tablecloths – the works. Munster Rose and Cocoa & Fig were a few vendors behind the pretty and Melissa Oholendt is to thank for the snaps. Sit back and start the swoon party here.
From Munster Rose… Mindy & Thomas knew they wanted a Midwest wedding and began searching for a venue that would not only provide a beautiful destination for their guests, but also an experience that would allow them to feel like they were enjoying an extended stay with their closest friends. They considered close to a dozen different places but fell in love with the natural yet refined elegance of Villa Bellezza, a vineyard in Pepin, Wisconsin on the beautiful, historic Highway 61.
Mindy and Thomas chose a lovely palate of blush, taupe, and soft golds to complement the high wood beams of the vaulted ceiling and curls of the wrought iron railings. When trying to decide what style they wanted, they knew they wanted sophisticated, but not contrived. They desired for the decor to match the natural feel of the vineyard, but also match their classic, and slightly eclectic taste. Beginning with the incredible iron and reclaimed wood arbor that Mindy’s father handcrafted and ending with a decadent dessert table, every detail of their wedding was specifically chosen to be both aesthetically pleasing and a personal, thoughtful experience for their guests.
As guests entered the Villa for the ceremony, sun and a lush backdrop of the vineyard for the Ceremony greeted them. The to-be-weds were led down the aisle by their wedding party, their sweet dog Tucker, and their adorable nephew/ring bearer Kooper. Standing under the twelve-foot tall arbor that literally dripped with grapevines & lush floral decor and was crowned with a crystal chandelier, Mindy and Thomas promised each other their hearts forever. And in a meaningful touch, the stunning chandelier will hang in their newly built home to remind them of their vows and the beautiful start to their marriage.
After the ceremony, guests entered the Tuscan-style Winery where they found high vaulted ceilings and beautiful woodwork. A martini luge, carved to match the model of the plane Mindy and Thomas fly together in their careers as pilots, was waiting for guests as the entered the Tower room for an energetic Cocktail Hour. Fun was had by all the guests at the hand-built photo wall backdrop, that Mindy’s dad also created, that allowed guests to take photos on their phones and upload the images to the wedding app, Wedding Party App, for the bride & groom to view while on their honeymoon.
For the aesthetic of the dinner & dancing portion of the night, Mindy & Thomas chose to incorporate vintage decor that they sourced themselves, such as an antique art easel for the escort cards as well as an assortment of the hand-picked family china for the head table. These pieces were mixed in with modern touches such as sequin linens and DIY shimmering table numbers to create a playful, yet elegant touch to the decor. Complementing the taupe satin linens at the guest tables were bright and loose floral designs that included giant dinner plate dahlias that Jackie, their florist, grew at her own home.
Soft touches of pink and gold throughout the space were also seen in their custom stationary, designed by Mindy’s Maid of Honor and put together by Mindy, as well as their expansive dessert table where guests were encouraged to taste test a variety of sweets. The table featured miniature dessert shooters, macarons, mini tarts, and a light pink cake with gold fondant detailing, all displayed on a variety of gold and white cake stands, and surrounded by hand-crafted gold and glitter confetti. Guests dined on salmon and filets while they drank wine crafted at Villa Bellezza.
There were many special moments that they recall about the day, but their favorite moment included sneaking away for a few stolen minutes to the Bridal Suite to (literally) collapse on the floor and revel in all that had just taken place. With the ceremony behind them and a wonderfully long night of dancing and mingling ahead of them, they stole away to recount how they felt as they first saw each other that day from opposite ends of the aisle, to excitedly share their favorite parts of the day to that point, and reenergize for the fun evening yet to come.
After gathering themselves up to make their Grand Entrance into the Reception Hall they took a quick moment to view the scene from the balcony. They watched as their guests rose to their feet, champagne in hand, to grey the newlyweds as they danced their way into their reception to the song “Safe & Sound” by Capital Cities. It truly was a night of toasts, love, and memories they’ll always treasure.
Photography: Melissa Oholendt | Floral Design: Munster Rose | Wedding Dress: Watters | Bridesmaids Dresses: Watters | Catering: The Deco Catering | Makeup: Muse | Calligraphy: Calligraphy with Style | Groom's Attire: Heimie's Haberdashery | Bridal Salon: Bridals By Lori | Cake & Dessert: Cocoa & Fig | Ceremony & Reception Venue: Villa Bellezza | Design/Planning: Kirsten Fischer Of FAB Event Design | Groom's Watch: Breitling | Headpiece: Doloris Petunia | Lighting & DJ: Instant Request | Linen: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: BBJ La Tavola
