mspmagweddings.com ˚ MPLS.ST.PAUL WEDDINGS ˚ FALL / WINTER 2017 55

When Jane first met Keric at the University of Missouri, she was not immediately interested in a romantic relation-ship. “He was so cute,” Jane recalls, “but he was two years younger than me. I was a junior and he was a freshman.” Nevertheless, the football player continued to pursue her for six months until she agreed to a dinner date—which led to ring shopping five years later.

“She has a smile and a laugh that make you feel like you’re the only person

in the room. But as I got to know her, I discovered she had a serious drive for personal growth, a quick wit, and, most importantly, an unabashed humor that rivals my own. Those were the qualities that told me she was the one,” says Keric, who popped the question while on a family vacation to Seaside, Florida, in May 2016.

Being a wedding plan-ner who founded her own company, See Jane Plan, it’s not surprising that Jane has been thinking about her big

day since she was a little girl. But it is interesting to note that her country club wedding the Saturday before Christmas was not what she had originally envisioned.

“I had this idea that we were going to do this big white tent on the farm,” Jane says of her plan to build a venue from scratch on her grandparents’ farm in Missouri. “We were going to install a dance floor, bring in luxury rest-rooms—I wanted something super challenging for me.”

When that didn’t pan out,

the couple went back to the drawing board with a few obstacles ahead of them. Keric had been accepted into medical school only days after he proposed, and Jane wanted to get married off-peak of wedding season to avoid interference with her business. Knowing that Keric would have a break from school in December, they decided to face their short seven-month engagement head-on and begin planning.

“I knew it was going to be an uphill battle,” Jane says, so when the previously

Planned to Perfection

REAL WEDDING S

FOREVER IN YOUR

EYESFour local couples embrace the elements and share tales of their fall and winter wonderland weddings.

BY ANNA BEFORT, TAYLOR HUGO, AND EMILY SEFTON

PAIGE & LOGAN November 19, 2016

TAYLOR & SAM October 29, 2016

JANE & KERIC

December 17, 2016

KATIE & ALEX

November 11, 2016

JANE & KERIC • DECEMBER 17, 2016 • PHOTOGRAPHS BY LIZ BANFIELD

56 FALL / WINTER 2017 ˚ MPLS.ST.PAUL WEDDINGS ˚ mspmagweddings.com

booked Minikahda Club called her with an opening for December 17, she took it.

As fate would have it, the venue’s signature green wallpaper and curtains meshed perfectly with Jane’s desire for a neutral color palette. Winter-white flowers and greenery—including a Christmas tree—enveloped guest tables, the sweetheart table, and a stunning three-tier cake. Invitations were simple but classic, and even the weather played along, providing six inches of fresh, powdery snow the night before.

“I really like neutrals, but I didn’t want it to be boring,” Jane says. “So what I told every vendor was that texture was the most important thing.” And if a vendor didn’t have what she was looking for, Jane used her wedding-planner knowl-edge to make her vision come to life. When she couldn’t find champagne-colored velvet linens, for example, she had them specially made. When the tall, white urns she wanted weren’t available in her florist’s inventory, Jane

purchased them from a floral wholesaler. Gold Chiavari chairs were brought in to replace those provided by Minikahda. “Everything was toggled together,” Jane says. “I knew it wouldn’t look like everyone else’s wedding.”

Keric weighed in on deci-sions from medical school, but his biggest contribution was the food selection. After a champagne tower pour and hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, the couple’s 98 guests were treated to a duo of shrimp and steak, followed by cake in hazelnut, red velvet, or lemon poppy seed flavors. A cigar bar was also at the top of his “must-have” list.

“As anyone who has been married knows, you don’t get much time to just enjoy the moment with your spouse. However, late in the night, Jane and I got a chance to step outside with a few good friends around a bonfire while a few of us enjoyed a cigar,” Keric recalls. “We just chatted and watched everyone having a blast inside. It was lovely—even with the negative 30–degree weather.”

1. Gold Chiavari chairs from Après Party and Tent Rental helped give Minikahda a unique look. 2. The bride used hand-dyed ribbons from Shasta Bell Calligraphy in her bouquet. 3. Custom Mizzou cookies were a nod to the groom’s tenure on the football team. 4. A sweetheart table was bedecked with a floral garland by Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling. 5. The bride’s Badgley Mischka heels were her “something blue.” 6. The couple wanted their invites with vintage stamps to be classic but with a fun holiday touch. 7. A “first look” of the bride elicited quite the reaction from her friends. 8. Gold flatware and gold-rimmed glasses gleamed against velvet linens from Après Party and Tent Rental. 9. Keric and Jane kicked off the cocktail hour with a champagne tower.

CEREMONY: St. John’s Episcopal Church, Mpls. • RECEPTION: Minikahda Club, Mpls. • BRIDE’S DRESS: Isabelle Armstrong from Bridal Accents Couture • GROOM’S ATTIRE: Bridal Accents Couture • RINGS: JB Hudson (hers), David Yurman (his) • INVITATIONS: Champagne Press • PROGRAMS: Illustrated by bride’s brother • CALLIGRAPHY: Rosann Konieczny • CAKE/COOKIES: Farina Baking Co. • FLORALS: Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling • RENTALS: Après Party and Tent Rental, Linen Effects • TRANSPORTATION: The Hitching Co., Premier Transportation • BAND: Rock With U • VIDEOGRAPHER: Chris Gegax, Signal Video Productions • AISLE RUNNER: The Original Runner Co. • CIGARS: International Cigar Co. • HAIR: Alibi the Salon • MAKEUP: Warpaint International Beauty Agency • HONEYMOON: Hawaii

2

3 4

5

7

8

9

1

6

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Minikahda’s green and white holiday décor blended with the bride’s neutral vision for the day; the bride and her father rode to the ceremony in a horse-drawn car-riage; the couple’s cake by Farina Baking Company was decorated with white flowers from Sadie’s Couture Flo-ral & Event Styling.

THE DETAILS

JANE & KERIC

58 FALL / WINTER 2017 ˚ MPLS.ST.PAUL WEDDINGS ˚ mspmagweddings.com

For high school senior Logan, his neighbor Paige was literally the girl next door. “I didn’t want to take the bus to school, so I asked Logan if he would give me a ride every morning,” recounts Paige. That bold move caught Logan’s atten-tion, though he had no idea at the time that his carpooler would one day be his wife.

Between attending dif-ferent colleges and Logan’s mission trip abroad, Paige and Logan spent five years of their relationship doing long-distance. But early on,

they both realized it was not a question of if they would get married, but when. “She just possesses this light,” Logan says. “Everyone is drawn to her and people feel happy in her presence. I knew that was something I always wanted to be around.”

Logan popped the question the week before Christmas while skating at Rockefeller Center. They knew they wanted to get married the following fall, so wedding planning kicked into high gear right away. Hiring the

photographer was the first decision. “I would not get married on a day [Janelle Elise] was not available,” the bride jokes. Booking the Semple Mansion, chosen for its ornate rooms and homey feel, came next, followed by the dress—the first one Paige tried on.

On November 19, a dust-ing of snow provided the perfect backdrop to Paige and Logan’s vision for their wedding day. Cherry-red bridesmaid dresses, a cas-cading bouquet in shades of blush and ivory, and plenty

of gold sparkle contributed to the “romantic” vibe they hoped to achieve. The bride’s mother assembled much of the décor, while the groom’s family baked trays of cupcakes, brownie cups, cake balls, pecan tarts, and sea salt caramels for dessert.

But the couple’s favor-ite part of the day was the ceremony, which the bride wrote herself. “The energy in the room was crazy. It was pretty intense and surreal that we were actually getting married,” Logan says. “The whole thing was very ‘us.’”

2

3 4

5

78

9

10

1

6

Surreal Love StoryPAIGE & LOGAN • NOVEMBER 19, 2016 • PHOTOGRAPHS BY JANELLE ELISE PHOTOGRAPHY

THE DETAILS

PAIGE & LOGAN

1. The bride and groom, who love to travel, used a personalized globe to celebrate their sense of adventure. 2. Bridesmaids donned cherry-red dresses that sparkled against the dusting of snow. 3. The couple displayed a memorial at the ceremony to honor those who were no longer with them. 4. Crystal chandeliers and hand-painted ceilings at Semple Mansion were a major draw for the couple. 5. Paige’s purse was her “something old,” made from pieces of her mother’s wedding dress. 6. The ceremony was filled with personal details, especially the vows, which the couple wrote themselves. 7. The bride did the calligraphy on this board, welcoming guests to the celebration. 8. Frozen fans loved the message on these pinecone favors. 9. The bride fell in love with these black lace Christian Louboutin heels. 10. Paige and her mom handcrafted these chocolate-inspired place card holders.

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: The Semple Mansion, Mpls. • BRIDE’S DRESS: Allure Couture from Posh Bridal • BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: JJ’s House • GROOM’S/GROOMSMEN’S ATTIRE: Calvin Klein from Men’s Wearhouse • RINGS: Arthur’s Jewelers • INVITATIONS: oh my! designs by steph • CATERING: Brie Cater • DESSERT: Handmade by groom’s family • FLORALS: Marah Cole Designs • LINENS: Linen Effects • CEREMONY MUSIC: Alene Rasmussen (pianist), Grant Nerison (soloist) • DJ: Instant Request • WEDDING COORDINATION: Paperwhite Weddings and Events • HAIR/MAKEUP: The bride, Andrea Holton, and Angelia Guthrie • HONEYMOON: Thailand

60 FALL / WINTER 2017 ˚ MPLS.ST.PAUL WEDDINGS ˚ mspmagweddings.com

Taylor has been interested in weddings for as long as she can remember. “I got my first subscription to Martha Stewart Weddings when I was 13, and Father of the Bride is my favorite movie of all time,” she says.

She started planning her own wedding as a young girl

and more seriously steeped herself in the bridal industry as an editor at a weddings magazine in her 20s.

All of that knowledge came in handy when she and her high school sweetheart Sam got engaged on a moun-tain in Colorado after more than six years of dating.

“Taylor had been plan-ning the wedding probably since she was 2,” says Sam. “I knew that I just wanted it to be perfect for her and that she wanted a really classic, formal wedding.”

It helped that Taylor already had lots of ideas and vendor contacts, and

their 18-month engagement offered plenty of time for the fall-loving bride to plan their October wedding. “I didn’t really have a theme, but I was calling it ‘glamorous fall,’ because I didn’t want the rustic fall feel—mason jars and hay bales. I wanted it to be more classic and timeless.”

That classic fall tone played out in the color scheme (gold, navy, and orange—a nod to Sam’s favorite football team, the Denver Broncos), including navy invites with formal gold script and a gold leaf accent.

At the reception at the Minneapolis Golf Club, ber-ries and branches mixed with deep red and orange flowers, while gold pumpkins served as escort cards and assorted décor. “I kind of went pump-kin crazy,” laughs the bride.

In all, it created a fall feel that was both cozy and clas-sic—and incredibly personal. A lifelong friend of Sam’s officiated the wedding, and the couple wrote the entire ceremony them-selves. Taylor even spent six months creating a mini-magazine for the wedding program as a nod to her work as an editor.

In the end, did the day live up to those long-ago dreams of a wedding-obsessed girl? “It was better than I could have even imagined,” Taylor says.

1

10

11

3

4

5

69

8

2

7

Fall GlamourTAYLOR & SAM • OCTOBER 29, 2016 • PHOTOGRAPHS BY ASHER MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

THE DETAILS

TAYLOR & SAM

1. The bride’s bouquet was wrapped in a family-heirloom handkerchief and pinned with photos of her late grandmother and aunt. 2. Bridesmaids in floor-length gowns and groomsmen in classic tuxes set the tone for the black-tie affair. 3. Dessert consisted of chocolate or pumpkin cake. 4. The head table sparkled with a gold-sequined tablecloth. 5. Floral “H” wreaths made by the bride greeted guests at the club’s entrance. 6. Mini gold pumpkins escorted guests to their seats. 7. Guests took home mini apple pies in the shape of Minnesota. 8. The bride gifted Kate Spade Keds to her bridesmaids. 9. A hint of gold foil gave the classic invites a modern twist. 10. Gold branches dripping with crystals graced some of the tables. 11. A nod to the bride’s job as an editor, wedding programs were made to look like magazines.

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Minneapolis Golf Club, St. Louis Park • BRIDE’S DRESS: Allure from Posh Bridal Couture • BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: Jenny Yoo from Bella Bridesmaids • GROOM’S/GROOMSMEN’S ATTIRE: Savvi Formalwear • RINGS: Shane Co. • INVITATIONS: Wedding Paper Divas • CAKE/FAVORS: Cocoa & Fig • FLORALS/RENTALS: Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling • CEREMONY MUSICIANS: Lake Minnetonka String Quartet • DJ: Hi Fidelity • WEDDING PLANNER: Away We Go Weddings • VIDEOGRAPHER: Capture the Moments • HAIR/MAKEUP: SM Makeup Inc. • HONEYMOON: Hawaii

62 FALL / WINTER 2017 ˚ MPLS.ST.PAUL WEDDINGS ˚ mspmagweddings.com

If you believe in fate, you might say that Katie and Alex were destined to be together. They rode the same bus to elementary school, their grandparents played cards together, their parents frequented the same church, and Katie’s best friend married Alex’s teammate. But it took a chance encounter 10 years after high school for the two to actually connect. Alex joined Facebook shortly thereafter, simply so he could ask Katie out.

Six months later, Alex

was down on one knee in front of family and friends for a surprise engagement at Insight Brewery. “Everything was just so comfortable and natural,” says Katie of their whirlwind romance. “We had similar values; all the impor-tant things just clicked,” added Alex.

They jumped headfirst into planning, with their venue as the top priority. Only one date was available at the Solar Arts building, so they quickly booked. “We knew we wanted exposed brick—a blank slate sort

of thing with a simple and classic color palette,” says Katie. She envisioned a romantic setting filled with hanging greens, Edison bulbs, and birch accents, so she hired Jennae Saltzman of Blush & Whim to design the space.

Eucalyptus leaves were woven throughout the day, starting with a custom-designed invitation suite by Paper Rock Scissor and continuing with fresh-from-the-garden bouquets by Munster Rose. The vintage teal bridesmaid dresses by

Jenny Yoo helped accentu-ate the eucalyptus theme.

The bride, donning a lace Enzoani dress from Posh Bridal Couture, shined down the aisle of the Church of St. Charles Borromeo before 200 friends and family. The party started soon after—with music by The Sevilles and catering by Chowgirls Killer Catering—and ended with nearly 700 donuts from Sarah Jane’s Bakery, Alex’s favorite. “It was abso-lutely perfect,” says Katie. “Everything connected.”

2

3

4

5

7

89

11

1

6

10

Love ConnectionKATIE & ALEX • NOVEMBER 11, 2016 • PHOTOGRAPHS BY KOKAL PHOTOGRAPHY

THE DETAILS

KATIE & ALEX

1. Calligrapher Shasta Bell penned the seating arrangements on a mirror. 2. Katie’s rings on display in the Mrs. Box. 3. Guests enjoyed nearly 700 donuts from Sarah Jane’s Bakery. 4. The bride’s parents created custom birch table number holders. 5. Photographer Tiffany Kokal captured the couple’s first look at the Riverway Parkway Park. 6. The eucalyptus-themed invites set the tone for the rest of the day. 7. Katie and Alex’s spot at the head table was bedecked with gold signs and greenery. 8. A large “W” was used as a decorative piece in honor of the couple’s last name. 9. Katie adored the neutral colors in the bouquets by Munster Rose. 10. Edison bulbs accented the head table. 11. A welcome sign from Paper and Pine Co. greeted guests at the entrance to Solar Arts.

CEREMONY: Church of St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony • RECEPTION: Solar Arts, Mpls. • BRIDE’S DRESS: Enzoani from Posh Bridal Couture • BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: Jenny Yoo from Bella Bridesmaids • GROOM’S/GROOMSMEN’S ATTIRE: Michael Kors from The Foursome • RINGS: R.F. Moeller • INVITATIONS: Paper Rock Scissor • CALLIGRAPHY: Shasta Bell • CATERING: Chowgirls Killer Catering • DESSERT: Sarah Jane’s Bakery • FLORALS: Munster Rose • LINENS: Linen Effects • RENTALS: On Solid Ground, Phos Events • BAND: The Sevilles • PHOTO BOOTH: Selfie and Co. • WEDDING PLANNER: Blush & Whim • HAIR/MAKEUP: Hair by Theresa • HONEYMOON: San Francisco