Breanna + Patrick | Pinewood
THE PLANNING
Even though most of our planning meetings took place over Zoom, we absolutely loved working with Breanna and Patrick to bring their dream wedding to life for them and their 150 guests. The couple chose to have their wedding at the Pinewood venue in Cambridge, MN. This was our first time at the space, so we were very excited to experience its beauty first hand!
THE MORNING
The bride and her 6 bridesmaids arrived promptly at 8am to begin getting ready for the day. They were joined by their getting ready team consisting of Hair by Heather Rossow and Cleopatra’s Envy. The venue was buzzing with action as the vendors began rolling in and setting up. Excitement filled the air and the couple was eager for their first look!
In preparation for the first look, the bride slipped into her A&BE Bridal gown and the RE team pinned the boutonnieres on Patrick and the 6 groomsmen. Once everyone was ready, Kate Kummer Photography got the bride’s father and step father in their places for the first look. Breanna shared a sweet moment with each of them before heading outside to meet her groom! Kate Kummer placed the couple back to back so that they could join hands while reading letters that they had written to each other. After reading the letters, they turned around to reveal their looks and share a long awaited hug!
The couple’s son then joined them for a few photos before the wedding party made their way out for group pictures. The RE team then swapped places with the photographer so that she could capture detail photos of the room set up and we could walk through a day of rehearsal with the wedding party. This also provided a great opportunity for us to talk with the 2 ushers about their duties. If you want a detailed look at why we love day of rehearsals, check out THIS blog.
THE CEREMONY
The outdoor ceremony site surrounded by the towering pine trees was truly a beautiful scene! It was a great area for Jasper Duberry to capture video for the couple’s wedding film! The couple provided an unplugged ceremony sign, which we placed on our black easel at the back of the ceremony chairs. Bare Roots added florals to the sign which matched the vibe and correlated with the beautiful arrangements they provided for the arch.
Guests arrived at the venue right on time via Lorenz Bus Service. Once guests were seated, the RE team of Kellie and Mandy double checked that the wedding party was ready and that the DJ was in place and could see their cues. Upon getting the ok from everyone, we were ready to get these two married!
The couple wanted Grandma Sue included in the processional, so the groom escorted her down (which was so sweet)! Patrick walked back to escort the bride’s mom, and back yet again to walk with his parents. The groom went one last time to grab their son, Walker, to carry him down the aisle as the ring bearer (seriously so cute)! Since the couple’s son was a little too young to walk down the aisle, they had a second ring bearer who handed out white long stem roses to guests while the flower girl lined the aisle with petals. It was so fun to watch the kiddos take their jobs so seriously!
The RE team cued the song change for the bride to make her grand entrance. She was escorted by both her dad and her step dad, switching halfway down. This was such a unique touch to honor each of them! The officiant from Eagle Brook Church did a wonderful job leading the ceremony. The ceremony was short and sweet and included a unity symbol of a wine box with letters. The officiant then announced them officially husband and wife, and they shared their long awaited kiss!
After the ceremony, the wedding party immediately hopped on the DJ Party Bus while guests enjoyed cocktail hour with an appetizer table from LeFebvre’s Catering and drinks from Liquid Motion. The RE team began tearing down the ceremony decor and repurposing it around the venue. This is always a great idea to cut costs and not waste any of that beautiful decor you paid for!
THE RECEPTION
When it came time for guests to head into the reception, they were met with the beautiful space that the vendors had been prepping all day! Bare Roots decorated the entrance railing with greens and flowers, and placed large cylinder vases with floating candles at the bottom. We loved this look! In the entryway there was also a table set up with memorial photos and our heaven sign.
Everyone found their seats by using the seating chart that the couple provided. Upon reaching their seats, they saw the carefully thought out table scapes we had set. There was a dusty rose cheesecloth runner, our wood table numbers, and lots of cylinder vases filled with floating candles. If you want many candles for your wedding (especially floating ones), it’s important to keep in mind that it is very time consuming to prepare and take down. Having a day of coordinator is extremely helpful so that none of your guests have to take on this responsibility (or any other tasks)!
A few of the tables were lined with large pampas grass arrangements which added a fun dimension to the space. The head table decor was similar to the guest tables, but included our gold candle sticks and battery operated candles. They kept the harvest style wood tables uncovered so that you could see the beautiful tabletops. The couple also provided the cream settee that they sat on during the reception. Don’t worry, if you don’t have your own we have a variety to choose from in our rental inventory! To top off the head table, Bare Roots created a stunning floral installment which hung above it. We loved this touch to add focus to the head table!
Once guests were seated, the wedding party did a grand entrance to “Crazy in Love”. It definitely got the energy up and everyone was ready for the party to begin! The bride’s dad did a welcome and a prayer before tables started getting dismissed to the buffet. Vicky from LeFebvre’s Catering did an amazing job with the presentation of the buffet. We couldn’t wait to dig in! While everyone enjoyed their meal, toasts and speeches from the two maid of honors, best man, and groom’s close friend kept guests entertained.
The RE team set up the dessert display and it turned out absolutely stunning! We have partnered with Nothing Bundt Cakes in Minnetonka, so we were able to pick up the cakes and deliver them to the venue at no extra fee to the couple! Everything was placed on our Alice dessert collection and ivory cake stand. The table was topped off with our love is sweet sign. The couple’s cake included a dog topper as well as a topper of their last name. They did the cake cutting with her grandma’s knife which was such a special touch!
Then it was time for the special dances! The bride and groom started it off with their first dance to “Conversations in the Dark” by John Legend. Afterwards, their parents joined them for a father daughter dance (with her father and then her step father) at the same time as the mother son dance. Instant Request then opened up the dance floor to all guests and kept the party going throughout the night!
After dinner, Northerly Photo Booth arrived to provide entertainment and keepsakes for the couple and their guests. Everyone enjoyed filtering through and getting their photo strips to add to the guest book! The couple also had a second guest book that consisted of an old phone where guests could pick it up and “leave a message” for the couple to listen back on after the wedding day!
Later in the night LeFebvre’s Catering provided pizza and at 10pm the DJ switched over to a silent disco! Everyone put on headphones and danced, but everyone without headphones didn’t hear any music. It was fun to see everyone dancing and singing just like they were when the music was blasting moments before! At the end of the night, Lorenz Bus Service arrived to provide safe transportation for the guests back to their hotel. It was a fun-filled day to remember!
Breanna + Patrick, we had so much fun working with you to bring this amazing day to life! We hope marriage has been a wonderful experience for your little family!
A big thank you to Kate Kummer Photography for sharing these beautiful photos with us!
VENDORS
Venue: Pinewood Weddings & Events
Caterer: LeFebvre’s Catering
Bar Service: Liquid Motion
DJ: Instant Request
Florist: Bare Roots
Officiant: Eagle Brook Church
Photographer: Kate Kummer Photography
Videographer: Jasper Duberry Photography and Video
Photo Booth: Northerly
Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes - Minnetonka
Transportation: Lorenz Bus Service
Party Bus: DJ Party Bus
Hair: Hair by Heather Rossow
Makeup: Cleopatra's Envy
Bridal Gown: A&BE Bridal
Coordination and Decor: Rustic Elegance
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol