THE PLANNING

Helen and Ashley’s wedding was super detailed and elaborate, so it was very rewarding to be included in pulling everything together! Lead planner Kellie did the upfront planning, but the couple’s assigned lead, Kierra, became involved soon after. The four of them met via Zoom to make sure that they were all on the same page with each and every detail. Kellie also did a site visit to view the property in order to determine the tent size, chat about ceremony location, bathroom placement, parking, etc. We then got busy working with Apres to arrange the required rentals.

Being that the brides were very detail-oriented, they had a picture of the perfect day in their mind and knew exactly what needed to happen to achieve it. Luckily, our rental inventory fulfilled a large majority of their decor dreams! Since they were planning to rent so many items, the couple decided to go with our Elegance Package which provides unlimited access to our rental inventory on the wedding day. This was definitely the right path to take, because they picked out a lot of rentals (we’re pretty sure they broke an RE record)! On the Thursday before the wedding, Kellie and Kierra were on-site at Ashley’s parents backyard to deliver all of the RE decor, prep everything as much as possible, and oversee the tent set-up. The following day, Kierra was present to lead a ceremony rehearsal to ensure that all of the ceremony details were perfectly planned out.

THE MORNING

The day of the wedding everyone was buzzing with excitement! The wedding party got ready at the house on-site which saved a lot of time and stress for the brides. The brides got ready together and Clewell Photography got some super cute getting ready photos of them with their wedding party! 139 Hair by Heidi kept busy all morning making sure that everyone in the wedding party looked (and felt) their absolute best! Even though the brides had already seen each other in the morning, they still wanted to share in the intimate moment of a first look (and it was so sweet)! After their first look, the couple had their family members show up in waves to take family photos. This was a great way to have the experience not be overwhelming for everyone!

THE CEREMONY

The couple decided to switch up the traditional timeline and have cocktail hour prior to the ceremony. They changed into cocktail attire and had the opportunity to mingle with their guests casually. About 20 minutes before the ceremony, the brides made their way inside to change back into their wedding dresses. The RE team then guided the guests to the ceremony site to take their seats. The DJ made an announcement once everyone was sitting to inform them that no phones/electronics were allowed during the ceremony. This is a great way to ensure that everyone is present to enjoy the moment with you, and ensures that nobody will be blocking the photographer’s view while trying to snap their own pictures.

The ceremony was very unique and special to witness. The couple mixed in a few Jewish traditions including signing the Ketubah, a handfasting ceremony, and standing under the Chuppah. The couple’s great grandmother provided the lace that was on top of the Chuppah, which made it even more intimate!

THE RECEPTION

Following the ceremony, the couple had about 20 minutes to share alone before rejoining the party. Since there were only 60 guests, it was fast and easy to get everyone to move from one place to the next. Everyone made their way to their seats to be served a delicious plated dinner from Lake Elmo Inn. Before anything was served, the brides made their grand entrance and went immediately into their first dance! Guests were then served their salads to eat as speeches were done. The plated meal was served soon after and enjoyed by everyone! RE plates were used for salads and dinner, which also add a vintage vibe to the table.

The brides then snuck away with Clewell Photography to capture a few stunning sunset photos. Legacy Pictures also took some footage of the girls with the sunset. Check out just how stunning the scene was!

While the couple was out taking pictures, guests were busy mingling and dancing to some amazing music from the Bluewater Kings Band. They were able to sit on the RE sofas that the couple rented for a comfy place to relax and socialize. Not to mention the RE tables, chairs, coffee tables, hutches, ceremony doors, candle holders, and so much more that were placed throughout the whole event! Since the couple lives out of state, this was a great way for them to get all of the decor they wanted without having to provide much of their own. When the couple came back from pictures, they were ready to dance! Helen did a “father daughter” dance with her grandfather (it was truly so sweet)! The couple even did the “Horah” dance where they are lifted in the air while sitting in chairs. This was such a fun touch!

Around 8:00 we set out desserts which consisted of pie and cupcakes from Lake Elmo Inn placed on RE dessert stands. This timing worked out really well, as the couple didn’t have to provide a late night snack and since the guests’ dinner had settled, they were ready to eat again! A select group of friends got a special invite to stay for the bon-fire afterparty. The next day, the RE team arrived to take down and pack up our decor so the couple and their families wouldn’t have to worry about a thing!