Natalie + Jake | Lake Minnetonka Backyard
THE PLANNING
Natalie and Jake dreamed of having their wedding at the home of Natalie’s parents in Minnesota on Lake Minnetonka. We were so happy when they decided to move forward with Rustic Elegance and book our Backyard Package. This includes a site visit to figure out the layout of the property and what rental items would be needed. This package also has the RE team on site for the tent setup day the week of the wedding. As you can imagine, since the couple lives out of state and we were planning the wedding at the bride's parent’s home, we got to know the father and mother of the bride, Mike and Mary, very well too! It’s always such a special process when we get close with the couple and their families!
This was a tricky yard to work with, so we had to get creative to fit their 200 guests for a lakeside ceremony, seated dinner and a dance floor with a stage for a ten piece band. We also had to make sure that our layout had a good rain backup plan! We did many layouts and explored various options. It required a few site visits to make sure everything would be perfect, and we ended up using part of the neighbors yard which they graciously agreed to share!
We partnered with our favorite tent rental team at Apres, who made sure our ideas would logistically work. They are amazing! We landed on having a clear span tent for dinner in the neighbor’s yard, then used a sailcloth tent for cocktail hour and the dance in the parent’s yard. The parent’s yard was the favored location because of the beautiful view, so we wanted to make sure guests would be in this location the longest. The couple also decided to add clear gables to the dinner tent, which allowed for great views of the lake at that location as well!
The RE team was on site the day that the tents were set up to prep as much as possible and manage the setup. Lead planner, Kellie, was on site for a full day, but didn’t mind with those beautiful Lake Minnetonka views to enjoy! The couple and their parents were also so sweet and amazing to spend the day with! Apres had a tricky hill to stake the tent down on one side and had to use weights on part of the sail cloth tent over the patio, but their team is efficient and professional. Everything was looking perfect! Once everything was all set up, Kellie was feeling ready and excited for the day. Apres came back the following day to wrap up the tent set up and add the lights and hanging baskets. Everyone was eager to see the wedding day come together!
Rustic Elegance’s Owner, Kellie, worked very closely with the couple and their families for this wedding day. There were a lot of moving pieces and she was very excited to have everything fun flawlessly! Natalie and Jake chose a wonderful vendor team, which we knew would be fun to work with and deliver top notch services.
THE MORNING
The morning of the wedding, Natalie and her ladies gathered in her parent’s house to get ready. Each of the bridesmaids wore a fun getting ready outfit that the bride made herself. We loved this sentimental touch! While the ladies enjoyed their morning together, LABB Collective perfected their hair and makeup while keeping the vibes high. Natalie then slipped into her gown from The White Room that fit her like a glove. She looked stunning!
Meanwhile, the RE team was busy prepping for the day ahead! Upon arrival, the wind off of Lake Minnetonka was pretty bothersome, so we helped pull some of the sidewalls shut. The ceremony chairs were set up outside the week prior, so we made sure to wipe any debris and dew off of them. Then we placed all of the table linens and place cards so that the tables were ready for Sadie’s Floral to decorate. As vendors arrived, the RE team was there to greet them and help accommodate any of their needs. Arriving at a backyard as a vendor is very different from arriving at a venue, so it’s important to have someone ready to direct them upon arrival!
Olivia Beyers Photography captured amazing photos of the couple and their wedding party around the property, including a sweet first look with the bride and groom!
Natalie and Jake opted to sit out of the rehearsal, so we did a quick day-of rehearsal with all of the other processional members. We love day-of rehearsals for many reasons, which you can read all about on this blog!
THE CEREMONY
Guests that drove themselves were greeted by valet parking by Unparalleled Parking, while others were shuttled from the hotels by Renee’s Limousines. As they entered the front yard, they signed the guest book and placed any gifts or cards in the designated location. As they made their way toward the ceremony, they reached a champagne wall along with non-alcoholic fruit infused beverages provided by D’Amico.
Naturally, as a Lake Minnetonka Wedding, it was only right that the ceremony take place with the beautiful lake as the backdrop! Sadie’s Floral added planters at each end of the aisle to maintain a more natural, backyard vibe. Luckily, the wind calmed down a bit by this time, but it also kept guests cool in that warm Minnesota summer sun. Raegan from Calvary Church played the guitar and sang as guests took their seats and continued to sing throughout the ceremony.
Once guests were seated, the RE team started processing the wedding party from the front yard and had them walk around and down the aisle to the back of the house. The couple had 10 attendants on each side, along with three ring bearers. Natalie then made her grand entrance escorted by her father. She looked absolutely stunning, leaving Jake with tears in his eyes as he saw his beautiful bride!
Natalie and Jake opted to have their wedding party seated during the ceremony, so it was just the bride, groom, and pastor standing at the front. The mother of the bride and the mother of the groom did a few lovely readings, the couple said their vows that they wrote themselves, and they sealed all of these sweet words with a long awaited kiss!
As guests moved to the sailcloth tent for cocktail hour, the RE team moved a few of the ceremony chairs for guests to use. The remainder of the chairs were taken down by the Apres team.
THE RECEPTION
In the sailcloth tent guests enjoyed passed wine, cocktails, and appetizers provided by D'Amico. The tent was beautifully decorated with string lights from Apres and hanging greens from Sadie’s Floral. We love the bar and shelving that the couple rented from Apres. The live jazz music being played by the Bluewater Kings Band created the perfect ambiance as guests mingled lakeside!
As cocktail hour wrapped up, the RE team asked guests to be seated for dinner in the tent that was in the neighbor's yard. To find their seats they referred to the seating chart, which Rachel from our team was holding as it was too breezy to stand on its own. Before heading to the dinner tent, the couple did a private cake cutting in the sailcloth tent. We love the pressed flowers that the aunts added to the cake!
The dinner table decor consisted of bud vases and taper candles provided by Sadie’s Floral. We kept the decor to a minimum due to the family style dinner that the couple chose. Once guests were at their seats, we removed the table numbers to add extra space to the tabletops in preparation for the food from D’Amico.
The couple made their grand entrance into dinner with The Bluewater Kings Band members playing horns behind them as they were announced. The vibes were high heading into the evening! The father of the bride then said a nice welcome and Pastor Greg said a prayer before dinner was served. Guests enjoyed a plated salad first, followed by a delicious family style dinner. D’Amico brought 5 star service to this backyard wedding! We are still impressed by their mobile on-site kitchen!
The maid of honor, best man, and father of the bride then all took turns giving their touching speeches as guests finished dinner. After speeches wrapped up, guests headed back up to the sailcloth tent for dessert, coffee, and dancing. Everyone enjoyed yummy dessert choices which consisted of cupcakes from Yum and bite size dessert minis from D’Amico.
Bluewater Kings Band then played music for the first dances. The bride and groom did a touching dance to “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” by Frankie Valli. This was followed by each of the traditional parent dances, which were so fun! Lead planner, Kellie, admitted that she teared up a little during these dances. She was so happy with the way the day turned out and had gotten so close with this family. We truly form such a bond with our couples and their families!
Olivia Beyers Photography then took the couple out for sunset photos. There’s something about wedding portraits on Lake Minnetonka that is just so dreamy!
As the night progressed, D’Amico provided passed late night snacks of chicken fingers, mini burgers, and fries. As you can imagine, these were a huge hit! Guests were having so much fun dancing, they didn’t want the night to end! When it came to a close, Renee’s Limousines was on site to give guests a safe ride back to their hotels.
Meanwhile, the RE team cleaned up the table decor, pulled linens at the end of the night, and moved the gifts/cards into the house. The couple opted to add on our clean up package, so their families wouldn’t have to worry about these duties! Apres then returned the Tuesday after the wedding to take down the tent.
Natalie + Jake, thank you for trusting Rustic Elegance to help plan your beautiful Lake Minnetonka wedding! It was such an elegant day and we loved being a part of it.
Huge thank you to Olivia Beyers Photography for sharing these amazing photos of the day with us!
VENDORS
Venue: Backyard on Lake Minnetonka
Caterer / Bar Service: D’Amico
Dessert: Yum / D’Amico
Rentals: Apres
Band: Bluewater Kings Band
Ceremony Music: Calvary Church
Florist: Sadie’s Floral
Photographer: Olivia Beyers Photography
Valet: Unparalleled Parking
Guest Transportation: Renee’s Limousines
Hair / Makeup: LABB Collective
Bridal Gown: The White Room
Coordinator: Rustic Elegance - Kellie, Rachel, and Shauna
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol