Villa Bellezza Winery Wedding | Olivia + Ralph
Are you dreaming of getting married in Italy… without the hassle of getting all of your guests out of the midwest? As Minnesota wedding coordinators, we would recommend a Villa Bellezza Winery Wedding! Every inch of the venue is absolutely stunning and makes you feel like you jumped on a plane and left the country.
Olivia and Ralph were such a fun couple for Rustic Elegance Owner, Kellie, to plan with. Olivia used to be an assistant planner with our team years ago, so having the opportunity to plan her wedding was such a full circle moment!
We were also so excited to hear that one of our previous couples, Allie and Sam, would be in attendance. We had a great time coordinating their wedding at Ivory North, and it’s always so special to reconnect with our past brides and grooms!
The day before the big day, the wedding party did a rehearsal with the priest and signed their marriage license. Then it was off to sleep before heading to Italy in Wisconsin with their 200 guests (aka Villa Bellezza Winery)!
THE MORNING
The ladies spent the morning getting ready at a nearby Airbnb with Kayla Daninger perfecting their hair and Makeup by Mindie ensuring they had the best glam. They all looked stunning!
One of the bridesmaids, Kayla, is actually how we met Olivia! Kayla used to be a Lead Planner for us, so it was so fun to see her again. We may or may not have spotted Kayla vacuuming in her bridesmaid dress… if there’s one thing you should know about RE planners, it’s that we can’t resist stepping in to help! Even if we aren’t clocked in. ;)
PS - We also coordinated Kayla’s Almquist Farm wedding. Be sure to check it out! There may or may not have been an inflatable dinosaur suit involved…
Meanwhile, the RE team was on site at Villa Bellezza Winery setting up and organizing the decor. The groom’s mom designed all of the florals and table decor, so we jumped in to help out however we could! There was a trailer full of floral, garland, candles, etc… so it was a team effort!
Not long after, the couple arrived at the winery to do their first look. As Olivia entered we were able to sneak a peek at her in her A&Be Bridal gown. It’s so meaningful when we get to help our past RE members, so this moment brought on all the emotions!
After sharing their first look inside of the venue, they made their way back outside for a few couple and wedding party portraits with Mikala Machemehl Photography. This was such a fun group!
After photos wrapped up, the wedding party hopped onto the Broz Bar shuttle and made their way to Sabylund Lutheran Church.
THE CEREMONY
Olivia and Ralph decided that they wanted a cute little church ceremony before heading back to the venue for a Villa Bellezza Winery wedding reception! Our team arrived a bit early to chat with Pastor Paul and to work out the logistics with the piano player. This is how we ensure no detail falls through the cracks!
Fun fact: Before the wedding, we found out that the church had left quilts draped on all the seats. Luckily, they were okay with them being folded up and put away. Even after over a decade in the wedding industry, things are always exciting with lots of unique experiences!
Once all of the guests were seated, we began cuing the wedding party for the processional. Ralph entered with his parents, followed by 5 bridesmaids/groomsmen, 2 flower girls, 3 ring bearers, and the grandparents.
Olivia then made her grand entrance to Canon in D played on the piano, escorted by her father. The whole room was filled with joy as she made her way down the aisle!
The ceremony was so intentional, with meaningful details from beginning to end. The groom’s Uncle, Mike, and the bride’s cousin, Paige, each shared a special reading. This was followed by the couple’s unity candle and personally written vows. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room after these sweet words!
The couple then shared a long awaited kiss before making their way down the aisle as the newest husband and wife!
The wedding party then carpooled to The Pickle Factory in Downtown Pepin, Wisconsin while their guests headed to Villa Bellezza for cocktail hour.
Meanwhile, the RE team packed up the ceremony decor and bouquets to repurpose them at the reception venue.
THE RECEPTION
As the guests arrived at the Villa Bellezza Winery wedding reception, they were met with passed appetizers from River Valley Catering. This added to that elegant, “out of the country” experience!
The couple also reserved our photo booth to use for cocktail hour through the end of the night. We set it up in the bar area and used our gold sequin backdrop to match their decor! Guests received their images right away via text, and the couple got to see all the fun their guests had when we sent them the full gallery the next day!
As we said before, the groom’s mom designed all of the flowers and table decor. This included a mix of greenery garlands with lights, pillar candles in glass, tea light candles, bud vases, gold table runners, and more! Our favorite part was that every table had a photo of the couple at that specific age! This was all placed on linens provided by the venue. They even hung greenery from the balcony!
Just before guests entered the reception area, our team helped light and turn on all of the candles. We always love this moment as it truly brings the space to life!
Just before dinner, we asked guests to find their seats. The wedding party then did a grand entrance down the steps. The couple made their way down the staircase and went directly into their choreographed first dance to “Simply the Best”. This was awesome and they absolutely crushed it!
The bride’s brother-in-law said a quick prayer and welcome speech before inviting guests to enjoy a delicious plated meal from River Valley Catering!
The excitement didn’t stop there! There were speeches from the maid of honor, best man, and father of the bride, followed by a thank you speech from the couple.
As guests clinked their glasses for the couple to kiss, they were surprised with a spin the wheel game the couple had put together! This was such a fun twist and gave the couple a break to eat while their guests engaged in the activities!
After dinner, guests were able to enjoy a variety of bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes while watching the traditional parent dances. The dances (and desserts) were so sweet!
Adagio DJ Entertainment then kicked off the dance party, which Reverie Wedding Videography captured for the couple’s epic wedding film!
River Valley Catering popped back out later in the evening with late night snacks of pizzas and soft pretzels with cheese. As you can imagine, these were a hit!
After dancing the night away, guests hopped onto the Broz Bar shuttle to head back to the Redwing hotels. We love working with the shuttle driver, Mike! He always does a great job ensuring everything stays on time and guests get transported safely.
While the couple and their loved ones soaked up every minute of this special day, our team was busy behind the scenes. The bride and groom added on our clean up package, so we made sure they didn’t have to worry about any detail! We cleaned up the decor and got it all packed away into the trailer.
Olivia + Ralph, it was so special to be a part of your Villa Bellezza Winery wedding! Cheers to the two of you!
Are you getting married at Villa Bellezza Winery? We would love to coordinate your day! Check out our services to see how we can help.
VENDORS
Minnesota Wedding Coordinator: Rustic Elegance - Kellie + Lynse
Ceremony Venue: Sabylund Lutheran Church
Reception Venue: Villa Bellezza Winery
Caterer: River Valley Catering
Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes
DJ: Adagio DJ Entertainment
Florist: Mother of the Groom
Photographer: Mikala Machemehl Photography
Videographer: Reverie Wedding Videography
Photo Booth: Rustic Elegance
Transportation: Broz Bar
Hair: Kayla Daninger
Makeup: Makeup by Mindie
Bridal Gown: A&Be Bridal
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol