Breaking Traditions-An Edgy, Glam Winter Wedding in Minneapolis, MN

As I enter my 4th year planning weddings, I’ve begun to notice a common question from my couples as we prepare for their wedding ceremonies and receptions. “What are we supposed to do?”

These engaged couples have been looking forward to this day their whole lives and they just want to make sure they are doing things right! They want to know what “tradition” tells them to do. Which side of the ceremony space do I stand? Who walks down the aisle first? Who is supposed to give a speech? What are the special dances to start off the reception?

Well let me enlighten you on a little industry secret….It. Does. Not. Matter.

Let me say it louder for the people in the back…. Those wedding traditions, the white dress, the processional down the aisle, the flow of the evening, etc., etc., etc. there is no “right” way to do it! And none of it really matters anyways. What does matter? Celebrating the love you are committing to share for a lifetime, with any number of people you also love a whole lot. YOUR way.

You want to have a big church wedding with perfectly even wedding party, have a bride’s side and groom’s side, wear a veil over your face and walk down the aisle to Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus”? DO IT! More power to you! Have the day you always dreamed of! Does the thought of all that make you want to gag? That’s okay too! You don’t have to include any of that if you don’t want to! Make your day what YOU want it to be.

Kelsey and Eddy were one of my favorite couples ever to work with because they planned a wedding that said “screw you” to tradition and felt a million percent like them. They thought completely outside of the box and chose details, elements and a schedule that felt truly like them. So as we bear through some of the HOTTEST days of the year, let’s cool off and look back and Kelsey & Eddy’s kickass, unique, January wedding day!

The Dress

When Kelsey first described her custom gown to me, my jaw dropped. And when I saw it in person, my jaw dropped even further! Black is DEFINITELY this girl’s color and she knows it, which is why she went with this beautiful, black, silk gown by Tara LaTour. Her gold belt and fantastic custom cape completed this winter glam look, and proved to all of us that a white wedding dress is NOT a requirement. Also, check out the subtle subliminal messaging stitched into her cape. F*** YEAH!!

The Ceremony

With a smaller guest count of around 60 folks, Kelsey and Eddy knew they wanted a more unique ceremony set up, and worked with florist, Revel and Flourish, to dream up this amazing floral circle for the ceremony. It was truly a magical way to bring everyone in to the intimacy of the wedding party and for them to be completely surrounded in beauty on their day.

And speaking of unique ceremony ideas, I had never before seen bridesmaids carrying glowing orbs instead of bouquets, but these glowing balls of light ended up looking SO cool and were multifunctional and moved to the reception tables after the ceremony.

The Pup

Many people nowadays include their pups in their wedding day, but sweet Kirby got such a special role in this wedding. Not only did he get his own first look with Dad, but he walked Mom down the aisle and even got his own special throne during the ceremony! Families come in all shapes and sizes and colors and breeds and you should include people in your ceremony who mean the most to you, regardless of how they are related, what their gender is or whether they have two legs or four :)

First Dance

The “first dance” is one of the biggest wedding traditions out there and I LOVED what this couple did with theirs. Let’s be honest, not all of us are Dancing with the Stars performers. Some people just don’t love dancing and some reeeeeeallly don’t love being the center of attention. So Kelsey and Eddy decided to forgo all of the traditional dances and opted for a private first dance instead. I’m not sure there could be a more magical first dance than in an alleyway, with twinkling lights, a soft snowfall and just you and the love of your life!

The Food

Kelsey and Eddy did what every couple should do at the start of wedding planning, and they picked their top 3 priorities for their day. One of them was food, and let me tell you, they came through. This was one of the best wedding meals I have ever had! Instead of spending time on the dance floor, the majority of the night was spent on a delicious 6 course meal, courtesy of the amazing Hewing Hotel. At each course, the chef came out and described what we were eating. We took our time, enjoyed great food and even better company, and it felt like a great, big, beautiful dinner party. It was so Kelsey and Eddy :)

Wedding traditions can be such a wonderful thing, but one of the best things about traditions is that they are designed to be broken and changed. And what better way to forge your own path and start your own traditions than on the first day of the rest of your life with your spouse! Kelsey and Eddy’s wedding was so unique and incredibly personal, and I was blessed to be a part of the day. Hope these beautiful photos have inspired you as much as these beautiful people inspired me!