Love that Weathers the Storm- A Romantic, Winter, Mansion Wedding in Minneapolis, MN
December 28th, 2019 was a beautiful wedding day for bride & groom, Jacob & Allie. And little did any of us know it would be one of the last “normal” weddings for a long while. So I invite you to take a trip down memory lane with me as I relive some of the highlights from this romantic, winter wedding in Minneapolis!
Walking in a (Wet) Winter Wonderland
Minnesota weather is so unpredictable. Between the months of October to May, there can be anything from 80 degrees and sunshine to blizzards to wind to torrential rain showers. So when Minnesota natives, Jacob and Allie, planned a late December wedding day, they knew the weather could present some challenges. With their greatest concerns being a giant snowstorm or subzero temperatures, neither they (nor I) were prepared for what we got!
As we woke up the morning of the wedding day, we were greeted with news of rain and some VERY icy roads. News reports showed cars and school buses gliding across lanes and warned Minnesotans to stay off the roads at all costs. Luckily for this bridal party, they had spent the night before at a hotel just blocks away from their venue and the show (and by show, I mean wedding) went on!
Though it wasn’t the picture perfect winder wonderland they had envisioned, the “bad” weather could not stop the joy and love on this wedding day! And the silver lining of a cloudy day???? Fantastic lighting! This bridal party faced the freezing rain for as many outdoor photos as they could get and though it may have felt a bit like a polar plunge in the moment, it paid back in some really fun shots!
I have three pieces of advice for brides when it comes to the weather on your wedding day. 1) No matter what weather you get, you can’t change it, so you might as well embrace it! 2) Make sure to get as many outdoor photos as you can get (even if you have to face the cold!), because nothing beats outdoor lighting and 3) Come prepared with furs, shawls, umbrellas, sunglasses and everything in between (ESPECIALLY if you’re getting married in Minnesota)!
The Semple Mansion
While the weather outside was frightful, the venue was SO delightful. This wedding took place at The Semple Mansion just outside of downtown Minneapolis. The gorgeous, charming, 3-story mansion was built over 100 years ago and was the perfect setting for a romantic winter wedding. With plenty of space for 200 guests in the main floor grand foyer and upstairs ballroom, the Semple Mansion had a unique way of giving a larger wedding that cozy, intimate, home-wedding feel.
The bridal suite was somehow both spacious and cozy, and was a great setting for a morning full of hair, makeup and mimosas. I especially loved the full-length mirror for those first glimpses of the bride in her wedding gown!
Another fantastic feature of this mansion was the grand staircase. While the majority of the wedding party entered the ceremony from downstairs, one of the best moments of the day was the bride and her father getting an extra special entrance down the beautiful grand staircase.
Dancing the Night Away
The weather made this day memorable and the mansion made it romantic, but the dance is where I could really feel the joy! When I asked Allie to reflect on her wedding day and give one piece of advice to brides-to-be, she said, “ Being present and enjoying every moment is so much more important than focusing on perfection and making sure nothing goes wrong,” and I couldn’t agree more! My absolute favorite part of any wedding is when I can see that the bride and groom have stopped stressing about the details and are totally just living in the joy of their day!
This wedding had its share of challenges, with the bulk of the planning happening during the holidays and the stress of a morning ice storm, but by the time the wedding party hit the dance floor, all of those worries (and the ice, thankfully) had melted away. Both the bride and groom AND the bride and her father had fun, choreographed first dances. And once their friends joined them on the floor the rest of the night was a non-stop party! The whole night was topped off by a magical glow-stick exit.
So Happy 1 Year Anniversary Allie & Jacob!!! If you survived 2020 as your first year as husband and wife, there’s no doubt you’ll survive the next 50 😊
Planning & Coordination Enjoyful Events Photography Captured Glory Photography Video Gilmore Photo & Video Venue Semple Mansion Florist Fersk Floral Artistry Wedding Dress Effie’s Bridal Trunk Hair Sindy’s Studio 21 Groom’s Attire Macy’s Catering/Dessert Green Mill Catering
