Library Themed Wedding

I’ve never been a huge fan of the word “theme.” It kind of conjures up thoughts of overdone blah, of too pink, too silly, too everything. And yet writing a wedding blog and having seen literally thousands upon thousands of weddings, I have been proven wrong time and time again. So now, I’m just thinking that we need a new word for theme. How about Inspired? Better, right? Well, this “inspired” wedding captured the subtle beauty of the James J. Hill Library…then took it to an entirely new level. Photographed by Laura Ivanova and designed by the bride with Laura Mullen Event Design, this wedding is themed done SO so right. Click here to see all of the gorgeousness!

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Noah and I first met at a July 4th picnic in 2005. I knew he was my friend’s cousin and when I asked if him to play Frisbee he declined. We crossed paths a month later, and although I was a bit wary of him at first, we won each other over that same night. Since then he never turns down a Frisbee invite!

Noah proposed two years later on a wooden swing near the lakeshore of my family’s cabin on a beautiful August day. After I said yes, crazy as it sounds, an eagle circled overhead and the stubborn bass, which Noah was always trying to catch, jumped out of the water in the bay.

Our principle wedding goal was to display our personalities through the choices we made and the partners we used. We had so much fun planning the details as a result, from the location, to the invites, to the food, to the drinks, to the sweets, to the centerpieces. Equally important, we strove to incorporate our families into the wedding experience. We assembled a display of family wedding photographs dating back to the 1800’s, organized a family craft day to assemble key wedding decorations and elements, and even conscripted the groomsmen and other male family members to create the table centerpieces.

Looking back, my favorite wedding day memory is the ceremony, which we feel often gets overlooked during the hectic planning process. For years we’d felt like we were already married, but the formality of the ceremony allowed us share our relationship with all the special people in our lives. Stating our vows to each other in a beautiful, historic building and knowing we had a wealth of support behind us was overwhelming, and certainly the most meaningful part of the whole day for me. The rest of it was icing on the cake; perfect weather, exquisite food and drink, fabulous company, and dancing to top it all off.

Wedding Gown: Priscilla of Boston / Girl’s hair and makeup: Emily J / Guys’s attire: Heimie’s / Officiant- Rev. Dr. Frank Nelson / Venue: James J Hill Library / Rentals: Midway Party Rental / Event Design and Coordination: Laura Mullen Event Design / Photographer: Laura Ivanova Photography / Florals: A Day in Provence / Band: Sophia Shorai / Catering: Fabulous Catering / Beverage: Mintahoe / Sweets: Salty Tart / Assistant Photography: Melissa Schollaert

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Laura Ivanova Photography

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