A Bride in glasses, loads of balloons, streamers and a palette that leans towards the hot pink side… pinch me, I must be dreaming. But no, this baby is a full blown reality made fabulous at the hands of Mi Mi Design + The Photography Shoppe. And it’s too colorful and fun to be missed. Check out the gallery for so much more.
From the Bride… The wedding took place at Aria at The Jeune Lune in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event space just opened this year, and we were one of the first weddings there. It is an old theater that they renovated (just a little!) and turned into an event space. The minute I saw the space, I completely fell in love. We really didn’t want anything fussy or too fancy – we just wanted it to be FUN!
We got engaged in September 2011 and knew we wanted a winter/spring wedding as I really hate the hot summer weather! We met with Mi Mi Design early on, and I knew it was a perfect fit. Luckily for me, Luke was comfortable with my mom and me planning the majority of the wedding (what a great fiancé!). Once we had Mimi on board, we really didn’t get stressed out with the planning and in the end we were able to really enjoy the day. I knew I wanted the day to be a mix of high fashion/glamorous and laid-back – just like our lives! I liked the juxtaposition of a raw space with very glam details — a true modern rustic feel. Amy and Amy were great at helping us make my vision a reality. We chose to have the girls carry balloons and incorporate them in a big way because the space was so big that flowers would not have made an impact. I have also always loved ribbons (and have them hanging from my childhood bed) and wanted those to be a part of the décor as well — we ended up using them on the wood structure for the ceremony and then using that as the backdrop for the photo booth later in the night. We also incorporated the ribbon streamers onto the giant balloons and the centerpieces of streamers from Confetti System (something I have always loved!).
The “chandelier” hanging in the main room (where we had the ceremony and the dinner) was created so we had some more lighting, but not just string lights. I wanted something unique. We really let the space speak for itself – I loved all of the details that a raw old theater could provide, with the details being the true icing on the cake – sparkly and special. The sayings in vintage letters on the walls were another great element. They were already part of the space and I loved what they said: “Let’s get lost” and “the world is ours.” I have always loved quotes and lettering, so this was a perfect fit!
My favorite part was all the little things – I tried hard to think of as many things as possible that would make it feel more special and I think it worked – the one thing we have heard most from our guests is that it was one of the most unique and heartfelt weddings. You could really feel the love in the room and every detail had some meaning. My bouquet was tied with two necklaces that are very special to me – one of my late grandmother’s and the other a gift from my best friend. My engagement ring was worn by both my mother and grandmother. I have had a blankie since I was a few weeks old and its still my most prized possession – not only did I have a portion of it sewn into my dress, but my dad talked about it in his speech. I also had a necklace made that incorporated lace from the wedding dress both my grandma and mom wore. y something borrowed was my mom’s diamond earrings that match my engagement ring. Our photographer is out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and someone that I went to kindergarten with. We loved having her at our day and photographing it as well! Our officiant was a longtime family friend and a federal judge out of South Dakota. Like I said, we tried to incorporate people and things very special to us! It definitely made the day that much more special and full of love.
Wedding Photography: Anne Mantz of The Photography Shoppe / Wedding Venue: Aria at The Jeune Lune in Minneapolis, Minnesota / Wedding Planning, Coordination, Stationery, Floral Design + Decor: Mi Mi Design / Catering: Fabulous Catering / Desserts: Cocoa & Fig / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: Lake String Quartet / Dinner + Dancing Music: Instant Request / Place Settings, Linens, Lighting + Chandelier Decor: Apres Party & Tent Rental / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang via Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Bride’s Necklace: Courtney of Doloris Petunia / Hair: Jonica Reed / Makeup: Anne Marie Roe / Bridesmaid Dresses: Viereck Hot Sake Dress via Covered in Minneapolis + Styled by Bridget O’Brien / Groom’s Suit: Marty Mathis Clothiers