Rochester Fairgrounds Wedding:: Katie and Matt

They met at John Adams Middle School in 6th grade and were among the same class of students that shuffled from classroom to classroom in a heard to each different subject, but soon bonded over their shared interests of soccer, band and church.  Katie and Matt were friends and shared a mutual respect for one another, and even went to their senior prom together, but never dated throughout high school or even college.  It wasn’t until they had both graduated and began working in their professions that they began to pursue one another.

After dating and knowing that marriage was in sight, Matt suggested a camping trip up to the North Shore of Minnesota over Memorial Day weekend. Because Katie had never been up to this part of Minnesota, the two stopped the night before at Gooseberry Falls to see the sun go down.  Matt suggested the next morning they wake up to see the sunrise and Katie was game.

At 4;30 the next morning, with blanket in one hand and a camera in the other, Matt was all smiles as they set out.  Wanting to capture the beauty of the occasion, Matt set up the camera on a picnic table and had Katie stand up straight for “photo purposes.” As she turned around to face the camera, Matt was on one knee proposing! Bewildered because they were in the process of designing her engagement ring which was nowhere near finished, Matt held out beautiful rosewood ring for her to accept while they waited for her other ring to be completed!

Their October wedding day at the Rochester Fairgrounds was one for my book.  Katie and Matt wanted each guest to feel truly greeted and a part of their wedding day and greeted each guest as the entered the ceremony.  Details of Katie and Matt were strung throughout the entire day making their day beautiful and unique to them.

Katie’s Wilderly Bride wedding dress purchased from Mestads Bridal was the perfect earthy look for her wedding day.

Katie’s wedding ring was handcrafted for her finger and the rosewood ring that Matt proposed with was used as her wedding ring!Katie’s color palette of earth tones was seen throughout the entire day from the bouquets, to her shoes she wore, to the make up she wore for the day.  Everything was incredablly natural and beautiful.Katie attended college in Tennessee and while she was there, she worked on a flower farm. One of the sweetest and most memorable parts of the day was her bouquet.  The florist that she worked or brought up flowers in her carry on direct from TN to put in Katie’s bouquet. Katie hand designed her bouquet with flowers from TN as well as foliage from her the home she grew up in, and around the surrounding area that were significant to both her and Matt.The bridesmaids all picked out their own dress in the color of Katie’s choice from Azazie.
The groomsmen all wore shades of blue with floral ties from Kohls.Rochester Fairgrounds was a perfect place to have both their ceremony and reception.  The ceremony took place upstairs while downstirs guest were able to enjoy drinks and snacks while they finished waiting for Katie and Matt as they finished photos.
For their stationary, Katie and Matt commissioned a Minneapolis artist to create an illustration of the both of them and describe their engagement on the North Shore.
During the ceremony a poet read the couples favorite poem and handbells were rung to a favorite song of the couples.The limestone, unique to this part of Minnesota, was one of the reasons Katie and Matt chose the fairgrounds for their ceremony and reception. It was only necessary that we use it for a photo!Unique to the fairgrounds is the water tower. Of course capturing it on this brisk sunny day was also necessary!Coffee, teas, sodas, and a variety of popcorn (all of the couples’s favorites) were part of the cocktail hour.During the reception, Katie and Matt decided to do a slideshow, but sang to one another during the time it was shown.Katie, also a Zumba instructor, surprised guests halfway through the dance by busting out a lesson. All guests, including her grandmother, participated!Matt and Katie, you are incredible people that I was blessed to photograph. Thank you for allowing me to be one of the people you included in your day. I am honored and so thankful to have been there to document it for you.Vendors for the day included:: Ceremony and Reception:: Rochester Fair Grounds// Hair:: Double Take Salon // Make-up:: Byron//  Florist:: Linda Doan of Aunt Willies Wildflowers// Wedding Dress:: Wilderly Bride from Mestad’s// Bridesmaids Dresses:: Azazie //Rings:: Patterson Diamond Center and Rogers and Hollands/ DJ:: Chris Williams from Beyond Class DJ// Baker:: Lori from Omars Kitchen Catering // Stationary:: Artist from Minneapolis// Men’s Designer:: Kohl’s // Second Shooter:: Lily Watkins//