Heartland Wedding Ideas

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Kelsey + Dylan — Intimate I Do's

Kelsey + Dylan’s Wedding Day Pros

Photographer Jasper Chung Photography | Ceremony & Reception Venue The River Center | Desserts Nothing Bundt Cake & Cherry Nuggets from Jaarsma Bakery, Pella | Bridal Party Floral Candi’s Flowers | Wedding Floral & Décor Design D.I.Y. Bride & Mom | Furniture Rentals Vowed Vintage | Hair Samantha Gallo | Invites & Paper Products Designed by the Bride | Bridal Dress & Veil Bridal Boutique | Groom's suit coat Studio Suits, Groomsmen Men’s Wearhouse by Calvin Klein | Ceremony Music: Chase Shoemaker on piano and vocals (brother of groom) | Reception Music Steve Ly

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When love is ready for a leap.

Finding love at a wedding is a romcom waiting to happen. Dylan and Kelsey knew each other from their days at Southwest Minnesota State and found themselves bellied up to the bar at the wedding of mutual college friends. From that early moment until the last dance, they were inseparable. The evening even rounded out with an attempt at the iconic Dirty Dancing lift. Love is meant to blossom at the moment when you’re running toward someone and they are yelling, “I’m not strong enough!” 

Many dates, playlists, travels, and antics later, Kelsey spent a day off prepping for an intimate wine and cheese night: a tradition dating back to their time at Dylan’s Minneapolis apartment. As conversation turned toward their future, Kelsey asked Dylan to dance with their new playlist running in the background. Kelsey said, “I’ll always remember this moment,” not realizing she was teeing up Dylan’s proposal! He followed up her dance request with, “Now it will really be one to remember,” as he dropped to a knee. Cue beautiful words from Dylan’s heart with very few remembered, and they are both pretty sure Kelsey's response was, “Of course!” 

Antique boho-glam style.

Because of their history of romantic nights at home, Kelsey and Dylan wanted their wedding to feel just like an intimate dinner party, full of rugs, lanterns, and décor to make the night feel inviting and homey. The couple likes to joke it’s their “antique boho-glam” style, which suited Dylan being a cost-effective accountant and Kelsey a designer. They really were able to create a day that was all them. The structure that hung the seating chart was also made of floral panels, so with a flip of the frame, they had a backdrop for photos. They also created a vintage living room setup, to feel like they were hanging out at home. 

To capture their day, Kelsey wanted to work with her friend and photographer Jasper Chung. Kelsey knew they could create photos that would feel personal and fun, but also to just have a chill approach that would make their day no stress. Candi’s Flowers was a must for Kelsey because Candi had created florals for Kelsey’s family since the days of her dance recitals and proms. “She always nailed my vision. I knew she would be perfect for our day,” Kelsey told us. The River Center was a wonderful location for their vibe because the vibe was already in the room! The space carried the look for their day perfectly, with catering and drinks to match. 

The best memories are the simplest.

When we asked what their most memorable moment was, Kelsey said, “In between the ceremony and reception, Jasper took us outside for photos of the two of us. Once we finished, we walked the half-block back around to the front of the building for cocktail hour. For 5 minutes or so, it was just this quiet moment Dylan and I could share to take a breather, be present and walk hand in hand to greet so many of our guests.”