Radisson Blu Wedding | Traditional Minneapolis, MN Wedding

Although I consider when I travel for most of my weddings to be a perk, it’s a treat when I get to shoot a wedding closer to home. Kelsey and Matt were married in a traditional church ceremony at St. Patrick’s just a few miles from my house. Kelsey wore a Vera Wang Luxe “Kendall” gown with layers upon layers of tulle and lace with an extended train for aisle drama. She paired this with the “Audrey” veil, also by Vera Wang, with lace all along the edge. She also kept the memories of her two grandmothers close to her by having their wedding rings stitched into the inside of her gown. For her large bridal party, Kelsey always envisioned classic black gowns and she selected strapless chiffon by Donna Morgan (purchased at Nordstrom). The men accessorized their timeless black tuxes with colorful novelty socks, a gift from the groom.

Amy Zaroff designed and planned the wedding to Kelsey’s vision for a classic affair. Kelsey wanted a “classic, elegant, east coast style wedding in Minnesota.” Amy helped the couple select Radisson Blu as a venue that offered both a sunlit (but importantly, air-conditioned!) cocktail hour on the Sky Bridge and a neutral ballroom that was an ideal backdrop for her white, gold, and black color scheme. Amy personalized the room with a large custom dance floor with the couple’s monogram as a focal point as well as lush arrangements of white blooms by Arts and Flowers throughout. The wedding party all stayed on property for convenience and added fun throughout the weekend.

Another priority for the couple was a “great band.” Zaroff tapped into the talented roster at Elan Artists to hire the dynamic “Sound House” to play the reception.

Kelsey offered this advice to couple’s planning a wedding, “Enjoy every minute of it. The planning and preparation can sometimes be frustrating, but remember that this is a once in a lifetime event. Smile when times get hard and remember you are in it together with your spouse. Lean on one another and enjoy the present time. Also, all of this hard work is done over nine months and you get just one day to enjoy it. Make sure you do enjoy it. Do not stress over anything the day of your wedding. Eat the food, drink the drinks, talk to your guest, enjoy your family and most importantly enjoy the time with your spouse. It is your day together.” Well said! Enjoy the pictures of this joyful day.