1. What is your story as a couple?

Patrick and Kirsten met in the law school library at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in their home state of Minnesota. After sharing a dinner that lasted until the restaurant started vacuuming, they knew they were a good match.

After many dinners later, graduation from law school, and sitting for the Minnesota Bar Exam, Patrick and Kirsten moved out to Washington DC to pursue Masters of Law Degrees. They shared the joys and challenges of moving to a new city together, including discovering the historic Occidental restaurant as a special occasion dining destination.

Patrick graduated from American University Washington College of Law and Kirsten graduated from The George Washington Law School and they began working as lawyers in the city. On the evening of their 5 year anniversary, Patrick took Kirsten back to their favorite dining place, the Occidental, and proposed to her by the beautiful fountain outside the restaurant, with the iconic national Washington DC monuments lit in the background. They walked past the White House while she called her family to share the news. She said yes before he could finish asking and seven months later, they were married on a gorgeous August day in Minnesota.

2. What inspired your wedding day outfits?

Patrick and Kirsten were looking for a simple, yet classic design that was elegant and timeless! Patrick picked clean lines for the men’s shall-neck tuxedos. Kirsten’s custom-made silk A-line dress was covered in intricate Irish lace with a crystal and silk belt. She chose a sleek black dress for her maid of honor.

3. What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the things that you did?

The wedding decor followed the elegant and timeless theme with champagne, pink and plum colored flowers. The linens were champagne, white and black. Patrick and Kirsten also designed their own glasses for the reception in which they served their signature drink–Royale Wedding Punch. They later gave the washed glasses to guests to take home.

While in Washington DC, Patrick and Kirsten have worked in Congress, Patrick for the U.S. Senate and Kirsten for the U.S. House of Representatives. They wanted to bring a bit of “DC life” to Minnesota, which is what inspired their selection of the Minnesota History Center. With it’s high vaulted ceilings and breathtaking views of the Cathedral and Minnesota State Capitol through magnifying windows, the Minnesota History Center added further elegance to the day. Patrick and Kirsten also opened the “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation” interactive exhibit for their guests to enjoy during the wedding reception, which added a bit of history, learning, and fun to the day.

4. What was your favorite part of the day?

The whole day was so beautiful it is difficult to choose a favorite part! If forced to choose, however, Kirsten’s favorite part of the day were the few minutes alone with Patrick during the “first look” prior to the ceremony. Kirsten also enjoyed listening to the organist play Widor’s Toccata as they exited the church–it is a favorite of hers. Patrick’s favorite part of the day was during the speeches given by family members at the reception. Both Kirsten and Patrick loved dancing to The Bruce Henry Band, which included a full horn set perfect for playing Sinatra-esque hits from the 30’s and 40’s.

5. Do you have advice for engaged couples still in the planning process?

Don’t draw out the engagement! A seven-month deadline helped us stay on track in making decisions and eliminated potential arguments about the wedding details. Be realistic about what DIY projects are worth the time (and they can take a lot of time) and which are better to left to the professionals. Spend money on a great wedding photographer! Your wedding picture is the one that will be displayed from now on, so make sure it’s a good one.

6. Did you have any Do it Yourself {DIY} projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

Yes! After looking at many types of invitations, Patrick and Kirsten decided to design, print and assemble our own invitations. They combined the styles and assembly of different types of invitations to create exactly what they envisioned for their wedding. Their invitations included black, white and plum colors. They used a slightly off-white color which softened the white and made it more aesthetically appealing. Patrick purchased the fonts they wanted to use and he and Kirsten designed the layout through standard computer programs. They purchased supplies and printed the invitations, RSVP cards and information cards on their home printer. They also assembled the invitations in a tri-fold style and assembled envelope liners to complete the DIY project!

Vendors

Photographer:  Erin Johnson Photography
Caterer: Bon Appetit
Floral Designer: Colleens Flower Cellar
Dress Store: Mary’s Designer Bridal
Reception Venue:Minnesota History Center
Band: PopLuxe/ Musicians Unlimited
Ceremony Location:St Timothy Lutheran Church
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Jewelry/Accessories: Swarovski
Bridesmaid Dress: Wedding Shoppe (St. Paul, MN)
Bridesmaid Accessories: Bergstrom Jewelers
Groom Attire: Oxxford Clothes Shawl Collar Tuxedo with El Toro Shoes
Hair Stylist: self
Make Up Artist: self
Event Coordinator/Designer: Christie Altendorf (MN History Center)
Rental: MN History Center
Flowers: Colleen’s Flower Center
Dessert: Buttercream
Linens: MN History Center
Wedding Invitations/Stationary: Self-designed and self-printed
Calligraphy: self
Transportation: self
Ceremony Venue: St. Timothy Lutheran Church
Officiant: Ruth Sorenson-Prokosch, St. Timothy Lutheran Church
DJ/Band: The Bruce Henry Band

The post Kirsten & Patrick – A gorgeous elegant wedding appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Red

Of course, you can go with the traditional roses, but many brides want to venture off the beaten path and go with flowers that are a little more unique. Here are some great choices for red flowers:

Anemone

Carnation

Mini Calla Lily

Amaryllis

Tulip

Mini Gerbera Daisy

Chrysanthemum

Orange

Orange is such a beautiful, summery color but it can also be fantastic for autumn or spring weddings. There are a variety of beautiful orange flowers, including:

Ranunculus

Rose

Gerbera Daisy

Dahlia

Tulip

Asiatic Lily

Yellow

Yellow is another bright, fresh color that looks fantastic in a bouquet. A few fantastic choices include:

Iris

Gerbera Daisy

Daffodil

Sunflower

Snapdragon

Freesia

Orchid

Tulip

Green

If you want your bouquet to have beautiful green elements, there are some great flowers to go with:

Hydrangea

Rose

Tulip

Viburnum

Bells of Ireland

Purple

There are some gorgeous and sweet-smelling choices for purple bouquet flowers. A few include:

Hydrangea

Sweet Pea

Vanda Orchid

Iris

Hyacinth

Anemone

Pink

If you want to go with pink, you can choose from:

Waxflower

Zinnia

Cosmos

Peony

Cherry Blossom

Delphinium

Lisianthus

White

And finally, for beautiful white elements in your bouquet, choose from:

Daisy

Chrysanthemum

Gardenia

Anemone

Lily of the Valley

Chamomile

Baby’s Breath

Paperwhites

Calla Lily

The post Great Flower Choices by Color: The Wedding Bouquet appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Baby’s Breath – Choose Baby’s Breath to signify celebration and festivity. Baby’s Breath makes a wonderful accent flower for roses, carnations, ranunculus, and peonies. It also looks wonderful as an accent piece for bouquets and boutonnières.

Orange Blossoms – Orange blossoms have long signified fertility, so they’re perfect for a couple who is planning to create a beautiful family soon! Orange blossoms look beautiful as a primary flower, featuring large, white petals. They work very well for summer weddings, and smell fantastic.

Gardenias – Gardenias signify joy, the perfect message to send at your ceremony and reception. Another large, white flower, gardenias are perfect for summer. They have a very strong, beautiful scent and can be used as boutonnières as well as bouquets.

Tulips – Spring weddings are beautiful with tulips in all colors, but yellow means “hopelessly in love,” the perfect sentiment. Tulips are a large blossom, perfect for the primary flower in tabletop décor, and can be paired with nearly any other kind of flower.

Ranunculus – A very popular wedding flower, ranunculus means “dazzled by charms,” and is a perfect primary flower in arrangements, bouquets and for boutonnières. This type of flower is paired perfectly with flowers featuring tiny blossoms, like Baby’s Breath.

Peonies – Peonies signify a happy marriage, so they’re the perfect wedding flower. Available in a wide range of colors, peonies are large blossoms that have a vintage feel. They look fantastic as the primary flower in any arrangement, and are great when surrounded by accent flowers and greenery.

Hibiscus Flowers – Hibiscus flowers symbolize delicate beauty, and are wonderful for a tropical-themed wedding. These large blossoms look great when surrounded by greenery or smaller blossoms. They’re a wonderful flower for bouquets and boutonnières.

Consider these flowers and their amazing meanings when you’re planning out your floral décor or bouquets. They’re elegant, beautiful, and convey wonderful meanings.

The post Elegant Wedding Flowers – Flower Meanings appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

When you think of tropical wedding favors, you may automatically picture a beach wedding or a wedding on the coast somewhere. While tropical themes are definitely ideal for waterfront weddings, they are not limited to waterfront locations.

Many brides and grooms opt to host a sleek, chic tropical-themed wedding indoors, whether it’s at a local resort or a restaurant. The trick is to pick the right kind of décor and enhance it with subtle, stylish details, like tropical wedding favors. Favors are tiny details, but they make a big difference when it comes to your wedding’s décor.

If you’ve opted to host a tropical wedding this summer, then you’ll need some fun, fashionable ideas for tropical wedding favors to go with it. There are countless different types available, and many can be personalized, but some are more versatile than others.

If you want to send your guests home with tropical wedding favors that they can actually use, consider any of the following suggestions. All of these favor ideas are either subtly or overtly tropical looking, so you can choose one that best suits the overall theme of your occasion.

“Seashell” Gel Tealight Holder

You can never go wrong with candle wedding favors. Place these charming gel candles around your reception tables and light them up for the party, and place them with your place settings so your guests can take them home.

Ocean-Themed Place Card Holders

Place card holders are necessities, and they are the perfect little extras to use if you want to spice up the look of your reception. These pretty silver holders come in fish, starfish, and shell shapes; designed to make your guests feel like they are under the sea.

Stylish Beach Bag Favors

These mini-tote bags are the perfect favor bags for a tropical feel. Clear with handy drawstrings, they are decorated with cruise-related designs, such as ships, starfish, and palm trees. Fill them up with sweet treats and leave them with your place settings so your guests can take home the tropical romance when they leave the party. Bag favors such as these are definitely some of the most versatile types of tropical wedding favors.

The post Bring on the Tropical Romance with Tropical Wedding Favors appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Every summer bride needs sweet summer wedding favor ideas. Whether you’re getting married on the beach, in an intimate church ceremony, or flying across the world for a destination wedding, your summer wedding just isn’t complete without favors to go with it.

The summer season opens you up to a host of favor ideas, from mini beach totes and fans, to nautical theme key chains and candles, but what about favors that represent something that every wedding guest can use during the summertime, like something to cool off with? With a little planning, you can give everyone something delicious and useful to celebrate the season.

Mini Popsicle Kits

Practical and super chill, mini popsicle-making kits are great sweet summer wedding favor ideas. You can find them for as little as a dollar piece, and they come in a variety of colors and themes. Try placing them in wedding favor bags with other small favors, like hand lotion, body mist, or scented candles, and let your guests make a cool, yummy summer treat when they go home.

Luscious Ice Cream Cone Design Guest Soaps

Okay, so your guests may not want to actually bite into these scrumptious favors, but they definitely embody the feel of summer and offer a practical use in the home. These fun guest soaps come in three classic ice cream flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Get them for as little as $1.27 a piece, and add personalized tags for $0.35 each.

Heart Design Ice Cream Scoops

Have your caterer serve some delicious strawberry ice cream during your reception, and gift your guests with the Heart Design Ice Cream Scoops while you’re at it. They can use them all summer long and will enjoy their cool treats much more when they use the scoop favor that reminds them of your wedding day. All of these sweet summer wedding favor ideas are affordable and practical for your guests.

The post Sweet Summer Wedding Favor Ideas that will Keep Your Guests Cool appeared first on Elegant Wedding.