Favorite Autumn Color Combinations

Hello wedding enthusiasts!

We've officially started the season of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, sweaters, bonfires, leaves crunching under our feet and breathtaking color! There's so many fantastic combinations for autumn weddings, so I wanted to show you a few examples of past events and also share a few new ideas.
 

The classic color combinations that will endure for any autumn wedding will always be the those that mimic the changing foliage. You cannot go wrong using these colors: burgundy, burnt orange, vibrant yellow, chartreuse green, brown, eggplant and berry red. Although it might be tempting to use them all, I recommend picking three or four.

My clients, Kathleen and Chris decided to use the most vibrant autumn colors together for their wedding. They chose burgundy as the main color by incorporating it throughout their wedding and reception. It was well represented on their chair sashes, table runners, wedding cake and wedding party attire! The accent colors of burnt orange, and vibrant yellow were placed in their floral arrangements to mirror the outdoors.

Although I absolutely love using classic foliage, it's also fun to play around with unusual color combinations. For instance, using a typical fall color, like eggplant and then mixing it with pastels.



The floral arrangements were primarily hydrangeas in painted wine bottles. However, we did incorporate driftwood with some of the florals because it mirrored corks from the wine bottles, used to support the escort cards.



That's exactly what Jake and Jennifer did for their September nuptials, and it turned out to be a very romantic, vintage style fall wedding. They decided to mix petal pink,  It was so unexpected to mix the deep purple with pastels but it looked stunning. Soft and bold at the same time!

The vintage vibe of eggplant, dusty gray, pink and sage was very romantic. They decided to be unique by wearing English style turn of the century hats, top hats for the gentlemen and birdcage pieces for the ladies. The bridesmaids wore deep purple, and the soft pink floral arrangements contrasted perfectly against the richness of their dresses.

Another aspect of this wedding that made it uniquely autumn was having a cheese tower instead of a cake. Cake seems so summer, ya know? The cheese tower offered a variety of flavors, from light on the pallet to a dark flavor. The stack-able cheese wheels created the illusion of cake, but it was something different, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Ahhh, crimson. The bright star of autumn and my favorite color! Leah and Jonathan decided to make this the focal point of their late September wedding. Coupled with mustard, and eggplant.

Leah and Jonathan decided to use these bold color combinations for their fall wedding and the result was fantastic. It was such a bright and cheerful wedding because the colors were a bit louder than the subdued and richer hues akin to burgundy.

So there you have it, three classic color combinations to consider for your fall nuptials. Cheers!

 Happy planning,

PHOTO CREDITS:BROVADO WEDDINGS, GRADDY PHOTOGRAPHY

New Event Venue- Mansion at Uptown

Hello wedding enthusiasts!

I'm so excited to be sharing a new event space with you! Mansion at Uptown is a chic revival of a very exquisite building, a renovated historic library that was built in 1911. It boasts fantastic architecture and a robust guest capacity. It's been furnished with oversized antique furniture and enormous crystal chandeliers which are decidedly decadent.

Regal Timeless Architecture

 Mansion at Uptown provides full service catering from Entourage Events Group.They have several premier spaces throughout Minneapolis.  The Entourage Events Group is on the cutting edge of wedding design and they work tirelessly to make sure their clients are satisfied with their event spaces.

Unique Ambiance

Upstairs, there's a private VIP lounge area that overlooks the main ballroom. This would be the perfect place for the bridal party to relax and take photos during cocktail hour. Of course, there's also a private patio that has beautiful Italian string lighting to create the perfect outdoor ambiance. It's another option for a seamless cocktail hour while the main space is flipped from ceremony to reception. Furthermore, there's a luxurious bridal suite for you and your wedding party to get ready in, taking off the pressure of running around town. Why not have hair and make up come to you?

Unique Furniture

Beautiful Crystal Chandeliers

In addition to a lush outdoor space in the middle of a booming city, there's a mysterious subterranean level known as "The Vault." It's equipped with charming crystal chandeliers and a stocked bar surrounded by old school brick. It would be fantastic as the dance space after a sit-down dinner.

Of course, creating the right aesthetic for this space involves lighting. They offer venue LED up -lighting in a variety of unique colors and audio surround sound with wireless microphone capabilities. Everything you'll need to create a luxurious party atmosphere for your guests!

Experienced Catering

Capacity for Mansion at Uptown is as follows: Theater Capacity - Seated:220/Standing:450, Reception Capacity - Seated:220, Standing:400, Vault Capacity - Seated:150/Standing 250. There's so many possibilities for this space! Utilizing the main ballroom, private patio, upstairs lounge and the vault, you would have plenty of space for both a wedding and a reception!

The Vault

I'm really excited to have another regal mansion event venue! They create absolutely amazing backdrops for photographs and the gorgeous decor already in place makes pulling off a sophisticated wedding so much easier. I can't wait to see what couples come up with whilst using such a unique space for their wedding day.

     Happy planning!

Marissa Partridge- Wonderful Day Weddings LLC

Tablescape for After the Holidays

Hello wedding enthusiasts!

Recently, I was contacted by Arhaus.com, a company that specializes in stylish decor, and asked to put together a tablescape for the time after the holidays but before spring has arrived. After happenstance inspiration, I decided on a color palette of white and chartreuse green! I was out walking in my yard, and the look of the melting snow on beautiful, bright green moss caught my eye. Eureka! I had the starting point for my display.

While we're not quite into spring yet, we're seeing peeks of it here and there. Birds are returning and singing their sweet songs in the morning. Coupled with the beauty of the snow melting on the moss, I thought it would create a unique theme. The linens I used were a soft mint with an antique lace runner.

I'm a huge fan of vintage everything, so I decided to use some pieces from my collection to bring in that vibe. A silver serving tray, a mercury glass candy dish and a white lantern created the base for my centerpiece. Next, I bought floral in soft chartreuse green and white. Then, I arranged the flowers in the mercury glass candy dish using floral foam. Adding moss around the base of arrangement, I then placed bird figurines in nests.

For the final touches of my tablescape, I decided to use all white dishes and a mint green napkin. The Soft mint green works well with the bright pops of chartreuse and white. I really love this "almost spring" look because when it does arrive, this display can be easily evolved! I would place moss bunnies, craft carrots, and Robin's eggs figurines to welcome the new season. Adding pussy willow and pastel floral to the white and green floral smoothly updates the look.These touches would carry the tablescape from "almost spring" into spring!


This was such a fun little project to distract me during the slower period before wedding season. Thanks very much to Arhaus.com for inspiring me to put this together! They have a fantastic collection of furniture. Please visit the dining section of their website to learn more about their chic decor.

     Happy planning!

Ceiling Draping - From Meh to Magnificent!

Hello, wedding enthusiasts!

Today I wanted to write about ceiling draping and how it can make a huge impact on your event space. Since we're located in Minnesota, there's a good chance that most couples will decide to have their reception indoors. While we have plenty of beautiful venues that look fabulous "as is" with amazing architecture, there are other spaces that could use some gussying up.

There's several venues that fall into this category such as warehouse space, hotel ballrooms, golf clubhouses and VFW halls. While these spaces are often functional, some have better decor than others. In my opinion, ceiling draping can make a huge impact on the overall aesthetic of your wedding design concept.

Ceiling draping often comes in a variety of colors, but even the standard white with twinkle lighting will make any "meh" space look magnificent. Definitely look into this option if your venue has exposed beams, like warehouse spaces, because the soft chiffon against brick and beam ends up looking amazing!

Another space that often needs a bit of help are VFW halls. They're very cost effective and often allow you to choose your own caterer or DIY but many times the decor is lacking. Never fear, ceiling draping can hide that drop ceiling and create the kind of ambiance you want at your reception.

While ballrooms and golf club facilities often boast beautiful settings, the added dimension of ceiling draping kicks things up a notch. The space feels "finished." Many of these venues have vendors they work exclusively with and they will refer you to their services.

However, if you're working with a venue that doesn't have an exclusive contract with a rental company, I have some great suggestions for you!

The first company that I really love is Avant Decor. I've used them for several events, and they do such a fabulous job! Another fantastic decor vendor is Creative License. They have a contract with The Dellwood Country Club but they also work with private parties. These two businesses specialize in ceiling draping, which means they know exactly what they're doing. They get in, they get out, and you're left with a breathtaking view!

Happy planning,






PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Wonderful Day Weddings LLC

Calhoun Beach Club Wedding

Hello Wedding Enthusiasts!

Wow! It's been almost a year since I had the wonderful experience of doing a wedding at Calhoun Beach Club. I've been so busy lately, so it becomes a little too easy to be complacent with this blog, so I apologize dear reader.

Calhoun Beach Club is top tier wedding venue in Minnesota. Located across from Lake Calhoun, it's a perfect place for a wedding throughout the year. They have a beautiful balcony called "The Hidden Terrance" with sweeping views that is used for cocktail hour, ceremonies and an area to cool off after getting down on the dance floor.

In addition to this, Calhoun Beach Club has  The Solarium, which is the main ballroom with large windows and beautiful chandeliers. The other rooms, The Library and Blvd. Room are the spaces my clients chose to have their December 2015 Wedding. The Library has a beautiful curved staircase that leads up to the Blvd. Room, which is generally used for cocktail hour.

Cal and Jillian chose to have their ceremony in The Library, with cocktail and cake in the Blvd. Room while it was flipped for the reception. The neat thing about this arrangement is the bride walked down this fantastic staircase adorned with a plethora of floral. It was such a grand entrance also a fun exit. Bounding up the stairs after the ceremony, the bride and groom were joined by their guests right away for celebratory drinks while D'Amico Catering and I flipped the room.

I cannot speak highly enough of D'Amico Catering. They are the exclusive caterers for a number of venues around the Twin Cities, and they are rock stars! Of course, Cal and Jill wanted to have a sit down formal dinner which was carried out perfectly. Having the right staff is essential to a smooth transition when planners need to flip rooms.

Floral was provided by Bachmann's Floral, which is not only a garden center but their staff also has fantastic florists that specialize in events and weddings. They showed up on schedule, created a beautiful staircase swag and ceremony arrangements. Also, Bachmann's expertly staged the centerpieces so we were able to get them out on the tables as efficiently as possible for the room flip. Not only is their artistry top notch, so is their service!

Of course, the night wouldn't be complete without guests having a blast on the Dance floor. Bellagala provided the DJ service for both the ceremony and reception. Consummate professionals, the Emcee was fantastic cuing the toasters right on schedule and making sure that all important parties were available for each of the dances. These DJ's are on par with live music in my opinion!

Thanks for letting me say some positive words about these hard working Twin Cities vendors. Cheers!!!

Happy planning,




*Wonderful Day Weddings was contracted for hire by Bellagala for this wedding.

Vendor Spotlight - Cocoa & Fig

Hello wedding enthusiasts!

With the air turning sweet with the smells of Lilacs and budding crab-apple trees, I'm reminded of a tradition that I think is here to stay - the dessert buffet. Many couples are deciding to forgo the traditional three tiered wedding cake in favor of offering a variety of fabulous desserts.

I think this is a trend that is here to stay for many reasons. First of all, this is a financially savvy way to offer dessert. Mini cupcakes, bars, shooters, cake pops, etc. offer a fabulous spread and look ridiculously cute. Arranging the desserts on stands and trays creates an interesting display, and often you can pick desserts that color coordinate with your wedding decor.

I have to admit that I think Cocoa & Fig is top notch when it comes to creating the dessert buffet! They do such an excellent job setting up the display with beautiful stationery naming each dessert, arranging everything just so perfectly!

Of course, they're desserts are just pure deliciousness and they offer such a plethora of choices that you're sure to find something to fit your style and budget! In addition to their excellent dessert buffets, they do also provide traditional wedding cakes, which are stunning!

They are definitely a vendor that I wanted to spotlight on my blog because they've done such a great job over the years. Most recently at the Historic Stillwater Courthouse last fall. I'm sure I'll be calling on them again for scrumptious and beautiful nibbles!

Thanks for letting me give some kudos! I truly hope I've inspired.

Happy planning,

PHOTO CREDITS : WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS LLC

Hamline Alum Celebrates Wedding at Saint Thomas More & Reception at Kay Fredericks Ballroom (Hamline University)

Hello wedding enthusiasts!

First, I have to say that I'm so thrilled that wedding season is upon us again! I've been busy with projects, passions, family and friends.

Today, I wanted to talk about a fantastic wedding that took place within Minnesota's highly prestigious private college system. I had the pleasure of assisting Brandon and Evelyn to plan their wedding and reception at two very lovely venues, Saint Thomas More Catholic Church on the Saint Thomas campus, and the Kay Fredericks Ballroom on the Hamline Campus.

This couple needed quite a bit of help because they lived out of state, settling in Indiana. The bride is from Germany, and emigrated to America to be with the love of her life!

They chose to tie the knot in Minnesota, where Brandon grew up because a majority of Evelyn's family would not be able to attend the wedding. Of course, Brandon wanted to make sure that his lovely bride was privy to the best Minnesota has to offer, so they chose to utilize the private school campuses of our premiere colleges. I should add that Brandon is an Alum of Hamline University!

Saint Thomas More Catholic Church was the perfect place for their nuptials. It's a very large and ornately decorated church. Both the inside and the outside have several wonderful spaces for those all important photos. Patrick Clancy Photography provided top notch service, just look at the fantastic photos!

Evelyn decided that she wanted to go for a very soft, romantic feel for their wedding day. Therefore, petal pink and white were the chosen colors. Her bridesmaids wore fit and flare, chiffon pink dresses from David's Bridal and the gentlemen coordinated nicely in gray from Savvi Formalwear.

Floral, provided by Carol K of Bellagala, had to have a soft romantic vibe so we chose the classic combination of roses, hydrangeas and baby's breath. The bouquets were comprised of lush roses surrounded by baby's breath, whilst the centerpieces consisted of roses and hydrangeas with a smattering of water bead crystals at the base, which created the "bling" Evelyn was looking for. Furthermore, each table was named after a city in Germany as a nod to her heritage!

The Kay Fredericks Ballroom is located on the third floor of Klas Student Center. It has enormous windows that look out over the field-house and the beautiful campus. Amazing views are coupled with state of the art audio/visual equipment. To create a romantic ambiance, Evelyn decided to incorporate ceiling draping from Avant Decor. The chiffon ceiling draping and lovely views made this a premiere reception space!

Catering was provided by Hamline University, and the food and staff are excellent, I can't speak highly enough about their service and food. Brandon and Evelyn opted to go with a buffet but sit-down dinners are also available. The cake, made especially for the couple by the catering department, was three tiers of deliciousness with a buttercream frosting. We added a topper and floral to finish the look.

 In lieu of a guest book, the couple wanted their guests to sign a Genga game piece and stack a tower! What a unique way of receiving well wishes. Additionally, they decided to give away small frames that doubled as a favor and an escort card. A lovely, and cost effective idea.

Finally, the bride and groom danced the night away to the awesome tunes from The Covers, a local variety band that plays hits from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today! They are absolutely a wonderful addition to any reception and everyone was on the dance floor the entire evening! Then, the bride's father and brother dressed in traditional German Lieder Hosen and serenaded the guests with an accordion. It was a fantastic incorporation of her heritage into an already kickin' party.

The evening ended with guests being shuttled back to their hotels via bus provided by Northfield Lines.

* Wonderful Day Weddings was contracted for hire via Bellagala to provide planning services for this client.

VENDORS - AVANT DECOR, BELLAGALA FLORAL - CAROL K., BELLAGALA PLANNING - MARISSA P, THE COVERS (BAND), DAVID'S BRIDAL, HAMLINE UNIVERSITY CATERING, KAY FREDERICKS BALLROOM, NORTHFIELD LINES, PARTY BOOTHS, SAVVI FORMALWEAR, SAINT THOMAS MORE CHURCH