Winter bride, Western wedding

By Andrea Busche

Many modern weddings are giant, full-scale productions. Every detail is scrutinized, and couples (or their parents) often plunk down giant sums of cash for this one special day. That’s great if this is the couple’s goal, and they possess both time and money to spare. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Kara and Jim Thell of Wrenshall did things a little differently. This busy couple — who got engaged July 4, 2021 and married December 10, 2022 — didn’t get bent out of shape over all the “small stuff.” Rather, they prioritized the details that were important to them and relaxed about the rest.

“I would tell other couples, ‘Don’t stress over (your wedding),’” Kara said. “It’ll be perfect the way it is. No one will remember how much money you spent. And doing what you want is important — not what everyone else wants.”

Western theme

For the Thells, their top priority was having a theme personally meaningful to them — in their case, a Western-style wedding.

Jim Thell works as a farrier (a professional who works closely with horses, trimming their hooves and outfitting them with shoes), and also owns a farm — JT Ranch & Arena. Kara works as a benefits account manager for Reliable Insurance Agency in Cloquet, but her heart is also on the ranch.

At the farm, the couple take in horses, who stay for 60-90 days, and train them on how to ride. Thell also trains rope horses, and Kara is an accomplished barrel racer. Together, the couple own four horses, a donkey and three dogs.

Jim’s parents, Mark and Terri Thell, also own a cattle farm in Wrenshall — 4 Quarters Holding — which is less than 5 miles away. So, the farming/ranching lifestyle runs deep for this family.

Their wedding and reception were held at Barn in the Woods, located in Bovey, Minnesota.

“The inside of the barn is light wood, and we had cowhides hanging as the backdrop for the altar,” Kara explained. “Bovey is close to Grand Rapids, which has lots of hotels and was a nice middle ground for our guests.”

When it came to attire, Kara’s two bridesmaids — her best friend, Katy, and her sister, Mia — each selected a dress of their choice, and all the men wore Western wear.

“Jim and all the boys wore jeans and cowboy boots, and Jim wore a cowboy hat.”

The couple’s 7-month-old son, Payden, was even outfitted with an adorable, tiny cowboy hat and a Western belt buckle.

Another unique aspect of their wedding day was a TV event that simply couldn’t be missed.

“NFR (National Finals Rodeo) was held that week, so we had it playing on the big screen during our reception,” Kara added with a chuckle.

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Other details

The couple prioritized selecting many of their friends and acquaintances as their vendors. They also chose local small businesses for just about all of their needs.

For instance, their photographer, Marcus Hanenburg, is a rodeo friend. Kara’s friend and former boss, Krystal Buscko, served as their officiant. Their cupcakes were baked by a friend, the owner of Superior, Wisconsin-based business Kallie’s Kupcakes. And, Jim’s good friend, Mike Manning, served as their DJ. Food was provided by Superior-based Kurtz Catering.

“Most of our friends are clients of Jim’s or people we’ve met through competing,” Kara explained. “They’re really friends who have turned into family.”

While many of the couple’s wedding-day details were fairly nontraditional, Kara opted for a beautiful white wedding dress, which she purchased from Duluth’s Bella Rose Bridal. Staying true to herself and her personal style, however, she paired her dress with her favorite pair of cowboy boots.

The wedding day flowers were of the wooden, painted variety, created by Shannin Bakken Renn, the owner of Simple Creations by Shannin. The couple’s vows were kept simple and traditional.

Juggling it all

Throughout their wedding-planning process, the couple had a lot on their plate. Both are busy professionals, business owners and new parents.

So, stressing out over every single detail simply wasn’t an option for them.

“We are very laid-back and did almost everything on our own,” Kara said.

“My sister Mia — my matron of honor — always reminded me of things that I missed. And Jim is a very good planner, it turns out. We didn’t worry about everything being perfect.”

Appeal of a winter wedding

A winter wedding was convenient for the Thells, due to the nature of their farming business. However, the winter season presents a whole host of benefits for couples planning a wedding.

In addition to the beautiful aesthetics of a crisp, wintry day with freshly fallen snow on the ground, there are no mosquitoes or flies to contend with. And a winter wedding can also help your pocketbook.

“We saved a little bit of money with our venue reservation since we booked in the offseason,” Kara shared.

Despite the couple’s love of winter and everything it brings, they are looking forward to a tropical honeymoon.

“I told Jim I wanted to go to a beach at least once in my life, so we’ll be going to Puerto Rico for a week,” Kara said. “Payden will be enjoying some time with both sets of grandparents while we’re gone.”

Relax

For this young couple, keeping a relaxed, laid-back attitude truly helped them enjoy the wedding day of their dreams.

“Pinterest helped me with some ideas for my flowers,” Kara said. “But, mostly, we just knew what we wanted. And, I think, it really helped that we were so laid-back.” D

Samantha Roffers, a Moose Lake writer, believes it’s important to shop for things you love and feel comfortable in. Everyone’s style is unique and that’s what makes it so special.

By Samantha Roffers

Hello,

by Sam

dear readers! Welcome back!

And a very warm welcome if this is your first time reading.

Although I am writing this just a few days before Thanksgiving, by the time you are reading this it will be 2023. Happy New Year!

There is something so refreshing about a brandnew year. We made it through the holidays and there are 365 days to fill with brand-new experiences and opportunities. As I get older, I feel like the years pass by faster and faster. I do feel that this season for many people, including myself, is a season of reflection. As I look back at my time with The Women Today as the Fashions by Sam gal, I am full of emotion.

I am perpetually grateful for the people I have met on this journey. I feel humbled and loved by readers who approach me while out and about to discuss articles and outfits.

I feel inspired by the amazing business owners and employees I’ve been privileged enough to work with. And I feel endlessly thankful to the staff at The Women Today for taking a chance on me and allowing me to be a part of their incredible magazine.

In 2020 when I was approached to do a fashion segment for The Women Today, I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I was so worried to have my pictures printed permanently for everyone and anyone to see. I couldn’t believe people would want to read about my thoughts on fashion or see my outfit ideas. As much as I love to shop and dress up, I never considered myself a “fashionista.” When I agreed to do the first segment I truly thought I would do one, maybe two issues, and then quietly have my portion of the magazine removed. Of course, life had other plans. Fashions By Sam kept going and flourishing.

We have had our fair share of struggles over the years. COVID-19 hit shortly after I agreed to do the magazine, which left us scrambling for creativity for many of our issues while stuck at home. What we thought would last a few weeks lasted years. Dressing rooms shut their doors, stores went curbside and many small businesses closed their doors and never returned. By the time we were able to hit the stores again it was a different world. We battled with bad lighting and a temperamental camera. We were masked and socially

Sam laughs at the fact that she matches the distanced. People were craving a sense of normalcy and social interaction like never before. I would take my mask off to snap a photo and quickly put it back on. While we took photos and chatted with people at different businesses, we learned about the struggles many businesses faced during that time. We learned about the different ways businesses had adjusted to lack of foot traffic. Many people went to Facebook auctions and revamped websites offering curbside pickup and extended return windows.

While we navigated this new world, I felt like Fashions By Sam was more important than ever. It gave a voice to small, local businesses. It gave them a chance to shine and share how great they are to our wonderful readers. It gave us the opportunity to tell readers about alternative ways to shop if they weren’t comfortable hitting the stores. I feel that it gave readers something light and positive to look forward to in an uncertain world. We have covered footwear, accessories, summer, fall, winter and spring looks. We have covered what to wear during holidays, date nights and everything in between. Even though we have been to so many places, it feels as though we have just scratched the surface of what our beautiful Northland has to offer.

Writing Fashions By Sam has changed my life in many ways. It has brought many incredible people into my life, it has opened doors for me that I never even knew were available. It has given me confidence and allowed me to grow as a writer and as a woman. One of the coolest things about the magazine is watching my kids flip through it and light up when they make the connection that their own mommy is on the pages.

I truly never expected Fashions By Sam to be what it is today, and it was not something I was able to do alone. It is all thanks to you dear readers. Your constant encouragement and feedback is what keeps this thing going. I am very excited to continue this journey with you all in 2023 and I look forward to your suggestions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support of this little segment over the years. Until next time dear readers, stay healthy, happy and warm. D