Fargo Monthly's Wedding Guide 2019

2019

Photo by Sophie Grace Photography

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Planning Tips From Local Newlyweds

Who knows wedding planning better than couples who recently tied the knot? We asked four area couples to reflect on their big day and give out honest advice. From planning priorities, budgeting tips, small but mighty details to vendor recommendations and much more, they’ve got you covered!

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Kaitlin and Andrew Jason Jonathan and Cady Rutter Tyler and Rachel Rivard Luke and Whitney Stetz

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Expert Q&A: Venue Avalon Event Center’s wedding and events coordinator, Jess Bledsoe, guides you through the importance of venue and what details to look into when booking yours.

Photo by Glasser Images

Contents

2019 41

Expert Q&A: Photography Morgan Schleif of M. Schleif Photography shares with us advice on the do’s and don’ts of working with a photographer on your big day.

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Expert Q&A: Catering Anthony Bachman from VIP Room gave us the inside scoop on all things catering, including weighing in on the eternal debate: plated or buffet?

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Directory From photographers and wedding planners to florists and jewelers, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of local and regional vendors and resources to make the planning process behind your special day as painless as possible. Within this directory, you will also find photography samples from area photographers that can help you envision what your special day will look like.

Happy is the Bride That Fargo Shines On

Dear readers, Knowing he was “the one” was easy.

Planning the wedding has not been so much.

Photo by Nicole Midwest

When my fiancé Keenan and I announced we were engaged in September, we were congratulated and then almost instantly inundated with questions.

When’s the wedding? Where will the wedding be? What kind of dress do you want? Who will be in the wedding party?

As if we knew any of this! We wanted to spend our first few months of engagement just enjoying it and enjoying spending time together before hectic wedding planning began.

I’ll admit that I kept finding excuses to put wedding planning off. I had heard horror stories about how hectic it can be. I’d read countless complaints on social media about the fights with the mother-in-law, the woes of narrowing down a guest list, syncing scheduling with the desired venue and caterer, bridal dress fittings not going as planned, etc. As excited I was to be married, I was equally as nervous about juggling all these details and living up to the pressure to have “the perfect wedding.”

With a growing list of expectations and comments along the lines of, “Oh your wedding is going to be so perfect!” I’ll admit that the idea of running off to a courthouse and quietly eloping came across my mind more than once. But I knew I wanted that”perfect” wedding every young girl dreams of.

My fiancé and I have lived all over the country, so we collectively

8 | 2019 | FARGO MONTHLY WEDDING GUIDE

have a grocery list of cities where it would make sense for us to get married. However, after we started getting down to planning, Downtown Nashville, The Cadet Chapel at West Point and my hometown couldn’t compete with the beauty and ease of a Fargo wedding.

Keenan and I never intended on getting married in Fargo, but after getting serious about planing details of The Big Day and even just putting together this special wedding edition of Fargo Monthly, Fargo felt more and more like “the one.”

In this issue, we worked to compile a directory of topnotch vendors, giving you a virtually complete guide to all things marriage. Outside of this super helpful directory, we also talked to a few newlyweds and seasoned pros alike to garner tips and tricks from people

who know best. In researching the guts of this issue, having a wedding anywhere besides Fargo just didn’t make sense.

Whether you’ve always had your heart set on a Fargo wedding or if it’s a bit lower down on your list of locations, I encourage you to dive into this issue and get inspired. Don’t let wedding planning be a stressful thing that you just need to get done. We hope that this wedding guide will be a stellar starting point for you and your loved one as you plan one of the most special days of your adult life. Coming from someone who is planning her own wedding, I can promise that this issue will be a great aid to you and your future spouse.

Your Future Fargo Bride, Alexandra Martin Editor

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You don't have to have planned a wedding before to know that it can be a stressful experience. Luckily, the greater Fargo-Moorhead area is packed full with amazing vendors, planners and more that can help make this process a piece of (3-tier buttercream wedding) cake! We've gathered a variety of newlyweds and experts to weigh in on the best tips, tricks and vendor shoutouts to help your perfect day go, well...perfectly!

Photo by Two Birds Phototgraphy

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Jason What was the most difficult part of the planning process?

A: Initially, it boils down to

What problems or situations surprised you about the planning process?

A: Kaitlin: I was surprised

by how much we had to do at the beginning and right at the end. However, in the middle, there was a lull with not much to do. Create and follow a timeline. I used a massive Google Sheets planning doc. People made fun of me but it made the wedding day easier.

Andrew: I was surprised by the sheer number of things that go into planning

Photos by Ben Gumeringer Photography

coming up with a realistic budget and expectations for what you want your wedding to be. The guest list will also be a hard struggle to narrow down.

Unless your budget is very large, you will have to limit how many people you invite. This could create some tension between family and friends, so make sure everybody involved in your wedding planning process is clear on what you want for your wedding.

a wedding that I never thought about. From renting cake plates to all the hidden expenses that add up, it caught me off guard. There were also a lot of decisions that needed to be made that I honestly just didn’t care that much about. However, make sure you’re still involved in discussing those things out with your spouse as it may not be important to you, it’s probably important to them.

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PRO TIP The Knot has a fantastic free wedding timeline and app

What was the easiest part? And what was the most fun?

A: Kaitlin: For me, the easiest part was saying yes to Andrew. I knew at the end of the day we would

be married no matter what happened at the wedding.

The day was the most fun.

We chose incredible vendors to help keep the day running smoothly. While weddings can get expensive quick, paying for quality vendors really mades a big difference in making my day stress free.

Andrew: I HIGHLY recommend that everybody invests in a good groom’s dinner, even if it’s just at somebody’s house. This is

when you’ll be able to talk with the people who mean the most to you. The day of the wedding, you’ll be so busy that you won’t get to spend enough time with everybody. We used the VIP Room for our groom’s dinner and it was the perfect location because it was quiet so the grandmas could hear, the food was great and there was a piano so it allowed for some impromptu concerts.

I also loved all the reasons getting married gives you

for spending time with your family and friends. Between the engagement parties, showers and bachelor parties, I got to see more friends and family that year than most of the time.

What did you envision your wedding to be like before the planning process started and how did that change throughout?

A: We envisioned a day that

looked and felt like us. For us, that meant being surrounded by the people who loved and supported us. One of our most special moments was our first dance, with live music from a friend and family member. We repeatedly heard compliments on how personal our wedding was.

PRO TIP We were blown away by how quickly vendors booked up.

We recommend booking your venue, photographer and caterer as soon as possible.

What were your top priorities for planning the wedding right after 15

the engagement?

One of the first things we did after getting engaged was make individual lists of our “must haves” for the wedding day. We compared our lists and stayed true to these wishes throughout the planning process.

The first vendors that we booked were our venue and our photographer. Those were both really important to us, so we decided on our wedding date based on their availability.

Did you take any special steps to maintain a budget?

A: We had a specific bank

account for wedding funds only. Every paycheck, we would each put money into the account. We could only spend as much as we had.

It can also be an awkward conversation, but make sure you discuss with your family if they are going to contribute anything to your wedding.

What would be the most valuable lesson that you learned that

you would like to pass on to others?

A: Throughout the wedding

planning process, there are a lot of people who will have opinions. While you can take their opinions into consideration, it’s important to remember that, ultimately, it is you and your spouse’s wedding and, at the end of the day, nobody else’s opinion matters.

Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process and no matter how hard you try, almost everyone ends up being stressed. Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?

A: Wine...

Having a good wedding party really makes a big difference, too as they can help talk you down from the ledge if you’re feeling stressed.

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Local

Vendors

Used by the Jasons

VENUE Plains Art Museum One of the perks of using the museum is that they have an in-house wedding planner.

Groom’s Dinner: VIP Room

CAKE Kay Jastram We did a small cake for ourselves and served cupcakes to everybody else. There were no cupcakes left at the end of the night. I think that says how good they were.

CATERING Chef’s Table Amazing pasta buffet that offers options to be vegetarian or gluten free and is relatively affordable.

FLOWERS Love Always Floral

DECORATOR Our families (This saved us a lot of money.)

PROGRAM DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHER Ben Gumeringer Photography

MUSIC Harmon Entertainment

JEWELER Royal Jewelers They had a great promotion going on where if you wrote them a Facebook review, you received a 25 percent discount on your purchase.

HAIR & MAKE UP Olivieri’s Salon

ATTIRE Dress: David’s Bridal (Pro tip: Make an appointment for a weekday evening when it’s quiet. You’ll get great service.)

Bridesmaid dresses: Your Day By Nicole Suits: Halberstadt’s (They have a great deal where you can get a suit coat, vest, pant, shirt, tie and kerchief for $199.99.

This is a way better deal than renting.)

Sarah Geiger

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Rutter planning process was so smooth and so fun. We had a vision of how we wanted to feel and how we wanted our friends and family to feel. Letting that guide us made most decisions easy. The ones that caught us off-guard were seemingly simple ones like: napkin and table skirt colors! Watch out for little decisions like those that could spur on way too much analyzing.

What problems or situations surprised you about the planning process?

A: Nothing surprised

us terribly. We started thinking about all the darling little details before we were even engaged— when it was just our private brainstorms and daydreams.

What was the easiest part? And what was the most fun?

A: The easiest: Choosing our officiant was a nobrainer. Our dear friend,

Photos by Quinn Oberlander Photography

What was the most difficult part of the planning process?

A: We were so lucky; our

Peter Schultz, introduced us and had been ordained. We couldn’t think of anyone else doing the honors.

The most fun: For me (Jonathan), it was writing my vows. It was the one part of the wedding planning process that was a surprise for Cady; all the other details in planning had been shared. For me (Cady), it was designing and printing our wedding invitations together.

We own a letterpress so

PRO TIP Don’t forget to eat on the big day!

It’s a long day, full of excitement.

every piece of our invitation suite was hand-printed by us.

To be able to send a handcrafted invitation to each of our loved ones was so special.

What did you envision

your wedding to be like before the planning process started and how did that change throughout?

A: From the very beginning,

we were thinking about how we wanted our wedding to feel and what we wanted ourselves and our loved ones to experience on that day. That made the whole planning process so much easier to grapple with. I wasn’t 21

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stuck on a mermaid dress.

We didn’t “have to have” gold accents. We simply found one perfect element and then the next fell in line.

Choosing the sustainable option. Finding navy blue shoes that happened to match my ring. Using our own personal collections for decoration when possible.

When we found the right details for us, we let go of any preconceptions we had been holding up until then.

What were your top priorities for planning the wedding right after A: Date and venue.

Did you take any special steps to maintain a budget?

A: We made our own

invitations, skipped engagement photos, were married in his parents’ backyard and opted for

an hors d’oeuvres spread instead of a formal dinner.

What would be the most valuable lesson that you learned that you would like to pass on to others?

A: Don’t feel like you have to

PRO TIP Remember that your bridal party is there for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

My best man was on an emergency mission to get me a belt the morning of our ceremony!

do anything for your wedding because someone else did or someone told you that you ought to.

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Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process and no matter how hard you try, almost everyone ends up being stressed. Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?

A: Take a little break and spend

on a date and remember why you’re doing all of this.

What would be the most valuable lesson that you learned that you would like to pass on to others?

A: Don’t feel like you have to do anything for your wedding because someone else did or someone told you that you ought to.

some time with your partner. Go

Local

Vendors

Used by the Rutters

VENUE Ceremony: The Rutter Family Home Reception: The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum Rehearsal Dinner: Speak Easy Restaurant

CAKE Indulgence Baking Co.

CATERING Concordia Catering

FLOWERS Love Always Floral

DECORATOR Ourselves and some beautiful rentals from Gathered Boutique Rentals & Events

PHOTOGRAPHER Quinn Oberlander Photography

MUSIC Ceremony: Hartford Street Brass Reception: DJ AP

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JEWELER Lang Antiques and Royal Jewelers

HAIR & MAKE UP Carly Thompson and Madalyn Meyer of Urban Edge Salon

ATTIRE Hers : Alan Evans Bridal His : Herberger’s

PROGRAM DESIGNER Ourselves!

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Rivard The most unanticipated part of the planning process was how many little details go into making a wedding day come together. When you initially think about planning your wedding day you think of those big items such as: venue, flowers, wedding date, photographer etc., when in reality those big items were the easiest things to set into motion. It was the little details that need to be addressed, for example: what you want to include on the wedding program (and triple checking that there are no typos), breaking down the day into 30 minute increments and answering any little questions that comes up along the way.

What was the easiest part? And what was the most fun?

The easiest part was deciding the church for our ceremony.

Both Tyler and I grew up attending elementary school and going to mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church so it was the natural choice for us to have our wedding there.

One of the greatest parts of the whole day was being

surrounded by so many loved ones.

What did you envision your wedding to be like before the planning process started and how did that change throughout?

Tyler never really had a “vision” for his wedding day prior to starting the planning process, and I didn’t have much of one either other than I had always wanted to get married in winter and I knew I wanted burgundy and red tones to be one of the colors.

Nothing really changed persay because we never had a specific picture to begin with, but we realized very quickly where our priorities were and what we wanted to spend the most time on.

What were your top priorities for planning the wedding right after the engagement?

The first few things we checked off our list right after getting engaged were setting a date (checking that the church had that date available) and then visiting and deciding on a reception venue.

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Photos by Nicole Midwest

What problems or situations surprised you about the planning process?

Did you take any special steps to maintain a budget?

We discussed this with our parents and decided on an amount we wanted to keep the expenses under. The biggest thing for us was deciding which aspects of the day were most important to us versus the items that weren’t. It is easy to get swept up in the excitement and the beauty of it all. If you don’t

know where your wiggle room is and where it isn’t early on it would be easy to get carried away.

What would be the most valuable lesson that you learned that you would like to pass on to others?

I would tell people to do their best to keep their focus on the big picture when things start

to get stressful. As with most things that we get stressed about, it is never the end of the world and will most likely work out in the end.

Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process and no matter how hard you try, almost everyone ends up being stressed.

Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?

I found it helpful to remind myself what it was all for, the most important thing was that at the end of the day Tyler and I were married and got to start our lives together. It always helped to put things into perspective.

Can you talk about some of the local vendors you used?

Were you impressed by any of them or have any recommendations?

I was blown away by every person who was part of our wedding day. There are so many creative and wonderful people who want nothing more than to help you make your wedding day as special and personal as it can be.

PRO TIP Take the couple days prior to the wedding off of work so you can feel as relaxed and comfortable with the plans as possible once the actual day arrives, that way all you have to think about is the joy and excitement of the day.

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Local

Vendors

Used by the Rivards

VENUE Radisson Hotel Rehersal Dinner: Edgewood Chalet

CAKE Tyler’s little sister, Lilly Rivard, made our cake.

calling her anytime and she was always more than willing to assist with whatever question I had.

MUSIC Powerplay DJ — Very professional and helped to make the day special

FLOWERS We used Love Always Floral and were completely blown away. The women there are so creative and talented, I never would have had the vision they do to create such beautiful arrangements and decorations. They were also very helpful in suggesting other people in the Fargo/ Moorhead area to help with anything they were not able to.

HAIR & MAKE UP Bettina and Briana at Sola Salon in Fargo did hair for myself and bridal party. Bettina and Brianna are so wonderful to work with and want nothing more than to make your vision of how you want to look a reality. Olivia Shockman completed the makeup for myself and bridal party and again, I could not have been happier with how everything turned out.

DECORATOR The White House Company, again, blown away by these women.

They have such a wide array of decorations available to you to rent to make your day beautifully your own.

PHOTOGRAPHER Nicole Mendoza (Nicole Midwest), was the photographer for both my sister and I’s wedding and engagement sessions. She has such as talent for photography and is so kind and easy to talk to. Nicole has also been a photographer for a while now and is able to offer valuable insight and recommendations that Tyler and I found extremely helpful throughout the whole process. I felt comfortable texting or 28 | 2019 | FARGO MONTHLY WEDDING GUIDE

ATTIRE Dress: Che Bella Bridal Boutique Groom’s Suit: Men’s Warehouse Bridesmaid dresses/ Groomsmen suits: Men’s Wearhouse for the groomsmen and the bridesmaids all picked their own dress from dessy.com (I just specified a color).

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Stetz Setting a budget, and sticking to it. I remember talking to friends in the beginning stages and being informed they spent around $20,000. To me, that seemed crazy. But, when it’s said and done, I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable wedding.

What problems or situations surprised you about the planning process?

I didn’t realize how much work goes into it. I knew it would be a lot, but it truly is A LOT! There’s also so many moving parts to keep track of. Have a binder or folder to keep ALL of your wedding information and receipts in. Bring it with you, everywhere.

What was the easiest part? And what was the most fun?

The easiest part (and most rewarding!) was seeing everything come together.

Everyone’s hard work, late nights and last minute Target trips made that moment all worth it.

I think the process as a whole

Photos by Two Birds Photography

What was the most difficult part of the planning process?

is full of ups and downs...but it’s what you decide to make of it.

One of the most special times that Luke and I had during the process was meeting with Kathy, our pastor. She knows Luke’s family very well, and it was my opportunity to get to know her. Us three sat outside one evening and discussed life, what we

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love and appreciate about each other, and who we are as a couple. It’s easy to get caught up in the “Pinterest wedding” but it’s so important to remember why the wedding is happening.

Try to remind yourself that it’s about the love and your forever person, not the things. After all, things are replaceable and “your person” is not.

What did you envision your wedding to be like before the planning process started and how did that change throughout?

I honestly wasn’t a girl that began planning her wedding before the ring. I was clueless. Luke was very involved in the process, and I feel he was more of the

one with the “vision” than I was. From the beginning, we established what we wanted our day to be and stuck to it. It helped us to avoid the random, unnecessary purchases and the “where do we use this” conversations.

What were your top priorities for planning the wedding right after the engagement?

We immediately knew we didn’t want it to be long and drawn out, neither of us are big planners...sometimes to a fault. So our goal was to get married in less than a year.

We dove into finding a venue that suited our guest list and went from there. We wanted it to be in a unique location but ran into the issue of guest accommodations. Ultimately we chose something that offered a little of both

and booked the Radisson Downtown.

Did you take any special steps to maintain a budget?

It’s so easy to get carried away, and it adds up so quickly. We were fortunate enough to have the support of both of our families, and we all worked together to establish a budget. But in the beginning, we went through

the cost of every little thing and factored in an additional cushion to avoid massive overspending.

What would be the most valuable lesson that you learned that you would like to pass on to others?

Enlist in your support system!

I don’t think our venue would’ve been decorated 31

without help of family and friends. Remember we aren’t planners? Thanks to both of our moms, we did end up having pictures and decor at our wedding. Who would think to have photos of the bride and groom at their own wedding?

Probably everyone, except us.

Haha!

PRO TIP

One of the best parts of our day was going with our wedding party to Lucky’s before dinner.

We initially weren’t going to do this and Melissa, my sister in law, talked us into it. It was a great “pause” and a fun way to celebrate with some of the most important people in our lives.

A big takeaway from our day is having a friend who is good with people and events to assist and be your wingwoman for the day. Mine helped everyone, and she was a life saver. From getting flowers, to finding us food, transporting gifts and all things in between. She was our rockstar!

Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process and no matter how hard you try, almost everyone ends up being stressed. Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?

Honestly, reflecting on the entire process there are ups and downs. And I don’t know that it’s possible to plan a wedding without stress, realistically. However, I think there are parts of the process that can be fun and stress-free.

Those are the ones that you do need to embrace and allow yourself to enjoy.

Such as: turn food tasting into date night or dress shopping can be a fun day with your closest friends and the moms. To this day, Luke and I still laugh about one of our meetings with a DJ service. It’s all what you make of it, such as life.

Breathe. Relax. And remind yourself how lucky you are to be feeling stressed about such a great thing.

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Local

Vendors

Used by the Stetzes

VENUE Radisson Hotel The Radisson. They are so easy to work with, and have a great management team! The venue was beautiful too.

FLOWERS Country Greenery- I cannot recommend them enough.

We worked with our florist throughout the entire process.

Our flowers were gorgeous!!

And their customer service is exceptional. There was a mix up on floral delivery and they drove to the church to deliver us an extra bouquet, free of charge.

asked the question a lot of “who would you suggest as a wedding photographer?” and these two are both freakin’ awesome to work with and have an eye for photography.

JEWELER River City Jewelers in Grand Forks. We still make trips there to get my ring cleaned, too. Luke worked with Scott for months to make sure I had the perfect diamond when he proposed.

HAIR & MAKE UP My long time hair goddess, Laura Bright! My make-up was a group effort of bridesmaids.

DECORATOR My mom! She is amazing. We went with a black, white and gold color scheme, and added touches of light pink and dark red.

Luke’s mom and her family helped with tear down, they are amazing for helping with that too. We didn’t realize that was something we had to do until the morning after.

PHOTOGRAPHER Two Birds Photography & Lily Brundin. I would be lying if I didn’t mention that I had high standards for a photographer.

Lily Brundin has been my brand photographer for over a year, she captured the raw moments of us getting ready, and dancing the night away. Her images are in the moment, and I love that! It also helps that she is hilarious.

When we met with Britney Walsh (Two Birds Photography) and I knew I needed her instantly.

Her images are light, bright and hardly touched. We flew by the seat of our (sweaty) pants...and some of my favorite photos are from the Red River Market, which we had no plans to go to.

I should mention that one thing I wanted to avoid was dark/ extremely edited photos to look back on in a couple of years and be upset I did that. I get

ATTIRE Dress: Alan Evans Groom’s Suit: Men’s Wearhouse Bridesmaid dresses: My bridesmaids got their dresses from all over. But, a few did Rent the Runway. I highly suggest them for weddings and rehearsal dinners, they have formal wear and it’s cost effective.

PROGRAM DESIGNER This was hands down our biggest stress, weirdly. My advice with this is make sure you explain exactly what you’re wanting and confirm what is included in the initial quote. We were quoted one price and when we were ready to order, the price tripled.

With everything pertaining to weddings; vendors can be so accustom to their industry, and understandably so, it’s easy for them to look past the cost factors and assume that we just know.

When you, as a customer, aren’t aware it’s standard to pay a $50 delivery fee. Or that it’s common practice to tip your band or DJ. I would suggest asking (or utilizing the internet) when working with each vendor to avoid any confusion down the road.

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EXPERT Q&A

Venues with

Jess Bledsoe from Avalon Events Center Jess Bledsoe is the wedding and events coordinator at the Avalon Events Center. She has been in the wedding industry for some time now, so she knows about all of the crazy details that go into planning. Her goal is to make your big day as magical as you have always imagined, and she will be with you every step of the way.

Find Avalon Events Center 2525 9th Ave S, Fargo avaloneventscenter.com

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WHAT ARE SOME TRENDS YOU'VE NOTICED IN WEDDING VENUES LATELY?

People are moving back towards elegant timeless indoor weddings and less towards outdoor rustic chic.

Decorations and colors are more monotone colors and accented with a pop of color.

Guests counts are beginning to grow, larger more party-like receptions are what's trending.

Couples are seeking full-service venues that are able to provide inhouse chefs, centerpieces, set-up, tear down, linens, etc.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PEOPLE IN HELPING THEM FIND THEIR PERFECT VENUE?

Try to have a tentative date and guests count because that will help answer a large number of questions for your wedding day needs and budget.

Do your research and have questions ready for when you take your tour, such as what are the deposits and minimums, when do we have time to the room, etc.

WHAT SHOULD THE BRIDE AND GROOM MAKE SURE TO DISCUSS WITH THE VENUE BEFORE BOOKING?

What's included and what all of the fees are.

We hear from couples often about being hit with hidden fees during there planning up until their date and are unaware until they receive their invoice. We at Avalon, however, are as transparent as they come with our pricing as we send a mock invoice that essentially gives them a spot-on price for their wedding.

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE IN MAKING THE SPACE UNIQUE, REFLECTING THE BRIDE AND GROOM'S PERSONALITIES?

Room layout for the big day is one that helps start the process. We use a cloud-based system for room layouts so that the couple is able to work with us on designing their dream layout.

Colors schemes are also an amazing way to customize a wedding. At the Avalon, we have the ability to change our room colors through LED lighting to any color of the rainbow.

We do not have many restrictions on what you can bring in to decorate the facility with and we like to work with the couple to make the day everything that they have dreamed about.

ARE THERE ANY STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING TO ENSURE A SMOOTH PROCESS FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED? Visit your space early in the day so that if any last minute changes need to occur they can be done without any stress.

Our staff is constantly collaborating with the bridal party, knowing every detail of your schedule for the day.

Our staff also does setup and teardown, so they are on hand to help in any way they can.

At the Avalon, the ballrooms are fully set well before the event so that if changes are needed to be made, they can be done quickly and easily.

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EXPERT Q&A

Catering with

Anthony Bachman

from VIP Room

North Dakota native Anthony Bachman took over ownership of longtime Fargo staple, The VIP Room, in 2017. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in the Twin Cities, Bachman is not only a master of many styles of food, but he also has a genuine excitement for the culinary arts. From an upscale weekly rotating menu at The VIP Room to his traveling food cart business, Fargo Fillies, Anthony knows about good eats.

The VIP Room does everything from catering the whole wedding to hosting a groom’s dinner, and even has served post-wedding brunches, so Bachman knows a thing or two about wedding cuisine.

Find VIP Restaurant & Catering: 624 Main Ave., Fargo fargo-vip-room.com facebook.com/eatatvip fargovip@outlook.com

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WHAT’S A TYPICAL MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE MAKE WHEN WORKING WITH CATERERS?

When working with a caterer, the most common mistake is to not ask for a tasting. You will also want to be aware of all your caterer fees and policies and have a contract.

HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND A COUPLE GO ABOUT BUDGETING FOR CATERING? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN ACCIDENTALLY CAUSE RATES TO GO UP?

When budgeting for catering, you can come up with a total budget or a per person budget. Some things that could cause rates to go up are that some caterers charge more for plated dinners versus buffet style.

There also may be a charge for china versus disposable. Also, remember when you are coming up with your budget that you need to remember tax and gratuity.

WHAT ARE SOME PROS AND CONS OF HAVING A PLATED MEAL VERSUS A BUFFET?

There are many pros and cons of both plated meals versus buffet style meals. A pro for a buffet is that your guests can take exactly what food and how much they want. A con to the buffet is your guest will have to stand in line waiting to get their food and your guests could potentially take more food than the caterer allotted per person and potentially run out of food for the rest of your guests. As for plated meals, everyone gets exactly the same amount of food and the probability of running out of food is way less because you gave your caterer a final number before the date. Along with the pros, the cons of a plated meal is usually there is more cost to a plated meal because there is more labor involved to make and serve them.

WHAT SHOULD THE BRIDE AND GROOM HAVE PREPARED/PLANNED ALREADY BEFORE BOOKING A CATERER? A bride and groom should have a date, a venue and an approximate number of people before booking a caterer.

ARE THERE ANY STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING TO ENSURE A SMOOTH PROCESS FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED?

I always suggest to the bride and groom that they let the caterer know any special instructions prior to the day and have the caterer check out the venue beforehand and talk with your venue coordinator so they know everything they need to know before the day of. It is also smart to line up the payment with your caterer before the day of your wedding or put a particular person in charge of making payment so you are not bothered on your big day.

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR TRICKS WHEN IT COMES TO STICKING WITH A BUDGET?

Stick with what you originally decide and to stick to your original guest list.

If you invite people last minute, you will need to feed them, too and the overall catering bill will thus go up as well.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON QUESTIONS A COUPLE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER WHEN THEY TALK TO THEIR CATERER? Some common questions that a couple should be prepared to answer when they talk to their caterer is if any of your guest have any allergies or special dietary restrictions.

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EXPERT Q&A

Photography with

Morgan Schleif of M. Schleif Photography

Find M. Schleif Photography: mschleifphotography.com @mschleifphotography facebook.com/MSchleifPhotography mschleifphotography@gmail.com

Morgan Schleif of M. Schleif Photography is a Minneapolis native turned downtown Fargo enthusiast.

If you’ve spent any time downtown, you’ve probably seen her focused over her laptop at a coffee shop or you’ve been lucky enough to catch her infections smile in passing on Broadway. Schleif specializes in capturing those in-between glimpses of genuine connection and thrives on capturing authentic moments. If you book Schleif for a photography session, you can count on it being a fun and lively experience, rather than just a photo sitting. The connections she makes with clients shows in her work, which is light and bright, perfect for reflecting the airy happiness of a wedding day.

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WHAT ARE SOME TRENDS THAT YOU’RE NOTICING IN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY LATELY?

The greatest shift I’ve noticed throughout the years in wedding photography is authenticity. We are currently in an era where people are used to documenting their lives on a regular basis, but once given the opportunity to have a professional photographer, their story gets to be candidly and artistically told. This leads to more truthful, expressive and organic images much different than the more posed images that you can get most anyone to snap. This is allowing folks to relive their day exactly how it felt - joyful, emotional, chaotic and exclusively theirs.

WHAT SHOULD SOMEONE LOOK FOR IN A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?

My greatest piece of advice would be to look for someone who you genuinely connect with. A bit harder said than done, as you might not know by their portfolio, but as editing style matters, approach matters more. This person is going to hang out with you and your partner all day long through stressors, emotion and overwhelm. The last thing you want is your photographer adding any bit of negativity to your wedding experience. Find someone who matches your vibe, energy levels and makes you feel comfy. In summary vet us. Have drinks with us. Befriend us. Share your life with us. I promise it will be worth it!

WHAT TECHNIQUES OR ABILITIES DO YOU THINK YOU SPECIALIZE IN THAT SET YOU APART FROM OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS? For me, it’s people first, photography second. I’ve been fortunate enough to have couples who know this day isn’t about how high-end their wedding day can be, but that it’s about them, their journey and the love of their life. I thrive on getting to observe the unique love between two people and want every couple’s wedding day to reflect them and be as stress-free and celebratory as

possible. On your wedding day we’ll rock out to music, you’ll feel all the feels and I’ll be there cheering you and your partner on all day long. My style is light, vibrant and natural.

WHAT SHOULD A BRIDE AND GROOM DISCUSS WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER DURING THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS? - Goals - Experience - Budget - Questions / Advice

Partners should express what is important to them. Is it you two? Your friends, family or your crazy dance party? Is there something throughout the day that’s unique or special? If getting ready photos don’t matter to you, then don’t do them. Throw another hour into an adventure or save some money there. Being open with your photographer about these priorities helps us cater your day toward where your hearts are at and if it takes some quality discussion to get us there—that’s great too!

Share your love story and ask us about why we do what we do. This is where you learn if your vision aligns and if your personalities are a fit. This is also where you can ask about your photographers process, timeline and what to overall expect from them.

I always tell my clients to envision a photography experience where money wasn’t an option. What would it include? How many hours?

What portions of your day? We go all out and then if we need to cut back in certain areas, we do. Be honest about your budget, but also understand that having a quality professional alongside of you will be money well spent.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and use us as a resource. This is many folks first time ever participating in a wedding and even if you’ve done it before you shouldn’t know everything. Through our job we have experienced some of the most out-there situations, know the dress types the bride will complain about,

typical issues that arise and how to prepare, and how not to have your newly beloved mother-in-law follow you around all day long. We’ve been here before and want to be here for you now.

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR COUPLES TO KNOW IN ORDER TO MAKE PHOTOGRAPHY A SMOOTH PROCESS ON THE BIG DAY? - Start the conversation early - Get engagement photos - Create your schedule - Embrace the messy - Smile!

If you are exploring photography options and land on a few you really like, reach out. Beginning the conversation with your photographer a year out and meeting a few times in between is a good rule of thumb.

in front of the camera and with your photographer on a more controlled and casual basis. Show off your personalities here, it will be your best date yet!

Go through your schedule or create it from scratch with your photographer to assure a quality baseline for your day. Each photographer works in a different style and pace, after dozens of weddings, they’ll know their specific groove and can make your day as smooth as possible.

Embrace the messy. No wedding day is a perfect day, but it is your day. Let shit fly off the fan and have a blast doing it. No matter what happens, you’ll end the day with your best friend in your arms and memories you’ll never forget!

Lastly, tell your friends to smile as they walk down the aisle, you’ll appreciate it later ;)

Do your best to get engagement photos done by your photographer.

This isn’t a make or break, but it does allow you to get comfortable both

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NOT YOUR MOTHER’S BRIDAL SHOW By: Alexandra Martin Photos by: Carly Loves Amos, Fernweh + Liebe, M. Schleif Photography, Nicole Midwest

46 | 2019 | FARGO MONTHLY WEDDING GUIDE

When it comes down to planning your wedding, it’s hard to know where to start. You can utilize the internet, ask friends, read reviews, scour social media...but nothing compares to meeting vendors face to face, which is why bridal shows exist!

But bridal shows are often massive and, frankly, overwhelming with the aisles and aisles of vendors, all trying to grab your attention with blownup photos and freebies.

To Have and to Hold is not your typical bridal show.

Hosted by The White House Co, Fuze Mobile

Entertainment and Love Always Floral, To Have and To Hold is a live wedding show, featuring a curated faux wedding featuring a number of vetted midwestern vendors.

Held this year on March 1, this event encouraged attendance from not only engaged couples, but also groups of friends and

anyone in the community who wanted to come and celebrate.

To paint a picture: You arrive at The Pines venue, a rural white farmhouse glowing from within. Pink balloons and arrangements from Love Always Floral brighten the entryway, leading

47

into The Pines’ bright and rustic main room. At the doorway is The White House Co’s greenerycovered champagne flute wall, full of glasses of bubbly swimming around heart-shaped gummies from Yeobo Sweet Shop.

Down the aisle, Katie and Daren Sullivan celebrate their six-year love story, renewing their vows with RevD. After the ceremony concluded, the bride’s Your Day By Nicole dress caught confetti flakes in the tulle of its train as the couple walked hand-inhand up the aisle and into the crowd.

The faux wedding was at the center of the venue, but around the perimeter of the space was a vendor alley, full of over 30 hand-picked vendors.

The vendors’s work could be seen in action during the “wedding,” but before and after, you could walk around and speak to each business involved. Picking those working around you for your big day is an important decision, and this event allows you to get to know these vendors through their craft and their personality.

Adae Salon and Faces By Laura did up the bride’s hair and painted her face in the bridal farmhouse beforehand. Photographers Carly Loves Amos, Fernweh + Liebe, M. Schleif Photography and Nicole Midwest ran around, capturing every moment, both stunning posed portraits and genuine candid moments. Milk Made Catering served up a 3-tier cheese wheel cake.

Dak & Co screen-printed

on-demand bridal party graphic tees. And so much more.

According to the hosts, a main goal of the event was for guests to see vendors in their element, meet them and create genuine connections. Drew Boraas, founder and operator of FUZE Entertainment, said, “The event came about in a combination of finding how to benefit not only the brides, by having them actually see and experience and truly be engrossed in what these [vendors] do, but it was also to see how we could benefit our vendors and have them feel like they’re not in a sales pressure atmosphere.” Boraas remembered attending large-scale wedding showcases in the past and feeling the pressure to hop out at passing-by guests to try and connect with them and tell them about his business. “There’s so much stuff [at those shows], it’s overwhelming for guests and vendors,” he said.

Tired of doing the same thing, Katie Schiltz, Amanda Rydell and Sam Klinkhammer of The White House Co, Christy Tehven of Love Always Floral and Drew Boraas of Fuze Entertainment teamed up to start something new in Fargo’s bridal world. Inspired by national traveling bridal show, My Big Fat Fake Wedding, they wanted an event to support and celebrate local vendors and to give couples a better idea of what all these vendors are capable of.

“It gives us a chance to

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Photos by Carly Loves Amos

53 Photos by M. Schleif Photography

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Photos by Nicole Midwest

do a wedding that’s crazy, that’s not traditional. It’s the chance to come up with ridiculous ideas and to build ridiculous things,” said Schiltz.

Boraas echoed, noting that a goal was to not only follow trends but to create trends, too. In departing from what a traditional wedding looks like, this is a place for these vendors to show that there are people here in Fargo that can support any idea a couple come up with.

Have confetti fly over a wall and rain down on the bride and groom as they share their first married kiss? Fuze Entertainment can do that. Have a gelato cart of handmade treats for the guests to choose from? Duchessa Gelato can do that. Want your dinner menu hand-painted on rustic wooden boards? Taylily Lettering can do that. Need a champagne wall for guests to grab bubbly from? The White House Co can make that happen.

“We want to encourage people to be creative and think outside the box. We hope that event guests would choose us as vendors, but even if they don’t choose us, they’ll still take away inspiration from us,” said Boraas, “We want them to think that it is OK to do something ridiculous or have something on your wedding day that you maybe wouldn’t think of at first.”

If you missed 2019’s fun and romantic evening, don’t make the same mistake twice and mark your calendar for To Have and To Hold on March 6, 2020.

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LOCAL VENDORS VENUE:

VIDEOGRAPHER:

The Pines - thepinesvenue.com

Highland Films - facebook.com/ highlandweddingfilms

BRIDE AND GROOM: Katie and Daren Sullivan

FLORAL: Love Always Floral lovealwaysfloral.com

RENTALS + DECOR: The White House Co. thewhitehouseco.com

DJ:

BRIDAL CONSULTANTS/ PLANNERS: Flourish - flourishfargo.co Beacoup Events- beaucoupevents. com Breathe and Relax breatheandrelax weddingcoordinator.com

SWEETS & TREATS:

Tie by Aendee - aendee.com

Nichole’s Fine Pastry nicholesfinepastry.com Duchessa Gelato duchessagelato.com Scoop & Dough facebook.com/ scoopndoughcandyco Yeobo - yeobo.co At Home Bakery facebook.com/ athomebakeryfargo

MAID OF HONOR OUTFIT:

CATERING:

Fuze Mobile Entertainment fuzemobileent.com

BRIDAL DRESS: Your Day By Nicole yourdaybynicole.com

GROOM’S WEAR:

Proper & Prim - properprim.com

FLOWER GIRL DRESS: Pout Boutique poutbabyandkids.com

HAIR: Adae Salon - adaesalon.com

MAKEUP: Faces By Laura facesbylaurae.com

Milk Made Catering milkmadecatering.com Chef’s Table - chefstablefargo. com

CALLIGRAPHY: Lettering By Samanthafacebook.com/ letteringbysamantha Taylily Lettering facebook.com/taylilylettering

LIVE MUSIC:

PROGRAMS + DESIGN:

Sophie Slette

Kailey Louise Designs kaileylouisedesigns.com

BRIDAL PARTY ACCESSORIES:

MEDIA MANAGEMENT:

Rilos + MiMi - rilosandmimi.com Dak & Co. - shop.daklife.co

Impact Social - facebook.com/ impactsocialfargo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Nicole Midwest nicolemidwest.com Carly Loves Amos carlylovesamos.com M. Schleif Photography mschleifphotography.com Fernweh + Liebe fernwehandliebe.com

OFFICIANT RevD - facebook.com/ TheReverendDustin

PRINTING: Shortprinter - shortprinter.com

CONTRIBUTOR: North Dakota Prairie Bride Magazine - ndprairiebride.com

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ZAK JOKELA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY rockymountainwedding photography.com

Directory DINING

VENUES

FLOWERS

ATTIRE

WEDDING PLANNERS, DESIGN & RENTAL

MUSIC

D & J Catering dandjcatering.net DINING Blackbird Woodfire Catering blackbirdwoodfire.com 206 Broadway N, Fargo Bottle Barn Liquors bottlebarnliquors.com 2515 University Drive South #7 Fargo Casey Jo’s Catering caseyjoscatering.com 7214 80th St. S, Sabin, MN Catering by Concordia concordiacaters.com 901 8th St. S, Moorhead Chef’s Table Catering chefstablefargo.com 670 4th Ave. N, Fargo Classic Cakes & Catering Search “Classic Cakes & Catering LLC.” on Facebook

Famous Dave’s famousdaves.com/fargo 2581 45th St. SW, Fargo Garden Pavillion/One on One Catering oneononecatering.biz 1421 7th Ave. N, Fargo Johnny Carino’s prairiepasta.com 4410 17th Ave. SW, Fargo Mezzaluna dinemezzaluna.com 309 Roberts St., Fargo Moe’s Southwest Grill moes.com/catering 2511 Kirsten Lane S, Fargo Mosaic Foods mosaicfoods.net 315 Main Ave., Moorhead NDSU Dining Catering ndsu.edu/dining/catering

PHOTOGRAPHERS

VIDEOGRAPHERS

1415 14th St. N, Fargo O’Kelly’s okellysfargo.com 3800 Main Ave., Fargo Panchero’s Mexican Grill pancheros.com/catering 803 Belsly Blvd., Moorhead Porter Creek Hardwood Grill portercreek.com 1555 44th St. S, Fargo Private Events Catering privateeventscatering.com 2621 Fairway Dr., Moorhead Qdoba Mexican Grill qdoba.com/catering Various Locations Shotgun Sally’s shotgunsallys.com 1515 42nd St. S, Fargo Sodexo MSUM Catering mnstate.sodexomyway.com 725 14th St. S, Moorhead

JEWELERS

CAKES & DESSERTS

TRANSPORTATION

Speak Easy speakeasyrestaurant.com 1001 30th Ave. S, Moorhead Spitfire Bar and Grill spitfirebarandgrillfargo.com/ catering 1660 13th Ave. E, West Fargo Toscana toscanadowntown.com 202 Broadway N, Fargo Tru Blu Social Club trublusocialclub.com 915 19th Ave. E, West Fargo Urban Foods Catering urbanfoodscatering.com 69 4th St. N, Fargo VIP Room fargo-vip-room.com 624 Main Ave #1, Fargo Zen’s Creative Catering zenscreativecatering.com 24026 Co. Highway 27, Fergus Falls, MN

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VENUES Abovo teamabovo.com/events 216 Broadway N, Fargo A Friend’s House afriendshouse.info 10066 20th St. N, Moorhead AmericInn Hotel & Suites americinn.com 4325 23rd Ave. S, Fargo Avalon Events Center avaloneventscenter.com 2525 9th Ave. S, Fargo Bluestem Center for the Arts trollwood.org 801 50th Ave. S, Moorhead Bonanzaville bonanzaville.org 1351 Main Ave. W, West Fargo Breezy Point Resort breezypointresort.com 9252 Breezy Point Dr., Breezy Point, MN Carlos Creek Winery carloscreekwinery.com 6693 Co. Road 34 NW, Alexandria, MN City Brew Hall citybrewhallevents.com 120 4th St. N, Wahepton, ND Clubhouse Hotel & Suites fargo.clubhouseinn.com 4400 15th Ave. S, Fargo Colonel Hankinson’s Historic Barn colonelhankinsonbarn.net 16602 94th Street SE, Hankinson, ND

Courtyard by Marriott FargoMoorhead marriott.com 1080 28th Ave. S, Moorhead Crooked Lane Farm crookedlanefarmnd.com 17385 County Road 4, Colfax, ND Dakota Magic Casino dakotamagic.com 16849 102nd St. SE, Hankinson, ND Delta Hotels by Marriott Fargo marriott.com/hotels/travel/ farde-delta-hotels-fargo 1635 42nd St. SW, Fargo Drekker Brewing CompanyBrewhalla drekkerbrewing.com 1666 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND DoubleTree by Hilton westfargo.doubletree byhilton.com 825 E Beaton Dr., West Fargo Elks Grand Lodge #260 elks.org 3435 Broadway N, Fargo Fair Hills Resort fairhillsresort.com/weddings 24270 Co. Highway 20, Detroit Lakes, MN Fargo Air Museum fargoairmuseum.org 1609 19th Ave. N, Fargo Fargo Civic Center cityoffargo.com 207 4th St. N, Fargo Fargo Country Club fargocc.com 509 26th Ave. S, Fargo

Concordia College - The Centrum/Knutson Campus Center concordiacollege.edu 901 8th St. S, Moorhead

Five Lakes Resort fivelakesresort.com 34665 Camp Cherith Road, Frazee, MN

Coteau des Prairies Lodge cdplodge.com 9953 141st Ave. SE, Havana, ND

Four Points by Sheraton Fargo fourpointsfargo.com 5064 23rd Ave. S, Fargo

Country Inn & Suites countryinns.com 3316 13th Ave. S, Fargo

Hilton Garden Inn Fargo hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com 4351 17th Ave. S, Fargo

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ABBY ANDERSON abbyanderson.com

FERNWEH & LIEBE PHOTOGRAPHY fernwehandliebe.com

CHELSEA JOY PHOTOGRAPHY chelseajoyphoto.com

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Hjemkomst Center hcscconline.org 202 1st Ave. N, Moorhead

Red Barn & Berry Farm rbbf.com 16305 57th St. SE, Kindred, ND

Holiday Inn of Fargo fargohi.com 3803 13th Ave. S, Fargo

Red River Valley Fairgrounds redrivervalleyfair.com 1805 Main Ave. W, West Fargo

Holiday Inn on the Lake dlinn.com 1155 Highway 10 E, Detroit Lakes, MN

Rendezvous Park wfparks.org/portfolio/ rendezvous-activity-center 1055 32nd Ave. W, West Fargo

Hotel Donaldson hoteldonaldson.com 101 Broadway N, Fargo

Romantic Moon Events Center romanticmoonevents.com 158 80th St. S, Glyndon, MN

Island Park fargoparks.com/facilitiesrecreation/island-park.html 302 7th St. S, Fargo

Rustic Oaks rusticoaks.net 12155 3rd St. S, Moorhead

Legacy Acres Events legacyacresevents.com 1643 240th Ave., Halstad, MN Maplelag Resort maplelag.com 30501 Maplelag Rd., Callaway, MN Moorhead Country Club moorheadcountryclub.com 2101 River Dr. N, Moorhead

SOPHIE GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY sophiegracephoto.com

Sanctuary Events Center sanctuaryevents.com 670 4th Ave. N, Fargo Shooting Star Casino starcasino.com 777 S Casino Rd., Mahnomen, MN Sons of Norway sofnfargo.com 722 2nd Ave. N, Fargo

Oxbow Country Club oxbowcc.com 40 Clubhouse Dr., Oxbow, ND

TAK Music Venue takmusicvenue.com 1710 Center Avenue, Dilworth, MN

Pine Peaks Event Center pinepeakseventcenter.com 39957 Swanburg Rd. S, Pine River, MN

The Barn at Dunvilla thebarnatdunvilla.com 48203 U.S. Highway 59, Pelican Rapids, MN

The Pines thepinesvenue.com 4487 165th Ave SE, Davenport, ND

The Fireside firesidedl.com 1462 E Shore Dr., Detroit Lakes, MN

Plains Art Museum plainsart.org 704 1st Ave. N, Fargo

The Lodge on Lake Detroit thelodgeonlakedetroit.com 1200 E Shore Dr., Detroit Lakes, MN

Radisson radissonfargo.com 201 5th St. N, Fargo Ralph Engelstad Arena theralph.com 1 Ralph Engelstad Arena Drive, Grand Forks Ramada Fargo fargoramada.com 3333 13th Ave. S, Fargo

The McGovern Alumni Center at NDSU ndsualumnicenter.com 1241 University Dr. N, Fargo The Meadows on Lind meadowsonlind.com 11463 U.S. Highway 59, Detroit Lakes, MN

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NICOLE MIDWEST PHOTOGRAPHY & MEDIA nicolemidwest.com

The Vintage Garden vintagegardenvenue.com 13571 130th St. S, Barnesville, MN Trollwood Park fargoparks.com/facilitiesrecreation/trollwood-park. html 3664 Elm St. N, Fargo West Fargo VFW westfargovfw.com 444 Sheyenne St., West Fargo

countrygreenery.com 2901 13th Ave., Fargo 17 5th St. S, Moorhead Dalbol Flowers dalbolflowers.com 1450 25th St. S, Fargo Designs by Donna uniquedesignsbydonna.com P.O. Box 265, Mapleton, ND Erika With a K Designs erikawithakdesigns.com Floret + Foliage floretandfoliage.com

FLOWERS Cash Wise Flower Shoppe floral.cashwise.com 3300 Highway 10 E, Moorhead 1401 33rd St. SW, Fargo Classic Floral westfargoflowers.com 29 Sheyenne St., West Fargo Country Greenery

Flowers by Ranee flowersbyranee.com 6845 170th Ave SE, Colfax, North Dakota Hornbacher’s hornbachers.com 950 40th Ave. S, Moorhead 101 11th St. S, Moorhead 2510 Broadway N, Fargo 4151 45th St. S, Fargo 1532 32nd Ave. S, Fargo

4101 13th Ave. S, Fargo Love Always Events + Floral lovealwaysfloral.com 14 Roberts St., Fargo Olive Branch Botany facebook.com/pg/ olivebranchbotany Prairie Petals Events and Design prairiepetalsfm.com 210 Broadway N, Suite 104, Fargo Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling sadiesfloralnd.com 899 2nd Ave N Suite 1, Grand Forks

ATTIRE AENDEE aendee.com Affairs by Brittany, Inc. affairsbybrittany.com 303 Broadway N, Fargo Washington Ave, Detroit Lakes, MN Alan Evans Bridal alanevansbridal.com 512 Center Ave., Moorhead David’s Bridal davidsbridal.com 1500 13th Ave. E, West Fargo

Shotwell Floral & Greenhouses shotwellfloral.com 4000 40th St. S, Fargo

Formally Yours formallyyoursfargo.com 18 8th Street South, Ste. A, Fargo

Swenson’s Floral swensonsfloral.com 2307 19th St. S, Moorhead

Halberstadt’s halberstadtsnd.com 65

GLASSER IMAGES glasserimages.com

KENSIE WALLNER PHOTOGRAPHY kensiewallner.com

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TWO BIRDS PHOTOGRAPHY

twobirds-photography.com

3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo 102 Broadway, Fargo

West Acres Mall - 3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo

Flourish flourishfargo.co

All Access Mobile Music fargo-dj.com

Honeybee Bridal hbbridal.com 3402 13th Ave. S, Suite G, Fargo

Your Day by Nicole yourdaybynicole.com 102 Broadway N, Suite 103, Fargo

Gathered. Boutique Rentals & Events gatheredrentalsandevents. com 2201 14th Ave. S, Moorhead

Blue English blueenglishband.com

I DO European Bridal Couture idoeuropeanbridalcouture. com 5 8th St. S, Fargo

WEDDING PLANNERS, DESIGN & RENTAL

Legacy Acres Events legacyacresevents.com 1643 240th Ave., Halstad, MN

By Request DJ tightjams.com

Kerri Lynn Designs facebook.com/ kerrilynndesigns 1506 Lakeside Dr., Alexandria, MN Kristen’s Bridal & Tuxedo kristensbridal.com 2650 32nd Ave. S, Grand Forks

Beaucoup Events beaucoupevents.com Breath and Relax breatheandrelax weddingcoordinator.com Celebration Concentration celebrationconcentration.com

Leeanne’s Bridal leeannesbridalnd.com 4340 13th Avenue S, Fargo

Complete Weddings + Events completeweddingfargo.com 3212 14th Ave. S. Suite 5, Fargo

Men’s Wearhouse menswearhouse.com 4302 13th Ave S, Fargo

Crown Photo Booth crownphotobooth.info 5200 44th Ave. S, #209, Fargo

Tip Top Tux tttux.com

Distinctly You Events distinctlyyouevents.com

Love Always Events + Floral lovealwaysfloral.com 14 Roberts St., Fargo (studio space by appointment only) Sharper Image Wedding Rentals sharperimageevents.com The White House Co. thewhitehouseco.com 14 Roberts St. N, Fargo

Boss DJ Services bossdjservices.com

D&J Music and Karaoke djmusickaraoke.com Dan’s Mobile Jukebox dansmobilejukebox.com Dance Machine fargodancemachine.com Digital Delight Professional DJ Service digitaldelight.info Double A DJ doubleadj.com

MUSIC 32 Below 32below.net

Dude Walker’s Music on Wheels dudewalker.org Flash Entertainment DJ 67

flashentertainmentdj.com Fuze Mobile Entertainment fuzemobileent.com Harmon Entertainment harmonentertainment.biz Heart&Soul heartsoulfm.com Jim Rivers Productions jimriversproductions.com K Hook khook.com KD Productions kdproductions.net

All Event Photography alleventphotography.com Amara Lea Photography amaraleaphotography.com Ashley Christine Photography ashleychristinephotog.com Autumn Wilson Photography autumnwilson.com Ben Gumeringer Photography bengumeringer.com Blacktie Photobooth blacktiephotobooth.com Blush Photography blushphotography.co

Kick’n Entertainment kicknentertainment weddingservices.com

BNS Photography bnsphotography.net

October Road octoberroadband.com

Britta the Photographer brittathephotographer.com

Pirate Radio Productions pirateradioproductions.net

Brittanyography brittanyography.com

Platinum Plus DJ platinumplusdj.com

Carlina Jane Captures carlinajanecaptures.com

Powerplay DJ powerplaydj.com

Chalcee Schuck Photography chalceeschuckphotography. com

Q5 Band q5band.net The Front Fenders thefrontfenders.com The Roosters theroosters.com Tripwire tripwirefargo.com Zims Entertainment zimsentertainment.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS Admire Photography admirephotographynd.com AB Images abimagesstudio.com Abby Anderson abbyanderson.com Alecs Kay Photography akpphoto.com

Chantell Lauren Photography chantelllaurenphotography.com Chelsea Joy Photography chelseajoyphoto.com Countryside Photography countrysidephotond.com Dan Francis Photography danfrancisphotography.com Eyenoticed Abby & Adam Photo facebook.com/abbypaulphoto Fernweh + Liebe Photography fernwehandliebe.com FloraPine Photography florapinephotography.com Glasser Images glasserimages.com Gregory Photography gregoryphotography.zenfolio. com

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HILLARY EHLEN PHOTOGRAPHY hillaryehlen.com

ALECS KAY PHOTOGRAPHY akpphoto.com

spielmanstudio.com

Haney’s Photography haneysphotography.com

Kaytlin Dargen Photogrpahy kaytlindargen.com

High Photography highphotography.com

Kensie Wallner Photography kensiewallner.com

Hillary Ehlen Photography hillaryehlen.com

Kris Kandel kriskandel.com

Memories Forever Photography mfphotos.net/photography

Images Off Broadway facebook.com/ ImagesOffBroadway

KTography kt-ography.com

Mindy Craig Photography mindycraig.com

J. Alan Paul Photography jalanpaul.com

Kylee Dahl Photography facebook.com/ kyleedahlphotography

mJoy Photography mjoyphotography.com

J. Style Photography jstylephotography.com

Laurel Sexton Photography sextonphotography.com

Jazmin Ciara Photography jazminciaraphotography.net

Limelite Photography limelitephoto.com

Jenna Lenertz Photography jennalenertzphotography.com

Lindsay Kaye Photography lindsay-kaye.com

Kaitlin Morales Photography facebook.com/ kaitlinmoralesphotography Katie Lewis Photography facebook.com/ katielewisphotography

M. Schleif Photography mschleifphotography.com Mataya Creations matayacreations.com

Melissa Dale Photography melissadalephotography.com

Nick Friesen Photography nicholasfriesen.com Nicole Midwest nicolemidwest.com Northern Stories northern-stories.com Nybladh Photography nybladhphotography. smugmug.com Olivia Alnes oliviaalnes.com

Renegade Photography renegadephotography.org Repor Photography reporphotography.com Revel Woods Photography revelwoodsphotography. pixieset.com Sam Bacon Photography sambaconphotos.com Scherling Photography scherlingphotography.com Shawn Rode Photography facebook.com/ shawnrodephotographer Sophie Grace Photography sophiegracephoto.com Steve Harvey Photography steveharvey.photography Taylor Made Photography tmpfargo.com

Meg Spielman Studio 71

EYENOTICED ABBY & ADAM PHOTO facebook.com/abbypaulphoto

Ten Little Chickens Photography by Renee Clasen tenlittlechickensphotography. com Tonya Kay Photography tonyakayphoto.com Two Birds Photgraphy twobirds-photography.com Two Pines Photography and Design twopinesphotography.com Zak Jokela Photography rockymountainwedding photography.com

VIDEOGRAPHERS Eclipse Multimedia & Video eclipsemulti.com Grassfire Studios grassfirestudios.com

Highland Films facebook.com/ highlandweddingfilms

helzberg.com West Acres Mall - 3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo

JK Design and Film jkdesignfilm.com

Kay Jewelers kay.com West Acres Mall - 3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo

Morningside Films LLC morningsideweddings.com Northern Stories northern-stories.com

Puffes Fine Jewelry puffesfinejewelry.com Moorhead Center Mall - 510 Center Ave., Moorhead

JEWELERS

Riddle’s Jewelry riddlesjewelry.com Village West - 4055 13th Ave. S, Fargo

A Cutting Edge acuttingedgejewelry.com 1700 32nd Ave. S, Fargo Classic Jewelers classicjewelersfargo.com 4302 13th Ave. S, Fargo Eide’s Jewelry facebook.com/EidesJewelry 3222 Highway 10 E, Moorhead Helzberg Diamonds

Royal Jewelers royaljewelersfargo.com 73 Broadway N, Fargo Schmidt’s Gems & Fine Jewelry schmidtsjewelry.com 3011 25th St. S, Fargo Crown Jewels crownjewelsfargo.com

4487 Calico Dr. S, Fargo Wimmer’s Diamonds wimmersdiamonds.com 3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo 602 Main Ave., Fargo Zales zales.com West Acres Mall - 3902 13th Ave. S, Fargo

CAKES & DESSERTS 457cake 457cake.com Square One Rental Kitchen1407 1st Ave N, Fargo At Home Bakery athomebakery.net Buttercream Bliss Custom Cakes “Buttercream Bliss Custom Cakes” on Facebook 1407 1st Ave N, Fargo 73

MELISSA DALE PHOTOGRAPHY

melissadalephotography.com

REPOR PHOTOGRAPHY reporphotography.com

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Cashwise cashwise.com 3300 Highway 10 E, Moorhead 1401 33rd St. S, Fargo 4907 Timber Parkway S, Fargo Duchessa Gelato duchessagelato.com Gigi’s Cupcakes gigiscupcakesusa.com 1650 45th St. S., #103, Fargo Hornbacher’s hornbachers.com 950 40th Ave. S, Moorhead 101 11th St. S, Moorhead 2510 Broadway N, Fargo 4151 45th St. S, Fargo 1532 32nd Ave. S, Fargo 4101 13th Ave. S, Fargo Indulgence Baking Co. facebook.com/ indulgencebakingco Love in the Oven Bakery loveintheovenbakery.com Mehl’s Gluten-Free Bakery & Flour Company mehlsglutenfreebakery.com 1404 33rd St S, Suite H, Fargo Milk Made Catering milkmadecatering.com 1407 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND Sandy’s Donuts sandysdonuts.com 301 Main Ave W, West Fargo 300 Broadway N, Fargo

TRANSPORTATION All Occasions Limousine fargolimo.com 212 Park Dr, Harwood, ND Elegant Limousine myndweddings.com 1726 S Washington St., #76, Grand Forks Excaliber Limousine excaliberlimo.net P.O. Box 9991, Fargo Fargo Party Ride fargopartyride.com 3317 Fiechtner Dr., Fargo Noir 8 noireight.com 1908 Burlington Drive, West Fargo Platinum Limousine platinum-limos.com 3008 Roosevelt Dr., Fargo Red River Trails redrivertrails.com 4838 Highway 75 S, Moorhead Rusty K Ranch rustykranch.com 4472 159th Ave. SE, Davenport, ND The Fun Bus thefunbus.net

Sugarplum instagram.com/hellosugarplum

CHALCEE SCHUCK PHOTOGRAPHY chalceeschuck photography.com

Nichole’s Fine Pastry nicholesfinepastry.com 13 8th St. S, Fargo Yeobo Sweet Shop yeobo.co Unglued- 408 Broadway N.

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