by: If you've been keeping up with our blog series Truly Engaged then you know that Rachel, our web content writer, has been chronicling her wedding planning through these thoughtful and informative posts. Well, Rachel and Tim were married in September and we're delighted to share it with you today! A story in itself, Rachel and Tim's wedding is a gorgeous fusion of color, culture and celebration. And a beautiful fete of family and festivity! Enough from me--here is our beautiful bride to share a few highlights from this celebrated chapter in their lives ...
Tim is Indo-Caribbean, and I'm a Swedish Midwesterner. It was complicated, but we found ways to incorporate Indian, Jamaican, Swedish, and Minnesotan elements into the wedding! The goal was a seamless integration. Instead of segmenting the day into isolated cultural components, we wanted all the elements to sort of coexist together in harmony ... which resonates with our philosophy as a couple.
Wedding Style: Romantic, rustic, with a vibrant, multicultural twist
Wedding Colors: Sapphire, Teal, Aqua, and Gold
Ceremony & Reception: Centennial Lakes Park, Edina, Minnesota
Photography: Megan Wendt Photo + Design
Invitations, Favors & Thank Yous: MagnetStreet Weddings
Advice I'm glad I took
I didn't want to sign the marriage license before the ceremony, but certain logistics prevented us from being able to do it after the ceremony. Tim suggested we make it a part of the ceremony itself, and so we did! Although it wasn't the "traditional" way to do it, I felt proud to celebrate both the civil and spiritual confirmation of our marriage in front of loved ones.
Advice I wish I had taken
We chose not to have a receiving line, since we snuck away on the paddleboat right after the ceremony. However, I felt more pressure at the reception to make sure I acknowledged and said hi to each guest. I feel bad that I may not have been able to individually speak to each of our guests.
{Rachel and Tim personalized Floral Flourish Foldover Pocket Wedding Invitation in their signature Sapphire Blue. Gorgeous no?!}
Best part of the entire day?
Saying our self-written vows in front of each other, and in front of our loved ones. It was such an authentic, intimate and emotional moment. I may be the writer by profession, but Tim stunned me with his beautifully poetic words. And when he broke down during his vows...I knew I was a goner! The whole crowd was in tears by the time we were done.
Biggest piece of advice for planning brides?
Focus on the ceremony as much as the reception. We put a lot of thought into personalizing each element of the ceremony, and the result was a beautifully intimate service that felt truly representative to us as a couple. It was the perfect way to begin our marriage!
Highlighted Moments
Singing to my husband
I had always wanted to sing at my wedding. My cousin Stephen helped make that a reality by agreeing to perform a duet with me. We turned "Marry Me" by Train into an acoustic duet, and it was wonderful! I was really nervous, but looking at Tim as I sang, my nerves just melted and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.
Paddleboat and Balloon Release
Immediately after the ceremony, we boarded a paddleboat and paddled out to the exact spot on the lake where Tim had proposed to me while ice skating 8 months prior. We had anchored balloons at that spot, and when we arrived, we released them into the air to honor both our love, and the love of our loved ones who have passed on before us.
Multi-Cultural Details
For the centerpieces, we used tree slabs that my (late) grandpa had cut down from his Minnesota farm. We placed them on top of vibrant scraps of sari fabric that I had ordered from India on etsy.
For the buffet dinner, we served delicious curry goat (an Indo-Jamaican staple) from an Indian restaurant, but used Midwestern cheeses and Swedish meatballs for appetizers.
Another Highlight: Family Band Performance
Local Rhythm, performed live at the reception (they did awesome!). Toward the end of their set, my dad and brother joined in to perform "Sweet Caroline", a Neil Diamond classic. My dad did the vocals (he sounds eerily like Neil!), and my brother jazzed up the song with his alto saxophone. It was so much fun, singing and dancing along! The guests loved it, too.
Starting with Enchanted Encounter Save the Date Magnet, Tim and Rachel carried their bold color scheme to the rest of their wedding items: and a modified version of Floral Flourish Pocket Invite, Waking Beauty Thank You Cards and Poppy Dots design for the Organza Bags & Favor Tags.
Vendor Shout Out
Megan Wendt Photo + Design (Photography)
Megan did a fantastic job! She beautifully captured the colors, details, and moments of the day. Our large, outdoor park venue required a lot of running around in the heat—Megan was a real trooper, though! She made sure to get the shots that Tim and I felt were important, and then used her creative eye to capture unique angles/poses that we never would have thought of on our own.
Best of India (Buffet Dinner)
DELICIOUS! Everyone RAVED about the curry goat, chicken, and naan. Each dish was flavorful, rich, and artfully seasoned with authentic spices (but without being overly spicy). Autul, the owner, was so friendly and accommodating—he really took the time to help us select unique buffet dishes that would please the diverse palates of our guests.
Rev. Leslie Ann Johnson (Officiant)
Leslie was amazing! She was everything we could have asked for: professional, kind, flexible, open-minded. She understood that Tim and I had a lot of personalized elements from multiple faiths/cultures that we wanted to incorporate, and she found ways to beautifully weave them together. She crafted a beautiful ceremony script, filled with language that truly represented us as a couple. We absolutely loved it!
MagnetStreet Weddings
Although I write for MagnetStreet, my wedding enabled me to experience the company as a fellow bride-to-be. I love to be creative (and in control!), and I can be a little picky about colors. MagnetStreet is well suited for people like me! I loved being able to personally pick all the colors for my designs, and at no extra cost. And the designers were very accommodating when I requested special tweaks to my design. A lot of online stationers really limit the amount of changes you can make, or charge extra for it. It's refreshing that MagnetStreet offers so much flexibility and control over the design.
Much love and thanks Tim and Rachel for sharing your colorful, thoughtful multi-cultural wedding with the whole world. By the way, there's even more hi-res loveliness to be had at Megan's blog right here.
xo
