I had almost forgotten about this little gem...

When I was about 19, I had the pleasure of working for a little coffee shop/ lunch bistro right on St. Anthony Main named the Aster Cafe. It has a quaint little courtyard- patio area off to the side of it that would be great for a ceremony... the catch? I can almost guarantee it will not be enough space to hold all of our guests. But that doesn't mean it's not worth a shot! Stay Positive!

As I kept looking for a more suitable venue, I stumbled across Five. What used to be the fifth police precinct building of Minneapolis has now been transformed into a classy, edgy, and modern event space. This place really screamed Ryan to me seeing as he's so into the newer and more clean-cut style of things.


To Rent Five it is $3,600 but the downside is the ceremony seating only accommodates 180. Outside caterers are allowed with a license, and are usually around $3000 minimum. 

Another awesome spot that I feel is a great historical landmark is the Varsity Theater.



While still with Ovation, we played a wedding there that was stunning. The lighting was fantastic, the sound system
flawless, food was equally stellar, and the general vibe was welcoming and well-executed. I checked the calendar for their events and found that the 25th is the only date the have available in May! Please please tell me this is things just working out again.
First it was getting the ocean view room on the ninth floor in Mexico, second,
 it was having sun on the day we had our engagement pictures taken,
and that was the ONLY day we had sun...THEN it was getting in to a 'fully reserved' restaurant at the last minute on one of our last nights at the hotel. Things really do just have a way of working out for us :)So, I called, and I hope to speak with them soon about possibly booking a showing and reserving the room. Fingers Crossed!

To rent the Varsity Theater it is $7,500. The Buffet starts at $35 a plate and plated dinners start with $50 a plate. That means it will be approximately $15,000 or so to feed 300 people. Goodness this food is going to be death of me! It's damn near impossible to find somewhere that will A) Let me cook, or B) Let me cook. Everywhere has their specific caterers and such... sigh... I guess we will just have to go with the flow on this one.

I've always wanted to get married in my beloved Minneapolis. Somewhere in the heart of the city, near the infamous Grain Belt insignia, the aesthetically appealing Hennepin Bridge, the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge, and most of all the breathtaking skyline.

I strong part of me feels we should get married in the city, maybe at an outside venue by Riverplace, on Nicollet Island, or near home in Nordeast. These are the places I remember the most growing up. The places that will make it impossible for me to ever forget the city in which I come from.

After poking around online, being addicted to Pinterest for literally, I kid you not, the last 7 months of my life,  ( Thanks again Moll Doll!!) and kind of / sort of already planning a wedding before Ryan even asked me.. (yes, I am SO guilty.. When you know you know, right??!) I've had my eye fixed on a few places that I think would really suit our style.

 First, is the Nicollet Island Pavillion, not to be confused with the Nicollet Island Inn. This has the potential to be a PERFECT venue, BUT, the food prices are extremely steep! I was thinking, possibly, that maybe we could have just the ceremony there, right on the river, and then hold the cocktail hour/reception at a different venue.

This is where they hold the actual ceremony. A beautiful landscape  that captures the Mississippi River.

To rent the Nicollet Island Pavillion, it costs about $2,000 with an extra $500 for the ceremony, and that's not including chair rental. It can accommodate over 400 people, which is terrific and all,but not if the minimum food cost is expected to be $13,000!!!! Holy Sh*t!

I've always loved the month of  May, not just because it's the month of my birthday, but because the lilacs finally bloom for 2 weeks, (and what a sweet, springy-smelling 2 weeks it is!) the sun really comes out to play, and the summer finally feels like it's here to stay a while. It looks like the last Saturday in May is the 25th, because the Saturday after will be June 1st, god-forbid I be a June Bride!!! :)

I am so proud to be his Fiancee'... and I can't wait to be his wife

  A dream destination vacation turned into a real- live dream come true! My very first time in Mexico couldn't have been more amazing! The morning after Ryan and I arrived in Nuevo Vallarta was Valentine's Day, and, although corny and cliche', Ryan got down on one knee and proposed. We were in our hotel room, alone, and he completely caught me off guard. I mean, really, I had my bathing suit top on, but no bottoms, and could not have been more shocked! He told me he had to do it then because he couldn't have waited any longer or else he would have thrown up! I hugged him hard, cried the happiest tears of my life and told him 'Yes, Ryan, I will be your wife.'

   We had a great day at the pool and had an even better time talking openly about everything to Greg and Kathy (Greg almost let it slip a few times but I never caught on, and Kathy couldn't wait to FINALLY talk about the wedding!) Afterwards we had reservations at the Vista Grill, an amazing open-air restaurant set into the high hills of Puerto Vallarta, a different world within a different world. The cab passed through the narrow streets of shack-like houses, over rough cobblestones only to bring us to one of the most classy and breathtaking places I have ever been. After sharing a bottle of wine, eating a fantastic meal, and toasting to a beautiful future, we headed back to the Grand Mayan to celebrate in our room.

 As we walked into the tremendous entryway, Ryan told me that he 'may have one more surprise' for me. How on earth could this day get any better??!!?! I turned the corner to the five smiling faces of my Moll Doll, Breckley, Hanna, Kayla, and Katie. This day COULD and DID get better! My jaw dropped to my knees..seriously, I believe there are pictures!

 It took a while for everything to sink in, 2 days at the very least. Ryan did a killer job and I couldn't have asked for a  more romantic, spontaneous- yet- meticulously planned, everything I could have dreamed of proposal. To top things off, Kathy offered for us take our engagement photos right there on the beach in Mexico, as you can see, they turned out pretty well. :)

We're just a Couple-A Bears In Love.