The gravel crunched under the car and as we pulled into the driveway, a huge cabin greeted us. The Mississippi River flowed just behind a huge field that surrounded the cabin. Tranquility at its finest. Inside the cabin, Nicole and Jon each got ready for their wedding day, one hidden upstairs and the other downstairs. At their sides were 30 of their closest family members and friends. To say that Cody and I were honored to be a part of this wedding day doesn’t even come close to explaining just how special this day was.

Nicole’s sister Emily was frosting the cake while in her bridesmaid’s dress. Jon’s sister Claire was rounding up Nicole and Jon’s dog for his ring bearer duties. Nicole’s high school friend Tanner, now a florist, was putting the finishing touches on the bouquets. And that’s only to name a FEW of the people who helped make this day special for Nicole and Jon. What I’m trying to describe is the incredible kindness and joy that each person involved in this day emulated.

When Nicole stepped into her dress and held her bouquet, her mother and sister couldn’t hold back their tears. As she slowly walked down the grand staircase in the cabin, it was literally a moment out of a fairytale. Jon, anxious to see his bride, was lead with his eyes closed out to the field where Nicole was waiting. When he turned around, Nicole was all smiles and I’m pretty certain Jon was contemplating how he could get so lucky to have a girl like Nicole.

Nicole and Jon are incredibly loyal, humble, and kind people. I love experiencing wedding days because it is a time for everyone to shower the bride and groom with praise and encouragement. Many people rarely hear the truth about who they are from those that they love, and wedding days provide the opportunity for the people closest to the bride and groom to share. Each word that was shared about Nicole and Jon uplifted their strong characters of kindness. It was obvious that their parents, family and their friends have all experienced times when Nicole and Jon have loved them well.

The ceremony was not free of tears: tears of missing loved ones who couldn’t be present on their special day, tears after hearing the words of thanks to each of their parents, tears of laughter after Jon’s silly vows, and tears of joy after finally becoming husband and wife. Cody and I definitely couldn’t keep our eyes dry while we were experiencing such a special and intimate ceremony setting.

At dinner, Nicole’s grandmother explained the history of wedding ceremonies, and the importance of a dinner together to “seal the deal” of the promise of commitment to each other in marriage. How special that each of their guests got to share one table together, that conversations of laughter, joy, and memories floated from one end of the table to the other.

I could go on and on about this wedding day, and use the words special, kind, and intimate ad nauseam and it still wouldn’t describe just how incredible this day was. So, I hope that the photos will give you a sense of these two wonderful people and the beautiful wedding day they created.

 

Nicole and Jon- Cody and I can’t stop thinking about how special your wedding day was. We were so blessed to have witnessed it. We know that you will have an extraordinary marriage if you continue serving each other well, staying committed to improving yourselves and your relationship, and never lose your goofy senses of humor! We are rooting for you both!! xoxo, Andrea + Cody

Thank you to these incredible vendors who made this day possible:

Venue: The River Lodge

Florist: Tanner James Floral

Cake – Emily Trautsch

Makeup + Hair – Fine Line Hair Design

Dress – David’s Bridal

Tux – Men’s Wearhouse

Caterer- Prairie Bay, Baxter MN

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