It is the intimate celebrations that draw me in. Close friends and family sharing in the deep love and emotion that two people share on their wedding day. The whispered moments, the nervous anticipation laced with excitement and joy. Leather bound journals scrawled with words like a poem by Pablo Neruda, professing an eternity of love for one another. And in all that, I get to move freely through the most intimate parts of a wedding and am given the important task of weaving those moments together. For that I am grateful.
Bree & Matthew started their celebration at the ridiculously quaint Charmont Hotel in La Crosse, WI. An old chocolate factory converted into a boutique hotel for honeymooners and travelers alike, this place was tops. Claw foot bathtubs, old gears converted into gorgeous chandeliers, floor tiling that transported you back to the 50’s and an espresso that is literally to die for. A perfect blend of style while maintaining a relaxed and low key quality to it, this place was the perfect compliment to Matt and Bree’s personalities. Before moving onto the ceremony location, Matt carefully wrote his vows in a leather book with Bree’s initials on it, a gift for later, and sipped a whiskey with his best man and best woman in the parlor of The Charmont. Bree zipped into her sleek fitted dress and as a finishing touch inscribed a message in an Atlas of The Human Body book for Matt (a nod to his current study in medicine). The ceremony took place at a Valley High Golf Club in Houston, MN. A place owned by close friends of the bride and groom, nestled into the rolling hills of southern Minnesota. For a brief moment rain spattered the guests, but the sun prevailed and the hand crafted ceremony, performed by Bree’s best friend was rich with sentiment. Before taking a brief getaway in a gorgeous vintage roadster, the two drove off in a golf cart to share laughter and relief to be with one another and ready to celebrate.
Congratulations Bree & Matthew. Your love is boundless as I’m sure your adventures will be while you walk this journey together.
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.”
― Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
