Richard and Rachel shared a gorgeous mid-September day at the Van Dusen Mansion in Minneapolis. The Van Dusen was an elegant and classic setting for their day: ornately decorated parlors, a grand piano, sitting rooms, and a grand stair case that led to impressive  carved-wood arch ways, filled the weathered red brick edifice. A cobblestone courtyard, complete with an arbor dripping with floral arrangements decorated by Sadie’s Floral, put Richard and Rachel center stage for their ceremony. Surrounded by friends and family, they said their “I do’s”  under a sunny afternoon sky. After dinner they kicked off their night of revelry in the carriage house. Guests danced their faces off on the first floor while those who enjoyed a more subdued atmosphere, took in the action outside under the lights. The cobblestone site of ceremony had transformed into a scene from a Parisian cafe: small groups of friends at tables, bathed in the twinkle lights hanging from above, sipping cocktails and enjoying the coolness of the early fall air. Richard and Rachel stretched the joy of the day, sharing the last minutes of the evening alone in the now quiet rooms of the mansion.

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone, we find it with another” – Thomas Merton

Vendor List

Florist: Sadie’s Couture Floral
Dress shop:  Bridal accents
Photo booth: VIP photo booth
DJ:  Bellagala
Cake: Buttercream
Officiant: Cara Tollefson
Ceremony musicians: Loring String Quartet
Caterer: Mintahoe
Linens: Linen Effects
Planning & Design: Vanessa Sexton Events
Venue: Van Dusen Mansion