Jessica + Michael : Sophisticated Summer Owatonna Country Club Wedding

This wedding. 

There are some days that just really drive home WHY I do what I do and why I continue to work SO HARD to show Southern Minnesota why having a wedding coordinator for your wedding day is something that EVERY bride should plan on for her wedding day. 

Jessica took the helm and navigated her way through all of the planning, from the photographers, to the DJ, to the party bus, to the hair and makeup team and all of the other vendors involved in a wedding day, but wanted someone there with her on her wedding day to take over so that she could enjoy the day and focus on more important things…like MIMOSAS and MICHAEL! 

These two had a beautiful ceremony in a teeny tiny church that holds only about 75 people but so much history and will always be a memorable spot for them, especially because it’s just a short tractor ride away from the new home they built together, I know…*swoon*….it’s a fairy tale…the Prince takes the Princess back to their castle after the wedding on a stallion…in this case named John Deere (and yes..that is my bride poppin’ that champagne before getting in the cab…a girl after my own heart #champsdrinkchamps)

Anyone in Southern Minnesota knows that last summer was RAINY, and this day in August was no exception, there was flooding at the reception location, washed out roads leading to the ceremony, even the creek at the bride and groom’s home was running over the bridge! 

We carried umbrellas, dried off golf carts, held bouquets, handed out water and gatorade (gotta love that MN humidty), and kept everyone dry and happy, well….as dry as we could anyway. No one seemed to mind a little sprinkle here and there. 

The bridesmaids and the bride wore cowboy boots, and the groom and groomsmen kept it classy in their tuxes. 

The Groom was adamant that his guests be served the best meal and we did worked hard to be sure that every guest was in their seat and ready to go at 6:00 pm sharp so that the entire staff at the Owatonna Country Club could serve each guest their steak dinner when the steak was PERFECTLY done. This part of the day was pulled off like a beautiful ballet, it was wonderful to watch and made me so happy, knowing this was something that was so important to my couple, and so important to the venue. This is a huge feat to accomplish with a large group of guests and a bar attached to the main dining room…we often have to shut down the bar so that people will be seated, and in this case…that is exactly what we did. What can I say… a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, we needed the servers walking at 6 on the dot or ELSE. I have to say, as a wedding coordinator, I typically ask the venue to hold my meal for me in a to-go container until around 8:30pm or 9:00pm once the entire group is dancing and I can take a little breather to eat, the OCC held my steak in their warmer until 9:30 and friends….I cut it with my FORK when they brought it out to me…and it was DELICIOUS…it is going to take A LOT to impress me after that…incredible work by the Owatonna Country Club. 

Beyond all of that, the timing, the logistics, the rain, the moments pictured below are exactly why I continue to preach that having a Day-of Coordinator is so incredibly important…peaceful, meaningful time with your loved ones on your wedding day…

Brides, Mothers of Brides, Fathers of Brides, Grooms…this day will go SO FAST. I know it sounds like the same crap everyone says all the time, but it really and truly does. How do you think I work a 20 hour day on a wedding day, it goes FAST. Do not underestimate the amount of TIME you will be spending chasing down items and people, and giving instructions, or solving problems on your/yourdaughter’s/yourson’s wedding day if you do not have a wedding coordinator there to handle all of those things. BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENTS…ALL OF THEM. 

I will shout this to everyone until the day I leave this earth, life is too short, the moments move too fast, let someone help you enjoy them on your wedding day. You only get this day once. 

So go on…plan that dream day…hire those awesome photographers (*cough cough* Midwest LifeShots)…pick out those amazing florals…land the perfect venue with the perfect menu…

But let me be there to help you enjoy it all…

ooorr……push you and the new hubs out onto the deck with the photographers and run through your reception venue in a full sprint for your bouquet when the most perfect rainbow ever appears…..

Thank you Jessica and Michael for letting Meaningful Moments be there for you on your incredible wedding day! 

Cheers! 

XOXO, Amber