A Contemporary Wedding With Vintage Flair at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minnesota

For their early-August wedding, Marissa and Joseph planned a timeless affair with a vintage-meets-modern flair and plenty of personal touches. The pair kept things local, gathering together their families and friends at the Sanford Center in their hometown of Bemidji, Minnesota. “It’s where we fell in love and where our hearts always are,” Marissa says. “The venue is in a great location right on Lake Bemidji and has a patio and a room with windows looking out onto the water.” The day kicked off with a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Philip's Church, the same church that Joseph attended as a child, followed by a fun-filled evening of dinner and dancing. Marissa and Joseph totally transformed the Sanford Center into a stunning fusion of contemporary and classic styles, infusing the space with elegant ivory and blush blooms accented with wispy ferns, gilded details that gave the decor a regal feel and sweet Minnesota-shaped table numbers that showed off a little state pride. For the head table, KD Floral created a stunning hanging centerpiece with cascading greenery, seasonal flowers and silvery eucalyptus, as well as a table runner designed in a similar style. Candlelight added a warm, romantic ambiance to each tablescape, while hand-sewn lace chair covers made by Joseph’s mother and custom wax seals on the escort cards and linens gave the day an personalized feel. “The one thing that stands out most to us was our thank-you cards that we worked on together,” Marissa says. “They described how thankful we were to have such great people be a part of our new lives together.” A tip from Marissa and Joseph: “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Appreciate your engagement and your wedding—it’s magical and a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Soak up every minute!”