Villa Bellezza

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

AmericInn Lodge & Suites Wabasha

Gift Opening

Our Wedding

With a constant itch for travel is where this story begins&hellip;

Coming from the same small town where everybody knows everybody we were worlds apart as our 7 year gap in age would prolong our world’s from colliding.







&nbsp;We went to different colleges and lived in different areas. We got to learn about who we are as individuals and what we’d want to find in our soul partner.





In the fall of 2014 we were both seeking new adventures to explore. As luck would happen we were both living in Minneapolis. We got in contact with each other to talk about our travels and share our stories. What ended up happening was an amazing night on the town hopping around place to place taking in the sights of the city.





After a few more rendezvouses we decided what better way to get to know each other then an epic trip to NYC for NYE, something that was on both of our bucket lists. We came up with a plan of attack and headed east. We ate at incredible restaurants, explored various districts and took on the true test: New Years Eve in Times Square.





This night could be a story in itself but to keep it short and sweet we spent 9 hours of human survival getting to know each other on so many levels. It was the true test that we both conquered together and our love was born.





Over the next few years we made various lists of places to visit, local restaurants to try and other things to explore. Building memories we went to Seattle, Chicago, Mexico, Alaska, Costa Rica and Scandinavia. With each of our travels we got to know each other on a deeper level and our love continued to grow. We knew that this was a love that could last a lifetime.

How we met

We both have a deep appreciation for fall. We planned a weekend getaway up the North Shore to take in the colors changing and to get outside and see the amazing waterfalls. One thing we love to do is plan our travels to make sure we see and experience all we can with the time we have. 

&nbsp;We started our trip camping at Split Rock State Park on Friday night. We had an awesome camp site tucked away in the woods only a few hundred feet from Lake Superior.



&nbsp;The next morning we got up and continued our way up the North Shore. Our first stop was at Temperance State Park which was the 1st&nbsp;of 7 planned waterfalls to see over the weekend. To keep things coy, Nate planned to setup a camera at each waterfall to take pictures so Alli would think this was going to be the norm throughout the trip.



&nbsp;For the next stop we headed all of the way up to Grand Portage State Park as this is where the highest waterfall in the state is. After taking pictures, here we started our hike to the middle falls. We trekked in about 2 miles and then came across the beautiful site of the falls. After setting up the camera Nate had Alli face the falls with her back to him. When she turned around Nate presented Alli’s moms wedding ring to explain the meaning behind the love he had for her as Alli always talked about the incredible love that her parents shared before her dad past in 2009. With Alli caught in the moment Nate got down on one knee and presented the real ring to Alli. She said, “Of course!”.

The engagement

Our Story

Details

Kortney and Nate met in 5th&nbsp;grade at Hawley elementary school. Kortney was the kid that traveled, had fancy jeans and was instantly super cool, he had to be Nate’s friend. Bonding over recess football, after school snowmobile sessions and other shenanigan’s, their grade school adventures were just the beginning. &nbsp;Over the course of high school they became closer friends in sports, the arts and played in a band together rocking out to the grunge of the 90s. They both went their own directions after high school but remained very close as every time they would meet up it would be some kind of celebration.&nbsp;The real bond is that they both share the core small town values that their friendship is based on. Kortney lives in Golden, CO and works for PG Environmental making sure the world’s rivers and streams are there for the next generation and has 2 super awesome Vizslas, Lily and Bode.

Kortney Kirkeby

Megan is Alli's older sister (only by 13 months!) and they had&nbsp;always been super close growing up. Alli always looked up to Megan as the 'cool girl' and wanted her opinion and advice on all of life's questions and mysteries. From childhood to adulthood, they have traveled the world together, making memories all over Europe, Thailand and Japan, Mexico, the Caribbean&nbsp;and the United States. Their relationship has become stronger over the years and continues to grow. Megan is working for Pediatric Therapy Partners as their marketing specialist&nbsp;and is living in Moorhead with her husband, Brady and their fur baby, Tank.&nbsp;

Megan Berndt

Adam and Nate worlds crossed paths at the University of Minnesota, Duluth where they both attended college. The “1520” house was a mutual meeting spot where the&nbsp;conversations started. They became much closer as the real world set in. After they both moved to Minneapolis they decided that going out was much more fun than staying in so they explored often. Adam then moved to Seattle for work but that only made things more epic as now the visits are based on travel and adventure. They have traveled to foreign lands like Canada and Japan together. They also share the same drive, work ethic, big ideas, love for travel and understand how to cut loose. Adam still lives in Seattle and works for Amazon managing teams of people that make everyone love Amazon that much more and is engaged to Kathleen.

Adam Duncan

Theresa and Alli met on a sunny September day in a freshmen biology review session. Upon meeting, they decided to study together and that's when the weird magic of their friendship bloomed. In college, people didn't even know one without the other, Theresa and Alli, Alli and Theresa, always inseparable. They lived together for years in the sorority house, playing pranks on each other and the rest of the house, loving every minute of it. Their friendship continued after college when Theresa moved to Denver for 3 years to study nursing and became a registered nurse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Alli of course, would visit twice a year and they would ski, hike and explore mountain towns. Theresa now lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Joe and their fur baby, Winston,&nbsp;and works&nbsp;at Children's Hospital in St. Paul.&nbsp;

Theresa Wallin

Ryan Sexe (you can’t leave his last name out) is the only reason that Nate got into trouble since college. Jokes aside, Ryan became a great friend as he can’t sit still and neither can Nate. Running into each other Nate’s freshman year at UMD in Ryan’s cousin’s dorm, Ryan had the “house off campus” that turned into the go to for nightly get-togethers. Neighbors loved it and so did we, so much Nate moved in the next year.&nbsp;Later they both moved down to the twin cities entering into the real world. Nate indirectly introduced Ryan to his now wife, Anna and the rest is history. Ryan works for Wells Fargo making sure the people that work on your mortgages are legit. The little apple of his eye is his daughter, Addison.

Ryan Sexe

Hannah and Alli met during Sophomore year of college when Hannah joined Kappa Alpha Theta, the sorority they were involved in during their college years. They became quite close;&nbsp;attending formals, football games and planning social outings together. Alli spent quite a bit of time with Hannah and her now husband, Shawn, claiming she wasn't the third wheel but she was the main wheel and they were her sidekick wheels. Hannah&nbsp;is currently&nbsp;working at the North Dakota Autism Center, providing in-home therapy for clients. Hannah and Shawn&nbsp;live in Grand Forks, North Dakota raising their little dude, Dean.&nbsp;

Hannah Senescall

Andrea and Alli met when Alli moved to Hawley in 7th grade. As the new kid in town, Andrea took Alli under her wing (along with their two other besties; Brianne and Lacey) and that's when their friendship started and Alli was invited into the world of eating tasty sandwiches Sandy would make them after school.&nbsp;They continued to be quite involved in high school, enjoying student council, dance and pop singers together. The next step in their journey involves them both heading off to college at NDSU where they spent time attending Bison football games and growing into the women they are today. Andrea is currently living in Moorhead, with her fur baby, Smith, and works as a registered nurse at Sanford Hospital and she is super pumped that Alli will officially be her sister!

Andrea Maydole

Brian and Nate where “bros” ever since they met first week freshman year in the Griggs L dorm at UMD. Both, with carefree personalities, were pretty much up for anything and figured out plenty of ways to have fun with avoiding getting into too much trouble. Climbing&nbsp;closed down ski jumps, road trips, snowboarding, slapping the bass, RBI Baseball,&nbsp;watching Super Troopers&nbsp;and other normal college activities were in the fabric of the relationship. After freshman year they ended up living together all throughout college until they both moved down to the twin cities remaining close “bros”. Annually they do a trip down the Great River Wine Trail and it just so happens that the wedding will be this year’s version of that. Brian works for Monroe, Moxness and Berg law firm crunching numbers and other tasks that he’s grown to kickass at. Brian has a son, Aiden and a wife Diana.

Brian Sorlie

Chris is just one of those people that you want and need to be your friend. Caring, compassionate and one hell of a listener, Nate and Chris have known each other since college. They’ve had the pleasure of working together as well as playing volleyball, broomball, cabin kitchen dance parties and basement jam sessions together. They both share the passion of creative capture, try-storming and the outdoors. Once the conversation gets started it’s hard to stop. Chris works at SixSpeed developing strategies for the world’s most adventurous brands and his girlfriend Corinna and him live just down the street.

  

Chris Hergott

Rudi and Alli are&nbsp;long-time childhood&nbsp;friends.&nbsp;Well, Rudi is technically Megan's (the bride's sister) best friend from childhood but Alli always tagged along with them growing up and that's how their friendship grew and Rudi became more of a sister to the&nbsp;both of them then a friend.&nbsp;The three of them&nbsp;would spend summers together, running around lake country, eating Zorbaz and swimming out into the middle of the lake on blow-up floaties. Although Rudi has lived&nbsp;in South Dakota for over 7 years, their friendship continues to grow. Rudi owns her own restaurant in Hill City, called Desperados, and is raising her daughter, Elizabeth (the flower girl) there.&nbsp;

Rudi McDaniels

Adam and Nate grew up together in Hawley where they became friends comparing subwoofers in the trunks of their cars. Adam and Nate shared the most famous road trip that two people can ever have. While driving from Minneapolis down to the border of Mexico they made lifelong memories. Followed up by working&nbsp;and riding together every day to their&nbsp;Classic Concrete jobs,&nbsp;these guys knew how to make the worst of times become the best. Adam is married to Amanda and they have a little peanut, Molly.

Adam Axvig

Lacey and Alli's friendship began when Alli moved to Hawley in the 7th grade. They started out playing volleyball together (Alli didn't last long in that sport) and enjoyed watching Johnny Depp films outside of&nbsp;high school. Lacey moved to Minneapolis about a year ago and Alli and her enjoy their adventures in the city; attending comedy shows, viewing art at the MIA and going to trivia at different locations around the city. Lacey is currently working as the program coordinator for Quality Auditing LLC and lives in Minneapolis.

Lacey Anderson

Brianne and Alli's friendship started when Alli moved to Hawley in the 7th grade. After meeting and realizing their combined love for being&nbsp;goofy and joking around, their relationship bloomed! There would be many instances in dance line and choir that they would get in trouble for laughing too much, as if that is a bad thing to be doing. After a decade and a half, they both continue to laugh together, now while drinking wine and crafting. Brianne lives in Hawley, Minnesota and works at Bell State Bank in Fargo as a retail trainer.

Brianne Schultz

Joe and Nate meet at the best jobs they’ll ever have, a liquor store in Duluth. They both are the most sarcastic people you’ll ever meet and have always had a great time not taking life too seriously. Joe has some serious dance moves so be prepared to witness them at the wedding. Joe is married to Jennie and Nate had the honor to be their officiant. They also have a little dude named Rocco.

Joe Haight

Beau is not only Nate’s brother-in-law but also someone who Nate calls a great friend. Being only a few years a part in schooling at Hawley, Beau and Nate had the pleasure of participate in the most memorable class together (choir), sports and musicals. Like two peas from the same pod they both love to tell stories, crack jokes and look at life and the humor that accompanies it. Having the common interests of sports, Nintendo, music from the past and the outdoors, to name a few, makes family gathering that much better. Beau is a 3rd grade teacher and lives in Hawley. Beau is married to Nate’s sister Tonia and has three boys, Jonathan, Carter and Luke. Beau is listed as a&nbsp;groomsman as he would have been if Alli and Nate didn't ask him to also be their officiant.&nbsp;

Beau Lofgren

Wedding Party

Photos

Q + A

Registry

We have a room block&nbsp;at this location and we will also&nbsp;be having a complimentary shuttle running to the wedding venue prior to the ceremony and back to the hotel during the reception.&nbsp;

We will be providing a complimentary shuttle from the AmericInn Wabasha to&nbsp;Villa Bellezza&nbsp; prior to the ceremony and&nbsp;back to the AmericInn Wabasha during the reception and into the evening.

Shuttle Information

We have a room block of 10 at this location and for a 10% discount, use 'Olson' in the access code section at checkout!

Eagles on the River & Historic Anderson Hotel House

Located 0.4 miles away from the AmericInn Wabasha that we will be running a free shuttle to and from the wedding venue!&nbsp;

Coffee Mill Inn & Suites

Has both rooms and an RV park should you decide to bring your RV! Only located 1 mile away from the AmericInn Wabasha that we will be running a free shuttle to and from the wedding venue!

Big River Resort

Located less than 1 mile away from Villa Bellezza!

Great River Amish Inn

HOTEL&nbsp;TOO -&nbsp;Located 0.5 miles from Villa Bellezza!

Lake Pepin Campground

AmericInn Lodge & Suites Lake City

Travel

Villa Bellezza offers free tours of the grounds on Saturday and Sundays at 11:30 am. Feel free to head over, grab a glass of wine and check out the vineyard before the wedding!

Located on top of a bluff, this vineyard has a great view and is another one we usually stop at during our MN/WI wine tour!

Danzinger Vineyards

The National Eagle Center is a landmark interpretive center on the banks of the Mississippi River in Wabasha, MN. Visitors can meet rescued bald and golden eagles up close and learn more about them in interactive exhibits and engaging daily programs. Live eagle progams offered at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

National Eagle Center

Great panoramic views of the Mississippi River Valley, one of the highest points from Stillwater to La Crosse.

Buena Vista Park

Ecker's Apple Farm

Nestled in the Mississippi River valley grand bluffs of Lake City, The Jewel Golf Club offers up a unique golf experience. Designed by three time U.S. Open Winner, Hale Irwin, the course winds throughout 800 acres of the river valley. Routed through a variety of terrain, the course was designed with five sets of tee boxes in order to accommodate golfers of any ability.

The Jewel Golf Club

Golf Course located in Wabasha, MN.

The Bluffs At Coffee Mill Golf Course

The premier kayaking and outdoor education guiding service on the Upper Mississippi River.&nbsp;Offering tours on the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin in the Wabasha area.

Alli & Nathan

Alli & Nathan

Photos