Lutsen Mountains

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Wedding

"Hi Lauren." This is how Cole began his first ever message to Laura on eharmony in late September 2016. For some strange reason, Laura responded. She politely corrected him on her name, and the two struck up a conversation.A few weeks later on October 4th, Laura and Cole met for their first date at the Rosedale mall. They were going out for dinner after work. Laura was starving and bordering on hangry. Cole took forever to decide what to order. It was their first test. Thankfully, they made it through dinner. They made plans to hang out again, and then again.Ten days after they met, Cole asked Laura to be his girlfriend. She said yes! They met each other's families and were relieved to find that each other's relatives seemed normal. The next year proved to be the best year ever- filled with lots of Paint Nites, Groupon adventures, movie nights, cooking mishaps, cabin trips, and family time.In the summer, Laura and Cole planned a trip to the north shore. They wanted to visit seven waterfalls along Lake Superior. Cole joked that they should make a scrapbook of their trip and call it "Falling in Love." Laura thought this was cheesy, but she played along. The first waterfall on their trip was Gooseberry Falls, on July 31st 2017. After a short hike up past the high falls, Laura stopped to take some pictures. She took a picture of a cute little bridge and turned around to find Cole down on one knee! He had the most beautiful ring in his hand.Laura and Cole were both ecstatic. They could not stop smiling for their entire trip. They loved being up on the north shore, and are excited to get married there this summer. While they were in Lutsen, they found the perfect spot to get married.Laura and Cole can't wait to celebrate with all of their guests in this place that means so much to them!

 Laura & Cole

Our Story

Details

Photos

Friend of the Groom - Cole has known Johan since 6th Grade.  They hit it off right away and have been friends since.  After going to college at the U of M together, they are now both Woodburians living less than 5 miles from each other.  Alone Cole and Johan are two of the funniest people you can know, but put them together and it's a force to be reckoned with.  

Johan Hedblom

Sister of the Bride - Cole had told Dana about his plans to propose earlier in the summer.  She had a hard time keeping it secret from Laura.  She waited and waited...and waited...until she got a FaceTime call from us in Lutsen on the last day of July, telling her that we were finally engaged.  Her response to Cole: "You made me wait over a month!"

Dana Harelstad

Brother of the Groom - Cole has known Dan since Day 1.  Although Cole was an annoying little brother, Dan always had his back.   That may sound cheesy, but that's ok because they're both cheeseheads. Go Pack!  When Dan found out that the wedding was in Lutsen, his first instinct was to plan a fishing trip on Lake Superior the morning of the wedding!

Dan Snede

Sister of the Groom - Out of everyone in Cole's family, Cara's reaction to the engagement news was the best!  Cole wanted to surprise his family and see if anyone would notice the ring after we got back from our trip.  Cara was the first to notice the ring on Laura's finger.  She grabbed Laura's hand and shrieked "IS THIS REAL?!"

Cara Gessell

Niece of the Groom - When the news of Laura and Cole's engagement broke, Stella was a little bit jealous of all of the attention they were getting.  But she soon became very excited when she found out that she would get to be a flower girl and wear a pretty dress!

Stella

Brother-in-Law of the Groom - First words to Laura after hearing about the engagement:  "Welcome to the Crazy."

Nick Gessell

Niece of the Groom - Mille is totally oblivious to the engagement, the wedding, and being a flower girl! But she will be absolutely adorable!

Millie

Cousin of the Bride - Hanna has met Cole many times over the last year and gotten to know him at family events.  She was so excited when Laura texted her that they were engaged.   When Laura asked Hanna to be her personal attendant for the wedding, Hanna had to Google what the responsibilities of an attendant are! She will do a great job!

Hanna Lewis

Wedding Party

Q + A

Registry

Guests will board the Summit Express Gondola and ride to the Summit Chalet on top of Moose Mountain. The Gondola is located on Ski Hill Road, across from Papa Charlie's restaurantNote:&nbsp;&nbsp;Traffic in the Duluth area may be more congested than usual on June 16th, due to Grandma's Marathon. Guests may consider traveling up on Friday to avoid race-day traffic or allowing extra travel time if they plan to drive up on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Because the North Shore is a popular summer tourist destination, we are encouraging guests to book their lodging accommodations as soon as they are able. A block of rooms has been reserved for our guests at a discounted rate&nbsp;at the Eagle Ridge Resort.&nbsp; When booking, mention the Harelstad-Snede wedding. Other nearby resorts include Caribou Highlands Resort and the Mountain Inn.&nbsp;

Eagle Ridge Resort at Lutsen Mountains

Caribou Highlands Lodge

The Mountain Inn

Travel

The legendary Gooseberry Falls marked the first stop on Laura and Cole's trip. Hike a short distance up past the High Falls to see where Cole proposed to Laura. The three levels of falls are all amazing in any weather - and they're right down the path from the parking lot, making this stop one of the easiest for viewing!

Gooseberry Falls State Park

It was raining the day Laura and Cole stopped at this park, but it was still beautiful! Both of these waterfalls at Tettegouche are spectacular! The High Falls are definitely the fan-favorite, but both are within a short hiking distance.

Tettegouche State Park

Laura and Cole spent the most time at this park of all the seven parks they visited. The falls at Temperance River State Park head right under the highway and make a quick, stunning stop along the way to the next destination.

Temperance River State Park

The Cascades were one of the most amazing stops on Laura and Cole's trip. This park alone has enough waterfalls for an entire day of marveling.

Cascade River State Park

The famed Devil's Kettle and the gorgeous Upper Falls made Judge C.R. Magney one of the best stops on Laura and Cole's trip. Enjoy the mystery of Devil's Kettle, or better yet, try and solve it! Where does the water go?

Judge C.R. Magney State Park

There was a beautiful rainbow the day Laura and Cole visited Grand Portage State Park. Seeing the High Falls on the US-Canada border was an unforgettable experience. They're the highest falls in MN!

Grand Portage State Park

Laura and Cole stopped here after getting engaged at Gooseberry Falls. There is a short hike down to the water with a great view of the lighthouse!