Green Acres Event Center

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Wedding

The Love Story of: Melissa Salmon &amp; James Etie You typically shouldn't pretend to be married to a stranger that you just met minutes earlier. It probably won't get you more than an eye roll from the unwilling bystander. Unless, of course, you happen to be James and Melissa, with whom all rules of love are defied and real magic happens.***************On the first night that James met Melissa, he introduced her as his wife to a friend that he hadn't seen in awhile. They had only just met a few hours earlier, at the birthday party of a mutual friend, but they already felt incredibly comfortable with each other right from the start - comfortable enough even to joke that they were married. This trivial moment of foreshadowing sparked the initiation of their whirlwind romance, and eventual engagement, just a mere 15 months later, but we'll get to that in a bit.After being introduced as his wife, Melissa, being a good sport, responded with, "If we're married, then where's my ring?" Searching for a logical reason as to why he wouldn't have hypothetically gotten her a ring, James jokingly replied, "I got you a green Mercedes instead." Which, of course, also wasn't the case, but for some reason, were the first words out of his mouth. That seemed to do the trick, and she secretly held him to that promise. The rest of the night the two were by each other's side, laughing like they had known eachother for years, and James made sure that he didn't leave the party without getting her number. He wanted to play it cool and not scare her off, so he decided not to contact her too soon -- that was, until 10 minutes later, when Melissa texted him, asking him if he had made it home safely. James planned their first date, and two days later they found themselves out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. One of the first moments Melissa knew she was falling in love with James was because of that night. Just two bites into dinner, she came down with a horrible bug, and felt like she was getting the flu. Melissa began feeling worse by the second, so James volunteered to cut their dinner short, and take her home so she could get some rest. Melissa was miserable the entire next day, until she received a text from James that told her to check her doorstep, because he had left something for her. To her complete shock, waiting for her was a "get well" basket filled with warm chicken noodle soup, bubble bath, orange juice, tissues and cold medicine. Melissa was both stunned and overwhelmed with gratitude, for this person she had just met, to care so much about her so soon -- and in that moment she knew James wasn't like any other man she'd ever met before."I called my friends to ask if this actually happens in real life, because this is something you only see in movies!" - Melissa"Right then I knew I had her hooked." - James"In that moment, I knew that this was real. I knew this person was genuine." - MelissaFrom that day on, Melissa and James were on each other's minds, and in each other's hearts unceasingly. He introduced her to sport bike racing, dirt bikes, and motorcycle trips. Their love grew stronger as they ventured to new places, planned spontaneous weekend getaways, and spent many nights snuggled up in pajamas binging on Netflix shows. In fact, one of the reasons James knew she was the one, was when Melissa could watch hours of Battlestar Galactica, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek, and absorb them like a sponge. But, if he really had to pinpoint the very first moment that he knew he loved her, it was at the first motorcycle race track day that he took her to."It was the first race of mine that I took her to, and I couldn't believe how into it she was. She was having so much fun and fit in so well, like she had been doing this forever. It just made me think, 'Oh wow, I love her!'" - JamesThey quickly made weekly motorcycle rides a tradition, and looked forward to the long drives, connected only by the intercom in their helmets, and the same seat cushion. Between coffee runs, searching for the best restaurants in the city, cooking new dishes, and getting weekly massages, their shared interests led Melissa and James to not only be in a relationship, but to truly become best friends.In the summer of 2015, after six months of dating, James and Melissa embarked on their first big getaway together: a motorcycle road trip out west with nothing but a backpack and a tent. Between driving through sweltering 100 degree heat, and camping in a Native American teepee with field mice, they had plenty to complain about, but they never fought once. It was then that Melissa realized she could do anything, and go anywhere with James, and never want to turn back or go home. Home became wherever they were, as long as they were together."I sat on the back of a motorcycle in blistering heat for days with this man, and I never wanted to go home, and I never once complained. No matter the circumstances, I was happy because I was with the right person." - Melissa James knew their relationship was the real, til-death-do-us-part kind of love during a specific moment of that trip. After a particularly nasty hot spell of 107 degrees, by pure luck, they found an oasis called Spearfish Canyon to take refuge at. Formed by a glacier that cut a path through the towering rock, the canyon was a shaded, cool sanctuary with gorgeous trails, green, lush foliage and babbling brooks and waterfalls. As they walked through the manicured trails together, James knew that he finally had what he'd been searching for for a very long time. "All of the sudden I was looking back at the past years of my life. I was always looking and never finding. But, suddenly to find this woman who enjoys all the same things I do, was too perfect. It was a point where everything came together - what I was searching for, and what I had found, collided. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." - JamesThey both considered South Dakota their favorite trip of all time together, and made a pact to visit Spearfish Canyon annually. But little did Melissa know, an equally memorable trip was right around the corner.

Our Love Story

In May 2015, Melissa and James were getting ready to go on an overdue, relaxing vacation to Costa Rica. However, mother nature had other plans for them. Mere days before the trip, their airline cancelled one of their flights, losing them a day of vacation. To add to the chaos, when they arrived at the airport, their flight was delayed indefinitely because a volcano erupted in Costa Rica, and planes weren't allowed to land. Crying on the airport floor, Melissa had a nervous breakdown, and was convinced their vacation was ruined. James nearly proposed to her at that very moment, just to cheer her up, but luckily he found a passenger with a puppy who allowed Melissa to play with him for a while to lift her spirits. After a four hour delay, the flight was back on and the vacation had begun!Upon arriving in Costa Rica, they checked into a rainforest bungalow nestled in the tropical forest, and were able to decompress after an incredibly stressful day. After some much needed sleep, they explored the property the next morning and walked down to the gardens. Realizing the setting was finally perfect, and not being able to wait a moment longer, James led Melissa to an open area by a gazebo, where he suggested they take a picture together. Propping his phone on top of a coffee cup, he began to record instead of setting the timer. Completely oblivious, Melissa starts posing for the photo, only to see James starting to kneel down on one knee. "I asked her to do me the honor of being my wife. To which she responded 'Shut up! For real?!' followed by another five 'shut ups'. She eventually said yes!" - JamesThe rest of the vacation was a dream. They explored one of Melissa's favorite countries, and experienced new adventures together, all while promising their futures to one another. The craziest part?"We didn't even realize this until later, but the engagement ring he picked out has a green emerald stone hidden on the inside of the band." - MelissaThinking back to their friend's birthday party, it couldn't have made more sense, or been more perfect. After all of this time, Melissa got her "green Mercedes"...and James lived up to the promise he had made to her the first night they met.

The Proposal

About Us (as told by each other!)Melissa about James:"James is a super thoughtful and considerate man. He opens up doors for everyone, and buys random strangers their dinner. He is a good person who helps out all of his friends, no questions asked. James is incredibly helpful to everyone, and a genuinely goodhearted, caring person. He cares about others and believes in paying it forward."James about Melissa:"Melissa cares so strongly about everybody she meets. She's very compassionate and empathetic, and wants to continuously help people. You can see it in the way she interacts with her friends, family and clients. Melissa loves a lot. It's like a huge wave that sweeps you off of your feet. It's really intense and powerful."

About Us (As told by Each Other)

Our Story

Details

Photos

David and I met as contractors working for USBank. His sharp wit, contagious laughter, and his super hero mentality struck a chord with me and we soon grew a strong friendship. He was a person I leaned on through some rough times in my life and I learned he will always be a friend I know has my back. He gave a place to live and fed for months and never once would take a penny. He's driven across the USA when I need him, fixed my cars for me, helped me with overwhelming home projects, even secretly emptied my whole stuffed garage to build brand new shelves and benches from scratch while I was out of town. A few years into our friendship I ended working for David at a small company called PeopleNet. There we worked hard and played even harder. As our personal lives changed over the years we became best friends, house mates for awhile, video game friends, sport bike riders, Krav Maga fighters, P90X dudes, motorcycle track day pals, and box office movie buddies. 

David Buckner

Sister's by birth, friends by choice! I truly couldn't have asked for a better sister. Megan has shown me love and understanding throughout the years.  She helped me get a job up here in the cities, gave me a place to live for a few months while I got myself situated, and has never stopped believing and wanting the best for me. If I really stop and think about it, she is the sole person responsible for me meeting James.  If she had never given me the extra courage and confidence to move up here, landed me a job, given me a place to stay...I would have probably stayed hundreds of miles away in Wisconsin, and away from James. Thank you Megan, for being one of my number one supporters, and for giving me a reason to move up here! I owe you one big sis! Thanks for accepting the role of being my maid of honor! I love you for who you are, and for whom you have helped me to become. 

Megan Salmon

My brother, Matt, is one of the hardest working people I know. He is truly a talented businessman, charter boat captain, fisherman, mechanic, welder, hunter, skier, motocross rider, husband, and father. He had the courage to, buy into,and take over,the family business when our father was preparing to retire. He (and his beautiful wife) are successful in an industry with 98% failure rate. Matt and I were closest growing up in our teen years, as he was a year and a half older than me. For a few years, we attended the same school, shared paper routes, and I absorbed his advice on cars, how to survive, and what friendships really meant. I recall having a conversation  with my brother in our late teens early 20s about our father's disapproval of  a most of Matt's friends. Matt's message that day has stuck with me my entire life.  My condensed (and sanitised) version of this is "Yes my friends like to party and some are a real mess. However my friends would do anything for me if I need it. They would really do anything and its good to have those friends. Those are the friends you WANT and when you find them you don't mind their problems, you keep them as your friends, you keep them forever." If you want the director's cut version you'll have to bribe me.

Matt Etie

There isn't nearly enough space to convey how much I love this beautiful woman! We have been friends since the end of time.  We were in Daisy Girl Scouts together, friends throughout early elementary school and up, and remain best friends 'till this very day.  Some of my favorite memories throughout life involve Megan.  When I graduated college, I moved back home for a couple years, and Megan was my go to partner in crime those couple years that I remained in Jefferson.  We spent many night dancing, drinking, and living it up at The Sandbar and Vinny's! We spent more time than what was probably necessary, but also so necessary, watching Old Gregg on repeat, and laughing equally as hard each time.  Thank you for being a part of my past, present, and future. I love you so much!

Megan Russell

 I met Isaac when I was going to college in Texas. I thought he was a fun guy to be around, and I recall that he drove a 1979 VW Super Beetle. We spent many hours tinkering on it to keep it alive. He's truly been a dependable friend, and to whom I have the most respect for. When Isaac was finishing his degree at U of M, he lived with me and I learned how good of a friend he would always be. Reliable, trustworthy, and generous are words I use to describe Isaac. 

Isaac Johnson

Since very early on, I was convinced Melissa and I were destined to be friends! Growing up I always thought it was so cool that her name was Melissa Marie, and so was mine! We shared a first and middle name, what else did we need to become friends?!:-) We have been friends since early elementary school.  We grew up, and remained friends throughout the years.  We attended college together, and even became roommates. If she can put up with 2 years of living with me, surely she deserves the honor of being such an important part of my wedding!:-)  I have so many amazing memories with Melissa, with the majority of them being those two years of living together.  I loved coming home to her after class.  We spent so many nights laughing, lounging around, putting off homework, eating junk food, and watching hours upon hours of reality TV.  She's seen me at my best, and she's seen me at my worst, but she's always been there for me! I love you Schiff! Thank you for being such a wonderful representation of our name! :-)

Melissa Schiferl Martin

Sara moved to Jefferson my 8th grade year.  Sara and I became quick friends the summer after 8th grade.  We spent a lot of time together, and our friendship continued to blossom.  It was a friendship that seemed to pop out of nowhere.  I can't pinpoint exactly when, or how it happened, but I definitely believed that we were supposed to meet when we did, and how we did. We remained close friends all throughout high school. I remember early morning's during basketball season, where I would go over to Sara's house so her mom could braid my hair for my basketball games.  I remember attending her cheerleading competitions and dance recitals, and thinking how talented she was, and how lucky I was to have her as a friend. We drifted away throughout college a bit.  She attended Milwaukee, and I attended UW Stout 5 hours away from her.  Although we didn't always talk, and spent many months without seeing each other, I always considered her a close friend.  Somehow, throughout the magic of the world, Sara ended up falling in love with a guy in Minneapolis, and she found herself moving up this way.  We reconnected as if no time had ever been spent apart.  We continue to grab happy hour together, enjoy double dating, and have been enjoying the experience of wedding planning together. I have her to thank for kicking my butt in gear, and motivating me to get into Yoga! Love you girl!

Sara Embrey

Andy and I  met through work and is an exceptional software developer. Andy is, in my mind, a creator, explorer, and inventor. Everytime I talk to him he is on another fascinating adventure. His ideas varies from:- complicated and magical devices for performing arts costumes that disperse clouds of fog and emit strange eery synthesised sounds as if by magic- to self-regulating greenhouses - to building  his own heavy machinery from online plans. His intellect and ideas are nothing less than wondrous and I'm proud to have him as my friend. Remember me when you're a billionaire Andy, I'll never be late with your dry cleaning! ;-)

Andy Jonson

Sarah and I have been friends since early elementary school.  Sarah and I attended CCD together, which for those of you who don't know what that is, is pretty much Sunday School for Catholics, but on Wednesday night's.  Sarah and I shared many laughs and memories throughout some of those classes together! She was one of the only reasons I ever looked forward to going to those classes...sorry God! :-)  Sarah and I attended college together, where she became my roommate my Sophmore year.  We would spend hours together in our door room eating yummy food, gossiping, and communicating via Facecbook, even when we were in the same room together.  We had a mascot in our dorm room, his name was Stan, and he was our stand up fan! :-) If only Stan could talk...the stories that he would tell!  Thank you Sarah for putting up with me, and sharing your Girl Scout Cookies and expensive bags of chips with me! I love you!

Sarah Dallman

I also met Jim Lowell at Peoplenet as I worked directly for him for a few years. I considered Jim to be one of my best career campaign managers as he drove me to be more than I was. We share a lot of interests and I truly cherish some of the fun time we had outside of the office. In 2002 Jim, David, and I made up a nearly invincible team on a Playstation 2 game called Splinter Cell. We played it so much we had every map memorized and could use to our advantage to strategize against our opponents. As a trio we have played a few other console games and shared adventures into the sandbox game Minecraft. We don't work directly together any more but I lean on him for advice regularly for work and personal. Great friend, video game partner, father, husband, photog, and geek.  

Jim Lowell

David and I met as contractors working for USBank. His sharp wit, contagious laughter, and his super hero mentality struck a chord with me and we soon grew a strong friendship. He was a person I leaned on through some rough times in my life and I learned he will always be a friend I know has my back. He gave a place to live and fed for months and never once would take a penny. He's driven across the USA when I need him, fixed my cars for me, helped me with overwhelming home projects, even secretly emptied my whole stuffed garage to build brand new shelves and benches from scratch while I was out of town. A few years into our friendship I ended working for David at  a small company called PeopleNet. There we worked hard and played even harder. As our personal lives changed over the years we became best friends, roommates, video game friends, sport bike riders, Krav Maga fighters, P90X dudes, motorcycle track day pals, and box office movie buddies. 

My brother, Matt, is one of the hardest working people I know. He is truly a talented businessman, charter boat captain, fisherman, mechanic, welder, hunter, skier, motocross rider, husband, and father. He had the courage to buy into, and take over, the family business when our father was preparing to retire. He (and his beautiful wife) are successful in an industry with 98% failure rate. Matt and I were closest growing up in our teen years, as he was a year and a half older than me.  For a few years, we attended the same school, shared paper routes, and I absorbed his advice on cars, how to survive, and what friendships really meant. 

I met Isaac when I was going to college in Texas. I thought he was a fun guy to be around, and I recall that he drove a 1979 VW Super Beetle. We spent many hours tinkering on it to keep it alive. He's truly been a dependable friend, and to whom I have the most respect for. When Isaac was finishing his degree at U of M, he lived with me and I learned some valuable insights into the inner workings of the male brain process. For example: You can ask someone to do something (mow the yard), but you will generally not be happy if you assert when you desire to have it done. 

Isaac Johnston

Wedding Party

Registry

Q + A

Eden Prairie, MN, United States

We will be providing a free shuttle to and from the wedding, from both hotels. There will be three options for drop off and pick up times.

Melissa & James

Melissa & James

Photos