Anna + Josh | Somerset Country Club
THE PLANNING
Anna and Josh worked with us to create their beautiful wedding day at Somerset Country Club with their 145 guests. Rustic Elegance Owner, Kellie, had so much fun planning all the details with the bride!
THE MORNING
We always tell our couples that there is no need for them to anxiously check the weather app on their wedding day. That’s what we are there for! That being said, we were keeping a close eye on the radar for Anna and Josh’s day, as we had to know if/when we should move to the backup rain plan. We knew the outdoor ceremony was very important to the couple, so we held off as long as possible before making the call on whether to move inside or take the chance outside. Stay tuned to see what happens! ;)
The couple opted to not have any bridesmaids or groomsmen, so the bride got ready offsite at the Omni Vikings Lake Hotel. Andrea Reis Makeup perfected the bride’s glam, while one of Anna’s friends gave her a stunning updo! The bride then slipped into her bridal gown from Ivory Bridal that fit her like a glove before making her way to the venue for the first look.
As everyone arrived, the RE team of Kellie and Rachel were on site to greet them and pin boutonnieres on the individuals who needed them. We also were busy setting up decor and ensuring vendors had everything they needed.
Nicole Ashley Photography then set the couple up for their first look on the golf course, followed by a few photos (Kellie loved driving the golf cart with the groom, to help get him in position). We’re still swooning over these pictures!! Leading up to the ceremony, we had planned to do a day of rehearsal. We decided to skip it due to the rain and talk through everything instead. We made sure that the couple, parents, officiant, and live music were all on the same page, and it was time for the ceremony!
THE CEREMONY
At this point you’re probably wondering whether or not we were able to have the ceremony outside. After waiting out a rain storm, the RE team and Somerset Country Club team worked together to dry off all the chairs. We are pleased to report that the couple was able to have the outdoor ceremony they had been hoping for! The ceremony took place on the driving range of the country club. The couple rented our porch post arch and a few other decor items including an easel and ceremony sign. Martha’s Gardens decorated the arch beautifully, which was another reason we were thankful that the ceremony got to stay outside!
Ironically with the rain, the processional song that the couple had chosen was “Purple Rain”. This was played live by the Bluewater Kings Band. Having a live band made it even more important for it to not start raining again in the middle of the ceremony. We were a bit nervous, but remained confident! The groom walked down with both of his parents, followed by the ring bearer and flower girl (who were adorable)! Anna then made her grand entrance escorted by both of her parents. She looked absolutely stunning!
Josh’s cousin did an amazing job officiating the ceremony, and two of the couple’s friends shared sweet readings. The couple sealed all of these lovely words with a kiss and made their way down the aisle as the new Mr and Mrs!
THE RECEPTION
Guests made their way to the patio for cocktail hour. While guests were enjoying socializing, the RE team was busy ensuring everything was ready for the reception. Apres provided the tent for the dinner, along with chairs, linens and napkins. Martha’s Gardens brought real candles, bud vases, and greens to decorate the guest tables. It was all looking amazing! The Somerset Country Club’s team was also top notch to work with. They were attentive and on top of all the details with us. Needless to say, we can’t wait to be back!
Bluewater Kings Band was also in charge of cocktail and dance music (as well as the ceremony music). Since the dinner was in a different location than the ceremony and dance and they had live music for their cocktail hour, we checked in ahead of time to see who would be doing the dinner music and microphone for speeches. This is when we found out that there had been an oversight and the band wasn’t planning to provide music and mics during dinner! Thankfully we checked on it when we did, as they were able to get set up in time for dinner!
As cocktail hour wrapped up, we began guiding guests to the seating chart to find their seats. At their table they would find name cards with their meal choice at each spot. Once everyone was seated, the couple did a grand entrance with just the two of them. The father of the bride then stood to say a quick welcome and a prayer. Somerset Country Club then began serving the salads to each guest, followed by a plated dinner service. The food was truly delicious!! While everyone was eating, they enjoyed listening to speeches from four of the couple’s closest people.
Dessert was then available in the club house and guests were overjoyed! The tiered cake that Buttercream provided and the chocolate covered strawberries from Somerset Country Club satisfied every sweet tooth!
The dance floor was also set up in the club house. The couple shared a sweet first dance before everyone got busy boogying the night away with Bluewater Kings Band!
A bit later in the evening, the venue provided a late night snack of gluten free flatbread, buffalo cauliflower, and mac and cheese bites. All we have to say is YUM!
As the night went on, everyone enjoyed dancing and socializing. The RE team made sure to clean up the decor and pack it away as the couple booked our clean up package. It was the end of an amazing day celebrating Anna and Josh!
Anna + Josh, thank you for having Rustic Elegance on your team! It was a pleasure to work with you and bring your beautiful day to life. Cheers to you two!
Big thank you to the amazing Nicole Ashley Photography for sharing these photos with us!
VENDORS
Venue: Somerset Country Club
Getting Ready Venue: Omni Viking Lakes Hotel
Caterer: Somerset Country Club
Dessert: Buttercream St Paul
Florist: Martha’s Gardens
Rentals: Apres
Band: Bluewater Kings Band
Photographer: Nicole Ashley Photography
Hair: Friend
Makeup: Andrea Reis Makeup
Bridal Gown: Ivory Bridal
Coordinator: Rustic Elegance, Kellie and Rachel
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol