As Minnesota wedding coordinators who specialize in barn weddings, we’ve been to The Madison countless times. One of our favorite things is pulling together a beautiful autumn barn wedding, and this venue is the perfect place to do that!

Our team planned with Kaelyn and Ben via Zoom. This sweet couple wanted to enjoy their day with their 135 guests and focus on celebrating their love. That’s where we come in! Kellie and Kristen from the RE team made sure that every detail was covered, including the delivery of a bunch of rental furniture the couple selected from our inventory.

THE MORNING

Kellie hooked up the trailer full of decor and set off to the beautiful autumn barn wedding venue. The RE duo arrived by 10am and popped in to check on the wedding party who were getting ready in the suites on-site. The ladies were already busy getting glam with the talented team from Primped!

The air was brisk, but that wasn’t a concern as all of the festivities were taking place in the temperature controlled barn (a major perk of this venue)!

Our team got right to work placing all of the decor. We set up the memory table, the traditional guest book, a rotary message phone book, wedding favors (custom koozies + bottle openers!), and placed table numbers.

Then it was time to create the soft seating space by the main entrance using a variety of couches and chairs that the couple rented from our inventory. We added the couple’s custom last name neon sign to tie the space together. It was the perfect touch!

As vendors arrived, our team made sure to greet each one and confirm the timeline, it’s always important to ensure there are no last minute changes or updates!

While everyone finished getting ready, our team visited the groom’s suite to help pin on boutonnieres. The guys were looking so dapper!

Once Kaelyn slipped into her stunning gown from Vow’d that fit her like a glove thanks to Amazing Alterations, it was time for the couple’s first look. Eric Vest Photography positioned the couple for their outdoor first look, followed by their private vows. It was such a sweet moment!

Eric Vest then took the couple around the premises for portraits that perfectly captured the magic of their autumn barn wedding. The bridesmaid’s orange dresses paired with the florals from Studio B Floral brought the whole vibe together.

Wedding party portrait at autumn barn wedding venue

Once photos wrapped up, the RE team pulled the wedding party aside for a quick rehearsal. We took this time to confirm duties with the officiant and ushers, as well as check music cues and timing. Another perk of day-of rehearsals is uncovering needed adjustments. In this case, we found that the aisle needed to be widened to accommodate the bride’s princess dress!

As the first shuttle from Renee’s Limo arrived with guests, the ushers got into place to greet, hand out programs, and direct everyone to the ceremony.

THE CEREMONY

The ceremony took place inside the temperature controlled barn. We love how Studio B Floral decorated our wooden arch to add the perfect touch of elegance!

Once everyone was seated, we began cuing the wedding party. Ushers/groomsmen seated the grandparents, followed by the wedding party, 3 ring bearers and 2 flower girls. Kaelyn then made her grand entrance escorted by her father. She looked stunning (and had plenty of space for her princess gown to flow as she walked 😉).

The couple shared a sweet ceremony surrounded by the support of their loved ones before recessing down the aisle as husband and wife. They nailed the dip kiss at the end of the aisle!

Ushers then began dismissing the rows. Guests were directed up to the loft level where the couple was waiting for them to do the receiving line.

THE RECEPTION

As guests made their way through the receiving line, they were welcomed into cocktail hour in the loft. Liquid Motion was serving up a variety of drinks, including the couple’s signature cocktails: a Lemondrop Martini and Old Fashioned. There were also passed appetizers available for guests to enjoy provided by Lake Elmo Inn.

Meanwhile, our team and the venue’s team got to work flipping the ceremony space for dinner. This included repurposing the aisle decor around the seating chart, setting up our gold chairs for the head table, and adding their last name sign to the arch as a backdrop.

The florist and caterer were able to pre-set the tables, which made setting up super easy as we could just wheel the tables into the space. The tables were decorated with a mix of taper candles, bud vases, and votives from Studio B Floral, along with the table numbers from our inventory. We also set out a place card at each seat.

As cocktail hour came to an end, we invited guests back downstairs to take their seats for dinner. The wedding party came down the stairs for their grand entrance, which made it extra extravagant! We helped the venue turn the lights on and off, and Brad (the venue owner) turned on a fog machine under the steps before announcing everyone.

Epic grand entrance at autumn barn wedding

Then it was time to enjoy a delightful dinner from Lake Elmo Inn! Right as the last guests got their meal, the couple did their cake cutting. The team from Dorothy Ann Bakery then set out the desserts for guests to enjoy when they finished eating. There were mini cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, and donut holes, so there were plenty of options to choose from!

After a delicious dinner, sweet treats, and a few lovely speeches, it was time for the first dances! We pushed the head table back to make room for the dance floor. The couple kicked it off with a first dance to “All the Way” by Shane Smith, followed by the traditional parent dances (and a special dance shared by the bride and her mom!).

The couple opted to include the anniversary dance, garter toss, and bouquet toss throughout the evening as well. It was so fun and perfectly run by Adagio!

Besides hitting up the dance floor, guests enjoyed a photo booth from Eric Vest Photography and late night pizza from Lake Elmo Inn.

Near the end of the night, the couple also made sure to get a few super fun sparkler photos with their wedding party!

As guests made their way out to the shuttle from Renee’s Limo for a safe ride to the hotel, the vendors got to work cleaning up. Studio B Floral returned to clean up all of their floral and decor, while our team packed up our trailer of furniture and the couple’s decor (per the decor package they opted to add on to our services).