There’s something so magical about a winter wedding in Minnesota. The chilly air, surrounded by snow, provides the perfect setting for a romantic celebration of your love. The Confluence Hotel wedding venue is the perfect place to celebrate in the winter! You can keep all of your guests warm without the need for any transportation at the end of the night.

RE Owner and Lead Planner Kellie worked with Grace and Andrew to coordinate their wedding day. The bride has a special place in her heart for The Confluence Hotel because she works there! It was so fun for us to put our brains together to plan out the wedding day logistics, paired with her insider knowledge of the venue itself.

THE MORNING

If you know anything about Minnesota winters, you know the weather can get pretty extreme. We were happy to wake up to a slightly foggy, 30 degree day! Having a Confluence Hotel wedding around Christmas time is such a treat. The space is adorable and decorated for the holiday season. It had all the trendy, cozy, small town vibes of a Hallmark movie!

Upon arriving, we made our way to the hotel’s spacious bridal and groom suites to check on the wedding party. The ladies were busy enjoying their morning with Amanda Schaffer Makeup and Joyful Hair perfecting their glam!

Our team spent the rest of the morning helping to direct vendors as they arrived and working on any last minute decor set up. This is why couples love working with our team! We take care of all the details so that you can be fully present on your big day. Grace gave us the biggest compliment when she said that Rustic Elegance is why she could sleep at night leading up to the wedding!

The bride set up a lot of decor the day before since she works at the hotel, but there was still plenty to be done! Audrey Rose Floral adorned the tables with Christmas green cedar garland and added some white roses. As they worked, our team sprinkled scented and gold-dipped pinecones throughout. The tables also had lanterns and real candles for decor, which looked so lovely. Everything was placed on the white linens from Encore Events.

We’ve Got it Covered came the week prior and added white drapery and twinkle lights to the space. It was the perfect touch to bring everything together!

The wedding party had a quick lunch before wrapping up their finishing touches. Our team helped pin on boutonnieres while Grace slipped into her stunning gown from Beloved Bridal!

Hannah Mae Photography then set Grace up for a sweet first look with her father before he walked her to Andrew for their first look in the courtyard. Their photographer then captured a few portraits of the couple and their wedding party before everyone made their way inside to warm up.

The couple’s family friend arrived shortly after with the horse drawn carriage. Guests were able to take 5 minute rides through town before the ceremony. This was such a fun touch and resulted in such adorable photos for the bride and groom!

Danielle from our team stayed at the hotel to greet the remaining vendors while Kellie joined the rest of the wedding crew at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church for the ceremony.

THE CEREMONY

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is just down the road from The Confluence Hotel, which made transportation seamless. Upon arriving at the church, Kellie checked in with the musicians and delivered their final payments on behalf of the couple.

As guests arrived, a few of the bridesmaids helped hand out programs. Once it was nearing time for the ceremony to begin, they stepped aside and prepared to walk down the aisle.

The processional consisted of 8 bridesmaids wearing mismatched dresses, 3 groomsmen, and the cutest ring bearer and flower girl.

Grace and Andrew shared a special ceremony surrounded by their loved ones before making their way down the aisle as husband and wife! They did a receiving line to say a quick hello to each of their guests and signed their marriage license before heading back for their Confluence Hotel wedding reception.

Kellie made sure to grab the couple’s sign, easel, and bridesmaid flowers from the church before heading out. Back at the hotel, our team made sure to repurpose all of these items in the reception space!

THE RECEPTION

Back at the hotel, our team worked on setting up the finishing reception touches. This included placing the bridesmaid bouquets on the head table, turning on the lanterns, and lighting the candles.

Meanwhile, guests gathered at The Landing at The Confluence Hotel for cocktail hour. As they entered the space, Nick from Nick Music, who is also a family friend of the couple, serenaded them with live music. Everyone socialized while enjoying passed appetizers and drinks served up by the hotel.

Once everything was set up for the reception space, we invited the couple in to get a first look. It was so fun watching their faces light up as they saw their vision brought to life! Our favorite part was the corner of the dinner area that was set up as a speakeasy to serve signature cocktails.

We then did a grand opening of the doors and asked guests to be seated for dinner. The seating chart was placed in alphabetical order on a Christmas tree, which was such a unique touch!

Christmas tree seating chart at Confluence Hotel wedding

As guests settled into their seats, we directed the wedding party for their grand entrance to “Broadway Girls” by Morgan Wallen. Their whole crew brought all the good vibes!

Dinner kicked off with a welcome speech from the groom and a prayer from a groomsman before The Confluence Hotel began serving delicious plated salads and entrees.

As dinner came to an end, guests were entertained by toasts and speeches from the maid of honor, best man, mother of the groom, and parents of the bride.

The couple then popped over to the dessert table for a few fun photos before guests swarmed over to enjoy a variety of treats from Dorothy Ann Bakery (including Norwegian cake)!

Grace and Andrew then made their way to the dance floor for their first dance, followed by the traditional parent dances.

Couple's first dance at Confluence Hotel wedding

As the special dances wrapped up, Shirts & Skins Band made their way to the stage and got the party started! Guests flooded the dance floor and kept it packed all night long.

Meanwhile, our team began cleaning up and placed everything in the coat closet so that packing up would be a breeze for the couple and their loved ones. We made sure to bring out the couple’s basket with foam glow sticks and dancing flip flops, which were a hit!

The rest of the night consisted of a dress change for Grace, a late night mini slider bar from The Confluence Hotel, and a whole lot of dancing with Shirts & Skins!