Sam and John’s joy-filled fall wedding at the MN Landscape Arboretum

Sam and John both love fall and cherish spending time outdoors (we did their engagement session last fall surrounded by the radiant autumn foliage at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum!). A year later in the fall of 2022, they gathered again at the Arboretum, this time to get married! 

The wedding day began with Sam and John’s creative twist on the classic first look photo. Sam and John wanted their whole wedding day to be a celebration of their love for one another, and they wanted to celebrate their beloved friends and family who have been with them every step of the way. So they decided their wedding party should be included in the first look! We found a little clearing amidst the fall foliage and had John and his wedding party stand together in a line. While John faced backward, his wedding party faced forward, watching as Sam and his wedding party entered the clearing and walked toward them. While Sam tapped John on the shoulder, John spun around, and they embraced–elated to see one another–all their buddies got to watch and cheer them on! It was such a sweet moment to witness. 

Sam and John then spent some time exploring the Arboretum with me as we found fun spots for their couple portraits. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and in all of their portraits they are surrounded by such amazing, bright colored foliage that complements their joyful, playful energy together! Their wedding party returned, and we wandered together through the arboretum’s lovely gardens to take group portraits. Sam and John also wanted to prioritize time for family portraits, so we made our way to the Sensory Garden, where their ceremony would take place, to capture them with their families. 

The Sensory Garden was a beautiful location for Sam and John’s wedding ceremony. Their guests all gathered in the garden and watched as Sam and John processed in together. A dear friend of Sam and John’s officiated the wedding, which was so meaningful. Sam and John’s vows were also super heartfelt, capturing their deep admiration for one another. 

One of my favorite parts of the ceremony was the recessional. Sam and John walked out together, elated and full of smiles. Their wedding party rushed down the aisle to join them in the sweetest moment of celebration, creating a big pile of hugs and happy tears. I loved witnessing this tender, happy moment of community and love between John and Sam and all their friends. 

Sam, John, and their wedding guests then made their way to downtown Minneapolis to gather at the Millennium Hotel for the reception. This building has an iconic, window-filled dome that offers stunning skyline views, and it made a really festive setting for their cocktail hour.  

They moved into an adjacent ballroom for a relaxing dinner, and the night wrapped up with an epic dance party in the dome. Surrounded by nighttime views of the city and by their incredible community, the dome came alive for dancing. Sam and John's people LOVE to dance, and they ended their night with an incredible party surrounded by all the people they love!