A Minnesota Lodge Wedding: The Real Wedding of Stephanie and Ben Cahill

Weddings are for more than just celebrating the love of others. Stephanie and Ben had been living apart for years, but reconnected at a mutual friend’s wedding. The couple danced all night and hasn't stopped since!

 

The best Christmas gift is the gift of forever--and diamonds don’t hurt, either! Ben wrapped Stephanie’s engagement ring in a large box, and pretended it was a sizable present while keeping the small gift hidden inside. The biggest surprises can come from the smallest boxes!

 

Stephanie’s dress was a “wildcard.” She was narrowing down the styles she liked, but couldn't find "the one." Then, she tried on the attendant’s suggestion and fell in love as soon as she put it on! We adore that classical design!

 

The couple knew right away that they wanted to get married at the Grand View Lodge because Stephanie's parents' lakeside cabin was in the same area. “The Lodge is everything we imagine of northern Minnesota: beautiful pine trees, lots of nature and a big beautiful lake.” It’s also located at the perfect halfway point between Ben and Stephanie’s hometowns, convenient for their guests.

While they knew they wanted the ceremony outside, a big wedding, and yellow flowers, they left everything else up to in-process planning. Stephanie notes, “Once we nabbed our dream venue we could breathe a sigh of relief and everything else just fell into place!”

 

 

What we love

One obstacle that this couple faced was tradition--Catholics are typically not allowed to marry outside. However, Stephanie’s priest made an exception just for them! Because Ben's family loves golf, the couple incorporated the sport into the reception with a few games. “We had guests try to shoot a hole-in-one on an indoor putting green to get us to kiss during dinner,” Stephanie says. “If they missed, they had to kiss someone which made for some really fun and lively moments.”

 

 

Advice from the couple

Stephanie encourages future brides to stay true to themselves in the planning process, but don’t forget to listen to Mom and Dad! She notes, “When your parents want to invite their friends and you want to say no, just remember that they will get you much better gifts than the majority of your friends.”

 

 

 

 

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