Samantha + Mikey

We’re so excited about this sneak peek of Samantha + Mikey’s wedding day! Their love shines as brightly as the vibrant yellow sunflowers that were used throughout their day.

You may have heard us say this before, but it’s worth saying again- we LOVE summers here at The Outpost! The fields are in bloom, the breeze is warm and the sun shines from the heavens. The kiss of warmth brings a spring to our step and a flutter to our hearts!

While we await the full gallery with you, we hope you enjoy this glimpse into Samantha + Mikey’s big day. A warm, loving congratulations Mr & Mrs Seafolk!

Photographer: Megan Kylee Photography

GETTING MARRIED AT THE OUTPOST CENTER

Deciding on a wedding venue is the most important booking you’ll make for your big day. We recognize that is a bold statement, but it’s true! Your wedding venue booking establishes your date, which sets the tone for the remainder of your wedding planning. It’s a big decision that can feel overwhelming and stressful. However, it can also be extremely exciting and exhilarating. Once you’ve made this huge decision, you can get to all of the other really fun planning!

There are a few important things to keep in mind when booking your venue- here is our quick list of things to consider/ask during your venue tour:

• Do you host events all year long?

• What are you options for indoor vs. outdoor celebrations?

• Do you have on-site parking?

• What vendors are we required to use?

• Do we need insurance?

• What is your capacity?

• How long do we have use of the space?

• Is a rehearsal included (if so, when)?

• Who is responsible for set-up and clean-up?

• What is the deposit?

• When is the balance due?

• Do you have a venue coordinator?

• Do we need a wedding coordinator or planner?

• Do you have a space that we can ready in?

• What is included with the rental fee? Do we need to provide our own tables & chairs?

Knowing these answers will help you determine if it’s a viable option for your wedding- including if you can afford the space and if it will work for your guest list.

When comparing venues, it’s also important to factor in what is important to you about the wedding day. No two weddings are the same, so creating a list of priorities is critical for making the decision that makes the most sense for you as a couple.

Personally, we pride ourselves on the flexibility we offer. Not only can you host your ceremony and reception on-site (if you wish), but you can bring in all of your own vendors. This allows you to craft the day based on your unique vision, without the restrictions many other locations impose. Being able to host events in Minnesota year-round is also a bonus!

We’d love to provide you and your sweetheart a tour of the space! Contact us today to schedule a time!

CHASKA WEDDING VENUE | MATTHEW + EMILY

Summertime in Chaska, Minnesota is one of our sweetest seasons at The Outpost Center. Our fields are filled with green, natural light illuminates our wedding home beautifully, and the season also welcomes couples and guests alike outside! In honor of their first anniversary, we thought it was high time we shared more details from Emily and Matthew’s summer wedding day. 

Emily and Matthew each spent their mornings getting ready with their bridesmaids and groomsmen onsite. Their photographer, Danielle Lund Photography, started her day by capturing wonderful photos of both of their wedding parties, and she also photographed E+M during their lovely first look outside. Once guests were seated for their outdoor ceremony, Emily walked down the aisle toward Matthew with her parents. We especially loved the music this pair included in their ceremony – “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran and “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds were both wonderful choices. 

To celebrate their new union, guests were invited to mingle and sip on drinks during cocktail hour before being welcomed into our favorite location – our barn – for dinner and dancing. The space was filled with long tables for guests, and Emily and Matthew sat at a sweetheart table at the front. Our favorite detail was their custom wooden backdrop complete with their monogram! After dinner, the couple and their guests enjoyed cupcakes in between keeping the dance floor full. 

Emily and Matthew’s wedding was a night to remember, and we’re so honored they chose The Outpost Center as the site where they entered into their marriage together!

Photography: Danielle Lund Photography

SUMMER MINNESOTA WEDDING : CALLIE + GRANT

Minnesota starts to come alive with the sounds of summertime in May, and we look forward to this month all year long! It’s also when we welcome our warmest months of weddings at The Outpost Center, and Callie and Grant were one of the couples who kicked off the fun during their late May wedding day!

Getting ready at The Outpost Center means our brides and grooms and their wedding parties can enjoy leisurely mornings spent apart and together. Callie and Grant each opted to get ready on site, and if the photos of Callie and her bridesmaids and Grant and his groomsmen are any indication, we think it’s safe to say everyone had a wonderful wedding morning. 

Before their ceremony, Callie and Grant elected to see each other for the first time on their wedding day during their first look. These moments are always filled with sweet emotion, and we love that first looks allow couples to have the chance to spend a few moments together to capture photos and pray before they walk down the aisle. 

Callie and Grant invited guests to their outdoor ceremony, and we loved how they adorned our arch and cross with florals to create a rustic, garden-inspired look. The bridesmaids looked beautiful in their mauve gowns, Callie looked stunning in her illusion and applique wedding dress, and Grant and his groomsmen looked dapper in their suits. The pink bouquets and boutonnieres tied their color palette together perfectly!

After their ceremony ended and they had run through a tunnel created by their wedding party, Callie and Grant welcomed guests to their cocktail hour, which was also hosted outside. Guests enjoyed appetizers, drinks, and lawn games while they mingled together before being welcomed into our airy barn. Once in the reception, the dance floor remained packed all night long, thanks to C+G and their fun-loving wedding party. 

After dinner, speeches, and plenty of fun, guests departed with favors honoring one of the couple’s grandmothers. And, we have to say we were sad to these this celebration come to a close! Congratulations again, Callie and Grant. 

Coordination: Erin Cleveland Events | Photographer: Tom Thornton Photography

Wedding Ceremony Inspiration: Wedding Vows & Readings

Your wedding vows are some of the most important words you will ever say to one another. When decided on which direction to take, you will want to consider what’s important to you and your marriage. Most of our couples want a ceremony that are rooted in their Christian values, but also reflect their personalty and unique love story.

We love the following scripture, and hope you will find it inspiring as you plan your vows:

Genesis 1:27-28: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.' "

Song of Solomon 8:6-7: “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised."

Colossians 3:14: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

Ecclesiastes 4:12: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

1 John 4:16: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

We also love these resources for creating your own vows:

https://www.thespruce.com/sample-wedding-vows-3489433

https://www.minted.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-vows/romantic

https://apracticalwedding.com/wedding-vow-examples/

And these sweet stories will have you running for the tissue box!

https://www.theknot.com/content/favorite-wedding-vows-from-real-weddings