Erin and Connor are united not only by love for each other but also for nature and the warm company of friends. All this was reflected in their wedding, which took place in a pine forest, by the lake, in an authentic, nature-inspired venue. We learned from Erin all the details of the preparations for the wedding, as well as their love story with Connor.
Tell us a little about yourselves.
Erin is a design lead for a digital marketing agency, and Connor works in medical sales. We met in Madison, WI while Erin was still in college and Connor was working as a nurse. We ended up at the same dive bar one night, and Erin saw Connor hanging by the popcorn machine and decided to come over for a chat. We were immediately comfortable with each other and ended up talking all night, and decided to go on our first date the very next day! Since then we have always been a very adventurous couple who share a passion for the outdoors (backpacking, hiking, you name it!). 5 years after we met, Connor proposed in the Grand Tetons after a beautiful backpacking trip through the mountains. He even flew out Erin's twin, Shannon St. Clair, to capture the moment and celebrate the occasion in Jackson Hole!
What was the concept behind your wedding?
We wanted our wedding to feel minimalist, earthy, and authentic. We are both very inspired by nature since we spend a lot of time outdoors together. We also both value the people in our lives so much, and we wanted it to feel intimate and authentic for everyone we love. That is also why we loved the idea of having our wedding be a weekend getaway in northern MN, so we could spend a whole weekend with our guests instead of just one evening. We were especially excited to have found such a beautiful, brand-new venue only 5 minutes away from where Erin used to have a family cabin growing up. It was a meaningful location that seamlessly accommodated all of the people we truly wanted to be there.
How did you find your inspiration?
We found a lot of inspiration from our vendors after we communicated what we were looking for (in addition to Pinterest, and beautiful wedding sites like The Wed!). Lastly, Erin’s twin Sister, Shannon St. Clair, is an amazing wedding photographer & was a major help and inspiration!
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
Our wedding took place at a venue called Catalyst by Nature Link in Nisswa, MN (a new venue whose mission is focused on nature & connecting with those who matter most). We were married in the woods on site, cocktail hour was by the lake next to the venue, and the reception was inside the venue where they have floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the lake! Our venue also had overnight accommodations for us and our wedding party to stay on-site, which made the whole day feel incredibly seamless.
How many guests did you have?
We had 140 guests - which felt just right for us!
Tell us about your outfits.
Erin’s dress was the Rose by The Label by A&Be, which had a modern sweetheart neckline and dramatic train. Her aunt helped us design optional-removable sleeves. Connor wore a traditional black custom-made tuxedo from Indochino Minneapolis.
What was your first dance song?
“How Long Will I Love You“. We chose this because of the movie About Time, which has always been one of our favorites. Erin’s brother, Gavin St. Clair, is a musician and played an acoustic version of the song for us. Having him play it made it feel all the more special!
What flowers did you choose for the bride's bouquet and why?
I told our florist I was hoping for a loose, neutral bouquet of foraged wildflowers. She took that and ran with it, and did a gorgeous job!
What was your wedding cake like? And where did you order it?
We had a simple cake with just two levels & two delicious flavors: Spiced Chai & Blueberry Lavender. It had a white base, plaster textured, with dainty ‘foraged’ florals, dried and fresh, neutrals only. It was made by The Salted Cake.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We are so grateful for all of our vendors! We can’t thank everyone enough for all of their hard work in pulling our vision and special day together. We especially want to thank Cassie at HoneyHill Weddings - she was truly the kindest, best person to plan with, and she ensured the day was planned perfectly and felt effortless! Also huge thank you to Stefanie Keeler (photographer) and our videographer (John Stambaugh) for being an absolute joy to have on our day, and for capturing timeless-yet-creative images that we will cherish forever.
Photo @stefaniekeeler
Video @johnwstambaugh @lizrudman
Venue @catalyst.naturelink
Planning @honeyhill_weddings
Dress @aandbe_mpls
Bridesmaids' dresses @shonajoy
Makeup @facewellartistry
Florals @kindred.blooms
