Historic Lumber Exchange Wedding

Minneapolis boast many historic locations, with The Historic Lumber Exchange building being the second "skyscraper" building built in the entire United States. In 1895, a skyscraper was any building over 12-stories. A few unique interior architectural elements make this building a beautiful space for a wedding! This includes the original banker's vault located on the third floor space called Sawyer's On 5th. This is the newest addition to the venue and overlooks a three-story mural of musical artist, Bob Dylan. 

Our bride had very few specific requests for the floral design of the wedding. She wanted to focus on fresh greenery and whites with just a hint of her groom's favorite flower, lilacs. The ceremony took place under a custom built garland of greenery accented with gold rings, succulents and air plants, lilacs and chiffon draping. The banker's vault was transformed into a selfie photo-booth and, along with a soft-serve ice cream machine, guests were entertained for the evening. 

Floral and photos By Grace Klein Design 

Planning Services by Simply Elegant Group

 

Designer DIY... in only 3 weeks of wedding planning!

After pressing immigration issues, my husband and I eloped 7 days after we decided to get married (which is the amount of time it takes to get approved for a marriage license in Minnesota). Please don't get me wrong, this is actually a love story!... but after being married before, we both really didn't believe that marriage was a necessity. In my experience, marriage, if it ends, ends up being more of a legal 'circumstance' that unfortunately has nothing to do with love. We didn't intend to invite anyone to the courthouse for the ceremony, but we are so very fortunate for friends that refused to miss the event. A few days later, as word spread, we received many congratulations which were always attached to friend's and family's disappointment for not being there to celebrate with us. With that, I decided to plan a celebration!

Being in the wedding industry, I was about to approach the busy season for work and I realized that I would have to plan a wedding celebration in only 3 weeks. Plus, we married so quickly that we didn't even have time to find wedding rings. Since Tradition was completely out the door already, a vows and ring exchange celebration would be the perfect forum for our multicultural fusion. I focused on a small gathering of friends and family that I could prepare food for, entertain and share in the celebration of love. In absence of my husband's family, I really wanted to make my husband feel welcome into my life and I wanted to prepare the ambiance and a menu that would remind him of home. 

I didn't even think twice about the actual undertaking of doing all of this!! To me, it was a labor of love in all aspects. I love making beautiful things...from food to flowers and pretty much everything in between. In a matter of days, I dreamed up a magical plan that, with the help of my mom, included a homemade 5-course Pakistani-American fusion meal for 40 people. Invitations were sent out with a two week notice, henna artist was booked, I found a dress, my mom and I hand sewn a veil with imported trimmings and I arranged details that take most bride's months and months to handle. It was a busy time!

Maybe, I should have started this blog out with a warning, "Attempt at your own risk". I would absolutely NOT recommend this to anyone WITHOUT professional experience. This had definitely brought me to the edge of my abilities, but that is also something that I have professional experience with. We all do in the wedding industry! We often go to the brink of human abilities, WILLINGLY, for the couples that we work with. After all, this is what we do for love.

On that note, Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband! Let's continue to make every day a beautiful adventure!

Photography by Athena Pelton 

Floral and Design by Grace Klein

Tables, chairs, pipe and drape, charger plates by Apres Party and Tent Rental

Linens, centerpiece risers, furniture rental, flatware by Linen Effects

Menu Card by Minted

Mansion Life...Dreams from Beyond

The walls whisper notes from the past and our imagination runs wild imaging the lives of those who have lived in historic mansions. It's time to recreate a story of fine dining in an avant garde interior. With the bold pink walls and green accented trim, this room is the setting of a fantasy from the 18th century, where we indulge on pastries and champagne with the likes of Marie Antoinette. Tall dramatic floral rises atop a table set for the lovers of decadence. Soft, cotton candy pink pairs so beautifully with the shimmer of pale gold damask lace. Patterned china and gold dinnerware pair so perfectly on this table. The entire look of this table and the setting of the room inspire us to awaken from the ordinary and step into the extraordinary. 

Floral and iPhone photos by Grace Klein

Linens and table setting by Linen Effects 

Classic Tapestry and Modern-Rustic

Geometric shapes play with the classic style of tapestry and mahogany in this look that perfectly balances masculine and feminine. Textures and color composition add dimension and interest galore. We love this stylish one of kind look! 

Styling, Floral, Photography By Grace Klein

Calligraphy in Menu Cards and Place Settings By Etleterra

Linens, Place Settings and Chairs by Linen Effects www.lineneffects.com

Bold and Beautiful...La Table d'inspiration Francaise

The table with two-parted inspiration begins with the stubbornly seasonal coral peony and is accented with French-inspired details. A year ago, when coral peony was last in season, I was dreaming of all of its beautiful potential. With it's dramatic color and exceptional bloom size, I imagined a bold design. Navy blue is the perfect complimentary color to coral and a white and navy striped table cloth would certainly add the bold element that I was hoping for while a blue toile napkin added sophistication. Paired with gold and the Louis XIV inspired white centerpiece riser and clear acrylic ghost chairs, the look begins to reflect a modern version of Versailles. 

Accents of yellow, purple, pinks and greens add to the uplifting spring essence. Both exciting and elegant, this look makes such a statement, "Je t'aime bold et belle!". Pink garden roses always enhance the romance while bright yellow cloony ranunculus brighten the mood. Draping greens allow me to imagine dancing in a french meadow of flowers with a soft breeze steering my imagination towards mon amour.

The most perfect addition to this table is the incredibly gorgeous lettering of the menu cards created by Etleterra. Like writing poetry, the words of food appeal to the words of love. Love is certainly felt in the individually scripted menu cards lettered in iridescent blue which look as if the bride wrote individual love notes to each guest.

Bold, beautiful and detailed with love, our French-inspired table beckons romance. We reveal our romantic side in this table design. 

 

Design, Floral, Styling and Photos By Grace Klein

 

Linens, Place Setting, Chairs and Risers available at Linen Effects

 

Menu Cards and Place Card by Etlettera

Intimate Aria Nostalgia

A love of theirs is a love of mine and when Megan and Matt contacted me with a request to create a wedding based around family memorabilia, I was thrilled! Guest tables were tablescape journeys of remembrance based on their lost loved one's lives. Collected antiques represented a life's love and paying homage to that life and love was a true representation of the thoughtfulness and kindness of Megan and Matt. 

The ceremony's backdrop of elegant chandeliers and a large rustic gear set the tone for what would come when guests moved into the reception space. Farm tables added a rustic touch and dimension to the floor plan at the beautiful, award-winning venue, Aria. Memorabilia, like a grandfather's metal tool box paired with unique containers of soft and romantic purple spring floral. Photos of the family member's had me a little choked up as I placed the table arrangements. I too am one who considers remembrance as a way to let lives live on forever. I am sure that as family and friends toasted to Megan and Matt's forever love, they kept the spirits of all of life's loves alive.

Venue: Aria, Minneapolis

Planning Services: The Simply Elegant Group

Linens: Linen Effects www.lineneffects.com

Farm Tables: Apres Party and Tent Rental

Bridal Portraits in this series by Studio 220 and all other photography by Grace Klein.

 

 

Upscale Wedding Elegance On A Budget

Fourteen years ago, I was certainly one of the most fortunate people in the world. That is when I met the amazing Kate and her guy, Matt. They had already been together for four years. After an almost 18 year relationship, they finally tied the knot! It was a long awaited celebration and I needed to make sure they the wedding was everything that Kate could dream of because I know of no lady more deserving.

Kate's style is very classic while Matt's electronic dance music DJ background allowed for a hint of disco ball. Kate's mom wanted to treat Kate to beautiful floral for her wedding while Kate was reluctant to spend a dime. Kate also wanted to create some of her own centerpieces with purple and silver globe balls. I helped her to choose the perfect colors to coordinate with the floral and paired those centerpieces with pops of low-lying purple floral. To really add drama to the space, I paired her centerpieces with 32" trumpet vases filled with elegant standard calla lilies and sprays of purple larkspur. This centerpiece is my very favorite budget friendly centerpiece as I have found an amazing deal with a farm in South America. It may look like a $200 centerpiece but I can provide these for $75 each! It really is the wedding deal of the decade!!!

The wedding ceremony was a private family affair. I provided a beautiful bouquet of Picasso calla lilies, white peony, Ocean Song roses, white hydrangea, white and purple South African ranunculus, privet berries and fresh lavender for Kate to carry down the aisle. The reception took place two days later at Midpointe Event Center in St. Paul. It is beautiful new venue that is also a dancer's studio during non-event hours. We were all treated wonderfully by the staff there and I would highly recommend this venue to anyone.

A very special thank you to Kate and Matt for the absolute honor of helping them with their wedding day! I look forward to their friendship...until death do we part.

Modern Baby Shower at Gallery Thirty-Six

Grace Klein LOVES babies! Celebrating the arrival of a new baby is even more exciting than a wedding and that is exactly why a baby shower should be done with beauty and character in every way. Grace Klein's Longfellow Minneapolis studio, Gallery Thirty-Six, is the perfect space for a baby shower. It's gallery-styled interior allows for any event to be transformed into a customized celebration.

Clean lines and geometric designs steer away from a typical baby girl-themed shower. Aqua blue tones are the perfect grounding colors that make bursts of pink, coral and orange pop with joy. Coral Darby garden roses and pink spider gerber daisies are showcased in the centerpieces and bud vases. Assortments of color and shape add so much visual interest!

A beautifully designed dessert station is filled with a backdrop of antique grids and fabric boards that artfully display baby's first photos along with hanging envelopes of floral. A drink station for coffee and mimosas is highlighted with colored stemware. Guest tables are set with a modern, geometric overlay sheer and topped with details galore! Copper Moscow mules add, perfectly, to the color palette.

Since guests included small children, a display of balloons were included as take-home gifts for each of them. Each child enjoyed finding their name tag on their own balloon while the parents enjoyed seeing their child's name so beautifully scripted.

Each day of life should be celebrated and life's most beautiful moments should be celebrated with style!

A very special thank you to our contributing partners. Thank you to Natasha Boote for the beautiful calligraphy and support! Also, a huge thanks to Gretchen Culvers for her amazing decor rentals (available by Beverly and Co. for Rentivist).

Venue: Gallery Thirty-Six               www.gallerythirtysix.com   http://www.gallerythirtysix.com

Floral and Event Design: Grace Klein

Photography: Grace Klein

Decor Rental: Beverly and Co. for Rentivist    www.rentivist.comwww.rentivist.com

Linen and Chiavari Chair Rental: Linen Effects www.lineneffects.com

Glassware Rentals: Apres Party Rental    www.apresparty.com


Elegant Rockstar Wedding in White and Purple

A'Bulae is the perfect venue for an upscale, rockstar wedding! The venue's integrated lighting system gives the entire space life with a custom color range available to transition you through your event. An intense red was chosen for the ceremony and the wedding's accent color, purple, drenched the dinner's candlelight. One must really see A'Bulae in person, to understand it is an experience, not just a venue.

The couple's rockstar lifestyle was meant to pair with elegance for the look of their wedding. A beautiful, tatted bride is certainly who, one can imagine, was the true centerpiece of this wedding! The groom preferred all white and silver for the floral and decor while the bride held out to accent the wedding with some pretty purples. I loved how this came together...white and silver graphic-styled containers filled with white hydrangea and roses with accents of white, purple and magenta dendrobium, cymbidium and phalaenopsis orchids. Tall silver trees added drama and romance with a very elegant design. The mirrored table runner for the head table was one of the many layers of silver reflection. Just imagine...the effect of disco ball without a disco ball! Rockstars rejoice.

Just Published...Watercolor Wedding

Watercolor wedding floral is delicate and artful inspiration in a soft, rainbow-array of colors. Pastels in purple, pink, orange and green are highlighted with pops of bright coral. King Protea and coral peony attempt to steal the show, but poppies, ranunculus and tuberose are not to be overlooked! 

For a fun and creative couple, a Pinstripes bowling alley wedding is a great choice. Plus, isn't a short, cropped-top wedding dress just ideal for bowling and bocce ball? 

Styled shoot at Pinstripes in Edina, MN.

Photography by Erin Johnson Photography

Floral By Grace Klein

Planning By Nadia for Simply Elegant Bridal Consulting

See the full styled shoot below.

http://www.artfullywed.com/wedding-inspiration/wedding-styles/floral-watercolor-wedding-inspiration/

Romantic Design in Rich Wine

Gold Tones with deep burgundy, warm neutrals of taupe and ivory with accents of dusty sage greens carry a very romantic vibe for my first wedding designed at the Historic Lumber Exchange building in downtown Minneapolis. The Fountain Room is a newer wedding venue and is the eleven-story atrium of the historic building. Tall, romantic floral centerpieces added so much to the space! Gold compote centerpieces added elegance while the gold lanterns paired well with the venue's full-size original city street lamp posts. We unfortunately rarely see our work displayed in a venue with candles lit and lights turned to ambiance-mode, but can imagine that with just that, The Fountain Room would look even more beautiful. 


Elegant Wedding at The St. Paul Hotel's M Street Cafe

The St. Paul Hotel's M Street Cafe is a perfect location for an intimate wedding with 75 guests! Event lighting from Bellagala highlighted the architecture in a deep purple glow and floral by Grace Klein was, as the bride said, "EXACTLY as she had envisioned it to be". Designer tinted champagne hydrangea, Vendella and Talea roses and Juliet garden roses were accented with deep plum stock. Purpleberry roses were placed into each chair sash as a great personalized touch. Classic elegance was the goal AND the outcome!



A Fairy-Tale Ending

For those who know me well, it is no surprise that a Fairy-Tale ending means something completely different. When my Egyptian-American bride, Hend, announced that her family and her Afghan-Amercan groom's family were now ready to celebrate their bi-cultural marriage, to me it was a United Nation's version of Cinderella! Throughout the planning process I was all too aware that this wedding was truly intended to be celebrated on SO many levels. The grandeur of the event needed to represent this. The floral was monumental in size and beauty while still remaining sleek and modern, with crystals draping everywhere, sequin sparkle table cloths and jewel encrusted vases. Hend's signature pop of color was called Firecracker Coral and it was represented well, as an accent in excellent proportion. 

Hend would always say, "Inshallah!"...her wedding would happen and be accepted. And I am so grateful because I know that she wishes the same for me.

Art Gallery Wedding Inspiration

Late winter and early spring leaves us feeling in need of invigoration. Bright colors and bold patterns, thankfully, awaken our senses. Inspired by art, tablescapes and floral find their place in the hierarchy within an art gallery. A  graffiti inspired, 30-foot Inkala original mural is the boldest wedding backdrop statement. Sculpture is found in elements like the custom made aisle runner and in the details of the silverware and linen napkin. It's time to wake up from the doldrums of winter and last season's 9th installation of blush-tones. Enjoy! 

Floral by Grace Klein  www.gracekleindesign.com


Styling by Grace Klein


Photography by Shiraz Mukarram  www.shiraz-mukarram.com


Linens and rentals by Linen Effects  www.lineneffects.com


Art by Eric Inkala  www.ericink.com


Art Gallery is Public Functionary  www.publicfunctionary.org

 

 

 

 

A 30ft Inkala, graffiti inspired mural is the backdrop for the ceremony.

A 30ft Inkala, graffiti inspired mural is the backdrop for the ceremony.

Custom aisle with sculptural element designed in glitter.

Custom aisle with sculptural element designed in glitter.

Glitter encrusted succulent

Glitter encrusted succulent

Bridal bouquet of Burgundy Peony, Magenta Yves Piaget Garden Roses and Ranunculus.

Bridal bouquet of Burgundy Peony, Magenta Yves Piaget Garden Roses and Ranunculus.

Entry focal point table with floral and candles

Entry focal point table with floral and candles

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Our favorite new linen napkin from Linen Effects!

Our favorite new linen napkin from Linen Effects!

Notice the backdrop in the photo.  It's the 30 ft. mural that was also the backdrop for the ceremony!

Notice the backdrop in the photo.  It's the 30 ft. mural that was also the backdrop for the ceremony!