Geneva Nodland
Aaron and Maris met for the first time in 2019, at a farewell party for a mutual college friend. After a year of seeing each other at various events, Aaron asked Maris on a first date to the movies—which Maris thought went well so, she skipped work two days later to go skiing with Aaron and his roommates. Shortly after their first dates, COVID-19 hit the United States. This may have been an issue if these two didn’t live across the street from each other in their college apartments. They spent nearly every day together from March to May of that year. From car problems to visiting Disney World, the years they spent together while dating were filled with joy and laughter. In November 2022, Aaron proposed to Maris in Duluth, MN, at Bentleyville Tour of Lights to make their love a forever kind of thing. Aaron is a civil engineer at a Grand Forks firm, designing and supervising the construction of roads. Maris is a special education teacher in Grand Forks, teaching at a local elementary school. In their spare time, Aaron and Maris enjoy cuddling up on the couch together, working on renovating their 1920s home and spending time with their two cats, Tink and Beanz.
The Day They Tied the Knot
May 25th, 2024
“May 25th, 2024 was a magical, unforgettable fairy tale of a day filled with love, florals, and laughter. It was everything we dreamed our wedding would be and the day felt 100% authentic to who we are as individuals as well as who we are together.”
Vendors
Venue: Synclaire
We searched long and hard for a venue that would fit our vision for a garden party aesthetic wedding. Finally, our wedding planner Karissa told us about a new venue that was starting renovations. When we picked Synclaire for our wedding it was a trust-the-process kind of situation. But in our hearts, we knew it was the perfect venue and everything would work out. They ended up finishing all their renovations two weeks before our big day. We loved that all portions of the wedding were at one venue so there was no need for us or our guests to travel. The ballroom was so beautiful and we felt like we were in our own little fairytale. Overall, Jenna and Synclaire was an amazing venue to work with and their renovation turned out so incredibly gorgeous.
Floral: Love Always Floral
Florals were a really big deal for our wedding day. Our theme, as Maris would like to put it, was a fairy garden princess party. Love Always made this a reality for us. There was beautiful florals throughout the wedding including a ceiling installation, floral arches for the ceremony, and a breathtaking bouquet for Maris
Dessert: Bāk (Bozeman, MT)
My aunt Beth has a baking company named Bāk in Bozeman, MT. She made all the desserts for our wedding including a small wedding cake, tea cakes that were the same flavor as the wedding cake, chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, sugar cookie bars, and lemon tarts. She did an amazing job with all of our desserts and they were gone by the end of the night!
Gowns: Your Day By Nicole
I fell in love with the dress my first-time dress shopping, but what really pushed my decision to pick my dress from Your Day was their willingness and excitement to help me customize the dress to my personality. Nicole herself took the time to help me design my sleeves for the dress. I felt understood and like a priority when they were working with me to create my perfect dress.
Suits: Nordstrom (Minneapolis) & Halberstadt’s on Broadway
Aaron picked out his suit from Nordstrom in Minneapolis. We knew we wanted Aaron to wear a light blue suit for the wedding (blue is his favorite color). After searching we landed upon a sports coat from Ted Baker and they were able to accommodate and make Aaron matching dress pants. We picked out groomsmen’s suits and our fathers’ suits from Halberstadt’s on Broadway.
Hair Stylist: Beauty by Malanna
Beauty by Malanna did my hair as well as all my bridesmaids’ hair. She is my normal hair stylist and I trust her with all my hair needs. She did a fabulous job on my hair and everyone else’s.
Makeup Artist: Sephora
I was going to do my own makeup for my wedding but while shopping at Sephora for a new foundation, I began talking to Kylee. She convinced me to come in for a trial after asking what kind of look I was going for. She did amazing, I was glowing and ethereal, and I loved it. So prior to heading to the venue the morning of the wedding, I went to Sephora, Aaron came with me and it gave us about an hour of down time together before the busy day began.
Wedding Planner: Gather Event Planning – Karissa Kjos
She was more than amazing when it came to helping us find the perfect venue to make sure the day ran so smoothly. She was willing and so excited to help make all of our crazy ideas a reality. Our wedding would not have happened without her help.
"Wow, I could say so much about this beautiful day! Every detail was so thoughtfully planned, every person there was so happy to celebrate the newlyweds, and the couple was such a joy to capture. It was a dream to photograph such a sweet, genuine couple and an honor to capture the first wedding at the absolutely stunning Synclaire venue!"
Couple Q&A
Q: Looking back, what was worth the coin and what wasn’t when it came to the entire process, why?
A: When looking back on the day and the process of planning a wedding, hiring our wedding planner Karissa was 100% worth it. Without her we would have never found our dream venue and our day would not have been run as smoothly.
Love Always Floral was an amazing vendor and definitely worth every penny, they were accommodating with our budget for florals, and they helped us pick every floral based on the aesthetic we were trying to achieve. They also did the complete setup and helped with the tear down of our event.
One thing we could have planned better for was the amount of alcohol purchased. At the end of the night, we had a lot of pre-purchased alcohol left over. I also felt like a lot of the signage I made went unused, we had printed quite a few QR codes linked to a shared photo album and we did not receive many photos from the day.
Q: Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process, but it is easy to get stressed! Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?
A: We would recommend just really leaning on each other. This day is about you and your partner and your love for each other. At the end of the day that is all that matters. It also helps to make lists and schedules for DIY’s waaaaay prior to when you think they need to be done.
Q: Can you share some advice with couples who are planning their big day?
A: We would recommend planning at least something for you and your partner to relax after your big day. Aaron and I did not take a honeymoon after the wedding and went back to work the following week. The day goes by so fast, even a mini-moon the next weekend, just so you and your partner have time to soak in all the joy and love from your big day.
Frequently asked Questions... with answers from local vendors!
Love Always Floral is a modern floral design studio in town specializing in artisan arrangements, weddings, and imaginative installations for a variety of events.
How do I book my wedding with Love Always Floral?
We’d be honored to be a part of your kick-off to forever! Start by filling out our wedding inquiry form at lovealwaysfloral.com. From there, we’ll get a complimentary design consultation on the books to discuss all your floral dreams, create a custom quote, and curate a mood board of your vision with designs detailed down to the petal.
What does your full-service minimum include?
We work with each couple’s budget to ensure that we achieve your vision. This includes bouquets, breathtaking statements, and every floral dream in between!
What design style do you specialize in?
Using artisan florals and modern mediums, each Love Always Floral design is uniquely created in our signature garden style. With an emphasis on dimension, natural composition, texture, and unconventional colors and flower varieties, our work is crafted with intention and modern, artful precision.
Do you travel?
Yes! You name the time and place—we’ll be there!
Learn more at:
lovealwaysfloral.com
Facebook | /lovealwaysevents
Instagram | @lovealwaysfloral
Tiktok | @lovealwaysfloral
Pinterest | @lovealwaysfloral
Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Café, located downtown, is a bakery and café specializing in Europeanstyle desserts, classic American favorites, and savory dishes, all crafted in small batches using local ingredients—and, of course, wedding cakes and desserts!
Do I have to schedule a consultation for a wedding?
Yes. Please contact us to schedule an appointment for an initial consultation. We appreciate planning this a minimum of two weeks in advance to allow us time to schedule time and prepare tastings. There is a $50 fee for the consultation that will be applied to your total balance if you order through us. The consultation includes cake samples, a discussion to create a personalized cake, and a cost estimate. Please prepare for the consultation by collecting images, choosing colors, and identifying your style. These will guide the consultation and assist in meeting your desires within your budget.
Do you offer cake stand rental?
Nichole’s Fine Pastry rents display stands, platters, and cake equipment. A deposit is required for using these. A complete refund will be issued if the equipment is returned in good condition within one week of your event. During your consultation, Nichole will work with you to decide what is best for setting up and who should be responsible based on what you order.
Learn more at:
nicholesfinepastry.com
Facebook | /NicholesFinePastry
Instagram | @nicholesfinepastry
