A Romantic Hotel Wedding at Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, the Depot in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Kerianne Gaarder (27 and an MBA student) and Andrew LeJeune (27 and a sales associate) met in preschool—their parents were friends—but fell in love much later in life, when they were reacquainted through common friends. Andrew asked for Kerianne’s number, didn’t call her for weeks (he was swamped with grad school), then finally called and asked her on a date to see the musician Charlie Parr at the Turf Club. Shortly afterward, they were official. After they were engaged, they shared a vision for what their wedding should be: “The best party of our lives,” Kerianne says. “We wanted everyone to walk into our wedding and think, ‘Now this is a celebration!” The couple designed their invitations from scratch, setting the tone for a “romantic, cheery and happy” soiree in shades of pink and red, a nod to the couple’s Valentine’s Day “dating anniversary.” Kerianne’s bright bouquet carried the theme, as did the cocktail hour uplighting and alternating cherry red and pale pink linen tablecloths. Another important aspect was a dance floor, complete with illuminated panels, and lively entertainment to get people out on the dance floor. “We love seeing live music and dancing every chance we get,” Kerianne says. “When it came to picking a band, we wanted music that would get everyone on the dance floor. At the end of the night, the entire wedding cheered for an encore.” —Chrissy Sorenson