Kelly & Zach: November Nuptials

Kelly Quinlan and Zach Olsen were born just two days apart. The two shared mutual friends, and had met in passing a few times, but had never truly connected. After realizing the coincidence on a night out with friends, a conversation about birthdays turned into three years of dating—and ultimately, one stylish wedding.

In late 2012, with the inevitable holiday frenzy coming to a close, the couple decided to visit Zach’s parents’ cabin. “After all of the hoopla surrounding Christmas and that excitement, we got the idea to go up to the cabin for a few days just to get away. We love to go up there in the summertime but we’d never gone together in the winter, and it’s beautiful up there,” says Kelly. The two-and-a-half-hour trek was worth it, as Zach picked the winter wonderland as the backdrop to ask Kelly to be his wife. “Zach built a big fire outside, and as we were sitting there, he proposed—in the dead of winter,” Kelly says with a laugh.

While Kelly and Zach weren’t entirely sure what they wanted for their big day, one thing was clear: They knew they were having a fall wedding. Their birthdays are both in the fall, and good things seem to happen to them when the leaves start to change, so there were no doubts about an autumn ceremony. Soon after they chose their November date, the couple turned to Stephanie Johnson at Park Place Planning and Events to help them achieve their dream day. “We started talking, and I was pretty hesitant to assign a color scheme to the wedding because I didn’t want things to be too matchy-matchy,” remembers Kelly. “I was pretty clear that I wanted to stick to whites, ivories, maybe a little bit of silver, and keep it really neutral.”

Then, Kelly and Stephanie started discussing a not-so-neutral hue: emerald green. “I have an Irish background, and I love the color green. We were very careful and deliberate in incorporating it into certain aspects of the wedding. I wanted to use it purposefully—my sister, my maid of honor, had emerald shoes; it was an outline on wedding invitations, and on the place settings. It was definitely there and present, but not overwhelming,” says Kelly.

The ceremony venue was an easy choice: Kelly grew up attending the Church of Assumption in St. Paul, and always knew she wanted to get married there. The process of finding their reception venue proved more difficult for the couple, until they toured the Calhoun Beach Club. “It was perfect. It was bright and open, with clean lines and detailing that was deliberate and pointed, and I like that. It felt like a space that Zach and I were really comfortable in,” says Kelly.

From there, everything else fell into place. Stephanie gave them recommendations on a photographer, florist, band, and invitation designer, all of whom the couple loved. Emily, at Paperista, helped articulate the couple’s vision, while Jackie at Munster Rose magically got peonies (Kelly’s favorite flower) for the November wedding, a gesture that the bride says was “above and beyond.”

The actual wedding went off without a hitch, including the priest reading notes from the couple to each other, a complete surprise to the both of them—and the guests. “It gave everyone a little glimpse into mine and Zach’s heads on the day of the wedding,” says Kelly. After the ceremony, the two headed to the reception, where guests were treated to a mini-dessert bar in place of the traditional wedding cake. Malted milk donut sliders, salted caramel and chocolate macaroons, mini cheesecakes, cupcakes, and trifle shooters satisfied even the biggest sweet tooths, while a late-night snack of mini-burgers and French fries kept the guests full into the wee hours of the morning.

The couple kept their guests dancing with their live band, R Factor, whom Kelly says their invitees absolutely loved. Having the formality of the ceremony over and being able to celebrate along with the guests was Zach’s favorite part of the day, while Kelly enjoyed just being with Zach—and that the vision for their wedding was perfectly implemented.

Wedding Date: November 2, 2013

Ceremony: Church of the Assumption, St. Paul

Dress: The Wedding Shoppe

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Groom’s Attire: Savvi Formalwear

Bridesmaid Dress: Alfred Sung

Groomsmen Suits: Savvi Formalwear

Reception: Calhoun Beach Club, Minneapolis

Wedding Planner: Stephanie Johnson, Park Place Planning and Events

Photographer: Erica Loeks Photography

Invitations: Paperista

Flowers: Munster Rose

Band: The R Factor

Pianist: Sharon Planer

Catering & Dessert: D’Amico Catering

Rings: Bergstrom Jewelers

Linens/Rentals: Linen Effects

Lighting: Instant Request

Hair & Makeup: Emily J.