By Guest Bride Blogger Madeleine Hill
When crafting the perfect wedding weekend, you not only have to fine tune the ceremony and reception, but you must also consider the before and after celebrations designed to prolong the party and keep the champagne glasses full. An extended bash is common for a predominately out-of-town guest list, and because we are new to the Twin Cities, almost all of our guests will be flying in from around the country. Here is how we plan to show off our new home and honor our attendees.
The Pre-Parties:
Although I am not hosting a traditional bridal luncheon or tea, I do want to show my attendants how much I appreciate all of their help (and support!) by treating them to a casual girls-only day before the wedding. I’m taking a few tips from Martha Stewart and will prepare a healthy breakfast loaded with vitamins (blueberries, yogurt, and whole wheat toast) to manage anxiety and promote relaxation. Next, off to a morning yoga class to practice deep breaths and to stretch out those over-worked muscles in anticipation for a night of dancing. And a girls-day-out isn’t complete without a touch of pampering, so a Thai massage (my favorite kind!) and pedicures are in order.
My older sister (and maid of honor) has planned an intimate bachelorette party for about 10 people in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday night. To make it easier for our guests to attend our bachelor and bachelorette parties, we chose to lump them into the weekend festivities. Our dinner reservations are at Haute Dish, a new restaurant by chef Landon Schoenefeld that serves Midwestern food with flare in an elegant yet modern atmosphere. For party drinks with a view, we are heading to Psycho Suzi’s outdoor riverside patio and to the W Hotel’s 27th floor Prohibition bar.
After researching unique concepts for a Twin Cities party, I found a few fun ideas for either the bride or groom: the Surly Brewery tour (it is free, but make reservations), a Pedal Pub crawl (bike your way around Minneapolis with your favorite brew on board), a Twins or Saints baseball game, or a St. Croix valley wine tasting.
Our casual rehearsal dinner will be at the farm Friday evening. Luckily, my fiance’s family is taking charge of the event, leaving me with little to plan but lots to look forward to! My mother-in-law-to-be is bringing Chicago’s famous Italian beef sandwiches with a few healthy side dishes and yard games for a little pre-wedding competition.
The After-Party:
We are welcoming all of our guests back to the farm on Sunday morning for a casual brunch and farewell after a weekend of celebrating! Everyone will need to wind down with a hearty last meal and a final toast before hitting the road. Luckily, I have a volunteer to help make a simple, yet flavorful brunch buffet for about 30 people (or about half of our guests).
We are serving two egg dishes: a traditional sausage and cheese casserole, and a more contemporary, veggie option with asparagus, leeks, and goat cheese. For the sweeter side, we are making banana crumble top muffins, which can be made a few days in advance, and a mixed fruit bowl. And of course we aren’t forgetting the bubbly—a morning mango mimosa is sure to make our brunch shine.
