September

September is a great month for weddings at Stillwater Public Library. Johnson Terrace is a bit toasty mid-afternoon in August despite the winds blowing from the St. Croix River at 10-20 miles per hour! The afternoons are beautiful, and the nights aren't too cold. Hydrangeas are blooming up a storm, and we had several weddings which used them in their wedding decor. Almost everyone in Minnesota or Wisconsin has a friend or family member who has a garden full of hydrangeas this time of year! These flowers have a great variety of colors, have great staying power in the sun, and can be dried and preserved for months afterwards! They are big enough to make a statement, and can be mixed with more expensive or colorful florals to make a big statement! That being said, if anyone out there knows what I'm doing wrong with the hydrangeas at my house...they were huge, white beautiful flowers for the first two years we owned our home, and now they are teeny, tiny leggy things. I'm sure the former owner drives by and cries at what I have done to her once burgeoning garden.

The first wedding of September was one of the most beautiful weddings we had all summer. Not just because of the bride's attention to detail, but because it was a beautiful love story. I see dozens of couples each month, either planning their event, or giving them tours of the library. It is very rare that you can actually FEEL the connection between two people; from the way they look at one another, to the way their families interacted and supported their union. It was a beautiful thing to see two people so in tune with each other. Their photographer, Amy Jo Zellmer of Custom Creations in Shakopee did an excellent job of capturing the magic between Chad and Kris. Check out the slideshow on her blog, because it is great work! The pictures were taken both at the Library and at the Aurora Staples Bed and Breakfast next door where the couple had a suite.

The tent for the wedding was a 40 x 40 with side walls. This was a very nice size for a group of 120. It was used for the ceremony, and for the dance afterward. It was a good evening to have a tent on reserve because it did get very cool & rainy during the evening reception. The olive sashes and linens were rented from Midway Party Rental.