McKenna’s and Jenna’s Minneapolis wedding, in a word? 

Masterpiece.

From the hair and makeup chair at the start of the day to letting said hair down on the dance floor, McKenna’s and Jenna’s ‘I do’ day was honestly everything anyone could possibly hope for their magical Minneapolis wedding… and then some.

From my vantage point, as the traveling wedding photographer who was lucky enough to document their Minnesota wedding (and their Nashville mini-moon engagement session this past winter, too!), a lot of this masterpiece-ness (not a word? it is now!) can be chalked up to the Minneapolis wedding vendors who contributed their own creative ingenuity to the day.

When it comes to selecting the vendors for your wedding day, it’s crucial to select vendors who not only bring their A game to your once-in-a-lifetime day, but who will aim to compliment your love story– not steal its thunder. 

I think I speak for all of us when I say that our work as vendors is to help you shape an entire world around your wedding day: one that illustrates the magic of your romance as best it can, inviting the guests to witness and celebrate it, with you, with everything they’ve got. 

McKenna’s and Jenna’s Minneapolis wedding vendors were, hands down, some of the most incredible I’ve worked with to date. You’ll be able to see their genius play out in the photos in this gallery, but because I am who I am, and I obviously want to wingwoman planning for the most unbelievable wedding day known to humankind (YOURS!), I’ve made a list of the Minneapolis wedding vendors that contributed to McKenna’s and Jenna’s day to remember. 

“One of the best decisions we made for our wedding was hiring Ali as our photographer! Working with Ali was a seamless process from start to finish. As a queer couple, it was crucial for us to find a photographer who would make us feel supported and knew how to tailor poses for a same sex couple. In Ali we found just that! We never once felt out of place or uneasy, and she found creative ways to get shots that weren’t your typical, stale posed pictures. She was also great throughout the whole planning process as well, from the engagement shoot all the way up to the wedding. Honestly, most of the time it just felt like we were working with a best friend vs. a wedding vendor. Our engagement session was SO. MUCH. FUN. We ran around the city in an ice storm and could not stop laughing together. Her expertise was so helpful in guiding us through shot lists and timeline details, and she answered all our questions during our final call. On the day of the wedding, it was so refreshing to have a documentary style photographer who could not only capture the candid and unique moments of our day, but also who felt completely at ease guiding and directing us to make small adjustments to get the perfect shot. All of our guests were complimenting on how easy going, friendly and professional she was. The sneak peek photos were absolutely STUNNING and to this day we still have people complementing us on how beautiful our photos turned out. We could not have been more affirmed or happy in our choice to have Ali as our photographer, and in her, we gained a new friend. HIRE HER you will not regret it!“

The Veil

She is the moment. McKenna exactly as she is, of course, but even more so: McKenna in her iconic Janesse Russel New York veil. 

Janesse Russel’s tagline is ‘Wearable Art for the Nontraditional Bride,’ and my apologies to taglines everywhere, but a truer tagline has never been written. McKenna’s delicately hand-sewn veil, adorned with flowers the likes of which you have never seen, was such a stunning accessory to her elegant and modern high-neck gown. 

And, as you can see from the picture below, I came up with any excuse I could to “fix” her veil (read: get a closer look every chance I could), before photographing it from every angle imaginable.

The Venue

McKenna’s and Jenna’s wedding took place at Mosaic in downtown Minneapolis, and speaking of ‘moments,’ I loved how the sparse, modern space allowed McKenna and Jenna to be the moment. It didn’t distract or detract from anything that was unfolding in real time.

I mean, the sprawling windows overlooking the cityscape, creating the most gorgeous backlight for the brides; the contemporary halo lights that were scattered throughout the entire space; the venue’s inclusive values of celebrating belonging and culture– It couldn’t have been a better choice for their love story to play out.

The Dresses

Let’s take a collective moment of silence for how good McKenna and Jenna looked in their gowns (McKenna’s by Che Bella and Robert Bullock and Jenna’s by Nadine Merabi). And in case you haven’t caught it yet, Jenna’s dress was especially unique in that it was a hybrid pantsuit, which she later donned on the dance floor. I was obsessed with how the delicate lace detailing of the top tapered off gradually into the removable, sheer skirt. 

(Judging by McKenna’s reaction when she first got eyes on Jenna, I think she was– justifiably– a little obsessed, too.)

The Flowers

It goes without saying that Haute House Studio absolutely nailed the floral arrangements. They were the most tasteful pop of color against the neutral tones of the venue, and the rich, autumnal palette couldn’t have been more perfect against the deep, emerald green of the bridesmaids’ dresses. 

McKenna and Jenna opted to have the flowers be the primary wedding decor, featured as pillars behind the head table, laying on nearly every surface of the tables, and as decorations on the cake, and as you can see: They really understood the assignment.

Minneapolis Wedding Vendors: Honorable Mentions

While I could go on and on about all of the Minneapolis wedding vendors included in orchestrating McKenna’s and Jenna’s contemporary wedding, I also know you have a wedding of your own to plan.

So, for the sake of time, here is a list of the other vendors included in the day: 

Photography: Me, Of Course AKA, Ali Miller Photography

Catering: Heather’s

DJ: Shawn Doe at GenerationNOW Entertainment

Hair & Makeup: Lady Vamp Artistry

Wedding Planner: Queerly Beloved Events Co.

Jewelry: RF Moeller

As you’re setting to the drawing boards and doing research on Minneapolis wedding vendors for your ‘I do’ day, keep in mind that your wedding photographer– whether it be me or someone else– is a fantastic person to resource for recommendations.

If your wedding photographer is anything like me, working with couples who want their wedding day to be every bit the cinematic legacy, they will likely have worked with a lot of creative vendors, and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction for your vision.