Tiny, Gold, And Floral: This Cheez-Y Weekday Wedding In A Diner Wins
In the midst of a whimsical celebration, Pastry Chef Holly Marie and her partner Judd, Buyer/Planner for a bike parts company, exchanged vows at The Bad Waitress Diner in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 18, 2015. Leah Fontaine Photography beautifully captured the joyous occasion.
Our offbeat wedding at a glance:
Two years to the day after our first date at a quaint coffee shop/diner, we decided to tie the knot in the same location. The fact that it fell on a Wednesday made it an unconventional weekday wedding. With a limited capacity, we had to keep our guest list deliberately small and intimate. Despite initial skepticism about our unusual choice of venue, our loved ones were incredibly understanding and accommodating, taking days off from work to attend.
Those who couldn’t join us were also gracious in their absence. The diner’s owners exceeded our expectations by being thoroughly invested in making our special day perfect. We met with them several times beforehand, and they genuinely wanted to make it a memorable experience for us. And boy, did they deliver! Our relationship began on OKcupid, and since that first meeting, we’ve shared an inside joke about the ‘internets’ bringing us together.
This became our wedding theme, with everything centered around personal and sentimental touches.
Tell us about the ceremony:
Our wedding ceremony was a unique blend of personal touches, cultural traditions, and musical flair. A close friend officiated the ceremony, which we co-wrote with her. We drew inspiration from existing scripts, as well as quotes from our favorite movies (Big Fish and When Harry Met Sally) and articles about relationships. We also threw in some Carl Sagan for good measure. To add a personal touch, my/our daughters delivered an adapted reading of Edward Monkton’s ‘A Lovely Love Story.
‘ We rewrote the adverbs to describe ourselves, injecting humor into the proceedings with lines like ‘But he is so quiet and so awkward and so overly fond of video games!’ and ‘She has so many tattoos, and she is also a good mother which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.’To incorporate Jewish traditions, Judd’s mom read a beautiful, simplified version of The Seven Blessings.
Unfortunately, our champagne flute went missing just before the ceremony, but a friend came to the rescue with a pint glass, allowing us to toast with Mazel Tov! Before the ceremony, we enjoyed 20 minutes of a string quartet playing modern love and pop songs. We walked down the aisle together to a beautiful string version of The Moldy Peaches’ ‘Anyone Else But You,’ which held special significance as it was the song that brought us together on OKcupid.
Our recessional was set to Outkast’s upbeat anthem, ‘Hey Ya!’
Tell us about your reception:
As we stood in the receiving line after the ceremony, my heart melted as I gazed down at my youngest daughter clinging to her new stepdad, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. The photo that still takes my breath away is not of her, but of everyone’s reactions to her emotional outburst. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes, it was a logistical marathon to get the venue ready for our special day.
The wedding party and venue hosts worked tirelessly to transform the space, from setting up tables to rehearsing poses for photos. The owners even rented a moving truck to store tables during the ceremony, only to quickly set them back up afterwards. It was a testament to their dedication to making our day perfect. After the ‘I dos,’ Judd and I slipped away to a nearby cocktail bar to savor our newlywed bliss in private.
As we were out of sight, our guests enjoyed an array of delights, including cheese and olive plates, and – you guessed it – Cheez-Its (a nod to our commitment to each other). We returned just in time for Matt & Kim’s ‘Hey Now’ to get the party started again, complete with a champagne toast. And let’s not forget the culinary masterpiece that was our build-your-own burger bar. I ensured it was as kosher and vegan-friendly as possible, drawing on my experience as a pastry chef.
And, of course, I had to contribute to the sweet treats, crafting the wedding cake, cupcakes, and cookies with love.
What was your most important lesson learned?
For five months, I dedicated myself to crafting every detail of our celebration from scratch. From the intricate calligraphy on invitation envelopes to the dozens of hand-lettered signs, mini table centerpieces, faux bouquets and floral arrangements, I poured my heart into making each element a testament to the beauty of gold, florals, and vintage charm.
While these details undoubtedly added a personal touch and earned their fair share of admiration, it was our love that truly shone through – and the warm, fuzzy glow of affection from our loved ones.
Vendors
The wedding party and their stylish ensembles were a highlight of the special day. Photographer Leah Fontaine Photography captured every detail, from the bride’s stunning dress by Chi Chi London to the groom’s dapper look courtesy of Brooks Brothers and Boom Bowtie. The bridesmaids wore vibrant gowns from Lindy Bop, while the junior bridesmaids looked adorable in outfits from Target. Meanwhile, the officiant made a stylish impression with attire from ModCloth and Target.
The charming venue was none other than The Bad Waitress Diner, where the ceremony took place amidst beautiful music provided by The Birchwood String Quartet. Guests were treated to an array of sweet treats on the dessert table courtesy of Pipeline Cookie Company, as well as lovely favors. To top it all off, the wedding stationery was designed with elegance in mind, thanks to Minted.
