Wedding | Shannon & Kyle
Tell us a little about yourselves!
Our names are Shannon and Kyle and we live in Rochester, Minnesota. We met while working together as nurses in the intensive care unit. During the pandemic, the hospital we were at needed nurses to help in Arizona for a couple of months. A small group of us volunteered to go, including Kyle and me. On our days off there, we spent a lot of time together exploring Arizona by hiking, golfing, and taking road trips to places like Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and Mexico. We quickly realized how much we loved spending time with one another and by the end of the assignment, we were not just great coworkers, we were dating. Shortly after returning to Minnesota, we moved in together and both started graduate school. Two years later, we were engaged (and still in grad school LOL). We finally finished school and got married on Sunday, September 13, 2026!
Since we share a love for the outdoors and are happiest when we are spending time together, you can usually find us on the lake with our dog Maui, playing board games at a coffee shop or brewery, taking evening walks around our charming neighborhood, or traveling somewhere new. Our most recent adventures took us to Thailand and Bora Bora.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
The stress and time commitment of graduate school made wedding planning feel impossible, so we decided to wait until we had both finished our doctoral degrees. By the time we graduated, we had been together for six years and engaged for more than half of that time, so we were more than ready to get married.
The hard part was deciding where. With social media, it felt like every wedding had to be the “it” wedding and the possibilities felt endless. I had planned weddings in Arizona, Cabo, Santorini, and Italy. I knew I wanted something that felt different from a typical Midwest wedding and I kept coming back to the idea of a destination wedding. At the same time, I really wanted our family and closest friends to have the opportunity to celebrate with us without creating a burden for them.
I needed some help planning our wedding, so we recruited Bree from Archifête, who recommended Maison Bodega in Minneapolis. I instantly fell in love with the property. It felt like an airy Tuscan villa combined with a romantic cloud. If you ever visit this property, my description will make sense. Effortlessly, it gave us the destination wedding feeling I had been searching for while still allowing our favorite people to be present.
How many guests did you have?
It was an intimate ceremony and dinner with 28 guests. Jillian Blanc captured our day,
Tell us about your outfits.
Shannon wore Danielle Frankel’s taffeta gown, artfully hand-draped through the bodice with internal boning for structure, paired with a veil neck scarf. Kyle wore a custom suit from Martin Patrick 3.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspect in wedding planning to us was love. We wanted the day to feel full of love—not only between the two of us, but from all of the people who surrounded us. For a while, we weren’t even sure if we wanted a wedding at all. We considered eloping and making it just the two of us, but ultimately, we realized how meaningful it would be to have our immediate family and closest friends there to share in our love, add to our love, and celebrate with us.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Because we were having such a small celebration, it was important to have the day feel really special and intentional. I wanted Kyle and me to look and feel our best and I wanted everyone else to feel incredibly well taken care of. We had an outdoor garden ceremony on the most beautiful late summer day. My grandmothers were our flower girls and butterflies and bees floated around us as we exchanged our vows. During cocktail hour, we had caviar and scallops while a string trio played Taylor Swift and the silkie chickens wandered around the property.
After photos and fun, we sat down for a four-course dinner surrounded by the most gorgeous tablescape of candles and orchids. Throughout the night, our loved ones prayed over us, gave heartfelt speeches, and toasted champagne with us. We cut our cake and shared our first dance too. The day went by far too quickly, but every part of it felt so full of love. It is a day that will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Any tips for couples getting married?
The biggest piece of advice I would give couples getting married is to make your wedding your own and do not be afraid to ask for help bringing your vision to life. There are so many talented people who genuinely want to help create something that feels personal and meaningful to you. Pursue your vision, surround yourself with people you trust and who make you feel great, and remember that the day is ultimately about celebrating the love that you and your partner share.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
The venue is very special. Maison Bodega is a 1920 home in Minneapolis’ Loring Heights neighborhood, designed by architect Ernest Kennedy, whose work helped shape some of the city’s most beautiful historic residences. The home has been thoughtfully restored while preserving its original character, creating a space that feels deeply rooted in Minneapolis but still incredibly fresh and design-forward.
There’s something really special about a wedding here because it feels less like a traditional venue and more like being invited into an incredibly beautiful, lived-in home.
Photographer & Videographer: Jillian Blanc @jillian_blanc | Planning: Archifête @archifete | Flora: Aylo @aylo______ | Ceremony & Reception Location: Maison Bodega @maisonbodega | Celebrant: Halcyon Celebrations @halcyoncelebrations | Hire: Rosalia Road @rosalia_road | HMUA: Jesus Arte @jesus.arte | Dress: Danielle Frankel @daniellefrankel | Suit: Martin Patrick 3 @martinpatrick3 | Wedding Rings: Cartier @cartier | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik @manoloblahnik
