Trinity Lutheran Church, decorated with ferns from my friend, Mike, and with hydrangea pew flowers by my floral designer sister, Lanae Feser of Waseca Floral. Trinity is our family’s church, where the bride was baptized and confirmed and attended Faribault Lutheran School.
Dear friends, since God so loves us, we also ought to love one another.—John 4:11
LOVE. GOD’S LOVE. The young couple’s love for one another. Love brought family and friends together at 4 p.m. Sunday, September 22, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Faribault, Minnesota, to witness the marriage of my daughter, Amber, and her now husband, Marc.
I love that they chose Sunday as their wedding day, although I know not all invited guests were pleased.
Amber and Marc. Photo by and courtesy of Minneapolis based Rochelle Louise Photography.
But Sunday, a day of rest, a day set aside for the Lord, seemed the perfect day for this couple to unite in marriage. Their faith has been an important part of their relationship from the beginning and will center their lives together.
John 4:11 was among their chosen Scripture readings.
Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are absolutely, incredibly, in love. Photo by and courtesy of Rochelle Louise Photography.
They also chose, rather than to light a unity candle or pour sand from two containers into one, to share Communion. Just the two of them. The pastor noted in his message, how he appreciated this decision, how years ago Communion was a part of most Lutheran wedding services.
When the young couple partook of The Lord’s Supper together for the first time as husband and wife, tears edged into my eyes, just as they had earlier when my husband walked his daughter down the aisle. It was an emotional moment.
And even though the mother-of-the-groom vowed that she would not cry—and she didn’t—I would not, could not, make that promise. For I knew I would never keep it.
BEFORE THE WEDDING SNAPSHOTS:
The bride and her attendants with the stunning bouquets created by my floral designer sister, Lanae Feser of Waseca Floral. Photo by and courtesy of Rochelle Louise Photography.
The bridal party awaits the beginning of their photo shoot. The second-hand bridal gown was purchased at Andrea’s Vintage Bridal in Minneapolis. The bridesmaids’ dresses were custom made by dressmakers in Hong Kong (I think) and purchased through etsey.
When my daughter tried on this beaded replica vintage dress, we all knew, just knew, it was the one for her. She had it taken in and a sash added with no other alterations.
Sister of the bride and maid of honor, Miranda.
A single hydrangea adorned every other pew.
The wedding party heads outside for photos. No, I did not follow out of respect for the professional photographers and at the bridal couple’s request. It’s best to stay out of the way. Because of that, dear readers, I took no formal wedding couple/group shots.
The flowers, oh, the flowers. My beyond talented sister, Lanae of Waseca Floral, created the bouquets.
FYI: Please click here to check out the work of Minneapolis based Rochelle Louise Photography. This husband-wife team set a serene mood for the photo sessions with their relaxed and confident attitudes. I cannot wait to see the remaining results of their nine hours covering Amber and Marc’s wedding. From this first glimpse of their work in three of the photos so credited above, I am beyond impressed. Thank you, Rochelle and Tom. When you click onto Rochelle’s website, also click onto her blog to view her take on Amber and Marc’s wedding and some of her favorite photos.
Click here to reach Waseca Floral, where my sister, Lanae Feser, works as head designer.
To learn more about Andrea’s Vintage Bridal in Minneapolis, click here.
To view previous “My daughter’s wedding” posts, click here and then here and also here.
Two more wedding posts will be forthcoming.
© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Photos by Rochelle Louise Photography are copyrighted and published here with permission.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I am back home and catching up on what I missed when I was traveling! What a lovely post and what a beautiful day you had. I would not be able to promise the no tears either, I am sure. The professional pictures are perfect and the hydrangeas—oh they are perfect, too. Your sister is so talented! I never imagined that the simplicity of the single flower would be so lovely. What a beautiful post, Audrey. So full of hope and promise and love. Are you back to normal now??? 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the post. The wedding was lovely, in so many ways.
I am slowly catching up on sleep, although we traveled to southwestern Minnesota this past weekend to make horseradish (which was great fun), but that didn’t help with the sleep issue. Wouldn’t have missed it, though.
Oh the annual horseradish event!! Fun fun fun! I am happy to be home and have a ton of stuff planned this week so I had best get to it!!! Have a great day!
And it looks like a fabulous day, Beth Ann. Be sure to check out the blog post Rochelle Louise Photography posted from Amber and Marc’s wedding this morning. Rochelle and Tom’s photos are incredible. Here’s the precise link: http://rochellelouise.com/amber-marc-faribault-mn-wedding/
Thanks! Going there now!
You are welcome. I know you’re going to love these photos.
(Through tears!!!) So beautiful…….and, yes, Sunday is so perfect to begin a new life together!!!! No further words………blessings……..
Thank you, Doreen. But you’re not supposed to be crying…
Be sure to check out more wedding photos at Rochelle Louise Photography: http://rochellelouise.com/amber-marc-faribault-mn-wedding/
Tears of joy for you and yours, dear friend!!!! I will check out the photos. Hugs……
You are so sweet, Doreen. You will love Rochelle and Tom’s images.
Audrey, you really are a fantastic photographer! (We all know you are a great writer, so no need to mention THAT!) Smiles and blessings to you as you revel in the after glow of Amber’s wedding (which looked to be a wonderful success!). BTW, Randy sure looked HANDSOME in that suit! Wowza! (I’m really not kidding!) – Love Rena
Thank you, Rena. But Rochelle and Tom are definitely the pros when it comes to wedding portrait photography.
I totally agree about Randy.
Oh-My-Goodness…… Just beautiful, the bride, the wedding party, the flowers….everything 🙂 Especially like the 2nd photo from top. Yep…. they are in love, no doubt about it. Thanks for sharing photo’s of the wedding, will there be more?????
Aren’t Rochelle and Tom’s photos fantastic? They captured the emotions, moments, beauty and love in their images. I totally agree about that second photo. If you have not checked out more of the professional photos, go to this link:
http://rochellelouise.com/amber-marc-faribault-mn-wedding/
Yes, Jackie, I have two more wedding posts coming, one from the reception and a bonus one.
Such a Beautiful, Happy, In Love Couple:) Love all the details and the flowers are just gorgeous!!! Happy Monday – thanks so much for sharing.
Yes. Happy. In love. Beautiful.
Be sure to scoot over to Rochelle Louise Photography and more wedding photos posted on her blog.
I did and her photographs are beautiful and so natural looking too!
I love the journalistic relaxed style of wedding photos today versus the posed formal portraits of yesteryear. So much more realistic and emotional.
Here, Here!!! It should tell a story about the day:)
Yes, photos have a wonderful way of telling stories, if you remember to focus on details and overall happenings. The big picture. The little picture.
Marvelous! I love the look on their faces – so happy! My nephew and his (now) wife took communion alone at their wedding, too, in August. It was lovely. Such a great part of the ceremony. I wish I had thought of that, 17 years ago!
I know. I love the solo Communion. So much more meaningful than a unity candle or something else.
Gretchen, be sure to make your way over to Rochelle Louise Photography to see more wedding photos. I promise. You will love them.
http://rochellelouise.com/amber-marc-faribault-mn-wedding/
Will do! Thanks!
Ok, they’re wonderful! Many excellent shots – great looks on their faces! And those bouquets are fabulous! Your sister did a marvelous job. 🙂 How great to have such lovely memories of the day.
Yes, definitely some wonderful moments to relive in those wedding shots by Rochelle Louise Photography. Love Rochelle and Tom’s work.
Oh, how lovely these photos are and how serene your daughter looks in her happiness. Congratulations on this passage! I was at a wedding this weekend for the daughter of our good friends. Weddings always make me reconsider the promises I’ve made to my own partner and think about how we’re doing. 🙂 And then I go dance!
That’s great, that you go dance after contemplating. Randy and I danced up a storm at our girl’s wedding. Such fun.
I hope you clicked over to Rochelle Louise Photography to see her professional photos of Amber and Marc’s wedding day. They are breath taking.
Just stunning, Audrey. What a day! Your sister is incredibly talented. Those bouquets are just gorgeous. The colours she put in them blend together so well and some of the colours match the bridesmaids dresses perfectly. I love the bridesmaids dresses; such a pretty colour. Amber looks so elegant. I’m really enjoying your wedding photos. What an emotional time for you. I will be a complete mess when my children get married – I’ll be doing lots of crying and I think that a few tears are completely normal – if you can’t show some emotion at your own child’s wedding there has to be something wrong with you! xx
Oh, Charlie, thank you. My sister will appreciate your praise-filled words about her flowers. She is incredibly talented. And, yes, the bridesmaids’ dresses were perfect as was Amber’s stunningly elegant dress. It suited her so well.
I hope you hopped on over to Rochelle Louise Photography to view her professional wedding photos. They are incredible:
http://rochellelouise.com/amber-marc-faribault-mn-wedding/
I can just imagine how emotional you will be when your three marry someday. I hope they are blessed with spouses as equally wonderful as my new son-in-law.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I do wonder about a Sunday wedding, knowing a few pastors pretty well (including DH) none here would promote a Sunday wedding. Although, we did have one wedding after the evening service – a young couple with nothing of worldly goods except the groom’s semi truck. Ladies of the church provided after service refreshments and one man went to the big Kroger, had a cake personalised, bought a disposable camera, and a bag of rice for the send-off. It was all very unplanned, spur-of-the-moment.
That’s interesting to hear your thoughts, as a pastor’s wife, on a Sunday wedding. What’s the reason the pastors you know would not promote a Sunday wedding? Just curious.
The pastor who married our daughter commented specifically on the choice of Sunday and was pleased with it, and especially with their choice to celebrate Communion as a couple. Years ago, many weddings were on Sunday. My parents, in fact, were married on a Sunday.
And, yes, I agree that the wedding was beautiful.
My DH said if the timing did not affect the regular services of the church he would not object to performing a Sunday wedding. For one pastor/church I don’t think it could be slotted into their Sunday timetable of morning services at 8.30, 9.45, 11.00 afternoon services at 2 and 4 (at nursing homes) and evening services at 6 (training hour) and 7. My grandparents were married on a Sunday, too, as that was the day the circuit-riding preacher was in town. [Yes, the Brethren had circuit-riding preachers in 1922.] For most pastors, Sunday is definitely not their ‘day of rest.’ For Amber and Marc I think the choice of Sunday and the personalized communion is a beautiful confirming sign of their faith. I’ve asked around a bit, and apparently Sunday weddings are a growing trend. I wasn’t aware of that.
Now I understand where you were coming from with your comment. Our church has Sunday services at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., so having a 4 p.m. wedding did not impact worship. We also have a 5:30 p.m. Saturday service, meaning no weddings can start later than 3 p.m.
When I used the phrase “day of rest,” I was referencing Sunday as a day to rest from work (certainly not clergy) and worship God.
I didn’t know that Sunday was a growing trend for weddings either. I do know that having a Sunday wedding affected how long guests stayed at the reception. Much to my disappointment, many were leaving already by 8 p.m., a half hour after the dance began. I understood that some had a distance to drive and work the next morning. But, I still thought they would stay longer, realizing the importance of staying to celebrate with our families. Oh, well. When Amber and Marc left at 9:30 p.m., the celebration ended. The plan had been for the dance to go until 10 p.m.
We had a niece marry a few years ago on a Friday afternoon. That meant guests taking an afternoon or more off from work. That didn’t seem to bother anybody…
Loved all your photos! I live the farm life too! I’m in North Dakota!
Saw you over at Ceci’s place!
This is what I posted on Ceci’s place and realized you may not see it! ”
“Minnesota Prairie Roots!!! I am in awe of you!!! Making horseradish is a labor of love for sure! I grew some and it spread like prairie wild fire!!!! I did everything to get rid of it, short of hiring some sheep!!!! They can take care of it for sure!!! LOL I sure wish we were neighbors! I’d love to barter for some of it!!!! Celi you know some very intersting people!”
Mere Frost, loved reading this comment, especially the note that your horseradish spread like prairie wildfire.
I no longer live on a farm. It’s my brother’s rural acreage where we gather to make horseradish.
Where do you live in North Dakota? My husband is originally from the St. Anthony area near Mandan and Bismarck. His family moved to central Minnesota when he was around age six. Last year our son attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, but transferred this year to Tufts University in the Boston area. A high school friend lives near Wyndmere.