I Love Art Wedding

I love art. I live it and breathe anything artistic. So when I thought about getting married, the wedding clearly had to showcase this secret passion. Clearly, it was not going to be a small task to conjure up a wedding nuptials theme with the world of art as the centerpiece and foundation.

Things probably wouldn't have turned out so well if it wasn't for my husband, then fiancé, Daniel. We first met on a blind date three years ago when I was an art history student at the University of Minnesota majoring in studio art. We quickly connected when we learned that of the love for art was something we both had in common. Lucky for me, my favorite artist in the whole world, Picasso, happened to by Daniel's great uncle by marriage. Although Daniel had never met his great uncle, there were many family stories that he shared with me. Before we knew it, one date had turned into a dozen and a year later we were engaged.

As we sat down to plan the wedding, Daniel and I decided we absolutely had to have a ceremony and reception that reflected our artistic personalities, our religious backgrounds (he's Jewish and I'm Catholic), and our strong sense of family. Since the wedding ceremony was to be interfaith, we decided why not be unique and have it at our favorite art museum, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota. The museum was the first museum designed by the famous architect, Frank Gehry, and has been hailed as one of "five most gorgeous galleries on Earth" by the New York Times. Without a doubt, this was a special place to share wedding vows and make our special day different and memorable.

The inside of the gallery is visually stunning lit by lofty skylights so we decided to keep it unadorned (no wedding accoutrements) as the space, with it's modern masterpieces throughout, spoke for itself. We felt decorations might diminish the splendor of the artwork and steal the thunder of the gallery's natural beauty. To acknowledge our appreciation for Picasso, his painting entitled, Guernica, was picked as the backdrop to our ceremony and played off the piece's rich oranges, yellows and reds for the wedding's color scheme. Our invitations, seating cards, and programs were printed in deep orange ink while all the maids of honor were dressed in persimmon silk strapless dresses and held sun-colored bouquets of calla lilies.

Holding family and friends dear to our hearts, we didn't want a wedding with a lot of sizzle and no time to mingle with loved ones--especially those who would be coming from across the country. Consequently, we decided to hold both the ceremony and the reception at the museum to insure we would have lots of time to walk about our guests share pleasantries. There's nothing worse than inviting someone to your wedding and then never getting a chance to say hello or thank you because of all the bride and groom business. If anyone out there feels the same way, I highly suggest lengthening your cocktail hour to give yourself more time to mix and mingle.

Not forgetting our guests were inside a gallery, we made it a plan to encourage everyone to roam around the museum and admire the artwork. As much as there would be time and opportunity to dance, we also wanted music playing as background atmosphere for strolling through the museum. Thus, our music selection varied from favorite ballroom dance numbers to concert-like odes to the masters such as Beethoven and Bach. And to keep the color theme alive, we planned to hang Chinese lanterns of red, pink and yellow above the dining tables which would have centerpieces of brightly colored dahlias and vibrant viburnum berries.

As far as wedding traditions, we decided to forego the bouquet toss and the cutting of the cake. Once again, we felt it was more important to enjoy the moment and let the reception flow naturally rather than interrupt it for a photo opportunity. I wanted to be able to remember the events of the day as more of a sense-memory thing rather than being reminded of how everything went according to plan based on a set of pictures. So many of my married friends had warned me that the special moments can get away from you if you let the ends justify the means. Instead of the above mentioned customs, we planned to use the time to pull up a chair at each and every guest table, roll up our sleeves, and just connect with our guests.

Our wedding day came and passed and everything was beyond perfect. The museum backdrop was more than memorable, the ceremony was uncluttered and heartfelt, and the reception was amazing both as a celebration of our wedding and a super party/get-togther of family and friends. I still get e-mails from guests who can't stop talking about the wedding's warm and cozy feel. If I had to point to one thing as advice for the soon-to-be-married, I would suggest that you should plan your day around just having fun. Don't get hung up on all the "details" of planning and pulling off a wedding, they can consume you. Try to relax and keep your perspective on making it a special day even it that means adjusting a few things to keep the wedding low-maintenance. I truly believe that if the bride and groom are at ease--smiling and laughing and having fun, your guests will also feel at ease and follow suit. And there's nothing better than to look around your reception and see the people you love so much enjoying the moment. That in itself was the best present any couple could receive. Enjoy your day!

 

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