Gabrielle + Brett | A Brunch Hotel Wedding

Having worked in the same industry, Gabrielle and Brett met at a training conference and then got to know each other at various work-related events over several months. Upon seeing each other’s drive, passion, and interest in their jobs, a love blossomed. They got engaged just two days after Valentine’s Day in 2019 when Brett surprised Gabrielle with a romantic brunch at home that included some yummy treats, her favorite flowers, and romantic music playing in the background.

For their hotel wedding at the InterContinental MSP Airport, Gabrielle and Brett went for understated elegance, “We wanted a simple, uncomplicated wedding that still was refined and elegant. We wanted to create a stress-free event for our friends, family, and ourselves. We wanted them to come, celebrate our marriage, have fun, and enjoy a great morning brunch event. Our focus was on the marriage ceremony, family, friends, food, and drink. During the wedding brunch reception, we focused on our family and those connections. Then we hosted an afternoon ‘after-brunch’ where we were able to focus on friends, games, and conversation. It was important for us to have an event where we had the time and ability to connect with everyone who came.”

For their colors, Gabrielle and Brett used navy blue, white, gray, and silver. The groomsmen and bridesmaids wore gray suits/dresses and Brett wore a navy suit. As the bride recalls, “Luckily, these colors went perfectly with the venue. We didn’t need to decorate a lot because the reception room was on the top floor and had windows on three sides overlooking the beautiful fall landscape, the Minneapolis and St Paul skylines, and the main runway of the airport! Guests loved watching planes take off and land.”

Their one-of-a-kind ceremony seating proved to be one of the most memorable and special aspects of their hotel wedding, “We had seats for our family and friends arranged in a circle so that those closest to us — our family and our friends — were literally surrounding us with their love and blessing as we got married. Our pastor along with Katie at the Intercontinental helped us come up with the seating setup. When we walked in and out, we walked by every person and this was very meaningful to me,” recalls Gabrielle.

In addition to circular seating, the couple also had a unique unity ceremony. “At the rehearsal dinner, we asked each attendee to take paper and write down advice. At the ceremony, we went around and collected each person’s advice and put it in a custom wooden box we created with our names and wedding date. We plan on opening the box, reading the advice, and reading all of our cards again on our anniversary.”Another special element was both personal and sentimental, and it was wrapped around Gabrielle’s bouquet, which was fabric from her grandmother Barb’s wedding dress.

“After the ceremony, guests moved from the reception up the top floor of the Intercontinental to the Altitude Lounge. This space has floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the river valley, both downtown skylines, and runway 30R. We had a juice and non-alcoholic beverage bar. We also had Bloody Marys and mimosas available with a full bar. The team from Bradstreet CraftHouse at the InterContinental created Brett’s signature drink for the day, a maple bacon old-fashioned, and my signature drink, the Up-Up & Away. It’s vodka, maple syrup, and grapefruit creation perfect for fall and the elevated, aviation-based setting.”

Looking back at their wedding, Gabrielle and Brett describe the benefits of their hotel wedding venue, “We knew we wanted to have [our wedding] at a hotel so family and friends could stay over and not have to travel place to place. We toured several hotels but ultimately the InterContinental allowed the most flexibility for our brunch reception and the customer service was outstanding from beginning to end. The team at the InterContinental really helped curate an experience using their amazing spaces to meet our needs and wishes. Katie Smith, of the IC Hotel, was extraordinary at making sure all the pieces, from catering to decor, to the schedule, to the hotel stay for our family and us all went smoothly. From the first tour — complete with complimentary valet parking and champagne —  we knew this was the best location.

It was also great for our friends traveling from out of state, some on tight schedules. They literally never had to leave the airport.” Gabrielle concludes, “It was seamless, easy, and the staff at the hotel were top-notch.”

The bride perfectly sums up her hotel wedding as “an elevated, fun brunch event! The event was made special by the people there to celebrate with us and the location. Our pictures capture those moments. There weren’t grand decorations or displays, but there were grand displays of love, family, and friendship!”

Vendors Cont.  — Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Laurie Leigh Harpist | Bridesmaid Dresses: Lulu’s | Wedding Rings: Wixon Jewelers

Get inspired with more real love stories here.

All images courtesy of Grace Stillman Photography.