A Classic Wedding at Aria in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Katie Wamsly (29 and a church administrator) and Justin Shepherd (30 and a realtor) got married at Aria in downtown Minneapolis, the city where they grew up and met. “We fell in love with the open space at Aria, the ‘world is yours’ sign and all the brick,” says the couple. “We decided that we wanted to have a very classic wedding, so we chose black and white with gold accents as our colors.” Having close to 400 people attend their wedding didn’t stop this couple from making their day fun with personal details that kept their friends and family members in mind. Katie and Justin exchanged their vows on a podium in the center of a room with their guests seated in a circle around them so that everyone could see and feel included. “We loved the idea of our family and friends surrounding us on one of the biggest days of our lives,” says the couple. On the wedding RSVP cards, the couple asked each guest to include their favorite quotes, which were later displayed on the cocktail tables and hanging from the ceiling over the head table. During the bride’s father’s welcome speech, he challenged everyone to get out of their seats and do the “Wobble” dance together. “We had no idea that we would fill the stage with close to 400 people dancing to the ‘Wobble,’” says Katie. “It was a highlight for sure!”