1. Real Weddings

A Rustic Fall Wedding at Camrose Hill Flower Farm in Stillwater, Minnesota

With an outdoor fall wedding, Beth Nersesian (28 and a high school teacher) and Roger Sandstrom (28 and a utilities operator) wanted to keep some of t

With an outdoor fall wedding, Beth Nersesian (28 and a high school teacher) and Roger Sandstrom (28 and a utilities operator) wanted to keep some of the natural autumn hues in their color palette. They pulled together shades of red, orange and pink accented with wood, burlap and even pumpkins for a seasonally appropriate theme. The couple chose Camrose Hill Flower Farm in Stillwater, Minnesota, for their venue because they loved the outdoor ceremony location, tented reception area and fire pit. “The location was also great because it was a beautiful area for friends and family to stay for the weekend—especially in the fall, with apple orchards and pumpkin patches nearby,” Beth says. Plus, since the venue was a flower farm, there was an on-site florist and naturally gorgeous grounds! “Cindy Sinclair, venue owner and florist, had really great ideas for the flowers, so I told her what I was thinking and let her run with the ideas, trusting that she would pull together the best arrangements,” Beth says. “She knew that I didn't want anything too formal, so she used lots of natural pieces, such as twigs and berries, to complement some of the brighter roses and dahlias.” Erin Johnson Photography beautifully captured all the details of the day. One of our favorite parts was the rustic stationery from Minted that set the wedding's tone from the very beginning. “We both loved the same design because it fit Camrose Hill perfectly.” Beth says. “Between the big tree on the front and the twinkle lights all around it, we knew that was the one! After we'd chosen the invitations, we found ourselves using the motif of a heart with our initials in it throughout the wedding. Roger even surprised me by carving that same heart on a giant oak tree at the home we bought.”

“We chose our stationery off of Minted and both loved the same design because it fit Camrose Hill perfectly.” Beth says. “Between the big tree on the front and the twinkle lights all around it, we knew that was the one! After we'd chosen the invitations, we found ourselves using the motif of a heart with our initials in it throughout the wedding. Roger even surprised me by carving that same heart on a giant oak tree at the home we bought.”
Orange Rose and Pale Berry Boutonnieres
With only a four-month engagement, Beth knew she didn’t have a lot of time to find a dress. After trying on lots of gowns, she got really discouraged. Finally, at Brides of France in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she found a gorgeous Paloma Blanca sheath lace and satin dress. “It was perfect,” Beth says. “Not too simple, and not too overdone.”
Orange Dahlia and Ivory Garden Rose Bouquet
Seasonal Red, Orange and Pink Bouquet
Roger wore a gray suit with a gray-and-blue tie for the wedding. “I knew buying a suit was probably my one chance to get Roger an outfit that wasn’t flannel or made by Carhartt,” Beth says. “But in all honesty, we both agreed that buying a suit was a more practical choice.” The ring bearer mirrored his look with a black suit and a blue shirt and tie.
Rustic Orange, Pink and Green Wedding Arbor
“Instead of a unity candle, we chose to plant an apple tree that we brought to our new house and put in the garden,” Beth says. “We each brought a mason jar of dirt from our childhood home and poured it into the potted tree during the ceremony, symbolizing the fact that we were bringing our separate upbringings and traditions together into our marriage. Throughout the years, we'll be able to see both our marriage and our apple tree change and grow through the seasons.”
“When I first heard that Roger wanted a camouflage ring, I wasn’t quite sure what he envisioned, but we tried some traditional rings on and they just didn’t seem right,” Beth says. “He’s a hunter and a woodsman, so we ordered the camouflage ring, laughing as we had the words ‘The hunt is over’ engraved on the inside. The day it arrived, he tried it on and it was perfect!”
“Knowing that one of Roger’s sisters would be eight months pregnant and my own sister would have just had a baby, I decided to let the bridesmaids choose their own dresses in navy blue so they could find something they’d be comfortable in and that would fit,” Beth says. “They sent emails back and forth and decided to go with a floor-length dress in marine from David’s Bridal, but the style varied for the three sisters.”
Roger wore scabiosa pods, hypericum berries and seeded eucalyptus for his boutonniere. “Cindy Sinclair, venue owner and florist, and I decided to have the boutonnieres made with seed pods and berries instead of flowers since it fit Roger's woodsy personality and worked well with the season.”
Hot-Drinks Bar
Beth and Roger, with the help of their family, served different favors of popcorn, cheese, vegetables and dips served from hollowed out pumpkins. They loved how well the food reflected the fall season and laid-back, outdoorsy wedding theme.
“Camrose Hill Flower Farm had everything we wanted: an outdoor ceremony location, a tented reception area, space for lawn games and even a bonfire pit,” Beth says. “The location in Stillwater, Minnesota, was also great because it was a beautiful area for friends and family to stay for the weekend—especially in the fall, with apple orchards and pumpkin patches nearby.”
Hanging Branch and Chandelier Decor
"Falling in Love" Cupcake Desserts
“I loved the idea of the seed-packet favors because not only were we getting married at Camrose Hill Flower Farm, but also because both Roger and I enjoy being outdoors,” Beth says. “I ordered kraft paper envelopes and a stamp that reminded me of the vintage bike at Camrose Hill. I stamped each envelope and then put some zinnia seeds in there so people would have a useful memory of the wedding. Hopefully there are a few more zinnias growing in Minnesota, Virginia, Alaska and Texas next summer!”
Orange Dahlia and Peach Garden Rose Bouquet