Minnesota Landscape Arboretum | The Big Red Barn AirBnB | Twin Cities Micro Wedding

By jeanninemarie

Annie and Cory’s day was full of a lot of laughter, a lot of tears, and a whole lot of love! These two are just so adorable! I first met Annie when she was in the bridal party for one of my previous couples, Amy and Dan (and Amy just so happened to be Annie’s Maid of Honor) – it is always such an honor to have dear friends of my past couples reach out! Originally, Annie and Cory had planned for a Fall 2021 wedding. But in December of 2020, mid-pandemic, they decided to move the wedding up to June. They both agreed that their perfect, ideal wedding was any wedding where they got to marry each other – the rest was just details! So Annie and Cory decided to replan their wedding as a micro wedding at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum followed by a virtual after-party at The Big Red Barn AirBnB in Wayzata, Minnesota. It has been an absolute joy getting to know these two and photographing their special day. Congratulations, Annie and Cory!

How They Met

Annie and Cory matched on Tinder. They talked for a few weeks and then met in-person back in November of 2018 on the street corner near Fairgrounds Cafe in Minneapolis. They got some coffee there and then proceeded to JL Beers for dinner. The night ended with beers and board games at Sisyphus Brewery. Neither of them wanted the night to end! They told me they were both silently celebrating the fact that they had an inkling that they had found their person. How sweet is that!?

The Proposal

About five months after their first date, they had picked out an engagement ring at Helzberg Diamonds. A month later, Cory couldn’t wait any longer to propose. He asked Annie to meet him where they first met on that street corner by Fairgrounds Cafe. When they both arrived, Cory told Annie, “A year ago, I came home from the military without a real sense of direction. Six months after that, the best thing in my life happened to me. I knew I wanted that best thing to stay for the rest of my life…” And then he got down on one knee and popped the question. Of course, Annie said yes! Since this special street corner was where they first met and where they got engaged, we had to get photos here and at Fairgrounds Cafe for the couple’s engagement session! Check out a few of their fall engagement portraits here!

The Ceremony

Annie and Cory decided to have an intimate outdoor ceremony in the Woodland Azalea Garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Surrounded by the gorgeous scenery and their closest family and friends, they said “I do!” They also personalized many of their details with DIY including lanterns with silhouettes from the couple’s engagement portraits, handmade masks for every guest, stationery designed by Cory’s sister, and a beautiful cake created by a family friend.

Virtual After-Party

When Annie and Cory decided to have a micro wedding, they knew they would have to get creative due to the pandemic. They wanted to have a way to safely celebrate their day with those who couldn’t attend the ceremony in-person so they chose to have a virtual after-party hosted on Trivia Mafia. The couple went to The Big Red Barn Air BNB where they did a cake cutting, champagne toast, and their first dance in front of their laptop where their loved ones joined them virtually. Annie and Cory incorporated music from their favorite bands and movies and a signature drink called the “Milo-jito” inspired by their cat, Milo. It was so fun to see Annie and Cory’s unique and creative approach to a micro wedding during the pandemic!