AREA WEDDING Rachel + Brady MAY 20, 2017

Amatchmaking friend set up Fargo native Rachel Braaten on a blind date with Brady Bergquist and the couple quickly hit it off. After nearly two years of dating, Brady surprised Rachel with a new puppy and a sweet proposal with the ring tied to his collar. They began planning a rustic May wedding at The Vintage Garden with a fishing theme they called “Two Less Fish in the Sea,” a nod to one of Brady’s favorite hobbies.

Family is very important to the couple, and many of their choices revolved around their families and the traditions they uphold. They chose to have a unity candle at the ceremony because their parents had done so when they were married. Parents and grandparents were included in everything, and the décor, flowers and stationary were all done with the help of family and friends.

The day of the wedding was cold and rainy and the plans for an outdoor ceremony were quickly changed as they moved inside to the venue’s stable house. Rachel says, “Even with all the

CEREMONY & RECEPTION:

The Vintage Garden, Barnesville

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Scherling Photography

BRIDAL GOWN, JEWELRY AND BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES:

Your Day by Nicole

MEN’S FORMAL WEAR:

Men’s Warehouse

HAIR: Missy at Haven Salon, Moorhead

CAKE: Hornbacher’s

WEDDING RINGS: Wimmer’s Diamonds

DJ: PowerPlay DJ

CATERING: Lush Lola’s

TRANSPORTATION: Red River Trails

“We tried to check in every half hour during the reception to steal a few private moments together.” — rachel rain, the ceremony turned out really beautiful.” The ceremony was officiated by Brady’s childhood pastor from his hometown of Bemidji, Minnesota. She asked the couple to write letters to one another about how they fell in love, which she then read during the ceremony. “It was so emotional,” says Rachel.

Cold rainy weather may have derailed the outdoor wedding, but it seems somewhat fitting for a fishing themed wedding, complete with fishing lure boutonnieres, Swedish fish in bowls next to the desserts, and fishing themed decor added throughout the reception. Rachel says, “Everyone had to keep dancing because that was the only way to stay warm!” All that dancing made for an unforgettable night as most of the guests were disappointed when the last dance ended.

Rachel’s advice for wedding planning is simple: “Something will always go wrong, but the only person that knows it is you, so don’t stress.”