When Emily and Maddie toured The Gardens of Castle Rock on January 30th, the venue was in the “dead of a Minnesota winter”. Despite the challenge of envisioning an outdoor ceremony and reception in the cold and snow, they immediately fell in love with the space, remarking, “We would have gotten married right then and there with no additional décor because we loved it so much”.

After booking a mid-September date, they intentionally designed a vibrant celebration of love and personality, beautifully set against the venue’s lush greenery and unique wooden structures.

When the big day arrived, Emily & Maddie chose The Lath House for their ceremony site, a location characterized by sprawling grapevines and thousands of café lights. Instead of arranging the guest benches in traditional straight lines facing the natural wood pergola, they opted to turn the benches 90 degrees, angling the outside seating toward the center of the structure. This configuration created a circular space where Emily and Maddie stood in the middle with their officiant, literally surrounded by their friends and family. Hanging directly above them was a striking circular floral, vibrant autumnal palette installation crafted from grapevines, dahlias, zinnias, and marigolds, which were intertwined with festive orange and yellow garlands.

After The Lath House ceremony, the reception transformed into a lively, festival-inspired celebration filled with unique interactive elements and spirited entertainment. Moving away from a traditional paper-and-pen guestbook, Emily and Maddie featured a Lego Guestbook station, where friends and family were invited to build personalized figures to mark their presence. Following a delicious dinner by Sasquatch Sandwiches, thanks to The Gardens Open Catering policy, the entertainment took center stage as The Gender Outlawz performed under the purple-hued lights of the stage.

While many guests joined the couple on the dance floor, others enjoyed a more relaxed atmosphere playing cornhole and various yard games on the lawn. To satisfy sweet cravings, a mid-height table in the Wedding Reception Tent was filled with an assortment of cookies, bars, and cupcakes. For a more hands-on treat, guests could visit a “S’mores Upgrade Station,” which offered individual kits stocked with premium chocolates, fluffy marshmallows, and graham crackers.

As the evening ended, it was clear that Emily and Maddie had successfully created a vibrant, late-summer celebration of love and personality. From the intimate, circular ceremony in The Lath House to the high-energy performances and interactive stations, every detail reflected commitment to fun, inclusivity, and personal expression. Their wedding was more than just a celebration; it was a festival of love that utilized The Gardens to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience for everyone involved.

 

“The Gardens of Castle Rock helped us achieve the wedding of our dreams. My wife and I toured the venue and fell in love with the place even in the dead of winter, we said to each other ” we would do it right here right now with no additional decor” because we loved it so much. This venue was not only LGBTQ inclusive but was very intentionally more than just inclusive/tolerant- they made it very clear they were LGBTQ SUPPORTERS AND ALLIES. My wife and I felt safe with every staff member throughout every step of the process. Shout-out to Glenn for his beautiful artwork and warm soul! Shout-out to Tammy for being our cheerleader throughout all of our planning. We had continuous compliments from our guests about how perfect the venue was.” – Emily & Maddie

 

 

Lath covered structure with grape vines and cafe lights attached to top and a brick floor with a circular flower installation in the middle and red and orange garland hanging down.

The Lath House was the perfect customizable space for Emily & Maddie’s wedding ceremony. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Colorful wedding day itinerary made out of magazines photos and glued together to make a collage. Collage itinerary is then framed in a wood frame and attached to a easel.

Forget the standard, minimalist wedding itinerary; Emily & Maddie’s wedding itinerary was a vibrant work of art. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A stack of illustrated wedding itineraries with a colorful, psychedelic border sitting inside a multi-colored iridescent bowl.

Functional and fashionable. Guests could see what was going on at all times with small laminated wedding itineraries attached to colorful carabiners. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A LEGO structure and 3 bowls of LEGO pieces used as a "guest book" for a wedding day set on a round table with a white linen in a event tent with cedar banquet tables and white chairs set up behind the table with the LEGO on it.

Who says guest books have to be paper and ink? The couple invited their guests to “build” the guest list with a custom LEGO station in the Wedding Reception Tent. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Same sex couple holding hands and looking at one another. One is dressed in a white wedding gown with a colorful head scarf. The other is wearing a white top and white pants with colorful flowers embroidered on the cuffs.

With a private rental and four ceremony spots to choose from, Gardens couples can use the three empty spots for first look(s), private vows, morning yoga……whatever you envision. Here, Emily & Maddie did their first look in The Wedding in The Woods ceremony spot. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Group of people all dressed in lavender bib overalls posing for a photo standing on green grass with green trees behind them.

During pre-ceremony prep, everyone was Team Wedding Party in comfy matching lavender bib overalls. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Textured white vase sitting on cedar banquet table with a white cloth undernearth overflowing with orange, gold and deep magenta of Dahlias, Zinnias, Marigolds, Amaranthus, and Echinacea (Coneflowers)

Textured white vases overflowed with a sun-drenched palette of Dahlias, Zinnias, Marigolds, Amaranthus, and Echinacea (Coneflowers), capturing the warm, festive spirit of the day. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Female same sex couple wearing white surrounded by their wedding party dressed in bright bold colors each holding bouquets and posing with smiling faces while holding their bouquets above their heads with green trees behind them.

The days of everyone in the wedding party being “matchy matchy” are over. Go bold. Go bright. Go with what you love. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A close-up, low-angle shot of a wedding party standing on green grass, showing the soles of their white high-top sneakers which feature a vibrant rainbow Pride flag design.

The Wedding Party wore custom-made Converse with a vibrant rainbow Pride flag design on the sole…….both stylish and comfy. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Suspended floral installation made up of deep burgundy and pale green amaranthus, orange zinnias, golden dahlia and marigolds, lime-green hydrangeas, and hand-strung vertical garlands hung in an open-aired ceremony location called The Lath House at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

The suspended floral installation in the center of The Lath House created a gorgeous focal point for the couple to stand underneath during the ceremony. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

 

Marrier wearing white pants and top carrying a bouquet of wildflowers is escorted by a man on her left side and a woman on her right side down a paver walk-way with a multi-color floral canopy above.

Escorted to the middle of The Lath House, Emily met Maddie under the gorgeous floral canopy. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Bride in cream gown holding a bouquet of wild flowers escorted by a main in a maroon suit with an orange bow tie holding a bouquet of wild flowers.

All smiles as Maddie is escorted into The Lath House for the ceremony. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Female same sex couple facing each other holding hands surrounded by people sitting on benches with a circular floral installation with various flowers in burgundy, orange and yellow hung directly above them.

Maddie & Emily exchanged heartfelt vows surrounded (literally) by their family and friends in The Lath House. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Suspended floral installation made up of deep burgundy and pale green amaranthus, orange zinnias, golden dahlia and marigolds, lime-green hydrangeas, and hand-strung vertical garlands hung in an open-aired ceremony location called The Lath House at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

The suspended floral chandelier in The Lath House created a beautiful sense of depth, utilizing a textured grapevine base that overflows with seasonal blooms and trailing accents. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Female in wedding gown reading vows to another female in white pants and white top standing underneath multi-color floral installation in The Lath House at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

Tissues for everyone as Emily & Maddie recited their personalized vows to each other in The Lath House. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Same sex female couple wearing white attire holding hands and raising them in the air in triumph under a multi-colored round floral installation in The Lath House at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

It’s that “We did it!” excitement that can only come at the end of the ceremony. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Same sex female couple walking hand in hand under a covered wood structure at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

Leaving The Lath House as a married couple, Maddie & Emily pass under The Gardens Cruck Frame and on to the Wedding Reception Tent, ready to celebrate with their guests. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Wedding guests playing a game of cornhole on a grassy lawn at an outdoor venue. In the foreground, a young boy in orange trousers and a woman in a purple dress prepare to toss beanbags. In the background, other guests relax near a rustic metal building and a large white event tent.

Game On! The Gardens’ expansive lawn creates the perfect space for your guests…big or small….to kick back, relax, and maybe get a little competitive. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Adults and children playing with a large, multi-colored parachute on a wide green lawn. A young girl in a floral dress sits on the grass while others lift the parachute, surrounded by mature evergreen trees in the background.

Who doesn’t have fond memories of playing with a parachute? Since children were on the guest list, Maddie & Emily’s yard game selection included a parachute, but it looks as if BOTH children and adults are having fun. Photo Credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A detailed shot of a Rustic Refined™ sweetheart table featuring a natural log base and a dark wood top. The table is set with colorful floral centerpieces, orange plates, and pink linens inside a pavilion with wood-paneled walls and string lights. Two wooden chairs sit in the foreground on a stone patio at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota.

Choosing The Gardens Rustic Refined™ Sweetheart Table, Emily & Maddie enjoy a cozy and intimate first meal as spouses. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A close-up shot of a vibrant wedding place setting on a rustic wooden table. It features a bright orange charger plate, a white plate with scalloped edges and colorful wavy lines, and a purple tie-dye napkin held by a rainbow heart-shaped napkin ring. The setting rests on an intricate gold beaded placemat with glassware and silverware visible in the soft background.

Details, details, details. Emily & Maddie were intentional in every detail of their wedding. Right down to these adorable multi-colored napkin rings. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Three words = Open Catering Policy. That’s right! The Gardens has an open catering policy allowing you to choose the cuisine and level of service for your wedding day. For Emily & Maddie, it was delicious Sasquatch Sandwiches. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Custom-built log sweetheart table crafted by The Workshop at The Gardens, featuring a vibrant autumnal floral installation. The setting showcases artisanal woodwork and rustic event design inside an outdoor pavilion.

Recognize that flower installation? It hung above the couple in The Lath House during their ceremony, and now it makes the perfect backdrop for the head table in the Wedding Reception Tent. Repurposing, baby! Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Variety is the spice of life…….especially when it comes to dessert. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Vibrant wedding entertainment at an outdoor venue, featuring three drag performers in eclectic, colorful costumes. The shot highlights the venue's paved patio area and manicured landscape during a celebration.

The party cranked up a notch when The Gender Outlaz took the stage to perform for the couple and guests. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Emily & Maddie had their first dance on the dance floor of the Wedding Rental Tent. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Gender Outlawz, a singing Gender Bending Phenomenon, took the stage in the Wedding Reception Tent to entertain guests. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A quick tip…..thinking of having s’mores at your wedding day celebration? Divide them into individual packets, making it easy for guests to have all of their s’mores supplies in one place. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

A joyful wedding portrait of two brides crouched on a grassy lawn with their two dogs. One bride wears a sleeveless gown with a colorful floral veil, while the other wears a white beaded long-sleeve top and trousers. A greyhound and a small pug, both in wedding attire, interact with the couple against a backdrop of lush green trees and a floral-adorned wooden structure.

Pets are family too, so be sure to include them in your wedding day. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Two brides stand together on a paved walkway beneath the massive timber-framed "Cruck Frame" structure. The wooden arch is made of large, natural curved logs and decorated with warm string lights. In the background, a second wooden pergola and lush green trees frame the path through the outdoor garden venue.

As golden hour sets in, Emily & Maddie smile and reminisce about their perfect wedding day underneath The Gardens’ Cruck Frame. Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Two brides walking hand-in-hand through Wayward Hills Vinery at The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota. One bride is in a white beaded top and trousers, and the other is in a full sleeveless gown. They are laughing together, surrounded by rows of green grapevines under the warm, golden light of late afternoon.

Hand-in-hand walking through the golden leaves of the Wayward Hills Vineyard, Emily & Maddie begin a new chapter in their life together. Congratulations! Photo credit: Kelly Reeves Photography

 

Vendors:

Attire: Luxe Bridal (Maddie’s gown) | Anthropologie & Spain/Strauhaus (Emily’s attire) | Swoveralls (lavender overalls)

Beverage Services: LiquidMotion

Catering: Sasquatch Sandwiches

Day-of Coordination: Rosewood Events & Weddings

Dessert: Costco

Floral: Lazy Toad Farmer

Footwear: Converse

Hair: Swift Blad Designs

Hotel: Holiday Inn & Suites – Lakeville

Jewelry: LOL

Rings: Laskers Jewelry

Music: Gender Outlawz & DJ/Sound Engineer Joe Keyport

Party Favors: PromotionalKeychains.biz

Photography: Kelly Reeves Photography

Shuttle Service: Carlson Lines

Venue: The Gardens of Castle Rock