
Photos: Tim Larsen Photography
“Better Together” was the theme for Matt and Sarah Slick’s nuptials.
On a beautiful summer day at Gull Lake’s historic Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, Matt and Sarah (née Gutknecht) Slick shared their first look when Sarah descended the stairs to the outdoor altar. “That very first [time] seeing her in her wedding dress really sticks in my head,” Matt says.
The Slicks had rented a large cabin on the north side of Grand View Lodge’s stunning, expansive property. Their deck overlooked a backyard where the intimate wedding ceremony was held. “Our ceremony was very short and simple,” Sarah says. Only immediate family was in attendance. “We had our brother-in-law officiate, and I thought that was really special,” she says.
The reception that followed included a broader cast of extended family and close friends. Speeches were given in front of a floral wall designed by Sarah and her dad, George Gutknecht, emblazoned with a neon sign that says Better Together. Sarah, who has a background in graphic design, also created welcome signs and beverage koozies, featuring the faces of the couple’s two dogs, Tex and Bailey.
Matt says they incorporated their pets throughout the day, especially since the four-legged friends couldn’t attend. In addition to the beverage coolers, the cake sported tiny figurines of the dogs, which were brought by Sarah’s friend, Pia Robertson of Edina’s Morningside Cakes.
The koozies were handed out the day after the nuptials during a festive Gull Lake boat cruise, which turned out to be a highlight for guests. “Even when we talk to people now, they say obviously the wedding was cool, but [the cruise] was probably their favorite part,” Matt says.
The cruise also afforded Matt and Sarah the chance to enjoy a more relaxed wedding day, since they would see guests again the next day. “We had a couple days with our family instead of worrying about talking to everyone at [the] reception,” Matt says.
Sarah echoes the sentiment, and says, “That was the best part, being able to talk to everyone without feeling like you’re rushing to talk to them.” The couple were able to spend the evening doing what they loved—dancing the night away, as husband and wife.
Candid Choreography
Tim Larsen has been a wedding photographer for 16 years. With over 360 big days under his (camera) belt, Larsen has a good sense of how the day will progress.
“The thing that I don’t think couples think about is [that] the bride might spend more time on her wedding day with the photographer than with the groom,” Larsen says. “You have to have somebody that, one, you get along with, but two, also makes the day proceed.”
Larsen schedules a consultation with the couple prior to the wedding to get a read on their personality and expectations. “We’ll get on the phone and just walk through the whole day’s timeline,” he says. Based on which events the couple emphasize, Larsen gets a good idea of what’s important to them.
With these vignettes in mind, Larsen will scout out photogenic backdrops at the venue. “It’s more just setting up good scenarios with good lighting,” he says.
Even if a bride does her makeup in a bath or powder room, Larsen finds a more conducive setting for the getting-ready shots. He might suggest that, during the reception, the couple asks speech-givers to stand near the head table, so the newlyweds can be in the background. “Once it’s happening, I’m not up there placing people or interacting with them in any way,” he says. “It’s like a choreographed candidness.”
Vendors:
- Catering: Grand View Lodge, grandviewlodge.com; Morningside Cakes, Instagram: @morningsidecakes
- Florals: Celebrations Floral Design, celebrationsfloraldesign.com
- Hair and Makeup: Bliss Salon & Boutique, blisssalonandboutique.net
- Jewelry: Wedding Day Diamonds, weddingdaydiamonds.com
- Music: Premier Party Entertainment, premierpartyentertainment.com
- Rentals: Cragun’s Gull Lake Cruises, craguns.com; Nisswa Adventure Rentals, nisswaadventurerentals.com; Nisswa Yoga, nisswayoga.com
- Venue: Grand View Lodge, grandviewlodge.com
- Wedding Wear: Indochino, indochino.com; Wedding Shoppe Inc., weddingshoppeinc.com