In celebration of women's history month 2023, I'm sharing a list of small, Minnesota, woman-owned business's in the wedding industry! This article focuses on letting vendors describe their business, passion and uniqueness in their own words.
"I've always been artsy, blunt, a little edgy, and a big lover of swear words". -- Leah Backstrom, owner of Ink Sweets
Lake Elmo, Minnesota Wedding: Carter and Jessica | Minnesota Wedding Photographer - Emily's Photography.
Shortcuts:
Ink Sweets - cake studio
A Family Affair Event Styling
Personalized event design/rentals / More info here
Hi! We’re Hailee, Karen + Brooke, Co-Owners of A Family Affair Event Styling. We’re a mother + daughters who specialize in event styling + rentals. We have a passion for all things styling, parties + events, and serving others, so this business is the perfect fit for us to be able to do what we love while helping make all your event dreams come true! Since 2021, we have worked with so many amazing clients, been featured in multiple publications (like MN Bride, WI Bride, Lake Bride Magazine, Wedding Chicks + more), and expanded our business in ways we couldn’t have even imagined.
A little backstory on how we got started.
Currently, we are in our third year of business with another full calendar, SO many new inventory pieces + BIG plans and goals for the future. We are so excited to be opening social haus by A Family Affair Event Styling on Mainstreet in River Falls, WI where we will create a space for people in the community to gather. We plan to host photography sessions, intimate events + will have retail on select dates. We can’t wait to continue to grow + provide an exceptional event styling experience for all our current + future clients. Cheers!
Photo credits to Kendra Lauck Photography.
The Events Paige
Wedding coordinating and planning / More info here
My mission it to fuse together a deep rooted passion for service and celebration, to not only bring your event to life beautifully, but to fill your heart with JOY and happiness! I intentionally capitalize JOY. Joy was grandma’s name. She is my hosting and welcoming inspiration, in all aspects of my life, work and personal. To me, Joy isn't just a feeling it’s a person and a place.… a place where there’s room, food and time for everyone! My ideal customer is, simply, a down to earth committed couple who wants to be able to focus on each other, and the people celebrating with them more than any other detail on their wedding day.
My goal for you, is to not miss a thing, to enJOY your time with friends and family, to laugh, to cry happy tears, to dance until the very last song, to hug your guests goodbye and wake up the next morning knowing you were fully engaged and now MARRIED!If I can play a role in your ability to do those things, I have done my job.
Photo credits to Abby and Brandon Photography.
Urban Daisy
Wedding Venue / More info here
Urban Daisy is a mother/daughter (x2) owned and operated wedding and event venue! For years, we dreamed about creating a business and getting to work at it together. Kalley is a full time yacht stewardess, Madeline is in marketing with Red Bull and Amy is the office manager at their family owned plumbing manufacturers rep business. We loved the idea of a venue and we knew that by combining our strengths and passions that we could create something that motivated and inspired us while also getting the chance to work alongside incredible creative talent within the event industry.
We signed our lease and then 4 days later went into a 10 month lockdown. It was a scary start but also gave us time to really focus on the details of the space. Our goal was to create a space that felt good, we wanted to bring nature in by adding live trees and greenery throughout the space which in turn would also eliminate a lot of tear down waste.To say that we are enjoying it is an understatement. We have such a love for our clients and admiration for the vendors, it is truly a dream job and getting to do it with our family is even better.
Angel Food
Dessert Catering and Cafe / More info here
Angel Food is for people who seek original creations - classics made by hand and great ingredients combined in new, delightful ways. Our sweets are tasty, fun, colorful, exciting and welcoming.
Our owner, Katy Gerdes, opened our bakery and coffee shop in 2012, in the Saint Louis Park neighborhood. We offer a great variety of baked goods from donuts, cupcakes and cookies to more savory items, breakfast sandwiches, pretzels, sausage rolls and more. Guests pair these delicious treats with a coffee from local roaster, Folly Coffee, or a tea from Spice of Life Tea Shop.
We offer a large selection of dessert catering for weddings! Check out our website to learn more about our dessert offerings and setup options, we would love to hear from you.
Fork and Flair
Wedding Catering / More info here
Fork and Flair does every style of service. From plated weddings, to non traditional stations. Drop off box lunches, to large corporate meetings. We have a large menu that caterers to just about everyone, but we love getting to collaborate with clients to create their perfect custom menu!
Our history: Courtney Curry and Kathy Casey bought Premier Catering and Event Planning from Kathy's brother Bob in 2014. The three of them had started up the company together, and their plan was to eventually buy it out from him while he focused on the Premier Kitchen (school lunches) side of things, and in 2014 they did just that! We officially launched our rebrand of Fork and Flair in 2017. We wanted a name and brand that represented our food and style, and something we could grow with in this ever changing industry!
Owners: Courtney Curry and Kathy Casey; Director of Events: Devin Johnson; Wedding Sales and Coordination: Jenny Rolloff; Corporate Sales and Staffing: Erin Bouma; Head Chef: Cindy Dahlseng.
Photo credits to Jeannine Marie Photography.
Becca's MN Pet Care
Wedding Pet Attendant / More info here
If you dream of having your best fur-end by your side on your wedding day but want to partake in a responsibility-free day, Becca and her consultants are thrilled to make your dream pawsible. On your big day, Becca can provide services such as transportation (to and from your venue), aisle escorting, photography assistance, dressing up your pup, feeding, hydrating, exercising, pottying, and any special/custom requests.
Owner and founder Becca Bjork gives credit to her two rescue dogs for inspiring her business. “We couldn’t imagine our wedding day without our fur babies, but we didn’t want our friends or family members to worry about their care while trying to celebrate.” (Becca Bjork, owner/founder). Therefore, Becca created "Becca's MN Pet Care" to provide wedding pet attendant services to other dog-loving couples on their wedding days.
Here are a few snippets from client comments along with tips & tricks from Becca’s MN Pet Care for having your dog at your wedding. It would be an honor for me (& your dog) to be included on your wedding day!
Queerly Beloved
Wedding Planning / More info here
Queerly Beloved Events Co LLC, established only just recently in March 2023, has now grown into a full blown venture. The concept is simple; to diversify and queer up the wedding industry. They pride themselves on providing only the best service to each and every one of our clients, which is why they include two planners for all of our events. Queerly Beloved also vets each and every one of our vendors and prioritizes vendors that are a member of an underrepresented community, an affirming ally and are committed to their own journey of being an inclusive service provider.
At Queerly Beloved, they believe everyone should have the right to marry and have their love celebrated by all people and companies involved in their wedding. Their clients, employees, colleagues and partners can expect to be affirmed, included and celebrated no matter their gender, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, size, socioeconomic status, education, physical and mental ability and professional or life experience. They are an anti-racist, LGBTQ+ inclusive company committed to diversity and inclusion, to growing through active dialogue and diverse and inclusive partnerships.
They currently service the MN and WI markets and are open to limited travel. Limited spots remain for 2023 and they are now booking 2024 and 2025.
Photo credits to Abi Sutcliffe Photography.
JMae Films
Wedding Videographer / More info here
I have been behind a camera since I was 16 years old. I made my first video after a spring break trip to Florida with my best friend when I was 19 and shot my first wedding later that year! I have been hooked on telling people's stories ever since. The things I am most passionate about in life (people, friendship, connection, music, story, beauty, and fun) are the cornerstones to this profession. How convenient for me, right? One thing that most people don't know about me is that I am a Sound Engineer! I love music and sound design! I love making you feel like you are in the video when you are watching it and sound design is the secret sauce to making that happen.
On your big day, I will be by your side capturing the big moments and the in-between moments so you don’t forget or miss a thing. I will help you with your dress, make sure we are following the schedule, help you avoid any drama, and be your biggest hype person (because let’s face it, we already know you will be the most beautiful one there).
The Pink Paloma
Mobile Bar Service / More info here
The idea of The Pink Paloma was born during my first term of nursing school. A good friend had asked me, “MaKenna, what are you doing for fun? What is bringing joy into your life?” That question stumped me more than I’d like to admit. However, it got me thinking. What can I be doing to bring joy into my life? I knew I loved working with people and event planning. On top of that I’ve been in the service industry for the past ten years. I decided to intertwine all of my passions together and a month later we had The Pink Paloma.
My favorite part of The Pink Paloma is being able to personalize experiences for each and every event. Curating cocktails that represent each celebration makes every event so special and unique. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing customers and we’re so excited for what the 2023 season has in store for us!
The DASS Glass Team
Luxury Beauty Lounge / More info here
The DASS Glam Team is a passion driven sister team with a luxury beauty lounge located in Maplewood, Minnesota. DASS specializes in Bridal and Special Events, Hair-styling, Make-Up Applications and Specialty Nail Services.
Bao, Pang, Bynie and Lisa are innovative leaders and salon owners with a combined 45 years of experience in the industry.
The Luxury DASS Glam Team has had a multitude of experiences from weddings to commercial work, beauty pageants, special events and volunteered complimentary services to the community. DASS continues to exceed their clientele's expectations and participate in giveaways for the public through multiple organizations.
Photo credits to Mai Xong Photography. Bride and groom hairstyle and makeup done by DASS.
ElizaGrace Paperie
Stationary / More info here
For decades, I was known as the coach’s wife or my children’s mom. It’s a role I thoroughly enjoyed and relished. However, time has a sneaky way of turning children into adults. I could no longer be defined by someone else; I needed to nurture what I would become: a one-woman business with a driving passion for creating beautiful things. So in late 2022, ElizaGrace Paperie was launched.
Named after two of my children, ElizaGrace Paperie is a bespoke wedding stationery studio. Pretty paper and timeless printing techniques like letterpress fill me with such joy. They are the vessels used by madly-in-love engaged couples to announce to the world their intentions! It’s not lost on me what an honor it is to serve them. To be a part of such a momentous event.
Growing a business is very much like raising children. A whole lot of love, patience, and perseverance is required. And just like watching my own children mature into amazing adults, there is a sense of accomplishment as my business grows. Now, I’m Terri Hanson, owner of ElizaGrace Paperie.
Mosaic Venue
Downtown Minneapolis Event Venue / More info here
Occupying the 3rd floor of the FINNEGANS House building in downtown Minneapolis, Mosaic is a mission-driven venue that operates on an open-vendor model. This model allows our clients to celebrate in unique ways by bringing in authentic cuisines and decor that accurately reflect who they are as individuals. With 17 ft ceilings, floor to ceiling black grid windows, and a 600+ square foot catering prep kitchen, Mosaic offers a beautiful canvas that allows events to come to life while also offering soft details throughout. Always looking through the lens of change, Mosaic will continuously be a leader in expanding opportunities to express what makes you unique.
The founding team consisting of Chanti Miller, David O'Neil, and Phuong O'Neil
Ink Sweets
Wedding Cake Studio / More info here
My name is Leah Backstrom and I have been the owner and operator of Ink Sweets, a luxury Twin Cities cake studio, since its opening in 2017. I've always been artsy, blunt, a little edgy, and a big lover of swear words. From the ink in the design to its flavor - my cakes are unique.
As someone who has always strayed away from the path of what might be considered "normal", I feel it's important to showcase a different kind of work with a different attitude than what you're used to seeing in the wedding industry. (i.e. white, lacey, delicate, etc). Fun flavors like, earl grey, elderflower, pistachio, chai spices; and earthy decorative elements similar to concrete, tree bark, and broken rocks are often incorporated into my cakes. It's so important to be confident in who you are as a person and an artist, and to be fearless with everything that you do. Even if it's just cake!
Photo credits to Tom Thornton.
Emily's Photography
Wedding Photographer / More info here
Hey ya'll, I'm Emily - the wedding photographer that put this list together in celebration of women's history month! Growing up, my mom was a fearless entrepreneur and owner of multiple business. She traveled and lived all over the world, and with that experienced a lot of success and failure, but through it all she was strong, loving and extremely independent. She encouraged me to start a photography business in 2017 because of my passion for all things camera and cinema. She wanted me to own a business that could support me while still giving me the freedom to express my creativity. Now, 7 years later, I am thriving and in love with wedding photography - and I credit it all to my mom, I wouldn't be here without her support and love.
About my style:
I'm not shy and know how to capture the right shots. I photograph weddings for the couples that I mesh well with. We'll have fun, we'll take tequila shots and we'll create an amazing wedding album. Your love is unique and doesn’t need to be photographed the same way as everyone else’s. Whether you and your person are witty and flirty, dark and mysterious, romantic and soft, or anything in between i strive to capture your authentic selves through a mix of documentary and editorial photography, this means you will have a strong mix of candid memories and directed poses. The story of your wedding day will be captured honestly yet artistically.
Photo credits to Emily's Photography.
* If you're the photographer behind any of the un-credited images, please comment below and I'll credit you appropriately.