A small dinosaur made an appearance, cocktail hour turned into an unofficial game night, and dinner ended with a full-blown trivia competition. If that’s not the energy of a perfect Minnesota Landscape Arboretum wedding, I don’t know what is.

Jan and Minyoung found me through Instagram after scrolling through my work. They loved my style and wanted to get nice portraits with family and friends, plus some fun candids! Honestly…music to my ears. I don’t need couples to know the difference between editorial, documentary, or whatever buzzword is trending this week. I just want them to care about the people they’re celebrating with and trust me to tell that story.

With about 50 of their favorite humans gathered in the Fireplace Room at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, that’s exactly what we did.

A Spring Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Wedding That Felt Cozy in All the Best Ways

Mid-May at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is kind of unfair. Everywhere you turn, something is blooming. The gardens are waking up after winter, trees are filling back in, and the tulips? Absolutely insane. Seriously, there were pops of color around every corner, making portraits feel effortless.

The Fireplace Room ended up being the perfect setting for their reception. Instead of trying to fill a huge ballroom with a smaller guest list, the space felt intentionally intimate. Everyone was close enough to actually talk, laugh across tables, and celebrate together without feeling spread out. Those smaller weddings always hit differently. People are fully present with the ones who matter most, and you can actually feel that in the room.

That slower pace also gave us plenty of time for family portraits, photos with friends, and candid moments in between. Exactly what Jan had hoped for when she first reached out.

“Maddi is AMAZING! Not only did her photos turn out stunning!! She is super friendly, an excellent posing coach, and just all around easy to work with! 1000/10 would love to work with her again!”

Every Detail Had a Story Behind It

One of my favorite things about this wedding is that everything reflected who Jan and Minyoung already are. During cocktail hour, guests grabbed drinks and immediately started playing board games scattered throughout the room. It was something the two of them genuinely love doing together, so it felt completely natural to include it in the celebration.

Then came the dinosaurs. If you spotted the little toy dinosaur or noticed Jan’s dinosaur necklace, there was a reason. Minyoung is an archaeologist, so those tiny details became fun little Easter eggs woven throughout the day.

After dinner, instead of moving straight into dancing, they surprised everyone with a custom trivia presentation where each table competed against one another. It was honestly one of the coolest reception ideas I’ve seen. The questions had everyone laughing, debating answers, and getting way more competitive than expected. You could tell how much time and thought they’d put into creating something their guests would genuinely enjoy.

That entire reception felt like hanging out at their house, if their house happened to be surrounded by thousands of spring flowers. Even reading back through Jan’s inquiry now makes perfect sense. She told me about living in Lakeville with Minyoung and their dog Nova. During warmer months, they’re out hiking or checking out cafés, and when Minnesota winter rolls around they’re happiest curled up with knitting projects and good books. Their wedding carried that same feeling. Cozy, thoughtful, personal, and comfortable.

More like this: Multicultural Wedding in Manhattan, New York