The Wexford at Emerald Greens wedding venue could not have been a more perfect spot for Jessie and Alex’s big day. Located slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the Twin Cities in Hastings, Minnesota, this venue offers stunning panoramic views, a bright and modern reception building, and a magnificent waterfall as a ceremony backdrop. The venue can also hold up to 400 guests, making it the ideal spot for couples with a large guest list.


On a hot September Sunday, I knew this would be a wedding to remember as all members of the bridesmaids meandered about, sipping mimosas, applying makeup, and dancing to music in the bridal suite. Before we knew it, it was time to slip on wedding dresses and tuxedos to head outside for the sweetest first looks. First up was Jessie’s father, followed by the moment she had been anxiously awaiting since she said yes, her first look and private vow reading with Alex. I could tell how pure and true their love was for each other as the happiest tears were shed and they held tight, ready to celebrate the rest of the day and commit to each other eternally.
The Wexford at Emerald Greens Wedding Ceremony with a Breathtaking Waterfall Backdrop
Jessie and Alex said I do in front of The Wexford's gorgeous waterfall ceremony location as the bridesmaids donned the prettiest sky-blue dresses and held bouquets of white and blue. With the sun shining as bright as could be, and a blue sky filled with fluffy clouds that looked like they were painted on just for them, the whole color palette of the day was brought to life. The ceremony wrapped up with a special exit using two bubble machines before we headed off to take some portraits.

One thing I love about this venue is the endless location opportunities for taking photos. The ceremony space is a large rock platform in front of a rock wall with a waterfall. To reach the platform, all wedding party members use a small wooden bridge to cross a stream, making this ceremony location very unique to any other location in the Twin Cities area. The Wexford at Emerald Greens wedding venue also sits on a golf course which allows for a gorgeous green backdrop filled with trees and ponds. During golden hour, the venue coordinators even gave us the option to go out on the golf course to capture some stunning portraits.

The Wexford at Emerald Greens Wedding Reception in a Window-Filled, Modern Room with Stunning Natural Light
One of my favorite things about The Wexford is the quality of natural light in the reception space. As a wedding photographer, it’s not often that I have the opportunity to shoot weddings where I don’t need to use flash until it’s dark outside. When I saw the back wall was completely made out of windows, I was instantly in love.
As the warm sun streamed through the windows, Jessie and Alex had a beautifully choreographed first dance filled with twirls and dips. Surprise after surprise kept coming as the night went on with Jessie having planned the most special moments for her loved ones. The first of these was a bouquet dedicated to her mom which brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the room, including me. What can I say? I’m a softie and I get watery eyes pretty much whenever anyone else around me cries, so it’s safe to say I rarely have ever made it through a wedding day without shedding some tears. When it was time to cut the cake, Jessie revealed a second surprise to her new hubby Alex with a custom-made cake topper that was made to look like them on their big day.
We ended this perfect day by breaking it down on the dancefloor swinging glow sticks around before finally heading outside for a grand sparkler exit to send Alex and Jessie off in their getaway car.



Vendors
This day couldn't have been possible without the work of these amazing vendors:
- Photography - Framing Fairytales, LLC (@framingfairytales)
- Venue - The Wexford at Emerald Greens (@wexfordweddings)
- Day of Coordination: Events by Jess (@eventsbyjess)
- Catering - Cannon River Catering (@cannonrivercatering)
- Cake - Queen of Cakes (@queenofcakesmn)
- DJ - Instant Request DJ (@instantrequestdj)