A beautiful Fall Wedding at Stonewall Farms | Willmar, Mn • Xsperience Photography

Melissa and Michael hosted the most intimate and beautiful Fall wedding at Stonewall Farms in Willmar, Minnesota. There wasn’t a set of dry eyes as they exchanged the most heartfelt vows ever heard in the 22 years of me documenting weddings. This particular wedding story is one of hardship, loss, and second chance love. It is proof that if we continue moving forward with a pure heart and gratitude, the Universe will provide us with exactly what we need at exactly the right time we are ready to receive it.

Here is the beautiful story of Melissa and Michael…

Melissa and I first met while she was part of the team at the Cancer Center taking care of my then wife, Laura. She and Laura hit it off immediately because of their similar values, age, and experiences. Melissa always made sure that if she was working during one of our many appointments to stop in to check on Laura. She would even sit with Laura during infusion when COVID rules prevented me from being able to be present.

Our paths crossed again when I had to have knee surgery. She was working at the Surgical Center now and was placed as my nurse. Melissa reassured me she would take good care of me when I was in recovery. Following my discharge home that day it seemed our paths would diverge once again. However, something undeniable pushed us toward one another, and we decided to get to know each other on a more personal level.

Our lives over the past months have begun meshing easily in ways that could not have imagined.

So, the moral of the story is..

“No matter the darkness, the despair, or the grief, life does continue to move forward. And since we are only given one life to live, we all ought to open ourselves to love because love enriches our lives in ways nothing else can.”

A few favorite lines from your vows since they were so beautifully written…

Melissa: “Michael, if I had one word to describe us and you, it would be HOME.”

Michael: “There are three words at least as powerful as I Love you. Those three words are: I choose YOU. I choose you above all others….”

What was your favorite part of the wedding day?

Melissa: Seeing my husband-to-be for the first time and marrying him.

Michael: I have three prominent memories: (1) our first look, (2) Melissa’s voice coming over the sound system just before she walked down the aisle with her surprise pre-ceremony speech, and, of course, (3) our first kiss after saying I do.

Why did you choose Stonewall Farms for your Central MN Wedding Venue?

Bryce, the owner, used to work at the St Cloud Surgical Center. Co-workers told Melissa about the venue. We took Layla and Ellie on a field trip to check it out. We were already awestruck from the photos we’d seen but while walking the property in person there was a serenity and tranquility that settled in. We sat by the fireplace with Bryce and his wife, Kim, and discussed our respective families and the history of Stonewall Farms. By the time we left, we not only had chosen Stonewall as our venue (the only one we ever looked at), but we also left feeling like we were part of Bryce and Kim’s family.

What was your goal for the wedding day?

We wanted to focus on each other and provide a ceremony for our kids to cement their place in both our lives. It was also important to share our love story with our closest friends and family.

Any tips or advice for engaged couples?

Melissa: If you don’t have kids, “Elope”.

Michael: Make sure you keep the main thing, the main thing, i.e. the whole ceremony and day is about the two of you, don’t worry about everyone else.

Honeymoon plans…

We spent a lovely 5 days in Destin, Florida where we spent a day at the beach, ate at several delicious restaurants, went swimming with a dolphin, spent an afternoon at crab island, did a swamp boat tour looking for alligators, went on a charter fishing trip, and most importantly reflected on our wedding day and getting to know one another on an even deeper level.

Goals for married life…

Melissa: To LIVE life together…from the every day mundane things to travel to life’s major events. To be each other’s best friend.

Michael: To make my wife feel like she is the most important person in the world each and every day; to celebrate as many anniversaries as life will allow; to demonstrate a loving, caring, and healthy relationship for our children so they find the same thing in their spouses.