Greg and Jake first met while taking a statistics class at their university. “Needless to say, I wasn’t the best student in college and Jake was quite the studious gent. He was the only reason I passed that class.”

The two worked on homework and projects together, and as they began to get to know each other a little interest sparked. "The first time we hung out that wasn't school involved, he came over to the townhouse I shared with two roommates at like 10PM on a random Wednesday or something. We watched Precious in my bed...and yes, I am fully aware that looking back at it, Precious is like the least romantic movie you could watch on your first date!”

Jake grew up in a pretty strict and religious environment. He was active in religious organizations around campus, while Greg was a fairly outspoken atheist. “It wasn't until a few months later when we were officially dating that he came out. We were both from small towns, but our upbringings and family were very different from one another.” Their differences were stark, but it really brought them closer together. “They do say opposites attract! He's an introvert, I'm an extrovert. I drank and partied… a lot. However for him, not so much! I could go on and on about how different we were, but at the end of the day, we balanced each other out and things just sorta clicked.”

Greg lived in Germany for two years, stretching their relationship long distance. It was difficult at times, but they made it through. “We knew we were going to get engaged. It wasn’t this story of some huge surprise, but we did celebrate the occasion.” Approaching their fourth anniversary of being together, Jake flew to meet Greg and spend a few days in Amsterdam. “We knew we were going to leave this trip engaged, so we had a special dinner at the chef’s table of a very chic restaurant.” Instead of exchanging rings, Greg and Jake exchanged beautiful watches, one a Tag Heuer and the other an IWC Schaffhausen. “Needless to say, we loved the 12 course plus wine pairings, and leaving the night engaged was the perfect cherry on top to a beautiful evening!”

With not much time to spare, Greg and Jake began to plan their wedding. They found their dream venue at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis for September 30th, 2017. “We got married in late September in Minneapolis which is always a bit of a gamble, but we were beyond lucky with the weather. It was 65 and sunny all day except right before the ceremony we got a very brief five minute shower. It was actually perfect though because it brought in some light cloud cover and the sky opened up beautifully.”

Giving themselves plenty of time to plan, there were still some surprises along the way. “There are so many little details that you don't think of until you're actually going through it.” However, their stylistic choices for the wedding decor went strikingly well with the minimalism of the modern art museum. “Our wedding was small, only 80 people, and I’d say at least half were personal friends as we really wanted it to be a party… the ceremony wasn’t our focus! There was a great mix of people there from all parts of our lives and histories which made the day even more special, being able to bring all those people together.”

Their guests congregated on a terrace that overlooked the city center and the famous Sculpture Garden as the grooms prepared to begin their ceremony. “To be honest, it was a total blur. There was so much going on that I don't even remember what I was thinking or feeling.” The wedding day seemingly went by in a flash, but felt lighthearted and stressless. “My main focus was just to remember to put the ring on the right finger...which I almost didn't do.”

One of the grooms’ favorite parts of the wedding was simply catching up with everyone, having their family and friends all in one place. “Some of the people we hadn't seen in multiple years and for me, I had just moved back to Minneapolis after spending 2 years abroad and a bit of time living in Virginia and North Carolina!”

When asked what advice they would give other couples planning their wedding, Greg said, “Give yourselves time and don't stress that much about it. The wedding should be about you and celebrating your love so don't let other people's opinions throw you. If you want an all black and white wedding, do it. If you want every color of the rainbow, do it. It's your day so just take your time and do things the way you want them!”

Greg and Jake now married, live together in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They love going out to clubs, concerts, eating out and traveling. To follow along with their adventures, follow them on instagram at @lifeofgrw & @jake_bidner.

Venue — Walker Art Center
Photography — Lauren B. Photography @laurenbphotog
Officiant — Derek Kiewatt
Catering — Esker Grove
Cake Designer — Enticing Icing
Apparel — Hugo Boss
Floral Designer — Holly Kopek
DJ — Adagio DJ Entertainment