Planning Your Bluefin Bay Wedding in Tofte Minnesota

Looking to host a wedding with you, your person, and 50 people or less on the gorgeous shoreline of Lake Superior? Well look no further- Bluefin Bay is your perfect wedding or elopement day spot! The best part is, this venue will also provide opportunities for your closest guests to spend the night at an AMAZING resort before, during and after your wedding. And, I mean, come on “ Bluefin Bay has been frequently named Minnesota’s Most Romantic Resort and MN Bride’s Best Honeymoon Resort seven years in a row”- what more could you need!?

So let me help you figure out how to plan the most epic day at Bluefin Bay by using Carol and Jazzy, a couple who eloped there in July 2022, as our guide.

Table of Contents

Make Your Plan

Contact weddings@bluefinbay.com to schedule a tour or inquire about your date. **Pro Tip: You will save a lot of money if you book your wedding day on a Sunday – Thursday! Carol and Jazzy got married on a Thursday and it was perfect, quiet and laid back. For your ceremony space, you will have the option of the Tofte Cove which is right on the shoreline or the Beach Patio. I highly recommend using the Cove for the best views of Lake Superior!

Book Your Date!

Contact weddings@bluefinbay.com to schedule a tour or inquire about your date. **Pro Tip: You will save a lot of money if you book your wedding day on a Sunday – Thursday! Carol and Jazzy got married on a Thursday and it was perfect, quiet and laid back. For your ceremony space, you will have the option of the Tofte Cove which is right on the shoreline or the Beach Patio. I highly recommend using the Cove for the best views of Lake Superior!

PLEASE BE PREPARED TO BOOK YOUR VENUE 12 -16 MONTHS OUT IF YOU HAVE AN EXACT DATE IN MIND OR WANT TO GET MARRIED IN PEAK SEASON (JUNE – OCTOBER).

Start Envisioning Your Dream Day

Start dreaming of your day. Who do you truly want there? What do you want your day to feel like? Take a few minutes to answer the following:

1. 1. Who is most important in our lives?
   2. What do I see when I close my eyes and envision what the day looks like?
   3. Do I want this to be classic and simple or do I want there to be a specific look and vibe?
   4. How do I want to spend my time that day? Do I want to do anything else besides just a ceremony and dinner?

Book Your Vendors… ASAP!

1. Once you have your vision planned out, book all of your vendors ASAP! It is industry standard to book your venue, photographer and caterer first. Since you already have your venue and caterer booked, all you have to do is book me 😉 but seriously here are a few of my top recommendations for other vendors you might want to utilize to make this day come true(these are just a few places in northern Minnesota I researched on your behalf that you can use as a launch pad for your search) :

   1. Desserts: Snazzy Cakes, Something Sweet

   2. Hair and Makeup: Design Affair Salon Studio, Northern Bridal Artistry,

   3. Attire: Christian Lane Bridal is THE BEST~ and was the provider of both outfits you see shown in this blog. They do wedding gowns, tuxedos, wedding party attire AND alterations!

   4. Stationary: Artistic Linguistics has done custom calligraphy invites for me before and they are always so gorgeous!

   5. Band/ DJ **Please note that Bluefin does have some requirements on who you can hire to play for your reception.

   6. Other things to consider: jewelry and accessories, decor, coordinators and more!

Book Your Stay

Book your stay and have your guests do the same ASAP! This place books FAST so be sure to have places to stay for all your amazing guests.

Marriage License OBTAINED! …oh and an officiant..

1.     Be sure to get your marriage license application for $115 no later than 6 months before your official wedding date. If it is going to just be the two of you, I can be your officiant or witness (but you do need two witnesses in the state of Minnesota). It’s also a great time to think about whom you want to marry you… is it a close family member or friend? Or would you prefer to hire someone that can write something beautiful for your love story. 
2. Marry Me in the Northland is an amazing Officiant/ Marriage Celebrant based in Northern Minnesota

Timeline

1. Ok now the good stuff- let’s talk about your actual day! Here is what a timeline of your Bluefin Bay Wedding could look like for a July wedding:
   • 10:30  Couple Drinks Coffee/ Cozy Morning Photos
   • 11:30 Couple starts getting ready
   • 12:00 Ceremony Setup Begins
   • 1:00 First look and Couples Portraits
   • 2:00 Wedding Party/ Attendant Photos
   • 2:45 Family Photos
   • 3:15 Break before Ceremony
   • 4:00 Ceremony
   • 4:45 Cocktail or Appetizer Hour begins
   • 5:00 Couple travels for adventure portrait session at Temperance River State Park
   • 6:30 Dinner and Reception
   • 8:00 Golden Hour photos
   • 8:45 Bonfire and Music
   • 10:00 Everyone goes to their cozy room for some rest after a beautiful day

If you hire me, this is something we can custom create together. Be sure to keep all of your guests informed along the way. In order to have a relaxed day, we have to do lots of prep work ahead of time so the more work you can do ahead of time the better!

Get Ready and Get Married!

Ideally, you, your boo and whomever you’re inviting whether they are guests or just vendors and an officiant, you will likely be staying over the night before so you are well rested before your day and can wake up ready to take on your wedding day at Bluefin Bay! You are allowed to rent your ceremony space from 12:00 until 7:00pm on your day, so plan to start setting up your space no earlier than 12:00. **please note that if you should choose tofte cove, there are stairs leading down to the cove you will need to walk to and from to get set up, but there is a parking lot right by it so it’s not hard at all!

Ready to Do This Thing!? Hire Me to Capture Your Epic Day!

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