It was a historic moment as the 605 Weddings vendors gathered on October 11 at Monick Yards in downtown Sioux Falls for the venue’s first styled shoot.
“We chose our Grand Hall for the photoshoot to showcase the 16-foot ceilings, fresh white walls, and impactful pendant lights that make this space a special spot for wedding ceremonies,” said Amy Boes, venue director and co-owner of Monick Yards.
The full building is 12,000 square feet with two large spaces: The Grand Hall and the Reception Hall. With the ability to host up to 350 guests, the warehouse-style venue can act as a blank canvas for couples and creatives in the wedding industry.
“I’m currently loving weddings with bold and earthy tones.”
Jess Bowman // J. Bowman Photography
“I think the way the vendors in the area collaborate is truly unmatched. We’re able to bounce ideas off each other and have a big hand in creating these unforgettable events.”
Jenna Bangsund // Jane Rae Events
Event planner and marketing designer of Jane Rae Events, Jenna Bangsund, was inspired by the “urban weddings” vibes.
“Going into designing the shoot, I knew I wanted to focus on a couple of trends for 2024 that I have been loving,” said Bangsund. “Monick Yards was the perfect place for this design, so I also used that as inspiration to pull it all together.”
A main focus for the shoot included elements of texture, whether it be in fabrics, glassware, and the floral design. The main event was the hanging floral installation, with each flower and branch carefully placed by hand by the Jane Rae Events team.
“We created the floral structure on branches which brought the design to a whole other level and gave it the texture it needed,” described Bangsund. “We were also very intentional in the blooms we decided to design with to get the look we were wanting.”
Jane Rae Events also focused on the use of brown sapphire, which is a color trend Bandsund says will be appearing frequently in 2024 and 2025.
For the talented cinematography group at PINstudios, they wanted to showcase what makes Monick Yards different from other event destinations.
“We really wanted to showcase the whole Monick Yards venue and how it could be used as a unique wedding destination,” said PINstudios client specialist and brand manager Thadeus Giedd. “This includes highlighting the distinctive
bar and the separate spaces of reception and ceremony hall. We also wanted to help build excitement for future couples looking to get married at this venue.”
Store manager of Ellie Stone Bride Jhena Pistulka says like many industries, nostalgia is more popular than ever. This includes bridal going back to simple elegance.
“We enjoy getting to put our creative juices together and create something for new brides to see and be inspired by.”
Thadeus Giedd // PIN Studios
Did You Know?
Monick Yards is also owned by the creative minds behind craft cocktail venues Highball, The Treasury, & Carpenter Bar.
This translates into couples having access to some of the best mixologists in the state with the ability to create custom event cocktails.
“We chose a simple, classic style wedding dress, but with a new twist,” recalled Pistulka.
The twist was quite literal, with a romantic, flowing bow placed in the back of the gown.
It’s styled shoot collaborations like this that challenge wedding vendors in a fun and refreshing way.
“I love styled shoots because it gives me a creative edge where I can try new things,” said photographer Jess Bowman of J.Bowman Photography.
Vendors
Planning & Floral // Jane Rae Events
Venue // Monick Yards
Photography // J. Bowman Photograph
Video // PINStudios
Wedding Dress // Ellie Stone Bride
Suit // Halberstadt’s
Jewelry // The Diamond Room
Hair & Makeup // Megan Bertsch Beauty
Models // Cailyn & Connor Patterson
While the Jane Rae Events team normally goes from start to finish with clients, they enjoy styled shoots to go through the same process to play and explore new trends and design.
“Being a part of styled shoots is such an amazing opportunity to design something that has never been seen in the area before. It is a chance to collaborate with other vendors to challenge ourselves,” said Bangsund. “One of my favorite parts of the whole experience of designing this shoot was showing the initial design to our floral design manager, Irany, and collaborating with her to create this bold, next-level design.”
It’s these local collaborations that bond all of the creative South Dakota vendors together.
“It’s amazing to see everyone come together and practice their passion,” said venue director and co-owner of Monick Yards Angela Merritt. “A styled shoot is truly a collaborative experience. We couldn’t be more grateful to be in this industry.”
