The couple captured portraits on the golf green at The Refuge Golf Club. Morgan Gruber donned a sheath-style gown from Raffiné Bridal; Ryan Gruber selected a suit from Milbern Clothing Co. Photo: Tayler Dumas Photography
Stillwater Area High School sweethearts celebrate their nuptials and a decade of love.
When Morgan (née Huenink) and Ryan Gruber tied the knot on a cloudy June day, it was the pinnacle of a love story nearly a decade in the making. The Stillwater Area High School sweethearts connected on social media during their sophomore year in 2015 when Ryan commented on one of Morgan’s social media photos. “It was before DMs were even a thing … He ended up asking me to be his date to the Snowball Dance, and the rest is history,” Morgan says.
Though the couple originally hoped to find a barn venue for their summer nuptials, they fell in love with the picturesque setting of The Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove. “[The Refuge] has such a rustic, elegant vibe to it. So, it still gave us that barn, kind of rustic feeling that we were both interested in,” Morgan says, adding that playing golf is one of the couple’s favorite summer hobbies.
Morgan designed the invitations herself, complementing custom and heirloom details.
From the start, Morgan knew she wanted to plan the wedding and dove into all the details, brainstorming decor, designing the invitations and researching vendors. “I would do it all over again,” she says of the planning process. “I loved it.” The décor centered around flowers and pearl details, with a color palette of cream, sage and soft pink that complemented the club’s sprawling golf green and rustic interior.
Morgan found her sheath-style gown at Raffiné Bridal in Woodbury—the shop where she, serendipitously, purchased both of her high school prom dresses. It was complemented by custom pearl jewelry that was handmade by a family friend, Rupa Kilaparti. Kilaparti crafted a set of pearl drop earrings for Morgan and a necklace to match; the bridesmaids and mothers wore similar pieces, also made by Kilaparti.
Left: The newlyweds tied the knot nearly a decade into their love story, after meeting as students at Stillwater Area High School.
The couple exchanged vows under a beautiful outdoor pergola, surrounded by lush greenery and 190 of their favorite people. Following the cocktail hour, guests were treated to a plated meal catered by The Refuge. The main course included Oven-Roasted Chicken or Chardonnay Dill-Glazed Salmon, served with roasted carrots and potatoes. For dessert, Ryan selected Nothing Bundt Cakes, and the dessert table featured mini bundt cakes in an array of flavors.
For the toasts, Morgan’s father wrote a poem that tugged on the heartstrings of many of the guests. “He had the idea to turn his speech into a poem, rhyming and everything, and he had the whole room just bawling their eyes out,” Morgan says. “It was the most special thing ever.”
Morgan and Ryan Gruber chose The Refuge Golf Club for its rustic setting and fell in love with the warm feeling of the indoor reception space. The venue also managed the catering, which received rave reviews from the Grubers’ friends and family.
The couple agrees that their favorite part of the day, aside from getting married, was celebrating on the dance floor with their nearest and dearest. “Both of us just looked around and saw all of our friends and family with the biggest smiles on their faces, dancing their hearts out and having the best time ever,” Morgan says. “It just warmed my heart and made me feel so, so happy.”
Vendors
- Catering and Venue: The Refuge Golf Club, refugegolfclub.com
- Desserts: Nothing Bundt Cakes, nothingbundtcakes.com
- Event Coordinator: Lisa Morin, The Refuge Golf Club, refugegolfclub.com
- Florals: June & Jane Flower Co., juneandjaneflower.com
- Hair: W. Bass Bridal, wbassbridal.com
- Jewelry: Rupa Kilaparti
- Makeup: Glow With Dej, glowwithdej.com
- Photography: Tayler Dumas, taylerdumasphotography.com
- Printing: Designed by Morgan Gruber. Printed through Shutterfly, shutterfly.com
- Wedding Wear: Azazie, azazie.com; Milbern Clothing Co., milbern.com; Raffiné Bridal, raffinebridal.com
