Wildflowers and Italian-Inspired Details at Belle Ame Vineyard

Ten years before their wedding, Madison Kuhlmann and Carlo Pauldine first crossed paths as freshmen at, of all places, University of Wisconsin–Madison. They shared the same friend group throughout college and beyond graduation. What began as a teenage friendship eventually shifted into something more. After years of shared adventures—traveling, cooking and gathering friends around the table—the pair settled in Minnesota, where Madi grew up.

When it came time to plan their celebration, the couple looked to one of their favorite shared passions: traveling through Europe. Belle Ame Vineyard in River Falls, with its rolling landscape and rustic architecture, reminded them of drives through the Italian countryside and offered the perfect backdrop for an outdoor summer gathering. The ceremony came to life in the vineyard’s open field, where a curved aisle framed with herbs and florals led to a wooden platform built by the father of the bride. The groom's father officiated, adding a personal touch to the vows.

Cocktail hour followed beneath the pavilion, where a lively performance from a band that specializes in “Hot Club Swing,” a style near and dear to the newlyweds. Dinner unfolded in the courtyard patio with a coursed, family-style meal of Italian fare—such as caprese, pizza and pasta—served at a winding arrangement of head tables. Before the evening transitioned indoors for dancing, guests were treated to cake and limoncello poured tableside, a fitting nod to Carlo’s Italian heritage and the couple’s love of hosting memorable meals. —Megan Simpson Teeter