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🎧 Listen to learn:

• What defines a historic wedding venue and why couples continue to choose them
• How historic architecture can still offer flexibility for modern wedding design
• What couples should look for when touring large-scale or destination venues
• Why on-site teams and in-house catering elevate the guest experience
• Food and beverage trends shaping weddings at historic properties

In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, host Sonja Babich and co-host Brooke Beise, Publisher of Minnesota Bride, sit down with Grace Eberhardt, VP of Operations, and Sydney Young, Catering & Events Director, of Northern Pacific Center, a destination wedding venue set on a restored 47-acre railroad estate in Brainerd, Minnesota.

The conversation explores what makes historic wedding venues work for today’s couples, from balancing architectural character with design flexibility to creating a seamless guest experience across both large-scale and intimate celebrations. Grace shares insight into the venue’s planning process and how couples are supported from the initial tour through wedding day, while Sydney discusses the role of in-house catering, service flow and intentional timelines in delivering a polished experience.

Together, they also dive into current food and beverage trends, including the return of plated dinners, elevated cocktail hours and creative late-night offerings. With a focus on service, consistency and thoughtful design, this episode offers a valuable perspective for couples considering a historic venue—and for anyone curious how these timeless spaces are thoughtfully adapted for modern wedding celebrations.

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Produced by Summit Hill Studios summithillstudios.com
and Iron Diamond Media irondiamondmedia.com

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🎧 Listen to learn:

• What restaurant-style wedding catering actually means in practice
• What couples should expect during the wedding catering tasting process
• How menus are customized using seasonality and personal taste
• How cooking food fresh on site impacts quality and guest experience
• Plated dinners vs. food stations and current wedding catering trends
• How sustainability and food waste are handled behind the scenes

In this episode of Wedding Day Podcast, host Sonja Babich is joined by co-host Alexis Sanabria — Publisher for Washington Wedding Day — for a conversation with Laurel Dosch, Director of Catering, and Shubert Ho, Executive Chef and Owner of Seattle-based Shooby Doo Catering. With more than 15 years in business and approximately 350 weddings served annually, Shooby Doo Catering has built a reputation across the Pacific Northwest for delivering restaurant-quality cuisine at weddings — often in locations where a kitchen must be built from the ground up.

Laurel and Shubert walk through how restaurant-style wedding catering works on a logistical level, from building temporary kitchens at museums, wineries, and private properties to finishing dishes fresh on-site. They share insight into menu customization, complimentary tastings, rental coordination and vendor meals, along with current trends favoring plated dinners and interactive food stations. The conversation also touches on sustainability practices and the collaborative nature of Seattle’s wedding industry, offering valuable planning guidance for couples researching elevated wedding catering options.

Support the show

Produced by Summit Hill Studios summithillstudios.com
and Iron Diamond Media irondiamondmedia.com

Send us a text

🎧 Listen to learn:

• How to decide if a restaurant wedding venue is right for your celebration
• Why food-forward weddings elevate guest experience
• Ways to thoughtfully blend multiple cultures into one wedding day
• What to consider when choosing a photographer for timeless wedding photos
• Tips on planning a large wedding

In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, host Sonja Babich, CEO of Iron Diamond Media, sits down with real couple Daphne and Elijah (Eli) live at the Minnesota Wedding Show, hosted by Minnesota Bride. The couple’s wedding was featured in Minnesota Bride’s Spring/Summer 2025 issue, and they share a candid look at planning a culture-rich, food-focused wedding centered on family and guest experience.

Daphne and Eli discuss hosting a full restaurant buyout reception, navigating a large guest count, and making food the centerpiece of their celebration. They also share insight into blending Jewish and Mexican traditions throughout their wedding day, selecting a photographer for timeless imagery, creating a meaningful music experience and embracing flexibility when unexpected moments arise. This episode offers practical guidance for couples exploring nontraditional venues, multicultural wedding planning and guest-first celebrations.

Support the show

Produced by Summit Hill Studios summithillstudios.com
and Iron Diamond Media irondiamondmedia.com