We’ve gotten this question more than a few times - so here’s the scoop: Being from farm families meant spring and fall were immediately off the table (we don’t mess with planting or harvest!). That left us with the options of winter or summer, and let’s be honest, Brooke is not a winter wedding kind of girl. Also, when choosing a date, Brooke was given the timeline of "after wheat harvest, and before dove hunting opener", so she had a window of about 15 days to work with, ha! We also wanted to give our families the chance to celebrate each wedding fully without overlapping. Brooke’s brother, Brady, got married in December 2025, and Aaron’s sister, Taylor, tied the knot in June 2026. Since those are such special milestones for them, we chose to wait until 2027 so everyone could enjoy each celebration in its own time. (And so our parents can financially recover ;)) Plus, the reason that really sealed the deal: Brooke’s cousin Colby has been stationed with the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa, Japan, since early 2024 and has missed FOUR Gillespie cousin weddings in that time. Lord willing, he’ll finally be home in August 2027. We’re so proud of him, and we’re more than happy to wait a couple of extra months in hopes he can be there with us! Please say an extra prayer that he gets home safe & on time so he is able to join us!
Friday weddings have become increasingly popular - and for good reason! Choosing a Friday allowed us to secure the venue and vendors we truly loved while keeping the overall flow of the weekend more relaxed for everyone. Celebrating on a Friday also means you still get your full weekend to enjoy. Whether you want to travel home, explore the area, or simply take a couple of days to recover before heading back to work on Monday, the timeline works out beautifully. We understand that a Friday wedding may make it harder for some guests to attend, especially if taking time off isn’t possible. We will absolutely miss anyone who can’t make it, and we’re so grateful for everyone who is able to celebrate with us!
Although we absolutely love children, we are only able to accommodate the children of immediate family due to space restrictions. If your children are invited, it will be indicated on your invitation and when you RSVP. We encourage you to use this as a much-deserved parents night out - thank you for understanding!
We've put a lot of thought into creating a guest list that includes our closest family and friends, and we're hoping to keep our celebration as intimate as possible. To stay within our venue's capacity, we can only accommodate guests who are formally included on the invitation. If a plus one has been reserved for you, your invitation will be addressed as "(Your Name) & Guest", and it will also be reflected during the RSVP process. We appreciate your understanding and helping us celebrate with the people who mean the most to us!
We kindly ask that you arrive at The 44 Venue between 3:45–4:15 PM. This will give you time to sign the guestbook and find your seat before the ceremony begins. If you happen to arrive before 3:45, we ask that you please remain in your vehicle for a few minutes while the bride and groom finish up photos with their families.
After formal invitations are sent, a "RSVP" tab will appear at the top of our website. You can click that tab and RSVP at any time once you receive your invitation! If you are unable to attend, please indicate "Will NOT attend" on your RSVP so we can plan accordingly.
We would so appreciate it if you RSVP as soon as you receive your invitation! The last day to RSVP is July 15th. If you do not RSVP by July 15th, you will be marked as "not attending". We would love celebrating with you, however, we have to provide an exact guest count to our vendors and finalize our seating arrangements, so we cannot accept late RSVPs.
We have a block reserved at the Holiday Inn in Fargo, ND. We encourage you to book here, as this is the hotel that the shuttle will be picking guests up & dropping them off at. You are welcome to book at another hotel if you choose, but transportation will not be provided to or from other locations. **Reservations will open on November 1st, 2026** Lodging information can be found under the “Travel, Lodging & Shuttle” tab.
Yes! Because the venue is about 30 minutes from the nearest hotels, we are providing complimentary shuttle transportation for our guests. We strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of the shuttles so you can relax, celebrate, and enjoy the evening safely — please do not drink and drive. *Please check back for finalized transportation schedule* If you choose to drive yourself, there is ample on-site parking available. You are also welcome to leave your vehicle overnight. Please note: if you choose to leave your vehicle overnight, they must be picked up by 9:00 AM on Saturday, as there is another wedding at the venue that day!
The ceremony will be held outdoors on The Terrace (weather permitting). Cocktail hour will be a mix of indoors and outdoors, while the reception and dance will be indoors in Legacy Hall.
We don't have an official dress code, but we'd love to see our loved ones dressed up and ready to celebrate! The ceremony will be outdoors (weather permitting), and August weather can vary, so we recommend wearing something you'll be comfortable in throughout the day and bringing a light layer if desired. We simply ask that guests avoid wearing white, ivory, or other shades traditionally reserved for the bride.
We will have gluten free options available during cocktail hour, dinner, and dessert, as we have many people in our lives that are gluten free! If you have any other dietary restrictions or allergies, please let us know when you RSVP so we can pass the information along to our caterer and do our best to accommodate your needs.
Our bridal party will be selling raffle tickets during social hour for a fun prize drawing so bringing a little cash isn't a bad idea! An ATM is available on site if needed.
In the event of rain or inclement weather that prevents us from having an outdoor ceremony, we will plan to have the ceremony indoors in Legacy Hall of The 44 Venue. Pray for blue skies & no rain!
Your love, attendance, and well-wishes are the most important gifts of all. If you would like to contribute in another way, a monetary gift will help us with home improvements, appliance upgrades, and furniture updates. We have also included some household items from Target, Amazon, Home Depot and a few other various stores that we would enjoy having as newlyweds. Those can be found on the "Registry" tab of our website.