Auntie Approved Vendor: Minnesota Frost & Flame

My introduction to Minnesota Frost & Flame technically began when my boyfriend tried Andrew’s meat at a backyard Ribfest.

Yes, I’m aware of how that sentence sounds. We’re moving on.

Andrew happens to be his coworker’s son-in-law, and my first experience was actually trying the barbecue sauce by itself. I didn’t even need the meat involved—I was already hooked.

Since those early BBQ-sauce-sampling days, Andrew and Tasha have grown Minnesota Frost & Flame into a catering business that can handle everything from buffet-style meals to serving larger crowds from their food truck.

When the Client Wants Something Different

I booked Minnesota Frost & Flame for a milestone birthday party after the client told me they wanted something different.

Barbecue was the answer.

Andrew and Tasha worked with us to customize a menu from all their delicious options. They also made sure every detail was covered, including the chafing dishes, serving utensils, silverware and napkins.

On the day of the party, setup couldn’t have been easier. They delivered everything, explained how to keep the food warm and provided disposable items that made cleanup a breeze.

It was a drop-and-go catering setup, so they weren’t there to serve guests during this particular event. However, one look at the photos and updates on their Facebook page makes it clear that they know how to have a good time with the crowds they serve from the food truck, too.

Great Food Makes the Event

The detail and care given to every dish stood out immediately.

Food can make or break an event—and great barbecue paired with mac and cheese is pretty tough to beat.

Once I gave Andrew and Tasha the menu, I didn’t have to worry about the catering again. I knew they would arrive with quality food that would impress the guests. From a coordinator’s perspective, having a vendor you can trust to handle their piece without constant checking is a very beautiful thing.

Give Smoked Food the Time It Deserves

Minnesota Frost & Flame would be a great addition to private parties, weddings, community events and town celebrations. There’s really never a bad time for barbecued meat.

As always, plan ahead.

Great vendors book quickly and food vendors need time to prepare. When smoking meat is involved, that preparation can’t—and shouldn’t—be rushed. The deliciousness literally takes time.

More Than Great Barbecue

Plenty of vendors can serve food, but Andrew and Tasha bring personality with it. They’re genuinely great people, and Andrew’s passion for what he does comes through in every dish.

I’ve also seen how much they give back to their community and how deeply they care about the people around them.

You can’t find that kind of passion, generosity and grit in just anyone.

That—and some seriously good barbecue—officially earns Minnesota Frost & Flame the Auntie Approved stamp.

Auntie Approved Vendor: Lindahl Events

I’ve known Isaac since he was a kid playing traveling basketball with my little brother. These days, instead of watching him run up and down a basketball court, I get to watch him run weddings, events and dance floors through Lindahl Events.

And when I say Lindahl Events does a little bit of everything, I’m underselling it.

DJ services? Yep.

Linens, tables and chairs? Yep.

Tent rentals? Absolutely.

Mobile bar? You betcha.

Isaac also hosts karaoke and trivia at local bars. If it’s related to an event, there’s a pretty good chance Lindahl Events can help with it.

From the Ceremony to the Second Reception

We’ve collaborated on several weddings, including ceremonies, traditional receptions and even a backyard second reception and open house.

One thing that stands out immediately is how organized Isaac is before the event. His website makes choosing and entering music for the ceremony and reception incredibly easy. It even walks clients through parts of the day they may not have realized needed music.

Because until someone asks, “What song do you want playing during this very specific portion of your wedding?” you may not realize that’s another decision waiting to be made.

Isaac is also very involved in helping clients refine their plans. He attends venue tours and schedules meetings before the event to ensure everyone understands the timeline, setup and expectations.

There shouldn’t be any surprises on the wedding day—unless, of course, someone intentionally planned one.

Communication Makes Everything Easier

Working alongside Lindahl Events on the day of an event is fantastic.

Isaac communicates. I know where he is, he knows where I am and we both know what’s coming next. That may sound simple, but clear communication is what keeps an event moving without the guests ever realizing how many conversations are happening behind the scenes.

I can’t recall any major unexpected problems during the events we’ve worked together. If something did happen, Isaac handled it without giving me another thing to worry about—which might be an even better compliment.

Isaac and his wife also offer day-of coordination, so they understand the details coordinators are watching for throughout an event. That shared perspective makes collaborating with them incredibly seamless.

Knowing How to Read a Crowd

One of the things that has impressed me most hasn’t happened at a wedding at all.

Isaac volunteers his time to DJ at my Trunk or Treat, entertaining both the kids and the adults. We’ve had some cold and rainy event days, but he still knows how to read the crowd, keep the energy up and make it fun.

I’ve received so many compliments about the music and atmosphere he creates. Getting people excited on a beautiful day is one thing. Keeping them excited when Wisconsin weather decides not to cooperate is a talent.

The Event-Industry One-Stop Shop

Lindahl Events is incredibly versatile.

If you want a music hype squad, they’re your team. If you need quality rentals, they have them. Need a mobile bar? Yep, that too.

From graduation parties to weddings and everything in between, Lindahl Events can do it all.

Plenty of vendors offer one or two similar services—but are they the one-stop shop Lindahl Events is?

Probably not.

As with any great event vendor, their calendar can fill quickly. If you know you want to work with them, don’t wait until the last minute to reach out.

Officially Auntie Approved

Lindahl Events has earned the Auntie Approved stamp for plenty of reasons: versatility, organization, communication and the ability to keep an event moving and a crowd entertained.

But what means the most to me is that Isaac brings the same energy when volunteering his time as he does for a paid event.

That kind of commitment says a great deal about a person and the business they’ve built—and I couldn’t appreciate it more.

Auntie Approved Vendor: What’s Poppin’

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Sometimes the right vendor connection begins with extensive research and careful networking. Other times, your co-board member says, “You do events, she does balloons. You’re going to be unstoppable.”

As much as I hate to admit when Ashley is right, she absolutely nailed this one.

That introduction connected me with Sarah, owner of What’s Poppin’, and since then, the two of us have meddled in just about every kind of celebration imaginable. We’ve worked together on Chamber events, weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties and graduation parties. We’ve even planned ahead for the day someone finally brings us the “Best of Both Worlds” Hannah Montana party we clearly deserve.

What’s Poppin’ creates stunning balloon arches, garlands and backdrops that take an event to an entirely different level. Sarah also has a habit of sneaking in a little surprise for me—which is never required, but always appreciated.

Somehow, She Reads My Mind

Sarah endures an impressive number of texts and emails from me, especially when we have multiple events happening and are trying to keep every theme, color palette and setup straight. I’m mostly grateful she hasn’t told me to go away yet.

The best part is that I can stutter out approximately three words about what I’m envisioning, and somehow, she understands exactly what I mean. Her mockups always match the finished setup, although I’d argue the final result is usually even better.

Her delivery and installation process is flawless. If Sarah doesn’t think something looks perfect, she comes prepared with extra balloons and keeps working until it does.

Every setup she creates impresses me, but the two backdrops she designed for the Chamber’s luau and western-themed events completely blew me away. I was speechless—which, as most people who know me will confirm, is a rare feat.

My Balloon Savior

From a coordinator’s perspective, What’s Poppin’ makes my job easier because I am simply not a balloon gal.

I’ve tried. The results took hours and looked terrible.

Sarah is my balloon savior. I can trust her to take the vision, handle the design, arrive prepared and create something beautiful while I focus on the other 872 things happening behind the scenes.

Her work can fit absolutely any kind of event. She can make balloons elegant and sophisticated for an adult celebration or colorful and playful for the kiddos. That versatility is a talent all its own.

Plan Ahead—and Share the Idea in Your Head

If you’re considering booking What’s Poppin’, plan ahead. Think about the time of year, your event date and how quickly a talented vendor’s calendar may fill.

Having a clear theme or general direction is also helpful. And if you say, “Whatever you think,” while secretly carrying a very specific picture in your head—please share the picture in your head.

Odds are, Sarah can recreate your idea or adjust it to fit your space, needs and budget. She may be talented, but let’s not make her rely entirely on telepathy.

These Aren’t Your Average Balloon Kits

Professional balloon installations are not the same as ordering a kit online and spending several hours discovering that balloons do not cooperate.

What’s Poppin’ uses high-quality balloons designed to look better and last longer. And when I say longer, I mean it. The balloons from my niece’s birthday party lasted outside in a shed for nine months—and some were still good enough to use for the next celebration.

That may not be an official laboratory test, but the Auntie Research Department considers the results conclusive.

Officially Auntie Approved

There are so many reasons What’s Poppin’ has earned the Auntie Approved stamp. Sarah is creative, dependable, prepared and remarkably good at transforming a few scattered ideas into something even better than I imagined.

But somewhere along the way, she also worked her way into the hearts of my entire family—my parents, sibling, sister-in-law and nieces included.

And if that isn’t Auntie Approval, I don’t know what is.

Auntie Sarah has a pretty nice ring to it. 😉