The holiday season may be festive and joyous, but it can also be stressful and hectic, leaving little time for you and your partner. At Marc & Shayna AMENSON Studio, husband and wife team Marc and Shayna know that just as photographs are integral to capturing the memories of the first day of marriage, it’s just as important to spend time together as a couple to help nurture the marriage relationship.
“When life is busy, it's valuable to take moments to connect as a couple,” says Shayna, who used this thought as the premise of the now annual event held by Amenson Studios and a group of other local Green Bay vendors. “Christmas Date Night started because we thought it'd be nice to gift our couples (past, present, and future) with a night out. It was really important to us not to just throw a holiday party; instead we wanted to give them a chance to connect as a couple and to have a little date on us.”
Along with the complimentary entrance to the Green Bay Botanical Garden's Garden of Lights, each couple who attends the event also receives a custom wine bottle with a photo from their wedding or engagement session as another little something to enjoy during the Christmas season.
“The Green Bay Botanical Garden's Garden of Lights is the perfect opportunity for our couples to stop in and say ‘Hi’ to us and then take a stroll through the Garden of Lights as a couple,” says Shayna. “The first year we did this event it was really fun to see all the double dates. We had so many couples who referred an upcoming couple, and they ended up coming to our Christmas Date Night together!”
The other vendors involved include wedding and event planner Sash & Bow, who helps with the party decor and set up. Flowers are provided by Petal Pusher, one the Amenson’s favorite floral vendors. La Java Roasting House provides the hot chocolate and Gerzak's provides the bartending services. “It takes a good team of vendors to make a wedding day happen, and we love hosting our Christmas Date Night because we use some of our favorite vendors!”
There is definitely a lot of vendor love at this one event; a perfect opportunity to sample some local vendors but in a way that is all about having some time alone with the one you love.
Considering a botanical garden venue for your wedding? Scroll down for a quick Q&A with Amber Crisp, Sales & Rental Coordinator at Green Bay Botanical Gardens.
WB: How did the Christmas Date Night event come to be?
Amber: The Garden hosts private holiday parties in conjunction with our WPS Garden of Lights event each year. Amenson Studio was interested in booking a private holiday party to offer a Christmas Date Night to their wedding clients and so it came to be.
WB: What makes GBBG a unique venue for weddings?
Amber:
-Five different ceremony sites to accommodate from 10 to more than 230 guests.
-Beautiful structures that you won’t find anywhere else. Our structures not only provide amazing backdrops for photos but also bring amazing stories and history to the Garden.
-47 acres of display gardens and natural areas, showcasing the beauty of the Garden.
-Thousands of native plants, trees, and blooming buds. There is always something unexpected around every corner.
-The Garden is ever-changing. Every year we are adding on more and switching out different plants. It’s never the same Garden each year truly making it a “unique” setting.
WB: What is your favorite part about working with brides/weddings?
Amber: I love meeting with couples and sharing in their wedding excitement. Knowing that I made a difference in making their wedding day as special as possible is truly rewarding. Also, the details! Whether big or small, details are so very important. They help tell your love story, express your personalities, and help carry your wedding theme from start to finish. I just can’t get enough details!
WB: What tips do you have for brides based on what you see in your business?
Amber:
-Follow your heart; it will always lead you in the right direction and help make the hardest decisions as easy as possible.
-Choose a vendor that you like and are comfortable with! Someone that “gets” you and your vision. Not only are you choosing a venue or service but you are choosing the staff to help plan your very special day!
-Give your guests a little sneak peek into your wedding plans. Communication is key so that your guests know what to expect. For example: Guests should dress appropriately for a garden wedding, arrive early in case there is a distance to walk to the ceremony site, and be prepared for rain (always good to carry an umbrella,) just in case.
-Be open-minded and relaxed. No matter the venue, the dress, the cake, how the day goes, etc., at the end of it all the most important thing is the person standing beside you, sharing in the most precious gift of all: love.
Green Bay Botanical Gardens
2600 Larsen Road
Green Bay, WI 54301
920.490.9457
