Beauty in the Bay: Green Bay Weddings

Written by
Megan McCarty Jeanne Kolker

While Green Bay is often considered a destination for football fans, the city nestled at the base of the peninsula also scores points for its unique wedding offerings. Whether a couple calls the state’s third-largest city home or simply a favorite vacation spot, any bride and groom’s fairytale dreams can come true in Titletown.

A rustic garden wedding under an expansive sky? Check. An intimate exchange of vows in a historic chapel? Check. Where the beautiful Fox River flows gently into Lake Michigan’s largest bay, Green Bay teems with elegant options for a winning wedding day.

Goin’ to the chapel
Hometown bride Laura Rowan chose the Green Bay Botanical Garden for her wedding because she wanted “a beautiful outdoor setting, where all of our guests would be surrounded by flowers,” she says. Rowan and her husband said “I do” in the Kress Oval Garden on a perfect July day. 

Another outdoor option for the fair-weather bride is Heritage Hill State Historical Park, a living history museum that occupies 50 acres along the banks of the Fox River. A couple can choose to exchange vows in the Victorian gazebo or opt for a romantic ceremony in the Moravian Church, where sunlight filters into the white interior through 15-foot windows.

If a quaint, intimate wedding is what a bride has always dreamed of, the Sepia Wedding Chapel can bring those vintage dreams to life. Built in 1883 by church missionaries, the structure has been restored as a unique venue that boasts a glass altar over a bubbling fountain, a feature sure to wow even the most sophisticated of guests.

Claim to fame
Lest we forget the main attraction, Lambeau Field plays host to more than frenzied football fans. The stadium can accommodate weddings indoors and out, though wedding party players are not allowed on the field.

According to Erin Dinnocenzo, the special events coordinator at Lambeau, a bride and groom can get married outdoors in the Miller Lite End Zone overlooking the field. “We had a wedding there as late as November,” Dinnocenzo says, “and a gentle snow fell, making for a very pretty, cool scene.”

For the bride looking to stay indoors, historic Lambeau has plenty of space in the Atrium or the Legends Club Room. Curly’s Private Dining Room can serve as a festive backdrop for a rehearsal dinner.

Bride Karen Gorecki chose Lambeau’s MVP Box for her rehearsal venue. “I grew up next to the stadium, so I knew we had to incorporate it into our wedding,” Gorecki says. The dinner had a tailgate theme, with hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, and even green and gold table linens.

“The room overlooks the field, and when the staff turned the lights on, we felt like we owned Lambeau. My guests really got a feel for what Green Bay is all about,” Gorecki says.

Green Bay wedding photographed by Laurie Marie Photography.The world at your fingertips

Instead of bringing Green Bay to the world, bride Carla Rajkowski wanted to bring the world to Green Bay with her wedding, which had an international theme. Rajkowski, a native of nearby Appleton who now lives in Washington, D.C., chose the KI Convention Center, which is attached to the Hotel Sierra, for her August reception.

“I’ve lived on the East Coast for a while and traveled to 30 countries over the years, so I wanted something that could serve as a blank slate for my international theme,” Rajkowski says. But trying to find such a venue that could still hold her 200-some guests proved a challenge. She viewed the spacious KI Convention Center as the ideal canvas just waiting for her artistic touch. With the help of her wedding planner, Allison Kline of Sash & Bow, she transformed the space into the party of her dreams.

“Hotel Sierra’s amazing catering and Alliey’s indispensable knowledge helped our wedding day come together beautifully,” Rajkowski says.

She also credits her florists at Buds ’n Bloom Design Studio for adding to the beauty of her big day. “Jerad [Karcz] did a phenomenal job,” she says. “I was blown away by his gorgeous arrangements.”

The staff at Buds ’n Bloom, including Karcz and his partner, Joshua Steger, take special pride in their work. “We create each wedding to represent the personalities of the couple,” Karcz says. “We always do a face-to-face consultation so we can get to know them.”

All about you
Personal attention is something that a bride and groom can get used to in Green Bay, starting—and often ending—with the perfect gourmet treat. The Runaway Spoon is mentioned time and again by brides who seek culinary flair, from appetizers to dinner to cake and beyond.

Bride Laura Rowan was impressed by The Runaway Spoon’s hors d’oeuvres, which included prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and Caprese salad on a stick. But she was even more impressed by owners Tim and Lindsay Brooks’ commitment to service, as Rowan requested a signature drink involving Skittles-infused vodka, which the chefs replicated deliciously.

Cocktails aside, The Runaway Spoon is best-known for custom-made cakes. Bride Stephanie Dahlman was “blown away” by the variety of flavors offered by the Brooks. “We had pink champagne cake, and I’ve never tasted anything like it,” Dahlman says. “It actually tasted bubbly!”

Perhaps spirit-inspired cakes are trending upward, as bride Mariana Huempfner sings the praises of Bernie’s Specialty Cake Shop in De Pere for making her wish of a rum-spiked wedding cake a reality. “It was absolutely delicious,” Huempfner says.

The Tasteful Cake, also located in De Pere, serves up beautifully designed, mouthwatering cakes, cupcakes and other desserts from scratch, with gluten-free and vegan options. Brides can choose from a long list of flavors and create their own combination like, say, chocolate chip and raspberry swirl cake filling.

Green Bay wedding photographed by Laurie Marie Photography.

Places to go, things to do
For guests in search of other types of local flavor, a bride can direct her party to one of Green Bay’s many cultural attractions. The Neville Public Museum hosts artistic and historic collections relevant to the northern parts of the state. The National Railroad Museum along the Fox River offers rides aboard vintage, full-size railroad equipment during the warmer months. 

For rides that appeal to the thrill-seekers in the group, guests can get their fill at the Bay Beach Amusement Park, a family friendly destination that added a new feature in 2011: The Zippin Pippin. The wooden roller coaster is a re-creation of a ride from Memphis, Tennessee, which also has the distinction of being Elvis Presley’s favorite amusement park ride. Admission to the park and parking are both free, and a ride ticket will set guests back a mere 25 cents.

If you’re hoping for a cruise of a different sort, Foxy Lady Cruises offers guests magnificent views of the beautiful riverfront of downtown Green Bay from the water. Plan a cruise for a gift opening, a post-wedding brunch or a pre-wedding girls- or guys-night-out.

And while Green Bay is identified more with championships than champagne, guests may convene to fête the happy couple at Titletown Brewing Co. The upscale eatery and microbrewery features the Outdoor Canopy, a covered area overlooking the Fox River that features the platform where the Green Bay Packers of the Lombardi era waited to board the train south to take on the Chicago Bears.

A mere stone’s throw from Titletown is Hinterland Brewery, where guests can sample beers brewed on the premises or choose from an extensive wine list. Both breweries are popular rehearsal dinner sites.

For the night before the big day, a bride and groom may also choose the inviting atmosphere of Chives Restaurant, a renovated general store located in nearby Suamico. Chives (said to be Packers star Aaron Rodgers’ favorite dining spot) is all about ambiance—a couple can reserve the Chives Schoolhouse, located next to the main restaurant, where a private party can watch the chef prepare seasonal, creative cuisine in cozy comfort.

While perhaps known more for touchdowns than tuxedos, Green Bay proves that within its borders lies a delightful mix of big-city sophistication peppered with small-town charm.


Get more from Wisconsin Bride! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.