Melissa and Joe chose to become husband and wife in the woods of Wisconsin. With a light peach and forest green color scheme, their wedding reflected their individual personalities. The bride's gown had a sweet family touch: a bow from her mother's wedding dress. Their friends and family sat on wooden benches in the middle of a clearing as the couple said their "I dos." Following a cocktail hour, the couple and their guests dined under a spacious tent lit with glowing candles and hanging lights. The bride, a wedding planner herself, added custom details from frozen custard for dessert to an intricately designed map. Guests were welcomed into a day full of warmth, sunshine and the most thoughtful touches, before dancing the night away.
From the bride (& wedding planner):
Our wedding...what to say! We went back and forth - intimate affair or large celebration, local wedding or destination event. Ultimately, we decided to get married in Northern Wisconsin, where we’ve spent summers for as long as we can remember. It was the place where our 135 person wedding could feel intimate, where local for us would feel like destination for our guests!
As a wedding planner, I wanted to style up our wedding, make it special through unique details. As a bride, I knew our wedding would be special no matter what, because it was ours. We ended up in the middle with details that reflected us and the location we were in.
For our out-of-town guests, we gave out custom maps with our favorite local spots. A ceremony by the lake and a party by the woods. A color palette of peach & green with wood & copper accents. A beautifully simple wedding dress complete with the bow from my mom’s wedding dress. Cocktail hour with brandy sweet old fashioneds, before the ceremony. Instead of wedding cake, a frozen custard bar.
Besides seeing each other all dressed up, walking down the aisle and becoming husband & wife, the best part of our wedding was being surrounded by the love & support of our friends & families, who traveled from very near and very far to be with us! It was an overwhelming happiness neither of us had ever felt before!
Now, having been on both sides as planner and as bride, I feel especially passionate in telling brides to enjoy the entire experience - engagement, planning, and wedding - because the whole thing passes in the blink of an eye. Be present in the process and especially on wedding day - don’t stress about the small things. Remember that while the details are what make your wedding fun, the people are what make it memorable!
