Janay + Nevin

July 17, 2021 / Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How did your love story begin? I met Nevin while attending a party hosted by a mutual friend prior to a night of dancing. Little did I know that the dances we shared on this night were only the first few of a lifetime. As we continued to see each other at dance events throughout Milwaukee, we got to know each other and our friendship grew. We also began to spend time together outside dancing by sharing meals, attending art shows, browsing local markets, and going on countless walks along the lakefront. We began to realize that we shared a passion not only for dance but also for culture, travel, food, and more. We started to get lost in conversations, sharing stories, our dreams, and our feelings for one another. Eventually, our friendship blossomed into a loving relationship.

As our relationship continued to grow, little did I know that Nevin was making plans for the next step in our story. He had asked for my father's permission to propose during one of our trips to visit my family. On July 17, 2020, he suggested we get takeout from one of my favorite Milwaukee restaurants, Three Brothers. Instead of eating at home, Nevin recommended we have a picnic at the lakefront. After finishing our food on the beach, Nevin asked me if I would like to dance and I agreed. While turning me during our dance, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I of course said yes!

We ventured into the next step of our story taking time exploring various wedding venues around Wisconsin. We fell in love with the historic charm of The Hyde at St. James 1868 in downtown Milwaukee and chose to be married there on the anniversary of our engagement. As planning moved forward, we took time to review and discuss choices together. I used various online services and spreadsheets to help track our progress and guide our progress.

What was your vision for your wedding?: Our vision for the wedding was that of a classic romance with elegant touches. We chose maroon and blush tones for the bridesmaids and soft gray suits for the groomsmen. We accented the decor with touches of gold, plenty of candles, and beautiful garden-inspired florals. We accented the flowers with fragrant hops to pay homage to our love of Milwaukee's craft breweries.

It was this vision that guided us in making selections of vendors. Often, I would collect information on many vendors before narrowing them down to the top few choices that I would then share with Nevin. Together, we would examine reviews of the vendors, photos of their previous work, and pricing information before making a final decision. We included sentimental touches throughout the wedding to aid in making it uniquely our own, including a memorial seat in honor of Nevin's mother and peonies in my bridal bouquet to recognize my home state of Indiana.

As both of us enjoy cooking, food was one element that was especially important to us. We selected a menu that was served family-style, encouraging each table of guests to interact as they enjoyed. We choose dishes that included Italian, Asian, and Latin influences to demonstrate our own love of exploring the world. Our cake was not only beautiful, but wonderfully delicious featuring almond cake layered with chocolate butter cream and raspberries. The top tier that we took home was too irresistible to freeze and instead gotten eaten over the next week. We agreed to order an anniversary cake from the bakery the next year instead.

Tell us all about your wedding dress!: I had been a fan of Strike since its opening in 2019. I regularly admired the beautiful dresses and accessories featured on their social media accounts. I would reply to their model call-outs in hopes of experiencing such masterpieces in person. So, when I became engaged, there was no doubt in my mind that Strike was where I would find a dress all my own. However, with so many beautiful options to choose from, I was nervous about finding the dress in the allotted appointment time. When I called the store, Abby offered her reassurance and support by booking me as the last appointment of the day to offer any necessary wiggle room.

Once the appointment was set, I began researching each designer carried by Strike to help me pinpoint what I loved. The romance provided in Alena Leena's designs captured my heart. During my appointment, I tried on several gowns to help me determine what felt most like me and would allow me to dance the night away, not only beautifully but comfortably. My party and I settled on Miltonia, which offered beautiful botanical lace, an illusion neckline, and gorgeous scooped back. I chose to pair the dress with a simple cathedral veil for the ceremony. And in the end, that extra wiggle room for my appointment wasn't even needed!

You planned and you planned, but how did the day ACTUALLY go?!: On the day of the wedding, Nevin and I celebrated our love story surrounded by family and friends. There was plenty of laughter, happy tears, and of course dances. As a gift to our guests, we even hosted a short dance lesson so that everyone could share our passion and hit the dance floor with confidence! The day was full of beautiful memories and was a wonderful start for our forever together.

What is your best advice for future brides-to-be?: My advice to future brides is to take your time. All of the planning can easily become overwhelming but it is important to remember that this special day is truly about sharing your love and joy. Therefore, remember to embrace that short period of time where you love calling each other "fiance" before the big "I Do".

When dress shopping, I recommend trusting how you feel. Be honest with your consultant about your thoughts on each dress, even if they might not be the same thoughts as your party. The staff at Strike are always happy to go above and beyond to discuss the different dress and customization options with you. They are also truly on your team and will make you feel like the gorgeous bride you deserve to be!

• Dress: Miltonia by Alena Leena

• Bride’s Hotel: The Dutchess Air Bnb

• Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Hyde at St James 1868

• Caterer: Gracious Events Catering

• Bakery: Classy Girl Cupcakes

• Officiant: Marry Me LLC

• Photographer: Sarah Glick

• Videographer: FX Studio

• Florist: Laurel Flannery of Bloom Lovely

• DJ: Enrique Murguia

• Dance Instructor: Sarah Zucarro of Urbanity Dance Chicago

• Hair Stylist: Beauty & Whiskey

Jenny + Zach

December 4th, 2020 / Hartland, Wisconsin

How did your love story begin?: Zach and I met in the winter of 2017. We both graduated Carthage College earlier that year with business degrees. After graduation, I began working full time at Cree Lighting in Racine, while Zach started working at Grainger Industrial Supply in the sales division. In our spare time, I coached the dance team at Case High School, while Zach continued his studies at Carthage in the Master's of Business Design and Innovation inaugural program.

With our schedules getting busier and busier by the week, we were due for a night out with friends. I had every intention of having a girl's night with Case Co-Coach and bridesmaid, Tori - while, Zach, a night out with fellow classmates. Let it be fate.... or a few Moscow Mules.... that got us talking. After several weeks of dinner dates and game nights, Zach made it "official". 2 months later, I received a call from work asking me to relocate to their corporate office in North Carolina. Although the travel back and forth was tough, the experience was something both Zach and I wouldn't have wanted any other way. Many weekends were spent at the beach, exploring local coffee shops, and enjoying nights out in downtown Raleigh.

About a year and a half later, I made the decision to move back home to be closer to family and my soon-to-be fiancé. Now that we removed the "long distance" title, we took every opportunity to spend time with one another. You can always find us spending time with our best friends, exercising by the Kenosha harbor, or taking part in our typical Sunday routine - 10:00am church followed by 11:00am coffee.

So blah blah blah.... how did Zach pop the question!? At this time, it's important to take you back to understand the story behind the engagement. I spent 15 years dancing in The Nutcracker Ballet at the historic Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, IL. Between the brightly decorated Woodstock Square, the soundtrack of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", and the overall spirit of Christmas, this time of year always meant so much to me. So much so, that it was the place both Zach and I wanted to go on our first date. Now, here we are 2 years later attending that same ballet performance. Little did I know, Zach had something extra special planned to top off the night. After the performance, Zach waited patiently outside (to cool down - of course!), while I made my rounds of "hellos" backstage. Once we met up again, Zach suggested that we take a walk around the Woodstock Square. As we made our way into the square, everything seemed normal until Zach so unexpectedly asked.... "so Jenny...what's your favorite light?" Ummm...what? What's my favorite light? That was... random, but ok. As I turned to look around in search of .... mmm... my favorite light.. he then reached for my hand to pull me back towards him. He then got down on one knee... and well... you know the rest!!

What was your vision for the wedding?: Zach and I always talked about having a warm, cozy and intimate December wedding. The silver lining of having a Covid wedding is that we were able to pull off the intimidate feeling no problem! Zach and I went back and forth with our venue. I knew I didn't want a barn or country club so that pretty much ruled out anything in Wisconsin suburbia. I kept overhearing my mom's constant raves about Rustic Manor and her recommendation to "just go and tour it and see if you like it", so I finally gave in. After spending 5 minutes at Rustic Manor, their team and I were already discussing dates and details. It was a no brainer and I truly felt like the venue would be perfect for that warm, cozy vibe we wanted.

When it came to choosing our vendors, we wanted to pick people that we saw a bit of ourselves in their work. Our photographer and videographer matched our vibe perfectly. They got our vision from when we first met and it was an easy decision to have them at our wedding. Our DJ was honestly someone I wanted to become friends with! When we asked for a party, he certainly did not disappoint.

Tell us all about your dress!: I scheduled my very first bridal appointment with Strike Bridal Bar. I discovered Strike on Instagram and fell in love with the boutique's personality. I was drawn to the staff and how they truly had a passion for finding brides the perfect gown. It's more than just a sale. I went in to the appointment with an idea of what I wanted, but was open to trying different styles. I mean how often do you get to play dress up with such beautiful gowns? My ultimate goal was to find the dress I felt the most beautiful, but also the most myself in.

I tried on all the styles. I'm talking modern and fitted, fit and flare, ballgown, whimsical and romantic, A-line - you name it - I had her on. But, I kept looking over at this one A-line, beaded lace, v-neck, sleeved beauty. When I tried her on, it was truly that "love at first sight" feeling. I mean I was in love.

My Alena Leena gown was absolutely stunning and everything I hoped for! I wanted a dress I felt beautiful and confident in and this dress did just that. The intricate beading and lace detail work provided both a vintage, yet modern flair. It was timeless! What I loved most was that this dress was completely customizable! My sleeves were detachable and was delivered exactly how I wanted it, discrete and comfortable. I couldn’t have imagined it any better. I have received an overwhelming amount of compliments on this dress and I am so grateful Alena Leena Bridal was able to make all my wedding dress dreams come true.

You planned and you planned, but how did the day ACTUALLY go?!: Our wedding was everything we dreamed of and more! The Rustic Manor barn was warm and cozy just as we pictured for a December wedding. Vintique Rental and Avant Gardens absolutely owned our winter bohemian vibe! Craig Berns made the bride tribe and I feel like an elite groups of yass queens. Dramatic? Not really. But really, Zach and I were in awe with how well our vendors were able to cooperate with the circumstances.

Every wedding as its "blooper" moments. For us, it was forgetting a bridesmaid's bouquet back at the reception venue before the church ceremony. Oops!

My favorite fun facts about the wedding I look back on are:
- I danced to every song that played at our wedding
- I DIY'd my save the dates and thank you cards at each guest's place setting
- I painted and wrote every sign (Welcome, guestbook, open bar, etc.)

Our favorite memory from the night is when we had our "Dirty Dancing" moment with all our friends and family in a circle around us!

What is your best advice for future brides-to-be?: My best advice for future brides-to-be is don't forget about who you are. Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your relationship with your future partner. You don't want to look back on your wedding day and see a manufactured, unfamiliar couple. I am all for wedding themes, but don't change who you are to fit the idea of what other people think your day should look like.

Dress: Custom Gingko by Alena Leena at Strike Bridal Bar
Venue: Rustic Manor 1848
Photography: Sarah Glick Photography
Videography: Character D Films
Floral: Avant Gardens
Rentals: Vintique Rentals
Hair & Makeup: Craig Berns
Catering: Tall Guy and a Grill
Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes
DJ: Sound by Design
Invitations: Coqui Paperie
Transportation: GO Riteway Transportation
Alterations: CTS Custom Tailoring Services

Megan + Matty

August 2nd, 2020 / Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

How did your love story begin?: Matty and I met while working together at a Milwaukee church! After working together for nearly two years and becoming great friends, I asked him to be my date to a wedding several times and was turned down repeatedly! Shortly later, I took a new job in Florida and announced I'd be moving across the country in about a month. I guess it was the thought of distance that made him realize he wanted to be together because we started dating just about instantly.

After a month of Milwaukee dates, he drove with me down to Orlando and we dated long distance for 6 months before I decided I missed him and wanted to move back home! Fast forward another few months, and Matty (finally) proposed! We had a relatively short period of dating and being engaged, but I have such a vivid memory of one of our first dates just looking over at him in the car knowing that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone else.

What was your vision for the wedding?: We had started talking and loosely wedding planning before he proposed, but we knew we wanted to do it together. He wanted good food and, as a musician, had a very specific vision for the music including what the ceremony looked like. I wanted ALL the flowers and a photographer that would get every aspect of the day candidly. I wanted it to feel like us and our relationship - not too serious, warm and inviting, and with lots of little memories and mementos. Plenty of inside jokes, polaroid's, and trinkets from our relationship were going to show up throughout the day.

We started seriously planning in February/March of 2020. By the time we were ready to book, COVID had hit. We booked a venue, photographer, and florist pretty early on but as the months past we felt nervous to book anything else. Soon we had a DJ and caterer but started to wrestle with having to cut down our wedding to a mini wedding or post pone until 2021.

Our planning soon just centered around the safest options. Our taco buffet from our favorite restaurant turned into a plated meal from a caterer. A full day of wedding festivities with 80 people became an abbreviated day with only 20 of our nearest and dearest (masked and distanced!). And a big party with a DJ became a single first dance for us performed by two of our closest friends. I'm not sure we would have booked any of these anyways, but we did agree to cut everything we could to limit the number of people and exposures - no hair/make up or salons for the girls, no rented transportation, no extra service/rental staff, etc. Also, cutting back the wedding size saved quite a bit of money, so we did end up hiring a videographer (a good friend of ours!) that there wasn't originally room in the budget for.

Huge shoutout to Maxwell Mansion, Lily Forest Floral, Evan Davies Photography, and Paloma Wilder Jewelry! Maxwell Mansion was not our original venue, we booked them about 2-3 months before the big day since we felt nervous about the protocols our original venue was following with COVID (and it would've been far too big for 20 people!) They worked with our vendors to make sure everything would work seamlessly. Lily Forest Floral was SPECTACULAR. Every phone call meeting with her left me laughing and excited for our day and I trusted her implicitly. The only guidance I gave her was that I wanted local and native flowers that looked like they had just been plucked and loosely put together and she came up with pure magic! Evan was so flexible with our rescheduling and became a good friend of ours! He was laid back, calming, and had such an artistic eye! Paloma custom made both our bands in a two month time. She drew up so many detailed and thoughtful versions of both until we decided. Had I know of her earlier, I probably would have request Matt get my engagement ring designed by her!

Tell us all about your dress!: I actually purchased my wedding dress before he proposed! I called his mom to join my mom and sisters at my bridal appointment at Strike, which is the first place I went. I'm normally pretty laid back and came into my appointment knowing I wanted an open back, modern cuts, lace, and open to a non-traditional dress or color.

The first dresses we pulled were all close but not perfect. I liked some of the lace designs or the colors, or the necklines, but didn't feel it all pull together. Finally I was between two pretty similar dresses and was torn. The dress I liked more, Alena Leena's Serruria, had beautiful lace and the neckline I liked better but had a big slit on one leg that I just wasn't feeling. The other dress had a different colored fabric under the lace that matched my skin tone much more closely which I liked.

At my appointment I asked Emily if I could see what the dress would look like without the slit and once we had it pinned shut, I knew that was the dress for me!! I was ecstatic and giggly and didn't cry like I thought I would! I ended up customizing the first dress to get the that colored fabric from the runner up dress on the final dress as well as closed up the slit. Couldn't be happier with the final result and it fit like a glove when it finally came in!!!

You planned and you planned, but how did the day ACTUALLY go?!: We had gotten engaged about a week before everything had shut down - I had already felt a little robbed of the "normal" engagement celebrations and wedding planning but knew that a mini wedding was the right choice for us, we just didn't want to wait to get married. The hardest part was telling a lot of our guests that we would be moving online, when we made the decision it was early on in the pandemic and we got a lot of flack for our decision. I was worried that would overshadow our day but everything turned out PERFECT.

Matt and I had breakfast with a few of our friends that morning and all packed up our stuff together before splitting up for the day. I got ready together in my soon to be in-laws hotel room with my mom, sisters, officiant/friend, and one other friend. This morning was one of the best surprises - a slow morning with people that I loved dearly. I'm not sure it would've worked out that way had we had the bigger wedding.

We ended up cutting so much of our guest list, we only had our immediate families, 2 grandparents, and 5 friends with their spouses so we elected to not do a wedding party. When everyone arrived and was seated, we immediately started the ceremony with my dad walking me down the aisle - AND I FORGOT MY BOUQUET! The only thing to go wrong ALL DAY was because of me! I realized it when I got to my sister who was supposed to take the flowers from me and I had nothing to had her. The photos of this exact second are super cute because Matt went from crying to laughing. One of our favorite moments of the day!!

Immediately as we walked down the aisle, it started to rain out of nowhere! I'm told every guest picked up their chairs and helped save our flowers but Matt and I had already gone around the corner to sign our marriage certificate. Every moment of the day felt like this, our families and friends taking care of everything we couldn't attend to or taking initiative before it even got to us! We were so so grateful for all of them. It allowed us to actually eat dinner, get a drink, and enjoy celebrating!

What is your best advice for future brides-to-be?: Take it slow, don't over think it, and focus on what is important!

That having a great photographer and videographer is one of my favorite decisions - I look at them both regularly and still cry!!

Our wedding day was the easiest day of the planning process and I think it's because we didn't take it too seriously! A few weeks before the wedding we had a date night where we agreed to not talk wedding planning at all. It was after that night that we really didn't talk wedding planning AT ALL. We had done all the planning we could and we were content with just being engaged and being excited.

Trust the experts and prioritize being with the one you love!

Gown: Custom Serruria from Alena Leena at Strike Bridal Bar
Photographer: Evan Davies Photography
Videography: Teal & Red Videography
Venue: Maxwell Mansion
Suit: Topman
Rings: Natalie Marie Jewelry & Paloma Wilder Jewelry
Floral: Lily Forest Designs
Food: Tall Guy and a Grill Catering

Nadine + Noah

October 10th, 2020 / Whitefish, Montana

How did your love story begin?: I met Noah while he was working on a jobsite in South Texas. At the time I was teaching yoga at a studio in my hometown. It was an extra hot, humid day in October in Corpus Christi, when Noah walked into my evening class. We locked eyes, and I knew in that moment, our souls recognized one another. He stayed after class and we talked late into the evening. He mentioned that he was in town for work, so naturally I assumed I'd never see him again, but he showed up at my next class, and the class after that, and that class after that... three years, a couple of months of long distance, and two cross country moves later, here we are; married in Milwaukee. He proposed on New Years Day 2020 on Bradford Beach at sunrise, and we knew we wanted to make this year one of the best years of our lives. We set the date and set to planning.

What was your vision for the wedding?: We knew from day one that we wanted to have a destination wedding. We have a dream of one day moving out to the mountains and Montana had always been a place we wanted to visit so we figured we'd make a trip out of it. I won't lie though, Noah did a lot of the planning, he's a virgo-moon so those organizational skills are no joke. We had originally envisioned something like an intimate dinner party with our closest friends and family. We knew we could make it happen but Covid would have to force us into some creative problem solving. We knew renting anything like a hall or restaurant was out of the picture, so instead we opted for a large enough Airbnb that could function as a place to stay and grounds for a ceremony and reception in case the weather turned bad. We were keeping our fingers crossed the whole trip that we could still keep the ceremony outdoors inside of the stunning Glacier National Park, at Apgar Amphitheater.

We got rid of events like a Bachelor/Bachelorette party and offered our guests to come out a few days before the wedding and make it more of a group trip. This would allow more financial flexibility for guests and the bridal party, taking away the pressure of needing to spend more money in an already difficult year. This ended up being the best idea. We were all able to hike and do activities together, and genuinely enjoy time outside of just the wedding day. We offered the Airbnb rooms to our guests which also helped make the trip more cost effective and fun; the whole time we were there felt more like a boozy adult slumber party. Guests had the options to stay in one of our two Airbnbs we rented or they were free to stay somewhere more private. We hired an incredible farm to table caterer who cooked and plated a gorgeous duck confit dish and the best appetizers. We ditched large floral arrangements for one single centerpiece and we used the bouquets as arrangements throughout the house. Our goal was to keep it simple, elegant, romantic.

It ended up being such a fun filled week, I think everyone who stayed in those Air bnbs are family for life, it was a blast. We couldn't have asked for a more stunning ski house to stay in, everything from the scenery to hospitality our first day arriving there just blew us all away.

Tell us all about your dress!: My dress was so beautifully unexpected! Lockdown really threw a wrench in my time line. I knew with such a short wedding dress shopping window I would be limited in my options, but every one of the ladies at Strike had my back. Strike was my dream choice for where to find my dress and I was keeping my fingers crossed that I'd find the one there. As soon as I walked in, Emily took care of everything. She kept my expectations realistic with my time frame (I was shopping in July for an October wedding, oof) and she really listened to my wants. I knew I wanted timeless, classic, with a sexy silhouette. The Gardenia from Alena Leena was the second dress I put on, and I knew it was the one. In addition to my dress, my mom handmade a gorgeous lace detailed white motorcycle jacket to set it all off.

You planned and you planned, but how did the day ACTUALLY go?: We knew the likelihood of rain on our day was high, and mother nature did not fail; it rained. Our photographer was absolutely amazing and guided us through the best plan of action to get the shots we wanted and work with the rain. The original game plan was to take our photos in Glacier National Park, which was about a 45 min drive from our Airbnb and then head straight to our ceremony location at Apgar Amphitheater. Guests would meet at our main Airbnb to be shuttled to the park by party bus for the ceremony and shuttled back for the reception. Once we arrived for photos (side note- I had forgotten my earrings in my rush to beat the rain, my father-in-law made the trip back and forth to drop them off just for these photos! A saint, I tell you!), it was sprinkling just enough to feel extra chilly in a dress and heels. Jennifer got us going and ferried us to different locations in the park as the rain started to get a bit worse. Noah and I were getting soaked, I decided to just take off my shoes and have fun with it, we played in the rain like kids and enjoyed this moment to just be together in such a magical, ethereal place. By the time we finished our photos, I made the call to my dad that we needed to move the reception into the house. Luckily during planning we picked a large enough Airbnb that could work in case of bad weather. Every single guest pitched in to transform our cozy cabin into the most beautiful ceremony spot. My bridesmaids were ready and waiting for me when we arrived back to blow-dry, re-pin, wipe down, and tidy me up. Maybe two, or three, tequila shots in, and it was go time. I married my best friend, my rock, surrounded by everyone we love. We danced to our homemade playlist and had the most amazing caterer cook dinner for all of us in what felt like, our own home. I look back and I am so grateful for the rain, for the change of plans. It was a wedding for sure, but for so many of us, it was just what we needed this year, a pilgrimage of sorts, to celebrate love, to celebrate living.

What is your best advice for future brides-to-be?: Have fun, it goes by so fast! Relax your shoulders, soften your jaw, take deep breaths. Give yourself a moment to step back and take it all in, (insert happy sigh here) everyone is there to celebrate something you've created with someone else: love, and that's pretty dang special!

Gown: Gardenia by Alena Leena from Strike Bridal Bar
Veil: Danni by Haute Bride from Strike Bridal Bar
Photographer: Jennifer Mooney Photography
Caterer: Sam Basset
Florist: Mums Floral Arrangements
Hair + Makeup: Lana Golinsky
Cake: Delectable Catering and Desserts