Martelle + Kyle Lake Wissota Golf & Events
Category: Weddings
Jenna + Matt – Marshfield, WI Wedding
Emilee + Mike (Phoenix Park Wedding)
How did you and your husband meet? How long have you been together?
Mike and I both grew up in Eau Claire – different high schools, but graduated the same year. We had overlapping circles of friends, so we saw each other on occasion. Nearly three years ago, I had a totally random dream about him (I woke up thinking “Hmm, Mike McHorney… that was weird.”), and it must have planted a seed and made me see him in a different light. Naturally, the next time I saw him (perhaps after a little liquid courage – after all, this was in college) I just HAD to tell him about this dream he showed up in … he got my number and I (literally) got to marry the man of my dreams.
How did he propose? We were living in Colorado at the time, and I had just been back in Wisconsin surprising my friends and family with a visit (a surprise he almost ruined when he called to ask my parents for their permission ☺). After picking me up from the airport, we had an amazing day driving through and exploring the mountains. When we got home, he was very adamant about taking out the trash and he called me outside to our backyard to “come look at something.” Because of the urgency of his voice, I was expecting to see some kind of dead animal or something sick. I was very pleasantly surprised to find him on the patio, down on one knee, with tons of little pebbles spelling out “Will you marry me?”
What was the most fun part about planning your wedding?
For me, the best part was how almost effortless it was. We just didn’t stress about the small stuff, focused on the pieces that were most important to us, and we ended up with a day that was perfect for us.
Did you find your wedding dress right away? Did you end up buying what you initially had in mind or did you find a dress totally different?
The dress I bought was a dress that I had found browsing websites and I had actually printed a copy of it that I brought with me while dress shopping. However, I never told or showed any of my girls what I had in mind, because I wanted to hear their honest opinions. While at our first stop, my Matron of Honor happened to pull the exact dress I had printed out and said, “This totally looks like you.” I tried on several other dresses, but that dress was always the one I felt the most “me” in, so I knew it was the one.
What do you remember most about your wedding day?
I have two memories that stick out the most that day. First, RIGHT before walking down the aisle, I got to have a really wonderful moment with my dad. He had teased me quite a bit about wanting a “real” wedding (he and my mom had decided to get married and two weeks later they were hitched) and he occasionally dropped hints about eloping. When it was just the two of us, he said how perfect the day was and how nice it was to have everyone who cared about us there. It meant the world to me. The other was right after Mike and I exited the amphitheater after our ceremony and really looking at him as my husband for the first time – best feeling ever.
Now that the day is done, is there anything you would have done differently?
Eaten more of the food at dinner! Time just flied by at dinner because it was the first time we really got to sit and talk to our wedding party and each other. Everyone has been raving about this “wonderful chicken parmesan” (which was part of our Italian buffet) at the Metropolis, but I was too afraid to do marinara sauce in my dress! Other than that, I couldn’t imagine changing a single thing.
What did you include in your wedding that is significant or unique to you as a couple?
We were fortunate to have our close friend, Paul, do the music for the ceremony and the reception – so the music was all hand picked by us. Another unique and significant part for us was raising money for the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society in honor of those who couldn’t be with us to celebrate. Rather than clinking glasses to get us to kiss at dinner, guests were asked to make a donation of any amount to get us to kiss. It meant a lot to us to be able to donate that money in their memory.
Megan + Brad (Janesville, WI Wedding)
HOW WE MET Megan– I remember meeting Brad in September 2004 in a bowling alley through mutual friends, I remember being completely enamored with his smile and laugh. He was the happiest, most carefree person I had ever met and I knew he was someone special. Brad– I remember meeting Megan in March 2005 in the same bowling alley at a birthday party for a mutual friend. I remember her being the most cute and innocent little thing I had ever seen.
THE PROPOSAL Brad decided to take me to a small town on the Mississippi River on November 4th 2010. We visited Buena Vista Park which is a bluff that overlooks a preservation on the river, we took pictures and walked around this gorgeous park, afterward we went home and made dinner together for the first time. After we made dinner and were about to eat Brad was fidgeting with something and I was wondering what he was doing. Brad turned around and had the biggest smile on his face. He came over, got down on one knee and told me “these have been the best 3 years of my life, I have grown so much with you, I love you, I hope to grow together for the rest of our lives, will you marry me?” It was absolutely perfect and I couldn’t have asked for something better.
MOST FUN PART Spending so much time with my mom planning. It was great creating something together and being able to get her input on everything.
COLORS I decided on the colors because I knew we wanted a vintage 60s theme and my favorite colors are pink and sea foam green. The green turned to more of a blue through the process.
THE DRESS I knew I wanted sleeves. I knew I wanted lace. This combination was very difficult to find. We ended up going with my cousin to shop for homecoming dresses. Since we were already at the shop we decided I should try on some too. I actually was sick and had a fever so after we decided it was “the one” and paid for it I forgot what it looked like! Luckily, the second viewing I still loved it : )
BRIDE REMEMBERS MOST I remember seeing Brad during our first look and how excited I was. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think about it!
WOULD WE HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY I would not have changed a thing- I married my best friend and our day was perfect.
UNIQUE TO US We incorporated bicycles into several parts of our wedding. The invitations and the guest “book” are a couple of places we used bikes. Brad is an avid cyclist and I try to go with him as much as I can. It is something we both enjoy spending time together doing.
Brianna + Russ
How did you and your husband meet? How long have you been together?
We’ve been together 7 years 🙂 I was back home on summer break from college and we met through friends who at the time were dating. (It was not a set-up) After a night of talking and getting to know him better.. countless hours on the phone and miles on my car, I can finally call him my Husband 🙂
How did he propose? We have a black lab (Harley) who is now 4 years old. We planned on getting away for Valentine’s Day and asked my parents to watch him. After spending some time with them (Russ asked my dad that day) we traveled to the cities (Mall of America) and enjoyed some time together. He surprised me on Valentine’s Day when he asked!
What was the most fun part about planning your wedding? Spending time with my mom, cousins and friends who helped me. I am the planner but planning a wedding is not something I could have done on my own. Many hours of fun and laughter were put into making our day so special.
How did you decide on your colors? I have always love the look of black dresses/tuxes and what I always imagined my wedding to be. All the color was in the flowers 🙂
Did you find your wedding dress right away? Did you end up buying what you initially had in mind or did you find a dress totally different? The first time shopping I went with my two cousins in MN, I had a dress in mind but I wanted to be open so I had them pick out dresses for me to try on. I tried on THE dress and was giggling in the dressing room, thinking no way..I walked out and there were tears. I loved the dress but it truly was different and I was not 100% sold. My second time I went with my mom and grandma. That same dress was at the bridal store near my hometown. I tried it on for them and knew this was the one.
What do you remember most about your wedding day? Being extremely happy and grateful. everything went as planned…but the day went by way to fast!
Now that the day is done, is there anything you would havedone differently? Our goal was to have fun and be married..and we definately accomplished that!
Carissa + Jason – Eau Claire Country Club
How did he propose?
He tricked me into thinking my best friend Sherri wanted to meet up for drinks at a fancy restaurant. So we went there for dinner first and while we were eating dinner I started pestering him with questions about if we ever get married. And then I finally said we’ll I don’t have a ring so it doesn’t matter so he took the ring out of his pocket and set it in front of me and said well will you? He thought because of all my questions I had figured out his plan for the night but I had no idea so for once in my life I was speechless and finally said yes 🙂
What was the most fun part about planning your wedding?
It was actually all pretty fun because I had so much help from my mom. I would come up with an idea and she would go on the interent and find the best deal so I could have it for my wedding. It was so great bonding with her during the planning. I jsut wished I would have lived a little closer during the planning. At times it can get hard planning a wedding in WI from AZ. But thanks to my mom it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
How did you decide on your colors?
My wedding was based around the flowers I wanted. I knew I wanted pink peonies so the date and colors were all based around when they were in season. Ans I always loved the classic black and white look so deciding on colors was super easy for me.
Did you find your wedding dress right away? Did you end up buying what you initially had in mind or did you find a dress totally different?
My first trip to look at dresses was miserable. The workers weren’t helpful at all so I got pretty disappointed but then my mom, sister-in-law and nieces came out to visit and we went dress shopping and it was such a different experience. I picked out a dress that was in the window of the shop when we first walked in and my mom kind of made a face at it but it was the first one I tried on and as soon as I had it on we all knew it was the one. I tried a a few more jsut to be sure but nothing gave me that special feeling like the first one. So we ordered it that day and it was my perfect dress!
What do you remember most about your wedding day?
During our first look when I went up behind Jason I couldn’t wait for him to see me. He seemed so nervous when I was behind him and then when he turned and looked it was the best moment of the day. I knew by the way he looked at me that all the planning and work to get to this point was so worth it.
Now that the day is done, is there anything you would have done differently?
The only thing I would have done is tested bustling my dress before that day. This si because the seamstress forgot part of the bustle so that day we had to pin it up and it kept falling and eventually got torn because of it. Other than that there is nothing else I would change at all.
What did you include in your wedding that is significant or unique to you as a couple?The desserts that we had were unique because I am not a fan of cake so we didn’t go with the tradition and have a cake just because everyone says you need a wedding cake. We had what we would enjoy and it turns out everyone else enjoyed them too because they were amazing! Another thing that was really us were the chairs signs for Jason and I that were Mr. Right and Mrs. Always Right. I am always telling Jason when are you going to learn I am always right so it fit us perfectly.
Where your wedding shoes comfortable? For the first 4 hours of standing they were but after that my feet were done. But I had bought some flats to replace them because I figured they would hurt after a while..
Lara + Mike – Lake Wissota Golf Course Wedding
How did you and your husband meet? How long have you beentogether? We originally meet each other in college but never dated. He lived in a house with 7 guys needless to say they had few parties. We reconnected at a gas station on the way to Oktoberfest in La Crosse in 2005 and have been together ever since.
How did he propose? At the farmer’s market on the capitol square in Madison on a Saturday morning while we were sitting on the capitol lawn drinking coffee and eating scones we had bought at our favorite stand. It was perfect and just right for us.
What was the most fun part about planning your wedding? Putting together our music playlist. We love to dance! Kaleidoscope Entertainment did an amazing job.
How did you decide on your colors? I wanted something easy for the girls so I went with black and let the flowers do the talking. I wanted really bright and vibrant colors so pink, orange and yellow were bright and springy.
Did you find your wedding dress right away? Did you end upbuying what you initially had in mind or did you find a dress totallydifferent? Yes I found a dress a year and half before the wedding. I did end up buying a vintage inspired gown with lace which is what I wanted but I wasn’t expecting the bottom to be so flared but somehow it just worked.
What do you remember most about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle and the crazy dance party!!
Now that the day is done, is there anything you would havedone differently? I would have been in better health but otherwise no I would do it all over again.
What did you include in your wedding that is significant orunique to you as a couple? The song we walked down the aisle to was Sigur Ros and it was one of the first CDs Mike gave me to listen to on our first date and I gave him a Sufjan Stevens CD. Our music was picked out very precisely from our favorite artists for the ceremony, dinner and the dance party.
Where your wedding shoes comfortable? YES!!! They are normally really expensive but I found a pair on recycled bride for a third of the price. I wore them all night, totally worth it.
Lake Wissota Golf and Events, Kaleidoscope Entertainment, Gypsy Florist Emily Dicks, Connie’s Cakeory
Sarah + Pat – Eau Claire Wedding
What was the best part about planning your wedding day?
When Pat and I started planning our wedding we lived five hours apart. It was nice to have an excuse to get to see him almost every weekend after only seeing him every couple of weeks for a year and a half. Not to mention a great excuse for me to be in touch with my mom, sister, and my friends to get advice and to run ideas past them. I’m so thankful for all the help that they have given us!
What was the most memorable moment in for you? Pat?
I have two. One was when my parents were helping me get ready. My dad put on my necklace which was a very sweet moment for me and every time my mom looked at me we would giggle a tear up a little. The other one was when Pat and I exchanged our vows. It was such an exciting and happy moment for me.. we were finally getting married! 🙂
Pat had special cuff-links picked out but they unfortunately did not make it to the wedding and the pair from the rental place didn’t get packed either, so, like in Sarah’s example, Larry played a part in my experience. Larry loaned me his cuff-links so that I would have a pair to wear for the day. The other moment that stands out in my mind was the sharing of our “Love Story”. It was fun hearing and seeing the reactions of our friends and family and of course that of Sarah.
How did Pat propose?
Pat and I went on vacation to Denver, Colorado. Pat propsed while we were there. It was amazing to be in the moutains and at such a beautiful place for such a precious memory.
How did you decide on your colors?
My favorite color is purple. Luckily, Pat and I agreed that it would be the main color of our wedding. We also wanted to incorporate green since it was spring. When Pat and I first started planning, we had a hard time explaining to each other what we had in mind. So, we went to a fabric store and find the colors that we saw in our heads and show each other. Turns out we were thinking about the same shades! 🙂 The swatches that we bought came in handy when trying to buy accessories for decorating too..
How many years have you and Pat been together?
Pat and I had been dating for seven years. We met our first year of college at UW-Stout and have been togeher ever since! 🙂
Is there anything you would have done differently now that the day is over?
Absolutly not! I think everything went very well. We had such great people around us which helped so much! It made our day that much more memorable! And even though it rained (a lot) we managed to get around and get everything done that needed to be done without too many issues.
What elements did you include in your day that are unique to you?
One large element that we included that was unique to us the use of my 1953 Chevy. We have shared many memories in the car and it great to be able to include the car in our big day creating more special memories and providing an opportunity for great photos.
Kesley + Michael – Osceola Wedding Photography
Kelsey and Michael were married a few weeks ago over in Osceola with a reception in Forest Lake, MN. It was at this wedding I took one of my favorite photos of my career. I can’t thank them enough for trusting me to sit in the dark in a car while it rained and I admitted I wasn’t sure if the picture would work. Thank you both for trusting me with your wedding day photos. Brent and I had a great time with your friends and family and wish you both many years of happiness! You can see these photos and more on our facebook page.
Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve decided to leave the wedding day writing up to my capable brides. Here is a Q & A answered by Kelsey. Enjoy!
What was your favorite thing about planning your wedding? I really enjoyed having an excuse to call my mom everyday. I never knew specifically what wedding thing we needed to talk about but I figured there was something. She was my rock through it all!
How did you decide on the colors for your wedding? What were they? I am an extremely organized person and organize my life by color. Most people put things in alphabetical order, not me. My closet, clothes in drawers, shoes, dvds, etc. are all organized in to rainbow order colors. Because of this, there was no other option than to use every color and have little black dresses for my girls (which we bought at target for $13 each!). My favorite color is yellow which you may notice was not used. This was because I bought my bridesmaids bracelets from when we I traveled to Nicaragua and I could only find pink, orange, lime green, light blue, navy, and purple so yellow was out!
How did you meet? Michael and I met working as camp counselors at a church camp in Danbury, WI. We spent one week of the summer together for a few years before we started dating.
What was your first date like? This is a difficult question to answer. We went golfing (for my first time EVER) about a year before we even started dating but it was meant to be “a date” then out for ice cream afterwards. About one week after we actually started dating (the following summer) we went to a drive in movie in Eau Claire. Both were extremely fun dates and funny to look back on.
When did you know you wanted to marry him? I’m not sure if you heard my maid of honor’s speech but apparently I was saying “Kelsey Beaupre, Kelsey Beaupre, Kelsey Beaupre” long before I remember! It did not take long to realize he was definitely worth my time. We were best friends for about a year before we started dating and I couldn’t imagine letting another girl get to him before me. Once he FINALLY asked if I would date him, I pretty much knew.
How did he propose? The full story for this can be found on our website and would give you any details you may want so I’ll just give you the website.
Beaupre-Hendricks.ourwedding.com
Were your wedding shoes comfortable to wear all day? I wore coral colored peep-toe heals and actually did not have a problem with them. I brought flip-flops for when we climbed down and up the 135 stairs to the Cascade waterfall in Osceola but other than that I was wearing my heels!
So, now that the day is done, what is your most vivid memory? We discussed this question and Michael said his most vivid memory was watching me walk down the isle. He said “I expected you to be beautiful when we did our first look, but watching you walk down the isle was totally different”. For me this question is hard to answer because I have a very detailed memory about events but my favorite memory was finally having him by my side for the entire day. For the past 6 months he has been in school, working, and running a business while I have been working 2 full-time jobs so we hardly ever saw each other. It was nice to not have to miss him.
What was the hardest thing to decide on while planning your wedding? The guest list was extremely difficult to figure out. You want everyone to celebrate your special day with you but it just doesn’t work out that way. The hall we used had a capacity of about 250 people which I thought would be plenty of guests but we really had to work hard to cut down our guest list which was a bummer.
Is there anything you would have done differently? Michael and I both agreed the wedding was absolutely perfect but we would have loved to start the day earlier to cherish every possible minute!
Describe your wedding in five words. Fun, colorful, entertaining, perfect, and happiness
How was the weather for your wedding? Did it affect your day? I remember being very excited for 10 days before the wedding because I could finally check the “10 day forecast” on weather.com. The first time I checked it was supposed to rain, then the next day I checked it was supposed to be nice, etc. so I gave up checking the weather and figured I couldn’t change it anyways. The temperature was pretty warm but bearable because it was pretty windy. Once everyone reached the reception hall it down poured rain but I didn’t even know that until after the wedding when someone told me about it. You’re too happy to care about stuff like that.
Kate + TJ – Eau Claire Golf & Country Club Wedding
Wedding season is in full swing and I’m loving it! It’s time to start blogging about these great wedding days. I decided this year, to put the writing portion in the capable hands of my brides. I just sent Kate over a list of questions to answer and she kindly answered whichever questions she choose to. Kate & TJ were my first wedding this spring and I couldn’t be happier with how their day unfolded. Despite rain, we had a great time and enjoyed the stunning light when the storm subsided around 6:30 that evening. Enjoy the photos and the Q & A! (See more photos on our facebook page too!)
Were your wedding shoes comfortable to wear all day?
Yes! I am a total shoe girl and my wedding shoes were a fun little present to myself. I knew I wanted a fun pop of color and they were perfect for my something blue. I usually wear higher heels, but I also love dancing so when looking, I went with a lower heel. It was perfect, they still gave a little height, but also allowed my feet to groove all night.
What was your favorite thing about planning your wedding?
I had so much fun planning the wedding. What I cherished most was being able to spend a lot of time with my mom, sisters and sister in law as they helped me out with difference projects. With everyone being so busy, it was nice to have the “wedding” to get us together.
So, now that the day is done, what is your most vivid memory?
For TJ his most vivid memory was seeing his soon to be wife walking down the aisle. We waited to see each other till that moment, so that walk was so memorable for us both. As I walked down the nerves just went away. I could feel the happiness and love radiating from all around me and I was walking towards my love; that was a great moment.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Honestly our wedding was everything thing I planned it to be and so much more! I had amazing vendors that went above and beyond and all the little details they added really made it magical. During the time we were to take pictures, the rain came in and down poured, but we just waited and didn’t let it ruin our day. We trusted Jodee and sure enough the backdrop that it created made for beautiful and unique photos!
Describe your wedding in five words.
Magical, Romantic, Fun, Warmth, Laughter
How did you meet?
We met when we both started working at Target Headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. We were in the same training class and got to know each other for a couple months before we were placed in different parts of the company. There was just something about TJ that intrigued me so I ended up being the one to ask him to hang out. It’s crazy to look back on because I normally am shy about things like that so deep down I must have known our future to get the confidence to ask him. 
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