Avis + Mike | Wisconsin Backyard
THE PLANNING
Avis and Mike were such a sweet couple to work with! Lead planner Kellie did a majority of the planning with the groom leading up to the wedding day. The couple decided to have the wedding on Sherri’s property (Mike’s step mom). The location was stunning and she was also a pleasure to work with!
Since the festivities were taking place with their 120 guests on a private property in Wisconsin, the couple booked our Backyard Package. This meant that the RE team visited the property in advance to figure out the tent location and work on the layout of everything. This included planning where the ceremony, tables, buffet, and dance would be taking place. We decided to do dinner under the tent, the buffet on the lower level of the barn, and the dance on the upper level of the barn. We also created a lounge space upstairs by the dance that included sitting and standing tables.
The RE Team returned to the site the Thursday before the wedding to manage Apres tent delivery and prep as much as possible. We ran extension cords, placed garbage cans, and made sure tables were placed in the best flow position and organized their decor. It was all coming together nicely!
THE MORNING
Everyone woke up on this beautiful and hot July day filled with excitement for Avis and Mike’s wedding! Avis headed out to BB Salon to get her hair and makeup done while the RE team arrived on-site at the venue to help set up, greet vendors, and direct the flow of the day. A few family members arrived to help set up the ceremony chairs which was a huge help as well!
Once Avis was finished with her glam, she returned to the wedding site and began getting dressed. Once the guys were ready, the RE team helped pin on boutonnieres from Hudson Flower Shop to complete their outfits. Then it was time for the bride and groom to do their first look! This picture perfect moment took place under a beautiful tree on the property.
Oh, Hello! Photo then took the bride and groom around the site to capture a few portraits of them. We can’t get over how happy these two are when they’re together!
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony took place in the backyard garden on the property in front of the couple’s arbor that was decorated with florals. It was a beautiful location! Once all the guests had arrived and taken their seats, we began cueing the wedding party for the processional. The groom escorted his step mom down the aisle. Following them was the couple’s maid of honor and best man. Avis then made her grand entrance escorted by her brother, Merle. The live music being played by Taylor Bongard and Tawny Grimes made the moment feel like something out of a fairytale!
The couple added a few special elements to their ceremony including a unity cross, two readings, and their vows that they wrote themselves! Avis and Mike then shared a kiss before officially being announced husband and wife! They then excused rows as a receiving line to ensure they would be able to greet all of their guests.
THE RECEPTION
Once guests made their way through the receiving line, it was time for social hour. During this time, the previous family helpers moved the ceremony chairs to the tent for dinner. We helped make sure that the correct number of chairs ended up at each table. Since this was an alcohol free wedding, the couple’s family members also helped manage the beverage station which was placed in an old clawfoot bathtub. What a cute touch! Guests were busy socializing and stayed entertained with yard games that the couple provided. Guests also enjoyed meat, cheese, and veggie trays for appetizers.
Once it was time for dinner, guests made their way to the lower part of the barn to grab their yummy food from the buffet provided by Oakdale Hyvee. The groom is a magician, so the couple hired Magic by Bruce to walk around and entertain the guests as they waited to go through the buffet line. This was such a fun and unique touch!
After grabbing food from the buffet, guests made their way to the tent to take their seats. There was an assigned seating chart that directed guests to their corresponding table number. The table numbers were playing cards in the flowers to go with the magic theme! We also made sure to place the candy guest favors at each spot. Sherri, Mike’s step mom, filled mason jars with flowers which we placed in the reception for an added touch of elegance. There was one large harvest style head table down the center of the tent for the wedding party to sit at. Everything was simple yet so beautiful!
Oakdale Hyvee also provided the dessert which consisted of a sweetheart cake and a sheet cake. Friends and family also brought various bars and cookies for everyone to enjoy later in the night as well, which was such a yummy treat!
Once dinner wrapped up, we moved the mason jar flowers from the dinner tables to the cocktail tables on the top floor of the barn for the dance. The couple did the draping and lights themselves in this space which looked so elegant!
The couple and their friends love dancing, and they’re really good at it too! This made it a priority for the couple to have a big dance floor at their wedding. They opted to rent a dance floor from Apres and had it installed on the upper level of the barn. It fit perfectly without taking away from the rustic look of the barn! The couple had a special choreographed first dance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. It was mesmerizing to watch the way they seamlessly moved together! Complete Weddings and Events then opened up the dance floor to everyone and kept it filled with amazing moves for the remainder of the night! Complete Weddings and Events made sure to capture these moments to add to the couple’s wedding video!
The night wrapped up with a casual sparkler exit. The RE team stayed until the end of the night to help with packing things up and tidying the space as the couple had purchased our clean up package. Guests then got a ride from Lorenz Bus Company and the amazing wedding day came to a close!
Avis + Mike, we had a great time planning with the two of you and hope that married life has been magical! ;) Thanks for having Rustic Elegance on your team!
Special shoutout to Oh, Hello! Photo for sharing these fun photos with us!
VENDORS
Venue: Family’s Backyard
Caterer / Dessert: Oakdale Hyvee
Rentals: Apres
DJ: Complete Weddings and Events
Ceremony Music: Taylor Bongard and Tawny Grimes
Florist: Hudson Flower Shop
Photographer: Oh, Hello! Photo
Videographer: Complete Weddings and Events
Magician: Magic by Bruce
Transportation: Lorenz Bus Company
Hair / Makeup: BB Salon
Coordinator: Rustic Elegance
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol