Maggie and Nate's Wisconsin wedding was a heartfelt celebration years in the making. From high school sweethearts to college companions at UW-Madison, their relationship grew alongside their shared love for design. Their wedding reflected that creative spirit with a whimsical yet modern aesthetic, a custom-designed stationery suite by the bride herself, and a vibrant color palette mixing dusty blues and pops of orange. With florals that held sentimental ties to Maggie's family, a lakeside reception at Golden Mast Inn, and a focus on thoughtful details, the day felt both deeply personal and effortlessly stylish.
Maggie and Nate knew each other for years before they began dating at the end of their senior year of high school. Their relationship smoothly transitioned into the next chapter of their lives, with both attending UW-Madison and pursuing design-related career paths. They faced challenges together, balanced one another, and continuously brought out the best in each other.
Their collaboration continued into planning their classic, modern, and whimsical wedding day in and around Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For couples currently preparing for their big day, Maggie's advice is this: "Delegate! A wedding is a big thing to plan, and as a type B bride I relied on my husband a lot for the less creative, more organizing tasks. We divided and conquered."
On the creative side, as a graphic designer, Maggie designed the stationery and signage herself, setting the tone for the celebration. She credits websites like Pinterest for helping her stay organized and inspired throughout the process.
For their color palette, the couple chose a mix of warm and cool hues, with dusty blues and navy intermixing with bright pops of orange. Any reservations Maggie had about mismatching bridesmaids' dresses changed the moment she saw them all together, and the personalities shone through in a way that was still cohesive (we LOVE these!).
Black Orchid Beauty styled the bride with a subtle makeup look that accentuated her natural beauty. She wore loose, Hollywood waves, with the front portion of her hair combed back and expertly secured.
The groom and groomsmen looked sharp in textured blue suits, white undershirts, and brown shoes. The groom's suit, a lighter shade of blue, coordinated with the groomsmen's ties, and his navy tie matched their suits.
Alfa Flowers designed beautiful bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, and matching boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen. In addition to orange, mauve, and white blooms in the bouquets, dusty blue hydrangeas added volume and artful blue thistle a touch of texture and whimsy. As an added sentiment, Alfa Flowers also designed the florals at Maggie's parents' wedding back in 1994.
Maggie and Nate tied the knot in a traditional church ceremony at St. Jude the Apostle Parish surrounded by friends and family, vaulted ceilings, and towering stained glass windows. Maggie wore a stunning square-neck gown from Strike Bridal Bar, with an illusion back that matched a playful slit in the center of her skirt. Instead of a veil, tulle draped from her shoulder straps on either side, which was removable for easy dancing during the reception.
The celebration continued at the Golden Mast Inn, a charming venue with a European-style courtyard, architecture, and lakeside views.
When choosing their vendors, the couple started by going all in on what they agreed was most important--and this definitely included their photographer.
Reflecting on the day, Maggie wrote, "...our favorite vendor was our photographer, Valerie. She was such a positive, organized presence and we knew we were in awesome hands with her. All our bridal party mentioned what an easy time it was doing the group shots, and we were so happy with how the photos turned out."
Instead of cake, the couple personalized their main dessert by choosing pie instead. They sampled from various bakeries and, when the decision became too difficult, served four different kinds at the reception. Their DJ, Sound by Design, was another highlight of the night, keeping the dance floor packed until final call.
Connect with each of the talented participating wedding professionals by clicking on their names below. Happy wedding planning from the WedPlan team!
