An elegant Wisconsin affair filled with heartfelt touches and romantic moments inspires our eclectic dreams in this real wedding. Bria and Jon share the moments from their proposal to their honeymoon. With a palette of purple and pink pastels, gorgeous garden roses and lush greens, the bride and groom looked stunning, the bride in a vintage dress the groom in a classic tux from Men's Warehouse. Homemade treats, and sweet beats from Midwest Sounds, entertained guests all night, while the couple felt truly surrounded in love. Read more about Bria and Jon's big day down below.
WEDDING DATE: 08/11/18
HOW DID YOU MEET? Online and our first date was at a comedy club.
HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU'D FOUND "THE ONE"?
Bria: I knew Jon was the one when we traveled across the country together. I was with him 24-7, and I was happy, and he treated me amazing. I didn't want the trip to end. He was so patient the entire trip so thoughtful, and he matched my crazy energy perfectly.
Jon: I knew Bria was the one when we traveled across the country together. Travel is a big part of our lives, and I knew once we made our trip to Colorado, I could see myself growing old and traveling the world with her.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: When I was 12, my family took a trip to Europe. We went to this small village on the coast of Italy called Vernazza. They had no cars, and there were no tourists there at the time (we went during their winter months). I remember it being this peaceful place where my two brothers and I could wander around without my parents and explore the beach and ice cream shops. It was the first trip I began to bond with my older brother who was my Irish twin because up until that point we spent more time yelling about who got to choose the game or who gets the remote than talking to each other.
My family journeyed back to Europe when I was 19. We went to that same small village of Vernazza, but this time we brought with us my older brother, Jesse's ashes. He passed away three years prior in a car accident during our family trip to Florida. My entire family was involved in a crash on the interstate after a woman hit us.
I told Jon this story about how I loved this town and felt very connected to my brother there. So together, we planned a trip to Europe for my grad school graduation. He took me to Vernazza for 3-days. We went on a private sunrise catamaran ride and sailed across the exact sea I had left my brother's ashes in years prior. I felt this overwhelming connection to my brother. It was an incredibly special moment. Jon asked me to stand for a picture, and that is when he got down on one knee. He explained how he had thoughtfully involved each member of my family. He asked my best friend, who I consider a sister, to ring shop with him. She flew in from D.C. to look at rings with him and surprise me for my graduation. He had asked my father on a night when they were home alone sipping whiskey at my parent's house. He took my brother kayaking and asked him on the lake where we celebrated my graduation. He asked my mom on Mother's Day for my hand in marriage due to the fact he thought it would be a fitting day to ask because she would be gaining another son. And lastly, he involved my older brother by taking me to the sea where his ashes were scattered. It was an incredibly thoughtful and meaningful proposal.
TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR DRESS: I knew I wanted a dress that was stunning and vintage. I tried on five dresses with my best friends, mother, and aunt. The dress I chose was the third dress I tried on and the only one that made everyone cry from excitement. It was the dress I knew I had to get married in. I felt like a woman and like a bride.
WERE THERE ANY PERSONAL TOUCHES OR DIY ELEMENTS? I feel like our whole wedding was full of special and thoughtful touches.
Jon surprised me by stitching in a patch with our names and wedding date inside my dress. I found it as I was about to put on my heels for the first look.
My mother and friends bought each centerpiece item at second-hand stores. We spent a year hunting for the perfect white and glass objects to go on each separately designed centerpiece. It helped the wedding matched the eclectic taste I wanted.
WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING COLOR PALETTE? All soft pastel shades of off white, browns, purples, and pinks. I wanted a mix and match of palette colors that all went together.
DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: They were the perfect flowers - big white garden roses with eucalyptus and lambs ear. They were stunning. We had buckets and buckets of flowers in the storage area the night before the wedding. I was in paradise gazing at all of the flowers.
DID YOU USE ANY SPECIALTY CHAIRS, LINENS, CHARGERS, GLASSWARE OR DINNERWARE? Yes, all of the dinnerware was purchase by family AND friends from second-hand stores. We spent a year hunting for the perfect vintage mix-and-match dishes and glasses from everyone. It was bonding to shop and clean all the dishware together.
TELL US ABOUT THE FOOD, DESSERT, AND ANY SPECIALTY BEVERAGES ON THE MENU:
-- Libby's Yellow Pepper Mustard with Sourdough Nibbler Pretzel - made together with my family from a special recipe of a dear friend
-- Jam - from Jon's grandmother's recipe.
-- Jon surprised me by stitching in a patch with our names and wedding date inside my dress. I found it as I was about to put on my heels for the first look.
Each appetizer involved special touches:
-- Libby's Yellow Pepper Mustard with Sourdough Nibbler Pretzel - made together with my family from a special recipe of a dear friend
-- Jam made from Jon's grandmother's recipe.
-- Goat cheese and honey with homemade French bread - the appetizer we ate after I found my dress. Jon and I loved it so much we knew we needed it at our wedding.
-- Jesse's Popcorn - My older brother, who passed away loved popcorn. It was his favorite snack.
-- Grammy Herken's Picante and Chips - My grandma passed away two years ago, and this was the sauce everyone in the family would come over for and help make hundreds of jars of together. This Picante was the actual sauce we made with her before she passed.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING? Being surrounded by the people we love most. The ceremony was by far the most extraordinary and thoughtful moment of the day.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR HONEYMOON PLANS: We went to Kaui. It is a beautiful Hawaiian island. It was the perfect mix of hiking during the morning to see nature (Jon's favorite thing as he is a biology major) and relaxing on the beach in the afternoon (my favorite thing.)
WHAT DOES LIFE LOOK LIKE AFTER THE WEDDING? It looks like what dating life looked like, but it feels so much better. He is still my best friend and the person that makes me laugh the most. I enjoy spending time with him and exploring the world together.
IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU'D GIVE TO OTHER COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? Go with what you want. Lots of people will have lots of different opinions, but it is your wedding, so do what you want. Find a time during your wedding to give each other something meaningful. That was one of my favorite things in our day.
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