Taylor and Adam’s wedding is incredible from start to finish! The couple had a shared vision for their wedding: traditional romance shared with as many loved ones as possible, so they made the wonderful decision to incorporate friends and family into all aspects of their day. The historical First Universalist Unitarian Church in Wausau–the same church Taylor’s parents were married in 25 years prior–hosted their ceremony, which was officiated by a close friend. Guests then traveled to Taylor’s childhood home (also her mother’s childhood home!) for a spectacular reception set under three different tents festooned with string lights and decorated with gorgeous florals in crimson, pink, and white created by Evolutions in Design. The love simply radiates from this joyful couple (and their adorable pup!) and we are absolutely head over heels for each image captured on film by The McCartneys Photography!
In their own words
How did you meet?
My husband and I met through friends our freshman year of college in 2009. Although we attended different universities, he became good friends with people that I graduated with from high school. We would see each other a few times a year throughout college when our friends would get together. Although we were flirtatious and clearly liked each other we wouldn’t start dating until he invited me to a family wedding in the summer of 2012, from then on the rest is history.
What is your proposal story?
We had been dating for about 3 years when we decided to move back to my home town in Wisconsin. After both living in different places we moved forward with finding a house in my favorite historic neighborhood where I had grown up. We found a great fixer upper and decided on the weekend that we were to close on the house we would invite our friends and family over for a demolition party. Little did I know that my husband was also planning on proposing to me on the day we closed. It was perfect timing and we got to celebrate the engagement while also beginning to remodel or fixer upper.
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
We decided the three most important aspects of a wedding are good food, good drinks, good music (not necessarily in that order) We hired great entertainment, splurged a bit on good booze and an open bar and picked our favorite caterer to meet these requirements. But all of those things are for the guests. For us, we wanted everything to feel very personal. We wanted someone important to us to officiate and sing for our wedding ceremony. Both of our venues were special places for us. Our MC, musical entertainment, caterers, wedding planners, photographers, were all important to us in some way. Everyone surrounding us on our wedding day knew us personally and held a place in our hearts. This made or day so special.
Tell us about your attire choices.
Neutral was big for me – I wanted the flowers to give us the color more than the attire. With my bridesmaids wearing a light taupe and the groomsmen wearing classic black suits the stunning flowers and scenery really stood out. My dress was a surprise even for me. I’m pretty subdued fashion wise but when I tried on the Haley Paige Decklyn gown I welled up with happy tears. A big A-line dress with stripes was the last thing I thought I wanted, but it just goes to show you may have to step out of your comfort zone to find exactly what you want.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
The entire day was my favorite! But there are moments that stand out. Seeing my dad for the first time made me cry for the first time that day. Many things from my wedding I wanted to be a surprise – the officiant wrote an amazing sermon, my grandfather surprised me with the perfect speech. The biggest surprise was our first dance. My husband wanted to write our song and I wasn’t allowed to hear it until the day of. The song was perfect and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. I could go on and on because I’m being sincere when I say everything was perfect and everything was my favorite!
Please describe any DIY, handmade, or personal details.
One of my favorite things that we did for our wedding was having people sign old records instead of a guest book. We had four records set out along with metallic markers that people could use to sign them. We now have these records framed and hung up on our wall – they look fantastic!
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
My biggest advice for any couple planning their wedding is to be relaxed about it – everything works out in the end and the details that you painstakingly plan are largely unnoticed the day of. Focus on having fun and creating memories with the ones you love! Also – make sure you have great vendors because they make it all come together in the end! I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through the planning process without them!