Danelle & Lane's Menomonee Falls wedding

When they met at the UW-Whitewater TV station, Danelle and Lane hit it off, and soon their friendship took a romantic turn. Two years and one proposal later, as their wedding day approached, Lane took a job in Rhinelander, while Danelle stayed in Mukwonago to arrange the finishing touches.

What resulted was a fun and easygoing event with vintage flair. “Ours was not a ‘stuffy’ wedding,” says Danelle, whose favorite detail was her rose and baby’s breath bouquet, which she believes could not have better matched her vision. “When I saw the my bouquet for the first time the morning of my wedding, I was blown away! She hit the nail on the head,” the bride says.

Once they’d said their vows and made their way to the reception, Danelle and Lane finally began to absorb all the day’s events. “As a bride, I held it together throughout the day without crying before, during or after the ceremony,” Danelle recalls. “But during our first dance (to ‘Feels Like Home’ by Chantal Kreviazuk), I finally let it all hit me and the floodgates were open. The captured emotion made for some of the best photographs of the day!”

On the advice of a friend, the newlyweds slipped away for a bit during the evening. “In those five minutes, you finally can decompress and the great reality finally hits you,” says Lane, who suggests that every couple do the same. “Up until that point, everything was a whirlwind. But when we got away for that brief period, we were able to talk for one of the first times that day and really connect. You won’t regret it.”

Locations: Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls
Date: August 27, 2011
Photographs: Lisa Mathewson Photography

Church: St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church; Officiant: Rev. Peter Kassulke; Singer: Melanie Ward; String quartet: Elegant Music Services; Reception: Silver Spring Golf & Banquet Center; DJ: Midwest Sound; Gown: Blue by Enzoani from Kay Bridal Shop; Bride’s hair: Carenza; Bridesmaid dresses: Alfred Angelo from New House of Design, (262) 495-2700; Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse; Rings: Kesslers Diamonds; Florist: Family friend; Baker: A Little Slice of Heaven; Transportation: First Choice Limousine

Ellie Martin Cliffe (104 Posts)

By the end of high school, Ellie Martin Cliffe was completely enamored of journalism, so she chose the most logical college major possible: anthropology. Disappointed by the minimal emphasis on writing and editing, she changed tracks and earned a comm degree from Carroll College. Ellie has since tackled many facets of the field including books, magazines and the Web at places like The Knot and Reader's Digest. She now works full time in book publishing, and is thrilled to get her wedding fix with WedInMilwaukee.com. When she isn’t wielding her (red) pen, Ellie can be found in the garden, at any concert that showcases a fiddle, playing pub trivia or in the kitchen. She and her husband live in Riverwest with their hedgehog, Guinness, and grapefruit tree, Sprout.