Mandy & Alex's Hartland wedding

For to-be-weds Mandy and Alex, it was a relief to see that the Milwaukee-area forecast would be blizzard-free for their February wedding. “You never can count on Wisconsin weather!” Mandy exclaims. Though freezing, the sunny day was picturesque—a fitting tribute to this outdoorsy bride and groom.

Just to be safe, the Big Bend couple booked nearby venues so guests didn’t have to travel far. Choosing the church was easy—Alex and Mandy have been attending Queen of Apostles throughout their relationship. A golf club down the road was the ideal complement: The Legend at Bristlecone “helped me to achieve my warm, romantic vision,” says the bride. “The reception area has three whole walls of windows, and was beautiful with the fresh blanket of snow outside and the candles’ reflections.”

Between their ceremony and reception, the newlyweds made the most of the remaining daylight in their photo session. “Andy and Amy [of A & A Photography] came up with such great places for winter pictures!” says Mandy. “I loved having red boots and a red scarf…I had so much fun playing around with them. The color just popped off the white dress and winter backdrop.” For her, this was one of the day’s highlights. Another: Walking down the aisle while a brass quintet played—“They really made my ceremony feel like a fairy tale,” she says.

Though Mandy worked on the wedding “day in and day out,” as Alex puts it, the pair also wants to recognize others for helping them carry out the regal winter celebration that was so meaningful. “Every vendor was amazing—they all went above and beyond,” Mandy explains. “I had guests coming up to me at the end of the day saying that my wedding was one of the best they had ever been to, thanks in part to the great vendors who helped make my day!”

Locations: Pewaukee, Hartland
Date: February 11, 2012
Photographs: A & A Photography

Church: Queen of Apostles; Officiant: Deacon Greg Price; Ceremony musicians: Sterling & Brass; Reception: The Legend at Bristlecone; DJ: Midwest Sound; Gown and accessories: Eva’s Bridal Center; Bride’s hair and makeup: The Wild Side Salon & Spa; Bridesmaid dresses: Savvy Bride; Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse; Rings: Walsh Jewelers; Florist: All Dec’d Out; Baker: Sweet Perfections Bake Shoppe; Stationer: Paper Envy; Transportation: Blackline Limousines

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.