Alice & Jim's Waukesha wedding

During their wedding ceremony, guests literally watched Alice and Jim tie the knot. The two took part in handfasting—an ancient Celtic wedding ritual where a bride’s and groom’s hands are bound—performed by a friend, who also happens to be a Scottish priest.

“The ceremony was the perfect way to start our marriage,” says Alice. “Having Father Michael there made it more personal and added some traditional Scottish elements to the mass.” In fact, for this Wauwatosa couple, the ceremony was the most meaningful part of their elegant fall wedding day. “It’s the reason for the celebration, after all!” explains the bride.

The autumn weather was beautiful, and the pair’s photographer took advantage. As the wedding party made their way from the ceremony to the reception, they stopped at Wisconsin Avenue Park in Wauwatosa, followed by the Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum in Brookfield. “We ended up with some amazing shots,” Alice says.

When the newlyweds arrived in downtown Waukesha, they treated their loved ones to quite a memorable evening. “Being able to share our wedding day with friends and family there to support us was important,” says Alice. “Everyone loved the food and had a great time dancing (and drinking) all night.”

Locations: Wauwatosa & Waukesha
Date: October 15,2011
Photographs: Olga Thomas/Chic Wedding

Church: Christ King Parish; Officiants: Fr. George Gajdos, Fr. Michael Hutson; Reception: The Rotunda; Caterer: Chef Jack’s; DJ: Midwest Sound; Gown and dresses: Gigi of Mequon; Bride’s shoes: Nordstrom; Bride’s hair: Vici Capilli Salon; Bride’s veil: Bliss Bridal; Bride’s jewelry: Lord & Taylor; Tuxedos: Jos. A. Bank; Rings: Rogers & Hollands Jewelers; Florist: The Shorewood Florist; Baker: Simma’s Bakery; Paper goods: Michael’s; Favors: Boxed fall-hued M&M’s; Transportation: Badger Bus

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.