Kristin & Brian's Milwaukee wedding

Kristin and Brian seem to have good fortune on their side. It all began when Brian thought he’d lost touch with his high-school crush, but years later, the two met again while finishing their degrees at UW-Madison. And as they say, the rest is history.

But their streak continued. They took another gamble by scheduling a midwinter Milwaukee wedding, and it paid off. “Who gets lucky enough to have 40-plus degree weather in January in Wisconsin for their wedding?” asks Kristin. Unseasonable temps allowed this Waukesha couple and their wedding party to pose for outdoor photos at a number of Milwaukee landmarks, including Lake Michigan, before heading to their Catholic ceremony and personalized reception.

“We tried to incorporate a lot of nontraditional or modern touches,” says Kristin, who says guests are still talking about her brooch bouquet and the sundae bar. “There were so many little things that screamed ‘us’ at every turn throughout the night,” she continues, referencing the attendants’ varied apparel, plus the personal stories about the couple on the dinner tables.

For these lucky newlyweds, all the wedding details fell seamlessly into place. Brian commends the vendors for doing a fantastic job, allowing the bride and groom and their friends and families to celebrate a day that was uniquely theirs.

Location: Milwaukee
Date: January 7, 2012
Photographs: Gravidee Photography

Church: Saint Sebastian Catholic Church; Officiant: Fr. Dick Aiken; Ceremony musicians: Mike Kamenski; Reception: Hyatt Regency Milwaukee; DJ: Sound by Design; Gown: Beratti Bridal; Bride’s hair: Erik of Norway; Bridesmaid dresses and accessories: Chose their own; Suits: Men’s Wearhouse; Engagement ring: Husar’s House of Fine Diamonds; Bride’s wedding band: Jared; Groom’s wedding band: Kesslers Diamonds; Bride’s jewelry: Macy’s; Bridal bouquet: SilverStems; Florist: Belle Fiori; Stationery: DIY; 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.