Real Wedding: Veronica and Shawn

April 10, 2015

Veronica worked at the UPS Store and Shawn was a delivery driver for Speedee Delivery when the two met — adorable already, right? They chatted here and there, slowly getting to know one another, and eventually Shawn asked Veronica out. “I wasn’t sure at first,” she says. “But every day for a month he swore he would make me his girlfriend one day and I’d never be happier. I finally gave Shawn a chance, and after one date with him I knew he was right!”

Shawn planned a proposal that was like something out of a movie. It was Christmas 2012 and Veronica was so excited for the holiday; she thought there was no way Shawn could top her gifts for him — an electric razor, video game, and an ornament. Was she ever in for a surprise! “Shawn had been working on a secret project for me and kept asking strange questions in the weeks leading up to Christmas, like ‘What was the first movie we saw together?’ I figured he was making me a scrapbook. On Christmas, I saw a huge box under the tree — clearly not the size of a scrapbook.”

Shawn loaded the Xbox to reveal a homemade trivia game — trivia about his and Veronica’s relationship. “He handed me the controller and told me to follow the path through the game. I had to answer the questions right to move on. At the end there was a Christmas tree on screen (just like ours) and under it was a sign that said ‘Look under the tree.’” Veronica unwrapped the big box under the tree to find a beautiful Nutcracker, a ring wrapped around the tiny Christmas tree in the Nutcracker’s hand and a “Will you marry me?” note. “I looked up and Shawn was on his knee. I was so surprised I couldn’t say anything at first — then of course I said ‘YES!’ a bunch of times.”

The two planned an October wedding, and Veronica wanted to incorporate a lot of homemade elements with autumnal flair. “I chose fall colors with burlap accents and letterpressed all the invites, programs, and signs. I also made and printed all of the place cards and stuck them on 111 mini pumpkins, and made a canvas tree for everyone to sign. But my favorite DIY projects were creating a sweets buffet and a photo booth with costumes and props.”

When it came time for the ceremony, Veronica says she could have used a few more practice days: “I was so nervous about the ceremony! But there wasn’t much I could do except wait for my cue. All I could think as I walked down the aisle was ‘Don’t fall! Don’t cry!’ But the day was brilliant and everything went off without a hitch.”

Shawn and Veronica held their wedding reception at the Watertown Country Club. “The club was amazing,” Veronica says. “Our coordinator Angela was so intuitive and always there to answer my questions. She set everything up for us at the reception — all I had to do was give her my items and suggest a layout. She also cleaned up everything and stored our odds and ends until we had time to retrieve them the next day.” As for dinner at Watertown Country Club: “Incredible. We got so many compliments on the perfect cuisine. I would choose Watertown Country Club a million times over!”

One of Veronica’s favorite moments of the entire day was her first dance with Shawn. “We just whispered about our nerves and talked about how perfect each other looked.” She also loved seeing friends and family enjoying the party. “There is a lot involved in putting together your own wedding, but just seeing everyone come together, families meeting for the first time — all dancing, laughing, and eating together — made it all worth it. My advice for future brides: Follow your heart. Don’t worry about what others want and have fun with it! Try not to stress about the little things; it will all come together in the end.”

Bridal Registry~Macy’s, Target, Crate and Barrel, REI, Traveler’s Joy
Bridal Shows Attended~Z104 Bridal Survival
Invitations~Made by the Bride on a Letter Press at School
Rehearsal Dinner, Ceremony, Reception, Catering~Watertown Country Club
Cake Designer~Denise Martalock
Flowers~Dutch Designs, Lake Mills
Music/Entertainment~Bkuhl Entertainment
Photographer~Eli Wedel Photography & Design
Dress~David’s Bridal
Formal Wear~Macy’s
Rings~Roger & Holland’s
Honeymoon~Florida

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