Heather & Krystal’s Great Gatsby Wedding at the Chandelier Ballroom

Heather and Krystal met at Office Max, where Heather was working when Krystal went in for an interview. “We locked eyes and needed to know one another.” When the two started planning their wedding, they decided on a Great Gatsby theme with a back, gold, and silver color palette. Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Chandelier Ballroom in Hartford — the ceremony in the Fireside Room and the reception in the Great Hall. “Michele at the Chandelier Ballroom was great,” Heather says. “She was cheerful, a joy to work with, and always available for any questions I had. On the day itself, she was there for anything we needed.”

Heather’s cousin officiated the wedding in the Fireside Room. “She’s always been the most supportive person we’ve had throughout our relationship, and likes to call herself our ‘biggest fan.’” Another special moment during the ceremony involved Krystal and Heather’s young daughter, who has autism. “Our daughter Shaine wasn’t doing well with all the people and the strange surroundings. Krystal stopped the ceremony and asked Shaine, ‘Do you want to come up here?’ Shaine ran up, and Krystal held her while we finished the ceremony. To see her holding our daughter was the perfect end to the ceremony; it showed everyone our family.”

As a backdrop for the “I do’s,” Krystal and Heather chose a custom painting of the famous eyes The Great Gatsby. Carrying the theme into the reception, Heather painted wine bottles gold and black, then added black and white ostrich feathers and draped beads. These were placed on top of hardcover books to create the table centerpieces. “My bouquet was also made of paper flowers that I crafted from book pages and accented with ostrich feathers and silver.”

Dinner was catered by the Chandelier Ballroom and was “absolutely delicious.” Guests enjoyed a Caesar salad and a choice of chicken cacciatore or baked tilapia, served with Penne or tortellini topped with Alfredo or house bolognese sauce. “The bolognese tasted so amazing, and the chicken and fish were cooked perfectly. Our only regret on the day was that we didn’t eat more of the wedding meal — there was just so much going on.”

Following dinner came an unforgettable father/daughter dance. “While my dad and I danced, Krystal was preparing a surprise for her dad,” Heather explains. “She had worn a suit for the ceremony and dinner, but Krystal strode out wearing a beautiful white dress for her dance with her dad. Everyone was excited and clapping, and her dad was so surprised and emotional.”

For Heather and Krystal’s first dance, the two unveiled a beautiful waltz. “We took lessons, so it was fun and not stressful. It was great to do something more than just sway.” In the end, Krystal’s favorite moment was seeing Heather walking down the aisle. For Heather, her favorite moment was seeing Krystal start to cry as she read her vows off a yellow post-it note.

[table]
Bridal Shows Attended~La Crosse Bridal Expo
Dance Lessons~Moonlight Dance Studio, La Crosse, WI
Invitations~ETSY and Vistaprint
Rehearsal Dinner~Mineshaft, Hartford, WI
Ceremony, Reception & Catering~Chandelier Ballroom, Hartford, WI
Cake~Cake and Bake, Menominee Falls, WI
Music/Entertainment~Music Mixx, La Crosse, WI
Photographer~ColorfulDreams4U
Gown~Charlotte’s Bridal, La Crosse, WI
Formalwear~Men’s Wearhouse and Charlotte’s Bridal
Rings~Kay Jewelers
[/table]

Save