Brooke & Steven’s College-Themed Wedding at Tuscan Hall

Brooke and Steven met in college at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, when Brooke was a freshman sorority sister and Steven was a senior fraternity fella. The two met through mutual friends one night, and the rest is history. When Steven proposed, it was the Friday of Easter weekend after an egg hunt at Steven’s sister’s house. Brooke remembers: “He told me he had found one last Easter egg, got down on one knee, and proposed! I was very shocked, since I was convinced that he would propose at his official swearing-in ceremony as a police officer — but he did a really good job and caught me off guard.”

The happy couple planned a fun, college-themed wedding. “We agreed on Whitewater colors: purple, silver, and black — with some glitter for me!” Brooke says. “We also added some police-themed décor, since Steven is a police officer and we’re all very proud of that. We had a doughnut bar and a few signs around, like ‘It’s not a party until the cops show up!’” To prepare for the big day, Brooke attended the Wonderful World of Weddings Show at the State Fair grounds.

The ceremony was held lakeside at the Seven Seas of Delafield. “Having a view of the lake during our ceremony was always my dream,” Brooke says. “It was absolutely breathtaking. We couldn’t have picked a better venue.” The ceremony itself was “short, sweet, and perfect.” The officiant, Pastor Roger, had Steven and Brooke face the crowd as they exchanged vows so everyone could see their faces. “His theory was that people came to see us, not him,” Brooke explains. “I could catch glimpses of loved ones in the crowd, and I really liked that!”

The wedding party then boarded a Spring City Trolley to drive around Lake Country and take photos before heading to the reception. Brooke admits, “One of my favorite parts of the day was the trolley ride! We had some good music going and were able to bring drinks on the trolley, so our bridal party could celebrate while riding around Pewaukee.” After pictures were finished, one of Steven’s law enforcement friends led the way in his squad car, lights and all.

The reception was held at Tuscan Hall, where Brooke’s mother Amy Bartolf is the Events Coordinator. “She was my life saver!” Brooke says. The hall also catered a plated dinner of salad, bread & butter, braised short rib, Mediterranean chicken, red potatoes, and asparagus. “The food was phenomenal! You could tell it was healthy and fresh, and our guests raved about it.” Dessert came from Sweet Perfections — an “absolutely delicious cake with a fruit cream filling.” There was also the aforementioned cop-themed doughnut bar and an ice cream station. For late night stacks, Steven and Brooke chose hamburger sliders on pretzel buns and pizza. Drinks included unlimited Spotted Cow and Miller Lite on tap, plus Moscato and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In all the planning process, Brooke says there isn’t a thing she would change — thanks in large part to her wonderful mom. “I had my mother plan most of it, and we decided to have her and our vendors tackle the overall decorating, as long as it was fun and stuck with the college colors and theme. I was a more laid-back bride, and, to future brides, I would highly recommend being laid back during the planning process. Things will change and not everything is possible. If you’re able to enjoy it instead of getting wrapped up in every little detail, I promise everything will fall into place!”

Bridal Shows Attended~Wonderful World of Weddings
Invitations~OpenBox Events
Rehearsal Dinner~Wildwood Lodge with Tuscan Hall Catering and Pizzas
Ceremony~Seven Seas of Delafield
Reception & Catering~Tuscan Hall Banquet Center
Cake~Sweet Perfections
Sundae Bar~The Chocolate Factory
Donuts~Grebe’s Bakery
Flowers~Jess Fleur Fun, LLC
Music & Lighting~Double Platinum DJ
Transportation~Spring City Trolley
Photographer~Tialee Photography
Videographer~OpenBox Events
Formalwear~Du Bois Formal Wear
Rings~Jared
Rentals~Cover it with Class