Rachel & Troy’s Magical Summer Wedding at Veterans Terrace

Rachel and Troy met through mutual friends on St. Paddy’s Day in 2011. “A friend from work insisted I go out, and I reluctantly decided to go.” The whole night, Troy kept chatting with Rachel, which worked—in the end, he got her number. The two had planned to wait until Rachel completed Nursing school before getting engaged, but Troy had another idea.

One June day, a week before Rachel’s graduation, Troy popped the question on a bike trail in Delafield. “He said there was something wrong with his bike,” Rachel laughs. That’s when Troy got down on one knee and proposed. “We were both so emotional following the proposal, many passersby stopped to inquire if we were okay!”

Troy and Rachel planned a July wedding at Veterans Terrace overlooking Echo Lake in Burlington, Wisconsin. The ceremony was held on Memorial Terrace, the reception in the Liberty Ballroom. The wedding colors were navy, blush, and neutral tones of gold and white. Troy’s favorite part of the ceremony was seeing Rachel walk toward him in the beautiful dress she found at Eva’s Bridal in Oak Creek. With their dear friend Stu officiating, Rachel says her favorite moment was when Troy nearly forgot to repeat his vows. “He said, ‘I’m sorry, I got lost in your eyes.’ It definitely brought some ‘awww’s and laughs from guests.”

For the reception, Rachel’s goal was a classy, elegant vibe, without a hint of pretention. With Veterans Terrace as a backdrop, that was easy to achieve. For photos, photographer Janelle Rose Photography didn’t even have to leave the grounds to capture beautiful images. “We were fortunate that our venue was located on a lake, so alternate locations for photos were unnecessary.”

When it came time for dinner, Rachel and Troy chose a choice of beef tips or chicken in cream sauce with sides of mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, green beans, garden salad, wild rice, and pasta salad. “It was important to us that there be various food options to accommodate all guests’ preferences.” For desserts, there were various flavors of layer cakes and cheesecakes.

To decorate the Liberty Ballroom, the whole family pitched in to bring Rachel and Troy’s vision to life. “It was an enormous undertaking and we’re eternally grateful to everyone who contributed to making our day a dream come true.” Rachel’s brother Caleb made four-foot LOVE marquee letters. “They were amazing! Veterans Terrace actually chose to acquire the letters so Caleb’s masterpiece can bring the same amount of joy and love to other couples.”

Troy and Rachel made a copper pipe backdrop adorned with hanging crystals and glass terrariums. Troy’s dad made a cornhole game for outdoor entertainment, and the entire family and wedding party arranged all of the flowers and bouquets. That’s the one thing Rachel would have done differently: “I would have gone through a florist. It was a stressful process!”

When it all came together, Rachel and Troy say their day was glamorous, emotional, and utterly unforgettable. During their first dance out on the terrace, Rachel’s dad surprised them with confetti cannons showering the scene. The evening ended with a sparkler ceremony — 200 of their closest family and friends lighting the way for happily ever after.