Beloit Wedding at the Ironworks Hotel

A joyous, romantic celebration of love in Beloit, Wisconsin.

How They Met

Megan and Daniel met when they were attending the University of South Florida. Since they were both studying to be high school math teachers, they had almost all of their classes together. Over time, they became extremely close friends, and the rest is history.

The Engagement

When the two lived in Florida, Daniel made plans to dine at their favorite restaurant, Seabreeze, with their friends and brothers. After dinner, the group went across the street to Redington Beach to watch the sunset. One of their friends brought his camera along “to get some photos of the sunset.” He told Megan and Daniel to get together for a picture. After a few pictures, Daniel got down on his knee and proposed.

The Dress

Megan found her dream wedding dress, a Morilee by Madeline Gardner, at Tulle Bridal Boutique in Clinton, Wisconsin. Before she found “the one,” she tried on nine gowns. Megan had a few styles in mind, but Kayla, the owner of the dress shop, helped immensely when it came to finding the right fit for her body type and paid close attention to her personal fashion preferences.

The Ceremony

Megan and Daniel had their wedding outside on the patio at the Ironworks Hotel. Their venue was an easy choice, as Megan had been to Ironworks multiple times and always thought it was beautiful. It’s also in an amazing location, since there are a number of restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Following the bridal party procession, Megan’s brother played “Canon in D” on the piano, which was a very special moment for everyone. The couple wanted the ceremony to be centered on the two of them without being generic. Their officiant even gave them the freedom to make the script their own. During the unity, Megan and Daniel blended wine together and each took a sip of it.

The Reception

One of Megan’s favorite parts of the super fun reception at the Ironworks Hotel was her brother and Matron of Honor’s entrance. They walked out to “California Gurls” by Katy Perry wearing shark costumes to pay homage to her Super Bowl halftime performance. They had everyone laughing and people still talk about it to this day.

For dinner, Megan and Daniel sat at a sweetheart table together. Their wedding party sat at the tables closest to them, so they could sit with their significant others. All of the traditions, including the cake cutting and dances, took place at the very beginning of the reception. That way, when dinner was done, everyone could head straight to the dance floor. They also decided to celebrate the guests whose birthdays fell within a week before or after the wedding day. Ironworks provided brownie sundaes and everyone in the room sang “Happy Birthday.”

The Food and Drinks

Guests enjoyed an open bar at the Ironworks Hotel, which started with the cocktail hour through the end of the night. Cocktail hour hors d’oeuvres included steak bites, stuffed mushrooms, and Caprese kabobs. For dinner, guests had a choice of petite tenderloin filet, Atlantic salmon, and chicken florentine. For a late night snack, folks munched on pizza from Merrill and Houston’s Steak Joint, the restaurant attached to the venue. In addition to cake, dessert included bite-sized cupcakes, lemon bars, brownies, and chocolate pretzel squares all from Sugarjones Bakery in Loves Park, Illinois.

The Honeymoon

Megan and Daniel honeymooned in Jamaica. They stayed at the Secrets St. James resort in Montego Bay. They booked their trip through Lindstrom Travel in Rockford, Illinois.

Words of Wisdom from the Bride

“Find your venue right away. We had a long engagement, and knowing we secured the venue we wanted was a big relief,” Megan suggests. “Make sure you get vendors you can trust. Have a bridal party that will be happy for you and your special day. My bridal party made getting ready so much fun and were there if I needed anything. Most importantly, enjoy your day! It will only happen once, and you do not want to look back and regret worrying about everything.”

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