Cathy & Brandon’s Movie-themed Fall Wedding

Cathy and Brandon met at their best friends’ wedding, Cathy a bridesmaid and Brandon a guest. Cathy was actually filling in for a bridesmaid: Brandon’s ex-girlfriend. “Once Brandon’s friends found out which bridesmaid replaced his ex, they encouraged him to ask me dance,” Cathy says. “He asked me for the second-to-last dance of the night — I’m so glad he did!”

The two got engaged while hiking at Lapham Peak, one of their favorite places. Brandon had suggested the trip, stressing that they should bring the camera to snap some pictures of the two of them. “That should have been a red flag,” says Cathy. While hiking, they came across a large rock, perfect for setting up the camera with its self-timer. Brandon put his arm around Cathy, then suddenly thew off his hat, dropped to one knee, and popped the question. “I was in shock,” Cathy says. “All the pictures we got were of me holding a hand over my mouth and crying. Of course I said yes!”

Brandon and Cathy planned a movie-themed fall wedding, the ceremony at the Seven Seas in Hartland and the reception at the Sheraton Hotel near Brookfield Square. The outdoor ceremony was chilly, but the view was perfect. Cathy’s aunt performed the ceremony and the couple’s dear friend Chris did the reading, a passage from “Stand By Me,” making the entire experience very special and unique.

Then the party moved to the Sheraton. “The room was the perfect size for our guests who were always on the dance floor. Joe from the Sheraton made sure it all went off without a hitch, answering all of our questions and having the schedule down perfectly.” The food was catered through the hotel, too. Guests had the option of sirloin, pretzel-crusted chicken, and a vegetarian dish. “Our favorite was the chicken. We want to go back there just so we can order it again!”

Dessert was a movie-themed chocolate-raspberry cake from Aggie’s Bakery. “The cake resembled a red carpet with our two favorite characters on top: Deadpool and Ariel.” Cathy loved working with Aggie’s. “The wedding consultant there really knows how to work with brides! I felt at ease and very confident that she knew what I was looking for. The cake was the best around and was reasonably priced. I will be going back to her for future events that require baked yumminess.”

Brandon and Cathy worked in the movie theme in other ways, too. One of Cathy’s biggest DIY projects was creating metal film reel centerpieces. “The reels were set on top of clear vases that had film negatives wrapped around them. The film was from disposable cameras that we actually used so that there were pictures in the film when you looked at them. There were also branches sticking out of the vases to give them that fall feel.” The tables were labeled by movie titles instead of by number, and the place cards were a movie ticket with the person’s name and movie title (AKA table number) on it. The couple also had a popcorn bar with five different kinds of popcorn.

For keeping the party going, Cathy and Brandon have to give a shout out to their DJ: “He kept the night moving along with perfect pacing. We had so many compliments from our guests!” They also loved working with their photographers, Mark and Danny from R&R Photography. “These two guys were such a pleasure to work with, and they look for ways to make your day perfect. We showed them some pictures from Pinterest (because why not?) and they did their best to recreate the pictures with their own special flair. They knew what they were doing and had fun with it.”

In retrospect, what would Cathy have done differently? “I would have started making the centerpieces sooner than I did, which was the week of the wedding. I also wish I had saved every last receipt. Everything costs money, even the DIY projects.”

Money matters and DIY projects aside, the moment that sticks with Cathy most is the way Brandon took her in his arms when he kissed her for the first time as husband and wife. “It was as if all of his vows were wrapped up in that kiss.”

Invitations~Designed by the Groom
Ceremony Location~Seven Seas in Hartland, WI
Reception Location and Catering~Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel
Cake Designer/Dessert~Aggies Bakery & Cake Shop in West Allis
Flowers~Jess Fleur Fun!
Music/Entertainment~Rick Klein, Wiggle and Giggle the Night Away
Transportation~Accutrans Inc.
Photographer~R&R Photographic Imaging
Wedding Dress Designer~Sophia Toli from Vera’s House of Bridal in Madison, WI
Bridesmaid Dresses~Belsoie from Vera’s House of Bridal in Madison, WI
Men’s Formalwear~Men’s Wearhouse
Rings~Groom: Boone Titanium Rings`Bride: Kesslers in Brookfield