Emily and Brad’s Winter Wedding at the Veterans Terrace in Burlington

Emily and Brad had known each other since they were 12, but never had a real conversation until they were both back home after graduating college. “We both became very involved in our church’s young adult group and formed a great friendship. Through that friendship, we kind of re-met each other.” On the day Brad proposed, he tricked Emily by saying he had to work. “So my sister Mary had the great idea to enjoy the day at the Chicago Botanical Gardens,” Emily says. “It turned out Brad was there waiting in a beautiful, secluded area to pop the question. It was a beautiful moment, and Mary was watching from afar, taking pictures.”

The two planned a classic and vintage-inspired wedding at the Veterans Terrace in Burlington. “We loved having our wedding here. It was the perfect location. The ballroom has large windows on three sides, which looks out onto a beautiful river and forest reserve. We used the same venue for both the ceremony and reception. Since we were having a winter wedding, we wanted to keep people inside as much as possible and eliminate any extra driving.”

The ceremony held a lot of meaning for Brad and Emily, who were blessed to have been married by their own worship pastor. “He and his wife did our pre-marital counseling, which made his message very meaningful and personal.” Emily says, “My favorite part of the ceremony was when my younger brother Cole sang one of my favorite worship songs while our bridal party and parents formed a huddle around us, laying hands on us and lifting us up in prayer.” Emily’s other favorite moment came after the ceremony, when Brad carried her through the snow.

Then it was time to party in a gorgeous space with some very special DIY touches. “The biggest DIY project was the 200 chair covers my mom sewed,” Emily says. “It was a big project, involving tons of ironing, cutting, and sewing, but it was so worth it. The chair covers completely changed the space and were a beautiful touch.”

For dinner, the couple chose chicken and a beef carving station. But Emily’s favorite part was dessert: cheesecake from Simma’s Bakery in Milwaukee. “I’m not the biggest fan of wedding cake,” she says. “So I decided several years ago that I wanted to serve cheesecake at my wedding. Brad had no issue with this. We had four different kinds of cheesecake for guests to choose from, and people loved it!

After dinner and dessert, everyone danced the night away to Bill Sargent Bands: a 16-piece big band that played a mix of swing, classics, and lots of Frank Sinatra. “People of all ages felt comfortable dancing and had tons fun. The band did a great job of keeping the entertainment going and they even added several songs off our wish list to their setlist. They were also on time, professional, and great to work with. We were told over and over again how much people enjoyed listening to and dancing to a live band.”