Jess & Matt’s Winter Wedding at the Delafield Hotel

Date Night Turned Proposal
Jess and Matt’s favorite date night spot in Milwaukee is the Harbor House on Lake Michigan. “We like to go there for Happy Hour and walk by the lake afterward to take in the great Milwaukee views.” One evening, date night turned into a lakeside proposal — and Jess said yes!

Wedding Planning
Matt and Jess planned an intimate, family-oriented winter wedding. The ceremony was held at the chapel at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy with a reception to follow at The Delafield Hotel. The bride found her gown at White Dress Bridal Boutique. Keeping things in lake country for the wedding celebration, the rehearsal dinner took place at The Seven Seas in Hartland with its stunning views of the water.

A Marriage Ceremony Made Memorable
Jess and Matt made sure that their family was included in every inch of their chapel ceremony. Jess’s uncle officiated and two sisters-in-law and an aunt performed readings. There was a unity tree ceremony to signify the joining of two families, and the bride and groom wrote their own vows. All of Matt and Jess’s brothers stood up in the wedding party, while nephews and nieces played the part of ring bearers and flower girls. The couple chose songs they loved, including “Ave Maria” in honor of their mothers.

Dinner at the Delafield Hotel
Matt and Jess had a wonderful experience planning their lake country reception. “Kim at the Delafield Hotel was amazing! We can’t say enough good things about her, the staff, and the venue. They were so accommodating, professional, and kind — exceeding all of our expectations! The venue itself is beautiful. Really, the Delafield Hotel made everything perfect for us.”

Dinner and drinks were catered by the hotel. Guests had four choices for dinner: chicken, beef, fish, or vegetarian. Signature cocktails of moscow mules or brandy old fashioneds were served. “All of it was amazing!”

Celebrating Family Traditions
The bride and groom agree that their favorite thing to plan for the wedding was how to include their family and traditions. Instead of a menu card, Jess and Matt printed a tradition card, explaining two family traditions to their guests. The first was Matt’s family tradition: “Matt’s dad led the whole room in a funny Johnny Appleseed prayer before dinner. Everyone stood up, joined hands, and sang together.”

For Jess’s family, they always pass a flag on to the newest member of the family — Matt, in this case. “When he was presented with the flag, we started a line of people marching around the room to patriotic songs.” Almost all guests joined in the ‘parade,’ which ended with friends and family standing in a huge circle, their arms around each other. belting “God Bless America.” Afterward, the entire room erupted into a chant: “USA! USA!” It follows that Jess describes her wedding day with these three words: intimate, joyous, and patriotic.