Kelly & Cody’s Stunning Vineyard-Themed Wedding at the Milwaukee Art Museum
Kelly from Brookfield, Wisconsin, and Cody from Normal, Illinois, met during a bar crawl in Chicago. “We didn’t have any mutual friends — just bumped into each other on the dance floor and went on a first date a few days later. We’ve been together ever since.” The two got engaged on New Year’s Eve, during a quiet, cozy stay at the American Club in Kohler. After a nice dinner out, Kelly and Cody returned to the hotel to find a horse and carriage waiting outside. Cody suggested a ride before midnight.
“I put it together that he had arranged for the whole thing ahead of time,” Kelly says. “But as it wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to surprise me like this, I thought nothing of it.” After their ride through the charming town, Kelly asked for a photo with the horses. As the driver snapped the picture, Cody got down on one knee and asked the question Kelly had been waiting a lifetime to hear. “Lots of happy tears, hugs, and kisses later, we shared the news with family and friends, then went to celebrate. In true Cody form, we shared shots of Fireball to seal the deal.”
Cody and Kelly planned a Milwaukee Art Museum wedding with a vineyard theme. “We wanted to create a vineyard feel inside. The Art Museum is a beautiful blank canvas, and we felt it would be a perfect opportunity to try something different in the space.” To prepare for the big day, Kelly attended the Wedding Showcase at the Grain Exchange. She found her utterly romantic Nouvelle Amsale gown at White Dress Bridal Boutique.
Rental items for the day itself came from Relics Vintage Rentals and Canopies, and Janelle Meyer-Brown from événement Planning helped to coordinate and bring the celebration to life. “I have to give the most credit to our wedding planner, Janelle, and our florist, Esther. These two worked perfectly in sync and designed the dreamiest venue space! They took time to listen and really understand the look and feel I wanted at the Milwaukee Art Museum and stopped at nothing to accomplish exactly what I asked for.”
Before the ceremony at St. Francis of Assisi church, Kelly and Cody did a first look photoshoot at the Villa Terrace. “We’re so happy we had that intimate moment together before the whirlwind of the day took off,” Kelly says. “Everyone told us the day would fly by, and they were right! I will never forget walking up to Cody, nobody else in sight, and being able to lock eyes on each other on the best day of our lives.” The couple was then joined by their families and wedding party to take additional photos. “The Villa Terrace ended up being the perfect location.”
Cody says his favorite part of the ceremony was when Kelly finally opened the doors of the sanctuary at St. Francis. “It signified the true meaning of the day,” he says. “Nothing else was important in that moment except for the two of us, coming together.” Kelly says the vow exchange was her favorite: “The commitment we made to each other means everything in marriage.” Another unique aspect of the ceremony was that the altar was in the center of the room. “It felt as though we were surrounded by family and friends. We loved the intimate feel at St. Francis. Also, one of Cody’s best men was our cantor.”
Then it was off to the Milwaukee Art Museum for a grand and gorgeous reception. “The reception was so much fun and our favorite part of the entire day! When we first arrived and had a sneak peek of the room, I had goosebumps everywhere,” Kelly says. “I was a bride that had a hard time seeing the full vision. I second-guessed decisions, not knowing how it would all pull together. Everyone kept telling me to just trust that it would be perfect. I was speechless when we walked into the room and saw every little piece of the planning executed to perfection.”
The party started immediately with dancing. “Janelle suggested we do a ‘New-York-style’ wedding, with guests dancing as soon as they entered the reception and in between courses. We loved this idea as it kept the energy going throughout the entire night.” Overall, to decorate the space and set the ambiance, Kelly and Cody trusted their vendors rather than tackling any DIY projects. “We felt we had assembled the best team possible between Janelle and Esther. We knew we were in good hands and left all of the little details and projects up to them.”
Dinner was catered by Café Calatrava — “all of the food was amazing!” Cody and Kelly offered their guests the option of NY Strip, Rosemary Chicken, or Mushroom Risotto. “Having tried all of these at our tasting, we loved every dish! The hors d’oeuvres passed at cocktail hour were perfect; the shrimp cocktail appetizer was fresh and ready for our guests at the tables as they entered the room. We found out our guests also love Fireball! In a short speech, Cody mentioned that the bar was stocked with the cinnamon whiskey, and 30 minutes later, the entire case was gone!”
For dessert, the couple chose to put a sweets table right by the dance floor, “so that everyone could get the energy they needed to keep bustin’ a move. Last but certainly not least, Chick-Fil-A sandwiches put a tasty finishing touch on the night. Speaking with several guests, it wasn’t uncommon to nab two or three sandwiches on the way out. Who knew they would be such a hit!?”
Cody says his favorite thing about their wedding day was the energy at the reception: “It felt like everyone was on the dance floor the whole time.” Kelly’s favorite memory from the day: “Watching Cody get on stage with the band when his go-to karaoke song came on. They handed him the mic and he sang ‘Your Love’ by The Outfield to all of his friends and family. I couldn’t let him have all the fun, so I hopped up on stage, stood by his side, and looked out into the crowd of all of our loved ones. It’s truly a moment I’ll never forget!”
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Bridal Shows Attended~Wedding Showcase at the Grain Exchange and another at the Milwaukee Art Museum
Wedding Consultant~Janelle Meyer-Brown, Evenement Planning
Invitations~Paper Envy
Rehearsal Dinner~Pizza Man, Milwaukee
Ceremony~St. Francis of Assisi Church
Reception~Milwaukee Art Museum
Catering~Café Calatrava
Cake & Cookies~Sweet Tooth Milwaukee
Flowers~Impressions by Esther
Music/Entertainment~Live Band: Time Chicago
Ceremony`Cantor~ Ben Jones (one of Cody’s best men)
Transportation~Go Riteway
Photographer~Booth Photographics
Videographer~Imagination Designers
Gown~Nouvelle Amsale from White Dress Bridal Boutique
Formalwear~The Black Tux
Engagement Ring~ Blue Nile
Wedding Bands~Gold Creations Ltd.
Rentals~Canopies & Relics Vintage Rentals
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Categorized in: Classic, Downtown, Pastel, Real Weddings