Rebekah & Sam’s Romantic Wedding at the Hilton Crystal Ballroom

Rebekah and Sam met at summer camp before going into the 7th grade. They stayed in touch over time, reconnected years later, and the rest is history! Sam popped the question during a trip to Germany. “He proposed on a bridge over a river, the first night we were there,” Rebekah says. “Sam shoots time-lapse videos, so he was able to capture the whole proposal! There was a festival happening, so we got to walk around the city, listening to live music with Prosecco in hand. It was beautiful.”

To kickstart the wedding planning, Rebekah attended the Best of the Best Bridal Show in Waukesha. “We found our florist there!” she says. “Something Borrowed and More in Hubertus. Jen and Judy were amazing!” The ceremony was planned for Atonement Lutheran Church in Muskego, with a reception to follow at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center’s Crystal Ballroom. Rebekah says one of the best parts of the ceremony, aside from the physical act of getting married and exchanging rings from Lyle Husar, was music by a string duo.

“We hired a cello and violin duo from Elegant Music Services to perform. They were great to work with from start to finish and did a beautiful job. We got so many compliments afterward! They had suggestions for traditional and non-traditional songs, and met with us so we could hear them in person. And they were affordable!” Sam and Rebekah’s favorite was when they played Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” during the recessional. “It was so cool to hear that as we were walking out of the church with everyone cheering. It was a great moment!”

Then it was off to an enchanting evening at the Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. “The room immediately blew me away, with the chandeliers and gold accents,” Rebekah says. “Our event planner, Racheal, did a fantastic job making sure everything went smoothly. She gave me ideas where I lacked, incorporated so many items that I brought from home, and seriously made the ballroom look amazing. She worked with my other vendors so well and was flexible with us, being willing to meet after work hours — which meant she was thereafter work, too! She even came in on Memorial Day for our final meeting the week of our wedding. That was just above and beyond.”

To round out the ballroom décor, Sam and Rebekah looked to the florists at Something Borrowed and More. “They did all of our centerpieces and rental items, which mostly consisted of glass cylinders and candle holders. They set up in the time frame I needed them to, and cleaned up afterward. I never had to worry! The table centerpieces were very simplistic, as requested, and looked so beautiful in the ballroom.”

Dinner was catered by the Hilton: “Plated beef and chicken — which were both delicious! But we mainly wanted to focus on drinks and desserts. We decided to spend more and get an open bar, which is always fun. Our desserts included a collection of mini treats like pecan tarts, fruit tarts, lemon bars, mini cannoli, cheesecake squares, a yellow sheet cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting — all from Simma’s!” Rebekah and Sam also put together their own candy table, which was a lot of work, but a bit hit.

In the end, for their 250-person wedding, Sam and Rebekah say they just wanted to make sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. “It’s a celebration, after all! The drinks were flowing, the music was great. We had a photo booth set up for people who needed a dancing break.” Between all the fun and the years full of love leading up to it, Rebekah and Sam’s wedding day — and love story — is certainly a special one.