Real Wedding: Rachel and TJ – The Barn at Trinity Peak

Rachel and TJ’s rustic-elegant wedding all started on match.com — “It actually works!” Rachel says. TJ proposed to Rachel after graduation: “He planned a graduation dinner for me at our favorite restaurant and invited my family. Everyone was toasting and congratulating me on finishing my degree. TJ announced he wanted to make a toast as well, and when I turned around he was on one knee in the middle of the restaurant. Luckily everyone whipped out their cell phones to capture it on video.”

TJ and Rachel’s wedding was held at The Barn at Trinity Peak — perfect for a wedding with a chic-but-natural vibe. “We used a lot of vintage pieces, including my grandmother’s buffet table as the alter for our ceremony,” Rachel says. “We were also lucky enough to stumble upon Vintique, a cute little vintage rental boutique in downtown Oconomowoc. They had so many wonderful vintage items to choose from and helped pull our vision together.”

Rachel’s long walk from the Trinity Peak barn to the ceremony is one of her stand-out memories: “It gave me enough time to look at everyone and take it all in while my favorite song was played on the acoustic guitar. TJ’s oldest sister Michele was our officiant, and she wrote an absolutely beautiful and heartfelt ceremony for us. We also wrote our own vows to each other, which made us both laugh and cry.”

The reception was all about good food and even better company. Midwest Sound DJ made the dance floor a destination all night long. Guests dressed up with props in the photo booth, and perfect weather allowed everyone to mingle both inside the barn and outside at candlelit cocktail tables.

Rachel and TJ set the mood with lots of handmade décor, including all of the centerpieces, the ceremony backdrop, and all of the signage. “Even all of the mismatched place settings were collected individually over the 15 months we planned our wedding; each was entirely unique.” The couple also incorporated a lot of family history into the day, from having a family member marry them to incorporating family heirlooms into the décor.

Another special touch TJ and Rachel added to their day was in their wedding favors — they didn’t have any. Instead, they chose to donate to their favorite animal rescue groups. “Our guests all know how passionate we are about animal rescue, and our wedding celebration was the perfect way to incorporate that and give back.”

As for the food: “It was scrumptious. Many of our guests were vegetarian and vegan, and Ball N’ Biscuit Catering was happy to prepare meals for them as well. All of the food was served family style to each table, so guests were able to try a little of everything.”

For drinks, TJ and Rachel served Watermelon Moscato for toasting and a self-service wine and beer bar. Dessert came from Miss Molly’s Pastries: a pumpkin cake with cinnamon mousse. “Many of our guests went back for another slice, and some even contacted us in the days following our wedding to ask if we had any leftover.” For a nighttime snack, the couple had pizza delivered at 9:00.

Rachel describes their wedding day in three words: “whirlwind, magical, and perfect.” Especially “whirlwind.” Her advice to brides-to-be is to “enjoy the chaos of the day. It goes by so fast, so take it all in and enjoy every minute.”

Pre-Wedding Celebration~Bachelorette party was a day filled with all of the bride’s favorite things: a day visiting wild animals at Bear Den Animal Sanctuary, then dinner at Tutto in downtown Milwaukee and later a private boat charter on Lake Michigan.`The groom requested a relaxed night to catch up with a few of his closest friends.
Bridal Shows~Best of the Best Bridal Show, Milwaukee’s Magnificent Bride Show at the Pfister Hotel
Wedding Consultant~Rachel, Event Productions
Invitations~Minted.com
Rehearsal Dinner~Catered Dinner at the Hilton Garden Inn, Oconomowoc
Ceremony and Reception Location~The Barn at Trinity Peak
Caterer~Ball N’ Biscuit Catering
Cake Designer~Miss Molly’s Pastries
Flowers~Fresh Design
Music/Entertainment~Ceremony/Cocktail Hour: Acoustic Guitar by CC Guns`Reception: Midwest Sound DJ
Photographer~Dragonfly Photography
Videographer~Forever Films
Dress Designer~Vera Wang from David’s Bridal
Formal Wear~Sears
Rings~Jared’s
Honeymoon~Playa del Carmen