Taylor & Danny’s “A Small Love Story” Wedding at The Ingleside Hotel

Taylor and Danny met at a college party among mutual friends, so it’s fitting that they got engaged while on a ski and snowboarding trip, also with friends! “We had planned to take a few group and couples pictures before hitting the slopes,” Taylor says. When it was her and Danny’s turn for a photo, he implored her to put down her snowboard and take off her helmet for one of the photos. “I told him I didn’t want to—I wasn’t very impressed with my hair!” Taylor laughs.

After several pleas, Taylor obliged, only to find Danny down on one knee with a ring in his hand. “I totally thought he was just joking at first, and I put my hands on my hips — only to realize all of our friends were watching, snagging pictures, and smiling so big. I mustered the words, ‘Of course!’ before kissing him.”

The couple planned a wedding centered on “A Small Love Story” — Small being their last name. It started with the save-the-dates being a bookmark telling people “You’re booked!” “We designed the wedding website to look like a book, telling our backgrounds before we met and highlighting our most important chapters.” At the reception, the tables were also given chapters, and decorations were made up of vintage books, floating candles, and old book pages. “The wedding program was also designed like a book and even included character bios of our wedding party members.”

To prep for the wedding day, Taylor attended bridal shows at Terrace 167, The Ingleside Hotel, and the Original Bridal Decor Resale & Wedding Show. Taylor then found her Mori Lee dress at Amelishan Bridal.

She and Danny ended up choosing The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee as their reception venue. Heavenly Creations supplied the head table backdrop and the mauve organza sashes for the chiavari chairs. In all the planning, Taylor advises other wedding-planning ladies to stick to their budgets: “Lay everything out with max amounts to spend and stick to it. It’s so easy to spend more.”

Danny and Taylor held their ceremony at St. Gabriel’s in Hubertus. “It’s a big, beautiful church that lets in a lot of sunlight. One of our favorite parts was the trumpet player accompanying our pianist/vocalist.” En route to the reception, the couple stopped for photos in Frame Park in Waukesha — “so beautiful!”

At the reception, dinner and bartending service were both provided by The Ingleside, with a choice of chicken, roast beef, or cheese tortellini as a vegetarian option. Beer, wine, and soda were available all night, as well as a cash bar for guests interested in something a little extra. “We had cake in two flavors: carrot and red velvet, both with buttercream frosting. Later at night, we brought out pizza to munch in the midst of dancing!”

Speaking of dancing, one of Taylor’s favorite things she planned for the wedding was a surprise mother-daughter dance to “Mama’s Song” by Carrie Underwood. “My mom is my rock and this song is perfect for her. When I heard it for the first time, years ago, I knew I had to use it for my wedding one way or another. Seeing how much it meant to her to dance with me on that day made it all worth it; it was so hard to keep a secret from her!”

Taylor’s main piece of advice for future brides is to book your venue as soon as possible. “Some venues are booked almost two years in advance! If you know you want a specific venue, plan for a longer engagement and book it as soon as you can.”

In the end, going with The Ingleside proved a wonderful choice for Danny and Taylor. “Brian at The Ingleside Hotel was amazing. There were days that we would email him multiple times, and he was always so prompt to respond.” On the day itself, Taylor says Brian even helped manage her wedding day jitters: “He was very good at calming my nerves and reassuring me that everything would be great. We loved working with him!”

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Bridal Shows Attended~Terrace 167`Lake Country Wedding Show`Original Bridal Decor Resale & Wedding Show at Waukesha County Expo Center
Hair Stylist~Miranda at Salon East in Hartford, Wi
Rehearsal Dinner~Fox and Hounds
Ceremony~St. Gabriel Parish, Hubertus, WI
Reception, Catering, Bartending~The Ingleside Hotel, Pewaukee, WI
Cake~Aggie’s Bakery
Flowers~Jane Kelly Floral
Music~Ceremony: Steve Senski and Lonna Schikert`Reception: Sweet Sounds of Music
Transportation~Churchill Limo
Photographer~Chris Eastman and Josh Himes with Great Scott Images
Travel/Honeymoon Service~Lisa Hoppe through Funjet
Videographer~Clear Vision Videography
Gown~Mori Lee from Amelishan Bridal
Formalwear~Amelishan Bridal
Rings~Hers: Howes Jewelers in La Crosse, WI`His: Kesslers
Rentals ( Backdrop/Chair sashes)~Heavenly Creations
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