Our Wedding Day: Venue

 

July 15, 2017 will always be one of my very favorite days. For many months, it was a date on the calendar that carried much anticipation and excitement. On that sunny Saturday morning, it brought the calm and peace of knowing that on that day, I was going to become Mike’s wife. And now, looking back on that day, I can’t help but be filled with sweet memories of one of the most fun and meaningful days of my life.
As many people do, Β I had daydreamed about my “wedding day” for many years. As I went through different phases in life, my idea of the “perfect” day changed – once it was in a church, another time it was an elopement, and another it was a small destination ceremony somewhere tropical. Mike and I had casually talked about where we would like to get married someday, but I didn’t feel the pressure to really think about it until we would get engaged. Well, we got engaged and then the nagging questions started looming: how/where/when will we get married? What do we want our wedding day to be like, feel like? Where, oh where, are we going to get married?!
I was talking through options with my sister and brother-in-law shortly after getting engaged, and through the course of that conversation, the idea of our family’s lake house in Wisconsin came up. At first, I shot it down. I’d never ever considered it – it seemed complex and chaotic and like a huge burden to ask of my parents. We talked about some other ideas and came back to the lake house, this time discussing the actual potential. Β We talked about the flow and the locations of the different events. I thought about how meaningful it would be – it had been in our family since I was 2 years old and I’d spent every single summer up there until I was about 14 or 15. Mike and I had our first kiss there and had spent many holidays and summer weekends there. I was really starting to like the idea, so I bounced it off of my mom immediately. To my surprise, it was met with an enthusiastic, “Sure! Sounds great!”. Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. I’m only asking to have my wedding at your home. No big deal, right? I called Mike and he was really into the idea.
Fast forward many months and a lot of planning, we had the wedding of our dreams at my family’s lake house. It was a perfect 82ΒΊ day with a slight lake breeze. The sun was shining, the humidity was low. It was a very calculated risk planning an outdoor wedding in Wisconsin in July, but man, did it pay off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Amazing Vendors
photography: Jordan Maunder
wedding planner: Shannon Gail
design, decor and event production: Revel Decor

 

Hi there!

Lauren Bown Lifestyle Blog is an online destination where I share my personal style, beauty finds, and bits of life in hopes to inspire other women to feel good in their skin and find the beauty in the ordinary.

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35 Comments

  1. 9.5.17

    Oh my gosh Lauren!!! This is so stunning. I bet it was so meaningful to have your wedding there. I can't get over how gorgeous it is!

  2. 9.5.17

    Lauren this is probably the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen before! Absolutely stunning! So excited to see the rest of the wedding week you have planned!

  3. 9.5.17
    Milou said:

    The pictures are absolutely breathtaking! Congratulations to both of you!

  4. 9.5.17

    Oh my goodness. Lauren – it looks beautiful – you, Mike, the venue. What a gorgeous place to be married.

  5. 9.5.17
    Alyssa said:

    This is seriously one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever seen. And so sentimental.

  6. 9.5.17

    So gorgeous! I'm from southeastern WI and I bet the weather was just perfect…love that you had your wedding at a place so meaningful. <3

  7. 9.5.17

    That place looks BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely love it.

    Kim

    http://trendkeeper.me – Booties to buy NOW!

  8. 9.5.17

    Stunning, thanks so much for sharing!!

  9. 9.5.17

    Your wedding was absolutely stunning!!! I wish I could hire you as my planner lol. I'm getting married in October of next year and really liked the guest book idea you had shown on your instagram stories with the photo album. I would love an update to see how it went/anything you would do differently. Congratulations to both of you!

    • 9.6.17

      Thank you! Well, I hired a planner, so I don't know how much help I would be as a planner πŸ˜‰ I'll share more about the guest book in a post about the reception!

  10. 9.5.17
    SageAnnie said:

    I loved reading this post! It made me get butterflies and good feels all around! I really like all the little details you incorporated and the delicate setting. Not over the top, simply beautiful and full of love.

  11. 9.5.17

    So, so beautiful! I'm not sure if you would be willing to share, but what factored into your decision to not go with a church as a venue? I am debating that for my own wedding someday

    • 9.6.17

      Thank you! There were a variety of reasons, but to really simplify it, we wanted to be married by someone we knew very personally (my brother in law), wanted the ceremony and reception in the same place, and, aesthetically, I like the look of an outdoor wedding better (for me!). It's a tough decision!

  12. 9.5.17
    Laura said:

    The dress, the bouquet, the greenery, the house, even the chairs! The stuff my dreams are made of! What an ideal wedding. Congratulations to you both! May this be the beginning of a very long, sanctifying, life giving marriage for you both. Best wishes!

    • 9.6.17

      Thank you so much! It was the stuff my dreams were made of, too πŸ˜‰

  13. 9.6.17

    Gorgeous, stunning, and simply perfect!

  14. 9.6.17

    Lauren, this is stunning! Congratulations!

  15. 9.7.17
    Jessica H said:

    So beautiful! I love your flowers. And your dress. And everything!

  16. 9.7.17
    Mallory said:

    Stunning!! Loving your wedding posts!

  17. 9.10.17
    Elise said:

    This looks like such a beautiful event! I love the place it was perfect for you! Hope to see more wedding pictures soon!
    Elise | http://www.elisebythepiece.com

  18. 10.9.17

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  21. 4.6.19
    Michaela Melillo said:

    This is beautiful ! Where was it?