A Spring Wedding at Boerner Botanical Gardens

How They Met

During the height of the pandemic, Michelle decided to attend a weekly outdoor run group (Run4Wine) that Jon has been running with for years. It took them about 3 months to really start talking, but it was Jon’s question to the group that really spurred our conversation - he had an acorn squash and didn’t know what to do with it. I asked for his email so I could send him my favorite acorn squash recipe, and the rest is history!

The Proposal

Jon thought about proposing for several days before he actually did it. Either one of them was tired or cranky, or there were too many people around, or there were one too many adult beverages. He proposed on 9/12/21 after a long and wonderful day of playing pickle ball, having drinks with friends, making a great dinner together, and watching a movie on the couch. Despite Michelle wearing PJs, glasses, and compression socks (they were training for a half marathon and her shins hurt), Jon got down on one knee and popped the question!

Wedding Style

Michelle wanted a boho-chic halter dress, and found the perfect Maggie Sottero gown. Jon wore a light gray suit & vest. Bridesmaids were all in their own style of dusty sage green dresses, and the groomsmen wore a slightly darker shade of gray.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side/Forever and ever"

Wedding Vision

Michelle didn't want anything too extravagant, more on the simple but elegant side. She wanted to spend on details that made us happy, but not on things that didn’t matter to us. They decided early that they wanted a Sunday brunch wedding at the Botanical Gardens, a 3 min drive from our house! This way, friends and relatives could still enjoy their weekend, celebrate for an afternoon with us, and get home at a reasonable hour.

Favorite Moments

Jon’s favorite moment was the first look, which we did before the ceremony, in the gardens. Michelle's favorite moment was talking with Jon at their sweetheart table while we ate brunch.

Favorite Part of Planning

They really enjoyed the cake tasting! Sampling all the brunch foods was great too (they really like food). I also liked working with vendors who really knew what they were doing and helped make our day exactly what we wanted it to be.

Planning Advice

"Choose the sweetheart table! For us, it was our own little bubble where we could check in and just enjoy our time together. Also, make sure you have a spreadsheet to organize and keep track of everything, including your budget, guest list details and RSVPs, gifts and thank you’s, etc. "

About Boerner Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee

Michelle & Jon live very close to Whitnall Park and Boerner Botanical Gardens, and run through that area often. They looked at another venues that would have been less expensive, but ultimately chose their own backyard for the sentimental value and close proximity. They also liked that they only had one choice for catering, and their wedding coordinators would do almost all of the set-up & tear-down on the day of (minus anything the couple brought) - both were big stress-savers.

Boerner Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee is a popular wedding photography destination for couples who want to capture the beauty of nature on their big day. In addition, the gardens also feature a variety of architectural details, such as finely crafted bridges and gazebos, that make for stunning photos. Whether you're looking for an intimate setting for your wedding portraits or a dramatic backdrop for your wedding ceremony, Boerner Botanical Gardens is sure to provide the perfect setting.

Favorite thing About JB

"Janalee was very friendly, professional, and responsive when I first reached out. I loved the photographer portfolios on the website so we could choose a photographer based on the style of photography that best fit our vision. Ashton and David were amazing to have with us on our wedding day - on time, organized, calm, friendly, and creative. They also listened to us. The pictures are nothing short of amazing, and we can’t wait to print them!"

Best Planning Decision

"We wanted to enjoy the day, spending as little time/energy setting up and tearing down as possible - finding a venue who could meet this need was the best decision we made."

Is there something you wish you had done differently?

"Not really! We made sure to check in with each other often during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with all the decisions and details. On the day-of, we were just excited to marry each other and were mentally prepared to roll with the punches if anything didn’t go 'as planned'. "