We’ve all heard the lyric. “It’s like raaaaa-ee-aaaaaaaaaaaaain on your wedding day.” Gosh, a lyric we know that NONE of our clients would ever even THINK of letting pass over their lips (or, god forbid, their wedding planners’!) unless totally necessary. Try as we might to avoid it, though, it is an inevitable fact of our jobs: when rain is in the forecast, we need to discuss it. When lightning, strong winds and TORNADOES are in the forecast, well, yeah, it takes precedent over the rest of the plans, especially when the wedding is set to take place at the Bride’s family home, under a special arbor built by her Dad, a huge tent with 30′ metal poles, and plans for an evening full of boat rides on their private pond.
While storms are far from our most prominent memory of Audrey and Patrick’s wedding day, looking back, the forecast is sort of a necessary prelude to tell the rest of the story – there were some SERIOUS storms headed our way, and it was looking nearly inevitable that at least part of the day was going to be spent under the tent or inside her parent’s garage, saying “Hey, at least we got some GREAT shots of the wedding party beforehand.” It was, to be sure, a big bummer to think that all of the hard work Audrey’s parents had done to their entire property to prepare for the day was going to be foiled by a big bully of a summer storm.
HOWEVER. After we spent a good amount of time talking through Plans B, C, D, E, and F, preparing to situate the tent so it would serve as protection from rain rather than sun, and talking Audrey through all the reasons why a rainy day can be just as great as a sunny one for photos, the storm SPLIT IN TWO AND PASSED OVER US ENTIRELY. The forecast seriously showed a circle of clarity over the small town of Tomah while the rest of Wisconsin suffered its wrath. Needless to say, the collective sigh of relief as we began to kick off the reception was tremendous; knowing that we could continue with the event and not plan for utter disaster at the drop of a hat (or, drop of rain, rather), meant that Audrey and Patrick were officially granted the day they had hoped and planned so well for!
And it is true. Looking back on this day, it’s easy to see how much care Audrey’s loving family put into preparing their property for the party: her dad building the signs and the dance floor by hand and even planting the appropriate trees and plants around the property, her mother, preparing their home for an influx of a week’s worth of guests, and Audrey and Patrick, planning their ideal day from afar, being sure to include touches of both Wisconsin and Michigan, their new home, in the plans.
We also can’t overlook the fact that Audrey was one of those brides who simply GLOWED on her wedding day. We were lucky enough to be a part of this “reveal” to her bridesmaids, and, no joke, while her bridesmaids were clapping, cheering, and even shedding a tear or two, we were over in the corner doing our own version of the Tina Turner, squatting and jumping and flapping our arms in the air at the mere sight of her. (We know, we maybe get a wee bit invested in our brides, it’s been discussed and we’re dealing with it accordingly.)
Do you guys SEE that sun!? Fist pump for that, right!? Audrey and Patrick were married in front of her parent’s private lake, under an arbor carefully constructed by her father, by a pastor Audrey had known her whole life, surrounded by her and Patrick’s closest friends and family. PLUS, the love between these two, you guys, it’s no joke. It’s no wonder the sun decided to shine on that sort of love.
As a celebration of Audrey and Patrick’s contagious love (and the triumph over the storm), and to put a big exclamation point on the day, the Buswell parents hosted a private fireworks display surrounding their lake to round out the evening. It was the perfect finale to a weekend that we STILL come back to celebrating, even nearly one year later. While it’s true that private property weddings require a bit more diligence and logistical planning, having that versatility afforded to you to throw the exact party YOU want is truly a value we can get behind. Congratulations, Audrey and Patrick (and now soon to be parents!), and your incredible friends and family, for making this dream of a day come true. We were honored to have been a part of it.
Location: Buswell Residence | Photography: Abby Clements Photography | Florist: The Station | Catering: Premier Catering | Coordination & Styling: Elevate Events | Ceremony Music: The Wisconsin String Quartet | Ceremony Sound/Reception DJ: Danny Wedel | Officiant: Pastor Bill Swan | Desserts: Lauren’s Flour Shoppe | Make Up: Lexa’s Luxurious Looks | Hair: Liz Bloom | Tenting: La Crosse Tent & Awning | Custom Wood Signs: Bride’s Father
