Oh this wedding! This couple really made it their own which included a tattoo artist at the reception and personal accents from their family. Throw in it being hosted at one of our fave wedding venues in Milwaukee — The Cooperage — you’ll definitely want to check it out.
As always, we were excited to see they used #MIMFamily Members including The Cake Lady for their cutting cake and The Cooperage for both the venue and catering.
Before you dive in, check out this video from Radmond Media that includes so many of the amazing details of this wedding. Spoiler alert — it includes live tattoos for the bride and groom at their reception!
Quick Facts – Cooperage Wedding:
- Guests: 200
- Ceremony: Friends Meeting House
- Reception: The Cooperage
- Total Costs: $ 22,894
Wedding Essentials ($5,038):
- Invitations/Stationery: $470 (DIY)
- Cake/Desserts: $337 ($150 Cake / $187 desserts)
- Photographer & Video: $2,400
- Flowers: $1,831 (4 Bridesmaids, flower girl, small bouquet for mother and MIL, 4 groomsmen, 1 officiant, dessert display, 18 tables, large head table display, bathroom arrangements)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($11,600):
- Ceremony: $300
- Officiant: $0 (cousin)
- Reception Venue: $3,000
- Food: $5,000 (Cooperage Catering — Snacks!)
- Drinks: $2,500 ($2,500 paid by bride groom / $2,500 cash bar to reach minimum of $5K)
- DJ: $250
- Photo Booth: $550
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($3,780):
- Bride’s Dress: $200
- Bride’s Shoes: $100
- Groom’s Attire: $1,100 (custom suit)
- Hair/Makeup: $380
- Rings: $2,000 (grooms ring was grandfather’s)
Other Costs ($2,005):
- Rentals: $0 (included with Cooperage rental)
- Wedding Favors: $200 (koozies)
- Wedding Party Gifts: $170
- Hotel Suite: $500 (two night stay at the Cooperage AIRBNB)
- Rehearsal Dinner: $330
- Miscellaneous Decor: $80 (welcome signs, candles, frames)
- Transportation: $225 (shuttle for wedding party)
- Other: $500 (Tattoo Artist at wedding reception)
- Honeymoon: $2,500 (trip to New Orleans; not included in total)
A Note From The Couple
We asked the couple to tell us about their planning and budgeting process, and this is what they had to say:
We are both non-profit workers so for us, our wedding had to reflect not only our daily budgets, but also who we are as people. We will spend lots of money on good food, fun experiences but we do not need to have the fanciest shoes, or centerpieces.
For us, our wedding was about gathering and coming together as a family. We decided not to have seating arrangements, or even a scheduled sit down dinner. There were games, a tattoo artist (for the serious lifetime memories!), fire pits, LOTS of delicious food, music and dancing. Which at the end of the day was more than perfect. We had a lot of time to go around the room and talk with everyone who came to the wedding, which was important to us.
Everything in our wedding was carefully curated and had personal touches on almost everything. The floral was perfect, and all native and seasonal Wisconsin plants. Our guest book was Mike’s [the groom] grandma’s scrapbook. The cake stand was Ana’s [the bride] moms from her wedding.
Other than the food and venue, our photographer was the most expensive. We are both artists and believe that artists be properly paid for their work. Leah Kasper’s talent and eye for personal moments was more than worth it. Not only was she a blast to work with, but she and Brain Radmond (Radmond Media) really helped to ease our nerves, and enhance the entire experience. Looking back on the photos and reliving the memories is priceless.
– The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the couple for sharing their awesome wedding at The Cooperage and to Leah Kasper Photography for the amazing photos!
If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.
