Due to COVID, the couple had to cut their guest list and change venues close to their date. We LOVE that they didn’t let this slow them down and treated their guests to a top notch dinner /apps and an open bar all night!! Read on to learn more about this awesome wedding on the Milwaukee Boat Line’s Voyageur Yacht!
Married In Milwaukee Family Used:
We were excited to see that this couple used several Married In Milwaukee Family Members!! Here are the MIM Family Members involved in this Milwaukee boat wedding:
- Photography: Happy Gnome Photography
- Catering: Saz’s
- Rehearsal Dinner: Saz’s
Quick Facts – Milwaukee Boat Wedding:
- Guests: 40
- Ceremony: St. Hedwig Church
- Reception: Voyageur Yacht – Milwaukee Boat Line
- Total Costs: $23,600
Wedding Essentials ($3,835):
- Invitations/Stationery: $575
- Photographer: $2,800
- Flowers: $460 (includes: bride’s bouquet, bridesmaid’s bouquets, corsage’s for mothers, boutonnieres for groomsmen and dads)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($14,970):
- Ceremony: $700
- Boat Rental: $4,700
- Food: $3,170
- Drinks: $2,400 (full open bar all night)
- Band: $4,000
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($3,395):
- Bride’s Dress: $120
- Dress Alterations: $400
- Bride’s Shoes: $40
- Groom’s Attire: $200
- Hair and Makeup: $135
- Rings: $2,500 (not including engagement ring)
Other Costs ($1,400):
- Trolley: $0 (gifted by family)
- Wedding Party Gifts: $200
- Rehearsal Dinner: $1,200
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:
Planning During COVID:
Like many couples in 2020, we faced the decision of what to do given the COVID situation limiting so many gatherings. Although so difficult to cut down our wedding invite list, we made the decision to celebrate the day with our immediate family and wedding party which ended up being wonderful and so memorable in its own way.The Catering:
As we had to make the decision to decrease our wedding size close to the date, we had already deposited a substantial amount of money to another venue. Fortunately, since the Milwaukee Boatline also used Saz’s for catering, we were able to use some of the money we had already deposited, not forfeiting the entire amount. Because of this, we went with a top notch dinner and appetizers since we had more to spend. Also, given our smaller crowd, we figured we had better treat them to an open bar of top shelf selections all night.Leading up to the wedding, we had wanted to be conscientious of a budget so made specific selections of vendors and the essentials to make our day special.
The Invites, Dessert and Hair/Makeup:
I ordered invites online through Paper Culture which gave us a reasonable price and donated trees for our orders which we thought was nice. Our flowers were through a smaller vendor who quoted us nearly one thousand dollars less than some of the larger operations in Milwaukee. Talented relatives of ours were more than happy to help us out so made our cupcakes for the day, which were delicious, and another did our hair, giving us reasonable options compared to pricing I had seen elsewhere. This also made those aspects of our day special because of the inclusion of our family, not just as they helped our budget.The Dress:
I had never been one to spend a lot of money on my clothing, so I knew that I wanted to find a simple wedding dress for good price. COVID helped me out with this decision as getting into dress shops was challenging for trying dresses on, so I ordered a dress online, one that I kept coming back to when looking at different styles. With the help of P’Dia, some alterations were made and the dress became one of my dreams. The shoes, which ended up being perfect, were also an online deal!The Band:
Finally, Will and I are both all about fun, and the must-have for our wedding day aside from a meaningful ceremony was live music. We were willing to spend nearly any amount on a good band, and Tall Boy did not disappoint! Cruising down the Milwaukee River, into the harbor, and up and down the coastline in Lake Michigan dancing to and singing along with their awesome music really made the night perfect!– The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the couple for sharing the Cost Breakdown of their awesome Milwaukee Boat Line wedding and to Happy Gnome Photography for the amazing photos!
If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous Cost Breakdown articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.
