All photos by Krisjon Photography
For a couple that loves architecture and old world elegance, you can’t beat a wedding at the Wisconsin Club. For just under $35,000, this couple had a beautiful Wisconsin Club Wedding.
The couple’s theme was “vintage glam” and the Wisconsin Club was the perfect fit. The Club’s ornate ballroom allowed them to keep decorations to a minimum and even forgo floral arrangements. Read on to enjoy their full cost breakdown, but we recommend starting off with this awesome video by Steve White Films:
Quick Facts – Wisconsin Club Wedding:
- Number of Guests: 150
- Ceremony/Reception: The Wisconsin Club
- Total Costs: $34,535
Wedding Essentials ($5,250):
- Invitations: $700 (included invites and save the dates)
- Programs: $200
- Wedding Cake: $900
- Photographer: $1,700
- Videographer: $1,500
- Brides Brooch Bouquet: $250
- Flowers: $0 (no flowers were used)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($12,275)
- Ceremony Fee: $1,000
- Venue Rental Fee: $0 (no charge if you meet minimums)
- Drinks: $1,800 (open bar during cocktail hour with unlimited signature drink)
- Food: $6,000 (catered by Wisconsin Club)
- DJ: $800
- Saxophonist: $200
- Rentals: $1,650 (included: round chuppah, aisle pedestals, candelabras draped in pearls, boutonnieres, candle centerpieces, chair covers and red carpet)
- Officiant: $275
- Photo Booth: $300 (with discount)
- Valet Parking: $250
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($13,530):
- Dress: $1,500
- Second Dress: $130
- Bride’s Shoes: $1,500
- Groom’s Attire: $200 (2nd suite was free with purchase of 1st)
- Rings: $10,000
- Hair and Make-up: $200
Other Costs ($3,480):
- Rehearsal Dinner: $350
- Wedding Party Gifts: $650
- Wedding Favors: $250
- Hotel Suite $280
- Bride’s Gift to Groom: $1,100 (Boudoir Photo Shoot and Album & Burberry watch)
- Groom’s Gift to Bride: $250 (Tiffany Charm Bracelet)
- Transportation: $0 (1974 Rolls Royce – gift from friend)
- Horse and Carriage: $100
- Miscellaneous Costs: $500
Honeymoon ($1,500 – Not included in total)
- Suite at the Vdara in Las Vagas: $1,500
A Note from the Bride and Groom
We asked the bride and groom to tell us about their planning and budgeting process, and this is what they had to say:
My love and I started planning our wedding a little over two years ago. There were two things that we wanted more than anything…1. We wanted for our families to have the time of their lives…and 2. We wanted our day to be a day that we would remember forever.
The Inspiration:
The planning of our day started with a little pair of shoes. Christian Louboutin shoes that is. I purchased the CL Lady Page Champagne and Lace red bottom pump. This shoe was the inspiration wedding theme—vintage glam. EVERYTHING centered around that shoe!The Venue:
My love and I love architecture and structures that project an old world feel. There were only a few places in our minds that would fit into this mold—and match my shoes of course. We visited and fell in love with the Wisconsin Club. It was perfect for both the ceremony and the reception and we loved the idea of having everything in one place.When we thought about colors, again, the shoe was the inspiration behind our decision. My love and I are lovers of Burberry. In and of itself, it is classic—vintage even. It was the perfect complement to our day.
The Invitations:
Our wedding was a mix of high-low. The venue was by far our largest expense and well worth every penny!! We wanted our invitations to really set the tone for what the day would be like. Therefore we decided not to skimp on the invites. We purchased Burberry ribbon and sent them to the designer to custom create a look based on my vision and her samples. They came out beautifully.The Ceremony:
Another area that we felt was important to splurge on was the aisle and alter. Pictures of my love and I as we exchanged vows are the centerfolds of the entire day. We wanted to really transform the ceremony space and make it soft, elegant, and romantic. A red carpeted aisle, flanked with white pillars with pearl draped candelabras atop was breathtaking. The rounded chuppah was overwhelmingly gorgeous and was the perfect backdrop.The Decor and Favors:
Areas that were less important were table centerpieces and party favors. The Wisconsin Club has a beautiful ornate ballroom so decorations were minimal. Additionally, we aren’t fans of party favors. The ribbon wand w/Bells was perfect and served a dual purpose. One, guests gave a celebratory wave of the wands when we were announced husband and wife. Additionally, we had the guests ring the bell on their wands to illicit a bride/groom kiss rather than the traditional glass clink.The Rehearsal Dinner:
Lastly, the rehearsal dinner was an area that we decided to keep low key. Our family loves to have fun, let loose, and eat well! We love barbecue and we frequent Big Daddy’s all the time. We know the staff and it has a down home feel….we love the environment! We ordered three troughs (a large bucket with 4 different meats, four sides, and cornbread) for the group, unlimited drinks and called it a day! Our bridal party loved the food and we had a blast!The Photography:
One unique element in our day was that my love and I decided to do a ‘first look’ photography session. While many couples do this, we took advantage of the beauty of the Wisconsin Club and used the many rooms in the mansion as backdrops that offered history, beauty, and variety. We never left the grounds for our pics and they turned out amazing!!There’s way too many things to talk about…all I can say is that our day was everything that we could have ever imagined or dreamed of.
– The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the bride and groom for sharing their awesome Wisconsin Club wedding, to Krisjon Photography for the photos and Steve White Films for the wedding film! If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.
