About Sierra and Joey
Sierra and Joey came to our team for Full Planning + Design, which means we got to be involved so intimately in EVERY part of their wedding day at The Edgewater in Madison, WI. This is our favorite way to serve our couples because of how much we get to know our clients! If you know me, you know I love personal details and personal relationships, so of course, Sierra and I became best friends – naturally, haha!
The magic of this day cannot be fully captured in words or pictures. But you can feel it – the warmth, the love, the heartfelt connections. As soon as guests saw the reception room, they were in absolute awe. You’re just gonna have to keep reading and scrolling, my friend. It’s THAT good.
The Night Before
They hosted their rehearsal walk-through and dinner at Maple Bluff Country Club (right in their neighborhood!), with a welcome party to follow at The Edgewater Sky Bar. One thing I LOVED that they did was hire the photographer and videographer to also capture 1 hour of the night before!
Sierra and Joey’s guest list was quite high (around 250) so the welcome party really allowed them to get more intimate and personal time with their guests instead of cramming it all into one wedding day. It was perfect!
Floral Inspiration
Sierra’s roots in the Catskill mountains of upstate New York was the main inspiration for the wedding’s design. We wanted to capture a modern design that was also earthy (lots of green!).
We struck a balance between elegance but with a modern, sexy edge. You wouldn’t know it at first glance, but the baby’s breath arrangements on the head table with the flowers popping out had wild roses and other floral choices that represent the native flowers in the Catskills, and that was one subtle way we wanted to incorporate Sierra’s roots into their day.
Of course, it also only made sense that Joey also proposed on a majestic mountain in Telluride, CO too, so we had to incorporate those small details where we could!
Their wedding day looked like a classic, forest meadow. SO LUSH. So picturesque. Honestly, it was hard to believe it was real when you walked in and saw all of it for the first time. Brad with Floral Xpressions out of Janesville delivered the most jaw-dropping floral. We were so thrilled to see it all happen before our eyes! Assignment = understood.
Design Inspiration
The black and white checkered dance floor was placed as a diamond (instead of a square in the center) in the room with their absolute closest family and friends at surrounding the dance floor. With the room configuration and Sierra and Joey’s desire to include their large bridal party and their partners, we went with an elevated Kings table with greenery hanging on trellises above the Kings table. The trellis and the hanging lights provided such gorgeous visual interest to their day.
At the king’s table we also “elevated” it by having gold beaded chargers and gold and black flatware at each of the table settings.
The venue and ballroom alone had lots of browns and blues, so we chose to round out the subtle mountain color palette with the green and kept it classic with black, white and gold.
Fashion
Sierra’s dress, oh boy, it was EVERYTHING. She looked like a literal model and that dress definitely made her the absolute star of the show with that phenomenal bow. WORDS DON’T DO JUSTICE.
Can’t Forget Hank!
And what’s a wedding without some furry friends? Hank, Sierra and Joey’s black lab, made a cameo appearance through the favor bags and signature drinks sign. The favor bags were stuffed with local Madison made items – custom Wisconsin shaped cookies, popcorn from Clary’s popcorn on Madison’s iconic State Street (considering Joey grew up near Madison and Sierra went to school there!)
The Venue
The Edgewater is the most scenic venue in Madison, and we loved incorporating their venue in the invitation suite.
Ceremony
But the most touching moment was when Sierra walked down the aisle to the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. It was a tribute to her mom and her favorite song, who passed away a few years ago.
Nestled in Sierra’s bouquet was a subtle dragonfly, in honor of her mom – a beautiful reminder of the soul’s transformation after death, representing rebirth and new beginnings.
Reception
Although the couple shared a tiered cake, we opted for assorted desserts and cake pops for guests instead of the traditional tiered cake. Sierra was absolutely obsessed with cake pops, so we had to make her dream come true. Her high school friend, the cake pop vendor (Krenare’s Custom desserts, crafted these little delights with white and gold pearls to match Sierra’s veil. They were a hit. Not a single cake pop was left at the end of the night.
As the evening unfolded, the dance floor came alive with with a hybrid DJ and live band, much thanks to HYPE Productions. 🙂
Conclusion
Sierra and Joey’s wedding was a whirlwind of emotions, laughter, and joy. It was everything they had hoped for and more. Honestly? A personal best for our team. We are so thrilled with how everything turned out and even more grateful for the opportunity to work with such an incredible couple on their wedding day!
Vendor Team
Planning & Design: Olive Branch Events Co.
Photography: Savannah Steiger
Videography: Hoffland Films
Venue@ Catering: The Edgewater
Floral: Floral Expressions Janesville
Hair & Makeup: Wide Eyed Brides
Dress: Ines Di Santo from Ultimate Bride Chicago
Bridesmaids Dresses: Reformation
Cake: The Baked Lab
Desserts: Krenare’s Custom Desserts
Live Band: H.Y.P.E. Entertainment
Ceremony Music: Pecatonica String Quartet
Rentals: Event Essentials
Stationery: Allison Hopperstad
Invite Stationery: Tuesday Grace Designs
Signage: Cedar and Spice
