Christine + Jakub

May 21, 2022 / Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How did your love story begin?: Jakub and I met in high school, specifically in US history, which is perfect since he is now a history teacher! We have been together for almost 12 years. We have been together for many phases of our lives, finishing high school, attending Marquette University right here in Milwaukee together, and experiencing long distance with him teaching in Japan and me attending graduate school in Boston. In July 2020, Jakub proposed in the same location where he first asked me to be his girlfriend way back in high school. In high school, he “proposed” with a ring pop, but this time he proposed with a much nicer ring!

What was your vision for your wedding?: Jakub and I come from immigrant families, Jakub being a Polish immigrant, and my family from the Philippines, so we wanted to integrate both of our cultures together as much as possible. Because of this, we needed to find vendors that were flexible and welcoming to this vision. We found that The Ivy House was extremely open to our thoughts, encouraging the participation of our families in the entire process. Our main caterer, Zilli’s Hospitality Group, was also very open to working with others too, as we wanted to bring in traditional Polish and Filipino food throughout our wedding. In booking our photographer, we wanted to work with one that featured and prioritized diversity in their work, and also was diverse themselves. With this in mind, we found that Amanda Evans Photography was the perfect fit for what we were looking for in documenting our special day.

Tell us all about your wedding dress!: I personally was very nervous about my appointment! I had an idea of what I wanted, but I was open to whatever felt best. I was especially nervous about wedding dress sizing as I felt like I had no idea what my size would be, particularly after doing some research about sizing. When I arrived at my appointment, I was immediately put at ease! I booked the Styling Plus appointment, and it was so much fun! The drinks were amazing and the treats were sweet. I ended up choosing the very first dress I tried on! I tried on a total of 5 dresses, but I could not shake the amazing feeling I had wearing the first one. It felt so right!

You planned and you planned, but how did the day ACTUALLY go?!: Our wedding was simply amazing. We were told that it was going to rain ALL day, but it turns out the rain stopped right before our ceremony! It was overcast all day, which made our photos turn out breathtaking. (Overcast weather is a photographer’s dream!) We were able to incorporate various aspects of our cultures during our ceremony and reception like we wanted, which included a “Highlander Hut” during cocktail hour, “money” dance during the reception, late night Filipino food, and giveaways made by my Father-in-Law. It was a cool spring day, but we were able to have our dancing start outside on the patio, and transition inside for the last part of the night. Our DJ chose the perfect songs, including traditional Polish songs for my husband’s family from Poland and us to dance to, and added light shows to some of our favorite dance songs. Our night ended exactly how we imagined it and more, with Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” ringing through our ears.

What is your best advice for future brides-to-be?: The two pieces of advice that carried me through my wedding day and more were the following: Not everything will be “perfect,” but it will be perfect for you in the end. The energy of the wedding is set by the bride and groom, so be sure to have fun! If you do, so will your guests.

Vendors:
Dress: English Ivy by Alena Leena via Strike Bridal Bar
Photography: Amanda Evans Photography
Venue: The Ivy House
DJ: Milwaukee Airwaves
Catering: Zilli Hospitality Group
Late Night Catering/Additional Catering: Meat on the Street and Montrose Deli
Makeup and Hair: Style by R