Yesterday on Twitter we asked you (our favorite trend-spotters!) to spill what you’ve been seeing this summer. From florals to patterns to palettes and more. And sure enough, this Milwaukee beauty has a little bit of everything you mentioned: the blush color palette, the pretty peeks of lace, and that soft, ultra romantic look that seems to always be in style. But while this wedding hits just about every trend in the 2013 book, it’s those sweet, bespoke moments that make it stand out among the rest. Set aside some extra time to peruse this gorgeous gallery from The McCartneys — it’s sooo worth a nice, long look.
From The McCartneys… Zainab & Mike have one of the most unique & adorable love stories we have ever heard, and there wasn’t a face without a smile as it was recalled on their wedding day! They both share a passion for traveling & exploring, and their paths crossed when they decided to attend medical school in St. Maarten. Can you imagine a more beautiful place to earn your degree than the Caribbean?!? Zainab, already on the island, received an email from a friend saying that Mike would be arriving to attend med school, just like her! She also mentioned that she had arranged for Zainab to pick Mike up from the airport to show him around, suggesting that they might hit it off! Mike sent a photo so that Zainab would recognize him and, after sharing it with friends, it was agreed that he was very cute! Zainab & Mike immediately had a connection, and it continued to grow as they explored the island and endured med school together.
Having met in paradise, we are certain that their wedding day in Milwaukee was equally as beautiful!! Zainab & Mike’s ceremony included the perfect blend of Persian and Jewish traditions – our favorites being the honey they tasted off of each other’s fingers for sweetness & happiness, and of course the breaking of the glass followed by a loud and heartfelt “Mazel Tov”!
From the Bride… Mike and I wanted to make sure that our guests had an absolute blast, that is what was most important to us. Also, we grew up from very different backgrounds and cultures and have come together as one. It was important to us to incorporate our cultures into the wedding and create our own version of the perfect wedding. This is why we incorporated the Persian Wedding Sofreh, the Jewish chuppah and also the Jewish tradition of breaking the glass. Our vision was for our guests to feel like they were at an intimate and elegant dinner party. We also wanted it to be romantic and soft with a touch of glamour.
We chose our venue by perusing Milwaukee’s wedding photographer’s websites. We picked our location based on how the venues appeared in professional photos. We knew we wanted a space that could host the ceremony and reception. We also knew that we wanted a space with a lot of natural light and elements of nature such as greenery, and water. We looked at 2 venues prior to deciding and I knew this was the one based based on the versatility of the venue and also the amazing views!
Mike and I are both very busy residents and planned our wedding in Milwaukee while living in Tennessee. I couldn’t have done it without my matron of honor, Reggie, helping me all along. We were so lucky to work with Esther from Impressions Florists as she completely transformed all of my ideas and pictures into reality. They were even more gorgeous than I imagined!
My favorite moments were seeing Mike for the first time while we did our first look and portraits before the ceremony, the honey kiss tradition during our ceremony, the whole wedding ceremony and also dancing the night away. During our ceremony, soon after we finished reading our vows, I remember turning back to look at my bridesmaids and saw Lauren, my Matron of Honor, wiping the biggest tear off her cheek and it fell onto her dress. I also loved it that my step-mother and mother shared a tissue to wipe of happy tears during our ceremony, I thought it was very fitting for Mother’s Day.
If I were to share any advice with a future bride, I would say incorporate what is most important to you. Have fun and know that some things may not be as perfect as you planned, however, you, your groom and your guests will have so much fun no matter what and it’ll be perfect!
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Photography: The McCartneys Photography | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Pier Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Floral Design: Impressions by Esther Fleming | Planning: Courtney Hyzer of Pier Wisconsin | Officiant: Judith Kubish | DJ: Sound By Design | Catering: Bartolotta Catering | Wedding Cake: Simma’s Bakery | Invitations, Place Cards & Table Numbers: Wedding Paper Divas | Bride’s Jewelry: Swarovski | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various | Hair & Makeup: Nola Kahn & The Beauty Factory