Modern Wedding at Poplar Hall in Appleton

Jessie & Trevor’s beautiful, heartfelt wedding.

How They Met

Although Trevor and Jessie attended the same middle school, they didn’t meet until they were sophomores in high school. The two were both in Mr. Funk’s English class, and Trevor’s assigned seat was right next to Jessie’s best friend. Every day before class started, Jessie would perch at Trevor’s desk to chat with her friend, and every day he would have to ask her to move. “I secretly started looking forward to him having to ask me to move everyday, and then we quickly became friends. After a few months, he asked me on our first date.”

Shenandoah Proposal

As a couple, Jessie and Trevor love to spend time in nature, whether it’s hiking, camping, or just relaxing next to a fire. While most brides are surprised the moment they get engaged, Jessie actually saw hers coming. “Trevor and I have been dating for ten years, so at this point I know him too well to know when something is up! Each hike we took, I wondered when he was going to do it. Eventually one day, as we hiked up to a beautiful cliff edge with our dog, I turned around he was on one knee.”

Dress & Jewels

Jessie found her gown at Ivory Rose Bridal Boutique, and she says she felt both special and supported during her visit. “I loved the smaller, stress-free environment of shopping at a local boutique. I fell in love with four dresses, so it was hard to pick the one. Too many amazing choices!” For rings, Trevor and Jessie turned to Avenue Jewelers in Appleton.

Poplar Hall Wedding

Jessie and Trevor planned a late-June wedding at Poplar Hall. “We chose our venue because it is absolutely beautiful. As soon as we took our first tour, we knew it was the venue for us! Poplar Hall is right on the Fox River with breathtaking views, and the brand new building features modern architecture. The inside of the building has windows from floor to ceiling creating a bright space with spectacular views. The venue was everything we dreamed of and more. To top it all off, we worked with the executive director at Poplar Hall, Sandy Emerich. She was amazing throughout the planning process and helped make sure our wedding day ran smoothly. She lead the way with moving our ceremony inside last minute as it began to pour at our scheduled ceremony time. Every time I looked at her she was busy making sure everything was perfect for us. She has a super hard job, but you couldn’t tell because of her positive attitude on our day. We felt incredibly lucky to work with her.”

Wedding Planning with 88 Events

To help plan the day, Trevor and Jessie worked with 88 Events’ Brittaney Cooney (Wedding Planner) and Travis Zielinski (Owner/Designer/Decorator). “We adored working with 88 Events for wedding coordination, decor, and floral. They were organized, professional, and accommodating. Throughout the wedding process, they were in consistent communication with us and helped ease any stress and worries. We always looked forward to meeting with the team. Bonus: They both were extremely personable and positive. Just overall wonderful people! 100% worth it.”

Poplar Hall Ceremony

Trevor and Jessie’s officiant wove personal details of their love story throughout the ceremony that had not only the bride and groom but all their guests laughing and crying. “Having our guests learn more about how we fell in love and our adventures together made the ceremony feel heartfelt and meaningful. Our officiant’s comedic twist on our love story was memorable and helped ease any nerves we were feeling.”Jessie and Trevor also wrote their own vows to say to each other. “Sharing and expressing our love in front of so many people we care about was an easy choice for us. We both wanted our guests to hear and experience why they were brought there to celebrate our wedding. We wanted them to be part of our love story.”

A Beautiful Tribute

Jessie lost both of her sisters in an accident about four years before her wedding, so it was especially important for her to find ways to include them throughout the day. “We included them in a locket on my bouquet. We placed their photos and flowers on chairs near the front of our ceremony. We included them on our program and speeches, and had their close friends in attendance. Feeling their presence and love there that day brought tears to us both.”

Moments to Cherish

One of Jessie’s favorite moments of the day was just after the ceremony, when she and Trevor were separated from all the commotion to take a moment to breathe, hug, and have a kiss—just the two of them. “During the wedding, everything felt as if it was moving one million miles per hour. But in that moment everything felt quiet, calm, and peaceful. We both needed it. That’s the moment when we could truly just stop and focus on each other and our love.”

Trevor and Jessie turned to Gosia’s Photography to capture the day. “Gosia did a wonderful job capturing moments on our wedding day and engagement photos as well! She helped make sure our day ran smoothly and worked hard to capture every moment. She has a big and fun personality that makes you smile! You can count on her to stay on schedule the day of and help organize everyone for pictures.”

Dancing the Night Away

After dinner and delicious cupcakes, the night ended on the dance floor. “I looked over and saw some of my cousins dancing and talking to my friends,” Kaitlyn recalls. “We watched as Trevor’s aunt realized she went to high school with one of my mom’s friends. Being able to see not only our families come together, but different people from different parts of our life meeting and enjoying each other’s company was truly remarkable. We loved the care-free, fun environment as our big day came to a close!”

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