Gibson Social Club Wedding

Sarah and Jarred’s romantic Wisconsin wedding in Historic Downtown Oshkosh

How They Met

Sarah and Jarred met through mutual friends who, right off the bat, thought the two would be a perfect pair. At the time, Sarah was living in Milwaukee, and a long-distance relationship was one of the last things on her mind. However, when she visited Appleton to see friends and family, she ran into Jarred a couple of times. Once they started hanging out, they knew they had something special. After that, they spent nearly every free moment together, traveling between Appleton and Milwaukee to see each other.

The Engagement

Sarah and Jarred traveled up north to his family cabin in Pickerel for 4th of July weekend, which also happened to be their 2-year anniversary. Sarah’s family, including relatives from out of state, was at her parents’ cabin in the Milwaukee area. Jarred mentioned that toward the end of the weekend, they could make our way to Milwaukee to see both families. Since they spent their entire anniversary in the car, Jarred suggested the two enjoy a boat ride on the lake. Sarah noticed Jarred was chattier than usual but didn’t read into it too much at the time. As they docked, Jarred asked Sarah to go to the front of the boat to ensure a smooth landing. When she turned around, Jarred was down on one knee behind her and proposed. As it turns out, Jarred had the entire weekend planned and coordinated with both families to nail down all the details, including champagne, a catered lunch, and his family surprising us in Milwaukee. “It was a magical day!” Sarah says.

The Dress

Sarah found her dream wedding gown, a Martina Liana, at Tie the Knot Bridal Boutique in Green Bay. She had an amazing experience from start to finish. The stylist listened to Sarah’s preferences and was honest while she tried on different dresses. Funnily enough, Sarah ended up buying two dresses that day, and she ended up changing her mind about the first dress after she and her mom went back to shop for the mother of the bride dress. Sarah saw “the” dress on a mannequin in the window and instantly fell in love! It was everything she dreamed about in a dress — classic buttons down the back, beautiful flowy sleeves, and gorgeous lace detailing. Sarah’s bridesmaids’ emerald-colored dresses were from Birdy Grey.

The Suit

Jarred and his groomsmen got their suits from Bill Paul Ltd in Neenah.

The Couple’s Favorite Moments

Sarah and Jarred shared a first look, and Jarred became emotional the moment he saw his bride. Unfortunately, Sarah’s father was unable to attend the wedding since he was in the hospital. They were able to FaceTime her dad prior to the ceremony, and their photographer captured the special moment on camera. Sarah’s mother walked her down the aisle, and Jarred’s sister read the blessing before dinner Sarah’s dad had written and intended to read. The newlyweds felt so loved.

The Ceremony

Sarah and Jarred got married at The Gibson Social Club in Oshkosh. Their ceremony felt so special and intimate for many reasons. Jarred’s brother officiated the ceremony and Sarah wrote the script so it was personalized to the two of them.

After a challenging search for the perfect venue, one of Sarah’s friends suggested The Gibson. Sarah reached out to schedule a tour, and the Event and Marketing Director Kristin was so friendly and accommodating despite the venue still being under construction. The moment Sarah walked into the Gibson, she knew she was ready to book.

The DIY Projects

Sarah created all of the wedding signage on her own, including the seating chart, an arch welcome sign, the bar signage, the personalized place cards for the head table, the table numbers, the wedding programs, and the cocktail stir sticks which featured pictures of their pets. Since Sarah has a huge sweet tooth, she designed a candy buffet, which was organized in block letters spelling out “THE ZAKS.”

The Planning

Sarah hired a day-of coordinator through 88 Events in Appleton. “Travis and Caitlin were amazing to work with from start to finish. He took a huge load off my plate and was professional and accommodating. Best money I ever spent!” Sarah shares. 88 Events supplied the linens, candles and candlesticks, vases, and the decor throughout the venue.

The Reception

Sarah and Jarred also had their reception at The Gibson Social Club. Immediately after the ceremony, Sarah and Jarred grabbed old fashioneds and got ready to take pictures downtown during cocktail hour. They found out later that the bar served more than 350 old fashioneds in a little over an hour, an “unofficial record” for the venue.

The Food and Drinks

Three Guys & a Grill catered the reception dinner. Guests enjoyed tortellini, mac and cheese, beef tips and gravy, seasonal veggies, and baby red potatoes. Sarah and Jarred received a ton of compliments on their food. Meade Street Bistro out of Appleton catered the desserts for Sarah and Jarred’s big day. Kris, the head chef, made blueberry cheesecake lasagna, peanut butter Oreo bars, and salted caramel cheesecake swirl bars. Kris also made a cheesecake wedding cake, which some of their guests got a taste of, too!

The Gibson’s “top notch” old fashioneds were the main feature of the cocktail hour.

The Photos

Emily Megan Photography snapped photos in various spots around Downtown Oshkosh, including a bright floral mural on the side of a building and a random parking lot across the street from the back of the venue. The golden hour lighting was incredible that day!

The Honeymoon

Sarah and Jarred went on a mini moon to Door County for a few days after the wedding.

Words of Wisdom from the Bride

“Things aren’t going to go exactly according to plan, and there will be bumps along the way while planning, but don’t sweat the small stuff,” Sarah shares. “It’s so easy to get stressed out over minor details, but your day will be perfect because of the love you two share and the love your friends and family surround you with.”

CLICK HERE to view wedding film
by Frassetto Films

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