Downtown Oshkosh Wedding

Gabbi and Zach’s classy, joyous celebration of love at the Gibson Social Club

How They Met

Gabbi and Zach met in the eighth grade at track practice in 2012. Gabbi attended another middle school and joined Zach’s school’s track team to meet people before high school. Gabbi and Zach soon discovered they came from similar backgrounds, which solidified their bond. Zach comes from a large extended family, with 13 aunts and uncles on his dad’s side along with more than 50 first cousins. Similarly, Gabbi’s father had 10 siblings, resulting in many first and second cousins. From then on, the two were inseparable.

The Engagement

After nearly a decade of dating, everyone knew Gabbi and Zach would soon become engaged and marry each other. One year after graduating from college, Zach proposed to Gabbi at one of their favorite restaurants, Fox River Brewing Company in Oshkosh. The day of their engagement, Zach told Gabbi he planned to take her to dinner with his brother’s girlfriend and two brothers.

After eating dinner, Zach asked Gabbi if she wanted to get a picture by the water. While taking the picture, Zach got down on one knee and proposed. Gabbi remembers setting down her wine glass and hearing tons of cheering from the restaurant’s outdoor guests. Afterward, the newly engaged couple headed to Zach’s parents’ home, where there was a surprise party with their closest family members.

The Dresses, Suits, and Rings

Gabbi found her dream wedding dress at Vera’s House of Bridals in Madison. After trying on four or five gowns, she knew it was “the one” as soon as the stylist brought it into the room. She wanted something “simple,” which, to Gabbi, meant a ball gown with sparkles everywhere. Gabbi’s bridesmaids were able to buy their dresses from wherever they wanted and chose their own designs. Zach and his groomsmen’s tuxedos were from DuBois Formalwear. Gabbi and Zach’s rings are from C.W. Smith Jewelers in Fond du Lac.

The Décor and Invitations

The wedding invitations were custom designed by L.designs Wedding Invitations .

House of Flowers in Oshkosh crafted a beautiful hanging installation above the head table. Gabbi’s mother created all of the centerpieces for the wedding shower, as well as for the bathrooms and foyer at the reception venue. She also handmade the memory table décor and church pew décor with sola wood flowers.

The Ceremony

Gabbi and Zach had a traditional Catholic wedding at St. Peter Catholic Church, which is just two doors down from their home. The morning of the wedding, the bridal party got ready at their home and walked directly to the church. Prior to the ceremony, in lieu of a first look, Gabbi and Zach shared a “first touch” around the corner of the church to help ease both of their nerves.

During the ceremony, a group of Gabbi’s friends who are all singers and performers sang in the choir. Their voices filled the space with warmth and sound. Gabbi and Zach were fortunate to have the same deacon who married her parents in 1995 also preside over their ceremony. Wanting to showcase her family’s strong Irish heritage, Gabbi found a local bagpiper who lived less than two minutes down the road from their home. She will never forget the look on her father’s face when the bagpiper began to play at the end of the service. It was a beautiful ending to the ceremony, and everyone could still hear the bagpipes as they walked back home to take pictures.

The Reception

Gabbi and Zach hosted their wedding reception at the Gibson Social Club in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it was everything they wanted and more. The opening dance to warm up the venue and get the party started was by far the newlywed’s favorite part of the entire day. As a performer and having many fellow dancers in the crowd and in the wedding party, Gabbi and her new husband felt it was necessary to have an opening dance number. The entire party, including the flower girls and parents, joined in the grand march to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind & Fire, followed by a short choreographed disco dance to “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.

While their guests ate dinner, Gabbi and Zach visited each of the 36 tables to thank them for attending. Other highlights from the night included the couple’s choreographed first dance to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra. The dance was choreographed by Nicole Solis, who is a close friend of Gabbi’s as well as the director of annual shows she performs in. There was also a wedding party scavenger hunt hosted by DJ Justin Pitlik, and the speeches from our two maids of honor and two best men. The first song of the evening was “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. The dance floor was immediately flooded, and it remained that way until 11:00 pm when the night concluded.

There were numerous special touches that made Gabbi and Zach’s reception an absolute blast for all. Gabbi had purchased rhinestone-rimmed ‘70s glasses for the guests. In addition, the DJ had a “dancing box,” which the couple and guests could jump on to have a moment in the spotlight. At the end of the evening, guests surrounded Gabbi and Zach as everyone sang to “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. As a tribute to family members who had passed, the couple chose songs throughout the night dedicated to them.

The Food, Drinks, and Dessert

Gabbi and Zach hired J’s BBQ out of Ripon to cater their wedding food. Will Amacher, Operations Director at The Gibson Social Club, assisted in coordinating all the alcohol and bar staff, including bartending the wedding himself. Zach, a beer connoisseur, was more than pleased with Will’s recommendations and service throughout the process. There were a few different craft beer options, including Blu Bobber from Fox River Brewing Company, the site of their engagement. Guests also enjoyed four styles of wine. Bryanna’s Bakery in Fond du Lac served a beautiful spread of various baked goods for dessert.

The Honeymoon

Gabbi and Zach celebrated their newly wedded bliss with a mini moon in Cancun, Mexico at the Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas. The two plan to go on another longer honeymoon in the future.

Words of Wisdom from the Bride

“Only do something if it makes YOU happy, brings you joy, and reflects you as a couple,” Gabbi shares. “If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Delegate, delegate, delegate. You don’t have to do it all yourself.” Since Gabbi was enrolled in grad school, she found it difficult to juggle wedding planning while keeping up with her studies. While she wouldn’t change much of the planning process, she wishes she delegated more tasks to my friends and family, who are always willing to lend a helping hand.

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