Sheboygan Summer Wedding

Michelle & Camryn’s Magical Summer Wedding

How They Met

Michelle and Camryn both grew up in the Chicago suburbs, where they met serving in middle school ministry. They eventually reunited when Michelle returned home from college. Back in March 2018, they both led a high school service trip in Guatemala, where their mutual friend Rachel (who would end up being their officiant), continuously tried to nudge them toward each other. At first, they both refused, as neither of them thought of the other in a romantic way. Fast-forward to June 2020, when Camryn asked Michelle out on a date, even though he assumed he was being friend zoned. Their first date consisted of talking and laughing for five hours!

The Engagement

Michelle and Camryn’s engagement day was unforgettable. Unbeknownst to Michelle, Camryn had been compiling memories from every date the two had ever been on. After a day of bringing her to a myriad of places that had special significance in their relationship, they arrived at his house to “watch Jurassic Park,” and when Michelle turned the corner, there were fairy lights surrounding strings of paper hanging from the ceiling – each one with memories and pictures to represent all 300+ of their dates. They’re planning to actually watch Jurassic Park on their engagement anniversary.

The Rehearsal Dinner

The evening before they got married, Michelle and Camryn hosted their rehearsal dinner at the Sheboygan Yacht Club.

The Dress

Michelle found her dream wedding dress at Vanessa’s Modern Bride in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The moment she tried on the gown she’d walk down the aisle in, she immediately felt like a bride. She loved the skirt, which had lots of personality.

The Ceremony

Michelle and Camryn tied the knot in a rustic, romantic ceremony at Lake Orchard Farm Retreat in Sheboygan. Their friend Rachel – who actually tried to set them up years before they started dating – served as their officiant. “She poured so much time, thought, and heart into our ceremony and made it so extra personal and special,” Michelle shared.

Michelle’s favorite part of the ceremony was the moment she and Camryn walked back down the aisle together after being pronounced husband and wife. It was the first moment they were able to be just with each other and soak in the fact they had made the ultimate commitment. The image that has stuck in Michelle’s mind is Camryn wiping his tears of joy as they were standing at the altar. “I felt so ready to let this man love me forever and love him right back!”

Capturing the Day

Both the ceremony site and reception venue offered beautiful backdrops for the wedding portraits. The photographer, Emma Schlie, and the videographer, Anna Finger, captured Michelle and Camryn’s special day beautifully.

The Décor

Michelle, a self-proclaimed “middle schooler trapped in a 26-year-old’s body,” is a huge fan of Mad Libs. A couple of her bridesmaids wrote out a few Mad Libs based on the newlyweds’ love story and scattered them around the dinner tables for guests to have fun with. There was also a photo of Camryn at each dining table that corresponded with the number. Camryn’s mother (also hilariously named Michelle) Michelle’s mother helped her DIY the centerpieces. Michelle’s mom was the “vase recruiter extraordinaire,” hitting up Goodwill after Goodwill with her keen eye; her mother-in-law was the “flower power,” wielding her trusty glue gun to attach wooden flowers and greenery to rods to be placed in the vases.

Michelle’s mom also put together a timeline that featured different key points in their relationship, which was on display in the reception hall. Her sister surprised the couple with a newspaper she created about them. Michelle’s cousin designed the gorgeous fresh flowers and surprised them by going above and beyond! The bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and centerpiece florals all were wooden, done by Teton Wood Blooms.

The Reception

Michelle and Camryn hosted their reception at The Manor at Pinehurst Farms in Sheboygan Falls. They loved the mixture of classy and cozy of The Manor’s atmosphere. The venue also has gorgeous views, being on a golf course. The outdoor patio connected to the reception hall was a great spot for their guests to enjoy the lovely weather and play cornhole.

The couple’s wedding day just so happened to be National Weird Contest Day. To celebrate the fun holiday, they had a rap battle during their reception, during which her cousin roasted one of the groomsmen she had never met. It was super entertaining, impressive, and memorable. Michelle’s brother-in-law is a musician and wrote the couple a song for their first dance. It was an extremely special gift they will cherish forever.

The Desserts

Made from Scratch Bake Shoppe created the wedding cake.  Michelle’s mom put together the dessert table and “absolutely crushed it”. The table included a variety of donuts, which had special meaning. Before Michelle and Camryn started dating, he tried to flirt with her by getting her donuts. However, she was totally oblivious to what he was trying to accomplish, and she left before eating them. To honor their last name, Castle, there were also cookies shaped like castles.

Advice from the Bride:

Give yourself grace if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, and know you’re not alone in it! At the same time, take moments to intentionally step back and remind yourself to recognize the little joys in the process and center yourself on what it’s all leading toward – the beginning of a life with the person you love!

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