Magical Oshkosh Winter Wedding

Heidi and Jordan’s Wedding

A joyous, magical Wisconsin winter wedding with a Scandinavian Christmas vibe.

Months to Plan: 17 | Guest Count: 150 |
Music down the Aisle: Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (Piano) | First Dance Song:Unforgettable-Nat King Cole

How They Met

Heidi and Jordan met in the summer of 2019 when their mutual friend Jacob (who was Jordan’s best man) invited them on a camping trip. The two became very close friends and eventually started dating.

The Engagement

Jordan had the ring for a little over a month before proposing, and he popped the question in the kitchen of their first apartment. They had just adopted their kitten, Loki. Heidi was grabbing Loki’s dinner in the fridge, and when she turned around, Jordan was down on one knee.

The Dress

Heidi found her dream wedding gown at Vera’s House of Bridals in Madison. “I knew it was going to be the dress I wore because the whole crew that I had brought with me cried when I got in it,” she shared. “It was exactly what I wanted, and it fit almost perfectly the first time I tried it on.”

The Décor

Heidi and Jordan’s wedding color palette included a variety of wintry greens and terracotta accents. The vibe was inspired by traditional Scandinavian Christmas. “We wanted [our wedding] to feel like the end of a Christmas movie when family and friends gather together around the table under warm candlelight—like Christmas at Hogwarts castle.”

The floral arrangements were designed by Kaarin Swan and Kim Kemps from 88 Events in Appleton. “Our florals were stunning! Kaarin and Kim captured our vision so well, and their work was pure artistry.” The couple hired Brittaney Cooney from 88 Events as their wedding coordinator. “We truly could not have had as special a day as we did without her.”

The Ceremony

Heidi and Jordan got married at the Gibson Social Club in Oshkosh, the city in which Jordan attended college as well as where he and Heidi began dating. The Gibson Social Club is across the street from the bars the couple would frequent in their early twenties. The two share a love for their German heritage, and their wedding venue takes a lot of inspiration from historic German beer halls, including long wooden tables and benches accompanied by a stunning wood-carved bar.

They wanted to keep their ceremony short, as they were looking forward to celebrating our marriage with their loved ones. It lasted about 15 minutes from start to finish. Eric, a long-time friend of Jordan who has been practically a brother to him, served as their officiant. Heidi’s favorite part of the ceremony was walking down the aisle with her dad and watching her future husband and father share a long hug. Jordan’s favorite part was seeing his bride walk down the aisle to greet him at the altar. “It was also so special to see all our family and friends who gathered to watch us get married.”

The wedding party walked down the aisle to a piano rendition of “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, a song that holds a lot of significance when it comes to the friends who stood by them on their special day. Heidi walked down the aisle with her dad to “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” by Frankie Valli – the first song Jordan had sent to Heidi, saying it reminded him of her.

The Food and Drinks

Heidi and Jordan’s delicious wedding menu was catered by Spats Food and Spirits in Appleton and The Roxy Supper Club in Oshkosh. For starters, guests noshed on various seafood-centric hors d’oeuvres such as lobster, oysters, shrimp, and tuna tartar. There were also plenty of hot appetizers and a charcuterie board with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and hummus. Jordan’s mother Lisa baked all of the desserts, including the show-stopping wedding cake, cookies, and cupcakes. The signature drinks were New Glarus Spotted Cow and Miller Lite, the bride and groom’s favorite Wisconsin-brewed beers.

The Photos

Olga and Chang Vang from Lusia Studio Photography captured all of the incredible moments of Heidi and Jordan’s big day. “Not only is their craft unmatched, but their knowledge of how to work with couples to make them comfortable and capture incredible images is something otherworldly. We couldn’t have been more grateful to have them be a part of our special day.”

The Reception

The party continued at the Gibson Social Club for the reception. To kick things off, the wedding party danced their way out to “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey. The couple shared their first dance as husband and wife to “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. The DJs, Will and Tyler from Elite Music Services, kept the dance floor full all night long.

Some of the most memorable speeches were from Heidi’s maid of honor, Mary, and Jordan’s best man, Jacob. Their speeches captured not only the relationship the couple shares with them but also the love between the newlyweds. “Mary and Jacob are close friends of both of us and have known us for a long time so it felt incredibly appropriate to have them share a few words and wishes for us as a newly married couple.” Jordan’s father and brother also gave speeches and well wishes during the reception.

In lieu of the tradition of clinking glasses to get the couple to kiss, the DJs emceed a game involving Hershey’s Kisses. They would find someone to pick a random Hershey’s Kiss every few minutes. Depending on the color wrapper they selected, they either had to find someone to kiss, their whole table had to find someone to kiss, or the newlyweds had to kiss. In another veer from tradition, guests recorded messages for the couple on an old-fashioned phone through After the Tone.

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