Summer UW-Stevens Point Wedding

Kate and Jay’s Wedding
Jay and Kate’ run in with fate turns into a beautiful summer wedding at UW-Stevens Point.
Months to Plan: 11 Months | Guest Count: 100 |
Music down the Aisle: Holy Forever by Bethel Music | First Dance Song: Superpowers by Daniel Ceaser

How it started

Jay & Kate literally ran into each other in September of 2020, during the COVID Pandemic. Jay, who worked for UPS, was delivering packages at Kate’s apartment complex in Baton Rouge, LA. Kate, who was just finishing up her daily run, came around the corner and ran right into Jay. After apologies, Kate offered Jay a little relief from the heat in the form of a Powerade Zero. Jay accepted and, after a few moments of chatting, he asked Kate for her phone number. She decided to take a chance and four days later they went on their first date. They’ve been together ever since. It wasn’t until later that Kate learned that Jay hates anything zero calories, including Powerade Zero.

Engagement & Planning

Jay loves being spontaneous so instead of proposing on Valentine’s Day, he proposed a few days early, on February 5, 2022 – his birthday. Though they got engaged in 2022, they didn’t get married until July 13, 2024. Kate was in the middle of her Masters Program and wanted to wait until she finished her degree to think about planning a wedding. Once she graduated, the wedding planning began full force. Planning a Wisconsin wedding from Louisiana is no easy task. But, with the help of her mom and Maid of Honor, Kate was able to virtually attend UW Stevens Point Annual Wedding Expo . From this, Kate was able to get a few ideas and find book a couple of vendors for the big day.

The Dress

Kate says that cost was very important to her when she began looking for a wedding dress. She knew she would be able to find a beautiful dress that was affordable. She went to a boutique in Louisiana with a bridesmaid and tried on a few dresses but nothing felt right. So, when she came home to Wisconsin for Christmas, she took her mom, aunts, cousin, maid of honor, and her maid of honor’s daughter with her to find a dress. The group ended up at Wedding Day Dress for Less. It wasn’t long before Kate, surrounded by her favorite women, found an elegant yet fun wedding dress. And, as a bonus, the dress even had pockets. Kate says she cried a little when she tried it on and when everyone else loved it, she knew it was the one.

The Venue & Ceremony

Jay & Kate say that they wanted to make sure the ceremony and reception were close together so their guests wouldn’t have to do a lot of driving. UW-Stevens Point turned out to be the perfect spot for both. The couple chose to have the ceremony in the Iris Garden outside of the UW-Stevens Point Dreyfus Center. Kate says that she picked the location because she knew that the garden would be in full bloom and perfect for a summer wedding. Plus, they could let nature do the decorating and save themselves some time and money. The couple chose not to have traditional bride and groom sides for the attendees but rather seat everyone together. Kate says that her favorite part was “driving up in the limo with my bridesmaids and being able to see everyone seated waiting for the ceremony to start.”

The Photos

After the ceremony, the wedding party loaded onto their shuttle bus and drove across campus to the Trainer Natural Resources Building for more outdoor photos. Kate says that she can not say enough good things about her photographer, NatashaGrace Photography LLC. The couple had originally hired a different photographer but when they backed out sixty days before the wedding, there was a scramble to find a replacement. Kate received a referral to Natasha and, fortunately, the weekend of their wedding was the only weekend Natasha was available in 2024. Not only did she step in on short notice and provide amazing wedding photos for the couple, but Natasha went above and beyond, even sewing Kate into her wedding dress when the back busted open right before they were to leave on the shuttle following the ceremony.

The Reception

While the wedding party headed off to take photos, the guests moved to the UW-Steven’s Point Alumni Room for cocktail hour which would be followed by the reception. The Alumni Room was decorated in Kate’s colors: light blue, navy, and white with the highlight being the centerpieces which Kate and her mom had created and which incorporated Kate’s & her grandmother’s favorite flower, gladiolas. The reception also featured a balloon arch which was created by Kate’s bridesmaids.
Weather in Wisconsin can be unpredictable. And not long after the wedding party arrived at the reception and before dinner could even be served, a tornado warning rang out and the entire party had to evacuate to the basement. Fortunately, guests took their drinks with them and the cocktail hour continued in the basement. The couple says the evacuation didn’t phase them and in fact, they enjoyed the extra time to mingle with their guests. After about thirty minutes, the party was able to return to the reception area and dinner was served shortly thereafter. The rest of the evening was a big dance party full of polka, rap, R&B and traditional wedding music thanks to the DJ from Dialed in Sound.

The Food

With guests coming from Wisconsin and Louisiana, the caterer had their work cut out for them in trying to please everyone’s discerning tastes. The couple trusted that On Point Catering could rise to the occasion. Guests were able to choose from three plated dinners: Center-cut Tenderloin over garlic mashed potatoes served with fresh roasted carrots and a blue cheese dressing, Caprese Chicken with fresh bruschetta mix served over cauliflower risotto with spinach and topped with a balsamic glaze or a vegetarian lasagna. The couple says they received lots of compliments on the food, including from their Cajun family members who can be very picky. On Point Catering was perfectly on point.

Unscripted Adventures

Jay and Kate say they had so many unpredictable circumstances leading up to and during their wedding but, in the end, none of them mattered. In addition to their original photographer dropping out, the wedding dress ripping right before the photos, and the tornado warning and evacuation at the reception, Kate had to contend with a cancelled flight that caused her not to arrive until the Thursday before the wedding. Still, the couple says their day was perfect because of the love they share and being able to share the day with the people they love. Plus, the storm made for breathtaking sunset photos. Kate says that the little hiccups in the day only reminded her that “sometimes there are storms and it can get dark but if you have faith and are committed, the most beautiful blessings spring forth from some of life’s darkest times.”

Wedding Vendor Team