The Fox Club Hits a Homerun with October Wedding

Courtney & Joe took to the diamond for a sentimental wedding and reception.

Months to Plan: 14 | Wedding Guest Count: 265 |
Music Down the Aisle: Cannon in D (Pachelbel’s Cannon) | First Dance Song: Beautiful Crazy- Luke Coombs

How They Met

Joe and Courtney first met in 2013 while playing slow-pitch softball in New London, WI. After that summer the two parted ways. In 2018, Courtney reached out to Joe looking to join a team again. She ended up on Joe’s team. An evening at the batting cages with the team,  quickly turned into a weekly date night for the two.

How They Got Engaged

In summer 2023, Joe and Courtney began golfing together. Joe even bought Courtney her own clubs for her birthday. One Friday, Joe asked Courtney to go golfing with him before they headed north for the weekend. When the couple arrived at Golden Sands Golf Course in Cecil, they found that there was a bit of a backup at the first hole. A friend of Joe’s was also playing the course that day and invited the couple to join him on the back 9. Joe declined, puzzling Courtney but the two waited for their turn at the beginning of the course.

When the couple reached the third hole, Courtney teed off. Turning around, she found Joe on one knee asking her if she would officially become a part of the “Wettstein Nation.” Courtney’s reply: “Are you serious?! YES!” Afterwards, the couple took photos at the third hole – three is Courtney’s favorite/lucky number. After their photos and finishing their round of golf, the couple continued their trip to Wabeno where they surprised Joe’s family with the news.

The Planning Process

Wedding Date:
October 4, 2024

Guest Count:
265

The planning process:
The couple spent 14 months planning.

Wedding Colors:
Terracotta and Gold

Style/Theme:
Rustic Ballpark

What was your favorite design element?
“My favorite design element was the pallet backdrop we used as a photo op for our guests. My mom and dad made the backdrop for us. They bought the boards individually, took out the nails, sanded them, stained them, and cut them to the right length. After they assembled them, they added greenery to the top with fairy lights draped down the length of the boards. They also added our last name, ‘Wettsteins’ to the top and accented it with gold/tan/terracotta flowers.”

Wedding Looks

The Dress:
Morilee, purchased at Victorian Bridal in Waupaca

How many dresses did you try on?
Courtney says that she tried on ten dresses and, of course, dress number three turned out to be “the one.” “I tried on the others after just to make sure. I even tried on some that were not my style just for fun! My aunt was helping me try on the dresses in the dressing room and when I put on the third dress, I could see a noticeable difference in the way my aunt looked at me.” After trying on the last dress, without telling anyone in her party that they had already seen the dress, Courtney tried on dress number three again. “The way they all looked at me and the ‘ooo’s and ahhh’s’ I got each time solidified my choice.”

Menswear:
Jim’s Formalwear – at  Victorian Bridal

Rings:
Rogers and Hollands

Ceremony Details

Location:
The Fox Club, at Fox Cities Stadium, Appleton, WI

Ceremony Details and Favorite Moments:
“Our ceremony was outdoors in the atrium of the Fox Club. We were incredibly blessed with beautiful 70-degree weather on an October day.” The couple had a hexagonal wooden “arch” as their backdrop and adorned it with terracotta and gold fabric swags and flowers. On each side of the backdrop were three lanterns with candles on stand which were made by Courtney’s dad. Courtney saved a special seat for her grandma who passed away when she was in the 4th grade. In the seat she placed a photo of her grandma in a gold frame along with a red rose.

As Courtney began to walk down the aisle, Joe’s brother and best man tapped him on the shoulder so he could turn to see her. Courtney says Joe even shed a few tears as she got closer to him. The ceremony was officiated by a mutual friend who even incorporated the lyrics to one of Joe’s favorite county songs. “During the exchange of the rings, Joe tried putting the ring on my right hand instead of my left hand, that got a good laugh!”

Capturing the Day

Photographer:
Morgan Kirchenwitz- Morgan E Photography

Where did you take photos?
The Fox Club – the woods behind left field, bleachers, and sunset photos on the roof

Reception Venue

Location:
The Fox Club, at Fox Cities Stadium, Appleton, WI

Why did you choose your venue:

“I have played softball my entire life, it’s a part of who I am. It’s also how Joe and I met – playing slow-pitch softball. Some of our favorite memories together were created on a ball diamond. How fitting to have us come full circle on our wedding day?!”

Wedding Consultant/Coordinator:
“The Fox Club – Lynn and Brandy were amazing! I do not have words to describe how helpful they were. They executed everything to perfection, we couldn’t have asked for more!”

Food:
Dinner was catered by The Fox Club and featured a Door County cherry pork tenderloin, chicken marsala, or mediterranean haddock. Each came with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, and rolls. A chicken tender meal was available for kids. For a late-night snack, the couple offered hot dogs to their guests and a self-serve popcorn machine was available all night.

Cake/Dessert:
Simple Simon Bakery, Appleton, WI – Guests were offered mini carrot cupcakes and regular sized cherry-almond, peanut butter, strawberry cheesecake, snickers, and caramel apple cupcakes. In addition, Joe and Courtney had a cherry-almond couple’s cake.

Cocktail Hour:
Cocktail hour was held in the Leinie Lodge at The Fox Club. Guests were offered free wine and two old-fashioned fountains during the cocktail hour. Additionally, free beer was offered to guests the entire evening.

Reception Fun

Moments:
“For our Grad March, Joe and I did a t-shirt toss to bring in a bit of the ballpark vibe.” Immediately following, the couple did a photo challenge, taking a photo with each of the 24 tables before “I Think I Want to Marry You” by Bruno Mars finished playing.

Following dinner, first dances began. Courtney had planned a special surprise for her father during the father/daughter dance. The two began slow dancing to “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts but mid-song it changed to “Centerfield” by John Fogerty at which point the two played catch on the dance floor before the song switched back and they finished their dance.

Looking Back

What Moment Sticks with You the Most?

“The moment that sticks with me the most was actually while we were getting ready at Studio 604. Joe and I wrote letters to each other, gave them to each other the night before, and we read them the morning of our wedding. I went off on my own at the hair salon and read Joe’s letter in private. I have never felt such emotion. I was a mess reading his letter. It was so personal and such an intimate moment that I will never forget. I cried so much; I was super happy I read it before I had my makeup done!”

What advice or tips would you share with other couples currently planning their wedding?

Start early! Time goes so fast. It’s so much fun to plan so make the most of it. I was so thankful that I started to plan early – I started about 14 months before our wedding. This made the whole process less stressful and more enjoyable for the both of us. We were truly able to enjoy each part of the planning process (especially the dessert and meal tasting) and not feel so pressured to make a decision quickly because of a deadline. I really think I was one of the most easy going and laid back brides because I started planning so early.

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