Holly and Max’s July Garden Wedding at La Sure’s

Months to Plan: 12 Months | Wedding Guest Count: 205 |
Music Down the Aisle : Here Comes the Sun- The Beatles | First Dance Song: Sun to Me -Zach Bryan

The  Ceremonial Garden & Banquet Hall at La Sure’s served as the perfect spot for a fun and relaxed summer wedding!

How They Met

Holly grew up in Palatine, IL and attended UW Oshkosh. Max grew up in Antigo, WI and attended UW Oshkosh. The two met while working together at an autism therapy clinic. They worked together and were friends for two years before they began dating.

The Engagement

Max & Holly’s engagement was inspired by a TikTok trend at the time. Max had set up the whole day where Holly would have to blindly choose between two of her favorite things. The day consisted of a trip to Target and a winery trip along with a few other activities. Max cheated a bit with the last cards of the day by making sure they both said to take a long walk with their dog in a park that they frequented. Throughout the day, Max had been taking lots of pictures, so when their two-mile walk led them to Ames Peak and Max wanted to take another picture, Holly thought nothing of it. But when she turned around towards Max, she was surprised by a marriage proposal. Holly, of course, said “Yes” and the couple spent the two-mile walk back calling family and friends. The couple then celebrated with a nice dinner.

The Rehearsal

Holly & Max opted for something different for their rehearsal dinner. The dinner was held at a barn located at Sleepy Hollow Farm Campground. The barn not only offered plenty of room for family and friends but also offered a bar where the couple could offer their guests beer and wine. The couple ordered pizza from a local restaurant and invited their out-of-town guests to join the wedding party for a relaxing evening of games and socializing. Holly says it was like “a pre-game party for the night of our wedding. It was a blast.”

The Venue

Holly & Max say they that one of the most challenging aspects of planning their wedding was finding a venue that was affordable for them and that they really liked. La Sure’s in Oshkosh checked all the boxes. Holly says they really liked the fact that La Sure’s had everything: a beautiful garden for their ceremony, a banquet hall for the reception, catering, a bakery, and it’s connected to a hotel. The couple say they didn’t want to disappear for hours to take photos, and the garden just provided the perfect backdrop for family photos. Additionally, out-of-town guests were able to stay in the hotel, enjoy breakfast together, and socialize before and after the wedding. Holly also says the staff at La Sure’s were very impressive. “From the time we contacted them initially, to signing our contract, to choosing our foods and desserts, to getting all the details ready, LaSure’s was so helpful and had amazing communication, which gave us peace of mind during the whole process.

The Ceremony

Holly and Max wanted a short and relaxed ceremony, but it wasn’t without it’s hiccups. Unfortunately, Max’s father had suffered a stroke two days before the wedding. The couple had not expected him to be able to attend and were devastated by the news. Amazingly, just an hour and a half before the ceremony was about to begin, the couple got the call that Max’s dad had been released from the hospital and was on his way to the wedding.
The ceremony was held in La Sure’s beautiful Ceremony Garden. Holly’s colors were green and white and the girls in the wedding party wore three different shades of green and carried bouquets of white flowers, made by Holly. The colors looked amazing against the backdrop of the garden. Holly walked down the aisle, with both of her parents, to “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. The couple had chosen to forgo first looks, making the walk down the aisle the first time they saw each other on the big day and made it even more special. When Holly got to Max, he told her she looked beautiful and then stated that his dad was there. The two were tearing up and squeezed each other’s hands. Holly says that it was like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders and they could really celebrate and enjoy the day. A friend officiated the ceremony and they made it personal to the couple.

The Reception

Following the ceremony, the guests moved into the banquet hall for the reception. The hall was decorated with DIY projects created by Holly including all the signage, table numbers, seating chart, and centerpieces which consisted of thrifted glasses and jars containing flowers. Max’s drink of choice is beer and Holly’s is wine, so the couple offered both to their guests rather than having any sort of cocktail.

Holly says that the food at the reception was particularly important to the couple. Fancy food wasn’t their style, so they chose foods that were. Guests were offered pulled pork, brats, burgers, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and salad. Holly says, they love all the foods selected and knew there would be something for everyone. Their guests loved it. For dessert, they had brownies and cupcakes as well as a small cake for the couple. All prepared by the staff at La Sure’s.

Following the maid of honor’s speech, the DJ started playing music. At first, Holly & Max thought the DJ had thought the speeches were over and mistakenly started the music. It only took a few seconds for the couple to realize that it was no mistake but rather a surprise for the couple. Unbeknownst to the couple, Holly’s mother and sisters had contacted several of their guests in advance and planned a flash mob. Guests from Illinois, Seattle, Texas, Minesota, and Wisconsin stood up and performed a choreographed dance for the couple. Holly says that it was a total surprise, and she couldn’t believe guests from all over knew the dance. This wouldn’t be the last time the guests hit the dance floor. In fact, the couple says that people packed the dance floor all night and it was great to see everyone having such a great time.

Favorite Things

Holly says that one of the most fun parts about planning their wedding was picking out songs. She says they would listen to wedding playlists on long car rides and had a great time choosing songs for first dances and “must play” songs. Additionally, Holly says that La Sure’s was certainly a great choice for their special day. “The space was perfect, the food was amazing, and the people were king, and it was the best time there.”.

Wisconsin Wedding Vendors