Love at First Date

by Michelle Drewek

 

Although it took 2 years and some encouragement on the part of a co-worker to bring this pair together, their first date set the stage for a whirlwind romance. As the saying goes, “When you know, you know.” A 4-hour conversation at a coffee house turned into a second date later that night at a restaurant where they talked until closing time. Six months after that Jan. 19 two-date day, Katie said, “Yes” to a lifetime with her Beau.

 

Q How did he propose?

On July 28, 2013, Beau took me down to Madison to have lunch and to walk along Lake Mendota. About a mile into our walk, he got down on one knee and proposed. Beau chose this location because he attended college at UW-Madison and told me since the city is special to him, he wanted there to be a reason for it to be special to me too.

Q Did he ask permission from family before the proposal?

He individually met with my mother, father and brother to ask for permission and show them the ring.

Q How did you announce your engagement to everyone else?

Once we got back to Green Bay, Beau surprised me with an engagement dinner where all of our immediate family was waiting for us. After we got home that night, I posted the news on Facebook along with a photo.
 

Q What was the first detail that you knew you absolutely had to have at your wedding?

Pearls!
 

Q What was your biggest surprise when planning your wedding?

The crazy things people would say. For example, after I told one woman what my colors were, she said, “You don’t want that in fall. That’ll look terrible.”  Well, it didn’t look terrible. It was gorgeous!

Q Were there any funny moments that happened at your wedding?

Our flower girl (my niece) ran out of petals early during her walk. Her dad (my brother) knew this would happen so he had filled his pockets with extra petals and as she tossed them he refilled her basket so she would make it all the way down. The guests thought this was darling. The photo we have of this happening is one of my favorites! Also during the ceremony, my niece shouted, “Hey Boo!” (She can’t say Beau, yet.)

Another funny thing that happened later at the reception was when “Bye Bye Bye” started playing, my friend Desiree was so excited that she ran out to the dance floor, tripped and slid into the dance circle.
 

Q Did you have a “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue?”

I had my grandmother’s vintage diamond bracelet, I borrowed my sister’s Tiffany pearl necklace she wore at her wedding and I had a custom, one-of-a-kind bouquet made as my something new. My something blue was my engagement ring. Beau went out to Montana and mined a 2-carat blue sapphire! #romance

Q Were there any aspects of DIY that you incorporated?

I made all of the table numbers, bridesmaids’ bouquets and centerpieces. I also made my own beaded “wedding tree” and memory table.

Q What would be one piece of advice that you would offer to future brides?  

Start planning right away because you will need all the time you can get! Stay focused and know that all of the work is worth it. Don’t stress over tiny details. It’s perfectly fine if your napkins don’t match the flowers! At the end of the day it’s about your marriage, not the wedding.

Q Any other special things you would like to mention?

Right after the rehearsal dinner I had a slumber party at my home with the bridesmaids. When we woke up in the morning I had arranged for the hair and makeup artists to come to us and I also put out a mimosa and bagel bar. It was awesome and all of the girls loved it! I also gave each of them a “slumber party gift bag” the night before and a “bridesmaid survival kit” in the morning. They were a huge hit!