Gather at Deer District Wedding

Alyssa and DJ tied the knot on October 22, 2022 at Gather at Deer District, a one-of-a-kind modern wedding venue located in downtown Milwaukee! As a wedding photographer, Gather at Deer District’s floor to ceiling windows are a total dream. They let in A TON of natural light, so no matter what the weather is doing outside, your indoor wedding photos turn out amazing! I love this space!! If you’re planning a Milwaukee wedding and your style is modern, bold, and bright, Gather at Deer District has it all!

Alyssa & DJ first met in college through a mutual friend. Their first date was actually part of a homework assignment. Alyssa took a dating class in college, and her only assignment was to ask someone out on a real date. She decided to ask DJ, and they’ve been together ever since! After college, they endured 4 years of long-distance until DJ was relocated for his residency.

Dj’s proposal to Alyssa couldn’t have happened in a more beautiful place! They were in Greece over Labor Day for a friend’s wedding. Yes, Greece! At first, Alyssa thought he might propose at some point during their trip, but DJ insisted it wasn’t going to happen. On the very last day, they went on a hike and when they reached the end of the trail, DJ asked Alyssa if they should get engaged. He played it off as a joke and went back to admiring the view. They took a few more photos but before they left DJ got down on one knee and popped the question! Alyssa said it was the perfect proposal!

The couple’s goal for their wedding day was to have as much fun as possible with their loved ones, and they definitely succeeded! Their timeline was packed, but it was well-planned (which wedding photographers always appreciate), and the day didn’t feel rushed at all!

After a sweet ceremony at Saint Hedwig Three Holy Women Parish, we headed downtown by the lakefront to take photos with their oh so fun wedding party! Alyssa and DJ had a large wedding party, and they were so much fun to work with! Our transportation was an adorable trolley and it was the perfect backdrop for wedding party photos! We had a blast photographing in and around the trolley before heading to the reception. The simple bridesmaid dresses coordinated perfectly with the stunning fall wedding bouquets by Impressions by Ester. And the groomsmen were looking sharp in custom suits from Richard Bennett Tailors!

Once we arrived at the wedding reception at Gather at Deer District, I was BLOWN AWAY by the flower arrangements. Impressions by Ester did an amazing job decorating the space and tying in the bold fall colors. I also want to give a shout out to Alyssa and DJ’s good friend Kelly Sykes (@createdby_kel) who designed their stunning wedding invites. I love when couples include their talented loved ones in their wedding vendors!

When their guests sat down to dinner, Alyssa and DJ gave a warm welcome speech and thanked everyone with lottery tickets hidden under their plates! They wanted to celebrate their loved ones who traveled to be with them on their wedding day, so these two really spoiled their guests! Their late-night snack was Crumble Cookies (yum), and they passed out mini diet cokes (Alyssa’s favorite drink) with cute paper straws to rehydrate everyone on the dance floor. They also decided on a video guest book, which I think is a super fun way to allow your guests to leave you a little message to listen to when the wedding day is over. This wedding was full of little personal touches, which made it really special for everyone in attendance.

Alyssa & DJ- Thank you for trusting me to be your wedding photographer! You two are seriously SO much fun and your wedding day was just that..FUN! I wish you all the luck and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of you! Hugs – Taylor