Not every meet-cute turns into forever… at least not right away! Taylor & Ashe first met while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, when a friend introduced them in the Rams Head Dining Hall.
The next semester, the meet-cute continued when they gravitated towards a friendly, familiar face on the first day of Biomedical Engineering—a tough class made infinitely better with each other’s company. They worked on many group projects and study dates, and supported one another along their respective educational paths. By the time graduation arrived, Taylor & Ashe already considered themselves “unofficially” engaged. They knew they wanted to get married, but took more time to focus on their Master’s degrees at Duke University.
Taylor proposed to Ashe at a family Thanksgiving in 2022, as the couple prepared for a big move to Wisconsin for work. They immediately set to planning, with two key priorities in mind: good food and space for everyone to feel comfortable.
The brides found their dresses at Premiere Couture, each finding a gown that fit their unique styles while coordinating well together. Ashe wore an A-line ballgown with a deep illusion-v neckline, lace detailing, and a full tulle skirt. She accessorized with a tulle veil with lace edges.
Taylor selected a sheath dress with elegant draping, a v-neckline, and a statement cape. She accessorized with a glittering flower crown.
Additional fashions included mother of the bride dresses from Vera’s House of Bridals, bridesmaids’ dresses from Brandi’s Bridal Galleria, Etc., and formal wear from Men’s Wearhouse.
With a historic ambiance, vaulted ceilings, and delicious in-house catering, Garver Events was the perfect venue for the couple’s “rustic sunset ombré” themed wedding.
Taylor & Ashe connected with many of their vendors, including their photographer, bridal boutiques, and cake baker, while attending our WedPlan Winter Show. They also followed WedPlan reviews when choosing their planner, OSO IN LOVE Wedding and Event Curators.
On their decision to hire a planner, the couple wrote:
“A wedding coordinator is absolutely worth their weight in gold—from the personal recommendations of other vendors to the actual day-of coordination, everything was much lower stress knowing we had a solid professional who knew what needed to happen and how to handle any bumps in the road. Especially if you are a type-A personality (like Taylor), this is the big difference between enjoying your wedding day and being too stressed to actually participate in it.”
In addition to planning, OSO IN LOVE Wedding and Event Curators also provided rentals, décor, and stationery & signage for the day.
At the ceremony, Taylor and Ashe created their own unity tradition, incorporating Ashe’s Greek heritage with Taylor’s Lutheran roots. They combined a traditional Unity candle tradition with the Greek Stefana tradition, creating a moment they agree was a highlight of the day. The couple reflected,
“[We] set our declaration of intent, ring exchange, and unity ceremony to a single soundtrack (Experience by Einaudi). While we had done a brief practice at rehearsal to make sure timing should be okay, the way it played out for our ceremony really was like a movie sequence. The music hit exactly where intended and culminated to its grand finish right as our officiant declared “You may now kiss your bride!”. The perfection of that moment cannot be overstated and was more than we ever dreamed of.”
Florist Cosmic Gardens created stunning bouquets for the brides, corsages for the bridal party, a floral boutonniere for Ashe’s dad, and arrangements at the reception tables. The bouquets embraced the reds and burgundies in the sunset color palette, with bold, textured blooms, roses, chrysanthemums, and red amaranthus.
Taylor & Ashe also surprised their parents with memory bouquets honoring loved ones who had passed away. They ordered, dyed, and arranged the Solawood flowers themselves, making a personal and lasting keepsake to take home and display after the big day.
Craig’s Cake Shop provided a single-tier wedding cake with ombré frosting, ranging from white to orange to pink. Their display also included a custom, hand-painted cake stand and custom-designed Funko Pops of their couple in their wedding dresses.
Paul F. Gero Photography preserved all of the details and joy from the day, capturing posed portraits, candid moments, and some silly, authentic moments (cue wind vs. cape and veil) between the couple. Taylor & Ashe also planned a glorious bubble arrival at their reception, which photographed like a dream!
The dance floor stayed full thanks to music and entertainment from Luxe Productions. Guests enjoyed dinner, dancing, and desserts beneath string lights, while Taylor & Ashe snuck away for sunset photos.
As the celebration wound down, Go Riteway Transportation shuttled guests back to their hotels, including DoubleTree Madison-Downtown, Hilton Madison-Monona Terrace, and Courtyard Madison East.
At WedPlan, we LOVE love! We’re proud to connect couples with trusted local wedding professionals while sharing the real stories, creative details, and unforgettable moments that make every celebration unique. Be sure to click the vendor profiles below to learn more about the vendors who brought Taylor & Ashe’s day to life, and keep browsing the WedPlan blog, website, and socials for more inspiration.
WedPlan Vendors
The wedding vendors below are part of the WedPlan preferred vendor directory. View their portfolios and websites to learn more, and tell them you found them on wedplan.com.
