A Simple, Elegant Wedding at Riverview Gardens in Appleton, Wisconsin

Marie Putman (27 and a teacher) and Dan Putman (35 and a teacher) met when Marie began teaching in the same school district as Dan. By the end of Marie's first year of teaching, she and Dan were dating. Dan proposed to Marie with a diamond specifically designed by a Polish mathematician because he himself is a mathematician of Polish descent. They decided to have their wedding at Riverview Gardens in Appleton, Wisconsin, overlooking the river Marie grew up on. "The space is now a wonderful partnership between the brewery right across the street and a nonprofit garden that provides all of the farm-to-table food," Marie says. "We consider ourselves 'foodies,' and Dan is a microbrew aficionado." Marie wore a classic trumpet-style lace wedding dress paired with her grandmother's jewelry, while Dan wore a formal dark gray tuxedo with a white tie and boutonniere. The navy bridesmaid dresses and the groomsmen's gray tuxedos inspired the dark color palette, but Marie and Dan chose to brighten the colors with soft pink and orange accents. Being that they are both teachers, they used chalkboards as inspiration for their invitations and place cards, adding a personal touch to those elements. Marie and Dan decided to have a fast engagement but were still able to create an elegant wedding using their personal styles. "We love that we had four months to plan and make it happen," Marie says.