Premier Bride: The Ballroom at the Reserve

February 22, 2023

An Elegant Wedding in the Fox Valley

From a beautiful ballroom to the perfect brag-worthy bridal style, Tianna and Brian’s wedding had the perfect combination of modern style and timeless elegance.

How They Met

Tianna and Brian met in high school, where their assigned lockers were only one away from each other. It all began with a homecoming dance that they technically didn’t go to together (since Brian never responded to Tianna’s invitation). Luckily, it all worked out as that night became the beginning of their love story.

The Proposal

Just like their beginning, there was a twist to their marriage; Tianna and Brian technically got married before they got engaged! In January of 2020 Tianna had just finished grad school. The two knew that they wanted to get married but were also aware that Covid-time wasn’t the ideal time to plan a wedding. So, on June 4, 2020, they gathered some close friends and family at their home and signed their marriage certificate. They hoped that they would be able to have their dream wedding on their second “anniversary,” June 4, 2022. In 2021, a year after their first “ceremony,” Brian led Tianna on a scavenger hut ending with his proposal with a ring of his own design.

Dress Shopping at Erika’s Bridal Couture

Tianna only had to take one shopping trip and try on five dresses before finding “the one.” She said that she couldn’t have dreamed of a better experience. “Michelle at Erika’s Bridal Couture was amazing! I had narrowed it down to two dresses after originally trying on all five, and once I put my dress on for the second time and walked out of the dressing room, I knew it was the one. I felt so beautiful in the dress, yet so myself. I loved that the dress was beaded in the bust area but flowed into a simple skirt. And it had pockets!”

DIY Invites

Tianna wanted the invitations to be uniquely their own, so she decided to design them herself using Canva and had them printed through Magnet Street/Truly Engaging. She also designed the save the dates, signage, programs, and table seating chart. “I think designing these items was one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process because it wasn’t insanely difficult, and I was able to utilize my creative outlet.”

A Photo Finish

Tianna and Brian were more than impressed by their photographer, Abigail Miles. “Abigail was so easy and nice to work with, and she made us so comfortable. Both our engagement and wedding photos turned out beautiful.” Not only did they get the background beauty of the venue, but they were able to take extra pictures at Doty Park in Neenah.

Neenah Venue

After a lot of research of vendors and the wedding process, Brian and Tianna decided on the Ballroom at the Reserve in Neenah, WI for their dream venue. They found it had a ton of character and loved that it was in downtown Neenah, where there were numerous photo opportunities.

DJ Makes the Day

The couple chose Matt’s DJ Service for music. “DJ Peter killed it with his song choices and ability to keep the party going!” Another layer of fun was the photo booth, from Photo Booths of Wisconsin.

Guest of Honor

They loved their time on the dance floor with their friends, but also a special guest of honor, a cardboard cutout of their cat Rosita. Everyone joined in the fun and took turns dancing with Rosita in spirit, while the real Rosita was at home most likely napping.

Rotary Phone Guest Book

One of the most unique additions to the wedding was the rotary phone guest book. Friends and family were able to record loving and hilarious messages for the happy couple that they will be able to cherish for a long time.

Favorite Moments

Although Tianna and Brian received many compliments about the food as well as the ambiance of the wedding, their favorite parts of the day were the dancing and speeches. Tianna’s sister and maid of honor Carissa, though nervous, captured the full embodiment of their relationship. Cassie, Brian’s sister, a bridesmaid as well, gave her perception of Brian and Tianna’s relationship as she was growing up. Best Man Jon relayed hilarious college memories and what an amazing friend Brian has been.

Overall, thanks to everyone involved, Tianna and Brian were able to get the wedding of their dreams, years in the making.

Wedding Film by
Lindsey Bloom Photo & Video