Thoughtful Wedding at The Cooperage

The Cooperage Milwaukee is an industrial wedding venue with a twist. Instead of feeling heavy with red brick walls, The Cooperage is bright and airy. It was a great venue for Sarah and Nick’s wedding. They created a lighthearted wedding day with intentional details that felt timeless. From Sarah’s custom dress to portraits in a classic car, their wedding was the perfect balance of modern and vintage.

The Cooperage Milwaukee

The Cooperage Milwaukee is an industrial wedding venue with elegant touches. Unlike a lot of industrial wedding venues, it feels bright and airy instead of heavy. Big windows let in natural light that illuminates the cream brick and wood floors. The building is open and spacious with vintage rugs to make it feel cozier. The tasteful splashes of color along with strings of lights make it feel less industrial and more welcoming.

Nick and Sarah opted for a church ceremony, but there’s plenty of space for a ceremony at The Cooperage Milwaukee. You could set up an arch in front of the stage where the venue regularly hosts musicians. If you’re worried about being backlit, you could set up the ceremony on the opposite side of the space. The natural light would make for airy ceremony photos.

The outdoor area at The Cooperage Milwaukee is wonderful too. A grassy yard with blooming rose bushes sits alongside the Kinnickinnic River. Stones form a little patio, so you don’t have to worry about heels sinking into the grass. The yard is a beautiful spot for portraits with its mix of nature and industrial architecture. It’s always nice to have a place to catch your breath when you need a break from the dance floor too.

As an industrial wedding venue, The Cooperage can accommodate large groups of up to 175 for a seated dinner. The venue provides food and beverages as well as furniture rentals. They definitely try to simplify your wedding day so you can focus on getting married.

Sarah and Nick’s Thoughtful Wedding

The Cooperage Milwaukee was the perfect wedding venue for Sarah and Nick’s thoughtful wedding. These two are deeply creative, kind, and genuine. Originally from Milwaukee, they’re high school sweethearts. They went through periods of long distance before moving in together in Chicago. They decided to come home to Milwaukee to get married with their most important people around them.

Sarah and Nick’s intentionality showed in all the day’s flawlessly coordinated details. Overall, everything was simple but seamless. Their aesthetic was clean and fresh with nods to vintage fashion. The chamomile and Queen Anne’s lace in Sarah’s bouquet felt playful and sweet. Her iridescent purse brought beautiful layers of color and texture to her outfit.

The reception details were just as personal and thoughtful. At The Cooperage Milwaukee, Nick and Sarah set up a display of family members’ wedding photos. It was a beautiful reminder that they’re following in the footsteps of people they love. It’s easy to imagine their wedding portrait on a similar table at a future wedding. 

Photos also played an important role with the guestbook. Nick and Sarah set out an Instax camera so that guests could tape their photos beside their messages. The guests had fun snapping each other’s photos, and the photos tell a fuller story than the words alone could.

Sarah and Nick knew how to have fun with their wedding party. The group stopped for photos near an ice cream shop, and everyone decided to order scoops. The lighthearted moment set the tone for the playful, loving reception. 

Balancing Modern and Vintage Style

One of the most incredible details of the wedding was Sarah’s custom wedding dress. She designed it herself. It’s so elegant and unique. He used a beautiful swiss dot for her jacket and overskirt. The pleating and puffed sleeves feel timeless along with her polished style. 

Sarah’s dress couldn’t have been more perfect for the photos we took with a family member’s classic car. The sleek black and white car gave wedding party portraits a fun vintage feel. I love the images of Nick and Sarah sitting in the car together too. They look like they’re ready to drive off towards this new phase of their life together.

Are you looking for a Milwaukee wedding photographer? I would love to document your day! Reach out to me here.

Thank you to The Cooperage Milwaukee for hosting Sarah and Nick’s beautiful wedding reception.