The Wedding Story of Lisa and Gerid Gee

Lisa and Gerid Gee were college sweethearts. They met as freshmen at the University of Ann Arbor, Michigan and, by sophmore year, they were officially dating. This was thanks, in part, to the DKE fraternity Gerid was part of. Lisa and her girlfriends would often hang out DKE and after one particular halloween party and a dance together, Gerid was hooked!

Gerid’s engagement proposal was actually one giant and unexpected New Year’s Eve surprise. Lisa thought they were going to visit family members in Chicago for a New Year’s Eve party, followed by a trip to Wisconsin to get a puppy. They in fact made it to Gerid’s Cousin’s NYE party but never quite got the puppy. Lisa got a big, beautiful ring instead!  “At midnight his cousin Ben asked all of us to head to the rooftop to ring in the new year,” Lisa remembers. “It was 10 degrees out, everyone was freezing (and I was pretty tipsy on champagne!). Before I knew it everyone was facing us with cameras out and he knelt down and said “Lisa… We’re not getting a puppy…. I’m the puppy…. Will you marry me?” Some absurdities came out of my mouth that I can’t say to you now BUT let’s just say I was more than surprised. It was the most wonderful feeling I’ve ever experienced. I said ‘Yes yes yes yes!!’”

In order to enjoy and embrace the engagement period, the couple waited a few months before planning. Once they began researching venues, they discovered Weller’s Carriage House in Saline, Michigan and booked the date. “From there, everything sort of fell into place,” Lisa says. Because they both knew they wanted a summer wedding and some outdoor space, the couple found that their venue met their expectations perfectly. “Weller’s was perfect in that it came with a lot already (food, tables, linens, bar, ceremony site) and had preferred vendors that really helped us out a lot,” says Lisa. They also found the historic feel, reasonable price and proximity to home attractive. However, their most resourceful tools in the planning process proved to be a venue checklist, Pinterest boards, and a crate and Barrel registry checklist
 

When it came to her dress, Lisa found Aurelia by Lauren Elaine online through pre-ownedweddingdresses.com as a wholesale item. She says, “I thought it was stunning right away. But because it was so early in the process, I knew I wanted to go try on some dresses first just to see what else was out there and what kind of style I liked. But after going to 3 or 4 stores, I kept comparing EVERYTHING to that Aurelia gown. That’s when I knew. Just go buy that dress. She only sells in CA and has a store there – nothing in Michigan or even near me. So it was a leap of faith but it actually fit rather well and I had minor alterations.”
 

Lisa and Gerid incorporated many unique touches throughout the day and special details that went a long way. From the centerpieces and signage to gifts and sparklers, no detail was left out. “We had our centerpieces hand made of real birch trees from northern Michigan by a friend and her father. Those were so special to me,” Lisa says. “Another one of our friends, Ashley Ford, designed and hand-wrote all of our wedding signs. We will probably display those signs in our home someday because they are just so unique and beautifully done. My mother in law Geri (pronounced Jera) brought some great ideas that became a reality – we gave out personalized splits of wine, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc with a photo of Gerid and I and a thank you note. We also had personalized lilac M&Ms with our faces that we gave to our guests! We also had a large white wooden frame we hung from a pavilion with our names and wedding date for our guests to take photos in – this was probably my favorite! We also had giant sparklers that burned for 3 minutes surrounding us for our first dance as husband and wife to “Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett. LOVED this.”
 

Organization was also key to completing the overall look. Lisa and Gerid worked together to choose the look and colors, relying on each other's opinions and designing many things on their own. However, Lisa’s favorite project was for her dad. “He passed away on June 1, 2015, she says. “I had a seat for him with his Michigan Wolverines baseball cap, a rose, birch candles, a teddy bear made out of one of his favorite shirts, and a prayer I wrote about him in an 8X10 frame that Ashley was able to make beautiful. I truly felt his spirit and love that day, shining down on Gerid and I, and to look and see those items of remembrance during the ceremony, it was just so comforting.”

In terms of colors, the idea of a summer wedding brought light lilac to mind. Lisa wanted the colors to be “light and a little bit whimsical” so she chose the accent colors of blush and cream, along with bright greenery to add “a pop of color and a woodsy feel”. The light gray worn by the groomsmen and the white birch paired perfectly with the colors as well. Brittany Ross of English Gardens incorporated Hydrangeas throughout to tie the whole look together.
 

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