A Colorful Tented Wedding on a Golf Course in Wisconsin

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bride and groom in tall grass — Kyle John

Though Caroline Patek spent years vacationing in John Foley's hometown in Connecticut (and the two even worked at the same global company!), it took a blind date arranged by a mutual friend for them to finally connect in January of 2017. "Our lives overlapped for years and years even before meeting," says the couple. After getting engaged in Gramercy Park while living in New York City, Caroline and John decided on July 4, 2020, for their wedding at Whistling Straights Golf Course in Kohler, Wisconsin. "My family has had a lake house nearby in Wisconsin since before I was born," says Caroline. "I grew up going there every summer and for the holidays, and with both sides of my extended family also living in the area, Kohler was a natural fit for the wedding. Ironically neither John or I are golfers, but the setting at Whistling Straits overlooking Lake Michigan was hard to beat. Showing our New York City friends a slice of Wisconsin also made things all the more special."

In April 2020, the couple decided to put their wedding off for a year, hoping friends and family would be able to travel safely for their new date, June 12, 2021. "For precautions, we changed the venue for the ceremony from a terrace out onto an open lawn overlooking the golf course, and dinner was held in a beautiful sailcloth tent, with dancing inside the barn," says the couple. "Luckily, almost our entire original guest list was able to attend."

Though they planned for every COVID scenario, there was one element the couple couldn't anticipate: the weather. "The forecast wasn't great—for literally every day leading up to it the forecast was sunshine, but on the actual day it said scattered thunderstorms," says Caroline. But when she woke on the morning of the wedding, she received one last surprise: "As soon as I opened the blackout curtains in the room, I was shocked to see truly the most perfect day filled with sunshine and comfortable temperatures," she says. "We like to think that it was a gift from John's [late] parents, shining down on us for our special day."

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Back Story

bride's gown with button-up back — Kyle John

After hosting her mother, best friend, and cousin for a weekend of wedding-dress shopping in New York City, Caroline still hadn't found her dream gown. A few weeks later, she booked a last-minute appointment at Vera Wang on a trip home to Chicago. That's when she found her tulle A-line gown with a macrame lace bodice, cap sleeves, and pleated tulle skirt, which felt like a natural fit. "I tried on many different styles and ultimately chose the dress I felt most like myself in," she says. "I decided to really lean into the idea of having it be a statement since you only get married once!"

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White Space

Caroline envisioned a clean, elegant look for her bridesmaids. "I felt like having all white and ivory would look very crisp set against the golf course and lake with colorful bouquets," she says. "Besides that, I let them pick their own! I really wanted them to feel comfortable and I loved the different styles they each ended up picking."

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Ring of Love

The bride carried a petite arrangement of lily of the valley, and wore several sentimental accessories, including diamond stud earrings that were a gift from John. "The most special detail [was] a sapphire and diamond ring that belonged to John's mom, who sadly passed away, which was my something blue and something borrowed," says Caroline.

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Black-Tie Requested

groom on stone steps in grass — Kyle John

John and his groomsmen wore their own black tuxedos to complement the bridesmaids' attire. "We also loved the look of the all-white and ivory dresses on the bridesmaids paired with the tuxes worn by the groomsmen," says Caroline. The groom chose a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo, which he wore with slip-on velvet loafers from Salvatore Ferragamo and Cartier cuff links.

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Their First Look

Caroline and John snuck in their first look on a hill by the golf course's 18th hole. "We liked the idea of having some time to ourselves ahead of the ceremony and to also take some of the pressure off walking down the aisle," she says. "Having that moment be private ahead of seeing all of our guests allowed us to take a breath before all of the festivities kicked off. Since golfers were still playing the course, we had to do it quickly so as not to disrupt their game. Moving quickly up and down a hill in my dress and heels was no easy feat, but we made it happen!"

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Great Outdoors

outdoor wedding ceremony with floral arch — Kyle John

For the ceremony, Revel Décor built a "colorful and bright asymmetrical arch," which faced rows of wooden cross back chairs.

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Pretty Blooms

outdoor ceremony flowers in aisle — Kyle John

"We really wanted to lean into the beautiful setting," says Caroline, "so we kept the décor simple but beautiful for the ceremony!"

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Initial Impression

wedding ceremony programs in wooden holder — Kyle John

With help from WhoDrew, Caroline and John designed a custom crest for their invitations, ceremony programs, cocktail napkins, and menus. "The crest also included our wedding date, which had to change after we postponed!" says the couple. "The design reflected a garden party feel with illustrated florals and playful text."

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Ready to Wed

bride walking down the aisle with father — Kyle John

Lakeside Strings trio provided instrumental versions of the classics—including Vivaldi, Handel, and Bach—for the prelude, and incorporated contemporary tunes for the rest of the ceremony. The strummed Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" for the processional, and Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" as Caroline's father escorted her to the altar. "I wore Jimmy Choo heels—knowing my dress was big and our ceremony was on grass, I wanted a thicker heel to keep me steady!" says Caroline. She also added a cathedral-length tulle BHLDN veil.

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He Said, She Said

Bride and groom exchanging vows — Kyle John

The couple wrote personal vows to include during their ceremony, led by a close friend. "We formally got married in the Catholic Church a week before," says Caroline, "in the church in Chicago I grew up attending, and with my childhood priest quite literally coming out of retirement to do the ceremony. We liked the idea of having something private and religious ahead of time so that the ceremony with all of our friends and family could be more lighthearted, and shorter than a full mass!"

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What's in a Name

The bride and groom offered two signature cocktails: a "Lavender Bee's Knees"—"My favorite scent is lavender," says Caroline—and a "Perfect Manhattan," named after their current home city.

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A Colorful Display

After postponing their wedding, the couple found themselves with extra time that allowed them to add a few fun details: "Even though most of the planning was done ahead of our original wedding date in 2020, the last few months ahead of our new date resulted in us adding more touches that really made the day feel complete," says Caroline, "like a photo booth and a boxwood wall for escort cards."

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Garden Inspiration

table setting with natural elements and colorful centerpieces — Kyle John

A tented space provided an al fresco atmosphere for the "summer garden party" feel the couple envisioned. "The beautiful hanging baskets overhead covered in greenery helped pull the tent ceiling down, and the tabletops were covered in punchy and bright summer hues," says Caroline. "The knotted napkins placed on top of the menus helped to add another dimension."

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Juicy Accents

Fresh citrus fruits contrasted with deep emerald leaves, adding vibrant pops of color to the centerpieces. "To bring in a textured element and different layers onto the table, we worked in peach colored glassware and woven chargers," says Caroline.

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A High-Contrast Cake

unfrosted three-tiered wedding cake — Kyle John

Three tiers of red velvet cake—provided by the venue's catering team—were layered with cream cheese filling, left unfrosted, and accented with sculptural summer blooms.

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In Perfect Harmony

Caroline and John chose "You & Me" by Dave Matthews Band for their first dance. "John is a big DMB fan and we both really liked the message in the lyrics—'you and me together can do anything,'" says Caroline. The seven-piece Bluewater Kings band performed during the reception and after party. "Music was a big must have for us, so we went all out with live music for each part of the day," says the pair.

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So Much to Celebrate

bride and groom reception toasts — Kyle John

Guests raved over the speech from the couple's best man, John's brother. "Hands down the funniest speech we've heard at a wedding," says the couple. "But he also wove in sentimental parts about John's parents and how proud they would be of the man he's become and his choice in a spouse."

After dinner and dancing, the couple hosted an after party, complete with late-night snacks, like Wisconsin cheese curds, and a photo booth to capture the moment. "For most of our guests, this was the first big event that anyone had attended in almost a year and a half," says the couple. "It very much felt like a moment where everyone was united not only in celebrating our wedding, but also feeling free from being stuck in their homes or apartments."

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Short Order

bride and groom dancing at reception — Kyle John

Caroline swapped her full-skirted gown for a party-ready frock later in the evening. "After the first dance and father-daughter dance, I changed into a Rotate sequined midi dress and Nicholas Kirkwood heels—complete with a disco ball in lieu of his signature pearl," she says.

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