READ MORE FROM OUR 2026 WEDDING FEATURE HERE.
Batch Your Baches
More and more couples are ditching the traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties and opting for something more intentional, like having a combined party for all of their friends instead of two separate ones. MK Drayna, owner of Whisk Chick, and her husband took this approach, hosting a summer camp-themed weekend for all of their closest friends. “Our friend groups are so intertwined that it just made sense to have everyone all together. If we had separate parties, each of us would have had major FOMO,” she says. “We were like, ‘We just wanna hang out with you and we’ll take care of everything.’ It was our gift to our wedding party.”
Extra! Extra!
Share the details of your love story as a couple with a wedding day newspaper. It’s a fun way to give guests a closer glimpse of who you and your partner are, and what brought you together. You might want to include a timeline of events, a who’s who of the wedding party, a little quiz about the two of you, a recap of the bachelor/bachelorette parties or even childhood photos. You’ll definitely want to save a few copies to show any future children!
Personalized Pull Tabs
Want to bring that Wisconsin dive bar energy to your big day? What better way than to create custom pull tabs for your guests to enjoy. That’s what local couple Olivia and Sam Lombardi did for their Milwaukee wedding last summer. “Having so much family from out of state, I wanted to recreate what I thought was a quintessential Wisconsin dive bar tradition,” Sam says. “The best part was the split second of confusion on people’s faces as we handed them out.”
Gifts That Can’t Be Wrapped
For guests wondering what gift to give, keep in mind that some couples are opting for experiences, contributions toward a future home or a little money for their honeymoons. Another approach to “giftless” gifts is to make a contribution to a nonprofit in the couple’s name. For example, the Milwaukee Art Museum offers commemorative bricks with an inscription in its outdoor plaza.
Permanent Jewelry, Lasting Memories
Give your bridesmaids an experience and a wedding favor all in one with a permanent jewelry pop-up. Local jewelers like Paloma Wilder and Kalina & Co. will come to you and fit your guests with chain link bracelets that are “zapped” on permanently (or until you want to snip them off). Make this part of the preparations on your big day.
