A down-to-earth wedding

C O V E R
F E A T U R E
A down-to-earth
wedding
Can-do spirit gives these ‘I do’s’
a distinct local flavor
Story by Katie Lott Schnorr
Photos by Rebekah Stephenson
A
s Door County business owners,
Kelly Avenson and Elliot Goettelman knew they wanted their
wedding to be locally sourced. “We also
wanted it to be memorable and different,
and to reflect our personalities,” said Kelly.
And as artists – Kelly is a photographer
and Elliot a musician – they had a vision
for their day. “But,” she laughed, “we’re
also probably the most indecisive people
in the world, but thanks to our friends and
family, it all came together perfectly.”
The couple set out to plan their day with
the help of an army of creative friends and
can-do family. They chose a beautiful
Door County Land Trust property over-
looking the waters of Lake Michigan for
their ceremony and the former Sturgeon
Bay train depot as their reception site.
“The Depot had stood vacant for quite
a few years,” said Elliot, “but it was such
a cool space and a great location.” Elliot
enlisted the help of his dad, Dirk, a jackof-all-trades, to spruce the building up.
“We worked together and got the place
cleaned up and ready to go,” he added.
Their rehearsal dinner was held at Steep
Creek Farm, a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm owned and operated
by Elliot’s brother and sister-in-law, Adam
and Meg Goettelman. Mason jars of flowers decorated long tables in the barn and
children ran through the fields until well
after sunset. Dinner was an informal buffet of brats and burgers and friends of Kelly’s from her hometown of Oelwein, Iowa
brought a load of sweet corn from their
farm to add to the feast.
The next day, a light rain abated just as
Kelly walked down the grassy aisle carrying
a bouquet of flowers that included broccoli from Steep Creek farm. She joined her
groom while an acoustic duo, the Thompson Brothers, played stand up bass and
guitar. After the ceremony, guests gathered around the back of a pickup truck
and were treated to homemade mead and
hard cider made by Paul Schnorr, a home
The wedding took place in an outdoor cathedral.
24 | edible DOOR
Spring 2014
There was plenty to eat at the reception.
brewer and friend of the couple. “Mead
is a traditional wedding beverage,” says
Schnorr. “It’s festive – kind of like a dry
honey champagne.”
Meanwhile Kelly’s best friend, designer
Katie Starr, used up-cycled pieces such
as old typewriters, photos and lanterns to
create a funky, intimate feel and decorated the depot in vintage style. “Everything
we had we got from Katie’s garage or our
garage or from friends, right down to the
plates, silver and linen,” said Kelly. “We
only had to rent the tables and the tent.”
The bride and groom arrived at the depot in a vintage 1971 Volkswagen Beetle
with the wedding party close behind in
a gleaming 1956 Chevy wagon. A buffet
of Wisconsin cheese, homemade pickled
veggies and fresh sushi made with local ingredients greeted the crowd. Craft cocktails and local beer quenched their thirst,
and a “kissing booth” complete with vintage hats and props was set up to encourage photos. As guests mingled under the
string lights in the courtyard, they could
see the waters of Sturgeon Bay and the
iconic shapes of the Bay Ship shipyard.
“It was really neat to have the reception
right here in the heart of Sturgeon Bay,” said
Dirk Goettelman. “It was a great tribute to
Kelly and Elliot and what they stand for.”
Dinner was a smorgasbord of locally
sourced, seasonal foods, with pulled pork
and barbeque from Birnschein’s Door
County Meats at the center. Caterers Judy
Samida and Guy Fortin prepared all of the
side dishes, using vegetables from Steep
Creek Farm. Creamy broccoli bacon salad,
colorful beets and tangy potato salad with
mustard vinaigrette were loaded onto china plates at the buffet table. Fresh greens
and Washington Island wheat bread
rounded out the meal.
Music inspired partygoers all night
long, from the Thompson Brothers, to
the red-hot 10-piece band Wifee and the
Huzzband, to rockers Adam Mackintosh
and the Last Dancers who finished off the
night. “We danced hard,” said friend Melissa Clark, “and we didn’t stop much!”
There were no speeches that night, but
there were plenty of songs as dancers
belted along with their favorite tunes and
got blisters on their feet.
Continued page 27
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edible DOOR
Spring 2014 | 25
26 | edible DOOR
Spring 2014
And dessert? There were many children who approached the
dessert table with awe and longing and a few parents were seen
swatting eager fingers away from the icing before the cakes were
cut. In lieu of a large white wedding cake, the couple chose a
variety of cakes made by Jenna Kasten of Gourmet A-Go-Go, a
Sturgeon Bay bakery and deli. Chocolate espresso, white cake
with raspberry frosting and carrot cake were a few of the choices.
“People had more options that way,” explained Kelly, “plus, we
really couldn’t decide.”
The drinks kept flowing, and trays of barbeque were put back
out later in the evening to keep guests satisfied. When the festivities finally wound down at 1 a.m., a good number of partygoers
walked down Third Avenue to local watering hole Poh’s Corner
Pub to continue the fun.
After the months of preparation and detail work, Kelly and Elliot enjoyed their day to the fullest. “I made a point to be there
in the moment,” said Kelly. “I know that sometimes brides feel
pressure to talk to every single person, but I wanted to enjoy it
and dance with my husband.” And dance they did. “It was an
incredible night,” said Elliot. “Everybody was there for us, and
we felt the love.”
Opposite page: Top left clockwise: The traditional rice shower offered another
"edible" touch; Kelly gave out a hug while traditional mead was served from a
pickup after the ceremony; the bride, Kelly, took time to taste the food; natural
centerpieces were accented by resourced materials; the buffet was filled with
locally sourced goodies. This page: The old railroad depot decorated at night.
The
perfect
location!
A Door County Waterfront Resort
107 North First Ave
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
s www.stoneharbor-resort.com