We Bet You’ve Never Seen a Macramé Backdrop Like This… Hint: It’s a Skull!

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Teresa + Jackson are obsessed with several things: skulls, bugs, and snakes. They tell us: although we gathered ideas from many beautiful people and places, our chief inspiration was just our general personal weirdness: the things that make us unique. We both have tattoos, so we went with traditional tattoo font for any visible writing (table numbers, seating chart, etc.) Our favorite colors range from lush greens to deep reds to gold, so we created a palette that blended them all into a grander vision.

We both would consider “spookiness” a large part of our overall aesthetic, so we found ways to add a little creepy touches all over the place: our backdrop was layered fringe in the shape of a skull, our centerpieces were filled with macabre touches like an animal skull or a preserved bat or a moth, Teresa’s earrings were golden cicadas, Jackson’s collar was emblazoned with a snake, the candlesticks wouldn’t have looked to out of place on the dinner table between Gomez and Morticia Addams. Sounds crazy cool, right?

We certainly think so + so did their photographer, Laurken Kendall! Let’s take a peek at all the spectacular magic snapped at The Atrium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

The Wedding Party

pink bridesmaids

The bridesmaids each picked out their own dress, most of which were found at ASOS or Lulu*s, along with a few local boutiques.

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

How good is that fringe Rue de Seine gown?!

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

protea bouquet

Keeping the florals fit to the dark and moody palette (hello thistle!), florist Lauren Ahrens made it pop with the king proteas.

The Ceremony Space

white fringe backdrop

Teresa crafted the unique macramé backdrop…which if you take a closer look is designed in the shape of a skull!

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

Jackson: Looking up to see Teresa walking down the aisle. Those are the moments that you try to capture and put in your pocket forever so you always have them because you know nothing will ever be able to replicate that specific, pure, shattering thing that washed over you.

Teresa: Reading our deeply personal, emotional vows in front of all of our loved ones. It was such a special moment filled with so much love.

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Our Musical Choices

Processional: I Can Lift a Car by Walk the Moon + Happy Together by The Turtles

Recessional: The Story of My Life by Marty Robbins

First Dance: Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Moody décor GALORE!

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

The Newlyweds

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Work with people that you trust and let them execute their visions. We really made it a priority from the beginning to put in the research to find vendors whose styles were complementary to ours; that way, we could give them some extremely broad parameters to work within so that they could express themselves completely through their artistry. This lets them have creative freedom and fosters an environment of collaboration rather than subordination. They are the professionals, let them create.

Start planning far in advance and figure out your budget before you even start planning. It was so nice being able to just enjoy the month before our wedding and not have anything that needed to be done.

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

We’re buggin’ out for those ridiculous cool earrings!

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Dig this floral bridal hat as much as us? It just so happens that we have this floral hat DIY, so you can create it for yourself!

rue de seine dress

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

Did you notice the snake touch on the groom’s collar?

Skull Inspired Milwaukee Wedding

The COOLEST. From the team at GWS, congratulations to the both of you!

photography: laurken kendall // venue name: The Atrium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA // florals: Lauren Ahrens // wedding dress: Rue De Seine // groom attire: Noose and Monkey // catering: Bel Air Cantina

Explore: