Natalie & Bob’s Mercantile Hall Wedding | Partial Planning in Burlington, Wisconsin

Natalie and Bob’s May 2025 wedding at Mercantile Hall in Burlington, Wisconsin was the kind of day that feels warm the second you walk in—intentional, relaxed, and genuinely fun. As their partial planning wedding planner, our team at Redwood Weddings stepped in to support the planning process where they needed it most, while still letting their personalities lead every decision.

A Modern, Industrial Wisconsin Wedding Venue

Mercantile Hall is one of those venues that does a lot of the heavy lifting on its own. With cream city brick, modern industrial details, moody lighting fixtures, and even a refurbished trailer turned outdoor bar, the space feels elevated without feeling stuffy. One of the biggest perks? The flow.

Guests moved seamlessly from an outdoor (covered!) courtyard ceremony into cocktail hour and the reception—no awkward transitions, no downtime. Our team handled setup throughout the venue, placing personal details like escort cards, signage, and framed photos, while also keeping the day running smoothly behind the scenes (including tracking down a mysteriously missing suit jacket mid-setup 🙃).

Natalie and her girls got ready at a nearby Airbnb before heading to Mercantile Hall once the venue opened at 10:00am for portraits and their first look. That timeline choice gave them space to enjoy the morning without rushing—and it paid off.

Partial Planning Support That Brought It All Together

When Natalie and Bob reached out, they had great ideas—but like a lot of couples, they hit the point where everything started to feel heavier than expected. They wanted guidance with décor, logistics, and pulling all the pieces together in a way that actually made sense.

Through our partial planning services, we helped them:

• Create a cohesive design board

• Source and recommend décor pieces

• Refine their color palette

• Finalize vendors

• Build and walk through a realistic wedding day timeline

• Tie together the details they had already thoughtfully chosen

The goal was simple: get everything off their to-do list so they could actually enjoy their wedding day instead of managing it.

Design Details & Color Palette

Their design leaned soft and joyful, without feeling overly styled.

Color palette: pastel tones with light blue, pink, cream, and subtle pops of yellow and orange

Florals: a mix of bud vases and frog arrangements paired with votive and pillar candles throughout the space. Bouquets were airy and hand-tied, with statement ceremony florals that were later repurposed in front of the sweetheart table.

Tables: guests were seated at round tables with light tan linens, accented by bud vases and frog arrangements. The wedding party sat at a king’s table—the only rectangular table in the room—while the sweetheart table stood out with pillar candles placed behind it for a soft, glowing backdrop.

Lighting: Mercantile Hall’s natural moodiness paired beautifully with candlelight. Large front windows brought in just enough natural light during the day, while the reception leaned into a darker, romantic feel at night.

Personal Touches That Made It Theirs

Natalie and Bob were intentional about adding details that felt meaningful without overdoing it.

• Gold shelving displayed escort cards (one of their must-haves!)

• Dog treats as favors—because obviously 🐾

• A thoughtful memorial photo display honoring loved ones they’ve lost

These were the kinds of details that guests lingered over—and that made the day feel deeply personal.

How the Wedding Day Flowed

The day moved easily from start to finish:

• Getting ready off-site at an Airbnb

• Personal items delivered (by us!) and styled for photography and videography before portraits

• A first look and portraits once the venue opened

• Ceremony starting right on time (even with a few late arrivals)

• Cocktail hour and reception handled seamlessly by Mercantile Hall, with two bars open for a large guest count

Catering was incredible, and the DJ and photo booth teams kept the energy high until the very end of the night.

Behind-the-Scenes Wins You’d Never Know About

Some of the quiet wins that made a big difference:

• Securing ceremony florals after the wind knocked them off their pillars

• Tracking down a suit jacket delivered to the wrong door

• Picking up and setting up the wedding cake for the cake cutting

• Creating intentional moments for Natalie and Bob to pause, soak it all in, and actually enjoy being just married

Why Wedding Coordination Mattered

This wedding had a large family, a lot of personalities, and plenty of opinions—which is exactly where having a planner makes all the difference.

Instead of answering questions, managing timelines, or troubleshooting problems, Natalie and Bob got to be present. We handled:

• Vendor communication

• Guest direction

• Timeline management

• Rehearsal coordination

• Day-of decisions and logistics

Even months later, they still tell us how grateful they were for the support—and that they wish they could do it all over again. Honestly? Same.

Vendor Team

Planning: @redwoodweddingswi

Photo: @tributefilmphoto

Video: @ward3media

Venue & Bar: @mercantile_hall

Music: @bercleekaye @signaturesoundwi

Hair: @styledbysam.mke

Makeup: @mslaurynmarie

Catering & Dessert: @parkside_23

Décor: @gertrude_evelyn

Florals: @greatwhitefarm

Invitations & Stationery: @mintedweddings

Cake: @blackbirdbakeryburlington

Photo Booth: The Photo Booth by Global Entertainment

Planning a wedding at Mercantile Hall—or another Wisconsin venue—and want support without full-service planning? 

Partial planning might be the perfect fit.

👉 Reach out to work with us here!