Kirsten & Geoffrey

Love is officially blooming!

Friday June 17, 2022

Cedarburg, WI, USA

1092 days 12 hrs 24 mins ago

Story

Picture It: Northwestern Mutual, 2010. I was a spunky redhead with a funky haircut and Geoffrey was the super shy guy that was great at spreadsheets. We were both board members of NM's Young Professionals, meeting weekly to support members and plan events. From poker runs to volunteering, we did a lot of stuff together. But as life happens, our board terms ended and life took us on different paths. We'd bump into each other every once in a while and catch each other's social media posts.

Then three years ago, I did a TEDx Talk. After the talks, I was standing in front of the stage and look up, seeing Geoffrey walking straight for me. I was surprised and happy to see him - a familiar, friendly face on a big day. Turns out, he saw one of my social media posts about my talk and came to see me. I felt special. We chatted for so long that we were the last people in the theater that day.

A couple weeks later, we got together for coffee. We spent more than four hours sitting in the cafe in the US Bank lobby, talking about life and travels and all the things that have been happening since our time together on the board. As we were standing on the corner outside saying goodbye for the night, Geoffrey mentioned that he was tired, because his day didn't start the way he planned. When he was leaving to catch the bus to work that morning, there was a woman crying on the street. She asked him for help - she was newly evicted and needed to get to her children, about a 15-minute drive away. So Geoffrey grabbed his car keys and drove her to her children, stopping at an ATM along the way to get money for bus tickets so they could get to family in Iowa. Because of this, Geoffrey got to work late and it threw his day off.

I stood there in shock - from all my years doing disaster relief work, I knew that kind of compassion and generosity were rare. I told him how wonderful it was that he helped her, and that I always try to help people on the street when they ask. He agreed, pulling a fistful of gift cards out of his wallet. He said he keeps these gift cards on-hand to give to homeless people instead of cash, so they could buy meals or get around on public transit. I'm a woman who loves words, but in that moment I was speechless. I knew that this was someone special and important. And that he may just be the person I could build a life with.

Now, after 12 years of friendship and three years of love, we're making it official. Team Bergmann and Team Helgeson are becoming one on June 17th! Say hello to the Bergesons!

Tidbits

How did you first meet?

Read Our Story!

Who's going to take out the trash?

Geoffrey. Always Geoffrey. Kirsten hasn't taken the trash out in more than two years.

What was your most memorable date?

We love to go on seasonal dates. With each new season, we plan a date that fits with its theme. Kirsten's favorite is our first fall date where we went apple picking and had a picnic in the orchard. Geoffrey's favorite is our first winter date where we walked around downtown Milwaukee looking at Christmas decorations and drinking hot cocoa.

What's your favorite activity together?

We love playing games and regularly host games nights with friends! Our collection of board games is always expanding and you'll regularly find Geoffrey researching new games to try!

Where are you going for your honeymoon?

We're visiting the UK this fall! We're planning to spend time knocking about England and Scotland, with some quality time with Geoffrey's grandfather as well.

What's the best meal you have eaten together?

Kirsten has become quite a good cook, and makes meals from scratch almost every day. Geoffrey readily admits that he's spoiled rotten.

What's the most memorable trip you have taken together?

Our road trip to the Jersey Shore! It was a wonderful drive filled with fall colors and sunsets! Plus, we got to spend lots of quality time with three of our favorite people with the Atlantic Ocean as our front yard!

We’re on the same page about

Almost everything. There's very little that we disagree on. Even our differences are complimentary!

A life goal of ours

To go on lots of adventures and be good to people along the way.

The dorkiest thing about us is

We're pretty big nerds. Geoffrey can teach you how to play Magic the Gathering and Kirsten was on the high school debate team. You'll regularly find us nerd dancing in our kitchen and planning out how to better organize our closets. The highlight of last week was our new label maker!

A social cause we care about

We're bleeding heart humanitarians. Kirsten's work focuses on global mental health and women's empowerment, so gender equity and inclusion is always on our minds. We also are passionate about humanitarian crises, racial justice and basic needs access for people worldwide.

We are regulars at

Aldi's. Seriously, have you seen the great deals they have there?

Schedule

Friday, June 17, 2022

Ceremony and Reception

3:00 PM to 12:00 AM

We're getting married!

The outdoor ceremony will start at 3pm, in the backyard of Cedars. The reception starts immediately after the ceremony.

Our goal is to have a fun, casual wedding! We've rented out the entire place for the day, so you can enjoy bowling, pool tables, yard games...if you don't have fun, it's not our fault!

For dinner, we're having a taco bar. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Cash bar for everything else.

Travel

Plane

Flying In

If you're taking a plane to get here, we recommend flying into General Mitchell International Airport (MKE). You could also fly into Chicago (O'Hare), which is 90 minutes south of Cedarburg.

Note

Getting to Cedarburg

Cedarburg is about 30 minutes north of Milwaukee (and about 35 minutes from the airport). There are several way to get to Cedarburg if you're flying in.

1) Family Pick Up. Geoffrey, Kirsten or a member of the family will pick you up from the airport and bring you to Cedarburg. Clearly, this is the ideal scenario, but will take a little bit of coordination. Let us know as soon as possible if you need us to come pick you up!

2) Airport Shuttles. There are several different shuttles that will bring you to Cedarburg and Back to the airport.

3) Rental Cars. There are lots of rental car options at the airport.

4) Ride Shares. We have Uber and Lyft in Milwaukee.

Assistance

Booking Assistant - Find A Place to Stay Near Cedarburg

Suggested Stay:

Thu, June 16 - Sat, June 18

Cedarburg, Wisconsin, USA

Calendar
Calendar
Hotel Product

Hampton Inn & Suites Grafton, Gateway Dr, Grafton, WI, USA

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Washington House Inn, Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI, USA

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The Stagecoach Inn Bed and Breakfast, Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI, USA

Hotel Product

Lilly Pad (Boerners' Guest House), Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI, USA

Car

Carpool!

We'll be coordinating a carpool to help out-of-towners get to the wedding events! Please let us know if you need a ride, so that we can coordinate the details!

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Things to do in Cedarburg

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Things to Do in Milwaukee

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Q & A

For all our friends and family who have lots of questions, please check out our Q & A first!

When is the RSVP deadline?

Please RSVP by May 15th, so we can have an accurate headcount. :)

Can I bring a date?

Please check your invite for your +1!

What will the weather be like?

Welcome to Wisconsin, all of you out-of-towners! The weather here can be funny. During the day, the weather in Cedarburg should be beautiful, averaging 75 degrees, but can get chilly at night. Feel free to bring a warm layer for the evening. Prepare for anything.

Where should I park?

Cedars has a big parking lot, so there shouldn't be any issues with finding a place to park.

What should I wear?

We want people to feel comfortable. You'll see people in fancy outfits (because it is a wedding, after all). And you'll also probably see people in jeans. Wear what makes your heart happy!

Is the wedding indoors or outdoors?

Our entire wedding is at Cedars. The ceremony will be out back on the waterfront along Cedar Creek. We've rented out the entire place, so you can be indoors bowling, outside on the deck or in the backyard playing games.

What kind of shoes should/shouldn't I wear?

You'll be walking on grass for the ceremony, so we'd recommend avoiding shoes with pointy heels. Bowling shoes will be available to everyone, so make sure to bring a pair of clean socks with you. Wear whatever shoes make you happy and help you have fun!

Is it okay to take pictures with our phones and cameras during the wedding?

Yes! We would love for you to take photos and share them with us!

Whom should I call with questions?

You know how to reach Kirsten & Geoffrey. Call, text or email us with questions.

Registry

Your presence is enough of a present to us! Truly, no gifts are needed. We are completely serious. We do not want or need any gifts. Really, please do not give presents! But for those of you who are extra stubborn, we've put together a short gift list.

Get the app

Download Joy and join our app using our event handle kirsten-and-geoffrey. View and share photos and stay up-to-date with details on the go.