Real Advice for Planning a MAC Wedding: Maggie Ertz and Michael Hilbert

Maggie Ertz always wanted a black-and-white, modern classic wedding. When she walked into the renovated ballroom at the MAC, she knew she’d look no further.

“We looked at the St. James as well, but when I saw the MAC, it felt it was absolutely perfect,” she said.

Her vision on aesthetics, coupled with her fiance Michael’s desire to be downtown, made the MAC an easy venue choice for their September 16th wedding. Maggie and Michael live right on Broadway and their church, Old Saint Mary’s, also happens to be on that street. They used the MAC rooftop for cocktail hour so they were able to show off the city they love so much.

Maggie and Michael invited 225 people and were surprised to see that only about 25 declined, making them assume that after the pandemic, people were ready to party! “I just couldn't wait to have all my favorite people in one room,” said Maggie.

They started the planning process with MAC event coordinator Katie Shorts and were very excited to sample the food options, a perk of having a world-class chef onsite at the MAC.

Maggie and Michael thought that a tasting with Chef Tom, it’d bring clarity, but it made them want to eat everything! They opted for a sit-down dinner of filet and salmon but appreciated the flexibility of being able to customize their tasting.

Maggie, Michael, and their families loved the elegance of the room and the whole club in general. Another benefit they appreciated was that they didn’t have to pay for many upgrades because everything was already such nice quality. “The MAC just has so many things built in so you don’t have to worry about hiring one more vendor,” says Maggie.

They brought in a 10-piece band called Standing Room Only from Chicago to amplify the reception and add to the classic vibe. The whole night went off smoothly, just as envisioned.

The only really stressful part of planning was that Maggie’s dress arrived too short 
“Surprisingly, I was a pretty chill bride,” she admits and attributes it largely to the support she received from Katie.

Maggie and Michael are high school sweethearts and actually decided to join the MAC after college, mostly for the athletic amenities. They admit one of them is there every day utilizing every aspect of the club.

They advise enjoying the Wisconsin weather if you get married in September and won’t leave for their Caribbean honeymoon until January. Instead, they decided to take a moment to let all the excitement soak in at a relaxing mini-moon in Kohler.

Congratulations Maggie & Michael! Thanks for letting us be a part of your big day!