Lisa & Matt: An Outdoor Wedding in Saugatuck, MI

Crisp shades of green and white created a fresh atmosphere for Lisa and Matt's Saugatuck wedding. The Bride Lisa Baumrucker The Groom Matthew Hanneman The Date September 17 Sometimes, the perfect plan goes awry in exactly the right way. When Lisa Baumrucker (now 27 and an events manager for a non-profit organization) first met Matthew Hanneman (now 31 and an artist and media account executive), the friend who introduced them had actually planned to set up Lisa with a different guy. But “the chemistry was undeniable,” Lisa says, and the pair began dating three months later. Fast-forward one year: Matt had everything in place for a surprise proposal at Lisa’s family cottage on the lake just outside Saugatuck. “Ring in my pocket, my plan was to spend the day relaxing on the beach together, where I would propose while taking a romantic walk at sunset along the coast,” Matt explains. Afterward, friends were to join them for a bonfire on the beach with champagne and s’mores. But after a hot day collecting firewood, Lisa was ready to call it quits and head inside. “I was a nervous wreck trying to salvage the day and set the mood,” Matt remembers. “Finally, realizing the moment was never going to feel just right, I bent down on one knee and pulled out the ring. The Chicago couple married in their much-loved Saugatuck the following year.