Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

In the spring of 2022, we were both working on the Grassland 2.0 Project at UW-Madison. However, for a long while our interactions were only over Zoom. It wasn’t until that summer that John was tasked with driving a UW fleet vehicle up to Duluth, MN for a conference. Having deposited his dissertation days before the trip John viewed the trip as a boondoggle. As fate would have it one of the colleagues joining on the 5-hour car ride to Duluth, MN was Taylor. Taylor claims that she thought John’s road trip style was quite fun and created lots of laughs. Notably John’s ability to overcome the lack of Bluetooth and AUX for music on the road trip by using his luggage strap to hang a Bluetooth speaker in the car so that tunes could be had. When they weren’t going from song to song there was plenty of times for road trip stories. Following their trip from Duluth there was a slight issue for their inevitable relationship. John was set to go on a date with another person upon his return to Madison. Luckily that relationship fizzled out and Taylor and John went on their first date in the winter of 2023 at the old Knuth’s Brewery in Ripon. However, following this date they did not go on another date until the summer of 2023. This time it was Taylor keeping her distance. It wasn’t until they inevitably realized they would be at the UW-Terrace for the same event about phosphorus pollution in lakes (go figure) that they reconnected. This time the relationship stuck. For much of 2023 and the early part of 2024 they would commute back and forth between Ripon and Madison to see each other as much as possible. Then in the summer of 2024 they were able to both move to Ripon where they love spending time outside hiking, golfing, swimming, boating, paddleboarding and fishing on and around Big Green Lake. While our story has taken many turns it is maybe easiest to remember there is always a lake involved (don’t fool yourself, this is by design). Whether it was getting to know each other on the shores of Gichigami (Lake Superior for those not in the know). Reconnecting on the UW-Terrace on a beautiful day overlooking Lake Mendota. Or the week after where we spent the entire day boating around Big Green Lake gawking at lake side mansions and Taylor somehow bottling up her fear of deep water as John was enjoying the chance to dive into Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake. In the summers we love spending time in the Northwoods boating on the Manitowish Chain and fishing on the many hidden lakes that dot the woods of Vilas County. In the fall of 2024, it was only fitting that we got engaged on UW’s campus overlooking Lake Mendota. When picking where to host you for our wedding there was only one criteria—we wanted to be by a Wisconsin lake. We look forward to sharing a sunset and celebrating with you along the shores of Lake Mendota on May 31st as we make another memory by one of our favorite Wisconsin lakes.

Our Story

Photos

Jake and John met playing defensive line at Purdue. After college, they would often meet up in Chicago for concerts at Joe’s on Weed Street, and lake swims off the break walls in Lincoln Park. Jake recently completed his MBA from the University of Chicago. He now lives in Lincoln Park and works for Boston Consulting Group. 

Jake Replogle

Danny and John also met while playing at Purdue. While in college, they roomed together and built a relationship similar to brothers who lived together all their lives. They were always seemingly in some little dispute, but when push came to shove, they always had each other’s backs. Danny is now an Officer for the Lafayette Police Department and lives in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Danny Anthrop

Cheyenne and Taylor met at UW-Madison’s student orientation, thanks to a nudge from Taylor’s mom. During college, they bonded over dancing, Badger football games, and adventures with their friend Danica. Now living in Marshall, WI, Cheyenne works as an Apprenticeship Manager at ABC Wisconsin, and her little family includes Peaches, Cheyenne’s dog, who adores her “Auntie TT.”

Cheyenne Foster

Danica and Taylor met at UW-Madison while living in Tripp Residence Hall, quickly forming a friendship through shared meals, workouts, study sessions, and one cockroach infested shower. Along with Cheyenne, they enjoyed Badger football games, cooking, game nights, and beach volleyball. Danica now lives in Lake Mills, WI, where she works as a Personal Trainer at the Y in Sun Prairie and a Youth Minister at Lake Mills United Methodist Church.

Danica Johnson

Sophie is John and Taylor’s niece. When she isn’t playing with her dogs Ada and Lou, she enjoys going to dance class and reading Daniel Tiger books. She is also Mia's big sister and enjoys living in Alexandria, Virginia, with her mom and dad. 

Sophie Strauser

Wedding Party

Q + A

Travel Information

For those flying in, we recommend booking flights into Madison, Milwaukee, or Chicago. If you land at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Airport, you can take the <a href="https://badgerbus.com/linerun" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Badger Bus</a> to Madison. If you fly into Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, the <a href="https://www.coachusa.com/airport-transportation/airport-express/airport-information" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Coach USA</a> bus is a convenient option for reaching Madison.

Accomodations

We have a room rate at the Residence Inn Madison West / Middleton. <a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1703723133970&amp;key=CORP&amp;app=resvlink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Use this link to access our wedding rate</a>. If you'd prefer to stay downtown in the heart of Madison, we recommend: <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/msnox-moxy-madison-downtown/overview/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Moxy Madison Downtown</a>, <a href="https://www.ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/madison/msnms/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IN-_-US-_-MSNMS" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hotel Indigo</a>, or <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/msnac-ac-hotel-madison-downtown/overview/?scid=f2ae0541-1279-4f24-b197-a979c79310b0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AC Hotel Madison Downtown</a>.

Travel

PLACES TO EAT

For those looking to grab a meal, our favorite restaurant in Madison is <a href="Sardine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sardine</a>. Their dinner is wonderful, and they're are also known for their delicious brunch. Another spot we frequent is <a href="https://nattspil.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nattspil</a>. If you're in the mood for a quick sandwich, we highly recommend <a href="https://stalzysdeli.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stalzy’s Deli</a>. For breakfast we recommend getting a breakfast sandwich at <a href="https://www.madisonsourdough.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Madison Sourdough</a> or grabbing a pastry at <a href="https://batchbakehouse.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Batch Bakehouse</a>--our favorite is their cinnamon roll.&nbsp; On Saturday mornings, the farmers' market on the Capitol Square is worth exploring. While snagging farm fresh goodies at one of the largest farmer's markets in the country, we recommend stopping by <a href="https://www.ancoracafes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ancora Cafe</a> for coffee and grabbing some Wisconsin cheese or a sandwich at <a href="https://fromagination.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fromagination</a>.

PLACES TO EXPLORE

For those with kids, we recommend the <a href="https://www.henryvilaszoo.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Henry Vilas Zoo</a>. It's a great place to see a variety of animals, including Bucky Badger, and its free! Another Madison favorite is the <a href="https://union.wisc.edu/visit/terrace-at-the-memorial-union/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UW-Madison Memorial Union Terrace</a>. IT's popular for enjoying a terrace beer, but we also suggest visiting in the morning to enjoy a cup of coffee while taking in the view of Lake Mendota. For beer enthusiasts, Madison's biergartens are a fantastic option. One of our favorites is the <a href="https://www.olbrichbiergarten.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Olbrich Biergarten</a>, where we love meeting friends to watch the sunset over the city. If breweries are more your style, we recommend <a href="https://www.workingdraftbeer.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Working Draft</a> and <a href="https://www.youngbloodbeerco.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Young Blood Brewing Company</a> for some local brews. Situated on an isthmus, Madison is landlocked, which has helped it become a premier biking city. For those who enjoy cycling, there's no better way to explore the terrace, restaurants, biergartens, or zoo than by bike. You can rent a Trek bike from <a href="https://www.machineryrowbicycles.com/articles/bike-rentals-pg191.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Machinery Row Bicycles </a>for your weekend in Madison. If you're looking for a quick, single ride, the city also offers plenty of Divvy bikes conveniently located throughout town.

John & Taylor

John & Taylor

J&T

Wedding Day