Behind the Design | HOLY MATRIMONY — A Superhero Inspired Wedding

Inspiration can come from anything and the moments when you least expect it. Case in point, at one point during the 2024 wedding season, I spent several hours in the Emergency Room at UW Health East Madison Hospital. My visit was on an especially busy night, waiting hours to be seen. As I waited for my name to be called to go back to a room, I sat in the lobby and stared at the wall where there was a sign posted. I was fascinated by the sign and the use of the new branding for UW Health.

I was genuinely drawn to the vibrant colors used in the logo, along with the intriguing repeated pattern in the background that showcased varying shades of blue and red. The striking pattern immediately reminded me of a badge or a crest that you might typically see prominently displayed on the chest of a superhero. Gradually, it all began to make perfect sense to me. After all, doctors, nurses, and medical staff are indeed real superheroes in our communities. As I contemplated this connection further, I thought there might be something significant here, so I made a mental note and carefully filed the idea away for future reference. 

In fall 2024, WedPlan Madison asked me to design a wedding display for the 2025 Winter Wedding Show at the Alliant Energy Center. I had a rough idea centered around superheroes and started developing it. I realized I needed more than just superheroes, so I drew inspiration from art, interior design, and fashion. My favorite style is Midcentury Modern, which led me to include vintage comic books and pop art as key elements.

The colors used in the iconic vintage comic books and graphic novels of the 1950’s and 1960’s heavily influenced the color story for this design. Apart from the shades of red and blue that I was drawn to in the UW Health brand, I found a heavy use of the color yellow and decided that it would be the perfect color to use as an accent to compliment the red and blue. I also opted to adjust the blue shade used in the UW Health brand to a richer and vibrant teal blue shade.

The final element of inspiration was the pop art works of artist Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein rose to prominence in the 1960's through pieces which were inspired by popular advertising and the comic book style of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Much of his work explores the relationship between fine art, advertising, and consumerism. Much of Lichtenstein’s work utilized Ben-Day dots, a technique for producing areas of gray or (with four-color printing) various colors by using fine patterns of ink on the paper. The image below is from a 1966 cover for Newsweek Magazine that showcases Lichtenstein’s iconic style. It is also a perfect example of the use of the colors selected for this design’s color story.

With the concept solidified, it was time to pull together a team of creative partners with big imaginations and a commitment to thinking outside the box. We hit the jackpot with the team that WEDPLAN Madison put together to bring this concept to life. Each and every vendor used their superhero strength to help bring this design to life. To see more images and to find out more about the creative team that worked with OSO, check out WEDPLAN Madison’s blog.

Coordination + Design: Oso In Love Wedding and Event Curators

Custom Balloon Decor: Daydream Design

Floral: Cosmic Gardens

Cakes & Desserts: Sandy Kakes

Stationery + Signage: LK Bridal Studio

Suits: Men's Wearhouse

Rentals: Velvet Rentals