I received what may be the best press release of all time today. The headline: AR-R-R-RG, Cheese Lady Be Tying The Knot, Wisconsin Native Using Cheese to Celebrate Nuptials.
Here’s the scoop: on July 4, near the shore of Lake Michigan, Sarah Kaufmann,“The Cheese Lady,” will marry Bill Parry in an outdoor ceremony in Manitowoc, Wisc.
Sarah is known as “The Cheese Lady,” because she is an amazingly talented and nationally-recognized cheese sculptor. She has carved hundreds of commissions across the globe, including life size sculptures at every American Cheese Society conference I’ve attended, and is a well-known fixture at grand openings and food festivals, always busily carving mammoth wheels of cheddar for special events.
Here is the best part about the story: Sarah & Bill’s wedding will be complete with a 32-foot long ship, christened the MV (Matrimonial Vessel) Cheese Lady near the banks of Lake Michigan. Guests received their cheese carving illustrated invitations via messages in glass bottles and have been instructed to attend in full costume. On the wedding day, yellow flags with blue anchors announcing “Love Anchored in Cheese” will fly from the ship’s yardarm and decorate the tents.
“Even our wedding rings are designed to look like cheese – bands of gold with cheese dimples and holes!” says Sarah.
Sarah met Bill, a retired U.S. Naval officer, while traveling to San Diego to present a 600 pound, six-foot-long USS Ronald Reagan cheese carving at the home-porting ceremony. “We met because of cheese and everything we do is because of cheese,” Sarah says.
In true “Cheese Lady” fashion, Sarah has ensured her favorite food will be fully incorporated. Sarah will create a Jolly Roger cheese carving for the appetizer table; Bill will cut out cheese hearts of Pepper Jack, his favorite, and gold “dubbloon coin” circles of yellow cheddar. There will also be a Wisconsin artisan cheese tray, made by Sara Hill of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
The “Supper for the Crew” menu created by Linda Miller and provided by Jim Vnuk of All Occasion Catering in Manitowoc, will consist of whole turkey legs roasted pirate style, roast pork with sauerkraut, corn on the cob, summertime garden fresh salad, chunky fruit salad, carrot cake with Jolly Roger flag art and Cedar Crest ice cream with Wisconsin summer berries and chocolate fudge sauce. Beverages will include lemonade (with or without grog!), Wisconsin microbrews, Wisconsin old-fashioneds, Captain Morgan spiced rum, and other assorted spirits.
“And Limes! So we don’t get scurvy,” Sarah added.
In full pirate garb, surrounded by friends, family and cheese, Sarah says she and Bill won’t need to “Say Cheese” to keep smiles on their faces. Here’s toasting the happy couple and hope you enjoy your pirate wedding. Ahoy!
