Is there anything better than a tall drink of water in a crisp blue uniform? Can I get a what-what? Sorry, way too old to be saying things like that. But seriously, am I right or what? Case in point, this next dreamy groom who is all the dreamier thanks to his stunning leading lady and the gorgeous wedding that they crafted together. Photographed by Clary Photo, this little number will be delivering butterflies and wedding giddies girls around the world…thanks mostly to the beautiful story that the bride wrote about her big day. And for good measure, there is so much more prettiness right here in the gallery.
From the Bride… Steve and I met in Las Vegas through mutual friends our senior year of college. From that point on, our relationship has been absolutely lucky. From a fateful job placement in Alabama, where Steve was going to flight school to become a helicopter pilot, to a whirlwind year of three-hour commutes (he lived in Enterprise, while I lived in Birmingham), we happily got engaged on the beach my family had been traveling to every year since I was a kid. How lucky is that?
We knew we wanted to invoke a feeling of home for everyone that came to celebrate with us. Some of the most important details for me were the flowers and lighting. The History Museum is a public place that is not designed for private events, so we had the awesome challenge of creating a warm romantic feeling in large, historic place. Exclusive Events did a fantastic job of stringing garden lights across the reception room, which instantly warmed and romanticized the entire space. Our flowers by Sister’s brought the entire event to life. My dress also had some special touches. I had my maiden monogram sewn in to the lining, along with a handkerchief from my grandmother that my mom carried on her wedding day. My flowers also were wrapped in the bonnet I was baptized in and pinned together with a cameo that belonged to my grandmother. Steve wore his military blues, but I had “mission accomplished” sewn into the back of his shirt, so when he took his jacket off to dance, he had a surprise for everyone! It’s those silly little things that bring a smile every time. He also wore American flag-themed argyle socks. The man loves his U.S.A.
One of the most special parts of our wedding was dubbed the “love fern.” During our ceremony we planted an oak sapling with soil from all the places that had been important in our relationship and lives. Seems simple enough, but we waited until the week of to actually procure said oak sapling. After many mistrials of ordering online and scoping out local nurseries, my dad and Steve took it upon themselves to unearth a sapling from our local park. The tree was perfect, the poison oak they had to traipse through to get to it was not. Luckily it didn’t show up til the day after the wedding when both my Dad and Steve were covered in head to toe. I think my favorite line from our honeymoon was Steve saying he thought the bumps were just nerves, until they started to itch! I guess if you’re going to have poison oak, having it in the Dominican Republic makes it a little better!
Another important factor in making our day about family and friends was to make sure we infused details of our life together into the wedding. We displayed our “love fern” at our reception with a description of all the different soil we used. In our program I detailed all of my “Old, New, Borrowed, Blue.” We even had a Welsh Corgi on Steve’s Blackhawk groom’s cake to signify our fur baby, Peter, who is 10 months old and the love of our lives. Finally, I think the part of our day that still makes me tear up, even now, is our first dance. Steve’s best friend from birth, Nick, played Keith Urban’s “Without You” on the acoustic guitar. The song will forever remind me of us falling in love in Alabama and our life since then. I can honestly say it was one of the most special moments of my life, and I will never forget it. Our day was not perfect, but it was the best day I can every imagine having. The best part was not the decor or the dress, but the family and friends around us that came together to make us feel so loved. I would not have changed it for the world.
Wedding Photography: Clary Photo / Ceremony: Graham Chapel in St. Louis, Missouri / Reception: Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, Missouri / Wedding Coordination: Proposing Dreams / Floral Design: Sisters Flowers / Wedding Cake: The Cakery / Groom’s Cake: Wedding Wonderland / Wedding Paper Goods: William Arthur via The Service Bureau / Lighting + Draping: Exclusive Events / DJ: Tom Rotter of Block Rockin’ Beats / Place Card Display, Signage, Programs Wedding Photo Display + Welcome Bags: DIY / Wedding Dress: Amsale / Bride’s Veil: Toni Federici / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair + Makeup: Lisa Combs-Dolan + Heather Romano / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo