St. Louis Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

A Wedding Planner’s Classic And Timeless Wedding With Subtle Stripe Detailing

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

Green, white, light blue, and pink.

[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

As a professional wedding planner, I have seen it all! I wanted my wedding to be classy and elegant with a reception that reflected my personal style (without overdoing it). I wasn’t as worried about every corner having something going on, instead I wanted to showcase smaller details that felt special and unique to me. For instance, I love stripes, so I had a blue, green, and white painted dance floor. I also incorporated subtle stripes into our invitation suite. I’m very particular about color, so I chose custom paint colors for the bars that I designed for our reception. I wanted to make sure the dining room looked utterly warm, inviting, and classic and yet unlike any other that I had designed before for my clients. My top priorities were creating a reception space that was pretty and also comfortable for all my guests. As an event planner, I believe you should never have a sea of rounds in a space. Instead, I wanted to incorporate various types of seating: including banquette wall seating, longs, and rounds with different linen patterns and napkin designs to give dimension to the room and make each table feel unique.

[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]

We love to travel as a couple. While we were on a family vacation in Aspen with William’s family, he proposed to us on the top of Aspen Mountain! Right after the proposal, I found out that my whole family had traveled there as well, so we could all celebrate the moment together. We had an incredible trip that I’ll never forget.

[/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

[/board_carousel]
[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

All I knew going into the process was that I wanted a slim, fitted silhouette. After trying on many options at Warren Barrón Bridal in Dallas, it came down to two gowns. Ultimately, I ended up choosing a Monique Lhuillier because it felt more classic and timeless. My gown had a removable Watteau train off the back that photographed beautifully and made for a dramatic walk down the aisle. The shoulder straps on my gown were also removable. I took them off at the reception to give my arms more range of motion for dancing. Speaking of dancing, I knew I wanted a second short white dress as well. I picked out a strapless Safiyaa mini-dress with a fun feather hem. As much as I loved my wedding gown, changing into something shorter midway through the dancing felt great. My best friend helped me change, and we came out wearing costume wigs (mine in pink) for the reveal. As we entered the reception, a variety of crazy wigs were handed out, along with fun sunglasses. Our guests loved it! Everyone has more fun with a wig on! My “something blue” was a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings by our family jeweler, Genovese Jewelers. And my “something borrowed” was a diamond necklace and bracelet set from my mother, also by Genovese. For the rehearsal dinner, I also wanted the green color scheme to kick off the weekend. I found an incredible green and white floral satin gown by Rodarte that had a high neckline and a cape off the back. When I saw it, I knew it would be the perfect dress for my rehearsal dinner. I paired it with some gorgeous diamond and emerald hoop earrings from Genovese Jewelers. My sister and best friend (my two matrons of honor) also wore green dresses that night.

[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]

I didn’t want a huge wedding party, so I chose to have just my sister and my best friend as my bridesmaids/Matrons of Honor. I picked a full-length statement dress in green and white floral from Emilia Wickstead, a designer I love. I wanted my bridesmaids to feel beautiful, special, and comfortable. The dress not only matched the wedding colors but also provided a timeless and elegant look that my bridesmaids could potentially wear again for other formal occasions. We had three precious flower girls at the wedding party, including my goddaughter and William’s two nieces. They wore white batiste cotton dresses by Pieces by Tam. I loved the old-fashioned styling with delicate French lace and ribbons. They had so much fun twirling and dancing in their fancy dresses!

[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]

Our wedding’s dress code was black-tie so all the male guests wore tuxes. William wore a midnight blue tuxedo with a black satin lapel and a black tie.

[/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

[/board_carousel]
[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

We passed Texas ranch waters to guests on arrival as a nod to William’s Texas roots. We chose not to have signature drinks because, as a wedding planner, I always see guests only take a few sips before heading to the bar to get what they actually want to drink. We hosted a full bar so our guests could order any cocktail that they enjoyed! Our reception was held at my hometown country club where I grew up going with my family, Old Warson Country Club. We hosted a seated dinner, starting with my favorite — tomato and mozzarella salad. Our entrée was a short rib and shrimp. When it was time to dance with my favorite wedding band, Jessie’s Girls, we passed espresso martinis for a caffeine kick.

[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

As a professional event planner, I knew what vendors I wanted to work with for our wedding. I felt so honored to have jackson durham at the helm of the floral design. I knew they would understand my vision and execute everything with beauty and taste. We kept things very classic and all white for the ceremony and my personal flowers. But for the reception, Jackson Durham infused the design with bright pinks and coral tones which looked beautiful set against the linens in green, white, and light blue. Another special detail was how they used a variety of containers for the flowers on each table, including silver trays and vintage silver vases in different styles and sizes. Combined with the various different linens, each table had its own look, and the overall look had a personalized, home wedding feel.

[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]I didn’t want a traditional wedding cake so we went with a pale green tiered cake with sugar flowers. We had a white-on-white cake with raspberry filling and delicious cream cheese icing. We toasted our cake cutting with champagne in two large sterling goblets that belong to my family and have been used at many other family weddings. [/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

Our first dance was set to “All Your’n” by Tyler Childress. William nailed the dip at the end. It was such a celebratory moment! We were so ready to party! We were honored to have Jessie’s Girls, one of my very favorite bands, play for three hours solid.

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

As a wedding planner, I know how important it is to have the best photography. After all that planning, you want to have the pictures to remember it all by. Liz Banfield is one of my all-time favorite vendors in the wedding industry! I’ve worked with her many times professionally and have come to rely on her ability to make everyone feel at ease and comfortable. Liz’s ability to capture the genuine personality of each client is a testament to her skill and dedication to her craft. Liz was not only our wedding photographer but someone we will always call our friend!

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

My dad surprised me with a fireworks display midway through the reception. Having fireworks was so special and something I had always wanted. William and I watched in awe with all our guests from the lawn next to our tent. Since I was doing double duty as bride and wedding planner, I still can’t believe my dad was able to pull off the surprise without me knowing.

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

The printed invitation suite by Carly Creative Co was an absolute dream, setting the tone for the whole event. Like the whole wedding, it was classic and yet unique and personalized. She even managed to include stripes, my favorite. Carly is one of my top invitation designers for my clients, and it was fun to be the bride in the creative process. At the end of the night, we sent guests home with extra wedding cake beautifully boxed up. As a rule, I think wedding favors can often be a waste of money, but everyone loves a little sweet snack for later. I’ve seen a lot of exit cars in my days as a wedding planner so I wanted something a little different. Following a celebratory exit with a colorful confetti bomb, we took off in bight blue Moke America golf cart. We didn’t have to drive far to my parent’s house, where we hosted the after-party late (late!) into the night.

[/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Wedding Weekend Events”]

[/board_carousel]
[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/882346319 600 338]

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Liz Banfield

View Portfolio

Elegant & Classic St. Louis Wedding Day With Incredible DIY Details

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

Sara and Sam chose a classic black and white color scheme for their formal affair, with gold accents! Their wedding party wore black, while Sara used white and gold for their decor! For their stationary and signage (which she designed and DIYed herself!), she chose white with elegant gold calligraphy. They used the ballroom at the Missouri Athletic Club for both their ceremony and reception! The space has darker accent colors, so the white tablecloths and modern gold touches really stood out and created a beautiful contrast!

[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

From the bride… “We wanted our wedding to stand the test of time and to never go out of style. The feeling you get when you look at your parents or grandparents’ wedding album is how we wanted it to feel looking through ours. Almost an old charm & nostalgic feel would be the best way to describe it. Design-wise, I am *obsessed* with the royals and wanted it also to feel very regal and grand. So, having the personalizations from the drink toppers pre-ceremony, to the runner and newspapers during the ceremony, to all of the kids walking down the aisle, to the personalized menus… we wanted everyone to feel that they were important on our day too.” Sara made sure the design was cohesive throughout their entire day! Their wedding monogram made every detail feel thoughtful and intentional. So many elements were customized for each guest, which was so special! Sara and Sam went above and beyond to make sure every guest felt welcomed and appreciated in their celebration. A moment Sara had envisioned was Sam seeing her for the first time, walking down the aisle! However, they also loved the idea of a first look – seeing each other in a more intimate setting and being able to spend more of the day together! So, that morning, Sam waited at the alter and turned around to see Sara for the first time walking down the aisle – just the two of them. This was such a sweet moment! We then captured photos of them in the ballroom with their wedding party! Sara had envisioned formal, seated portraits, which turned out beautifully in front of the mirrored backdrop at the MAC. We then went to the St Louis Central Library for more informal, candid portraits! The library has such beautiful architecture that it feels cohesive with its beautiful, historic wedding venue. While the library has historic architecture, it also has a more modern feel with the St. Louis city skyline in the background.

[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]

“Sam’s family has been taking annual summer vacations to Grand Haven, Michigan since his mother was little. It was a very serious thing to be invited on the family trip so when I got the invite one year in – I was ecstatic. We went and we both felt like that was truly a turning point in our relationship. Spending a week with such a large family can be intimidating but I loved every second of it and it gave us that glimpse of what our future would look like together. Another year later, on our trip to Grand Haven… we went to dinner with Sam’s twin brother and his wife. While this dinner was happening, our families were setting to the proposal site on the beach. Little did I know, my mom drove 7 hours!! And I had no idea. We all decided to walk to the lighthouse after dinner until we reached an umbrella with a blanket covered in flowers with champagne and his aunt hiding behind a sign taking photos (lol!) It was also on the “family spot” on the beach where we always go during the day. He asked me to marry him in the most special place ever and then our families came down to the beach and his sister threw us a big family celebratory party after! It was the surprise of a lifetime and we love that we get to revisit that spot every year and relive the memories.”

“This is funny. I envisioned tulle and large fabrics. Basically, I wanted the most outrageous and largest dress. We had set an appointment with my matron of honor, mom, mother-in-law and sister-in-law the following day at a few boutiques. But, the night before my mom and I grabbed a cocktail and there was a new-ish dress boutique, so we stopped in and they allowed me to try on a few dresses. I loved everything I tried on but my mom said the dresses were swallowing me and weren’t “my style”. I was a bit annoyed of course because I envisioned it this whole time… but my mom grabbed a dress and said “JUST TRY IT ON!!!” It was a tight, mermaid-style dress with a bustier top and puff sleeves (I always wear puff sleeves). When I tell you, getting me to take this dress off was nearly impossible. So technically my mom picked out my dress and I would have never tried it on if it weren’t for her. Trying on dresses the next day, nothing compared so I brought my mother and sister-in-law back to the store before I officially said ‘yes!’.”

[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]“We originally chose a mauve color but the room had a lot of reds, purples, and golds. So, we went with black! They all picked their own dresses. A lot of them were actually vintage found here in St. Louis and in Arizona. My bridesmaids are all so incredibly different women, I wanted them to choose something that spoke to them and made them feel really good.”[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]The groomsmen wore classic black tuxes! Sam’s dress shirt included a custom embroidered monogram, which cute enough, is now Sara’s monogram as well! He also had gold monogrammed cuff links. Sam gifted each groomsmen a golf ball with their photos on it which was a fun moment while they were getting ready![/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

[/board_carousel]
[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

“Being an evening wedding and in the winter with it getting darker earlier, we had champagne passed pre-ceremony. We wanted it to feel “adults only” even though there were a lot of kids. For our cocktail hour, we had an STL favorite – toasted ravioli. We also had spanakopita and Beef Wellington. For dinner, we served filet mignon with garlic butter, green beans and whipped potatoes. Our wedding cake was white cake with raspberry filling. Our venue handled our food and beverage and knocked it out of the park. We are still getting compliments on our food! A++”

[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

“The first thing I bought when we were engaged was the custom aisle runner. We didn’t even have a venue yet haha! We used Chair Luxe for the candelabras and acrylic pedestals and the stemmed candles from Alyssa at Joyful Belle Event Services. The majority of the other items, I DIYed.” Sara used the same custom monogram from their ceremony runner for their invites and menus – all of which she designed and DIYed herself! The invitation suite was elegant and classic, perfectly matching the vision they had for their day. She designed the suite herself and then had them printed at InkSpot! Although the stationary was stunning, the most impressive DIY of the day was the florals! Sara envisioned grand and luscious florals filling the ballroom. With rising floral costs, this would have been a big feat for a florist to accommodate. Instead of minimizing her vision, she took on the project herself! She sourced white roses for her bouquet (which she wrapped with fabric embroidered with their custom monogram!) and made matching white rose bouquets for her bridesmaids. She created arrangements of roses, hydrangeas, and greenery for her ceremony and reception. Low floral arrangements lined their ceremony aisle with gorgeous, tall florals on glass vases and acrylic stands decorated with their monogram. A ribbon draped the aisle until guests entered, greeted with a glass of champagne, live music, and a ‘Newlywed Times’ newspaper on each seat listing the wedding party and details of the day. “My bridal party, mother and mother-in-law helped me with the florals. We did ALL of them. From the aisle florals, to the tall arrangements, bud vases, bouquets… all of it! I spent the year doing mock-ups and working with our local wholesaler, Harold’s. The Wednesday before the wedding, my mom and I processed them – this took about 8 hours at least. We had the basement filled with buckets of flowers until Friday morning (the day before the wedding!) and we got to work around 8 am. It took about 4 hours to get the arrangements done and then we transported them to my hotel room at the venue. I woke up on our wedding morning surrounded by white roses!”

[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]“Our wedding cake was a classic cake with white cake and raspberry filling. We kept the decor pretty minimal with a few extra flowers we had!”

Sara & Sam’s wedding cake was so beautiful! It was elegant and classic while also being minimalistic and chic – a tough combination to nail but she certainly did!
[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

“Our ceremony music was amazing. We had a piano and cello duo play Bittersweet Symphony, Young and Beautiful and Golden Hour for our aisle songs. My sister-in-law read “The Alchemist”. For the reception, we all entered to “Gimme Gimme” by ABBA. Sam and I danced to “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé. We practiced once and had a few sketchy impromptu dips that were somewhat successful.” Sara & Sam also wrote and exchanged their own vows! This was such a special moment. Each wrote their vows on booklets from the Missouri Athletic Club to be kept as a special memento from their day.

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

“The children walking down the aisle. Our families are the most important thing to us and it is quite big. We had all 19 of our nieces and nephews walk down the aisle by families so our siblings could get a really good photo of their kids together dressed up. We wanted our families to be reflected big time on our day. Sam is the last of 7 of his siblings to be married, so seeing the photos of his mom that Ashley captured really told a story and tugged at my heartstrings. She raised seven really amazing kids and is the grandmother of so many. She really is the backbone of the Kersting family, so to watch her soak in the moments with her last baby was really fun to watch through the album.”

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

“The pins in my bouquet were actually the pins from the bouquet at our proposal. Sam makes fun of me for keeping random trinkets from certain memories, but I always find a place to use them. I also used my great-grandmother’s brooch. A majority of the women in our family had this on the bouquets, so I am honored to carry on that tradition of such a great woman.”

[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

Sara is actually a jewelry consultant at Clayton Jewelers here in St Louis! So, of course, her engagement ring was absolutely stunning and reflected her personal style to a T! A special moment was her opening Sam’s present to her in the morning before she put on her dress! She knew he was gifting her her wedding band, but she had no idea what it would look like! She was so excited that morning to see what he had picked out for her. The moment she opened the box, she was so touched by how perfectly he chose a band that reflected her style and matched her ring!

[/field]
[/section]
[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

[/board_carousel]
[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

[/board_carousel]

A Grand Affair at the Stifel Theatre in Saint Louis

If you’re the type of bride looking for something classic and romantic, then this special day is for you. Done in a palette of green and white, C & C Events coordinated pure wedding magic. Lush blooms by Magnolia Flowers add to the elegance all artfully captured in imagery by Rochelle Maples Photography. Visit the full gallery for a closer look at all the lovely.

From Rochelle Maples Photography… Ann Katherine and Devin are such a genuine pair and the love that surrounds them was felt throughout their wedding day. They had hoped for a “classic, romantic, elegant and simple” feel to their day with a focus on the true love and happiness between them as well as their families and friends. Any of their wedding guests can tell you that they achieved that feeling in a perfect and beautiful way on their big day!

From the bride… We met fall of 2017 when Devin was visiting his friends at University of Kentucky, which is where I attended college. I had apparently told his friends I thought he was cute, so Devin introduced himself to me and he ended up visiting again 2 days later! I tried to “friend zone” him but clearly, that didn’t work! In 2018 he moved to St. Louis to attend Washu Law school and I started working at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and he proposed to me in 2020!

One weekend he told me we were meeting friends on Art Hill for a picnic and to dress nice because he wanted to take pictures for Christmas. Which I thought was weird because he hates dressing up and taking pictures. We started walking over the bridge at the Grand Basin in Forest Park (which was our route we would always walk on the weekends) and he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him! Our families were hiding and popped out right after! We went to my parent’s house to celebrate, and he surprised me once again with all of our best friends in town!

Our ceremony was at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Clayton with our Reception following at the Stifel Theater. I had always dreamed of my wedding reception being in the Grand Lobby of the Stifel ever since it was renovated years ago. I have dreamt about my wedding since I was a little girl and knew the exact vision I wanted so I got straight to planning. My amazing mom helped me plan the most perfect day and thought through every detail. Devin and I had a private dinner during cocktail hour so we were able to thank everyone for coming to their dinner tables while they ate! Also, I’d like to elaborate on the fact that Devin and his family are from Kentucky and all the people that came in from out of town was humbling. Devin wanted me to have the day that I had always wished for, so he was very flexible in what the day was like to make me happy. It was the most humbling feeling having 200 people in one room that loved us just as much as we loved them.

Incredibly Chic Chinoiserie Inspired Wedding Overflowing With Flowers

Our hearts swoon for a chinoiserie-inspired wedding! Dainty details, eye-catching patterns, and personalized touches make this wedding day planned and designed by Kate & Co Events one that’s not to be missed. Watercolors from the save the date to the seating chart wow, and floral installations by Jackson Durham are nothing short of sensational. From the ceremony arch, to the floral table runner, to a floral chandelier hanging above the dance floor every inch of this wedding is lush and luxe. Clary Pfeiffer Photography captured all the dreamy details of the day in a way that only she can, get ready for endless amounts of inspiration in the full gallery. Trust us, you don’t want to miss it!

From the bride… Despite running in similar circles in high school, we did not meet until after high school graduation when our best friends, who had been dating for a couple of years, introduced us to one another. We had an immediate connection, and a few weeks later we began dating—just a couple of months before we were set to go to colleges 1,300 miles apart. A long-distance relationship is never easy, but we were lucky to have the warmth and support of our families and friends who strengthened our relationship through those four years. After college, we were finally together again in the same state. A little less than a year later, Jake proposed on no other than Star Wars Day, May 4th. We were immediately thrilled to plan a wedding with our families. We envisioned an event filled with laughter, joy, and beauty that would bring together all the people who strengthened and supported our relationship over the years. Our original plan of a large celebration with our friends and family shifted when the pandemic hit in 2020. We decided to get married in an intimate family ceremony on our original date of June 20, 2020, while postponing our large celebration to May 29, 2021, which just so happened to also be Jake’s birthday. Looking back, we wouldn’t have done it any other way. There was something so special about being married surrounded only by our immediate family, and we could not wait to renew our vows and celebrate with all our friends and family 11 months later. By the time May 2021 rolled around we had been married for almost a year and were closer than ever, which, to us, was a bigger accomplishment to celebrate than tying the knot in the first place. The extra year of planning had allowed us to think hard about what we wanted our ceremony and reception to look and feel like, and how to make it a memorable event for those attending, many of whom we hadn’t seen in over a year. The unpredictable St. Louis weather supplied us with a beautifully sunny 60-degree day, which perfectly complemented the soft pastel tones and bright smiles of the day.

As soon as we were engaged, I knew that I wanted to work with Kate & Co Events to design our special day in our hometown of St. Louis. I had been swooning over their weddings on Instagram for a couple of years, and we felt an immediate connection with Jill Perez and Kimmy Klipsch in the initial interview. Jill and Kimmy exceeded all our expectations in helping us achieve our vision, supported us and provided a sense of calmness through our shifting plans in the pandemic, and became our close friends throughout the process and even now. Jill and Kimmy helped us find the most amazing vendors for our day. The entire design of the day was a collaborative act between Kate & Co Events, Jackson Durham, Cheree Berry Paper, and my mom and me. We had so much fun planning out every single detail of our fairytale day. One of the first things I did while planning the wedding was finding my dress. We went to Stanley Korshak in Dallas, and the Anne Barge Berkeley Gown was the very first dress I tried on. As soon as I put it on, I immediately loved the elegant simplicity of the gown, the ruching in the bodice, and the off-the-shoulder detail. When I first tried it on, both my mom and dad cried and although I tried on a few more dresses, we all knew it was the one. On the day of the wedding, I wore my grandma’s sapphire ring as my something blue. She was able to watch our first ceremony via Zoom in 2020 but passed away before our celebration the following May. She was very special to me, and wearing her ring made me feel as if she was there smiling with us. Growing up, I always had a love for florals. Both my mom and grandmother were avid gardeners, so I was always surrounded by flowers. My favorite time of year was when my mom’s peony bushes bloomed, and she would fill our house with beautiful pink and white peonies. Because of this, I always knew that I wanted my bouquet and the bridesmaids’ bouquet to consist entirely of peonies. My bouquet contained all soft pink peonies, while the bridesmaids’ bouquets contained all white peonies. This love of florals played a large role in the design of the entire day, and I am forever grateful to Jackson Durham for creating such beautiful works of art with their florals. The invitation suite was one of my favorite parts of the design process and paved the way for many of the other paper details seen throughout the day. When selecting china for my registry, I was inspired by the blue tones and dainty details in the Herend Fortuna Blue and Herend Blue Garden designs. The butterflies and florals from these china patterns, as well as my love for chinoiserie and watercolors, helped Cheree Berry Paper design my invitation suite. The linen backer, platinum foil, soft tones, and embossed text beautifully combined colors and textures to create a final product that made all of my blue and white dreams come true. Our ceremony and reception took place at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri. We knew we wanted to get married on the golf course for both the beautiful scenery and to pay homage to Jake’s love of golf. During the two years between our engagement and our May 29th ceremony, Jake and I both experienced the loss of several loved ones who played large roles in our lives. We wanted to recognize them during our ceremony and did so through the rose petal aisle. This petal-filled aisle represented the footsteps of those who had walked before us. One of the most memorable moments of the day was when Jake’s mom, Julie, officiated our second ceremony and stood underneath the beautiful floral arch with us. Her words and presence personalized the ceremony in a way that no one else could. After exchanging our vows, we recessed down the rose petal aisle behind a bagpiper. The bagpiper was my dad’s idea and was another way we honored our loved ones – as the bagpiper reminded us of my grandfather. While the color scheme of the reception consisted of mainly blue and white with pops of soft pink florals, the ceremony saw some brighter tones and mainly consisted of pinks and whites. The brighter colors looked gorgeous with the bright greens on the golf course and the bright blue of the St. Louis sky. I gasped when I first saw Jackson Durham’s beautiful floral arch decorated with pink and white hydrangeas, roses, and peonies.

We wanted the cocktail hour to hint at what design elements were to come during dinner and dancing, stay cohesive with some design elements they had already seen in the invitation suite, and to also share a bit of our favorite things with our guests. The escort wall had the same image as our Save the Date — a watercolor painting of the first hole of the golf course at Bellerive. We decided to add a little butterfly detail from the invitation suite to the corner of this image and played with golf vocabulary with “Please find your seat on the dinner course” written on the escort bar. We decorated the cocktail tables with chinoiserie vases filled with light pink peonies. We also had a margarita bar with his and hers margaritas – spicy and skinny – to share with our guests our love of Mexican food and to pay homage to our time spent together in Dallas and Spain. We even had little umbrellas for the margaritas that had the same pattern as the envelope liner from our invitation suite. I loved the cocktail napkins that Cheree Berry Paper designed – “It’s been quite the siesta…Time for a little fiesta!” After all the time spent apart from one another, we were all excited to reunite and celebrate love and being with friends and family once again. This energy was definitely felt during cocktail hour and for the rest of the night. Walking into the dining room and tent for the first time, we were all overcome with so much joy and gratitude. Every detail was perfect, and we were so thankful for each one of our vendors’ hard work in making our vision come true. In the dining room, we decorated the tables with white and soft pink orchids, peonies, hydrangeas, roses, amaryllis, and stocks. The head table featured an elevated overhead runner of these florals with antique chinoiserie vases below filled with some of the most unique and beautiful orchids and ranunculus flowers I had ever seen. The florals, soft candlelight, light blue patterned tablecloth, watercolor butterfly details, and the use of our china that inspired the entire design created an absolutely stunning and romantic atmosphere down to every little personal detail. The two other long tables featured a floral runner that beautifully cascaded onto the floor. Finally, the round tables were decorated with white textured tablecloths, large chinoiserie floral vases, light blue tapered candles, and light blue patterned napkins that matched the tablecloths of the long tables. The cake was a delicious vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting decorated with peonies, garden roses, and roses cascading down the side of the cake. It was just as delicious as it was beautiful. Designing the tent with Kate & Co Events and Jackson Durham was one of my favorite parts of the design process. Like the invitation suite, the tent made all of my blue and white dreams come true. Some of my favorite design elements we included in the tent were the beautiful pale blue banquettes, Gracie chinoiserie panels that I would love to have in my own home one day, and two white treillage bars with pale blue inserts. However, the focal point of the tent, the gorgeous floral ring hanging above the center of the dance floor, was my favorite part of the tent. Dancing under this ring with Jake, my dad, and all our friends and family is a memory I will cherish forever. Another favorite detail that we had in the tent was cocktail napkins with a watercolor painting of our Mini Aussie, Obi, that said “Obi says it’s time to pawty.” Obi was featured in our vows and in many of our friends and family’s speeches, so having him show up again during dancing, if even on a little napkin, just felt right. My dad was very involved in the wedding planning process and wanted to be included in all of the big decisions of the day. With this, came several exciting “dad surprises.” One of these was the glittering firework show after our first dance. My dad was born on the Fourth of July, so he has an innate love of fireworks that he shared with all of us growing up and on this day. Watching these fireworks surrounded by our friends and family made our hearts boom and feel as large and as full as the fireworks. After dancing the night away and enjoying some late-night snacks of our favorite guilty pleasures – pizza and French fries – it was time for the night to come to an end. We sang happy birthday to Jake and then exited to the cheers of our friends and families tossing the same rose petals from our ceremony. We went off into the night in a vintage Rolls Royce, the same car that my parents exited in on their wedding day. There was a long time between our engagement and our big celebration, with an intimate ceremony in between, but Clary Pfeiffer Photography was there with us through it all. She finds beauty in all of life’s moments and her photographs elicit a type of softness and elegance that make you feel the love that was felt in those moments. Looking through her photographs is like reliving and re-feeling all the emotions of our two favorite days. Clary and Travis are truly wonderful people, and we are beyond grateful for them both.

Get Inspired By The Sentimental Details of This Couple’s Vintage Yet Modern Nuptials!

We love a vintage touch – especially when mixed with subtle contemporary elements and meaningful DIY details! The couple contrasted the modern feel of their venue, Slate, with Charleston-inspired charm – a city close to the couple’s hearts! They blended the ambiance of two cities with an escort display of vintage St. Louis postcards, an antique cake table, and celebrated their shared love for music with a Taylor Swift quote! The couple captured their romantic day with a photo-booth, florals by Olive And Gene Weddings, all set with props from our Shop – such as our most popular backdrop banner! See all the special and sentimental moments of this day, planned by Olive And Gene Weddings in the full gallery from Sarah Harvey!

From The Bride… I am a fine art film wedding photographer, so I was so excited when my now husband proposed and we could start planning our own wedding day! It was so fun planning our day alongside vendors who are also friends! Our photographer was a bridesmaid and my hair and makeup artist was my maid of honor.

We wanted the design for our wedding to feel very romantic and whimsical with pops of color (slate blue, blush pink, and mauve) and vintage touches. We wanted a more modern venue, so I loved the idea of bringing an organic garden-inspired vision to a more modern setting! I lived in Charleston, South Carolina when we first started dating, so I wanted to include the kind of colorful, vintage charm that has always inspired me in Charleston! We also wanted a modern city feel that represents St Louis. However, we were on a budget.

One of my favorite details was the vintage St Louis postcards we used for the escort card board. We love antique shopping, so this was a great budget-friendly way to include a detail that was also personal to us. We visited antique shops all over St Louis for a year to find vintage cards perfect for each guest. We hand-tied silk ribbon to each postcard and hung it on a board hand-crafted by our now brother-in-law! Guests then got to keep the postcard as a keepsake from the day.

We alternated the cards on the board so that you could see both the beautiful images on the front, and the writing the cards have on the back from the original senders! Some of the cards were over 100 years old.

The table we used for the cake was also a vintage find! We now have the table in our living room. This is now such a special piece that we have in our home, and was a great way to add to the design of our reception while staying on budget!

We kept the guest list very small and intimate. We had 80 guests! This made the day so special, and more budget-friendly.

Instead of hiring a photo booth, we had polaroid cameras complete with a Style Me Pretty backdrop and Style Me Pretty props! We also skipped a DJ and made our own playlists on Spotify. We borrowed disco balls from a local dj company for reception lighting! All of these choices helped with our budget and made for the most fun party!

We included romantic, vintage details throughout the day from our stationary on handmade paper, to our cake with delicate sugar flowers and handwritten calligraphy. We love Taylor Swift, so the quote ‘you and me forevermore’ was a nod to our shared love of music.

We wanted to also include our pets (a cat and dog) so we had custom napkins made with illustrations of them, and I gifted Brian custom cat and dog cuff links on the day to wear with his tux!

We also wanted to include special touches in memory of my grandparents who passed away that year. The necklace I wore was the stone from my grandma’s wedding ring, and I had it set with a chain of hers as well.

Our stationery designer was amazing at working within our budget! She created a full keepsake suite for us to have, and then we mailed out just the invitation and details card to guests. For some of the reception signage, she created the digital designs, and then I printed them myself on handmade paper I bought off of Etsy. This was a great way to make sure everything felt cohesive and was also within our budget!

Our florist (and coordinator!) was also so accommodating to our budget. We went with organic, petite bridesmaid bouquets with snapdragons and blush roses to compliment my bouquet. She created low, organic centerpieces for every other table. For other tables, she used simple florals in bud vases surrounded by candles.

For my gown, I knew I loved Leanne Marshall. I was lucky enough to find one of her beautiful gowns off of the rack after taking a road trip to Bride KC, hoping to find one of her gowns at a discounted price there. I then had the gown altered to better fit me which is why the top is customized!

Overall, we wanted our wedding day really to represent what is special to us vs. leaning on the more traditional side of things! For example, we had tacos served for dinner and margaritas as our signature cocktail! We absolutely love how everything came together, and I feel so lucky to have so many incredible friends as vendors who helped make the day possible!

[iframe https://www.youtube.com/embed/voYCIDL9wvM 600 338]

Classic St. Louis Wedding at Graham Chapel with Private Home Reception

Every wedding starts with a good proposal story, whether a casual at-home nestled-in-bed kind of proposal or flash mob-style. Today’s is surprisingly sweet and made possible thanks to the Bride’s brother. Have a read below while you peruse the resulting at-home fete, planned by Absolutely IN! Events. Dressed in the loveliest classic black and white details, Brett Heidebrecht and Pen Weddings captured the full day!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/248705982 600 338]

On a serendipitous sailing adventure with friends in Croatia, Nicole met the man who would become her future husband Dan. “We had several mutual friends but had never met each other prior to the trip,” Nicole says. “It was definitely ‘interest’ at first sight!”

Dan, a St. Louis native, and Nicole, from Dallas, kept in touch and began dating shortly after the Croatian vacation. The couple eventually moved together to Chicago in 2016. And soon, Dan was conspiring with Nicole’s brother, Aaron Wilkinson, to plan a surprise proposal. “Dan was out of town at a bachelor party in Nashville,” Nicole says. “It was my birthday weekend, so my brother flew up from Houston to stay with me while Dan was gone.”

Little did Nicole know, the proposal plan was in motion. “My brother was in on the whole thing,” Nicole says. “Dan was supposed to fly back Sunday night from Nashville, so Sunday morning my brother and I went out for a walk, and my brother suggested we go to Washington Square Park to take some pictures.”

As the siblings arrived at the park, there was Dan, sitting on a bench with all of his luggage. “He had flown in early that morning to surprise me,” Nicole says. “As soon as I saw him, I knew what was going to happen. He had a very nice speech, and my brother was there to take lots of pictures throughout the proposal. To add to the surprise, when we got back to our place, Dan had flown in all of our parents to celebrate with us!”

When it was time to put together their big day, it was only natural for the pair to coordinate the nuptials around their beloved family. “We wanted the overall vibe to be relaxed and fun and very family-centric,” Nicole says. To ensure they were surrounded by family during the wedding, Nicole’s brother, Aaron, who had played such a pivotal part in the proposal, officiated the ceremony, and the reception was hosted at Dan’s parents’ home in Glendale. “We also made sure we had time to enjoy the full cocktail hour, so we had the chance to visit with family and friends,” Nicole adds. Nicole’s most cherished moment of the big day was her time on the dance floor with her dad, Barry Wilkinson. “We started off with a very traditional dance to Frank Sinatra’s ‘The Way You Look Tonight,’ then busted out the dance moves with upbeat music to surprise the guests!” Nicole says. “We practiced the dance for months and kept it a secret from everyone.”

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Wedding Dresses

Lazaro

Spring 2016

Fall 2016

Spring 2017

View All Collections

Bridesmaid Dresses

Alfred Sung

2014

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

View All Collections

A Peony Lovers Dream Wedding Celebration at the St. Louis Art Museum

This is a wedding that will warm your heart and wow you in one fell swoop. Stephanie and Mitch were married this past June and celebrated the day at the historic St. Louis Art Museum. This stunning venue has it all: tall ceilings, white walls, beautiful art, and views that will take your breath away. The couple’s wedding day vision was soft, feminine and sweet, yet classic and elegant. Kristin Ashley Events and Poppies Design Studio helped achieve the dream and Mike Cassimatis was there to take it all in. We’re delighted to share the beauty, today!

To set the tone for Stephanie and Mitch’s classic wedding, a custom monogram was crafted by award-winning stationery designer, Cheree Berry, and it was carried throughout the entire wedding day.

A little rain the morning of the wedding day couldn’t dampen this couple’s spirits. The skies cleared right before the ceremony, leaving behind rainbows and sunny skies, which made for perfect photos.

Following the ceremony, guests were greeted to an outdoor patio cocktail hour accompanied by a signature drink “The Stitch” (margarita mixed with beer). With guests coming in from across the country, they wanted to ensure one heck of a party with lots of ‘Ooh!’ and ‘Ahh!’ moments.

From the very first design meeting with planner Kristin Ashley Events, a Southern-Living flair arose with linen fabrics, assorted styles of chairs, silver flatware, and mixed-metal accents.

Spectacular florals from Poppies Design Studio set the tone before guests even entered the venue. And romance dripped from every last detail with a gorgeous soft pink, ivory, and mixed-metal color palette along with touches of natural greenery. The wedding reception was unforgettable with florals dangling above an X-shaped head table.

Hundreds of peonies, tapered candles, silk ribbon and the tablescape was filled with touches of gold lining the glassware, paper goods, and the wedding cake. But the real star of the day was the couple, whose love for one another could only be matched by the love from their 230 friends and family joining them for this special day.

Stephanie and Mitch wanted to be sure that everyone left happy and full! Each guest got a little taste of St. Louis with local, late night treats. As they nibbled on sweet and savory snacks, guests danced the night away. It was truly an unforgettable day and couple.

Nothing Could Stop This Adorable Couple From Saying “I Do”

You’d never know from Heather Roth Fine Art Photography‘s images that this was not Plan A. Or even Plan B! After a few hurdles that morning (thank you, Mother Nature), Kristin Ashley Weddings and Events whipped out Plan C – and it turned out perfect. From the first look through the last dance, this St. Louis wedding was absolutely beautiful – and so full of love.

Colors

Seasons

Spring Weddings

Settings

Park

Styles

Classic Weddings

From Kristina Ashley Weddings and Events… How many times do you hear, “When it rains it pours”? Well, it poured for this April 29th wedding in the historic, beautiful heart of St. Louis. With a guest count of 250 guests and no room for a back up plan, we moved our Plan A to B to then C. It made for one crazy wet day, but the soggy weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of the love-struck couple!

Stephanie and Bradford took the chance with the unpredictable Midwest weather by getting married at one of St. Louis’ most iconic outdoor venues in Forest Park: The World’s Fair Pavilion. The Jewish ceremony was officiated by the Bride’s brothers and was as memorable and heartfelt as it was truly hilarious! Tears flowed throughout the ceremony in laughter and joy.

Family is incredibly important to the couple, and they wanted to honor one of the most important guests – the Bride’s mother, who was watching down on the special day from heaven – in a subtle yet significant way. They chose her mother’s favorite color, purple, as an accent color throughout their decor so she could be present throughout her daughter’s big day.

A photo that still gives us chill-bumps is of the couple holding hands around a column just before their first look. The Bride recalls: “Seconds before our first look, Bradford took my hand, and in that instant, I felt the exact same electric shock go through my body that I did the first time we shook hands when we met. My heart exploded, and I knew it was going to be a perfect day!”

Although the rain poured down, guests couldn’t be bothered because they were having so much fun at the reception. Stephanie and Bradford both work in the liquor/wine/beer industry, so unique elements like a dedicated Bourbon Bar, Bubble Bar, signature cocktails, and a Cigar Bar were absolutely in order! Romance, texture, love, and laughter abounded at this truly unforgettable wedding.

How to Pull Off Summer Wedding Glamour in St. Louis

There’s no better place to pull off glamour than the city. And when said city is St. Louis, it’s time to layer on the loads of sparkle like this fete planned by Kristin Ashley Events. From the Bride’s oh-so-twirly mermaid dress to glittering tables set in La Tavola Linens, there’s no denying this day is packed with pretty. See more captured by Waldron Photography over in the full gallery!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/178671629 600 338]

The proposal… Pat was a nervous wreck. Lisa wound up with a bad cold so getting her out of the house to go to lunch proved to be a much harder task than normal. Thank goodness for Starbucks! And just like that, off we were for a lunch date in Forest Park (where we had our first date) and then a walk with our beloved pup Gunner- one of Lisa’s favorite things to do. We sat on the patio for a quick lunch and then went on a walk. And then we started strolling hand in hand talking about… Life. Soon we turned a corner near a grassy area and Pat pulled Lisa aside and immediately got down on one knee, told her how it all started here at the boat house and he always knew she was the one… Then he asked her to spend forever with him and asked her to marry him.

(A friend from Lisa’s work later popped out of the bushes. I (Lisa) never wanted a proposal photo shoot and always wanted a very private proposal but thought it may be nice to have to have a picture one day of him down on one knee… So he arranged for this photographer-friend to hide out & grab a few shots. It was perfect. I never knew we was there until we were walking back to the car. The pictures we have are priceless)

Later that night Pat set up a very small, intimate engagement party for us with our immediate family members at our favorite neighborhood Italian joint. It was exactly what I wanted. The perfect cap to a spectacular day. Tell us about your beautiful engagement ring and how/why your husband (or the two of you!) chose it.

Pat designed the ring with the help of our jeweler Rich at Genovese Jewelers. I’m fairly sentimental and always loved my mom’s marquise diamond yet liked the look of an oval engagement ring. So with two completely different concepts, he worked with Rich to create a ring that gave me both. My center diamond is actually a marquise in an oval setting. Equal parts me and sentimental value. I never saw it until he proposed and was completely blown away… Not to mention emotional. My mom’s my best friend and my parents have been married for 37 years. It’s a nice tradition to hold on to.

This St. Louis Wedding Is a Classic Beauty

I’m a sucker for a classic wedding, so this St. Louis bride with her feminine, lace ball gown and a soft, rose bouquet is melting me in a serious way. The soft pink and navy color palette sealed the celebration’s timeless appeal, and we have the talented team at Duffy Photo & Film to thank for documenting the beauty of the day. See it all here – and don’t forget to press play below!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/190287014 600 338]

Colors

Seasons

Summer Weddings

Settings

Church Event Venue

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the Bride… Ryne and I met through mutual friends at a graduation party, and I can honestly say it was love at first sight, no matter how cheesy that sounds! Ryne and I were in a long distance relationship for almost two years. Even though we were apart, it made us even stronger.

The proposal was absolutely magical, like something you would see on TV. It was my birthday weekend, and we had all these events planned with family and friends. On Sunday, October 11, 2014, Ryne told me that we were going to a winery to continue the celebration. Thirty minutes into our drive, I found out that was not the case. We pulled up to a helicopter to tour St. Louis! I thought, “Wow! What an amazing birthday present!” I’m very gullible. We flew over my sister’s house, my condo, my mom’s house, and then finally my brother’s house. We circled over, and I look out to see a sign that read, “Ali, will you marry me?” I was in shock! The surprise didn’t stop there. After the helicopter ride, we then drove to a restaurant to meet with family and friends to celebrate. That’s when the tears really started flowing!

Planning our wedding was fun, stressful, and exciting! The vision came to light after much searching through Pinterest and being a part of several amazing weddings. I am kind of girly, so I wanted a whimsical wedding, and that is definitely what we got with soft pinks, navy blue, and gold accents.

I have several favorite memories of the day.

1. Watching the video my husband made for me while getting ready that morning. He put together a movie with my loved ones in it, and they shared a favorite memory of me or gave advice for our marriage. I could not believe how sweet and thoughtful of a gift this was! It made my day even more special and obviously created more tears on my end.

2. Getting ready with my bridesmaids and mom was another memory that I will never forget. I am so lucky to have these ladies in my life, and it was such a special time to share with them.

3. Getting a short time alone with my father in my “bride room” at the church was much needed and one of my favorite memories. It was a time to reflect on what was about to happen and a time to take a deep breath and have that sentimental moment with my father for the last time as a Gottuso.

4. Having time alone with Ryne after the ceremony while the guests were exiting the church was memorable. It was our first moments as husband and wife, and it was a perfect opportunity to take a deep breath and take in the love and beauty of our new marriage.

This Classic Ballroom Wedding is the Definition of Blushing Beauty

This St. Louis celebration fully embodies the elegance of a classic ballroom wedding. Filled with blushing pink, all white blooms and a reception completely dressed to the nines by Cosmopolitan Events and BUDS, prepare to fall hard for all the pretty details captured by Switzerfilm. And for more seriously good draping and romance, check out the vault.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/178961269 600 338]

From the Bride…Before starting the planning process, my husband (Alex) and I had three priorities (well four for me) ; photographer/videographer, food and music and my dress. We had a general idea of what colors we wanted but it wasn’t until we met with our wedding coordinators, Cosmopolitan Events, did we really dive into the details.

I wanted our color palette to be timeless so we went with a warm neutral palette with soft pinks, ivory and rose gold. My style along with my husband’s is traditional and classic, we kept it trendy by using some fun textures for our linens.

We wanted our day to represent us so we included a lot of our favorite foods, drinks and even our favorite charity at our reception. At our reception we served a signature cocktail to greet our guests, St. Louis themed food as our midnight snack which included Gus’ pretzels, toasted ravioli and in lieu of favors, we donated to Friends of Kids with Cancer in our guests names and in support of my niece, Elliana, who is a cancer survivor.

Our favorite moment of the day was our first look. It was exhilarating walking up to him and anticipating his reaction to seeing me in my wedding gown. I’ll treasure those few minutes we shared together before the ceremony forever.

This Vintage-Inspired Glam-Fest is Absolutely Perfect

Guy and Allison really know how to throw a wedding. And not just any wedding – a completely glamorous, vintage-inspired love-fest smack-dab in the heart of St. Louis. Think a sophisticated color palette, luxe details from Rogue Events and Design and perfectly crafted florals from Stems. All captured in mesmerizing images by Erin Stubblefield, this is sooo worthy of a trip to THE VAULT. See you there.

Colors

Seasons

Summer Weddings

Settings

Religious Institution

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the Bride… I will never forget the moment Guy kneeled down and pulled out what can only be described as the most beautiful vintage engagement ring a girl could hope for. From the moment we met I knew he was an old soul and from the very beginning our love had a timeless quality that seemed to transcend generations. The first time I saw his charming smile at a University of Missouri football tailgate hosted by his fraternity my freshman year of college I knew he was the one… my old soulmate! We fell fast and hard for each other in a whirlwind of laughter and selfless companionship. It didn’t take long for me to realize that Guy had become my best and truest friend. On our third anniversary, Guy asked me to be his wife – and the rest is history!

We took our vintage-inspired engagement photos on The University of Missouri campus where our love story began. We were enamored with how classic and ageless the photos turned out and decided to stick with our elegant vintage theme from then on. It was important to us that our wedding guests felt as if they had been transported back in time to an age of elegance and glamour, but with every comfort of the modern day. We toured nearly every historical venue in St. Louis looking for the perfect places to celebrate our marriage. Rooted in our traditional values, The Old Cathedral of St. Louis, which was built in 1834, was an obvious choice for our Catholic marriage ceremony. Father Dennis Stehly, a Monsignor from my childhood parish, agreed to preside and The Rosewood Ensemble, a string quartet and vocalist, created the perfect quintessential ambiance for our friends and family. Portraits of my deceased grandfathers were displayed near the altar, which was a special touch that made me and my family feel as if they were there with us. I had never felt more beautiful in my life than I did on that day thanks to Bliss Beauty Bar and my doting bridesmaids! While waiting with my dad for our double door entrance into the Cathedral, I will never forget telling him how I felt nothing but excitement in that moment – I had zero nerves!

Speaking of my dad, he surprised us with a vintage Rolls Royce to ride away in! The rest of our wedding party and families rode to the reception in a trolley. First, we stopped at The St. Louis Public Library – where all of the greatest love stories are kept. As wedding gifts to each other we had exchanged small leather bound books where we had written 100 things we loved about each other… so this photo destination was the perfect choice. Out of nowhere, it started to rain (which Guy said he was thankful for because he had heard it meant good luck for newlyweds)! Our cocktail hour and reception were held at St. Louis Union Station Hotel, which first opened in 1894 and is now respected as a National Historic landmark. The Grand Hall, where we held our reception, boasts 65-foot ceilings and a beautiful stained glass Tiffany and Co. masterpiece above the double staircase. Another one of our favorite memories of that night was waiting to be announced with our bridal party at the bottom of those stairs. I have known all of my bridesmaids since I was in preschool and Guy’s relationships with his groomsmen can be described as nothing short of brotherhood. It was then, in that moment, that we looked at each other and knew how impossibly blessed we were to have them and each other.

The reception space took my breath away when I saw it for the first time. A specialty table featuring childhood photos of Guy and me in gold frames was a special touch that I’m glad we included. STEMS Florist not only supplied us with impeccable bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages, but also created incredibly beautiful centerpieces with ivory and champagne roses and rosettes. It was important to us that our guests were able to see each other across the table and enjoy each other’s company – so we decided on tall gold candelabras and short trio arrangements alternating throughout the space. The room was sprinkled with candles in a variety of gold and mercury glass votives. Ivory linens, gold chargers, champagne overlays, and elegant place settings completed the tables. In lieu of wedding favors, we made donations in each guest’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association – a charity that is near and dear to our hearts (we both have had a grandparent affected by the disease). We used a photo book filled with vintage photos of St. Louis as our guest book – this was perfect because we now have it on our coffee table and can read well wishes and messages from our wedding guests whenever we’d like.

STEMS also supplied a gorgeous garland for our head table and the perfect cake topper for our wedding cake. We designed our wedding cake ourselves during a road trip to visit family a few months before the wedding and thanks to The Cakery Bakery our vision became a reality! Five tiers of sweet sugary goodness made with homemade vanilla – our cake featured a buttercream rosette base, two champagne tiers with delicate vintage piping, and two ivory tiers with gold ribbon. It tasted just as amazing as it looked! It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable four-course meal supplied by St. Louis Union Station. Guy was very involved in the tasting portion of our wedding planning and I have to admit that he did a fantastic job. In addition to a wonderful spread of cheeses and crackers, vegetables, fruits, and passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour – the first course, a baby greens and fresh berry salad in a cucumber wrap with a maple vinaigrette, was served by white gloved waiters as a dazzling high-definition light show was projected on the arched ceilings of the venue. Looking around and seeing all of our closest friends and family in absolute awe as they stared up at the ceiling was the moment we knew that all of the planning had been one hundred percent worth it.

The St. Louis Big Band provided a jazz quartet to accompany our cocktail hour and a 20-piece ensemble for the reception. Guy, my dad, and I had taken dance lessons during the months leading up to the wedding and were excited to start the party off with the waltzes we had practiced for the past couple of weeks. Guy and I were serenaded by Joe Mancuso, the St. Louis Big Band wedding singer, who performed our song “All the Way” by Frank Sinatra. I loved the way my Oleg Cassini gown flowed as he spun me around the dance floor! My dad and I danced to The Missouri Waltz – the official state song of Missouri that is most often associated with our alma mater The University of Missouri. Last but not least, Guy and his mom picked things up with Ella Fitzgerald’s “Our Love is Here to Stay”.

Free flowing champagne and a top-shelf open bar fully stocked with cigars guaranteed a night full of never-ending conversation, fun and laughter. The band eventually switched over to a DJ, also supplied by the St. Louis Big Band, and ended with a late night Panera station. Katie from Rouge Events was the perfect coordinator and Erin Stubblefield Photography captured every priceless moment flawlessly. The whole day went by in the blink of an eye. We woke up the next day and suddenly the weekend’s events felt like a dream. The best part? I got to marry the love of my life! If I could give any advice to future brides, I would say don’t worry too much about being trendy, trends come and go but your love (and your wedding photos) are forever! Always imagine things from your guest’s point of views. If you’re like us and have a majority of your guests coming from out of town you want to make sure you are treating them to an unforgettable event that represents your values and tastes. Lastly, I highly recommend making your gifts to each other on that big day something personal and heartfelt. We will have those little leather books for the rest of our lives and can read them whenever we want or need to. Something like that means so much more than a store bought gift!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Accessories

David's Bridal

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Accessories

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Bridal

"Wonder" by Jenny Packham Bridesmaids

David's Bridal Spring 2018

Oleg Cassini Spring 2018

WHITE by Vera Wang Spring 2018

Truly Zac Posen Spring 2018

View All Collections

We Love This Bride’s Something Blue

When your bridesmaids‘ just so happen to be your ‘something blue’, we think that takes sentimental to a new level. Cue this stunning celebration from Shelly Goodman that will give you all the feels, we’ve got it all waiting for you in The Vault!

Colors

Seasons

Spring Weddings

Settings

Event Venue Religious Institution

Styles

Classic Weddings

From Shelly Goodman… Reunited after months of long distance with Tim in the U.S. Airforce on the other side of the world, these two had an amazingly beautiful, emotion-filled wedding. Katy & Tim picked the prettiest historic neighborhood in all of St. Louis for the backdrop of their wedding day. Lafayette Park Square is surrounded by black wrought-iron fence and tall, stately, elegant restored homes from the 1800’s. And keeping with restored old beautiful buildings, their ceremony & reception location was at the Palladium, an old historic brick building once part of a hospital.

Katy chose a pastel palette of blushes, whites, and periwinkle. The florals in these hues were so dreamy and the black centers of the anemones were the perfect tie-in to the men’s classic black suits. But Katy’s gown was the real stunner: a sweet, strapless A-line with white floral sheer organza overlaying blush pink tulle and an attachable extending train…simply gorgeous!

From the Bride…Tim and I met at a bible study while attending the same church in Belleville, IL. After a few months of getting to know each other, I told Tim I was interested in dating; however, knowing he was about to leave for a year tour in South Korea (Tim is active duty U.S. Air Force) he wasn’t sure he wanted to start a relationship. It wasn’t until several months later – after I went on a date with someone else – that he admitted he felt the same. We started dating only two months before he left for South Korea (thank goodness for FaceTime!)

While home on a visit, Tim proposed on our one-year anniversary. Planning a wedding on opposite sides of the world was definitely a challenge, but it forced us to work together and we are so fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family who helped us through all of it.

We had already been looking at venues in the St. Louis area, and knew the Palladium was the perfect fit. Nicole Jenkins (the coordinator there) helped us through all of the details. We wanted something romantic and classic, but also modern-feeling. It came together beautifully. Butler’s Pantry catered the passed hors d’oeuvres and dinner for 165 guests – blackened mahi mahi with mango relish and basmati rice, chicken breast stuffed with manchengo cheese and sundried tomatoes, and cheese tortellini. I can’t tell you how many people told me it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding!

After dating long distance for almost our entire relationship (Tim moved directly from South Korea to Tacoma, WA, where I moved after our wedding) we were very excited to start our new life together.

Words can’t describe the joy and anticipation we felt on our wedding day. It is surreal to have all the people you love in one room watching you make such an amazing commitment to your spouse. Someone gave me the advice to stop during the ceremony and look out to all of your family and friends – it is incredible to feel so much love at once.

The entire day was so special to us – getting to spend the mornings with our best friends relaxing and taking photos was so fun! My Hayley Paige for Jim Hjelm wedding dress was the most beautiful thing I have ever worn. It was blush pink tulle layered with printed organza – light and dreamy. It even had pockets and a removable watteau train! I waited months for Tim to see me in it at our first look in Lafayette Square Park and it was an incredibly emotional and wonderful moment.

My favorite part of the day was without a doubt walking down the aisle to my husband. For a moment it felt as though we were the only two people in the room – I didn’t even notice my dress brushed over some candles down the aisle and guests were helping ensure it didn’t catch fire!

We were honored to have our close friend Udell Meyers perform the ceremony in the Joule and then everyone walked over to the Palladium for the hors d’oevues, dinner and dancing.

The reception went by in a blur as we danced, caught up with friends and family and tried thank everyone for coming. I am so glad we chose an amazing photographer and videographer to record the day for us – it truly goes by so fast and now we have the memories to last us a lifetime.

What’s a Bride to Do When Her Zipper Breaks on Her Wedding Day?

Brides-to-be, you might want to take note from Cassandra, or as we like to call her – cool as a cucumber Cassandra. Because this lovely lady? Well, she didn’t let a little wardrobe malfunction ruin her big day and for that we say – you go girl! Because with a little laughter and a few loving ladies, everything was made right again and she married her sweetheart. Thankfully, Jordan Brittley has captured it all and we’ve got the entire celebration waiting for you in The Vault!

Colors

Seasons

Summer Weddings

Settings

Country Club

Styles

Romantic

From Jordan Brittley… What’s a bride to do when her zipper breaks on her wedding day? It looks a lot like room service in the Ritz, drinking champagne, listening to your husband sing to you (guitar in hand), and private moments on a balcony that hangs over the city. I love Cassandra’s advice to other brides when the unexpected things happen (more below). This wedding is full of city views, private walks in Lafayette Square Park, and there’s a cascading bouquet that will leave you dreaming of blooms. Cassandra asked an artist to paint their reception throughout the night – the painting is incredible!!

From the Bride… My zipper broke while going to the bathroom at our lunch stop. 3 other bridesmaids went to the bathroom with me to help take my dress off. First, we unzipped it. I went pee… And then next thing you know we couldn’t get it back up! It wasn’t because it was too tight- it was the zipper itself. The zipper was poorly made unfortunately and my tailor also had troubles with it during dress fittings. I should’ve known and asked her for a different one but oh well! It made for a great story to tell! What really meant a lot to me during that chaotic part of the day was the way James instantly responded without any hesitance. He made sure that I was happy and that everything, yet unexpected, would still be perfect for me because he knew how hard I worked to make our day flawless. He also laughed… At first it wasn’t funny. In fact, I thought he was being very mean!! But now looking back, he saw the sweeter side of things and took advantage of the situation to show me how he will take care of me for the rest of me life. James ALWAYS sees the brighter side of things the moment anything slightly bad happens. He’s one of the most optimistic people I know and that is one of the many reasons I fell in love with him. Every last “perfect” detail that I had planned in my head for the past 6 months was completely blown away by James thoughtfulness and passion to make “our” kind of perfect- which is so much better than what I could’ve ever planned!! 3) If I could give any advice to other brides for unexpected events it would be to expect the unexpected- something is bound to go wrong and everything won’t be exactly as you pictured it. My wedding day was a complete blur- not just because my dress broke- but because for the last six months I planned out every single detail and when the time comes things just naturally fall into place. IF something unexpected and awful does happen- laugh it off and take it lightly! Trust me, it’s hard to do and I didnt do that fully but tried as hard as I could. Looking back I smile knowing that my zipper breaking was the best thing that happened on my wedding day. It showed me what my future would be like through life’s ups and downs. 4) My favorite memory of the wedding day was getting to the altar and James whispering in my ear that everything was going to be okay. I was incredibly nervous! I thought that I was going to pass out at times. BUT as soon as I got to the altar and saw James I was fine. It was almost as if it was just him and I alone with the priest in the room. It was magical, romantic and by far one of the most memorable moments in my life thus far. 5) Ironically, James is currently singing songs on the same guitar he sung with at the Ritz. The only thing different is that I am even more in love with my husband now than when I was the day I married him!

Married in the Same Church Where the Her Parents Said “I Do”

If there’s one thing we love, it’s a sentimental ceremony venue. So, when we learned that this chic celebration captured by Clary Pfeiffer Photography that just so happened to take place at the very same church where the bride’s parents married, our eyes lit up with the look of love. Because this ballroom fete coordinated by Kate & Company is just about as good as it gets. See it all unfold in The Vault!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/173529034 600 338]

Colors

Seasons

Spring Weddings

Settings

Country Club Religious Institution

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the Bride… For many of our closest friends and family, the proposal was no surprise. After meeting at Northwestern our freshman year, we quickly became attached at the hip, something that hasn’t changed six years later. In fact, prior to his “official” proposal, Michael had already proposed a few times. This time he had rings – we designed the engagement ring using my great-grandmother’s stone and the wedding band he used to propose to me on the beach in Sanibel, FL surrounded by both of our families.

When Michael, who I know as Trainor (yes, this gets confusing given that I now share this last name), proposed in February 2015, I had no idea it would open up an entirely new world to me, a world where I was suddenly moving from Chicago to Austin, starting a new job, meeting new friends, oh and planning our wedding from afar. Needless to say, we had a pretty crazy year, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything. We grew together throughout this process and, amidst the many changes, discovered what specific details were most important for us to incorporate into our wedding. Before we began the planning process, we knew our wedding needed to be both true to our personalities and style as well as a blast for our friends and family.

Trainor grew up in Boston, I was raised in St. Louis, we lived in Chicago for six years, and we currently live in Austin. Therefore, the location would resemble a destination wedding to some extent because so many of our friends and family are scattered across the country. Our families have been able to get to know each other well over the years, despite the distance, and ultimately we decided that having the wedding in my hometown would be a great opportunity for them to grow closer. We were also lucky to have so many friends and family that doubled as our vendors in the St. Louis area.

Trainor and I were married in the church where my parents were married, only a couple years ago of course. The feel of the reception room at the Saint Louis Club was perfect for us, as were their world-renowned food and unmatched service. We liked the idea that we had an entire floor, making our cocktail hour, reception, and photo booth private. Even though we selected St. Louis for the wedding location, we wanted to honor the other cities near and dear to our hearts. We incorporated our hometowns, both past and present, by including stamps representative of each city – Boston, St. Louis, Chicago, and Austin – on our invitations, and we included a staple treat from each city in our welcome bags. Our vision quickly became a modern, romantic, yet timeless affair. Trainor and I do have distinct styles: he kept me grounded and classic while I added romantic and slightly whimsical details. The color scheme reflected the spring season, with blush, dove grey, cream, and gold tones.

Staying consistent with the season and style was very important to us, although it was difficult at times to resist the trends of Pinterest! Peonies, garden roses, ranunculus, and eucalyptus adorned the bouquets and were perfectly arranged in our centerpieces by Jessica Douglass and her team at Flowers and Weeds. They managed to create complex works of art on each table. We decided table-length garlands with interspersed candles on the two head tables would add another dimension to the room and further propel the romantic feel after dark.

As a self-proclaimed fashion fanatic, Reem Acra’s wedding dresses were was always on my radar. I love how she first-and-foremost constructs dresses that fit women well, and she also happens to have a timeless style. I chose my dress for its lightweight feel and soft, simple silhouette. Trainor was very proud of the velvet shoes he wore with his classic black tuxedo.

Clary Pfeiffer, our photographer, fit seamlessly into our overall vision. Clary shoots both film and digital, which was exactly what we were looking for in a photographer. Film images create that indescribable romantic vibe that really spoke to us. Clary (and her husband) beautifully capture images that are simultaneously pieces of editorial art and classically bridal. We were so grateful to work with such a talented yet personable husband/wife duo.

Hiring Francesca Pompili from Kate and Company was without a doubt one of the best decisions we made throughout the hiring process. Although I originally thought we didn’t need a wedding planner, her advice, from the never-ending cummerbund debate to late night calls after work, was irreplaceable. She became a true friend and far exceeded our expectations as a day-of planner. I did not anticipate the extent to which I would love the small details we incorporated into the wedding. These details helped to make our wedding uniquely “ours”, which is something we found special. Ribbons, paper products, and calligraphy became a major focus of the design, and we aimed for consistency from start to finish. Ribbons from Frou Frou Chic adorned the bouquets, the welcome bags, the pew décor, invitations and the Gooey Louie butter cake favors. Our save the dates, invitations, programs, menus, escort cards and reception signage were all designed by the fabulous Vertallee/Carolyn Jane duo, whom we were lucky enough to work with locally in Austin. We came to love the little details that were incorporated in our wedding, such as my sweet hatbox and our bridesmaid/groomsmen goodie bags.

Overall, everything about April 16th was special to us. From a wonderful dinner to speeches that so perfectly encompassed our relationship to dancing the night away with our amazing band, we loved creating a day that was true to us and our loved ones. We were surrounded by our family and friends, many of whom traveled long and far to show their support and love for us. The best part is that we realized the wedding is just the beginning!

Elegant Hometown Wedding Filled with Culture + the Cutest Pup Ever!

Weddings make my heart happy, and this special day? Well it’s managed to make my heart actually jump for joy, I mean JUST LOOK AT THAT PUP! With Mike Cassimatis Photography behind the scenes snapping up every sweet second, we’ve got every bit of this big day waiting for you in The Vault!

Colors

Seasons

Summer Weddings

Settings

Outdoor Weddings

Styles

Al Fresco

From Mike Cassimatis Photography…Tayla and Andy are two of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet and their Boston Terrier, Wesley, is the ultimate American Gentleman. The couple lives in NYC but had their wedding in their hometown of St. Louis, Missouri at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park. The location was special to them as that was where Andy proposed.

From The Bride…Andy and I met and fell in love in St. Louis, Missouri. We relocated to New York, NY two years ago, following career opportunities. We loved (and still love) both St. Louis and Forest Park, but have really grown as couple in NYC. We wanted our wedding to represent both. I wanted the styling of the wedding to be elegant and sophisticated like a NY/black tie wedding (tuxes, formal/classic wedding dress, reception design, long/elegant bridesmaids’ dresses), but also with a sweet, Midwestern side (focus on flowers, nature and family). Forest Park was a very special place to us, and our Boston Terrier, Wesley, while living in St. Louis, so we wanted everything on our wedding day to be in the park, and for Wesley to be a part of it too. I wanted the color pallet to be muted (ivory, champagne, blush) except for the flowers. I wanted those to really pop!

Our Boston Terrier, Wesley, was an honorary groomsman. Andy & his family are Croatian, so we wanted to include details & traditions unique to their culture. Our wedding merged two beautiful cultures – American and Croatian, and we had touches throughout the day to represent both, and also who we are as a Midwest raised, northeast living/working couple. We had a traditional & BEAUTIFUL Croatian dessert bar full of homemade Croatian/American desserts, which were all made and contributed by Croatian families/friends. The best man also performed the traditional rakija canteen passing (homemade rum brandy in a hand carved canteen from Zagreb, Croatia). Our ceremony was completely written by Andy and me to represent who we are as a couple with portions in both English and Serbo-Croatian. My uncle married us (who we’re both very close to). Our guest book was a beautiful black and white coffee table book containing photos of NYC, and in lieu of wedding favors we made a donation to Forest Park Forever, the not-for-profit that supports the park we love and were married in.

My favorite moment was doing the traditional Kolo dance with my family, my new husband and his family, while holding hands and dancing in a circle to Croatian music. To me, that was the first moment that our marriage and the union of our families felt real! My favorite crafted details were the GORGEOUS floral wreath that hung over our dance floor at the reception, and the two handmade wooden boxes we used for our unity ceremony (special bottle of wine & cards written to one another were placed in the box to be shared on our 1 year anniversary) and the card box at the reception. Both were made from a member of my family who is a very talented woodworker.

Pick the one or two things that really mean the most to you when you start planning and only allow yourself to stress (if need be) over those one or two things! To experience completely stress-free wedding planning is rare, but if you remember what you truly care about the rest of the planning seems easy. For me, it was the music and the flowers. As long as we got those right, I was confident everything else would fall into place.

This E-Sesh is the Ultimate Spring Fling

The ultimate spring accessory? Magnolia trees. Oh, and this engagement session. Because what took place on quite possibly the most gorgeous spring ever, Matt and Allison strolled a historic park originally built for the 1904 World’s Fair. Surrounded by classic architecture and rolling hills, we’ve got a dreamy grove of flowering romance captured by Mike Cassimatis Photography waiting for you in The Vault

From Mike Cassimatis Photography…I met up with this lovely couple on quite possibly the most gorgeous spring day I’ve ever witnessed. Matt and Allison spent the afternoon strolling through a historic park originally built for the 1904 World’s Fair. Among the classic architecture and rolling hills, we discovered a dreamy grove of flowering Magnolia trees that provided an amazing backdrop for our session.

Feather Caplets + Donuts Are Our New Wedding Must-Haves

I love when a Bride wears a little topper during the ceremony, a bit of modesty for a strapless number. But this Bride took it one chic step farther and donned a blush feather caplet following the vows and holy moly, I’m in love. It should come as no surprise she’s a wedding planner after all (owner of Mr. and Mrs. Wedding Events) because her look was one success among many for her November nuptials. Laura Ann Miller and Ever After Films captured every stylish second – hop over to our Vault for all the goodies!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/148550045 600 338]

Colors

Seasons

Winter Weddings

Settings

Event Venue Religious Institution

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the Bride… What a glorious day it was! As the owner of a wedding planning company in St. Louis, I had a fairly refined vision of the day when Spencer and I decided to get married. However, it was really important to me to set all that aside and make our decisions as a couple. As soon as we stepped foot inside the Boo Cat Club we were instantly in love with it’s sophisticated elegance. It was the perfect space to host the luxurious meal, fireside cocktails, and roaring live band we wanted for our guests. Laura and I had worked together on many weddings and photo shoots in the past and I knew she had to be the one to capture all this on our day.

I had been eyeing Vera Wang’s Ethel gown for years and had a local seamstress altar a lace shirt from Top Shop to give me a winter look for the ceremony. I switched it for a blush feather caplet during portraits which brought out the burgundy peonies in my bouquet. Instead of traditional favors, we gave out rally towels to help us celebrate in true hockey-fan style. At the bar we selected signature drinks which gave a nod to “his and her” favorites of White Russians and Margaritas, as well as placed a bottle of our favorite red wine on the dinner table for everyone to enjoy. We ended the night on a sugar high with the gourmet doughnut food truck parked outside.

I feel so grateful to have been surrounded by friends and family on such a special day, but the one thing I did not account for was the extra joy I would feel by having our team of vendors be made up of such close friends. Each of them went above and beyond to make our day one that will forever go down as my absolute favorite wedding!
[dotted]

More magical Midwest weddings this way!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Wedding Dresses

Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

View All Collections

Classic Church Wedding with a Touch of Teal

We first fell in love with this couple during their golden hour engagement session, and today we’re peeking inside their elegant St. Louis wedding. Dressed up in a jewel tone palette of deep teal and touches of gold, it’s a day coordinated by the fabulous Kate & Company, and photographed by Clary Pfeiffer. One part modern and one part classic, this gallery is style mixing done oh so right.

Colors

Seasons

Fall Weddings

Settings

Religious Institution

Styles

Classic Weddings

From The Bride…In the summer of 2011, our addiction to TRX group exercise brought us together at Full Force Fitness in Mountain View, CA. Week after week, month after month, we continued to run into each other in class – TJ trying his hardest to impress me with his stamina and strength, while I focused on nothing but surviving through class without puking. Friendly smiles turned into cordial chit-chat, which turned into walks to the car, and….eventually led to the exchange of phone numbers outside TJ’s sexy red PT Cruiser. We found ourselves coming to more and more classes, as there was suddenly an exciting new motive pushing us to exercise.

Unfortunately, just as things were getting interesting, we were informed that Full Force Fitness was going out of business. On November 4, 2011, the owner of the gym hosted a final farewell potluck for all clients. Of course, we both showed up for no reason other than the chance to each other again. We immediately hit it off. This farewell party quickly became less about bidding the gym farewell, and more about getting to know one another. We exchanged stories about almost everything in those two hours – school, work, family, experiences, interests…and of course, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Somehow TJ knew exactly how to win my heart, with excel formulas. We talked and laughed together until the night was over, when we said goodbye and scheduled our first date.

It was a Wednesday night at Maggiano’s and we were nervous and excited. The date was a whirlwind. Time flew by. We learned we had so much in common – interest, values, dreams, aspirations – and the more we discovered we shared, the more excited we became! Before we knew it, it had been four, maybe five, hours and we realized we had barely eaten. It was clear the servers and staff were kindly waiting for us to leave, so we packed up our food and continued the conversation outside. We sat together under a beautifully lit oak tree….until security eventually showed up to break up our date by turning off the fire and taking our seat cushions. We laughed, took the hint, and called it a night. After that evening, it felt as if we had known each other for years. Instant friends. We agreed there was no one we ever clicked with so well and so quickly. Clearly, we found something truly special.

Three years later, we celebrated the anniversary of the day we met: November 4. In doing so, we decided to go to Maggiano’s again since we hadn’t been since that first amazing date in 2011. Arriving at the restaurant, we were not-so-coincidentally escorted to the same table we sat at years ago. I thought to myself “This can’t be a pure coincidence. But then again, I know TJ and he does not do stuff like this. What is this man up to…” I tried not to let my head run away with the idea of a proposal, and just enjoyed our dinner. It was lovely. We reflected on how happy we’d each become, and this time at Maggiano’s, we actually ate our food. 10:30 PM rolled around, and TJ suggested calling it a night and I agreed. After all, I was stuffed, it was a weeknight and also way too cold to sit outside under the oak tree.

Driving home, TJ decided to make a detour. I asked “where are we going?” several times, and he dodged the question over and over. Then he exited. I recognized the exit immediately, and thought “pinch me.” TJ pulled into the old parking lot of Full Force Fitness. We got out of the car, and he read to me a speech consisting of heartfelt words I have always dreamed of hearing, from the man I’ve always dreamed of. TJ got down on one knee, opened the tiny box that held the most beautiful ring I had ever seen, and asked me to share the rest of my life with him. Of course I said Yes. What more could a girl ask for than to marry her favorite person and best friend! In what most people would consider an abandoned old parking lot, TJ made it a place I will never forget. A place where each of our lives changed for the better….twice. And, we’ll be wed!

Of course, the best moment of the day was when those church doors opened and we locked eyes. I’ll never forget it. It was so special and perfect, including the part when my uncle stepped on my veil :) But after that, TJ and I both agree our favorite part of the day was sitting at our sweetheart table and enjoying the view. With our family and friends being so far apart, it was such a joy to see all of our favorite people under one roof, celebrating together. I still get teary eyed thinking of it.

Kate Spade-Inspired Fall Wedding in St. Louis

Now this, my dears, is a classic wedding infused with just the right amount of fun and whimsy. From the classic black and white color palette and bouquets finished with monogrammed ribbons to the fun Mr. and Mrs. balloons and the traditional country club setting, this day is total perfection. And thanks to Untamed Heart Photography, you can soak up all the pretty in The Vault!

Colors

Seasons

Fall Weddings

Settings

Ballroom Weddings

Styles

Classic Weddings

From the Bride…Nick and I met in college, but we did not begin dating until after he had graduated. After 7 years of dating, we made our annual 4th of July trip to our family cabin in Northern Minnesota. I had always hoped that Nick would propose there, since it is so special to me, but as the week went on and our friends arrived, I began to think it wasn’t time. Well Nick proved me wrong and surprised me one morning on the beach. We were then able to spend the remainder of the weekend celebrating with friends and family!

We knew we wanted a classic and timeless wedding; but our main goal was to make sure our guests, who were traveling from all over, would have an amazing time. I grew up in Richmond, VA and wanted to take some southern accepts and merge them with my new home of St. Louis! We had monogrammed ribbons on the bouquets and magnolia leaves through out the reception, and St. Louis staples in the welcome bags with the famous arch on the welcome note. We kept with a color scheme of black and white, with pops of gold and white flowers with lots of greenery. With the help of amazing vendors, everything just seemed to fall into place, creating the wedding of our dreams. I do have to add that I really lucked out with the most amazing partner because he helped plan almost everything for our big day! It would not have been possible without him.

Throughout the day I was able to spend special moments with my parents, sister, new family, bridesmaids and attendants. All moments I will cherish and all people who have played a huge part in my life. But my first look with Nick was one of my favorites of the day. We were able to take that time to really let it sink in that we were getting married. I will never forget his face when he turned around and the laughs we shared in the moments to follow (Nick always knows how to make me laugh and we are so lucky we found Michelle to capture it all!)

It’s hard planning a wedding, but it really is all worth the stress and tears. I received some advice that I really took to heart in the final month leading into the wedding. “Keep your eye on the prize; marrying your best friend.” This reminded me that it was all going to work out, and it did! From the cake and flowers, to heart warming speeches, to spending the night dancing away with all of our favorite people. It really was the best day ever.

Missouri Weddings

categories

tags

Categories

Posts By

More magical Midwest weddings this way!

From Our Partners

Kansas City

Springfield

St. Louis

Missouri Weddings

categories

tags

Categories

Posts By

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

More magical Midwest weddings this way!

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

Join The Conversation

From Our Partners

Kansas City

Springfield

St. Louis