From the Bride:
Lial proposed on June 25, 2011. He had recently moved into an apartment right around the corner from a frozen yogurt shop, and we often walked there for dessert. While normally I would be the one to suggest getting frozen yogurt, on this particular night it was Lial who suggested taking a stroll to the shop. Nothing seemed out-of-the ordinary as we walked the familiar path to the yogurt shop and then accross the street to the small park where we like to sit and eat our yogurt. It was a peaceful night – we had the park all to themselves. As they were sitting on the bench, Lial told me that he had gone to visit my parents a few weeks prior while she was working. As soon as I heard this, I knew what he was going to say. He continued on, telling me that he had gone there to ask for their permission to marry me. Then Lial got down on one knee, pulled the ring out of his pocket, and asked me to marry him. I said “yes” immediately…it was perfect.
Personality is so important in any wedding. It presents the opportunity for a couple to show not only what is important to them, but personalizes the event making friends and family feel comfortable. I never tire of hearing how a couple makes their wedding theirs, and Laure and Patrick don’t disappoint. From the vendors to the locations, everything has a personal tie to them making each aspect of their wedding memorable.
From the Bride:
We had been together for 4 years when we got married and had known each other 13 years by the time the big day arrived. As we watched our friends get married over the last few years we had been to at least 30 weddings by the time it was our turn. We had really become professional wedding guests! From attending so many events, that often times blended together, we were determined to make our wedding unique, feel like us and most of all fun!
From start to finish this was a friends and family affair. We had our rehearsal dinner at Franco which is owned by our good friend Tom Schmidt and enlisted another good friend Lisa Dolan as our photographer. Our invitations were designed by a friend and printed by family, and even our desserts were made by a local baker and close friend, specifically to our liking! We had close and personal relationships with almost everyone we worked with which made the planning a lot less stressful.
Over the years we had attended more than a few weddings that came off as a bit rigid and high strung, and we knew we wanted a laid back affair in which everyone could laugh and enjoy themselves. We chose the Maya Café in Maplewood for its unique style and charm. The back patio is an old fishing boat with a deck built around it which became the dance floor. The white tent provided a warm and inviting space for our family style dinner (custom-designed by chef Rafa Hurtado), and the myriad of Chinese lanterns strewn throughout the tent dotted the space with pops of color. Box of Nerves (also friends of ours) played crowd favorites and sing along songs which provided a relaxed yet engaged ambiance throughout cocktail hour and dinner.
After dinner the music was turned over to a DJ and the party really took off. Our friends and family are such hilarious, amazing people that we thought it appropriate to give them the stage to karaoke their hearts out. Needless to say it was the highlight of the evening… so many friends and family taking turns to serenade the crowd and the laughter never stopped. It was a perfect day!
Ceremony Venue: St. Margaret of Scotland | Reception Venue: Maya Café | Photographer: Lisa Dolan Photography | Band: Box of Nerves | Florist: Walter Knoll Florists | Tent: Universal Rentals | Bakery: Cakes by Caroline | Seating Chart: Liz Sage | Programs, Invitations and Reception Décor: Alou Design | Handmade Signs on Head Table: Linda Plum | Wedding Gown: Saks 5th Ave | Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew | Groomsmen Suits: Men’s Warehouse | Hair Stylist: Malia Salon | Makeup: Looks by Lisa | Transportation: St Louis Transportation
This wedding put a smile on my face the second I watched the video. The joy, the laughter, the smiles and love, it’s all so obvious. Plus that ferris wheel ride is always fun (I know from experience).
Stephanie + Matt {Ferris Wheels SDE} from Jimmy Wilderman on Vimeo.
What’s better than spending your engagement session at a Christmas tree farm? These two adorable high school sweethearts will be tying the knot next year, and chose to hang out with that wonderful pine tree smell since Scott proposed in December.
Lets just hope if they cut down a tree they remembered to bring a saw (Christmas Vacation anyone?).
The perfect pair of holiday peep-toes! And, those adorable white and pink Nike’s? They were the bride’s when she was a little girl. Couldn’t help by think they were adorable!
Because I have a huge heart for friends, I had to share Sara and Mike’s session today, too. I also met Sara in college, and we were both Delta Gammas. Not too long ago, she too got engaged to Mike and kicked off her planning. They hired Amanda of Dreaming Tree Photography to capture their engagement photos. And, they do not disappoint. There is just something about the sunlight in the Fall. Plus, Sara and Mike decided to head off to Bee Tree Park, where Mike proposed to snap a few of their engagement photos.
The best part about this post and Erica and Tony’s from earlier is the fact that Sara and Erica are dear friends. Delta Gammas. College friends. Who happen to be getting married about three weeks apart. And, are in each others’ weddings.
Wishing all four of you nothing but love and happiness.
For once I am at a loss of words. These photos truly just speak for themselves. The lighting, the sunset ceremony, the joy, the beauty? None of it needs an introduction, other than the fact that I am honored that Mike of MNC Photography shared this wedding with me. And, thrilled that Ashlynn was so excited to share the details of her and Stephen’s planning process.
And, for the record, Forest Park is one of my absolute favorite venues in St. Louis. World’s Fair Pavilion offers some spectacular views of the Park, and I swoon every time I see a wedding up there.
From the Bride:
The story behind the World’s Fair Pavilion as our venue started when I was about 13 years old. It all started when my dad took me to a musical at The Muny in Forest Park. Afterward, we went to lunch at The Boathouse (where we had our rehearsal dinner) and then walked around the park. As he took me up to the World’s Fair Pavilion (at the time not dressed up with all the fountains and landscaping it now has), I said to him “I am going to get married here some day.” Ten years later, when the man of my dreams asked me to marry him, we began our planning from Washington, DC, where we were then living. From the beginning we wanted this to be the most fun, non-stuffy wedding we could throw, while trying to still keep some traditional elements as well.
In DC I worked at a bridal shop, so planning while working there was so fun. We got all of our the attire and accessories for myself and the wedding party at the shop. I am the bride that says my husband wasn’t too interested in planning (until the end, when he stepped up to help take some load off my shoulders) but probably because I am an OCD planner!
Since everything was planned to be outside, I scoured the internet for 3 month/30day/15 day forecasts! That week it was supposed to rain. After developing a Plan B for the ceremony, the day of the wedding was a miraculously beautiful day!!! We agreed we wanted the ceremony and reception in the same place, directly following each other and in the evening. So, we had our first look and took all of our pictures before so we could just enjoy the rest of the night.
The ceremony took place at sunset overlooking the park (it was amazing!). We then headed to cocktail hour and reception inside the pavilion. We had lounge style seating with high top tables, bistro tables and large rounds, and guests could sit where ever they wanted with food being available for about two hours. Later in the night we had Saint Louis’s famous Gus’s pretzels and a popcorn stand, as well as a photobooth, all of which was a huge hit! We danced the WHOLE night!!!
Our brilliant idea was to swim in the fountain at the end of the night. We only shared this information with our photographer, who stuck around just to photograph it (he is amazing by the way). So we had a mini trash the dress session. Afterward, I got to cut and keep the top part of the gown.
The bus ride at the end of the night was one of the funniest things I had seen in a long time, we tried to pile about 60 people on our bus, where everyone continued the dance party!! Overall definitely the most amazing night of our lives (only having a baby could top it:)!!
Ceremony / Reception Venue: World’s Fair Pavilion | Ceremony Music: Keough Music Productions | Reception Music: Arvell & Company | Photography: MNC Photography | Florist: Lucky You Productions | Lighting / Decor: Exclusive Events | Wedding Gown: Ian Stuart from Hannelore’s Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jim Hjelm Occasions from Hannelore’s Bridal Boutique | Veil: Toni Federici | Shoes: Kate Spade | Groom / Groomsmen Attire: Savvi Formalwear | Photobooth: Photobooth StL | Hair / Make-up: Tami Scott Studio | Catering: Orlando’s Catering | Bakery: McArthur’s Bakery
Ten Four Paper by Julie Goette
St. Louis, Missouri
Over the years I have been introduced to some of the most awesome people. I met Julie back when we worked together at an advertising agency. She a designer, and I an account executive. Who would have thought that we would somehow end up as good friends and working in the wedding industry?
Just as I was leaving that agency to work for another, I started wedding planning and styling. Nearly two years after starting my business, she became a client of mine, as I helped with her wedding. It was somewhere within that time frame she started using her design background to create truly custom and beautiful wedding stationery. And, trust me, girl can design.
So, I couldn’t help but get excited when she told me she was going to be launching her site soon. I knew she needed to get her name out there, and was rooting her on to pull the trigger. I’m so thrilled to be featuring her on the blog today. A day after she launched her website. She’s one of the sweetest and most down-to-earth people I know, and if you haven’t heard of her already, you should absolutely check out her work!
How did you get started in the world of paper and stationery?
I knew I wanted to design paper products almost from the get-go. Even in high school, I loved going to stationery shops and making cards for my family and friends. When I got to college, majoring in Graphic Design was a no-brainer. My classmates teased me for getting so excited about paper and print design. All in good fun, of course.
After college I worked for a series of advertising firms and in-house design departments for larger companies. I gained valuable experience and I still work full time, but I knew I had to eventually take a leap and start my own business. I began designing invitations for my friends’ weddings, and after my own wedding I decided to really give it a go and launch Ten Four Paper. I truly believe this is what I was meant to do!
What is your biggest source of inspiration when designing?
My biggest inspirations are the couples I work with. I love a good love story, and everyone’s story is unique. I really try to hone in on what makes each couple tick, and what is special about them. My design inspiration comes from them… what they like, where they met and their personal style as a couple.
I also obsessively read graphic design and wedding blogs. I aim to stay current with wedding and design trends. I have a lot of great friends in the wedding and event industry as well, and they continually inspire me to think outside of the box and push myself out of my comfort zone.
What would you classify your stationery / invitation style as?
I like designing invitations that are a bit out of the ordinary, and truly unique to the people that send them. I tailor my designs to fit the design style of my clients, but in general I would say I am a fan of fun color and font combinations and unexpected details. I want people to open an envelope that is both fancy and cool, and say to themselves, “Wow! That’s a really neat invitation!”
What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?
I am a very open and approachable person, and I love getting to know my clients. I like forming relationships with them and I am genuinely EXCITED when I get to design invitations for a couple. I think that enthusiasm is a bit contagious, and I think brides can count on me as a friend along their wedding planning journey. Clients aren’t just clients to me. They are people who trust me to tell their love story, and that’s a pretty important job!
What advice would you give to a bride and/or groom who is on the hunt for their perfect invitation suite?
My strongest advice is to stay true to your personal style. If you are traditional and feel comfortable with elegant scripts and fine linen paper, your invitations should reflect that. If you are a bit edgy and like crazy colors, the same rule applies. I am a firm believer that there is no “wrong” way to do anything for a wedding. If you express your love in a way that is true to you as a couple, that is what is most important.
Outside of the world of paper, what do you enjoy doing?
I love doing anything creative, and I’m constantly redecorating my house or taking a new art class. I adore spending time with my husband, Matt, (the inspiration behind my business name) and our little dog, Pogo. Together, we love taking walks in Forest Park, listening to live music and traveling the world. I also love eating ice cream (probably too much) and a secret mission of mine is to learn how to bake the best chocolate chip cookie!
Photography by L Photographie
Happy first day of Fall!
Are you familiar with Missouri wine country? If you’re not, you should do a bit of research. The Show Me state may not be the most exciting state in the U.S., but it does manage to have a quaint and awesome community of grape growers and wineries. So much so, that if I didn’t tell you this next wedding took place at a Missouri winery, you probably would have had zero idea such awesomeness exists in the Midwest. So, you’re in for a surprise. And, for a wedding full of detail and loads of heart. One of my favorite kinds of weddings.
From the Bride:
Casey wanted to have a small destination wedding…I wanted a hometown wedding with my humongo family in attendance. Hmm…we were already at odds! Luckily, we both agreed on a beautiful vineyard in Missouri wine country to serve as the backdrop to our big day (45 minutes out of St. Louis is technically a destination, right?). After that, wedding planning was smooth sailing since we both had visions of a day that was pretty, personal, and not overly-complicated (or overly-priced).
Having a graphic designer for a fiancé was one of the best parts of the whole process. We designed all of our paper products together: save-the-dates, invitations, programs, and menus. He made sure everything was exactly the way we wanted it, which made the whole day feel extra personal. I’m not a natural in the whole do-it-yourself scene, but I was able to put my mark on the event by making the burlap table runners, the place cards, and the flagged cake topper. I even convinced myself that this was a great time to purchase and learn how to use a sewing machine, but alas, it broke 5 minutes after I turned it on! With a second (and much more rickety) machine, I somehow managed to sew myself 100 little pockets to hold the menus. Topping it all off with a bunch of Etsy finds and the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen, we had pretty much created our vision.
Overall, we could not have been happier with the way the day turned out. The weather and scenery were beautiful. Our vendors felt more like old friends. Our two families hit it off with one another. And, we got married.
Photography: Untamed Heart Photography | Ceremony / Reception Venue: Chandler Hill Vineyard | Cake: Whipt Cream | Hair/Make-up: Holly Speakes | Flowers: Les Bouquets
