Weddings - I Do! | Town&Style

As a little girl, Texan Dani Stinger remembers having a vision that her future husband would serenade her with a guitar in front of a big group of people. So when Grant Hammack did exactly that at her sorority house while they were both students at Southern Methodist University, she thought it might lead to more than a college romance. She was right: an engagement came five years later.

Dani was in his ‘family’ from the beginning really; her big sis in the sorority was Grant’s older sister. “She always claims I was hers first,” Dani jokes. For the proposal, Grant recreated a memorable date where he blindfolded her and led her to a pavilion to dance to their favorite songs. “But this time, friends had decorated the pathway with lanterns, pennies and rose petals,” Dani recalls.

St. Louis, Grant’s home, was a perfect middle ground for out-of-towners, and the two adopted a ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ theme, from their Save the Dates to guest baskets and trolley transportation. “Planning was a completely joint effort between my mom and Grant’s parents,” Dani says. “His mom suggested the Saint Louis Club, and I was blown away by how beautiful it was.” The focus was on friends and family and making sure everyone enjoyed the day for the celebration it was. Dani appreciated a walk with her sister before getting ready, which she says set her heart on the right path. “I remember putting on my dress and thinking, this is a day,” she says. Instead of gifts, the couple wrote letters to each other. Another meaningful touch was having two special songs performed, one ‘The Prayer,’ which Dani says she and her dad would randomly sing together in the kitchen. “It felt like a blessing over Grant and me.”

The couple resides in Houston, where Grant is a project manager for Sundance Construction and Dani is a professional dancer.

wedding party
maid of honor | Alexandria Stinger
bridesmaids | Amy Clements, Laura Fanta, Rachel Trippett, Megan Blaisdell, KayKay Blaisdell, Alexandra Hammack
best man | Curran Hammack
groomsmen | Michael Gardner, Austin Slough, Scott Nelson, David De La Rosa, Andrew Hatzfeld, John Skae
bride’s parents | Joni Stinger of Houston & the late Daniel Stinger
groom’s parents | Michael & Mimi Hammack of Town & Country

wedding date: April 23, 2016

Photos: Conner Photography

Paige Piccione says she almost turned down the trip that caused her to meet husband Jared Hampp. “Friends invited me to the Lake of the Ozarks after my high school graduation, but I wanted to stay in town,” she says. “They convinced me to go, and that’s where Jared and I first met. We were both dating other people, but we became friends.” In 2012, when they were single, Jared’s family invited Paige on a trip to Jamaica. “That’s when we started dating—and where he proposed three years later,” she says.

Paige remembers being a little concerned when Jared didn’t want to talk about getting married—but it was only because he was already planning a surprise proposal! He popped the question during their next trip to Jamaica, in a romantic spot overlooking the beach. “It was a beautiful, starry night,” Paige recalls.

She chose Our Lady of Lourdes parish because it’s where her parents were married and her family has held baptisms. Her relatives own Piccione Pastry and Butler’s Pantry, the caterer for the Missouri History Museum. So the museum’s spacious Grand Hall seemed like a natural choice for the reception. “We had a wonderful sit-down dinner, and guests took home variety boxes of cannoli, cookies and cakes as wedding favors,” she says. “It was a point of pride for me that so many people raved about the food.”

The wedding party posed for photos at The Muny, with spring flowers just beginning to bloom. “It was a beautiful, cool, sunny day—the only clear one in a week of thunderstorms,” Paige notes. She surprised her auto-enthusiast husband with a special wedding ‘getaway car,’ a bright blue Lamborghini. “He’d seen the car in the neighborhood before the ceremony, and was really excited when he found out we’d be driving it the rest of the day!” she says.

The couple lives in the historic Dogtown neighborhood. Paige works for STLCRE, a property management firm, and Jared works for Frank Leta Honda.

wedding party
maid of honor | Genevieve Piccione
bridesmaids | Aubrie Hampp, Mia Piccione, Rachel Brennan, Ami Ali Khan, Alisa Taylor
best man | Justin Richardson
groomsmen | Matt Murray, Kevin Wartenbe, Derek Brennan, Zach Vogt, Adam Becke
bride’s parents | Peter & Susan Piccione of St. Louis
groom’s parents | Rick Hampp & Susan Girardier of University City

wedding date: April 9, 2016

Photos: TenSixteen photography

Amy Reagan says her engagement to Michael Hollo started out with wonderful surprises and just got better from there. He popped the question in April 2016 in Chicago, then told her they had an afternoon flight to St. Louis to celebrate with family and friends. “Michael even had a photographer show up to take pictures of the proposal,” Amy says. “And when we arrived in St. Louis, family members were waiting at the airport with a huge welcome banner. They were all in on the secret.”

Their parents have known each other for some time, but Amy and Michael were introduced by mutual friends. “We all went to a bar one evening, and Michael and I started talking,” Amy says of their first meeting. “He asked to buy me a drink, and the rest is history.” They chose Michael’s home parish for the wedding and the Saint Louis Club in Clayton for the reception. “It must have been the rainiest day in April,” Amy says. “It started in the morning and let up for about 2 hours, so we did get some pictures in before the wedding. Then it started pouring again after the ceremony. Our guests joked that there was lightning behind us all night!”

No one’s spirits were dampened by the deluge, however. Amy says their guests had a wonderful time dining, dancing and celebrating at the reception. Her father, The Muny president and CEO Denny Reagan, even flew in a group of stage actors to perform special songs written just for the newlyweds. “One of them sang for our father-daughter dance,” Amy says. “The reception was like a mini musical!” Other special touches included a cocktail party and monogrammed delicacies from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Co.

Once the wedding festivities wound down, the couple departed for a week and a half of island-hopping in Hawaii. Amy and Michael are both St. Louis natives and now live in Chicago. She is an alumna of Visitation Academy and the University of Arizona; he attended MICDS, Princeton University and The Wharton School. Amy works for the Built In technology startup, and Michael works for Winona Capital.

wedding party
maid of honor | Maggie Mullen
bridesmaids | Molly Reagan, Laura Hollo, Bridget Stieven, Riva, Nicole Kahal
best men | Tommy Hollo, Henry Hollo
groomsmen | John Reagan, Paddy Mullen, Taylor Harbison, Joey Blomker
bride’s parents | Denny & Michelle Reagan of St. Louis
groom’s parents | David & Kathy Hollo of St. Louis

wedding date: April 29, 2017

Photos by White Klump Wedding Photography

Elizabeth Clote and Steve Lillis envisioned a classic, elegant wedding that focused on family and included personal touches. It came to life in May, when Elizabeth walked down the aisle of St. Francis Xavier College Church on Saint Louis University’s campus, where she and Steve met in law school. “We knew of each other but didn’t start dating until our second year,” Elizabeth says.

About a year and a half later, she was in for a night of surprises after coming home from class. “Steve took me to all these places that were meaningful to us: the old law school building on SLU’s campus, where it all started; Eleven Eleven Mississippi, our first date; and Vin de Set, where he met my parents. He proposed back at his apartment, and my sister was hiding to capture it all on camera!”

She says the Friday night ceremony was very traditional, and the neutral color scheme perfectly accented the beauty of the Starlight Room at The Chase. “My grandma and grandpa, who have been married 65 years, had their first date at The Chase and have been going there forever,” Elizabeth says. “We celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary there, and I loved having our reception at the same place.” The couple’s first look in the stairwell of The Residences at Chase Park Plaza is her favorite memory.

Since they had numerous out-of-town guests (Steve is from Chicago), they planned an entire wedding weekend to spend time with everyone. “Steve’s dad passed away while we were engaged, so all the guys played golf in honor of him on Saturday morning,” Elizabeth says. “And his mom, sister and I all carried pictures of him on our bouquets.” The “action-packed weekend” ended with a Kentucky Derby party hosted by Elizabeth’s parents Saturday night and Mother’s Day celebrations Sunday.

wedding party
maid of Honor | Emily Clote
bridesmaids | Mary Lillis, Meghan Luebbert, Beth Kinamore, Molly FitzGerald, Jamie Ratusznik, Brittany Barklage
best Man | Michael Lillis
groomsmen | John Clote, Matt Dambach, Danny DeBartolo, Matt Greco, Chuck Podczerwinski, Nick Perrino
flower girls | Ellie, Caroline and Lucy Glarner
ring bearer | Thomas Glarner
bride’s parents | Mike & Susie Clote of Kirkwood
groom’s parents | Laurie Lillis of Long Beach, Indiana, and the late Steve Lillis

Wedding Date: May 6, 2016
Photos: Cary Klein Photography

wedding date: April 29, 2017

Photos: White Klump Wedding Photography

To make her wedding to Edward Cherry extra memorable and fun, Emily Kline wanted to incorporate her new married name into the big day’s theme. But how would she pull it off without going overboard? She decided to work with her planner, Katie Saeger, to find subtle ways of weaving it into the ‘flavor’ of the celebration. So the groomsmen sported socks with a cherry design; a cherry vodka fizz was the reception’s signature drink; and guests took home iced cookies in the shape of cherries.

Emily says she and Eddie loved the idea of keeping the day simple by holding their evening ceremony and reception in the same place, historic St. Louis Union Station. “We really fell in love with the location,” she says. “During the reception, they played a laser light show on the Grand Hall ceiling as we watched from a balcony. It was such a special moment! Our out-of-town guests said they’d never seen anything like it.” Beautiful, 75-degree weather added to everyone’s enjoyment, and the weddingday plan ran smoothly from start to finish. “It couldn’t have gone more perfectly,” Eddie notes.

Motown tunes from Arvell & Co. kept guests on their toes during the party. “Eddie and I took ballroom lessons so we could do a special number, ‘Let’s Stay Together’ by Al Green,” Emily says. “It was choreographed just for us. We also had what our guests called an ‘epic’ 20-minute hora, a traditional Jewish line dance.” The pair took to the floor during their honeymoon cruise, too. “At the disco, we had them play our song again, and re-created our first dance,” Eddie says. “It was my first visit to Europe—definitely a memorable experience!” Emily says of the two-week trip, “It was like one long celebration. We even treated ourselves to a romantic gondola ride in Venice.”

Emily attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School, American University and the Goldfarb School of Nursing; Eddie is a Parkway Central and Mizzou grad.

wedding party
maid of honor | Jillian Solomon
bridesmaids | Nadene Pessis, Maggie Desloge, Julie Abeles, Annie Mizrahi, Danielle Fancher, Alexandra Lockhart, Jennifer Poulin
best man | Benjamin Cherry
groomsman | Elliot Pessis, Benjamin Kline, Zach Mallin, Sam Adler, Scott Schatz, Joel McAllister, Mason Bikshorn
bride’s parents | Linda Gartenberg Kline of Creve Coeur; Lee & Emily Kline of Creve Coeur
groom’s parents | Don & Robyn Cherry of Town & Country

Photos by: Liz Sloan of L Photographie

Morgan Ostapowicz and Joe Purze may have a longer history than most couples, but it ended happily with a trip down the aisle in June. “Joe and I first met when we were teenagers at Clayton High School,” Morgan says. “Our best man actually set us up!” The pair continued dating in college even though they were on opposite ends of the country, and both moved back to St. Louis after graduation. “Joe proposed in May 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina, my favorite place in the world,” Morgan says. Now, the Purzes live in Creve Coeur with their dog, Wade.

Both the wedding and reception were held at The Ritz-Carlton, and Morgan says everything went smoothly from start to finish. She worked with wedding planners at Cosmopolitan Events to pull off the big day, which included a short ceremony and special Jewish traditions. A white and gold color scheme included lovely orchids as part of the decor.

“After the ceremony, we headed straight to the party,” Morgan says. “We held everything in one place because we wanted it to be easy and fun for guests. There was a photo booth from Fish Eye, which was a huge hit, and we brought out 300 Jack in the Box tacos as a late-night snack. We even had a dance- off between one of the band members and a guest!” She and Joe created a Twitter hashtag for the event, #morganscupofjoe, so guests could share their memories from the evening.

Morgan says the party kept rolling until the wee hours. “It spilled over into the lobby, where our best man’s dad performed on the piano as guests sang ‘Sweet Caroline’ at the top of their lungs,” she recalls. “It really was a magical night—everyone had a blast, which was all we could ask for.” A two-week honeymoon in Italy capped off their wedding celebration. “We went to Florence, Tuscany, Capri, Positano and Rome,” Morgan says. “It was the trip of a lifetime.”

wedding party
maid of honor | Kelly Beckerle
bridesmaids | Hayley Rosenblum, Rebecca Symons, Alli Holt, Sarah Marchant, Morgan Warthan, Sydney Purze
best man | Nate Townsend
groomsmen | Corbin Holtzman, Drew Hall, Daniel Blunk-Piper, Schuyler Longmore, Andrew Barry, Patrick Ostapowicz
bride’s parents | Phillip Ostapowicz of University City & Lori Guilliams of Town & Country
groom’s parents | Santa Purze of Clayton & the late Jerry Purze

Photos: Kelly Pratt Photography

Danielle Lordo and Mike Bond were friends in high school, but their families had much bigger plans for them. “Mike is best friends with my cousin, and our families were always trying to set the two of us up,” Danielle says. The pair finally went on a first date about three years ago and hit it off.

Their December 2015 engagement was an especially memorable surprise. “Mike said we were going to dinner and a show at the Fox Theatre one evening,” Danielle recalls. “As we were getting ready to leave, he proposed. Then he made me promise not to call anyone because there was another surprise coming!” They enjoyed dinner at 801 Fish in Clayton, then later drove to John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub in Soulard, a favorite haunt when Danielle lived in that area. “When we walked in, our family and friends were waiting by the back bar,” she says. “I was completely surprised!”

The couple chose a traditional ceremony at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, with music by a 10-piece ensemble including harp, violin and trumpet. They wrote each other special love letters before the wedding, and in memory of his mom, Mary, Danielle gave Mike a gold cross and chain with a St. Mary medal. Once the knot was tied, guests headed downtown to celebrate in the Grand Ballroom of the Saint Louis Union Station Hotel. Bridesmaids and flowers were resplendent in shades of lilac and cream, and there was Italian wedding cake as a nod to Danielle’s family heritage. “We sent guests home with Italian cookies and cannoli as well,” she notes.

Danielle’s family owns Lordo’s Diamonds, so the couple incorporated the business into their wedding photo plans. “My family has a tradition where you take pictures at the store after the ceremony,” Danielle says. “The bride and groomsmen stand around a Rolls Royce, and family and friends come by to watch the photo shoot.”

A Jamaica honeymoon capped off the wedding celebration. Danielle, a St. Joseph’s Academy graduate, is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Mike, a CBC grad, works in logistics at Diversified Ingredients.

wedding party
matrons of honor | Katie Tobben, Kimi Smelcer
bridesmaids | Nichole Geringer, Annie Trout, Hillary Martin, Andrea Owens, Molly O’Byrne, Sydney Hersckowitz
best man | Mike Holt
groomsmen | Jake Bond, Zach Bond, Nick Lordo, John Geringer, Ryan Rozycki, Alex Pacheco, Travis Hunt
bride’s parents | Jim & Jackie Lordo of Wildwood
groom’s parents | Mike & Kim Bond of O’Fallon, Missouri, and the late Maryann Bond

Photos | Lisa Meyer

Being from St. Louis means a lot to Ellen Kammer. So when she married Houston native Taylor Vaught, she wanted to make sure their out-of-town wedding guests experienced the city to its fullest.

“Most of our guests came in from Texas, and many of them had never been here before,” says Ellen, an Ursuline Academy grad. “I love St. Louis and talk about it all the time, so I wanted to incorporate its history into our wedding celebration. That’s why we chose Union Station for the reception.” Guests also visited the Gateway Arch and went to a Cardinals baseball game while they were in town, and the couple encouraged them to see as much of the city as possible. “Some of them made a mini vacation of it,” Ellen recalls.

Tradition was important to the couple as well, so they chose not to see each other before the ceremony. “People thought we were crazy for doing that, but we loved it,” Ellen says. “Catching sight of each other for the first time when the church doors opened made the rest of the day so special!”

Ellen’s father passed away before she was born, so she wanted to carry a special memento of him on the big day. “I had my dad’s wedding band on my bouquet, and my mom walked me down the aisle. So they were both with me at that moment,” she says. Taylor knew her mother’s blessing would be important to Ellen, so before proposing, he secretly flew in from Dallas to ask permission. “My mom was really touched that he did that in person,” Ellen says. “I didn’t find out about it until the day he proposed.”

She says the wedding went smoothly with the help of Kristin Ashley Events, and guests enjoyed dancing and partying in Union Station’s beautiful Grand Hall. The bride had the venue set up a special ‘Taylor’s Bourbon Bar’ in lieu of a groom’s cake. “There were five types of bourbon and whiskey so guests could order special cocktails,” she notes. At the reception, a friend serenaded the couple with a rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” accompanied by the band. “We had no idea he would do that,” Ellen says. “It was such a fun memory!”

wedding party
maid of honor | Stefanie Klaudt
bridesmaids | Alex Klinghoffer, Kristin Trumble, Liz Doerr, Katherine Davis
best man | Turner Vaught
groomsmen | Ben Rothchild, Drew Hollingshead, Matt Hudson, Jeremy Smith
bride’s parents | Jan Kammer of St. Louis & the late Jay Kammer
groom’s parents | Bob Vaught and Mary Vaught, both of Houston, Texas

Photos | Susie Vreeland Photography

Meredith Gibbons and her new husband, Mike Shadwick, both love the history and splendor of St. Louis Union Station. The iconic landmark holds such special meaning for the couple that it figured into their wedding festivities in more than one way.

When he was ready to propose, Mike met Meredith’s father at Union Station for lunch to ask his permission. She arrived a little later, and Mike popped the question with the beautiful ‘Meeting of the Waters’ fountain as the backdrop. “He had arranged for family and friends to be at the Grand Hall afterward, so we celebrated together,” Meredith says.

Since it was where their wedding journey began, Union Station seemed like a natural choice for their reception. After a Friday ceremony at nearby Christ Church Cathedral, guests adjourned to a cocktail party beneath the Grand Hall before an evening reception upstairs. Meredith says everyone was entranced by its special light show. “Mike and I watched from the balcony and enjoyed everyone’s reactions,” she recalls.

The couple incorporated the historic landmark in other ways as well. “We had an illuminated cake topper in the shape of a Grand Hall arch, and we used the theme on our invitations and cocktail napkins,” Meredith says. An artist even painted the reception as it was happening. Other special touches included miniature photos of Mike’s late father and Meredith’s grandmothers on her wedding bouquet.

The pair took dance lessons to entertain guests with a choreographed number to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “We included space on our reply card for guests to write songs they wanted to hear at the reception, so the dance floor was packed all evening,” Meredith says. “We wanted everyone to have a blast, and I think we succeeded!”

A honeymoon in northern California and Maui topped off the newlyweds’ celebration. Mike is an insurance broker, and Meredith is the finance director for Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, so the governor was a special guest on their big day. Meredith is a graduate of Kirkwood High School and Westminster College, and Mike attended Althoff Catholic High School and Quincy University.

wedding party
maid of honor | Alex Johnson
bridesmaids | Erin Hendry, Sarah Floyd, Claire Bartos, Sarah Penteluik, Katie Brecklin, Lisa Buettner, Allison Sobczak, Melanie McDaniel, Jacquelyn Shadwick, Jaime Teel
best man | Evan Neville
groomsmen | Brad Fairbairn, Tom Mabry, Andrew Hoerner, Craig Toberman, Luke Simmons, Andrew Cordes, Kyle Sobczak, Kyle Fraser, Pat Young, Danny O’Neill
bride’s parents | Mike & Liz Gibbons of Kirkwood
groom’s parents | Pam Shadwick of Belleville, Ill., & the late Macks Shadwick

Photos | IFK Photography and Doug Coulter

Allison Barry’s new husband, Nick Still, wanted to make sure their engagement was memorable, so he designed a personalized scavenger hunt for her that led to a special proposal.

“I knew he already had the ring, but I had no idea when he would ask me,” Allison says. “The day of the proposal, he said he was going to a golf tournament with his dad. I went shopping with my mom, and she insisted we go to Maggiano’s for lunch. Then she handed me a letter from Nick.”

It was the first clue in the scavenger hunt, which included locations that were meaningful to the couple. One stop was the YMCA where Nick worked, and the mutual friend who had introduced the pair gave Allison her next clue. “At the end of the hunt, Nick was waiting for me at Castlewood State Park, where we’d gone on hikes together,” Allison says. “A photographer was there to capture the moment, and afterward, we went out and celebrated with our families.”

The couple had an outdoor wedding ceremony at The Old Barn Inn at St. Albans that included special vows they wrote for the exchange of rings. “My wedding band is my late grandmother’s, and Nick’s father died when he was very young, so he wears his dad’s band,” Allison says. “Giving them to each other was one of the most special moments of the whole day. Our guests told us they were really touched by it.” A few sprinkles of rain threatened to dampen the ceremony, but the weather held off and everything went smoothly, she recalls.

After the wedding, guests went indoors for cocktails and dinner. “I spent the whole evening on the dance floor,” Allison says. “I just wanted to celebrate! We had been planning the wedding for a year, but we had such a great time that evening, I felt like it was all over in the blink of an eye.”

Allison and Nick live in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, but are planning to move back to St. Louis soon. She is a Parkway South High School and Missouri State University grad; he is an Indiana native and is working on an MBA from Culver-Stockton College.

wedding date | October 21, 2017

Photos | Lisa Meyer Photography

St. Louis native Sara Syed and her new husband, Christopher Nonack, wanted their October 2016 wedding to be simple and natural. On the big day, all the stars aligned in their favor.

The couple chose an outdoor ceremony and reception at Strawntown Farm in Haycock, Pennsylvania, near their Quakertown home. With the sun shining, the couple said “I do” near the bank of a sparkling pond in front of about 60 family members and friends. “We wrote most of the ceremony and vows ourselves,” Syed notes. “The wedding was short and sweet, but meaningful.”

Syed and Nonack were so determined to have Mother Nature as their guest of honor that they didn’t actually come up with a ‘plan B’ in case of bad weather. “We told each other, ‘If it rains, we’ll get wet,’” she notes. “As it happened, we got very lucky and had a beautiful day.”

The ceremony segued right into an outdoor reception complete with open-air tent, food, games and camaraderie. Decorative touches at the wedding and reception were as natural as the country setting. They included simple flower arrangements and table accessories Syed hand-made from birchwood. In lieu of a guest book, attendees wrote personal messages on wooden Jenga pieces, so the couple can read them and reminisce whenever they play the game.

Even the pair’s beloved four-legged friends got to be part of the day. Syed’s horse, Sister, and the couple’s dogs were present at the farm from start to finish. “The entire experience was perfect, easy and even stress-free, from the planning all the way through to the reception,” she says.

Syed is an MICDS graduate, and works in veterinary clinical trial research; Nonack is a design engineer and Philadelphia native. They met while studying at Lehigh University. The newlyweds enjoyed a mini honeymoon in Maine about a month after the wedding, and they’re planning a longer trip to the western U.S. in May.

wedding party
maid of honor | Jennifer Pennebacker
best man | Raymond Rehberg
bride’s parents | Teresa Scott Syed and Ali Syed, both of Chesterfield
groom’s parents | Peter & Ruth Nonack of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
ceremony & reception | Strawntown Farm in Haycock, Pennsylvania

wedding date: Oct. 15, 2016

Photos by Kelly Bove Photography

Allison Barry’s new husband, Nick Still, wanted to make sure their engagement was memorable, so he designed a personalized scavenger hunt for her that led to a special proposal.

wedding date | October 21, 2017

Photos | Lisa Meyer Photography

Belleville native Chloe Hamm says her wedding to Andrew Schechter might never have happened if not for his sheer determination. “He wanted to meet me, and my sister wanted to introduce us, but I was away at college so I kept saying no,” she says. “His persistence eventually changed my mind!” The two met for drinks at Bar Louie and enjoyed each other’s company so much that Chloe returned to St. Louis every weekend afterward until she graduated.

“We both have goofy personalities, which I think is why we clicked right away and felt so comfortable around each other,” Chloe says. She moved to St. Louis in 2015, and the pair got engaged in April 2016. “We went to a winery to celebrate our two-year anniversary,” Chloe recalls. “Andrew had brought a bottle with a label that said ‘Will You Marry Me?’ and put it with the others when I wasn’t looking.” By the time she noticed the sweet message, he was on one knee. Andrew knew his bride-to-be would enjoy choosing her own engagement ring, so he popped the question using a ‘stand-in’ she had pinned on Etsy. Later, the couple went shopping for the real thing.

They chose The Sheldon Concert Hall for both the wedding and reception. “Andrew makes decisions quickly,” Chloe says. “The Sheldon was the first venue we looked at, and he was ready to say yes as soon as we saw it.” The wedding took place on the theater stage, and the upstairs ballroom was perfect for partying. The couple incorporated traditional Jewish touches into the ceremony, like stomping a glass and saying a blessing over wine and bread. Chloe says her cousins provided some of the music, including piano and ukulele, and guests were out on the dance floor. “Everyone said it was the most fun they had ever had at a wedding,” she recalls. “We left at 11 p.m., and I’m told it was difficult getting everyone else out the door!”

wedding party
Maid of Honor | Casey Hamm
Bridesmaids | Samantha Kassing, Kayleigh Cox, Maddy Hogan, Kayla Ott, Colleen Mulholland, Liz Beelman, Laura Schechter
Best Man | Robby Schechter
Groomsmen | Graham Olsen, Nick Berkery, Cameron Jadali, Eric Ricker, David Comens, Danny Garbo, Logan Livers
Bride’s Parents | Dr. Richard Hamm and Michelle Hamm, both of Freeburg, Illinois
Groom’s Parents | Mark Schechter and Karen Schechter, both of St. Louis

Photos: Abbigail Marie Photography

Newlyweds Magen Williams and Nicholas Laurence didn’t realize it at first, but their paths already had crossed when they met on a dating website three years ago. Magen works for the Sunset Hills agency Captiva Marketing, which had created a website for Nick’s employer, the Hammer & Steel construction equipment firm in Hazelwood. “Nick actually had been to our office for a training seminar before,” Magen explains. “Later, we met on eHarmony and had our first date at Kirkwood Station Brewing Co. Before long, we were closing down restaurants whenever we went out because we’d stay at the table talking so late.” The couple got engaged in November 2015.

One of the bride’s most touching memories took place as she was getting ready for the ceremony. “My 11-year-old niece was in the wedding party, and she came in as I was getting into my dress,” Magen notes. “She saw me and started crying, and didn’t stop for the next three hours! She had us all in happy tears.”

Magen says she and her husband enjoyed incorporating some of their favorite things into their big day, from a reception coffee bar (both are caffeine enthusiasts) to cute bridal shoes and a cake topper with feline designs (both love cats). Leading up to the wedding day, she had been listing a ‘reason why I want to marry you’ on each page of a small notebook. The day of the ceremony, she gave it to her new husband as a special gift.

Nick is an avid reader, so Magen surprised him with a wedding-day photo shoot at the beautiful, historic Central Branch of the St. Louis Public Library. The pair honeymooned in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they strolled around the city and visited historic sites. “The rest of the time, we were relaxing in the pool or hot tub,” Magen says. “It was hard to come home after that, but we had a great vacation.”

wedding party
maid of honor | Erica Way
bridesmaids | Allison Nay, Angie Ilko, Alesha Bardot, Emmy Way
best man | Michael Scott
groomsmen | Tony Laurence, Andrew Edmonds, Jeremy Way, Major Way
bride’s parents | Tom & Gayle Williams of Union, Missouri
groom’s parents | Bob & Angie Laurence of Chesterfield

wedding date: Jan. 7, 2017

Photos: Keith Lee Studios

Photos: Abbigail Marie Photography

A sorority sister of Shelby Fenster’s at Syracuse University had a feeling she would get along well with Simon Brett, and the friend’s instincts happily proved correct. “I was graduating and looking for a job, but he still had a couple of years left at school when I moved to Nebraska for work,” says Shelby, a St. Louis native. “We had a long-distance relationship for a while, but it was meant to be!” Simon moved west to join her after he graduated, and the pair were engaged in August 2016. They chose the recently renovated St. Louis Union Station for both the ceremony and reception because of its unique style and atmosphere. “Simon is interested in architectural design, and we especially loved the Grand Hall,” Shelby notes. “It’s already such a beautiful space that you don’t have to do much to it. That was the kind of vibe we wanted for our big day.”

The ceremony took place in the Gothic Corridor, which features ornate ceilings, glazed tile and other historic touches. “It was sweet and intimate,” Shelby says of the wedding. “We felt so relaxed and comfortable walking down the aisle, surrounded by friends and family.” A cocktail reception followed in a room beneath the Grand Hall before guests adjourned upstairs for the big party. The couple had pipe and drape set up to create a ‘reveal’ as everyone stepped into the majestic space. Later, they enjoyed one of the venue’s special light shows.

To surprise the newlyweds, their parents flew to Los Angeles earlier in the year and had a choreographer create and teach them a dance routine for the reception. “Simon’s mom and dad came all the way from London,” Shelby says. “They all put a lot of work into it! We feel blessed that our parents get along so well. It’s really symbolic of our strong family unit.”

Shelby attended Lafayette High School and is an anchor at KOLN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Simon works for Nebraska Wesleyan University.

wedding party
Maid of honor | Jourdan Fenster
Bridesmaids | Stephanie Goette, Donelle Roberts, Paige Meehan, Jessica Steinmetz, Sarah Park
Best men | Edward Brett, Grant Fenster
Groomsmen | Thomas Hayes, Olabanji Aborisade, Joseph Becherer, Daniel Chavarriaga, Adam Coy, Drew Deal, Carl Fisk, Allen Ghavami, John Manolis, James O’Brien
Bride’s parents | Neal & Dana Fenster of St. Louis
Groom’s parents | Mark & Pina Brett of London, England

wedding date | Oct. 7, 2017

Emily Cote and Ben Wood’s love story started with a little sisterly matchmaking. “I went to a Cardinals playoff game downtown, and my sister knew Ben and introduced us,” Emily says. “We went to Paddy O’s after the game, hit it off and started dating a month later.” After about four years, the couple got engaged and made plans to marry on a Miami beach.

“We love the outdoors and warm weather and had always talked about a destination wedding,” Emily says. “There is always a lot going on in Miami, so we knew there would be plenty for our out-of-town guests to do.” Hurricane Irma rolled through the area a couple of months before, and the pair worried how it might affect their plans, but Emily says everything was back to normal by the time they arrived. “The weather was amazing, and there was a beautiful sunset,” she says of the big day. Emily’s grandparents had planned to attend the ceremony but were unable to travel at the last minute, so her uncle connected them via Facetime, and they watched the ceremony live. “They even dressed up in the clothes they were going to wear,” she recalls fondly.

After the ceremony, everyone celebrated at an indoor/outdoor hotel reception and danced to a variety of tunes spun by a DJ. “Many of our guests made a long weekend of it,” Emily says. “We played golf at two different courses, had a nightcap at the hotel Thursday and invited the out-of-towners to our rehearsal dinner Friday.”

Ben is from Dallas and Emily grew up in St. Louis, so they incorporated images of both city skylines into their table decorations. “We wanted to show our hometown spirits,” she says. During the reception, a painter captured an image of the newlyweds with the wedding gazebo in the background. The couple’s special gifts to each other included diamond earrings from Ben and a belt Emily handmade for him.

The bride attended Nerinx Hall High School and the University of Mississippi, and the groom studied at Gettysburg College. “Our whole wedding weekend went by so fast,” Emily recalls. “It was a whirlwind. We spent a little time in Savannah, Georgia, on our way home but are still planning a bigger honeymoon!”

wedding party
matron of honor | Elizabeth Clote Lillis
bridesmaids | Katie Blakeley, Kiley Schmidt, Hannah Vohra, Erin Walser
best man | Thomas Wood
groomsmen | John Clote, Willie Griffin, Tim Leahy, Mason Shank
bride’s parents | Mike & Susie Clote of Kirkwood
groom’s parents | Mark & Carol Wood of St. Louis

wedding date | dec. 2, 2017

The couple lives in the historic Dogtown neighborhood. Paige works for STLCRE, a property management firm, and Jared works for Frank Leta Honda.

wedding date: April 9, 2016

Photos: TenSixteen photography

wedding date | dec. 2, 2017

Photos: Nat & Bryan Weddings

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