This wedding has timelessness written all over it. It’s got everything—a breathtaking bride and her dashing groom, a historic church with gorgeous floral wreaths on the doors, an sophisticated palette of neutral tones and an elegant outdoor reception. Melissa and Eric added personality to their reception with his and hers bars of cigars and s’mores, respectively. Lucky for us, Mike Cassimatis captured all of the brautiful moments and inspiring details of their big day!
What made the wedding special and unique?
This is a cheesy answer, but everything. The wedding turned out exactly how I envisioned, from the outdoor reception to the mismatching bridesmaid dresses.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
Wedding dress shopping was by far my favorite part of wedding planning. Fleur de Lis Bridal Boutique in St. Louis makes the experience so personal and wonderful. The gown I chose was the 2nd dress I tried on, and there was no looking back. My best friend actually picked it out for me, as I was convinced I wanted a long sleeve dress. But I put it on and knew it was the only dress where I felt beautiful, but also felt like myself.
What were some touches added to make it personal?
To start, I knew my wedding had to be outside, despite the worries of my parents. The day started out to be bitter cold, but by the time the cocktail hour started, it didn’t even matter – and the sun actually came out! We had a s’mores bar because marshmallows have always been my favorite thing in the world (even though I was so busy on the dance floor, I never even saw the s’mores bar in person!). We had cigar bar for the guys – the only request from my husband. But my favorite special touch was my getaway dress. I had my mom’s wedding dress shortened into a fun cocktail dress, and wore it at the end of the night.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The toasts at the ceremony were by far my favorite part of the day. It was incredible to hear my dad speak so highly of my new husband, and also make fun of me like he usually does. My maid of honor’s speech was so personal and the perfect way to honor our new marriage, as was the best man’s speech. Although I already knew how great of a match Eric and I are, the speeches reconfirmed it.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Just call me Tinderella. We met by matching on Tinder, as Eric was having a contest with his friend to see who could get more matches in an hour. However, it was our mutual friends who actually set us up for our first date. We got engaged about a year and a half later. We took our dog, Huck, for a walk at the park where I grew up. I was in the mood for exercise, so kept walking ahead of Eric trying to power walk. I ruined the actual act of the engagement about 3 times – ran into someone I knew, didn’t want to walk in the horse meadow, etc. But in the end, he proposed at the end of the walk and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Plus, it makes for a great story!
Photography: Mike Cassimatis // Florist: Bloomin’ Buckets // Dress: Fleur de Lis Bridal // Dress designer: Modern Trousseau // Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid // Bridesmaid Dress Designer: Joanna August // Shoes: Kate Spade // Caterer: Catering St. Louis // Cake: Encore Baking Company // Tuxes: Black by Vera Wang // Hair: Daniellestyle // Makeup: Brady Keenan // Band: GalaxyRed // Church: St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church // Reception Venue: Old Barn Inn