Nicole & Ben – Married
“We decided early on that we would not make any decisions based on what was or was not wedding “tradition.” We had our ceremony musician play Metallica covers on the piano; we wrote much of our ceremony with our officiant; we had a homemade dessert bar of pies, brownies, and cakes donated by friends and family; and we had an iPad “DJ” at our reception so that we could tailor our playlists to exactly what we wanted.” – Nicole
Nicole started her wedding day getting ready in a beautiful suite of The Westin Hotel.
I love The Westin Hotel. I love how everytime I smell their signature White Tea scent as I walk into the lobby, it brings back memories of our stay at The Westin in Hilton Head South Carolina. And now, the memories continue to grow with each Saint Louis wedding I get to photograph there.
Nicole made all the bouquets and boutonnieres herself! Isn’t she amazing?!
Ben & Nicole chose to have their Ceremony and Reception at the 9th Street Abbey. After the ceremony, they enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio with their 150 guests, while the amazing team of Patty Long Catering transformed the room into a beautiful reception hall.
Bride’s most memorable moment: My favorite moment was seeing Ben standing at the end of the aisle and filled with emotion as I walked down. The whole ceremony, in general, was the best part of the day… but posing on the fire trucks was a close second.
Groom’s most memorable moment: My most memorable moment was easily seeing Nicole walk down the aisle. I spent a good part of the afternoon wondering whether or not I was going to tear up during the ceremony, but as soon as I saw her, I knew I didn’t stand a chance. Since we are talking about memorable moments, I feel like the fire trucks deserve a mention here as well. I have a feeling that seeing 7 fire trucks at a wedding will stick with most people for a long time.
Advice for Brides-to-be: Do what makes you and your future husband happy, and forget the rest of the ‘rules.’ Also, when married people advise you to stop multiple times and “take it all in” over the course of the day…this really can’t be stressed enough. You’ll see and interact with so many people that day that it’s impossible to remember every scene and conversation, but try to take a few moments to look around and appreciate the surrounding love.
First Dance Song: “The Girl” by City and Colour
Be sure to check out Ben & Nicole’s destination Cleveland, Ohio engagement photography session, in Nicole’s hometown.
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Many thanks to the great Saint Louis Wedding Vendors who made this day amazing:
Bridal Gown : Moliere Bridal
Grooms Suit : Jos A Bank
Ceremony & Reception Venue : 9th Street Abbey
Catering : Patty Long Catering
Florist : Bride
Cake: Made by Friends & Family
Saint Louis Wedding Photographer : For The Moment Photography
By: Amanda Turner
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