A Rustic, Country Wedding at Haue Valley in Pacific, Missouri

Both lovers of the outdoors, Anna Forder (31 and works in marketing) and Kristin Lueders (31 and a registered nurse) could imagine no better place for their rustic springtime nuptials than Haue Valley in Pacific, MO. Only 30 minutes outside of their home in St. Louis, the 200-acre cattle farm felt a world away, with its picturesque green meadows, lush forests and quaint pond offering a serene setting for the couple to say their “I do’s.” From the impressive stone fireplace, to the vaulted ceilings and exposed cedar beams, the farm’s newly constructed barn was equally as alluring and provided the couple with a solid back-up plan in case of rain, which proved to come in handy the day of the wedding. Despite a few gray clouds, Kristin and Anna were able to celebrate with their families and friends outside, where they profited from the farm’s striking natural landscape. The couple wrote their entire ceremony from scratch and invited Anna’s cousin Jack to officiate, which only served to enhance the personal element of the day. “We wanted the opportunity at our wedding to tell everyone, ‘This is why I’m committing my life to this woman. This is why she is my person,’” says Anna. After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests moved into the barn for a night of fun-filled festivities. With the help of the florists at Flowers and Weeds, the couple brought the beauty of the countryside indoors. Bunches of colorful wildflowers and seasonal blooms infused the raw, natural space with energy and life, while traditional rustic accents like burlap, wood and chalkboard signs, made by Kristin’s sister-in-law, played up the venue’s simple country charm. Something Elegant created a mouth-watering menu of local, seasonal and vegetarian eats for the affair and the couple highlighted offerings from some of their favorite local breweries during cocktail hour. “All of the food was so fresh and delicious. You could tell it was made with great care from ingredients we felt good about,” says Anna. The evening’s entertainment was also given significant thought, with Anna and Kristin hiring a 10-piece band, in addition to a DJ, to get guests up out of their seats and onto the dance floor. A tip for the taking from Anna and Kristin: “Don’t let tradition dictate what you can or cannot do on your wedding day. You can make your own rules. Think about what you truly want, even if it’s not ‘normal.’ We broke a lot of rules on our wedding day. We don’t like cake, so we had cookies instead. We had both men and women in our wedding parties. All the little quirks made it feel like us and they made us happy.”