A Shabby Chic Burgundy Barn Wedding at a Private Residence in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Paul Stemmerman proposed to Amber Stemmerman on their way to a Cardinals baseball game with eight of their friends. “On our walk over, we were stopped by a film crew (Paul’s hired videographer!) who had cameras on tripods and orange cones marking off different areas—all very official,” Amber says. “The crew asked us all if we could read cue cards introducing the starting lineup for the game! The crew then asked me to read the very last card, I began to read, and they asked me to stop and try it again. They then flipped the card to a card that read, ‘Will You Marry Me?’ Paul got down on one knee.” For their wedding, the couple decided they wanted a shabby chic, upscale barn wedding. They set the tone early on with a whimsical, custom designed invitation suite. “We worked with an artist (Liz Richter) and her sister (Emily Blattel, ES Designs) to paint a portrait of us at the barn in our wedding day attire, and then digitalized it into an invitation,” Amber says. “We love it so much because not only did we have a totally unique invite, but also an amazing painting!” They chose Amber’s parents’ backyard for their wedding because they loved the rustic barn and at-home feel. However, they added their own classic, elegant details such as crystal chandeliers and tulle draping throughout the venue. Amber and Paul also made sure to have lights along the pond, down the pathway to the house and around the ceiling for a little romantic flair. All of the details of the day took on the burgundy and gold color palette. One of the best parts was the alternative wine bottle guest book. They had 10 years worth of wine bottles for guests to stuff their notes into, which the newlyweds will open on their future anniversaries.