1. Real Weddings

A Simple, Romantic Wedding in St. Louis, MO

Rachel and her mom made the rustic “Mr.” and “Mrs.” signs from reclaimed wood they found together.
A vine of fresh flowers and a ruffled finish accented the simple four-tiered buttercream cake.
The color palette of pastels and neutrals gave the wedding an elegant, understated feel. “We loved the way these soft shades worked together in everything from the flowers to the bridesmaid dresses to the table settings,” says Rachel.
The reception ended with a surprise—a ride back to the honeymoon suite in a cream-colored 1960s Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II.
Rachel collected photos of flowers for months before meeting with her florists. Ivory dahlias, blush-pink ranunculus, blush-pink lisianthus, antique-peach stock and three different varieties of garden roses eventually came together in a gorgeous, multitextured bouquet.
The three flower girls wore floral crowns that matched the blush rose petals they threw walking down the aisle.
Two days before the ceremony, Hurricane Isaac dashed plans for an outdoor wedding. The chandelier, chiavari chairs and draped walls and huppah achieved the same warm ambiance inside the country club.
The light-green invitations were debossed with ivory lettering. Beautiful calligraphy in white ink dressed up informal kraft-paper envelopes, and vintage stamps added a pop of color.
Reverend Peter Wan, the husband of Rachel’s childhood nanny, led the nondenominational ceremony. “Luke and I loved working with him, because he let us participate in writing the entire ceremony and knows us so well,” says Rachel.
Guests enjoyed sweet and savory late-night treats as the reception came to a close. The cheesecake and brownie lollipops were a favorite.
Succulents, kale and moss added natural texture to the lush centerpieces. The antique teacups on the tables were a gift from Rachel’s grandmother.
Peep-toe T-strap heels struck a timeless balance of sweet and sexy.
Rachel wore her hair up in an intricate style--curled and with a small braid running through it--because she wanted to show off the dress. I have a lot of hair, and I always wear it down, so it was a hard decision to wear it up on my wedding day, but I’m so happy that the back of the dress was exposed as a result, says Rachel.
Rachel's eight bridesmaids each have such different personalities and styles, she didn’t want to confine them to one dress. So she chose three colors, the brand, the length, the fabric, and then let them choose the rest.
The men wore boutonnieres made of mini ranunculuses.
The couple served champagne that Rachel's dad had picked out especially for them, along with a full raw bar.