1. Real Weddings

An Elegant, Classic Wedding at Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri

Laura Betten Young (27 and a broker) and Matthew Young (33 and an engineer) met on a blind date set up through mutual friends. M

Laura Betten Young (27 and a broker) and Matthew Young (33 and an engineer) met on a blind date set up through mutual friends. Matt proposed in San Francisco in their hotel after some romantic wine tasting and a French dinner. The couple exchanged vows at Shrine of St. Joseph in a traditional Catholic ceremony in St. Louis. Although Laura wasn’t too thrilled about having to walk down all 150 aisles, she loved the breathtaking venue. Afterwards, they went to Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel for a classic reception. “We both wanted a place that had some historic charm and architectural interest,” Laura says. “The minute we walked out of the elevators in the Crystal Ballroom at the Marriott St. Louis Grand, I knew this is the atmosphere I wanted for our guests. It has views of the city on three sides, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that would give them a view of the sun setting. The chandeliers and Wedgwood ceiling added to the wow factor. It was exactly the charming and historic place we were looking for. On top of it, my grandmother told me her mother used to go dancing in this exact location when it was the rooftop at the Statler hotel in the early 1900s.” Not wanting to compete with the natural shades of green throughout the room, the couple chose soft shades of pink, gray and white for the color palette. To add a super local feel for guests, the couple provided Ted Drewes Frozen Custard and cupcakes for dessert.

Laura wore a full ball gown by Essense Of Australia for her wedding. “To me, it was a modern version of a classic silhouette, which was exactly what I wanted,” Laura says. “I paired it with a cathedral-length veil, white satin pumps with a crystal accent and sapphire accessories.”
Laura carried roses, ranunculus, garden roses, stephanotis and lamb’s ear in her bouquet.
The bridesmaids wore black taffeta strapless gowns with pearl statement necklaces from Laura.
The groom and groomsmen wore black-and-white tuxedos from The Black Tux. “The tuxes had beautiful details and fit everyone perfectly,” Laura says. “Their twist on the classic tuxedo shoe was great–the guys didn’t look like they were wearing shiny clown shoes–they looked polished and handsome.”
Matt wore an ivory ranunculus, brunia stems and lamb’s ear for his boutonniere.rn
“The most special part of my bouquet was actually what we put on the handle,” Laura says. “I had two small picture frames with pictures of my dad – one from my parents wedding, one of us together. This was a way to carry my dad with me down the aisle.” Her father passed away from cancer the year before Matt proposed.
The flower girl wore a Dior lace dress and a flower crown and carried a flower pomander down the aisle. “She loved it, and the wrist strap made it easy for her to carry,” Laura says.
“This church is truly breathtaking, though it was a bit daunting to walk down the 150 aisles,” Laura says. “It also didn’t hurt that this church is the home of one of the only documented miracles over 150 years ago.”
Laura and Matt First Kiss
“The ballroom has gorgeous carpets and draperies in the blue color family, so I didn’t want to pick anything too bold that would clash,” Laura says. “This room already had so much going for it, we wanted to add to it without taking away from its grandeur.”
“We both wanted a place that had some historic charm and architectural interest,” Laura says. “We wanted something that would welcome our out-of-town guests and give a good snapshot of the city. A bonus would be a location that had lots of parking, a location close to the ceremony and somewhere comfortable for our guests to stay. The minute we walked out of the elevators in the Crystal Ballroom at the Marriott Grand, I knew this is the atmosphere I wanted for our guests. It has views of the city on three sides, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that would give them a view of the sun setting. The chandeliers and Wedgwood ceiling added to the wow factor. It was exactly the charming and historic place we were looking for. On top of it, my grandmother told me her mother used to go dancing in this exact location when it was the rooftop at the Statler hotel in the early 1900s.”
Simple Green, Pink and White Centerpieces
Laura and Matt First Dance