The connection we have with our couples is incredibly important. The relationship and bond grows stronger over time, but often we find ourselves instantly connected. Meeting Rachel + Shoshanah was exactly that. After the initial consultation, Allissa put a few good vibes out into the world as she knew she was meant to work with these gals as it already felt like she had two new best friends. Fortunately, they felt the same and we hit the ground running.
It was easy to tell off the bat that these two love each other and love each other hard. They’re a perfect yin and yang and balance each other so sweetly. Rachel is more of a “You only live once, so why not splurge a little bit?” type of gal, where as Shoshanah prefers to analyze options a bit further and play out the scenarios before deciding. But they both know, respect, and appreciate this about the other, so watching them talk through details and consider the value each component would add to the celebration was truly special.
For Rachel, it was important to host a weekend of celebration with the ones who mean the most to them. She and Shoshanah had collected amazing friends from various moments in their lives. With many of them and important family members spread all over the country, they both wanted to offer the opportunity for everyone to truly connect with one another.
Walking into the weekend, Shoshanah’s nerves started to creep in and she joked that she may need to hold Allissa’s hand more than Rachel’s. It seemed the culmination of all we had been planning finally coming to life hit harder than she expected and we were honored to offer support.
The weekend was kicked off with a Welcome Party on Friday night. Guests were treated to a relaxed evening featuring a food truck & ice cream cart. Cocktails and mocktails were flowing at the mobile bar while guests perched in the lounges under cafe lights that were sprinkled among the yard to add to the soft and relaxed vibe we were going for. On Sunday, they had a farewell brunch sendoff at the main lodge to allow everyone to gather, relive the amazing moments of the night before prior to heading out.
But let’s talk about the wedding day, shall we? It was full of many incredible highs and a few emotional lows. Our entire team spent the majority of the weekend tracking the weather on our phones with fingers crossed that the predicted storms would shift and allow us to have the dreamy outdoor ceremony that we had planned. Beyond the beauty that nature provides, Rachel and Shoshanah simply love and enjoy spending time outdoors and they wanted to incorporate this into their wedding day. However when we awoke on Saturday morning, it appeared the weather gods were not on our side. We accepted that Plan B had to be put in place and the wedding would need to be inside. Yet … hours before the ceremony, it looked like we’d have a four-hour window of no rain. We immediately put Plan A back in place, and the floral team started building the chuppah outside. In true Missouri fashion, the weather shifted once; sprinkles turned into light rain that had no signs of letting up and we ran to aid our friends with disassembling the floral display and moving everything inside.
As much as we knew how important the outdoor ceremony was for them, the indoor Plan B wedding was just as gorgeous and there was a lot of love in the room for the couple. Shoshanah’s father officiated the marriage and did so more beautifully than we could have imagined. And best of all, the guests were none the wiser and enjoyed the beauty as if it had been planned all along.
After the ceremony, guests moved upstairs for cocktail hour and our teams transformed the room to welcome guests back for the reception. Guests were greeted with beautifully curated place settings that continued to set the tone for the amazing evening ahead. After a few emotional toasts and an amazing dinner, the newlyweds danced the night away with their closest family and friends. The dance floor was packed until the very last moment. A truly magical evening was had by all.
From top to bottom, the entire day was emotional and so, so memorable. We’re so honored to plan and design their wedding weekend and may have been the ones most upset about it being over.
Congratulations, Shoshanah + Rachel! Can we do it all over again?
VENDOR LOVE
WELCOME PARTY
PLANNING + DESIGN: Altar'd Events
VENUE: Overlook Farms
FOOD TRUCK:: Cha Cha Chow
RENTALS: Exclusive Events
ICE CREAM: Sling n' Scoops
TRANSPORTATION: JED Limousine
STATIONERY: On Three Designs
WEDDING + RECEPTION
PLANNING + DESIGN: Altar'd Events
CEREMONY + RECEPTION: Overlook Farms
CEREMONY MUSIC: Alexander Ruwe
CATERING: Catering St. Louis
PHOTO: Cindy Lee Photography
VIDEO: Sweet Tea Films
FLORALS: Roses & Mint
LIGHTING, STAGE + DANCE FLOOR: Exclusive Events
RENTALS: Styled and Staged STL
BEAUTY: Eye Do STL
CAKE + DESSERT: Celebrating Life Cakes
BAND: The Red Jackets
PHOTO BOOTH: Fete Booth
TRANSPORTATION: JED Limousine
STATIONERY: On Three Designs
PET CARE: WedPets
ATTIRE - Shoshanah // Jenny Yoo via Bridal Parlour
ATTIRE - Rachel // Bindle + Keep
ATTIRE - Ladies // Hayley Paige via Bella Bridesmaid
ATTIRE - Gents // Personal
