Category archives: Amy Meyerott Wedding

We’re Here to Live | Lauren and Zach

Lauren and Zach had one of the most beautiful summer wedding days. The trees were the perfect shade of green, the sky was blue and St Louis was, relatively quiet. A global Pandemic couldn’t take that from them. As much as we all would have liked to leave Covid-19 out of their story… it was part of it, and it always will be.

When Covid hit the US, it knocked their wedding back a few months. I’m sure it bothered them more than they let on, but this entire walk- Lauren and Zach didn’t complain. They just wanted to marry their best friend and that’s that. It was touch and go, I checked in with Bisssinger’s more than I should have but finally, days before the wedding- we were confident it would be allowed to continue and I am so glad it did. It was our (Amy & Andrew’s) first day back LATE JUNE. We would have normally been at least 8 weddings in by now but…2020.

While their wedding was more intimate than they had planned, everything was lovely and masks definitely can’t hide joy. And a virus can’t take away love. So in spite of it all, they came together in Lauren’s words, not to survive, but to LIVE.

Lauren and Zach, your attitude about everything- it was just incredible. You took everything in stride and only cared about one thing this whole time- the love you had for one another and the people you hold dear. Weddings are stressful enough, and you had every reason under the sun to lose your minds… but you didn’t and for that, on behalf of your entire team- we thank you both. There is no couple we would have rather walked through this time with. You both are incredible. We are so thankful we got to celebrate with you!

Check those dates. haha It’s funny but it’s not.

Zach. I took way too many pictures of your wife. Sorry, not sorry. She’s gorgeous.

When your wedding party knows how to bring it.

Venue: Caramel Room at Bissinger’s

Hair and Makeup: Emily Miller

Photo: Amy at Shadow and Light

Video: Andrew at Shadow and Light

DJ: Millennium Productions

Flowers: Steve Mueller

Bride’s Gown: Monique Llhullier, Alexia’s Bridal Raleigh, NC

Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie Davids Bridal

Maid Of Honor Gowns: Jenny Yoo

Men’s Attire: Black Tux

Winter Is Coming | Duygu and Ryan

One thing about life, is it keeps changing. As one day moves to another, we slowly move into the next chapter. I stepped out the morning of Ryan and Duygu’s wedding and the crisp air promised that winter was coming. It was the most beautiful, end of fall day. I have two favorite weekends of the fall, and they married on one of them. The trees decided to really show off as Duygu’s family arrived from Turkey to celebrate with her.

St Albans provided the most lovely backdrop. It has always been one of our favorite venues, but it really, really looks incredible in the fall. Theirs was one of those weddings where halfway into it I already know I have taken too many pictures. It happens. Sometimes, I can’t help myself. Plus, when your wedding day is all at one venue- it’s easy for that to happen! Given that we already had a lovely backdrop to work with kets just say I was elated to have these two as the focal point in front of it. I mean seriously, how stinking cute are they!!???

Have I mentioned I absolutely LOVE when my couples let me do formal pictures outside.

Note: Please do not attempt photographs on railroad tracks. Even most inactive tracks are still owned by the railroad and it is illegal to photograph on most of them.

That said, these tracks are privately owned by St Albans and are completely safe for both my cute couple and myself.

We had soooo much fun at their reception. The dance floor was packed as everyone danced the night away.

I pretty much demanded to be the photographer for Duygu’s siblings whenever they choose to marry.

Vendors:

Venue: St Albans, Old Barn Inn

Florist :Walter Knoll Florist (Krista Russell)

Cake : Celebrating Life

Band/DJ : Elite PRO DJ, John Richard

Hair & Makeup Artist :Jenna and Sara Behlmann, (573)470-5038

Dress: Bella Couture (boutique), Erin Cole (designer)

Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Azazie (online store)

Men’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse (purchased suits)

The Landolfi String Quartet

Don’t Rain on My Parade | Tom and Brooke

I (Amy) have always been a firm believer that your attitude will determine your outcome. If you throw a fit about rain on your wedding day, you will have a miserable day. No one wants rain, but it happens sometimes and you have to make the best of it. I don’t know what we do to get the couples we do, but you guys, we have the most stellar human beings as clients. Each of our couples affected by Covid-19 have handled it with such grace. Each one moved to dates I was available for. I can’t begin to tell you what this means to me. I know I often say, “Roll with the Punches” but this was a pretty hard gut punch and we hope to carry the burden with our couples in whatever way we can.

Brooke and Tom, (I shake my head and chuckle as I type) had a gut punch or two. It was a wedding day where their planner, Victoria Burrows, and I were in constant awe of how great Brooke’s attitude was all day long. For starters, it wasn’t lightly raining or steadily raining- It was pouring. Brooke smiled and said, “Lets go make the best of it!”.

But thats not all, a few minutes prior to the ceremony, we noticed our lovely little bride was looking a little… pale. What we thought was jitters turned out to be a pretty rough case of the Stomach Flu. Want to talk about attitude? This girl would disappear to the restroom and minutes later walk out with a smile. I’m telling you- none of the guests had a clue. Brooke would throw a bat signal to her sister (Maid of honor), a nod to Victoria or myself and smile her way to the restroom.

Above all, at the end of the day- their wedding day was lovely. We credit this to their great attitude. They each had a wonderful time because they didn’t focus on the negative. They smiled, they laughed, they cried tears of joy. It was a beautiful day, with wonderful people just as you will see below.

HUGE THANK YOU to my StL community for making the following portraits possible.
Thank you Julia Noack for letting me know about your Secret Rain Spot (I’ll take it to the grave… unless I need it again)
Thank You to Clary Pfeiffer, Kristin Ashley Events and The Four Seasons for giving us permission to bend the rules.
Please also thank your Couple for us, who without their kindness, we would have not been able to do portraits inside.
We are so blessed to be part of the St Louis Wedding Vendor Community.

I was fairly obsessed with the detail of this cake… I may have cried a little when it was cut into. That cake was too pretty to eat!

Vendor Love:

Coordination – A Bride’s Ally
FB: A Bride’s Ally
Insta: @abridesally

Venue/Catering – Marriott St. Louis Grand
FB: Marriott St. Louis Grand
Insta: @marriottstlouis

Photo/Video – Shadow & Light
FB: Shadow and Light
Insta: @shadowandlightstl

Florist – Flowers & Weeds
FB: Flowers and Weeds
Insta: @flowersandweeds

Hair/Makeup – Simply Breathtaking
FB: Simply Breathtaking
Insta: @simplybreathtakingstl

String Quartet – Rosewood Ensemble
FB: The Rosewood Ensemble
Insta: @rosewoodensemble

Cocktail Hour Pianist – Jenn Asia
FB: Jenn Asia Cocktail Piano

DJ/Uplighting – Millennium Productions
FB: Millennium Productions
Insta: @millenniumstl

Cake/Desserts – Pint Size Bakery
FB: Pint Size Bakery & Coffee
Insta: @pintsizebakery

Day-of Paper Goods – M. Haley Design
FB: M. Haley Design – Adventures in Custom Stationary
Insta: @mhaleydesignstudio

Custom Photo Backdrop – Decorum
FB: Decorum
Insta: @decorumeventsstl

Father of the Bride | Ryan and Ashlyn

Let me (Amy) start by saying… i’m terrible at basketball. I can be 3 feet from the hoop and miss the basket 8/10 times. Luckily skill in this sport was not a requirement to shoot this basketball star’s wedding. In true “Father of the Bride” form, Ashlyn grew up on the courts with her dad as her coach! Their hours of practice created an incredible bond between the two of them.

Rumor has it when Ryan met Ashlyn, he thought he would be able to hold his own against her on the court… he soon found he had more than met his match. Luckily, Ashlyn more than met her match in many other ways that had nothing to do with who would win on the court.

In Ashlyn’s words, “God had his plan for us from the beginning. Ryan was in St. Louis for a total of 6 months for work training. I had just moved to St. Louis to begin nursing school. On one of the first nights out of the town, I went to ballpark village in hopes we could sneak into a Dustin Lynch concert. Ryan saw my dance moves (the robot) and asked my friend if she though I would dance with him, (I Did). Shortly after, we made it into the concert space as I noticed his huge AGGIE ring. I was taken back at how huge this thing was and I had to try it on for myself. He was quick to ask me to place it back on his finger. I bent down on a knee and presented back to him. He said ‘yes!”

Their story didn’t end there. Shortly after, Ryan crafted a way to get her number. Since that day, they have been through a lot together- a long distance break up included. During that time, Ashlyn sent him the most selfless text I had ever heard (yes, we all got to hear it during the Best Man’s toast). They say if you love someone let them go, and though they were already broken up, she let him go in the most loving message letting him know he still had her heart. It didn’t take long after that that they figured out their love was very much worth fighting for. The rest is history!

Love when my friend, Kurtis Hall works with me! Look at these groom portraits!

Vendors:

Venue- Missouri Athletic Club

Cowboys & Angels | Brandon and Mary Margaret

It seems you literally have to confine me (Amy) to my home in order for me to get any blogging done. Clearly I will never be a famous blogger. I don’t even want to look to see when my last post was made. I know blogs help bring couples in, but my number one priority has always been speedy delivery (it’s been 12 years and I still remember how impatient I was waiting for our wedding pictures). All 2019 photos are delivered, and it has been a week from hell for the entire world. I’m not going to go down the rabbit hole talking about these things, instead I am going to post some pretty pictures from several fall weddings (ok, yes, summer too). I have spent the last 5 days prepping blogs- so be prepared for lots of pretty heading your way!

Brandon and Mary Margaret chose two of my all time favorite venues, the Shrine of St Joseph and the Coronado Ballroom. They are downright timeless, just like Mary Margaret. One thing is for certain, Mary Margaret is without a doubt her parent’s little angel. They are beaming with pride every time they look at her and it is obvious how much they love her and just how much they will do for their little girl. Mary Margaret and Brandon met during their time in dental school, Mary Margaret needed a ride to mass and her knight in shining armor came to her rescue. The rest is history and they are now one another’s dentists! I hope these pictures bring a smile to all!

Ok, I just cant stop with the black and white for this series. OBSESSED.

Tina Barrera, as always, did a lovely job with the florals.

Seriously with these flowers, is spring here yet?

Ok so the below picture wasn’t a set up! haha these guys were literally helping out the ladies.

That said, I’m not opposed to boys carrying bouquets… look how sweet they look! What do you think, Tina??

Ok just one more…

Vendor Love:

Tina Barrera- Special Event Florist

Coronado Ballroom

Shrine of St Joseph

Save the Drama for your LLAMA | Amanda and Zach | The Venue at Maison du Lac

When else could I (Amy) POSSIBLY make a title like that? In all seriousness- Amanda and Zach were so far from drama that their wedding was literally the opposite. Nestled deep in the woods is a beautiful little cottage. This cottage became the inspiration for a wedding venue unlike any other I have ever seen. Want photos by a lake? Check. Pictures in a sweet old cottage? Check. How about a wood barn? Yes! Add a pasture and woods, to a MODERN reception space and you are at The Venue. We had the honor of being one of the firsts to see the vision Ces and Judy (of Ces and Judy’s Catering) had and it was wonderful to work there and see their vision brought to life.

Amanda and Zach met at church in a group called “Quarterlifers”. Opposite of ” Midlife” their decision to attend was anything but a crisis- it was more serendipitous. They spent 6 weeks attending the meeting and getting to know one another. They said their “I do”s in front of the cross that brought them together with Zach’s dad officiating the ceremony. It was such a sweet and truthful ceremony. Please always keep in mind the words spoken at your ceremony- Amanda and Zach. The “American Dream” is NOT to work yourselves to death climbing the corporate ladder. That’t not a dream you want on your tombstone. It starts with family, with your spouse. It is love, it is enjoying life and all of the pain that goes along with it. It is living in the moment for eternal rewards and not present fantasies or instant gratification. At the end of the day, its love that counts.

We loved every minute with you and your families. Congratulations to you both!

Special thanks to Kurtis Hall for not only being my partner in crime at their wedding, but for being amazing and setting lighting up on a time crunch of chasing light and rocking it with me! LOVE YOU!

A touch of GLASS – Carly and John

It all began with a broken glass. But let’s rewind for a minute. Or a few years. A few years ago, I (Amy) had the honor of capturing Carly’s sister’s wedding. As a photographer, I can tell you there is no greater honor than being invited back in for another wedding in a family. I actually had Carly’s wedding weekend blocked off to be my ONE WEEKEND OFF for the month but when she called, I knew I would bend my rules for her (it’s fun being the boss sometimes). I already knew her family. I knew their dynamic. I knew their traditions. I KNEW THEM and I loved them. I knew there would be no photographer out there who would love on her more- and that’s a bold statement to make because there are a lot of wonderful photographers out there- but that’s just how invested we get in our couples. So when I knew I had a day with her family again, I knew what an honor it was. I just had to get to know her soon to be husband John.

Marrying into a Jewish family- it’s an experience. Traditionally, it is one filled with some expectations that one may say are high, it’s super well meaning in laws who don’t meddle- ever ; ) , it’s tradition, its a lot of celebration, and its a whole lot of love. Not just anyone is accepted as a son in law by any parent out there, but John? In the words of Carly’s mom, Eve- “He’s a real mensch” and let me tell you- he is. John is such a wonderful guy. He is kind, patient, overall at peace, gentle, loving, caring, focused. He fits perfectly with Carly’s energetic, joyful, beautiful spirit.

So it all starts with a broken glass- their beautiful life together. He stops, she wraps her arms around her new husband in a kiss, and away they go into their new life together. And it is perfect. Every perfectly imperfect moment of it all.

Above Image by my friend, Chris Becker!

Carly’s wedding also included so many of my vendor family. My friend Lisa did the flowers and I have to say, this was one of my favorite bouquets ever. Not only was it full and beautiful, but Carly didn’t have to complain a single time that it was too heavy! It was perfect to carry!!!

My hubby is photo bombing : ) Yes, I will edit him out, but I like complaining that the “damn videographer RUINED my shot”.

Carly didn’t want to leave the property of the Four Seasons on her wedding day and with her wedding being late June I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved her for that.

I love the color, but I’m a sucker for Black and White so you’re getting both. Deal with it. ; )

Love these wonderful families.

Mazel Tov!!!

Love these details Chris took.

: ) A perfectly imperfect moment captured by Becker. They will tell their children this story and I’s so glad they have the pictures to go with it.

Baby It’s You | Piazza Messina Wedding | Julia and Mike

Sometimes magic just happens.

And sometimes Mother Nature knows not to mess with a Jewish Mama on her baby’s wedding day.

It was supposed to rain. We weren’t having that. None of it.

Can I just tell you- I ( Amy) LOVE it when my couple chooses to remain all at one venue through the day. There are definitely benefits to going multiple places- not to mention the party bus fun. Staying at one place though, it just eliminates a lot of stress. No vehicles to have issues, no headcount to ensure everyone is on the bus, and most importantly- no St Louis traffic.

Between staying at one venue, having a lot of Jewish traditions, and a few surprises Brett and I took SO. MANY. PICTURES. It was kind of humorous close to the ned of the night when we blew through memory cards like water on a summer day. Brett actually had a tiny bit of pity for me having to go through all of them (whatever, he really thought it was hilarious). So Julia and Mike, you will have entirely too many photos.

I let them in on a little secret I have to keep the rain at bay.

Kind of like tonight’s Blues Game (GO BLUES), I can’t talk about it.

The below is an image I don’t often create. These two though? It fits. Independently they are

Julia. You are STUNNING.

Absolutely STUNNING.

I had to laugh. At this moment during the Ketubah Signing, their rabbi asked Mike if he was absolutely certain the woman under the veil was the woman he intended to marry. She is. : )

So the girls all worked on this dance to surprise Mike. It was…. amazing.

Her Heart Will Go On | Melissa & Travis

The words for this blog will fall short. Nothing I (Amy) can say will fully explain the magnitude of the emotions on Melissa and Travis’ wedding day.

What I can tell you, is it all starts with Emily Bell.

29 years ago, Emily’s parents, Lester and Bridget Bell, said goodbye to their sweet 10 month old baby girl. In their most sorrowful moment, they chose to give life. They signed the paperwork and Emily’s heart was no longer her own. She didn’t need it any longer when she entered the kingdom God had created for her. Melissa did need it though and at just 10 days old, Melissa became the youngest known recipient of a heart transplant. Emily’s heart would go on- it would allow dreams to come true for more than just one. To give someone the greatest joy, at your deepest sorrow- is the greatest gift one can give. It is a gift we can all choose to give. Unless you work in the medical field, the chance to save a life seems slim, but it isn’t. It is as simple as a signature on a driver’s license. More often than not, that simple signature saves more than just one.

Melissa’s perfect heart would allow her to laugh, run, and play. It would allow her parent’s to rock her to sleep. It would allow her brother to pick on her. It would allow her sister to have her best friend. It would allow her to graduate high school. It would allow her to fall in love and become a beautiful bride. Thus far, it has given 29 years of a wonderful life to a woman who may not have even had 29 days without it. Her life has been beautiful, but it hasn’t always been easy.

When you are a transplant recipient, you are placed on medication for life to ensure the organs remain a perfect fit. Those medications come at a price. In Melissa’s case, it was her kidneys. The first time Melissa needed a kidney, the woman who first gave her life (her own mother) stepped up to once again provide life to her daughter. Not long after, the need for another kidney arose and a beautiful woman named Cindy gave her kidney to a complete stranger. Melissa is no longer a complete stranger though, Cindy stood by her side as Melissa married the man of her dreams, Travis.

I know I usually post more about the couple. If I know Travis though, and I think I do, he would rather this story be told. He would hold the door open for Emily and Melissa as their story went ahead of him. He would silently sit by their hospital bed and provide support expecting nothing in return. All I can say, Travis, is as a parent of two little girls- if my daughter’s heart were to go on without her I would be thrilled that heart had grown to love a man like you. May you both be forever grateful for the gift you have in one another, and in the gift you were given almost 29 years ago.

I got to spend the day with one of my besties (Kurtis Hall).

Knowing he is fairly awesome, I asked him to cover travis getting ready. I think he did alright. ; )

I can’t speak for Kurtis but this is the moment I lost it behind my camera.

Being the mom of two little girls and remembering the joy they brought at only 10 months, I have to say this was the most heartbreakingly beautiful moment of any wedding I have ever attended. A beautiful soul walked down the aisle as the people who saved her watched their Emily’s heart make a journey their daughter would not.

(I may or may not have lost it again as I typed that)

Each person in this picture made a selfless choice.

Lester and Bridget’s little girl’s heart beats inside Melissa’s chest.

Mom and Cindy became live donors and each gave a kidney.

(not pictured- Melissa’s wonderful sister also chose to become a live donor and donated her kidney to a complete stranger)

Many daughters wonder if they will get this dance with their dad.

Hers spent many nights worrying they would never have the opportunity.

Travis and Melissa, dance through everything. Every raindrop, every sunset.

The image below I took as a “Thank You” to the three wonderful donors who brought Melissa and Travis to this moment.

Last but not least, please consider signing up to give the gift of life.

A single organ donor can save up to EIGHT lives. In addition to that, enhance the lives of up to 50!

If there is one last gift you can give the world, this is it.

What Legends Are Made Of | Tori and Luke

Any baseball fan that steps into Yankee Stadium does so with a bit of reverence. It is a field where so many of the greats have become legends. You can almost hear the chants for The Babe (not Baby Ruthie for you Sandlot Fans out there). The Babe still may not know the number of lives he made a mark on- how many children picked up a bat in hopes of being like him. All of the rest of us out there? We have the ability to be legends. We may not reach the masses the way The Babe did, but the legacy we leave behind for our loved ones is one heck of a gift- and responsibility.

Tori and Luke may have just said their vows last month, but they just have something between them that feels like it has been there a lifetime. They were, without a doubt, hand crafted for one another. To New York, he may be “Luuuuuuuuuuke” but to her, he is so much more. His worth has nothing to do with his ability to send a ball soaring into the stands. He is her best friend, and she is his. He is her biggest fan, and she is his biggest supporter. He is a loving dad to their pup, and she is the teacher who will teach their future children how to navigate this life. Together, they are a team, and they humble tackle life together every day. It doesn’t matter one bit where life takes them, together is the only place they need to be.

We are so excited for the life set ahead of you both on and off the field. Enjoy every moment and do so together. Life is going to move quickly, be sure to slow down long enough to smell the popcorn. Cheer one another on through successes and cheer louder during the slumps. Laugh, laugh really hard- even when you are upset with one another. When the noise around you gets too loud, silence it in one another’s arms. Luke, never stop lifting your beautiful bride into the air above this world. Spin her around and hold onto her with all your might (I’ve seen your training videos- I know you’re strong). You two have something incredible. Work at it. Nourish it. Fight for it. Make it Legendary.