Emily and Christian’s St. Louis Wedding

As someone who sees a lot of real weddings, I have to say it’s rare when the personalities of the bride and groom instantly come through the photos. But as soon as I saw these gorgeous photos of Emily and Christian’s St. Louis wedding from Oldani Photography, I instantly felt this couple’s love and outlook on life. From the llamas to the flowers to the gorgeous family home that served as the perfect ceremony location, Emily and Christian’s St. Louis wedding is straight from the heart. Read more about Emily and Christian’s wedding below, and see the beautiful pics!

From the bride:

I met Christian while working in Ecuador for the non-profit Manna Project International. The day we met we were both volunteering with the Red Cross at a pseudo-bullfight. Christian was serving as the medical head that day and I was just another confused gringa volunteer. Before the chaos started, Christian and I shared a short conversation where we quickly realized our mutual love for animals. He was a fourth year veterinary student working at an animal shelter and I was a crazy animal lover looking for a shelter to volunteer at. It was KISMET. Christian proposed on the top of a mountain in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Surrounded by beautiful countryside and gasping for air (the hike was no easy feat), he asked me to marry him 🙂

My wedding “must-have” was a floral crown – my parents were total hippies so I’m a flower-child at heart.

On their ceremony location:

For awhile now I had imagined my wedding at my childhood home. It’s out in the country with beautiful scenery and llamas. What more could you ask for?!

My favorite moment from the wedding was the ceremony in general, especially our vows. We did them in Spanish but had them printed in English for our guests to follow along. Our officiant was bilingual, which was really special as well.

On their reception venue:

The reception was a unique situation because we actually won a radio auction! We got the venue, dinner, bar, and basic decor for like a 50% discount, AMAZING!

What’s your advice for future brides planning their own wedding?

If you can afford it, hire a wedding planner! Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking and you don’t want to get bogged down with the prep and not be able to enjoy the months leading up to it. I started from ‘zero’ while wedding planning, knowing absolutely nothing about the process, so I feel I could have saved a lot of time working with someone who was knowledgeable in the field. Also, let Pinterest become your best friend – it is a great resource to discover what you like/what you don’t like and what vision you have for your wedding. It’s your day, make it reflect you as a couple!

Photographer: Oldani Photography//Wedding Dress: BHLDN//Floral Headpiece and Wedding Flowers: Walter Knoll Florist//Photo Booth Equipment: Big Smile Photo Booth//Bakery: McArthur’s Bakery//Tuxedo and Mens Attire:Men’s Wearhouse//DJ:Now That’s a DJ//Specialty Foods: Red Sprinkles Cookies//Invitation Designer: Splash of Silver//Reception Venue/Caterer: Windows on Washington//

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