Bob + Nicole = Married | St. Louis Wedding Photographer

As a wedding photographer I see so many couples throughout the year.  It is incredibly amazing to watch two people come together and vow to spend the rest of their lives together.  As a wife and mother, every time the officiant gets to that part about “for better or worse”, my mind rests for one second on the fact that while weddings are amazing, marriage is hard!  Add to that becoming parents or having careers and it can sometimes seem downright impossible!

Enter Bob and Nicole.

Bob and Nicole have been together for over eight years and have two beautiful little girls.  Nicole is a stylist and Bob is a pastry chef.  They are surrounded by loving family and friends.  So this wedding was different for me.  I knew by watching them tend to their girls throughout the day and interact with each other that they had climbed many a marital mountain before stepping up to that alter.  There was a comfort between them that was easy.  They had made the journey and despite the ups and downs that they have undoubtedly encountered along the way, they were still “the one” for each other.  THAT is true love!

Congratulations to Bob, Nicole, Ava, Elliot and all of their families and friends!  Be sure to check out their full wedding gallery on their website!  Here are some of our favorites from the day with a special wedding video!

Also, don’t forget to check out all of the wonderful vendors who provided great services and eye candy for us to photograph:

Venue: Oliva on the Hill

Caterer: Catering St. Louis

DJ: Millenium Productions (Phillip Maenpaa + Ray Moffitt) <== These guys were amazing!!

Cake: Christie Maggi

Florist: Walter Knoll Florist

Hair: Angie Regh, Hair Solutions

Veil: Danielle Hamilton

Bridesmaid Necklaces: Enchanted Leaves

Wedding Rings: Shane Co.

Yes, this is, in fact, the most. amazing. bouquet. EVER.  I have never seen anything like it!  Stunning!!!

This image melts my heart… I saw Ava looking up to her mom like this so many times throughout the day.  I’m pretty sure Nicole is her hero!
You all know how I feel about first looks… love! And the venue?  To. Die. For. Not only is Nicole one of the most easy going brides we’ve had, but she is stunning.  Just stunning. Best wedding party ever.  They were a total blast and didn’t complain once!  Awesome! Nicole gave her bridesmaids clutches instead of flowers!  Such a neat detail!! Between the venue and these nearby digs for formals… I was in heaven.
Yes, this is picture 472 of the flowers.  I love them. We need more venues like this in St. Louis!  Props to Mark, the owner of Catering St. Louis who also owns this venue! Right after the ceremony, they transformed the patio into a lounge.  Now forgive me while I geek out on all of the incredible details… The toasts were so funny and incredibly moving.  I was definitely holding back some tears… always makes it difficult to focus when I’m looking through watery eyes! This was the first family cake cutting I’ve shot!  Loved it!  There wasn’t a time that these girls weren’t welcomed and included into the days events.  It was so neat to see! Bob and Nicole also opted to have a group “first dance” as this was, according to the DJ, “Not their first dance…”!  LOL I’m a sucker for a dad and his little girls… I love catching moments like this where a groom is just really enjoying himself.   And yes… they get 2nd cutest couple of the night (sorry, you can’t trump the bride/groom)!  :)  So much fun and so good looking!
Two of the super awesome bridal party! A little note Heather and I found… we are assuming it’s from Ava!  :)