"Hey pretty girl when I see the light, & it's my time to go,
I'm gonna thank the Lord for a real good life,
a pretty little girl & a beautiful wife."
-Kip Moore
We all know the story. Boy meets girl. Two worlds come together and are never the same.
Billy was a Personal Trainer at
Club Fitness. Meg is the girl you could picture as your best friend. Sweet, kind, funny, optimistic, full of good advice, and the girl is as stylish as can be! She also holds a quality I can totally appreciate and admire: driven & hard-working. This girl followed her passion and opened up her own boutique,
Meka. Once Meg & Billy began dating, it was hard not to notice. The cute and oh-so-happy looking couple would stream through my facebook feed. Their smiles, their matching outfits, and the cutesy comments on each other's posts. They were obviously cute together, but it was not until I began spending time with these two that I really felt the honest adoration and respect that these two had for each other. Billy goes out of his way, because he wants Meg to know how special she is to him. He actually told me that everything about her is beauty, inside and out. He then went on to say, Not only is she beautiful, but he wanted to spend his life making the smallest things the biggest and find ways to make her smile forever just so she will always know how beautiful she has made his life by being in it. Wow.
He may be a big guy at 6'5", but he is thoughtful, kind, and romantic. His respect, adoration and love can be felt by everyone around, even Meg's father. He gave a speech at her wedding reception that I will never forget. He went on and on about how Billy is always upstaging him, doing all of these grand gestures for Meg, and these incredibly sweet things that he wonders how one could even think up. After giving Billy a little trouble, he finished with one sentence, "If there is one person in this life that will always out-do me, then there is no one else besides that man that I would want my daughter with." There was not a dry eye in the house for a reason, this was the truth. Her parents may have been giving away their daughter on this beautiful September day, but they surely rest easily knowing she was with the right one. The one that would walk through this life by her side. The one that makes her the most her that she can be. The one that made it his goal in life to show her how much it means to have her in his life and by his side.
Every once in a while, a couple comes into my life and their love is so pure and true, it has the power to change my world. Billy & Meg are one of those couples. They show me what is truly possible in this life. A love that makes each of their lights shine a little brighter. Thank you Meg & Billy for always being so very thoughtful, and showing me through your own relationship what a healthy love is all about. Your presence in my life is a blessing.
Their wedding day was full of moments, tears, love, surprises, and style. It encompassed a little Billy & a little Meg. Think Vintage Chic meets Country. From start to finish, this wedding blew me away. This blog took a little while to get up, because I have been struggling to get it all in one post in a way that does justice to how much of a fairytale everything truly was. We began the day with Meg at her parent's beautiful home. So many details, so much excitement!
I knew how big of a deal the dress would be to Meg. She had texted me a photo of it, but it was not until I saw it in person, that I literally began jumping and squealing with excitement. Meg actually went to
Kleinfeld's in New York while dress shopping and found this beauty!
Pnina Tornai HERSELF did all of the alterations and custom fit it to make it a one of a kind for Meg!
(Read even more about the finding the perfect dress experience at the bottom of this post.)
The shoes, the beautiful flowers from
Artistry, the jewelry from
Genovese! Perfection all around!
One of Meg's favorite moments was when her father saw her all dressed up for the first time that morning. The moment the tears began.
Boys, take notes. Billy had Meg's parents surprise her with this suitcase that she had been wanting for quite some time. It was filled with thoughtful gifts, a handmade card, and a special bracelet that had the Corinthians "Love is Patient...." verse on it. When Billy was telling me all about what he had for it, he even google searched anything that a bride could possibly need on her wedding day, including chalk. Because I learned from Billy that chalk gets stains out of wedding dresses. So cute! It is the thoughtful things like that. :)
We also made a quick stop by where the boys were getting ready. I mentioned it before, but I am sure you see it now, Billy is in the fitness industry. He is the
Training Director for DFM at Club Fitness in Ballwin. I have been trained/had my butt kicked by him....he's good!
Then it was time for the vows...
How CUTE is Meg's niece, Mia!?!?! Oh, and the pic of Billy on the right!? lol I could seriously make an entire Billy Blooper slideshow of him being funny throughout the day. :)
I totally picture the "Single Ladies" Beyonce dance when I see this photo of you, Billy!
Love the long veil and I LOVE the two of you together!!!
One of my favorites of the day (below on the left).
Then we stopped by Soulard on our way to the Four Seasons St. Louis.
One of my favorites of the day! Totally had to stand in the back of a parked truck to get this shot.....but totally worth it!
I had mentioned to Meg some fun prop ideas, including 36" huge Mylar balloons. I was so, so, so very proud and excited when she told me she not only had one for the day, she had 7. One of my favorite touches!!!
Then we headed to the reception location at The
Four Seasons of Saint Louis. Their rooftop is one of my favorite places to spend time in this city. Beautiful view, perfect ambiance, and the service at the
Four Seasons is something that you can not experience anywhere else. They provided the absolute perfect location, vibe, and turned Meg's fairytale into a reality.
We snuck Meg in to see her vision all put together before anyone else had seen it. The look on her face says it all.
Not one detail was left out. Wedding Perfection looks a little something like this.
If you look closely at Billy's ring, you will see that those are Meg's actual fingerprints! Coolest thing ever!!!!! Meg's ring is pretty amazing as well!!! Their friends
Joe and Nicole with Genovese jewelers really know what they are doing!! I absolutely LOVE THESE!!!!
Here is Meg's dad speech I was talking about earlier. So sweet. Meg's father were about to celebrate their own wedding anniversary as well, so he called his wife up and payed a special tribute to her as well. One of my other favorite things he said during his speech:
"Meg's brother nailed it when he turned to me and said 'Yeah, Billy is a big guy, but he has an even bigger heart.'"
Just when Billy thought the day could not get any better, he had the surprise of a lifetime. He had gotten little surprise gifts earlier in the day, little did he know, Meg was saving the best one for last. Billy thought he was playing a little game of hide and seek to find Meg, get the garter and do the toss. As he walked around the corner and laid his eyes on what stood in front of him, I am sure his heart dropped. Here is that moment....
Then came the open mouth Gasp. Followed by the grown man cry, and tears. Lots of tears. I looked around the room and each and every person was beaming ear to ear for him. These people are his closest family and friends, and they know just how much this gift from his wifey truly meant to him. You see, I forgot to mention earlier, but Billy rode professionally in the AMA Motorcross. Dirtbike riding is his passion. It is where his heart is. It is safe to say that Billy never would have in his wildest dreams thought that a brand new custom Dirt Bike would be waiting for him as he walked around that corner. But it was.
Billy walked in amazement and disbelief towards the two things he is most passionate about, Meg and riding. He never expected to meet the love of his life the day he met Meg, and he NEVER expected THIS on the day he spent marrying that woman. Meg even went as far as to have them use his old number on the front of the bike: 818. Billy, you are one lucky, blessed man. Do not ever forget it. :) This makes me so happy.
Billy & Meg also had the UnScripted LeLe PhotoBooth at their wedding reception!! It was packed all night! Such a great gift for their guests and themselves. They not only get photos of everyone at the reception, needless to say, they also have their personalities captured forever. :) Meg chose the new lace backdrop to go perfectly with her Lace/Vintage theme!
And a little Behind the Lens fun with me and Meg.....and then the Best Man who decided he should be in our photo. LOL....I can not help but crack up when I see these!
Vendors:
Wedding Coordinator: Shelli with
Aldred Wedding Consultants
Ceremony Location:
St. Monica Catholic Church
Reception Venue:
Four Seasons Ballroom
PhotoBooth:
UnScripted by
LeLe Photography
Transportation:
All About You
Florist:
Artistry
Music:
Complete Music & DJ
Videographers:
EverAfter Films
Cake:
The Cakery
Glitter Balls (for guests):
Sarah's Cake Stop
Linens:
BBJ Linens
Chairs/Bows:
Sitting Pretty
Ice Sculpture:
Ice Cuisine
Goody Bags that she sent the guests home with:
Goodies for Guests (they were filled with all of the best of St. Louis stuff: Switzer's Licorice, Billy Goat Chips, STL Chocolate Arch, etc.)
Seating Cards/Wedding Invitations/ Programs:
Shabby Scrap on Etsy
Bridal Details:
Hair/Makeup:
LeeAnn Deschenes
Shoes:
Charlotte Olympia lace booties from the UK & Old Gringo Boots from
Meka Boutique
Jewelry: Wedding Rings, Diamond drop earrings, and diamond cuff from
Genovese Jewelers
The Bag: Family handed down
Mary Frances handbag (Before Meg's Grandmother passed away earlier this summer, she bought this bag for Meg to have and pass down through the generations). She carried a little piece of her grandmother all day. :)
Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid Boutique : Love Lane
And now what you have all been waiting for, The DRESS:
Pnina Tornai from
Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City
Fashion is so very important to Meg, and she had such a special experience finding the perfect dress, I asked her to share with me the process of finding it. Here is what she had to say:
All of my bridesmaids, mom and two aunts went to NYC with me right after Billy & I got engaged to pick out my wedding dress. I happened to find one a few weeks before at Dallas Market Center from the Itallian lines on one of my buying trips for Meka Boutique. So we ended up going for fun to NYC and still went to my appointment at Kleinfeld. I tried on four dresses and not a single one compared to the one from market. I was fully dressed and ready to leave and then my mom and I both spotted THE DRESS!!!! I instantly loved it on the hanger and couldn't leave with out it once I tried it on :) The designer, Pnina Tornai happened to be there that day and measured me herself! She also let me change the dress up a bit custom to fit my taste and body shape- so it is a true one of a kind!!! We lost our down payment on the one from Italy but my heart was with my Pnina Tornai dress :)
Music:
1st Dance Song:
"Hey Pretty Girl" by Kip Moore
Father/ Daugther:
"My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw
Behind the Lens
We have fun at every wedding, and this one was no different!
Meg handed me a a gift and a card the morning of her wedding. HER WEDDING, and she was handing ME a gift! That is just the kind of thoughtful person she is. I opened it up, saw the necklace, and began tearing up when I read the card she wrote. So grateful to have brides as wonderful and big hearted as yourself, Meg.
Big Shout out to my friends Jeff and Michelle with Ever After Films! They were with us all day capturing this day! I absolutely love when we all get to work together! Here is the video they put together from the day:
Contact LeLe Photography
HERE.
