The biggest thing I loved about our save the date shoot is that it wasn’t just a photo shoot…It was a weekend I will never forget! Thanks to my wonderful husband to be, he went over the top!
When I was planning our shoot, there was one very important person in our lives that had to be apart of this shoot… Mr. Gatsby!!! So who better to do this shoot than Kelly Pratt with Dancers & Dogs!
It just worked so well.
We have worked with Kelly and her husband before, she’s worked with Gatsby, and she also does WEDDING photography!!!!!
Now, back to my man making this a weekend of fun! Kelly is from St. Louis, Missouri so she did some site scouting and Arc Booked the cutest Hotel!!
St. Louis Union Station Hotel was the cutest getaway ever! This hotel is home to a very historic site that helped form the America we know today, it used to be one of the original Railway stops that connected the East and West coasts! Once the station became obsolete, it was renovated into a hotel while keeping the theme and charm of it’s past life.
On the outside, you are greeted by this massive silhouette that resembles the likes of Hogwarts! Once you walk in, you enter into the what was the central railway hub (now the lobby). After I got over the glamour of the decor and details surrounding us, I closed my eyes and imagined what it was like like before in this cavernous lobby. I could see all the people making haste to their next train, the whistles and bells tolling, the style of clothing….it wasn’t very hard to be transported back in time at all! At the top of every hour, there is a projection show on the ceiling of the lobby that provides nonstop, head-turning excitement from start to finish!
We stayed in the Clocktower studio which is, you guessed it, in this huge Clocktower! Before the renovation, this Clocktower was in derelict condition. What was once a pillar to all from as far as the eye could see, was in shambles. But now it has been restored to its full glory and was an absolute joy to stay in! Even Gatsby loved the spacious studio as well!
On top of all the history stuffed into the hotel…there is a small amusement park, mini golf course, and aquarium! We did the St. Louis Aquarium because we love animals! We did not expect such a state of the art facility when walked in, it was amazing!
The dining was phenomenal as well! Which we were shocked by. There are few “chain restaurants” there but the main one that’s exclusive to the Union Station Hotel was the TrainShed Restaurant. We went every night, sometimes twice a day, it was that good! From the drinks, food, ambiance and to the staff. 5 stars all the way!
To summarize, the St. Louis Union Station Hotel was a complete hidden gem. We were kind of wondering what we were going to do in St. Louis for a few days but found ourselves not wanting to leave! We can’t wait to return in the very near future!
So on top of a fun weekend, our photoshoot was everything I ever dreamed of! We shot at Forest Park and the weather was perfect!
Kelly made this so stress-free, even after the 5th time of rescheduling due to covid! She inquired about what style I was wanting and then she did the rest! Every bride wants that right?!?!?
I definitely wanted to do two looks!
The first one was very classy & elegant! I planned on killing two birds with one stone and bought a white dress to reuse at the rehearsal dinner! Now Arc already had his favorite wing tips, so I matched his shoes! You just can’t go wrong with blue/white/and brown!
Shop our look!
For the second look we went more casual and I absolutely loved the location, still in Forest Park! I feel you should always do two looks brides! It gives you a different vibe! So I let my hair down ans arc turned his dress pants in fro khakis! Of course with another pair of his Cole Haan shoes!
This look was super simple and clean! A lot of what we wore for our second look we already owned! My pants are from Ann Taylor and the shirt is from a boutique I got a long time ago! Arc wore the same shirt and switched to his H&M pants and his knitted Cole Haan Stitchlite Wingtip Oxfords! Mr Gatsby also had a wardrobe change and switched to a collar and matching leash from Southern Paws! It went perfectly with the neutral tones of our surroundings! Of course the real star is Gatsby lets be honest y’all!
I can not wait to blow these up and hang them on our wall! Everything came out perfect and I definitely recommend working with Kelly! She made us feel so comfortable and everything went smoothly!
Head over to my Pinterest Page for more Save the date Inspo!
