3.14 in the 314: An Unforgettable Spring Wedding at the Coronado St. Louis
As I scroll through the gorgeous photos of McKenna & Adam’s day from Mike Cassimatis, and watch their wedding video from Switzerfilm on repeat, I’m filled with nostalgia. While the wedding was just one year ago, it almost feels like a lifetime! This was our last “normal” wedding before the pandemic, and seeing a church filled with beaming faces and a dance floor packed tight seems so strange now. A year really isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, but when that year has been one of distance, it feels like much longer. But in looking back on this beautiful wedding, I am also filled with hope, because as the new wedding industry saying goes, love isn’t cancelled, and I know there are lots of amazing celebrations to come. I’m confident I speak for the entire vendor team when I say that I cannot wait for the day when we can once again hug our couples, and guests get to crowd onto the dance floor like they did on 3.14.20!!
Ok, now that I’ve gotten all mushy on you, back to McKenna & Adam’s fabulous wedding! We worked with the teams at a.companie event planning and Décorum for nearly a year on this “sophisticated gala meets nightclub” design, creating over-the-top floral designs and unique elements at every turn. There were custom-built pieces and thousands of stems of flowers involved in the day, so as the possibility of lockdown loomed, the vendor team collectively held our breath. Thankfully the wedding weekend got to move forward as planned, and we were able to create the most amazing day for these two!
McKenna & Adam chose St. Francis Xavier College Church for their traditional Catholic wedding ceremony, followed by an unforgettable reception just down the street at the Coronado St. Louis. It’s been a while since we’ve done a Belli Fiori Bride Q&A, and I chatted with McKenna to get her thoughts on the design process, wedding day, and her reaction to seeing the much-anticipated wedding vision come to life!
Every detail of the day was thoughtfully curated, from the invitations by Cheree Berry Paper to the satin from McKenna’s grandmother’s wedding dress wrapped around the stems of her peony bouquet! Playful nods to St. Louis, like conversation coasters with STL lingo and trivia, were also sprinkled throughout the wedding weekend to celebrate the 3.14 wedding date.
Kim: How would you describe your wedding style?
McKenna: I wanted our wedding to feel like an elegant gala, but that you could still kick your heels off and dance like crazy. We called it Met Gala meets Nikki Beach. A little sophistication with pops of color, good music and unique food. We wanted it to be something different than every other St. Louis wedding.
Kim: What were the most important elements of the day for you and Adam as you were planning?
McKenna: Our focus was making sure our guests had an amazing time and did not have to think about anything but enjoying themselves. Of course, we also wanted to make sure the day felt like Adam and I and focused on our love for each other and a few of our favorite things. We wanted it to feel like one huge party weekend surrounded by our family and friends.
K: What was your favorite moment (or moments) from your wedding day?
M: Adam and I did not do a first look, so walking down the aisle and seeing each other was incredibly special. I also loved when we walked into the reception venue for the first time, just us two, and looked at all the hard work that had gone into the day. We really took a few minutes to soak it all in and just be together for a second before all the craziness began.
The stunning St. Francis Xavier College Church provided the perfect setting for McKenna & Adam to say their vows.
K: What was your favorite floral element of the day?
M: It is so hard to choose! But on a large scale, I think it is a toss-up between the flowing mantelpiece displayed during cocktail hour or our head table flower waterfall. And on a smaller scale, I really loved the way my all-peony bouquet turned out. It was stunning. The dried, pressed bouquet now hangs in our home!
K: How did the reality of your reception design live up to your vision and expectations?
M: I had a few ideas, but I really let Belli Fiori run with their designs and what they thought would look good and fill the space well. I put all my trust in these ladies! I knew they could produce unique and elegant work, so all my expectations were met and exceeded!
K: Do you remember what you were thinking when you first walked into the ballroom?
M: I was seriously blown away. I could not believe how much the space had been transformed. Adam and I took a long walk around the room to admire all the individual elements. All the ideas we had dreamt up really came to life in a BIG way. I could not wrap my head around the fact that that was really our wedding space.
At the Coronado, guests were greeted with two giant bottles of champagne serving as the guestbook, as well as custom-built champagne walls offering up flutes of bubbly to kick off cocktail hour! Lush floral cascaded over the fireplace, setting the tone of what was to come inside the ballroom.
The drama continued immediately inside the main reception space with a floral wall created entirely of roses and hydrangeas (and yes, they’re all real!) The neon “Mr. & Mrs.” sign created a fun photo backdrop for guests as they enjoyed the stations-style dinner. Butler’s Pantry created a unique mix of food stations, including an “ice room” where guests could indulge in a variety of seafood, and sushi rolls from Drunken Fish - it was truly a guest experience like no other!
Since the reception wasn’t a formal sit-down dinner, the ballroom was designed with a mix of seating to encourage guests to mingle and dance, rather than stay in one spot the whole evening. Sleek modern tables and chairs from Décorum played against more classic gold elements and lush floral designs, creating an elegant yet modern atmosphere inside the ballroom.
K: There was a lot of discussion about how large the poofs in the center of the giant “donut” tables should be. Once Decorum showed us the stand that would be in the middle, we realized the poofs would need to be much larger than anticipated. What was your reaction when you saw the final product?
M: These were one of the elements I was unsure about. I could not visualize them in my head and certainly could not imagine what the scale would be like, so when you ladies said we needed to go bigger, I was a little nervous! But, of course, when I saw them, they were incredible! The ballroom space was so grand that we needed something grand to fill the space and these giant floral globes fit the bill.
These larger than life poofs were created onsite the morning of the wedding by Sandra and a team of design assistants. It took a little over four hours to construct both globes, and they contained roughly 2,000 stems each!
While the flower globes were the big statement piece of the evening, the floral hedge winding down the serpentine head table was my personal favorite of the night. Featuring hydrangeas, roses and soft pink peonies, it cascaded off both ends of the table and reflected in the custom gold mirror tabletop created by Décorum.
K: Why did you choose Belli Fiori?
M: I had two amazing wedding planners at a.companie who highly recommended Belli Fiori. They had worked with them in the past and they spoke to how amazing Belli Fiori was throughout the whole planning process and day of. I did my own research, but ultimately compared all other companies I talked to against Belli Fiori each time. They became the gold standard for me. I knew that they could help me pull together my vision for our wedding and refine my initial ideas. They also had many custom pieces in mind for our day, which really solidified my choice. We wanted the floral to be unique and I knew Belli Fiori could accomplish that and then some.
K: Do you have any advice for couples just starting to plan their weddings?
M: I would say to always stay true to what you are envisioning for your day. Have inspiration ready to show your vendors, so they can riff off that and give you exactly what you are looking for; it just takes out the guess work and gives you a better chance at achieving your ideal wedding look. I would also really recommend hiring a planner. I would not have had as successful of a wedding without my planning team. They kept everything in line, so I did not have to think about a thing! They also had such great working relationships with so many amazing, high-end vendors in St. Louis, including with Belli Fiori. That made our planning and communication that much easier! Finally, carve out a little time to spend with just your significant other. The day goes by so quickly and you want to be able to have some little moments with your spouse to just enjoy the day together.
McKenna, thank so much for taking the time to answer my questions, and thank for trusting our team with your floral vision!! It was such an amazing day and we were so thrilled to have been a part of it. Happy First Anniversary to you and Adam, and cheers to a lifetime of love and happiness!
VENDOR LOVE
Photographer: Mike Cassimatis Photography | Planning: a.companie event planning | Videography: Switzerfilm | Ceremony Venue: St. Francis Xavier College Church | Reception Venue: The Coronado | Florist: Belli Fiori | Decor: Décorum St. Louis | Catering: Butler’s Pantry | Paper Goods: Cheree Berry Paper | Bridal Gown: Mira Couture | Groom’s Tux: Ted Baker | Hair & Makeup: DanielleStyle | Bridesmaids Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids | Groomsmen Tuxes: The Black Tux | Cake: Encore Baking Company | Band: JB Project (West Coast Music) | Linens: BBJ Linen | Specialty Catering: Drunken Fish and Clementine’s Creamery | Ice Sculpture: Ice Cuisine | Bridal Party Transportation: St. Louis Trolley | Bridal Suite: The Ritz Carlton | After Party and Guest Accommodations: The Angad Arts Hotel | Flower Preservation: Gold and Blooms
Post by Kimberly Wallner