They say it’s good luck if it rains on your wedding day, right? If that’s the case, Craig + Erica should be lucky for life! Their March wedding was shrouded in grey as fog clouds and an incessant drizzle settled in for the day. The St. Louis weather was wet and dreary, but there wasn’t a single thing that could dampen the joy these two had on their day! In fact, the rain wasn’t the only thing that didn’t go according to plan. The St. Patty’s Day Parade had invaded in the entire downtown area, making the commute to the hotel literally impossible as the streets were completely shut down. The rooftop where they had their first look was supposed to be completely empty, but instead was filled with people. Timelines ran behind thanks to parades and parking and photo locations got moved indoors due to the rainy day, but Craig + Erica just kept on smiling. 

   These two are some of the sweetest people I’ve had the privilege of photographing and it was an honor to be invited into their celebration. A celebration of their love story, of the families they’ve come from and the family they’re building together. Despite the gloomy weather, everything about their wedding was beautiful! Erica’s BHLDN dress, the gorgeous color palate for the bridesmaid’s attire, gorgeous florals and the stunning Caramel Room…each a piece of the perfect vision Erica had for their day!

    Erica wanted to do a First Look with her bridesmaids and their faces should be reason enough for every bride to do this with her girls! Such a fun moment to experience!!

    The Rooftop bar was supposed to be closed that morning, but was unexpectedly open because of the parade. That didn’t stop these two from stealing a few moments for a first look together though! I love that the Arch is peeking through the fog in these photos too!

    The Caramel Room is such a classically beautiful venue and was the perfect location for their gorgeous, family oriented affair! We have a few more weddings at The Caramel Room this year and we can’t wait to go back!

    Erica’s Jewish heritage played a major role in the day. It was such a beautiful nod to her upbringing and the rich traditions of her family! Before the full ceremony began, we went upstairs for the Ketubah signing. The Ketubah is a written reminder of the vows they are making to one another, of the lifelong commitment they are promising themselves to. Craig’s dad is professional artist and painted the Ketubah you’ll see in the images below. They now have it hanging in their home as a daily picture of the journey they’re on together.

    Each table had Challah bread that had been hand baked by Erica’s father. It was amazing!!

Perhaps the most exciting event of the day was the Hora! This was our first Hora experience and it happened to be Craig’s as well. I love his face below as they lift his chair for the first time. Everyone – and I mean everyone – came out to dance with the couple! Such an incredible symbol of the love and support that these two are surrounded with on a daily basis. And let’s be honest, it’s a whole heck of a lot of fun too! 

    Arvell & Co. did an amazing job keeping the party going for the night!

    While everyone was dancing, we snuck out on the roof of Kissinger’s and grabbed some incredible images in the rain. I’m still swooning over these!

     Craig + Erica (and baby Eve), thank you so much for inviting us into your (imperfectly) perfect day. I love that nothing could keep you two from radiating joy and love toward one another. You guys are the sweetest and it was truly an honor to document your story!!