A Green St. Louis Wedding at Defiance Ridge Vineyards

An invisible yet strong ‘red thread of destiny’ tied by the gods around their ankles helped them find each other… and what happened next... let’s show you through the lens of our camera!

You don’t even realize when love tip-toes into your heart and stays there forever while you are stuck in a groove! And soon it claims every single place around you! It is the moment when you are not talked about alone amongst your friends and colleagues but as a couple. A couple in love shines through the crowd and can easily be recognized amongst millions just like the moon amidst countless stars! And when these couples handpick us to document their story we feel beyond fortunate! Thankful to our profession, we love narrating love stories with our camera capturing the real emotions floating around the star-crossed couple with the backdrops they deserve. Every story is unique and new to us and the moment we deliver the memories of their happiest day as a keepsake to the newlyweds to cherish forever and a day it gets saved in the subconscious memory folder of our head. But there are some stories that refuse to sink into the sea of memories and keep floating on the surface. Jenny and Rayn’s love tale is one of them and we can’t wait to take you through the pages of their unforgettable love story written by our wedding photographers.

Wedding venue: Focused on hosting a green wedding, the St. Louis couple was looking to exchange vows in a tranquil setting amidst the water views, gorgeous gardens, stunning scenery, and country charm to make the day-of magical! And they knew nothing could have fit squarely into their visions better than Defiance Ridge Vineyards in St. Louis, Missouri, United States (rightfully so!). How much we love shooting vineyards weddings is beyond description! Exuding storybook charm and rustic elements in every corner, Defiance Ridge Vineyards is a waterfront wedding venue quaintly sitting in the rolling hills of the Historic Missouri Wine Country, Missouri. Easily accessible from Hwy 94 as you enter the Missouri Wine Country corridor, Defiance Ridge Vineyards can be your first and last stop in wine country which makes it perfect for your outstation guests too to enjoy great wine, vineyard-to-table cuisine, warm hospitality, and an authentic celebration of you. Featuring a vineyard, tranquil lake, and lush garden landscape, this 42-acre property lends breathtaking views of the sweeping Missouri River Valley year-round from its terraces and veranda surrounding their historic farmhouse for your swoon-worthy wedding photography. It’s hard for us to describe the exact feeling we get being at Defiance Ridge Vineyards wedding venue!

Wedding theme: Their minimal outdoor wedding was everything white and ethereal. We couldn’t have enough of the eco-friendly wedding decorations on the day of! Rolling fields, saturated colors, and plenty of natural light were just a few of the perks of their wedding at a vineyard. The theme of the wedding was green in nature and blue-white in color. We admire the way they incorporated all things green wherever they could- from eco-friendly wedding favors to wedding programs to centerpieces. 

Less-is-more decor: The versatile month, August brings with it a great selection of flowers, but the eco-friendly couple decided to keep it minimal when it came to blooms. Without going overboard with flowers and foliage, the couple made sure that the venue was nothing short of a little garden to say those two magical words in the serene scented surroundings! We could find the off-white roses in the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquet, centerpieces, and on the wedding cake - in the name of florals. So full of nature, the enchanting wedding venue did perfect justice to the green wedding of Ryan and Jenny.

Guest favors: As favors also, Jenny and Ryan gave their guests shoots of bamboo, which, according to folklore, are lucky when given as gifts. This cute budget-friendly green favor idea took our hearts away in a wink! 

Wedding program: We couldn’t get over the simple yet elegant wedding program fans made of popsicle sticks and thick paper giving away a lighthearted nod to the season! No less than summertime fun! Jenny and Ryan’s wedding ceremony program kept things summery with a few printed leaves on the white color palette.

Personalized bridesmaids’ gifts: Surprising your besties with a little special something on the morning of your wedding and getting a picture of them opening it is fun! We loved Jenny’s idea of gifting her lovelies white mini cosmetic pouches with their names printed calligraphically in gold. And we couldn’t help but capture the close-up shot of them while bridesmaids (Tia & Min) were holding them. These charming keepsakes are sure to be used for years by the bride’s gang to keep their beauty secrets holed up!

Centerpieces: Beautifully and creatively arranged, the white hydrangea bowls as centerpieces made quite the statement! The monochromatic flower arrangement has its own way to say ‘welcome summer!’

Little things favor: The cute tiny plants in glass bottles screamed big about the couple’s personality. We shout out to the eco-conscious couple who ditched all the flashy bells and whistles to host a plastic-free wedding. We love the way the duo prioritized sustainability on the wedding day! And the couple was happy equally. Whatever the couple had been pinning on their Pinterest board was available - and more.

Jenny’s getting-ready moments: The bride woke up to a sun-kissed day - the 24th day of August 2019! The morning was beautiful and bright but was nothing on our glowing bride! She chose two dresses for her big day, and we couldn't tell which one was more lit! The mother of the bride, bridesmaids, gorgeous wedding gown and accessories, and of course her personal make-up artist, all were at the ready to paint the bride of the day, Jenny. All the big-little details of the sweet and elegant bridal suite did their bit in taking her getting-ready photo session notches above! Our wedding photographers in and around St. Louis did a great job capturing this essential part of story-telling in the frame-worthy photos. From capturing both her spectacular wedding dresses - the stunning all-white bridal gown and ravishing traditional red qipao (aka cheongsam) drenched in natural light (together as well as separately) hanging on the window to all the bridal accessories including the pretty sky-high nude crystal embedded heels (OwO, what a perfect beauty lift!), striking chapel-length veil, and the sparkly engagement ring. Once she was all dressed, the photographer took some formal solo shots of the bride. After taking awe-inspiring pictures of Jenny during her getting-ready phase it was time to seize some Insta-worthy pictures of the bride with her beautiful bridesmaids slaying in light blue sleeveless full-length gowns.

Detailed shots of details, big or little: While our lead wedding photographer was busy capturing the bride and her bridal party in the getting-ready suite our second wedding photographer was taking detailed shots of the elements that were thoughtfully planted in the event space to make the wedding stand-out - be it a bunch of green wedding favors set on the table decked out with white linen or gorgeous glass bowls overloaded with cream-colored roses and leaves adding a fresh and fragrant vibe to the ambiance, or the wine barrels arranged in the venue’s dazzling large reception event space - indoor Pavilion. From live bamboo wedding favors spreading luck everywhere to seat chart signboard helping the guests find their seats to witness the ceremony to wedding programs, setting the tone of the day to bridal bouquet nodding to the season to wedding cake (when it was time) making a sweet statement with its stunning all-white rose-embellished tiers and gold Mr. & Mrs. topper, not a single element was missed from the eyes of our professional wedding photographers in St. Louis suburbs.

Her ceremony look: The dress she selected for her western-style vow exchange ceremony was an all-white wedding dress embroidered heavily on the bodice and sparingly on the skirt featuring a floor-length hemline with a long train. Boasting gleaming spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline in front complete with a low back, the modern gown with a vintage twist was looking nothing less than dream-come-true with its carefully crafted details. Hugging our pretty bride at the right places, the fit-and-flare gown looked more dramatic when Jenny donned the wispy chapel-length illusion veil featuring delicate floral appliqués to complete her wedding day look. We loved every single shot taken during the bridal portrait session of Jenny where her romantic veil was framing and highlighting her face and hands. She kept the accessories like earrings and necklace (which were an elegant pearl pendant-earring set) simple and minimal so as to not compete with the details of the veil. And her glossy black hair was mid-parted and twisted back into a relaxed imperfectly perfect updo with face-framing tendrils swinging on her pretty face. And her red lipstick was enough to give her lightning smile a perfect shape! The bridal bouquet full of creme rose blooms spruced up with green leaves completed her bridal look! Everyone couldn’t help but crane their necks sitting on their chairs arranged on the outdoor ceremony grounds of the Defiance Ridge Vineyards to see the bride and capture her in their phones in her freshest look the moment she came out of the bridal suite looking like a princess to walk down the aisle with her best man (her dearest daddy) by her side towards her prince-charming!

When our groom got ready to jump the broom: Our handsome gentleman was looking no less than a movie star in his midnight blue two-piece suit with black lapels that he donned on a crisp white collared dress shirt on the day of the wedding. To match his bride our Research Scientist got a little artistic and pinned to his jacket’s lapel an ivory-rose boutonniere accented with greens that went along with the color palette. And finally, our cool dude tied his groom's look together with a black bow-tie and dark brown formal shoes. His side-parted shiny black hair, clean-shaved cute face, and million-dollar smile were making him so dang cute for our hearts to handle - man of every woman’s dreams indeed!

When it was time to say “I do’s”: The charming gardens created a peaceful and romantic atmosphere for the ceremonial exchange of our gorgeous couple. The cupid-struck couple exchanged vows and kissed each other after being pronounced as man and wife by the officiant and the whole environment filled with cheers and claps of their loved ones. And of course, after they performed their ceremonial bows, it was time for some bridal portraits, couple photography, wedding party group photography, and family group photography, which was done perfectly on the magnificent lush grounds of the venue while the sun was still shining bright and flowers in the bouquets were still fresh and smelling nice making the ambiance frag-romantic! We are thrilled to see how skillfully our affordable St. Louis wedding photographers clicked the bride and groom with their respective bridal parties against the jaw-dropping garden landscape!

Basking in the post-ceremony bliss: While their loved ones were taking in the surroundings of the venue’s sweeping grounds and views they, with our wedding photographers in St. Louis, headed to explore the beautiful areas of this dazzling St. Louis wedding venue. The photographers took full advantage of the photo ops offered by the charming vineyards, sparkling lakes, and lush gardens and captured incredible couple portraits of our bride and groom in the most cinematic frame. From standing poses to kissing poses, solo bridal and groom portraits, our professional wedding photographers did a phenomenal job of showcasing the chemistry between them. They got their mojo workin’ while choreographing the couple poses and then came up several movie-poster-like photos where the couple is standing head-to-head, looking straight into the camera, caressing each other cutely, and holding each other affectionately. They took both close-ups as well as wider shots. And brought their A-game in showing what was common in them - their highly contagious smile!

Her reception looks: Once all the essential photography was done, Jenny changed into her crimson red ankle-length qipao made of silk, symbolizing great fortune, happiness, and joy, for the reception and cake-cutting event and looked equally gorgeous and photogenic. Decorated with embroidery on the front and collar, the lovely Chinese one-piece traditional yet modern wedding dress featured a phoenix and tiny florals here and there promising good luck and a harmonious marriage to the bride. The high slits on both sides made sure that she could dance the night away effortlessly with her prince charming on her pointed heels. The golden pearl bracelet added to the allure while matching the gold details of the dress. Her hairdo from the ceremony was still in place and perfectly going with the dress, making her look like a model ready for the red carpet!

Cake-cutting captures take the cake: Dressed to the nines, the couple made their way to the reception event space to cut the cake and celebrate the union with their near and dear ones after all was said and done! The confection was as pretty as the picture, to say the least! Featuring three semi-naked layers, beautiful florals, and a sprinkling of greenery, the wedding cake was such a gorgeous creation for their early fall wedding. We love the browns peek-a-booing through the tiers and the way the partially-exposed cake was topped with a ‘Mr & Mrs’ topper and decked up with big white blooms sparingly to complete the look. Well played with the color palette and arrangement of the florals! The addition of fresh flowers to the cake was a great way to incorporate the cake into their reception design!

Our fave shots: The list is long! It was an August wedding and our St. Louis wedding photographers- Erica and David couldn’t be happier. The weather stayed comfortable in the evening for everyone. And the rustic vineyard venue sprinkled our donut! Not only the daylight lasted till late allowing couples great flexibility in scheduling their ceremony time but also our photographers had plenty of time to capture the couple and their wedding party in natural light without any rush or time pressure. They loved capturing the day amidst romantic details drenched in daylight and the couple and their wedding party against the brightly lit awe-inspiring backdrops. Every photo clicked by our talents came out amazing however if you ask us our favorite ones then yes there are pictures that we would love to scroll through again and again. We love all the distant solo photos of Jenny in her bridal suite, especially the one where she is arranging her train sitting on the chair. She is looking like an angel! Capturing her from back when she was all dolled up for her groom was a great idea to capture every detail of her wedding hairstyle and outfit from behind. The fall of the veil and spread of the train makes the picture ah-so-dramatic!

The delicate close-up shot of her solitaire ring is something that we can’t forget any time soon. Then comes the couple portraits that had us in awe. Beautiful are the pictures where our duo is sharing smiles, kisses, and warm hugs in the comfort of natural elements but awesome are the forehead to forehead pictures including the portrait where our groom is dip kissing his bride under the blue skies and of course the one where he is pecking in her cheek! The classic forehead kiss on the bridge was perfect for the outdoor setting we had! The group photos of the bride and her lovelies and groom and his dashing gang belong to stock photos for sure. The photographer nailed the family pictures perfectly as well, and we adore them all! From our sweet bride’s aisle walk captures to the newlyweds’ golden kiss images to the pictures displaying father-daughter emotions to the couple’s first dance clicks showing affection and love between them to the cake-cutting shots filled with sweet and happy vibes, the whole lot of photographs that are exhibited here are the captures that are still floating in front of our eyes! We are in love with the ear-to-ear grin of Jenny which comes when her sight catches her sweetheart’s! All the arms-around-each-other poses of them are GOAT, capturing their connection and expressions at the same time. And there is something special about the laugh lines on Ryan’s face that made the ceremony and reception pictures a cut above the rest, particularly ones where they both are entering the reception hall together, holding mics, whispering sweet nothings, and cutting the cake! Looking back on the joyful shots like these are sure to make your day!

Too good to be true, Jenny & Ryan's wedding day was a day that is still fresh and aromatic in our head just like the bouquet of white roses that the bride that day was holding. We don’t know, was it the surroundings filled with breathtaking views, magical sunsets, scrumptious food, award-winning wines, and of course lovely people cheering and rooting for their couple, or was it simply the sparkling smile and excitement on the faces of the lady and the gentleman who were going to start the new chapter of their life, all that we know is Ryan and Jenny’s Defiance Ridge Vineyards wedding photo session is like a gentle bout of playful waves that can stir anyone’s heart in a heartbeat! And planning the wedding with the sweet couple, getting along with them and their friends and family, and being able to photograph their most special day was a privilege for us! Offering a perfect escape from the city hum just 30 minutes west of the city in Historic Missouri Wine Country, their green wine country wedding at Defiance Ridge Vineyards pulled our heartstrings indeed! May the love and happiness they felt on the big day shine through the years ahead!

Our budget-savvy couple was looking for professional wedding photographers on a budget, and we are beyond happy that we could exceed their expectations and give them a wedding portfolio they were dreaming of. They found us! And we are sure you will too...