A few months ago, life was pretty amazing and chilling! All the newly engaged couples were busy making their to-do list for their big day. Finalizing over the decor, theme, wedding venue, shopping for wedding dress, booking tickets for the honeymoon, and everything else. But with a sudden outbreak of a global pandemic, coronavirus, put everything on halt. All the wedding dreams and inspirations of the couples were put on hold. Everything changed to the extent that we can’t imagine and count. All of our lives have been reshaped by this global COVID-19 pandemic. But even in the midst of uncertainty, it had always been heartwarming to see people not leaving each other’s side and dwelling in love with every passing day! 

Jessica and Derek are amongst those lovely and lucky St. Louis couples whose love found its way! Their love knew no boundaries and kept growing stronger, especially during this COVID crisis! The one thing Jessica and Derek were sure of was to get married and start their happily ever after as earliest as possible. So, they saved the date, August 21, 2020, for their big day. They knew that nothing was going to be as they have always envisioned, but what mattered to them is holding each other’s hand and having each other’s back to go through the coming phase this pandemic is going to bring in the future. As there goes a saying ‘just keep loving each other, and the rest will fall in place!” And this is what our beautiful and so-in love St. Louis couple did! 

Wedding days are chock-full of emotions, crazy friends, and amazing family members! And while the obvious emotions that you think about on a wedding day are happy, or joy, or elated, sometimes there are other beautiful emotions too! Jessica and Derek’s Piazza Messina outdoor wedding literally had all the emotions! Some of the expected ones, and some of the exceptionally unexpected ones! 

Mother nature knew how not to mess on her baby’s wedding day, and therefore, Jessica and Derek’s wedding day at the Piazza Messina was bright and full of numerous tones of greenery. Our team of expert and professional St. Louis wedding photographers working with lovely and happy couples like Jessica and Derek always make us smile and feel like it reaches our ears! Our St. Louis and its neighborhood wedding photographers did everything they could do to fulfill their couple’s wishes! Our wedding photographers in St. Louis started documenting the most special day of Jessica and Derek’s life by capturing Jessica’s beautiful wedding dress and her getting-ready moments! 

Her perfectly textured, dimensional, and shimmery lace wedding dress, with extended lace all the way down the aisle to a petal-shaped train in double-illusion trim was perfectly hung over a hanger (mentioning ‘Bride’ in beautiful calligraphy) on the main entrance of her bridal suite! The elegant pair of Badgley Mischka’s heels studded with beads and stone placed right next to her those little drop earrings classically placed in a gold jewelry box, made our wedding photographers clear that Jessica is the bride with class and sophistication! Getting ready with your team of bridesmaids is always half the fun! Jessica and her bridesmaids rocked their pre-bridal photoshoot session in their matching shirt and shorts. Getting into her flawless wedding gown was not an easy feat for Jessica! After her pre-bridal photo session, with the help of her girlfriends, she elegantly slipped into her plunging V-neck floral wedding gown with delicate applique work, while our St. Louis suburbs wedding photographer captured her team in action helping her put on her wedding dress! After her dress, it was time for her to slip into her exquisite wedding shoes, and with the help from one of her girlfriends, she was acing the bridal look from head to toe!

Jessica’s beautiful blonde hair was twisted from one side to the other and was tucked away with vine hairpins! She kept her bridal makeup minimal which was effortlessly highlighting her stunning features! Jessica looked like a real-life princess in her long train wedding dress, while Derek was absolutely excelled and looked drop-dead handsome in his blue pantsuit! He coupled his crisp white shirt with a sage green tie and pocket square! A single white rose boutonniere placed on his left lapel added more charm to his groom look! Derek’s classic longer pompadour hairstyle with shorter sides and a well-groomed beard with a mustache, made all the girls wear their hearts on their sleeves! Flawlessly showing off his tan brown shoes, Derek was looking nothing less than a prince-charming in his exceptional groom look! 

The couples decided to have their first look moment on the dock overlooking the grass green lake! Derek was absolutely beaming when he saw Jessica for the first time! While capturing these heartwarming first look moments, our wedding photographers actually felt that love was in the air at the Piazza Messina that day! After they posed for the dreamy first look photos of the beautiful dock, Jessica and Derek ventured through the grounds of this ravishing St. Louis wedding venue and posed for other swoon-worthy couple portraits! Together they were looking flawless! Jessica and Derek were clearly in love- you can easily see it in every glance, every touch. It’s really sweet to see couples falling head over heels in love with each other! For Jessica and Derek, their wedding came off without a hitch! We know from the love in their eyes that they're destined to a life of happiness and wonder. And the wedding was downright beautiful! This was truly a magical wedding day for all to see!

After their romantic and steamy hot couple photo session, it was time for their lovely bridesmaids and handsome groomsmen to make their entry in the frames! The bridesmaids in all teal blue flowing gowns while the groom’s squad in all back excelled in this wedding party photography session! Everything was perfectly color-coordinated for their wedding! Our couple also got the chance to pose with their squads separately and then some detailed and candid bride and groom portraits! Capturing moments with family and friends is something that our wedding photographers are very fond of! Our wedding photographer in St. Louis suburbs clicked that one specific moment when Derek’s mom was fixing his boutonniere, showing true love and bond between a mother and son! Jessica and Derek posed against a breathtaking backdrop that featured endless greenery, sparkling water radiating their love chemistry, beautiful foliage, and a gorgeous water fountain in between the pond. This specific couple portrait of Jessica and Derek looks nothing but like a romantic movie poster! Her long wedding dress train flared over the green grounds radiates her true beauty in the photo! The couple even stole a kiss in between the moment before their wedding ceremony, which made the surroundings more romantic and inviting! 

Jessica walked down the aisle with her dearest mommy, who was looking classic and elegant in her Aegean blue sheath gown! The moment she reached the arbor to exchange her vows, Derek was there waiting to hold her hand! Their wedding ceremony was especially emotional and had our entire team feel love. Thankfully we had plenty of tissues at the ready to wipe off our joyful tears. And finally, Jessica got married to the love of her life and her best friend and looked all set to leave the world behind and step into the new beginning of the journey! Seeing them exchanging their vows is a pinnacle of true love! Once they both were declared as the husband and wife, Derek didn’t miss a second to kiss his brand new wife! (hahaha!) That was an utterly romantic moment, no wonder! 

Once they both walked down the aisle as the married couple, they headed straight to their family members to pose for some adorable and cute photos. Because a wedding album is incomplete without some favorite family moments! Our St. Louis wedding photographers captured intensely tender couple portraits of Jessica and Derek after their wedding ceremony! They chose soft, floral touches to complement the regal decor of the venue! Their outdoor wedding photos have the potential to bring the walls of their living room back to life! 

Jessica and Derek’s Piazza Messina wedding reception was overflowing with endless love and personal touches that made the day extra special and unforgettable for all their wedding guests! From beautiful classic decor to the incredible environment, not a single detail was spared for the couple’s St. Louis wedding reception! No wonder, Jessica and Derek were completely inspired by the natural beauty of Piazza Messina to create a less-is-more aesthetic for their wedding! From delicate floral designs to elegant gold finishes, the decor was classic and romantic, yet understated. Their simple yet elegant wedding invitations and not to forget the 3-tiered wedding cake embellished with leaves placed on the sweetheart table shows that they are a couple who loves to go green anytime and any moment of the day! Jessica and her breathtaking gown were the stars of the show, and the carefully chosen decor complimented her personal style. 

After cutting their wedding cake and making some sweet memories, they both headed to the dance floor to share some romantic dance moves with each other on the songs that they have selected for this special moment! While our deeply and madly in love St. Louis couple got themselves immersed in the moment of their first dance, their near and dear ones kept the moment alive in the background by continuously praising the couple’s dance! 

Holding each other too close to each other so that you can listen to their breaths, nothing can be more perfect than this when it comes to signing off the night on the romantic note! And this is exactly what Jessica and Derek did! It's true that stepping back into normality feels like a treat nowadays and we think that's one of the reasons why Jessica and Derek’s wedding stood out as being special. It was filled with smiles and laughter! Couples like Jessica and Derek are the reason why we wake up every day excited to go to work! Their love, passion, and commitment to one another are beyond inspiring.