Ashley and Ian

We waited and waited for this day to happen and it FINALLY arrived. We were waiting with great anticipation, therefore we know the family was overjoyed for this event.  Ashley and Ian have been together for many years. They may not have had love at first sight, in fact Ashley drove Ian crazy. But he soon saw what an amazing person she is and couldn’t live without her. They planned this event down to the very detail and it showed. Ashley and Ian knew planning a wedding was a big job so they welcomed the help from parents. When you are blessed to have parents who are willing to make your vision a reality your wedding is perfect! We began the day hanging out with the girls and boys as they got ready. The were not able to see each other that morning. However, Ashley did get a bit of a peak of Ian as he did some photos out front. The photos captured every moment of the morning from hair and make-up to a crazy pillow fight. Yep, while the girls jumped on the bed the boys had a pillow fight. The energy from this group of people is amazing. How could you not enjoy the entire day around such a great group! The photos started off with a first look where Ian almost fell to his knees when he saw Ashley. It was a perfect moment for them before we got into a few hours of photos. Yep, hours! They were able to take some time with just the two of them around the grounds. That was such a wonderful opportunity for them to just enjoy time together before the chaos. It wasn’t really chaos but we were able to do pretty much all the photos before the ceremony. We accomplished some fun wedding party photos, as well as, those perfect family photos. The flower girls and ring bearer kept it interesting by providing some comic entertainment as they try to walk out of the photos. Have you ever wanted to make your ceremony unique? Why not have your dad officiate! Ashley’s dad performed the ceremony which added that little extra special touch. The stories, the heartfelt words and the congregation fully invested tipped this ceremony to the top. How could this day get better after all that had happened up to this point? Well, an reception for Ashley and Ian with no detail left out. The cake, the décor, the speeches from loved ones, the dancing, the sunset photos and the epic send off. Seriously, just a perfect event from start to finish. Capturing another event for this family was an honor. Since we have known them for years.   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #summerwedding #weddingphotos #stlwedding #outdoorphotos #happytogether #allsmilesallday
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer , wedding photography

Summer wedding summer sweethearts

Elizabeth visited our office with Nick and her mom to talk about the summer wedding. They were great to talk with and we looked forward to photographing the wedding of these summer sweethearts. The couple made the decision to have just one photographer at the wedding. This is not as common because lots of couple feel a bit awkward doing those silly or romantic photos. The second photographer is there to capture all the in-between-moments during the day. All those times couple are acting silly with their friends or romantically look into each other’s eyes. Once we arrived we saw why they knew only one photographer could capture all they needed. From start to finish they we just having the time of their lives, enjoying every moment of this summer wedding! They got silly, romantic and everything in between. We started photography at the church. Everyone was perfectly on time giving us plenty of opportunity to get family photos prior to the ceremony. This opened up more time after the wedding to spend at the park. Most couples seem a bit nervous prior to the ceremony but these two were very calm. If they were nervous you would have never known! A very traditional ceremony surrounded by friends and family was perfect for this summer wedding. We were able to quickly do the family photos in the church. Couples usually don’t have a watch, it seems like these photos go on forever. However, we were done with everything in less than 30 minutes. It was great timing and relieving a bit of stress of getting to the reception on time. There was plenty of time left to have some fun in the park. These summer sweethearts were so lucky with the weather on this summer wedding in July. It was not too hot with a nice breeze. They really took every advantage of spending some extra time at the park to create photo memories. The wedding concluded with the reception at an event space where they met! How perfect, they even had a sign saying “we met here”. All the small touches in the room really added to the overall feeling of love. The room has comics they had sent each other, a crossword puzzle where the answers were all about them and a puzzle made from engagement photos. These touches showed how perfect this couple was for each other. We are honored we were able to be a part of this day and hope to work with them again in the future. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #summerwedding #forestpark #stlouiswedding #weddingphotographer #weddingphotos #summerweddingphotos #happycouple
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer , stlouisphotographer , wedding photography

Summer wedding in beautiful location

What is better than a summer wedding in a beautiful location, an amazing couple to work with while we are there! The stepdad of the bride contacted us a few months prior to the wedding. The couple still needed to find a few vendors for their wedding and he wanted to help ease some stress. Once presented with the information they knew we would live up to their expectations. We met with the couple to talk details of the wedding day and pick a package option. The wedding was in Potosi, MO so there was a bit of a travel from our location. That is no problem at all, we enjoy getting out of the city sometimes! Kelly and Gary talked with us about the importance of all the guests that were going to be at their event. We know it is important to get photos of the guest but this couple really wanted to be sure the full focus was not on them. They had too many friends and family around to not share the day with them. Their son was having a great day, except for “all the photos” he had to take. Poor little guy, he did such a good job of standing in all the family photos. He deserved that clothing change and a sweet treat. He was included in a lot of photos throughout the day. It was not only a special day for Kelly and Gary but this was the day they had planned and talked about for awhile. The whole family should have fun! From start to finish everyone in attendance at this summer wedding were just living their best life and enjoying every minute of the day. We had a relaxed start to the day with a first look followed by the majority of the photos. This gave us the opportunity to not rush while the wedding party had some fun together. Because we did photos before the family photos after the wedding went very quickly. All the planning helped the wedding run very smoothly and even a bit ahead of schedule. What a great feeling to be able to relax and enjoy the day. There was not a moment that a guest wasn’t having fun. From the games in the yard to the party music inside it was a memorable day for everyone. We are so glad that we were able to be a part of this wonderful day.   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #summerwedding #weddingphotographer #twineaglelakebarn
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer , wedding photography

Abby and Colin

Wedding season has begun with a bang! Abby and Colin had a perfect day and enjoyed every minute of it from start to finish. After an amazing engagement session last year we knew that this wedding was going to be so much fun. The energy from everyone was showing from the very beginning to the last moments of the evening. We arrived at the church slightly before Abby and Colin. They came separately because they wanted to keep traditional and not see each other before the wedding. It was a busy morning with guests arriving so we decided to keep Abby downstairs. We didn’t want anyone to see her before the ceremony. However, we were able to get photos of Colin, the boys and his amazing socks with Abby’s face on them! A classically perfect ceremony with some humor from the priest followed by family photos kept the day running smoothly. Impressively, we were actually ahead of our timing schedule which gave us time to go to a few park locations on the way to the reception. We had to start off with a photo in The Grove because that is where they met. We took a photo under the sign during the engagement session so they wanted to recreate that photo on the wedding day. After safely navigating the street we took the wedding party to Tower Grove park. Little did we know that it was prom night, we were surrounded by students taking prom photos. We had the best looking group by far with our bride and groom! We knew that Abby and Colin had fun personalities but this is the part of the day that we are able to really capture those. The pre-wedding jitters have gone, the ceremony is over, the formal photos are completed and now it is time to just have a good time. They had so much energy the whole afternoon. That energy created some perfect photos along with some they will surely be laughing at for years. The Noble is a unique wedding venue that suited this couple perfectly. We took a few photos with the bank vault, utilized the cigar room and even got a photo of everyone at the reception from above! These photos are going to be lasting memories of a perfect day, especially the one where Colin took to the mic and started singing! We loved being a part of your wedding, thank you.   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #weddingphotographer #springwedding #happilyeverhundelt
Rachel Ravetta   0    

A day surrounded by love!

Jeanna contacted us because she was planning a small wedding event in St. Louis. A day surrounded by love! We are always honored to be a part of these special moments. It is wonderful to hear when people find us for these events. Her fiancé lives in St. Louis and she was coming up to visit him. They planned on getting a marriage license while she was in St. Louis. They knew they wanted to start their lives together unite the full family. Paul has 3 kids that just adore Jeanna. After some consideration of when they would get the marriage license, they decided to get married while she was in town. Putting together a quick ceremony surrounded by close friends was easy to do when you find the right people. She found a small chapel that included all the wedding services, family helped with the planning and we were the icing on the cake. Capturing these moments is very important, we enjoy having the opportunity. When we arrived everyone was there and ready so we were able to get most of the photos before the ceremony. A spring storm was looming! We knew that if we finished at the chapel early we could take photos at a nearby park. We were able to get photos with everyone in attendance. Those are going to be wonderful memories years to come. They spent the day surrounded by love. Love from family, friends, the kids and of course each other. The newly created family went to the park to take photos before the rain. I am glad we were able to do that because now they have tons of photos together on this special day. We know they are not going to live in the St. Louis area but we hope we are able to work with them again in the future. Congrats!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #weddingphotography #parkphotos #stlouisweddingchapel
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , stlouisphotographer , wedding photography

A perfect fall wedding schedule

Such a beautiful wedding day for an even more beautiful couple! We were happy to help them put together a wedding schedule perfect for their event. You never know what type of weather to expect when you plan your big day down to a T, especially here in St. Louis. You can experience every season within a week, no matter the time of year! While we can’t control the weather our job, as your professional wedding photographer, is to guarantee your entire day runs smoothly. We can help you come up with a schedule, make a backup plan, pivot on a whim, and go with the flow of the ever-changing wedding day. Erin and Jeremy discussed multiple options with us about the timeline of the day. We started at the church with a few photos of the family arriving. Due to church entry limitations, we had told the couple we may need to add a few extra photos after the wedding. Everyone was prompt and ready to go so all the photos needed were accomplished before the ceremony. This couple smiled from ear to ear as they got married. The perfect ceremony at their parish had pews packed with family and friends. We quickly got to work afterward on the family photos as we planned in the wedding schedule. We knew from the start there would be a limit on sunlight for photos outdoors with Erin and Jeremy. But with the great schedule, we provided we ended up with more than enough time to capture hundreds of timeless photos. Late November typically brings freezing cold temperatures, and sometimes snow. Not this time around! There was even some fall color still peeking through! Jeremy, Erin, and their wedding party had a wonderful time relaxing together before the sunset! We even stuck around to take a few sunset photos. The evening was complete with Erin and Jeremy spending hours on the dance floor without a care in the world as they danced the night away together. The whole crowd was right there with them celebrating, laughing, and enjoying every moment. Congratulations!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #weddingphotography #fallwedding
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , ravettaphotography , St. Louis Photographer , wedding photography

Wonderful Winter Wedding

  Mandy and Jonathan came into our office to talk about wedding photography. We photographed Mandy’s brothers’ wedding and she knew that she wanted to talk with us about her winter wedding. Jonathan and Many were planning a wedding in December at the Ritz Carlton. They wanted to be sure that we could handle the venue, as well as, the tight time schedule. No problem at all! When we arrived everything seemed to be running perfectly on time. Everyone there seemed surprised and mentioned that nothing with Mandy is ever on time. She was excited to get married to Jonathan. As the guests trickled in we took photos of Mandy with her family and then did the same with Jonathan. Family photos with Mandy wouldn’t be complete without her dog, how exciting for the hotel to let her have the opportunity to take those photos. Besides he comes first to Mandy and had to approve Jonathan to take his place. We could see that they were both a bit nervous. Not about getting married, more nervous that everyone around them had what they needed and comfortable. They finally each took a few moments to themselves before the ceremony started. Separately of course, since Jonathan wanted to wait for the big moment of Mandy walking down the isle to see her. It was a special moment not only for Jonathan but also his son Jude, who was gaining a bonus mom. Following he absolutely beautiful ceremony Mandy and Jonathan snuck away to take memorable photos. After all the planning and worry on the timing of the event we ended up with extra time! It just ran so smoothly all night long. The night wouldn’t have been complete without the surprise dance the Mandy and Jude had planned. They had so much fun dancing together and the look on Jonathan’s face was priceless. They have really started a wonderful family bond! We wish them many more travels, after all that is how they met, so they should continue to travel together. Thank you for letting us capture these memories from your winter wedding and congratulations. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #weddingphotographer #winterwedding
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer , wedding photography

Logan and Jarred enjoy time together on their wedding day!

Planning a wedding is about taking a moment to enjoy time together. Logan and her mom came into our office to talk about wedding photography services because they were familiar with our quality. They decided we were a perfect fit to photograph the event! After months of detailed planning the wedding day had finally arrived and everyone was very excited.

The day started at the hotel where Logan was getting ready with her mom and aunt. It’s not often that we have a couple opt to not have a wedding party. However, the calm and relaxed feel in the room was a pleasant surprise. Logan said she enjoyed spending more quality time with her mom on the morning of her wedding. Logan knew that if she had a room full of people getting ready she worry about everything else and not take the time to relax.

Jarred met us at the hotel for a first look prior to heading to the park. They had planned a small ceremony in front of a waterfall with only about 25 people in attendance. As Jarred waited for Logan to come out he talked about how the day was going just as he expected. He was happy to have the small moments together with Logan prior to the large party later that night. The first look was no exception, when he saw her for the first time he lit up and smiled from ear to ear. She couldn’t stop smiling either and the photos in those first moments really told the story of the rest of the day.

Luckily both Logan and Jarred enjoy taking photos because we took a ton! After the normal family photos in the park we headed out with them to a few other locations. They traveled in a Rolls Royce, super classy and traditional – just like Logan and Jarred!

The day was spent for them to enjoy time together. Hundreds of amazing photos later we arrived at the reception ready to party. The couple took a few moments to themselves while we photographed the decorations. The details in the room showed the time and effort that was put into everything during the planning process.  The couple enjoyed having everyone attend the reception because they were able to take time to visit with those close to them. A dress change by Logan completed the evening and surprised everyone!

Time after time they mentioned to us that they were so happy with our wedding knowledge. Not only in photography, but also in organization, timing and also making sure to capture each special moment. We were happy to work with them and hope to have the opportunity again in the future.

#ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #fallwedding #weddingphotos

Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , stlouisphotographer , wedding photography

Alexis and Jack had a perfect day

Hopeful but unknowingly Alexis and Jack picked the perfect day in October to get married. The weather was amazing and the colors were at their peak. After working with them during the engagement session we were excited to capture more images of this couple. Alexis arrived in style with her girls and parents in a limo while Jack was having a friend go pick him up an undershirt from Target. Honestly, that was the only thing that they needed to adjust the whole day. Everything else ran perfectly smooth for them from start to finish. Alexis and Jack are so lucky to have a team of people around them to help in any way possible. They will be supported in anything they pursue together because the support was shown today at their wedding. A traditional ceremony started off the day with the right tone. It wouldn’t be a traditional St. Louis wedding without heading to the park for some amazing wedding party photos. As we mentioned before the colors were perfect so it was hard to narrow down to just a few locations. Each direction we turned there was another colorful tree to utilize in the photos. They have a great mix of the typical wedding photos sandwiched in between the laughing moments they shared all day. They had enough time between the ceremony and reception to even take time to relax in the hotel room before greeting everyone at the reception. We attended cocktail hour to capture those family members that haven’t seen each other in a while. They were not shy about taking photos which makes our job very easy! Alexis and Jack are going to have a hard time deciding what images to include in the wedding album. After working with this couple twice this year we hope to have the opportunity to continue our relationship into the future. Perhaps an anniversary session or when they decide to start a family we will be lucky enough to capture those moments too! #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #fallwedding #weddingphotography
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , ravettaphotography , St. Louis Photographer , wedding photography

Allie and John get married

Allie and John were smiling their entire wedding day from the moment we arrived to the end of the evening. They were lucky enought to have a beautiful day in September. We started off with Allie at her parent’s house while she got ready with the Bridesmaids. The house was familiar since we photographed her sister’s wedding. But even with the familiarity, everything was very different because it was Allie’s big day this time. Although weddings are very similar in structure each one is very unique. What stood out to us right away at the church was the excitement of the guests gathered together. Normally when a guest enters a church they find their seat and wait for the ceremony to start. Allie and John have way more social people in their families! They were wandering around greeting each other, hugging and enjoying the moments since it has been so long since they have been together. The coordinator had to make an announcement for everyone to sit down so Allie could walk down the aisle to John. We spent a good amount of time at the park taking photos of the couple with the wedding party. But first, we had to make a stop at their first home together. This photo is so sweet because this is the location they will begin their married life together. Many years from now when family is talking about Allie and John this is they type of photo that they will bring out. After a quick stop downtown to grab a few photos with the arch we headed to the reception. The theme of mingling, hugging, and greeting continued even here during cocktail hour. It was great to see that at a wedding and this carried on the whole evening. How very special to see so many people together in one place after such a long time. It has taken 2 years for the family to get together. At the same time, everyone was brought together at their event, Allie and John were brought together in marriage. We enjoyed spending time with them. Love and support will surround them throughout their whole marriage.   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #weddingphotos #fallwedding #stlwedding
Rachel Ravetta   0     Ravetta Photography , st louis wedding , stlouisphotographer , wedding photography