What You Need to Know on Planning a St. Louis Wedding

St Louis, Missouri is a great city for a wedding. As a major US port, St Louis offers a little bit of everything as well as capturing the beauty of the Mississippi river that runs through it. You are spoilt for choice in finding picturesque wedding venues from cathedrals to neo-Gothic churches to alternative and modern architectural genius. Read on for useful tips and tricks in making the most of this blues and jazz paradise.

Know Your Budget

St Louis is not the cheapest of cities to have a wedding, so be prepared to have a budget in mind before you seek out a wedding venue and book the services of wedding staff such as photographers or organizers. Couples can expect to pay up to $18,000 to $30,000 for their big day, although nearly half of St Louis’ newlyweds manage to spend below $10,000 each year through careful planning. Because of the variety of venues and wedding facilities in St Louis the average costs will vary dramatically, so it will depend on how much you are prepared to part with for your special day.

If you’re worried about being short for cash, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to save money. For example, take a look at these stunning wedding decorations, there’s so much choice.

How to Obtain a Missouri Wedding License

In order to marry in the Missouri state, you first need to make sure you have appropriate identification and your social security numbers. You can apply for your wedding license at the Recorder of Deeds office, of which there are many across the state and you don’t necessarily have to go to St Louis if it is not convenient for you. The staff will help you fill out the paperwork.

Be aware that a Missouri wedding licence can cost approximately $58 at the time of writing, as well as an additional fee for each parental consent needed to support the licence. Note that if you have been married in the past you need a copy of your final divorce decree. It must be at least 30 days after the date on your final divorce decree in order to be allowed a wedding licence.

Local High Rated Venues to Check Out

Now you know how to obtain a Missouri wedding licence, you’ll be wanting to know the best wedding venues St Louis has to offer. Before you begin your wedding venue journey, be sure to have some kind of wedding theme in mind, and that your partner is comfortable with your venue ideas. Visiting venues and talking to the owners is an exhausting process, and it can also be an expensive one.

Perhaps one of the nicest high rated venues to first consider in St Louis is The Missouri Botanical Garden, which allows weddings to take place in their butterfly house. Can you imagine a more stunning backdrop for your wedding photos?

If butterflies don’t take your fancy, you could consider getting married in the Magic House, St Louis’ local children’s museum. The venue is fun and easy to get to.

But if you prefer something a bit more serious and if you and your partner are into beer and lager, check out the Schlafly Tap Room, which has a stunning club room with brick walls, a breathtaking balcony, huge windows to show off the St Louis skyline and very importantly, a private bar.

There are loads of other top notch venues including the Peabody Opera House, the Centene Center for Arts, as well as St Louis’ historical buildings and a collection of ultra modern venues by the local river.

St. Louis Best Wedding Season

One of the great things about St Louis is that it is a very flexible city. It’s one of the few cities that makes the rain look beautiful. However you do need to be cautious about mosquitos and hot weather can be uncomfortable and a bringer of thunderstorms. May, June and July can be excellent months for a St Louis wedding, but feel free to consider your own seasonal preference instead.

St Louis Wedding Trends

St Louis is a city of style, and so of course there will be wedding trends coming and going. Consider visiting the city and having a discussion with local wedding organizers and wedding photographers. They are likely to have experience about which of the latest wedding trends work and which trends to avoid.

Top Tourist Attractions

You can’t just pick an incredible wedding destination like St Louis and not check out the top tourist attractions the city has to over. Check out the St Louis caves which were once used by German immigrants keen on lagering their beer, and the famous Gateway Arch which is the world’s tallest arch. If you’re interested in architecture and history take a look at the The Cathedral Basilica and the St Louis Art Museum. St Louis is home to blues and jazz giants and there is absolutely no excuse to avoid the St Louis Symphony, one of the oldest running orchestras in the USA.

Local Guest Favors

Last but not least, it’s time to think about local guest favors to bring a little charm to the wedding. St Louis has a rather interesting array of regional cuisine such as toasted ravioli, the Gerber Sandwich and the St.Louis-style pizza, all of which could be worked into some kind of take-home wedding favor. As St Louis is a city of style, personalized wedding favors are also a good idea. If you’re stuck for ideas take a look at this impressive array of wedding favors.

Guest Author: Hollie Jones

Hollie is a freelance writer and co-writer for the Hollie and the Ivy blog. She has many passions such as healthy living, crafts and interior design. And of course, there is no doubt that she LOVES all things wedding. Hollie enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with fellow enthusiasts and creative individuals.

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