Dancing in the Rain | Kelly & Tyler Wedding

It all started way back in high school. Tyler was about to start his senior year, and Kelly was to be a junior. It’s always hard to know where something is going when it first starts, but what started back then was destined for greatness. After they both were graduated, Tyler was to the east in Nashville for school, and Kelly was our west in Arizona studying dance. They would visit each each other once a year, and with regular school breaks, they were only able to see each other about four times a year. Still, they made it work. After they graduated, Tyler came back home to St. Louis to start law school, and Kelly moved to South Carolina to join a ballet company. After one year of that, they were done. It was time for them to be together. Three years later a few days before Christmas, Kelly was sick and about to head to bed with a bottle of cold medicine when Tyler surprised Kelly with an early Christmas present. A ring. Suddenly, she felt much, much better.

I (Joel) grew up in the same town as these two, and even despite a huge number of mutual friends, we had never actually met. Thankfully, some of those friends had told them about us once they were planning their wedding. Kelly is a dancer with the Big Muddy Dance Company in St. Louis, so my family’s history with dance made that an instant connection. Her first dance teacher, Doris Dieu, was my mother’s and (admittedly) my first dance teacher. And, which I just thought about now, I would have likely seen Kelly performing many times with her next teacher, Rena Storm. And, Tyler is a massive horror film lover…their apartment is full of movie posters. I forgot to tell you this, but the little, beautiful stone in your bathroom with the Buffalo Bill quote was my favorite. Even though we all had never directly connected before, we are so happy that we finally did and were able to spend their wedding day with them and their friends and family.  Even with the heat and the random and sudden onslaught on a fierce rain shower right when we started photos, it was an amazing day with incredible people. And, thankfully we were able to head to McGurk’s, one of my favorite places, when the rain hit…after we created some killer photos in that rain, of course.

We are so happy for Kelly and Tyler and for this next chapter in their story together. Thank you so much for letting us be a small part of that.

Also, huge shout out to our friends Garret, Alex, Sara, and Rob for telling Kelly and Tyler about us. It means a lot to us. And, it’s always a blast working a wedding with our friends Garret and Garon on video…especially on Garret’s last ever wedding! *a single tear falls*  Here are some of our favorites from the day!

Ceremony – Saints Peter and Paul Church
Venue – Gateway Center
Videographer – Skyline Cinema
Florist – Steven Mueller Florist (Cindy Johnson)
Band at Ceremony – Landolfi String Quartet
DJ – Al Holliday
Makeup Artist – Amanda Miller Makeup Artistry
Groom Hair – Union Barbershop
Dress – Mia Grace Bridal,  Designer – Allure Bridal 
Tuxedos – Jos. A. Bank (Calvin Klein)