Love is a beautiful journey that leads two souls to a remarkable destination called marriage. On June 23, 2023, the enchanting venue of Wild Carrot in St. Louis, Missouri, became witness to an extraordinary celebration of love as Alexi and Carly embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. Surrounded by their loved ones, this dynamic couple created unforgettable memories, filled with laughter, dancing, and delightful surprises that left everyone beaming with joy.
A Love Story Blossoming
Alexi and Carly's love story began in 2013. Knowing each other through mutual friends. "We followed each other on social media, but had never met in person. Fun fact - Carly was actually at the softball game where I tore my ACL, and we didn’t even know at the time! Fast forward to 2017 - Carly and I were both single, and I reached out to her via Twitter messages (yes, I slid into those DM’s). We talked constantly, clicked instantly, and went on our first date a couple months later. As they say, the rest is history."
The Proposals
Alexi’s POV - When asking Carly to marry me, the most memorable part for me was pulling off such a big surprise without her knowing. Carly is very inquisitive, so keeping such a huge secret was HARD! However, it was amazing to see it all come together - from the igloo picnic (Thanks Alpaca Picnics), to getting down on one knee, to having a celebration dinner with our friends and family. Carly’s proposal to me was just as memorable, especially when I opened the door and saw a PUPPY. I had mentioned wanting to get a dog previously, but never thought it would happen! I think I was so shocked, I was shaking! It was so sweet that his collar said, “Will you marry me?” and then we picked out his name based on the artist of our first dance song - Russell Dickerson.
Carly’s POV - I can so vividly remember walking down the steps on my birthday and seeing the picnic in an igloo all set up and thinking that it was kind of cold for a picnic dinner on my birthday (which is in February) but thought it looked absolutely beautiful and loved that she did it as a surprise. It wasn’t until we got down to the picnic that I saw the ring box and the sign that said “Carly Ann, will you marry me?” Everything was a dream and she even had all of my best friends come into town to celebrate with us afterwards. For my proposal to Alexi, I loved being able to surprise her with a puppy, which she had been saying she wanted for so long, and then getting to give her a second surprise, which was a ring. This proposal was during Christmas time which made it even more special to me, since it is both of our favorite holiday.
The Big Day Arrives
The day was filled with excitement and anticipation as friends and family gathered at Wild Carrot, a picturesque venue with its lush green surroundings and semi-industrial charm. The sun smiled brightly, casting a warm glow upon the wedding party as they prepared for the ceremony.
A Heartwarming Ceremony
When planning the wedding, we put a lot of effort into the details of the reception because we wanted it to be an unforgettable experience for our guests. However, we were both shocked at how much we enjoyed the ceremony. It was so special having our dads walk each one of us down the aisle. Casey, Carly’s brother, officiated the ceremony and did amazing and made it very personal. We also wrote our own vows, which is something we will both never forget.
An Evening of Fun and Dancing
One of the biggest elements that was important to us was having a day that truly represented us as a couple. With that being said, we included many personal touches. For example, we had a signature drink that was named after the street name of our first home. We also included our pets by having their pictures on stir sticks and cocktail napkins. Our dessert of choice is ice cream, rather than cake, so we had Clementine's ice cream truck parked outside of our venue. We also love McDonald’s, so we had that as our late-night snack! Most of our decisions had a lot of meaning behind them.
Guest experience was another important element for us. We knew we had a lot of people showing up to celebrate us and our love, so we wanted the day to be enjoyable and unforgettable for them. The bar at Wild Carrot was truly incredible. Guests had many drink options (alcoholic and nonalcoholic!!) to choose from, and it was an elevated experience thanks to the very talented bartenders! We also wanted guests to be on the dance floor, so we had many “must-play” songs that we knew would keep them dancing, and we also brought out glow sticks - definitely recommend! We had Fête Booth with an attendant, which our guests LOVED. They could take pictures, videos, or GIFs, and have them directly sent to their phones or printed instantly. At the end of the night, we provided a shuttle service for guests, so that they could be dropped off directly at the hotel, and not have to worry about transportation. We had so many compliments about our day, and that made us feel amazing!
Capturing Memories
Throughout the day, the lovebirds were surrounded by a team of talented photographers and videographers who captured every precious moment. From candid shots of laughter shared between family members to intimate glances exchanged between the couple, these professionals ensured that every emotion was forever etched in time.
"Spend the money on a videographer. Yes, still photos are great and so important (We love you Tawny Ballard), but there was so much action (speeches, booty-shaking on the dance floor, guests eating McDonald’s, etc.) that will be best seen in a video. We are so thankful we had A2B Videography there to literally capture every second. We know it’s going to be special to be able to look back on this day and relive it in some capacity forever."
In Conclusion
Alexi and Carly's wedding at Wild Carrot was nothing short of a fairytale come true. Their day was a testament to the power of love, the joy of togetherness, and the magic that unfolds when two hearts unite. Surrounded by their cherished family and friends, the couple danced the night away, creating memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.
As the sun sets on their wedding day, a new chapter begins for Alexi and Carly—one filled with endless love, adventure, and shared dreams. Their love story is a reminder that true love knows no bounds and that when two souls find each other, life becomes an enchanting journey that they get to navigate together.
Here's to a future filled with happiness, laughter, and many more adventures for the newlyweds, Alexi and Carly! May their love continue to bloom like the wild carrots of their special day—beautiful, untamed, and everlastingly captivating.
Any advice or guidance to future couples planning their wedding?For one, hire a coordinator (AJCoordinates to be exact). Your coordinator can have as much input in the wedding process as you would like. For us, we really wanted to do most of the planning, but knew we needed someone to take over on the day of the wedding, so that the responsibility was not put on a family member or someone in the bridal party. That is exactly what Ashley and Elyse did for us. It was SO nice not having to worry about anything and getting to really take in the whole day together. You hear so many people say that the day was a blur, but I truly feel like we remember so much of it because we had no responsibilities besides just being the brides!
AJCoordinates completely took over communication with our vendors around three months out from our wedding day. This was extremely helpful because instead of having to be in contact with multiple vendors, we only had to communicate with Ashley. We had a few meetings with Ashley prior to our wedding day, and met Elyse at our rehearsal. Everytime we were around Ashley and Elyse, it was like being around old friends. They were SO fun and handled everything so calmly. They decorated our space, managed vendors, answered questions, bustled our dresses, and were our ultimate hype girls. Ashley even drove a U-Haul for us after the wedding (can you say above and beyond?). They were truly the superheroes of our wedding day and literally everybody in our bridal party could not stop talking about how great they were! Our day would not have nearly been as memorable without them.
Vendor Team:
Coordination - AJCoordinates
Venue - Wild Carrot
Photography - Tawny Ballard Photography
Videography - A2B Videography
Flowers - Serendipity Floral Design
Catering - Social Affair
Photo Booth - Fête Booth
Dresses - Clarice’s Bridal
Dessert - Clementine’s Creamery
Late Night Snack - McDonald’s
Hair and Makeup - Posh Beauty & 2143 Beauty Lounge
DJ - DJ Connection
Transportation - STL Trolley & Prestige Limousine Service
Hotel - Union Station Hotel
Rings - Lordo’s Diamonds
Sign Printing - Done Dept.
Nails - Gentle Nails
Rehearsal Dinner - Café Napoli
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