Wedding Fair

2018

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2B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Brittany Guinan of Festus and Berry

Ijames of Festus won $283.

Ted Howell photos

Shelley Meyer models a wedding gown during last year’s Leader Wedding Fair.

Ah, romance Wedding & Party

Leader Wedding Fair to be held Jan. 28 in Festus
By Laura Marlow
For the Leader
Are you busily planning your own
wedding? Helping someone else plan
theirs?
Or are you just a fan of looking at dress-
es and flowers and tasting cake samples?
Whatever the motivation, you’ll have
plenty to see, hear, taste, smell and learn
at the 24th annual Leader Wedding Fair.
This year’s event is slated for 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at the Quality
Inn, 1200 W. Gannon Drive, in Festus.
Admission is $3 per person, with all
proceeds going to a group of Jefferson
County Special Olympics athletes who
will travel to Seattle this summer to com-
pete in the national Special Olympics.
(See story on Page 11B.)
There will be 55 vendors offering
goods and services for weddings and
other special occasions, with displays
throughout the hotel lobby, atrium and
other areas. Most vendors will have give-
aways and special Wedding Fair deals;
the smart visitor will bring stick-on ad-
dress labels to make entering giveaways
and requesting information a little easier.
Music for the event will be provided
by Applause Productions, and stage deco-
rations will be by Celebrations Unlimited
in Festus and Carousel Florist in Hillsboro.
Future brides and grooms of all ages
and the members of their wedding par-
ties are invited, as are those planning a
retirement party, anniversary celebration,
birthday, housewarming or some other
special event.
“There are lots of ideas for celebra-
tions of all kinds,” Leader publisher Pam
LaPlant said. “This event is a good re-
source for planning, and it’s a one-stop
kind of shopping thing; you can check
off all the things on your planning list in
one day.”
The fair, sponsored by Leader Pub-
lications since 1995, also serves as a
fundraiser for charities throughout Jef-
ferson County. Over its 23-year history,
the Wedding Fair has raised $41,328 for
national groups, such as Habitat for Hu-
manity and the American Red Cross, as
well as local organizations like Hammers
Cake Specialist
of Hope, the Jefferson County Rescue
Mission, the Homeless Youth Initiative 2018 Wedding
and many local food pantries.
“Leader Publications is very proud
Special!
of this event,” LaPlant said. “Not only
does the money make a real difference 15% off
in the lives of people, but the event itself all
is a lot of fun.” wedding
cakes
Special athletes gearing up
for national competition ordered
in 2018
This year, six Jefferson County when
athletes are among 80 Missouri Special
Olympians chosen to compete in the 2018
mentioning
Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle this ad!
this summer. Each won a gold medal in Please call to schedule
last year’s Missouri Special Olympics
competition in Springfield, then went to a an appointment to taste
selection camp in Mexico, Mo., to qualify. some of our
They will join 4,000 athletes from delicious samples!
across the U.S. for the games, which will
be held July 1-6. 4050 Jeffco Blvd.
In addition to training for their Arnold, MO 63010
sports, the athletes are working to raise 636-464-6767
See WEDDING FAIR, Page 3B
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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
Among attendees at last year’s Leader Wedding Fair were, from left, Kristin Abernathy of St. Louis County with daughter Addie
Abernathy, 3; and Abby Nelson and mom Michelle Nelson (now Akins) of Crystal City. Michelle had just announced her engagement.
Wedding Fair: $3 admission fee
Continued from Page 2B
the $3,000-per-person cost of the trip,
which includes uniforms, competition
fees, accommodations, travel and some
sightseeing.
Those unable to attend the Wedding
Fair or who would like to make an ad-
ditional donation to the athletes may do
so by mail at Special Olympics Missouri,
2945 South Brentwood Blvd., St. Louis,
63144, c/o Jennifer Krumm. Make sure
to designate the funds for the Jefferson
County USA athletes. For more informa-
tion about how to donate or be involved,
send an email to Terri Dallas, leisure ser-
vices coordinator for NextStep for Life,
at tmdallas@nextstepforlife.org.
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HEADQUARTERS!
Fashion show showcases
current bridal fashions
The fair closes with a fashion show
at 3:15 p.m., featuring models from the
Bridal Shoppe in Crystal City. They will
display fashions for the bride and her at-
tendants, as well as mother-of-the-bride
outfits, menswear and more.
Stories about many aspects of plan-
ning a wedding are published in this
special section, along with information
about the layout of the fair and a story
about the Special Olympics athletes and
their quest for gold
For more information about the
Wedding Fair, call the Leader office at
636-931-7560.
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4B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

wedding attire
More natural looks trending now
By Laura Marlow “(Choosing a dress) is definitely a de-
For the Leader cision you need to make fairly quickly.”

Today’s bride-to-be has a nearly The dress

limitless range of options when it comes
to choosing a dress. Some styles and It’s all about color these days when
fabrics are classics, but new materials it comes to wedding dresses.
and designs are introduced all the time. “There’s just no white any more,
Most popular right now seems to be hardly,” Lovewell said. “The big color
neutral colors and earth tones, versus the now is light gold, although everybody
bold and dramatic colors and styles that calls it something different. Also ivory
were popular in recent years, said Amy and blush, and we see a little bit of black
Lovewell, owner of the Bridal Shoppe in even.”
Crystal City. Most brides opt for a low back or an
525 Bailey Rd.
The Bridal Shoppe will present a “illusion back,” with lace or netting cov- Crystal City, MO 63019
wedding fashion show at 3:15 p.m. to fin- ering the opening. Designers are adding (636) 931-8464
ish up the annual Leader Wedding Fair on www.bridalshoppeinc.com
Sunday, Jan. 28, at the Quality Inn, 1200 See ATTIRE, Page 5B
W. Gannon Drive, in Festus. Lovewell
said the event will showcase the latest in

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colors, shapes and styles in wedding attire
for men and women.
Weddings in 2018 will feature a
softer, more relaxed look. “It’s almost
Bohemian,” said bridal consultant Teal
Dontrich. “It goes along with the kind
of venues brides are choosing: barns,
outdoor wineries, that kind of thing. It’s
almost a shabby chic kind of vibe.”
That’s not to say sloppy or low-
quality, however.
“It’s still a formal event, and a lot
goes into making it look good,” Dontrich
said.
The timeline for ordering a wedding
dress is about nine months.
“We’ve sold dresses for last-minute
weddings,” Lovewell said. “But that
means buying something in stock and
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Bridal Shoppe consultant Teal Dontrich
wears an illusion-bodice gown. The
illusion bodice is a hot trend now.
wearing it as is. For best selection, you
need to order your dress about four to six
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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 Wedding Fair 2018 The Leader 5B

Attire
Continued from Page 4B “There’s a real
layers under the skirt, with polka dots, lat-
tice or small-scale sequins to add texture. emphasis on
“The illusion bodice is really big
right now, too,” Lovewell said. “Some texture and
shape.”
dresses you can see through the whole
middle and even down the sides.”
The overall look of dresses is softer
and more delicate, with fabrics such as
Mikado satin.
“It is textured, not shiny like what
you think of satin,” Lovewell said. “It
works well with lace and beading.”
Opera House
Beading and sequins are still popular, of Pacific
but the move is to smaller-scale beads
and crystals to give a more delicate look.
“It’s more of a shimmer than a bling,”
Lovewell said.
Skirts can be full and layered or sleek
and simple.
“There’s a real emphasis on texture
and shape,” Lovewell said. “Tulle and
organza are big, giving you that flowy,
Bohemian look.”
Gone are the days of short strapless
dresses. Sleeves are in, and so are plung-
ing necklines, sometimes softened with
an illusion inlay. Experience the charm
“That way, you can feel sexy, but of an elegant, turn-of-
you aren’t afraid to go up and talk to the-century venue for a
Grandpa,” Lovewell said with a laugh.
unique, unforgettable
“It’s a good balance.”
affair. Accommodations
Accessories for groups from 10-150.

Gone also are the birdcage hairpiec- • Wedding Receptions

es, the hats, the headpieces with feathers.
Veils are popular with about half the • Rehearsal Dinners
brides.
“The moms are usually the ones who
• Family Reunions
push the veil,” said bridal consultant An- 220 South First Street
drea Byrd. “But, you know, it completes Pacific, Missouri 63069
the look. It just makes you look more
bridal.” Joanne McHugh, Event Planner
Belts are popular, especially the ones (636) 485-4078 • (314) 265-9982
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“You’re seeing less of the ribbon-
Laura Marlow photo Choose from 3 rooms sized &
type belts that tie in the back, and more
Bridal Shoppe owner Amy Lovewell, left, shows a textured skirt underlay on a dress
of the belts that are built into the dress,” priced to fit your needs.
modeled by bridal consultant Teal Dontrich.
Lovewell said.
Rose gold is all the rage lately in
jewelry and other accessories, and head-
bands are gradually taking over the role
of clip-style headpieces.
Shoes are mostly nude or cham-
pagne, to go along with the color trend
in gowns. Some brides still opt for a
comfortable, low-heeled shoe, often with
custom touches like painting, embroidery
or other embellishment.
“And then some people still want
their cowboy boots,” Dontrich said.

Suits ahoy
Men are taking much more of an ac-
tive role in choosing their wedding attire
these days.
“Guys used to almost never come
in and pick out their outfit,” Don-
trich said. “Now they come in with
very specific ideas about color, about
fit, about their overall style and how
they’re going to look on their big day.”
Lovewell and her staff all say you can
See ATTIRE, Page 6B
6B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Laura Marlow photos

A slim-fit suit in black, gray or blue is an option for the guys. Small-scale embellishments like crystals, beads and sequins are hot this season.

Attire: Bridesmaid dresses in soft dusty shades of blue, purple and green
Continued from Page 5B
guess a man’s age by how short he wants
his pants hemmed.
“The younger guys, they want that
ultra-slim fit, where it almost seems too
small,” she said. “We call it the ‘Jimmy
Fallon look,’ after the guy on TV. They
want the jacket tight, the sleeves short
enough so the shirt is showing, the pants
short enough so the socks are showing.”
Older members of the wedding party
may need to be eased into the style slowly.
“Never tell a dad he’s wearing a slim
fit,” Lovewell said. “He’ll have a heart
attack.”
Today’s groom, more often than not,
will opt for a suit over a tuxedo. Trend-
ing colors include gray in several shades,
navy and slate. Some suits are now made
in a subtle plaid, or in textured fabrics.
“The three-piece suit, with the vest
that matches the jacket, is a very elegant
look,” Lovewell said. “And it looks less
prom-y.”
One trend Lovewell says she is glad
to see go away is men wearing jeans on
the bottom and a tux look on the top.
“Vests and ties over jeans – that’s the
mullet of men’s wedding fashion,” she
said with a laugh.
Ladies in waiting
bride,” Dontrich said.
Bridesmaid dress styles are as varied
as the women who wear them. Flutter
sleeves and less structured looks are
popular.
“Women are picking a dress that
looks best for their body,” Byrd said.
“They feel like they have more freedom
to do what feels comfortable.”
It’s just a number
Women heading out to choose a dress
aren’t necessarily facing an ordeal.
“I think sometimes girls feel like they
need to shop everywhere,” Dontrich said.
“That’s a myth. Even when they go to a
lot of places, chances are they’ll end up
buying one of the first dresses they saw.”
Lovewell agreed.
“It’s almost like having too many
choices kind of paralyzes them,” she said.
Finding just the right one isn’t a mat-
ter of waiting for a lightning bolt from
the blue.
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go of some long-held beliefs.
“The size tag is a real roadblock
for some people,” Dontrich said. “They
can’t get past, ‘But that’s not the size
I wear.’ They need to understand how
sizing works. Come with an open mind,
and don’t give so much weight to that
one number.”
Lovewell said two dresses from the
same company in the same size may fit
See ATTIRE, Page 7B
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Accessories are likely to include a touch
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Valentine
Bridesmaid dresses are all about
color.
“They’re getting away from having
all the bridesmaids in the exact same color
dress,” Lovewell said. “Instead, they’ll go
with a variegation of the same color family.”
Popular colors are soft, earthy shades
like dusty blue and wisteria purple. For-
est green is also trending, as is red – but
not the bold, fire-engine red of days past.
“It’s deeper than that,” Lovewell
said. “These colors are less bold and
more subtle.”
No longer does the bride feel the need
to stand out sharply from the members of
her bridal party.
“Sometimes the bridesmaid dresses
are so light they almost blend in with the
u
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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
Bridal consultant Teal Dontrich models an open-back gown.
Attire: It’s all about the fit
Continued from Page 6B
entirely differently.
“It’s all about the fit and how the
dress works on your particular body
type,” she said.
Brides should expect to spend be-
tween $1,000 and $1,600 for the average
dress.
Spending less is possible, but there
will be a corresponding drop in quality.
“If I show you a $500 dress and a
Wedding Fair 2018
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$2,000 one side by side, you’re going to
clearly see a huge difference in quality,”
Lovewell said. “This is your wedding;
you’re going to have these pictures
forever.”
Whatever the price tag, whatever
the style, when you find the right dress,
you’ll know.
“We know what they like before they
do,” Lovewell said of most brides. “They
come out of the fitting room and their
faces tell us.”
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8B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

“It takes a lot

of effort to get
that effortless
look.”

Laura Marlow photo

Stylist Lauren Tipton, left, applies makeup to Morgan Tipton.

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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 Wedding Fair 2018 The Leader 9B

Unstructured,
softer looks
are trending
among brides
The days of bold makeup colors, pedi the day before the wedding,” she
dramatic nails and severely styled hair said. “We’re very accommodating;
seem to be waning we’ve worked with
among brides. all kinds of situa-
“The trend is tions.”
definitely toward a
more natural look,” Less is more
said Milissa Tucker,
the owner of Studio This year, the
7 Salon and Day Spa look many brides
in Festus. are going for is a Laura Marlow photos
Tucker, 50, and more unstructured, Longtime stylist Diana Brewer, who manages the hair salon part of the business, gives
many members of natural style. a cut and style to regular customer Jackie Garner of Herculaneum.
her staff, which in- “ I t ’s a s o f t ,
cludes 12 full- and loose, flowy look for
part-time employ- hair, almost messy,” Bridal • Bridesmaids
ees, will be on hand
for the third year in
said stylist Danna
E g g e m e y e r, 3 8 .
Menswear • Accessories
a row to help mod- “Braids are really
els prepare for the big, but it’s more of
fashion show at this an ‘undone’ braid,
year’s Leader Wed-
ding Fair, which will
versus the more
structured ones that
be from 11 a.m. to 4 Danna Eggemeyer models a popular trend have been popular.”
White Weddings
p.m. Sunday, Jan. in bridal hair fashions, the unstructured That’s not to BRIDAL & FORMALWEAR
28, at the Quality braid. say the natural look
Inn, 1200 W. Gan- doesn’t take some
non Drive, in Festus. The fashion show skill and time to achieve. 1-573-664-1500
will be at 3:15 p.m. “It takes a lot of effort to get that ef- 14 E. Columbia St.
The salon staff will style the mod- fortless look,” said stylist Morgan Tipton, Downtown Farmington
els’ hair and take care of their nails and www.WHITEWEDDINGSBRIDAL.com
makeup before they take the stage for the See LOOKS, Page 10B
fashion show. Tucker estimates the shop
donates about $1,200-$1,500 in time and
materials each year, in addition to staffing
its own vendor booth at the fair.
“We have fun with it, though,” she
said. “It’s a great event.”
Everything Celebrations Under One Roof
Tucker encourages bridal parties Family-owned and operated for almost 40 years, the Royale Orleans has a solid reputation for
to book a block of time at Salon 7 for a delivering stress-free celebrations by providing customers all-in-one packages for their special event.
group appointment and make a festive
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In addition to in-house services, Beers
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10B The Leader
Color, embellishments and clever up-
dos set short bridal hairstyles apart.
Serious style
for brides with
short hair
Women with short hair may
lament that they do not have many
options when styling their hair for
their wedding days. Some may even
consider growing out their locks.
However, plenty of creative styles
exist for those without long locks.
Experiment with color
One way to ‘tress to impress’
is to experiment with some color.
Well-placed highlights, balayage
treatments, ombre or peek-a-boo un-
derlights can add an extra spark to a
bride’s normal hairstyle. Speak with
a qualified stylist about what you plan
to achieve with a wedding-day look,
so color can be applied correctly.
Retro glamour
Brides may want to harken back
to an era when glamour reigned
supreme. Replicate one of the short
styles of the 1940s or 1950s, paying
homage to Audrey Hepburn, Mari-
lyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall or Judy
Garland.
Use embellishments
If short hair cannot be gathered
into a braid or bun, you can opt for
adorned pins, barrettes or headbands
to add a touch of sparkle to the look.
Ask a stylist to tease the crown of your
hair to achieve a little more height
and impact.
Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
Looks: Brides seek natural beauty from head to toe
Continued from Page 9B
23, of De Soto, as she demonstrated the
technique of styling Eggemeyer’s hair
in a loose braid. “You want to create an
unstructured look, but it has to stay (in
place), not just for the ceremony but for
pictures and dancing and everything.”
Both stylists said brides are con-
scious of how the hairstyle fits into the
overall fashion scheme.
“People often choose the hairstyle
based on the neckline of the dress,” Egg-
emeyer said.
Tipton said hair extensions are popu-
lar, both for length and for the fullness
factor.
The trend in makeup is also a more
natural look.
“Brides are going for more of a
softer look,” said makeup stylist Lauren
Tipton, 20, of Festus. “They want large
lashes, softer colors. There’s less of the
really bold, dramatic colors and more
contouring.”
Tucker said Studio 7 carries the Bare
Minerals line of makeup products.
“That’s a big plus for our customers
who use it,” she said. “They don’t have Laura Marlow photos
to go to St. Louis to get it.” Stylist Morgan Tipton, left, strikes a spa pedicure pose with Studio 7 salon owner
It’s perhaps no surprise that the softer Milissa Tucker.
look is gaining in popularity when it
comes to nail colors as well. tos for ideas, but they should be willing
“It’s all about natural colors, more to work with the stylist to find a look that
muted tones,” Tucker said. fits their own situation.
There is one current fashion trend, “You really have to embrace who
though, that bucks the “natural look,” and you are,” Tucker said. “And you have to
that’s eyebrows. Wide, thick brows with trust us. We’re going to find something
straight edges are in, as well as augment- that’s going to make you happy on your
big day.”
ing the brows with color.
“The very dramatic look for brows Brides can expect to spend anywhere
is definitely in right now,” Tucker said. from $120 to $300 and up for makeup,
hair and nails for the Big Day.
Have realistic expectations A makeup session starts at $35; full
mani/pedi is $35-$45; and hair ranges
All the stylists agreed that planning from $20 for a simple styling to $50 for
is paramount, as well as being realistic an updo to $100 for a cut and highlight
Tucker, left, advises salon regular Debbie color. Special techniques and add-ons
about what to expect from a styling ses-
Benson of Festus on a product purchase. could add even more to the price.
sion.
“I recommend a trial of the hair and “It’s great that they can see all these Tucker said her shop, as with most
makeup,” Tucker said. “I tell brides to different looks and ideas,” Morgan Tip- local salons, wants to figure out a way
try and schedule the trial the same day ton said. “But sometimes people expect to give the bride her best look without
as they’re going for a dress fitting, so the impossible. They come in with these breaking the bank.
they can actually see how it’s going to pictures that are all retouched, perfectly “We are always willing to try and
look together.” Photoshopped, and they say, ‘I want you work with your budget to come up with
Social media and photo-enhance- to make me look like that.’ And you just something that works for you,” she said.
ment programs like Photoshop have been can’t.” “It’s your big day; we want to help you
a double-edged blessing for stylists. Brides are welcome to bring in pho- look your very best.” -- Laura Marlow
131 E. Main St., Festus www.TotallyTrips.com
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
From left, Terri Dallas, leisure services coordinator for NextStep for Life and the bocce coach; Jaime Rosso of Arnold, bocce player;
Chris Ingram of Festus, softball player; John Burnett and Paul Burnett of Festus, softball players: Becca Tinkness of High Ridge,
Going for the gold
bocce player: and Kathy Witmeyer of High Ridge, unified partner in bocce.
Six Special Olympic athletes prepare for national competition
By Tracey Bruce
For the Leader
Leader Publications will donate the
admission fees it collects this weekend at
its annual Wedding Fair to six Jefferson
County athletes who have been chosen
to compete in the 2018 Special Olympics
USA Games in Seattle this summer.
Admission is $3 a person to the
Wedding Fair, set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 28, at the Quality Inn, 1200
W. Gannon Drive, in Festus.
All those fees will go to help the local
special athletes – softball players Chris
Ingram, 22, and twins Paul and John
Burnett, 33, all of Festus; bocce players
Becca Tincknell, 36, of High Ridge and
Jaime Rosso, 35, of Arnold, along with
unified partner Kathy Witmeyer, 55, of
High Ridge – pay their way to the national
competition.
Those six athletes are part of the
Special Olympics of Missouri’s team,
which will send 80 athletes to the national
games. Special Olympics officials expect
more than 4,000 athletes from 50 states
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athletes will leave June 29 for the national tition pushed them to want to be the best De Soto, MO 63020
games, which will be held July 1-6. they could be and they won,” Dallas said.
In the meantime, the athletes are 636-586-2777
training in their sports and fundraising See GOLD, Page 12B
info@lachancevineyards.com
to cover their costs for traveling to and
staying in Seattle for the big games.
Ingram said he’s looking forward to
the trip and the competition.
“I want to have fun, make new
friends, play hard and win,” he said.
All the athletes share the same de-
termination, said Terri Dallas, leisure
services coordinator for NextStep for
Life, who oversees Special Olympics
events in Jefferson County.
“They give it their all,” Dallas said.
“Just because they have some kind of dis-
ability doesn’t mean they aren’t athletes.
They keep up with the best of the best. Main Street Festus
They are amazing to watch.” 636-937-7730
Dallas said Ingram and the Burnetts
proved that last August when they played Creativity and imagination,
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Gold: Fair admission supports team
Continued from Page 11B
Making the cut
Each of the athletes had to make the
cut to qualify for the USA games. All of
them had to win a gold medal in their sport
in last year’s Missouri Special Olympics
competition in Springfield just to be con-
sidered, Dallas said.
“They then went to the selection camp
in Mexico, Mo., to be looked at by other
coaches who decided who should qualify,”
Dallas said.
None of the Jefferson County athletes
are new to Special Olympics games.
Ingram, the youngest, has been in-
volved with the Special Olympics for three
years, and the Burnetts and Rosso have
been playing for nine years. Tincknell is
the most seasoned athlete on the team and
has been involved with Special Olympics
for 28 years, ever since she was a child.
She earned two gold medals in the
USA games in 2014 in New Jersey, one
in unified doubles bocce and one with a
unified four-person team.
Bocce, a game from Italy, is similar to
lawn bowling and is played on a long nar-
row court where players roll heavy balls
across an area, trying to get each ball to
stop as near as possible to a smaller ball.
Tincknell said she loves everything
about bocce and attributes her success to
experience.
“I’ve been around it more,” she said.
She gets practice on NextStep for
Life’s bocce courts at their facility in
Herculaneum, which are open to the com-
munity with reservations, Dallas said.
All of the athletes participate in Next-
Step for Life’s sports program.
Witmeyer, Tincknell’s mother and
bocce partner, doesn’t have disabilities,
but she is a unified partner in bocce, which
means she is allowed to play with the ath-
letes with special needs to compete in the
Special Olympics.
Years earlier, in 2003, Tincknell
traveled to the World Games in Dublin,
Ireland, where she won a gold medal in
tennis.
“I’m so proud of the fact that so many
of these athletes have gone on to national
and world competition,” Dallas said.
Every four years, Special Olympics
holds national summer games in the U.S.
2002 N. Truman Blvd.
Crystal City, MO 63019
636-937-4774
www.poppysparlor.com
Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
Competitions will be held in athletics, bas-
ketball, bocce, bowling, flag football, golf,
gymnastics, power lifting, soccer, softball,
stand-up paddle board, swimming, tennis
and volleyball.
Beyond sports
The Special Olympics athletes get
much more out of participating in the
sports and competitions than the obvious
physical fitness benefits, their parents say.
For example, Ingram’s mother, An-
nette Ingram, said the program helps her
son socially.
“He’s getting out. He’s able to travel.
He likes to travel and he likes being part
of a team,” she said.
Rosso’s mother, Terri Rosso, said the
program offers her daughter a sense of
belonging.
“Being part of a group, being involved
and being part of a group of people who
are like her (makes a positive difference
in her life), Terri Rosso said.
Raising the funds
In addition to training for their sports,
each of the athletes has to raise $3,000 to
make the trip. The money will pay for their
uniforms, the competition, accommoda-
tions, travel and some sightseeing.
Unified partners also have to raise
$3,000, and coaches must raise $1,000 in Tracey Bruce photo
order to make the trip. Bocce players Becca Tincknell of High Ridge, Jaime Rosso of Arnold and Kathy
Dallas will travel with the group as Witmeyer of High Ridge.
the bocce coach. So, both Witmeyer and
Dallas also are raising funds to cover their
travel costs.
The athletes have already begun
fundraising, asking family, friends and
neighbors to contribute. Local businesses
and organizations also have offered help,
holding raffles and other benefits.
Local restaurants are scheduling dine-
to-donate events, and the Elks lodges in
Jefferson County are working to help.
Others who would like to help the
athletes may contribute by mailing a
donation to the Special Olympics Mis-
souri at 2945 South Brentwood Blvd., St.
Louis, 63144, in care of Jennifer Krumm.
Make sure to designate the funds for the
Jefferson County USA athletes. Or send
an email to Dallas at tmdallas@nextstep-
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“Well, we were waiting to see if it
was going to stick,” Bill said with a laugh.
The pair met while Cathy was a teller
at Commerce Bank on Main Street in Fes-
tus. On Oct. 28, 1980, Bill asked Cathy to
take a walk with him, and they hiked off
into a 37-year relationship.
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14B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

A dirty business Couple holds wedding at a mud fest

By Laura Marlow
For the Leader
Don’t panic if Greg and Kristie Camp
of De Soto say they want to show you
some filthy pictures. They’re probably
just talking about their wedding photos.
The Camps were married in the
middle of a mud festival in 2011 and have
fond memories of a wonderful – albeit
grimy – wedding day.
“I’ve said it 100 times: Sometimes
marriage is a dirty business,” Greg said.
“So why not just go ahead and start that
way?”
Greg, 51, Festus city administrator,
and Kristie, 50, an American government
Greg and Kristie Camp prepare for their unconventional nuptials.
teacher in the West County R-4 School
District in St. Francois County, were both
divorcees with children when they got
engaged at Christmastime in 2010.
“I gave her a box of 50 cheap plastic
rings,” Greg said. “She opened it and
started crying. I got down on one knee
and gave her the real ring, and she’s cry-
ing, my mom is crying, my daughters
are crying.”
The couple didn’t have any particular
venue or wedding style in mind. They
weren’t in any big hurry to nail down
wedding specifics.
Then the mud festival came along.
The “Let’s Keep it Clean” Mud Festi-
val was held annually for several years in
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Family surrounds Greg and Kristie as they exchange their vows.
Mud: Kids push couple into puddle
Continued from Page 14B
St. Francois County. The free event was
held to raise awareness about cleanup
and recycling, and featured a mud ob-
stacle course, mud pie contests and a
mud fashion show. A local magazine had
done a story about a wedding held at the
festival the previous year and organizers
were looking for another couple to take
the muddy plunge.
“What better way to emphasize
cleanup than to have an opportunity for
everyone to get dirty?” Greg said with
a laugh. “I came home and told Kristie
about it, and she immediately said, ‘That
is so us! Let’s do it.’”
Kristie was no stranger to the uncon-
ventional wedding.
“My first wedding was a Harley
wedding,” she said with a laugh. “I wore
tennis shoes under my dress, and after the
ceremony, I wrapped the skirt up around
me and we drove off at the head of a train
of Harleys.”
The two swung into action to find
mud-worthy fashions for the wedding.
“She went to Goodwill in Festus and
found a beautiful dress for $40,” Greg
said. “It was actually a really pretty dress;
she looked stunning in it.
“I went online and snagged a previ-
ously owned tuxedo on eBay.”
The wedding itself was a touching
scene.
“My uncle, John Baker, is a min-
ister, and he came and performed the
ceremony,” Greg said. “My three kids
were there, and her two children.”
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At the end of the ceremony, the couple’s children push Kristie and Greg Camp into
the mud.
“Sometimes
marriage is a
dirty business.
So why not
just go ahead
Dressed in their wedding clothes, Kristie
and Greg Camp slosh through the mud
and start that
festival course.
Once the vows were said, however, things
way?”
got dirty.
“The kids rushed us and pushed us
into a huge puddle of mud,” Greg said. Kristie Camp paid $40 for her gown at the
“We got up and ran the (obstacle) course. Goodwill store in Festus.
It was a blast. We got absolutely filthy.”
Kristie said the fun part was going
through the obstacle course.
“Although carrying that dress, once
it got wet, was rough,” she said. “But it
was fun. We had the fire department squirt
us down with fire hoses so we could at
least get into the bed of the truck and go
the couple of blocks to home.” 636-931-2211
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It does make for a good story.
“Something came up in class once
help you find
about weddings, and I told my kids, ‘Oh your happily ever
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if you say it that way, people look at you
like you’re totally crazy.
“But it was very memorable.”
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16B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

In it for the long haul

Boy, do these guys ever know how to stay married
Cecil and Betty McLard of Barnhart
were feeling pretty proud when they cel-
ebrated their golden anniversary on Aug.
17. Achieving a half century of marriage
is a pretty awesome accomplishment.
Of course, 50 years is only a drop in
the bucket for this family. Cecil’s older
brother, Jack McLard Sr., and his wife,
Janet, had marked their 60th anniversary
just two weeks earlier.
It’s not surprising, though. All four of
them grew up with an example of long-
lasting marriage right in front of them.
The McLard brothers’ parents, Wil-
liam and Nellie McLard, raised seven
children in Neely’s Landing and cel-
ebrated 60 years of marriage in 1986,
before William’s death in 1987.
Janet was raised by her grandparents,
who reached 50 years of marriage, while
Betty’s parents were married for 41 years,
until her father’s death.
It looks as though the trend is con-
tinuing into a third generation.
Jack and Janet have four children:
Karen (Jim) Bucklew of Kentucky,
married 25 years; Jean (Gary) Driver of
Fenton, 23 years; Joyce (Timonthy) Ev-
ans of Herculaneum (17 years) and Jack
Jr. of Imperial.
They also have eight grandchildren
and five great-grandchildren.
Cecil and Betty have two children: Cecil, Betty, Janet and Jack McLard in August 2017.
Amy (Eric Kundert) McLard of Arnold Cecil after 40 years. Both Janet and Betty
(who celebrated their 20th anniversary retired after long careers as elementary
in September) and Gregory (Jessica) school teachers.
McLard of Imperial (12 years), as well The couples celebrated their anniver-
as five grandchildren. saries with their families in the summer.
“My dad and my Uncle Jack are four “At my parents’ 50th, we asked people
years apart, but Uncle Jack got married coming in to fill out a 3-by-5 card with a
earlier and started hav- fun or funny memory,”
ing kids earlier,” Amy
McLard said. “So my “50 years is a drop Amy said. “The older
cousins wrote about
brother and I were a in the bucket for this how they remembered
family.”
lot younger than our going shopping for a
cousins.” special dress for the
In addition to their wedding and about be-
long marriages, the ing threatened within an inch of their lives
two couples shared similar career paths to behave during the ceremony.”
as well. The McLard brothers both had The two McLard couples plan to
long careers with the U.S. Army Corps of take a trip together to California to visit Cecil and Betty McLard on their wedding Jack and Janet McLard on their wedding
Engineers, Jack retiring after 30 years and extended family later this year. day in 1967. day in 1957.

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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 Wedding Fair 2018 The Leader 17B

“It’s all
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community.”

Ron Rigdon photo

The Big River blocked access to this private subdivision near Cedar Hill during May 2017 flooding.

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By Laura Marlow
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For the Leader
Heavy rains, both locally and up-
stream, caused massive flooding in
eastern Missouri in May 2017, just as the
traditional wedding season was getting
underway. Homes, businesses and roads
were flooded, as well as churches, parks
and other potential wedding venues.
At LaChance Vinyards in De Soto,
the staff watched news coverage of the
water creeping up and up, rendering
traditional wedding venues like Walther
Park in De Soto unusable.
“The owner, Harold Hamby, was
watching the news covering the flood-
ing and he knew there had to be many
weddings displaced,” said Mark Rus-
sell, director of marketing and sales at
LaChance.
“The idea he had was just to help
any couples whose wedding venue was
no longer useable.”
LaChance used social media to invite
those whose weddings were threatened by
rising water to come and get married at
his winery for free.
Russell said about 10 couples reached
out to the venue initially.
“A lot were able to adjust their date
or have the wedding elsewhere,” he said.
One couple did end up holding their
ceremony at LaChance.
“It turned out just as well or better
than they had planned,” Russell said.
“Family and friends went with the flow,
so to speak, and we were able to get things
taken care of for them.”
In the midst of all the drama sur-
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18B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Staying power
Workhorse wedding dress has been worn by three generations
By Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader

When Virginia “Ginny” Wingber-

muehle of Imperial was looking for a
dress to wear for her wedding to Eugene
Goeke in January of 1960, she never
imagined she was buying something that
would become a family heirloom.
She bought the dress for about $120
and wore it with a pearl necklace and a
headband veil.
“I thought it was beautiful,” she said
of the floor-length, fitted-bodice dress
with lace overlay.
Once the wedding was over, though,
the dress was hung in the back of her
closet and Goeke more or less forgot
about it.

Second life
More than a quarter-century later,
Goeke’s son, Scott Goeke of Bloomsdale,
was planning his own wedding to Lisa
Borth, who was looking for a dress.
“Scott mentioned that I still had
my dress somewhere in the back of the
closet,” Goeke said.
So the dress was pulled from the
back of the closet where it had hung in
Virginia Wingbermuehle Goeke in the
dress in 1960.
she was ready to wear it down the aisle
on April 4, 1987.
Goeke had rented a hoop for “a
couple of dollars” to give her dress a full
Lisa Borth Goeke on her wedding day Annie Goeke Pickerd in the heirloom
look on her wedding day.
in 1987. dress in October 2015.
“When I wore it hoops were in style,”
she said.

“I kind of just wanted to

peace for 27 years. Lisa tried it on and a But Lisa preferred not to have the
tradition was born. dress quite as full, so she decided to wear
It wasn’t a problem-free situation, a crinoline with the dress and a longer,

keep the tradition going

though; the dress had yellowed over more elaborate veil.
the years and there were many other

and have something we can

signs of its age. Some of the beading Third time’s a charm
was damaged, and a proper cleaning
was needed. When Lisa’s daughter, Annie, was

“They took it to several different
cleaners and were turned away,” Goeke
said. “They didn’t want to touch it be-
cause it was so old.”
Fortunately, Lisa’s aunt came to
the rescue, doing the necessary repair
work. Much of the yellowing was along
the bottom of the dress, so shortening it
eliminated much of the problem.
Once the dress was repaired, Lisa
washed it eight times to make sure it
would stay together. Once she was con-
fident it was going to stay in one piece,
getting ready for her wedding to Mike
Pickerd in October of 2015, she didn’t
feel pressured to wear the dress, but she
wanted to.
“I kind of just wanted to keep the
tradition going and have something we
can pass down,” she said. “It’s just kind
of like a story in our family. I thought it
would have more meaning if it was the
one they also wore.”
Like her mother before her, Annie
made some alterations to the dress to give
it her own style. She removed the sleeves
pass down.”
and wore the dress straight, without any
kind of petticoat. She added a delicate
shawl and her mother’s veil.
One of the upsides of wearing an
heirloom dress is that it frees up dollars
to be spent elsewhere.
“We definitely had more money to
spend on the cake and invitations,” Annie
said. “So it did help.”
Since the Pickerd wedding, the dress
has been cleaned again and preserved,
and is resting comfortably in Annie’s
basement for a possible fourth genera-
tion.
“Somebody could wear it again; it’s
not torn up,” Lisa said.

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Oh, no!
Mel and Virginia Schwartz wedding Jim and Stephanie Eggemeyer wedding

Church remodel throws a wrench in family wedding tradition

4
By Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader
Dinner

two
A week before her wedding in Octo-
ber 1983, Stacy Schwartz Zaitz of Arnold
walked into the Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church in Arnold and couldn’t .com
believe her eyes. The sanctuary was filled
with scaffolding, and painting equipment
was everywhere. by
“I was heartbroken,” she said.
Stacy was scheduled to be the fourth Royal Prestige®
Schwartz daughter to be married at Im-
maculate Conception. Her sisters, Suzann Mike Striker and Stefanie Zaitz plan
(Wayne) Ream of Arnold, Sandy Volner to continue the tradition with a 2018 Multi-Million Dollar
of Arnold and Stephanie (Jim) Eggemeyer wedding. ProMotion Prize
of O’Fallon, as well as their parents and Giveaway
grandparents, had been married there.
In addition, all four sisters were bap- FESTUS
tized at the church and made their First
Communion there. The girls’ parents, Mel- WEDDING FAIR
vin “Shorty” and the late Virginia Schwartz,
celebrated their 60th anniversary with a
Stacy Schwartz Zaitz on her wedding day “When you care enough
in 1983.
vow renewal ceremony there in April. to own the very best”
The family knew about plans to paint know about the change in venue.
the church, but Stacy thought the project “I wasn’t happy,” Stacy said. “But the Health Systems of Cookware,
wasn’t scheduled to start until after her day ended up being beautiful, and St. Joe’s Dinnerware, Glassware,
wedding date. Seeing all the scaffolding, was gorgeous.” Flatware and Cutlery
though, she knew her wedding couldn’t be The last-minute scramble only had
held there. two casualties: a pair of guests showed up *Ask About our bridAl registry
Fortunately, the nearby St. Joseph at Immaculate Conception only to see a Henry and Marie Schwartz wedding
Catholic Church in Kimmswick was avail- sign letting them know the wedding had Immaculate Conception, serving on the (314) 481-9888
able, and the wedding plans shifted to the been moved. parish council and finance committee. In www.dinner4two.com
new locale. “They made it for the end of our wed- October her daughter, Stefanie Zaitz, will
Stacy, her family and their friends went ding,” Stacy said. walk down the aisle, renewing the family dinner4two.com
into action, calling all 500 guests to let them She said she is still very active at tradition.

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20B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

John Thomas Nelms with his

Holly Elizabeth Bess in kindergarten. kindergarten teacher, Susan Taylor.

Couple’s love story

Roy and Florine Bohle at the time of their
wedding in 1943. Florine and Roy Bohle in a recent photo.
started in kindergarten;
Pre-World War II they just didn’t know it
romance lasts By Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader
on her,” he said. “But I never told her.”
Holly can’t say she felt the same
way; according to her, John “never
When Holly (Bess) Nelms and talked” to her during their school days.
John Nelms first laid eyes on each The two finally went their separate
High school sweethearts heading other in kindergarten, it wasn’t love ways when they became teenagers,
at first sight. They attending different

for 75th anniversary moved in different high schools.

circles in Susan However, with
Taylor ’s kinder- the help of social
garten class at media, they were
By Katelyn Mary Skaggs The Bohles would go on to have Plattin Primary in able to reconnect.
For the Leader two children: Robert (Nancy) Bohle the Jefferson R-7 “He messaged
and Elaine (Fred) Brooks, both of Cedar School District. me on Facebook
Roy and Florine Bohle have been Hill; five grandchildren: Susan Bohle, They attended one night and we
sweethearts for close to 80 years. Ryan Bohle, Bryan (Evelyn) Brooks, school together decided to meet up
Florine Eggers was 15 and Roy Matthew (Krista) Brooks and Rebecca through high for dinner,” Holly
Bohle 16 when they met at Herculaneum (Samuel) Maindonald; and five great- school, with their said. “Pretty much
High School just before World War II. grandchildren: Tyler, Stella, Henry, Wally paths crossing the rest is history
“We dated a little when we were and George. from time to time. from there.”
sophomores,” Florine said. Roy worked at Southwestern Bell/ For example, the Both enjoy
The pair graduated in 1941 and were AT&T and Florine at Meramec Valley two were assigned playing music. In
married when she was 19 and he was 20. Insurance Co. Both are retired and enjoy to a fifth-grade sci- fact, John says his
They tied the knot on Sept. 4, 1943, in watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball, ence project to- The couple’s engagement photo. wanting to hear
the living room of her mother’s house in playing cards, going to church and going gether. Holly play guitar
Cedar Hill. Theirs was a small wedding, out to eat with family. John said he was the reason he
with only 13 people in attendance. Florine said there really is not a secret had Holly on his radar, even in grade reached out to her.
There was no getting them to wait, for their long marriage; they just know school. The two were married on Oct.
either. each other well. “I remember in junior high, her 27 and are now expecting their first
“We were young and we wanted to “We hope to live long enough to being a cheerleader and having a crush child.
get married and that’s all there was to it,” celebrate our 75th wedding anniversary,”
Florine said. she said.

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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 Wedding Fair 2018 The Leader 21B

Surprise!
Fantasy
becomes
reality when
fake proposal
turns real
By Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader

Katelyn Evans of Imperial and

Colton Drollinger of Pierce City knew
they were meant to be. So much so that
they booked a wedding venue and started
planning before getting engaged – a sur-
prisingly common practice among young
people these days. Katelyn Evans of Imperial and Colton Drollinger of Pierce City were asked to model as an engaged couple in a photo shoot.
During a visit to the venue, Haue Val-
things went off script. keep the whole thing a secret from his
ley Weddings & Events in Pacific, Katelyn,
“Colton got down on his knee and bride-to-be.
21, and Colton, 23, were asked to portray
started talking to me, and I knew it was “I was waiting for (a proposal) even-
an engaged couple in an upcoming photo
not just a photo shoot anymore; he was tually, but I didn’t think it would happen
shoot. But a funny thing happened on the
actually proposing,” she said. “It was just at the photo shoot,” Katelyn said.
way to the fantasy: During the course of
so exciting.” The couple will tie the knot in July.
the shoot, the playacting turned real.
Colton was nervous in the moments
leading up to the proposal, but it went off
Perfect fit without a glitch.
“As soon as I asked her to marry me,
During the couple’s visit to Haue

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Valley, they were being secretly sized up.
“We were in collaboration with
Applause Weddings on the concept of a
styled photo shoot, with the idea that it
would conclude with an actual engage-
ment,” said Kristin Binford, managing
partner and co-owner at Haue Valley.
“When we met Katelyn and Colton and
learned they weren’t yet engaged, we
knew we had the perfect couple for the
shoot.”
Katelyn and Colton agreed to par-
ticipate, and the photo session was set
up for June 26.
That’s when the subterfuge began.
While talking with Colton, a rep-
resentative of one of the businesses in-
volved in the shoot casually asked if he
wanted to actually propose on camera.
Colton thought it was a good idea and
began secretly enlisting friends and fam-
ily to help with the planning.
The photographers, Sydney Pillit-
teri and Tony Kell of Chosen Photogra-
phy, knew the couple through a friend,
Lyndsay O’Neil, a cake designer and
owner at Cake House Design. Quickly
the pieces for the surprise engagement
fell into place.
June 26 came and all the players
were in place for the shoot. One person,
though, was oblivious to the unfolding
drama.
“I just thought I was a model for the
day,” Katelyn said.
With her in a rose-gold, off-the-
shoulder gown adorned with sequins
Colton Drollinger pops the question
during the photo shoot and Katelyn
Evans says “yes.”
and Colton looking sharp in a tuxedo,
the two were posed in various settings,
surrounded by more than 1,800 roses,
peonies, dahlias and eucalyptus stems.
The last scene for the photo shoot
was of the couple in a field in front of an
archway of roses, with petals scattered at
their feet. They were getting what Kate-
lyn thought were the last few shots when
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all the nerves went away,” he said. “I kind
of just enjoyed the moment after that.”
Katelyn’s first reaction was to ask if
she should call her family with the news,
but her newly minted fiance told her to
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“I was incredibly surprised to come
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22B The Leader Wedding Fair 2018 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

Let’s go!
Shipboard wedding gets whole family off the farm for the first time
By Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader

Unlike most girls, Carley (Bahr)

Pruetting did not grow up dreaming of
her perfect wedding. She didn’t dress up
like a bride or dress her dolls in wedding
attire.
“My Barbies didn’t get married,”
she said. “I just don’t really care about
weddings. Not really my thing.”
It wasn’t surprising, then, when she
opted for a nontraditional wedding after
becoming engaged to Joel Pruetting dur-
ing a cruise they took in May 2015.
The couple decided it would be fun
to take another cruise and have their wed-
ding onboard. They wanted something
simple and affordable, and Carnival
Cruise Line had a great wedding package.
The only problem was the family and
friends on both sides who wanted to share
their special moment with the couple.
What about them?
The solution? Bring ‘em along! The crew of family and friends attending Carley and Joel Pruetting’s shipboard wedding pose for a group photo.
Carley’s parents, Kenny and Donna
Bahr of Festus, had never met Joel’s
folks, Jim (Missey) Pruetting and Kim
Pruetting, both of Kansas City. The cruise
was a perfect chance for the two families
to get to know one another.
Carley’s family had “basically
never been off the farm in Festus,” she
said. “They all had to go and get pass-
ports. They had never flown and never
been on a cruise, and we got them to
do both.”
The Pruettings spent about $17,000
on the wedding cruise and honeymoon.
They spent seven days aboard ship with
their family group of about 40 people,
making stops in Jamaica, the Cayman
Islands and Mexico.
The wedding itself took place April
6, 2016, while in port on the island of
Grand Cayman.
The newlyweds then waved their
families ashore and set off for another
nine days by themselves, with stops in
Dominican Republic, Aruba, Paracel and

See CRUISE, Page 23B Carley and Joel Pruetting in the ship’s atrium.

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Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018
Carley and Joel Pruetting say they can’t find water like this on the farm.
A group of adventurous members of the wedding party took on Dunn’s River Falls
furing a stopover in Jamaica.
Cruise: Doubles a family vacation
Continued from Page 22B
a few more places.
“Instead of having that one big day,
we got 17 that we were able to make
special,” Carley said.
In consideration of his bride’s cheer-
ful lack of interest in weddings, Joel
took care of most of the details of the
ceremony. Carley only picked the flavor
Wedding Fair 2018 The Leader 23B
Out of sync
High school friends finally
make a connection
By Laura Marlow
and Katelyn Mary Skaggs
For the Leader
It took them 30 years, but Eureka
High School classmates Dana Agee
and Scot Echols are finally an official
couple. The two were married Dec.
8 after a courtship that took its sweet
time getting off the ground.
Scot was a year ahead of Dana
in school.
“We knew each other, had classes
together, common friends,” he said.
“We grew up quite literally probably
less than half a mile apart from each
other. We had a good friendship.”
The time was never right for a
more serious relationship, though.
“The opportunity was just never Scot Echols and Dana Agee were wed
really there because one or both of Dec. 8.
us was dating someone during those
years,” Scot said. “I remember think-
ing she was cute and all that.”
The two lost touch when they
went off to separate colleges. Both “Facebook
played a big
were married and later divorced, and
they reconnected on social media in
role for us.”
2009.
“When I saw her on Facebook,
I said to myself, ‘That’s everything
I’ve ever wanted, right there,’” Scot
said. “Kind of one thing led to an-
other after that. We stayed friends for
several years on Facebook and would said. “But we learned pretty quickly
occasionally chitchat.” you can’t pursue that because it is
The two began dating in early what it is.”
2016 and announced their engagement Scot says the two are one an-
early in 2017. After a honeymoon in other’s soul mates.
of the cake, the color of ribbon around
Hawaii, the Echolses settled into a “I say we both found the love
her bouquet and her dress.
home in Barnhart. of our life,” he said. “So it was a
“I just helped out with the easy, fun
They do sometimes think about wonderful thing to have that happen.
stuff,” she said.
the “what if” of their situation. Facebook played a big role for us at
The couple enjoyed the family to-
“You wonder what would have that point.
getherness during their wedding cruise.
happened if we had done something “It really worked out wonder-
“I think the coolest part for every-
sooner, even in high school,” Scot fully.”
body is that there is never a time in your
life that you get to have all of your friends
and family on a vacation,” Joel said.
24B The Leader Wedding Fair Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

LOBBY
ENTRANCE
2018
Bridal Service
1

4
3
2
53
Directory
6 21 Fountain
38
and Exhibitor
7 20
39 52
Layout
Program
22 37

8 19 40 51
23 36 11 a.m....................... Doors open.
11 a.m.-3:00 p.m....... Exhibition
9 18 41 50 booths open.
24 35 3:15 p.m.................... Bridal Fashion Show
presented by
42 49 The Bridal Shoppe.
10 17
25 34 4 p.m......................... Fair closes.

SOUTH
NORTH ENTRANCE
ENTRANCE

DJ The
11 16 26 33 43 48 Fashion
Show
3:15 p.m.

STAGE
12 15 27 32 44 47
BANQUET
ENTRY

13 14 28 31 45 46

29 30

POOL AREA
EXHIBITOR LIST
1. Harter Bakery 19. Pampered Chef 37. Dinner 4 Two by Royal Prestige
2. M&R Wooden Flowers 20. Pro Active Chiropractic 38. The Bridal Shoppe
3. Robbie's Catering 21. Travel Haus of St. Louis 39. Arlington Event Center
4. Tomorrow's Treasures 22. King Daddy's Catering, LLC 40. The Jones Group Realty Executive Five Star
5. JCM Party Rentals, Inc. 23. Applause Productions DJ, Video & Photobooth 41. Celebrations Unlimited
6. LaChance Vineyards 24. Villa Antonio Winery 42. Celebrations Unlimited
7. Opera House of Pacific 25. FunTyme Limousine 43. The Cocoa Exchange
8. Grand True Value Rental 26. Studio 7 Salon & Day Spa 44. Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski
9. Sassy Selfies, LLC. 27. Sav Make Up 45. Weingarten Winery
10. Fredericks Banquet 28. Fore Honor Golf & Event Center 46. Frankie Gianino’s
11. The Brandy Room at Cave Vineyard & Distillery 29. Savvi Formalwear 47. Holiday Inn Express & Suites South
12. Pure Romance by Kayla T 30. Savvi Formalwear 48. Huskey Trailways
13. Trotter Photo of St. Louis 31. Physical Memories 49. Anheuser Estate
14. Coldwell Banker Gundaker-Festus 32. White Weddings 50. Jefferson Square Cleaners
15. Complete Weddings & Events 33. Andre's Banquets and Catering 51. Royale Orleans
16. Carousel Florist / Blitz DJ 34. Diamond Gal Photography 52. Crown Valley Winery
17. BAM Party, LLC 35. Poppy’s Parlor, Banquet/Conference Center 53. Presidential Limousines
18. Johnson Vacations 36. Totally Trips