I can't believe it! Donna is married! I started working with Donna a year and a half ago and seeing her marry the man of her dreams was like watching one of my little sisters get married. (This would be crazy because she has 4 little sisters and I have 2 and no father would survive 8 daughters).
Caution – IT’S A LONG ONE!
So the day was FABULOUS!! Weather was gorgeous, everyone looked amazing, the ceremony was perfect and the reception was a blast. I sort of got to hand pick the vendors for this wedding, Donna was a wedding coordinator's dream she did everything I told her too! :o) Big Thanks to Michelle Ross at Under Grace for the images.
Here are my personal reviews of her day, I thought you might like a coordinators view. Watch out I use words like awesome, amazing, and fantastic a lot:
Hair & Make-Up April Schaeffer & Cindy Rushing
www.realpanache.com
It's no big secret these are my girls! They were on top of their game. With the bride, 7 bridesmaids, and mom to get dolled up they started at 7:00am and they were completed and ready at 11:00. April is fabulous with hair and fun to be around the morning of your wedding. She loved that when it was all done each one had a different look. Cindy is amazing with make-up and hilarious! We talked about music, other weddings, and plans for the weekend. April and Cindy were going boating that afternoon and Cindy asked if I was going – we all chuckled when I asked Donna if she cared if I went boating instead of working her wedding. A+ for hair & make-up!!

Photography – Michelle Ross www.undergracephotography.com
Check here to see more pics www.xanga.com/undergracephoto
Michelle is a pro! Where ever she needed to be she was!! And lucky Donna – Stephen Seward www.stephenseward.net was her second shooter! Sometimes pros will help each other out being each others second shooter so what a great deal for Donna. Michelle started with the ladies, Stephen with the guys. I got to see about 30-40 images at the reception slide show and WOW, I can’t wait to see the rest. Donna wanted more urban style and her shots turned out so cool. She still got a lot of the classy traditional shot and some fun things too! A+ for Michelle & Stephen
Videography – Archway Media www.archwaymedia.com
Brian & Angee Ferris are so great! Arriving at the church they came in, unloaded, checked the place out and began shooting. Angee and Brian, a husband and wife team, wear headsets to stay in constant contact. I would often find Angee walking behind me talking lowly and think she was talking to me when she was deep in conversation with Brian – it was funny. I of course haven’t seen the movie yet but I have seen others and I trust it will be stunning! We also had the rare opportunity that Brian was at the reception while I was setting up and he was able to catch a ton of shots of us working and will be making me a little highlight reel for Proposing Dreams. A+ for Brian & Angee
Limo – Rogers Limousine Service – www.rogerslimo.com
I have always enjoyed Rogers Limo, they are courteous, on time, and cars are clean. David was our driver of our passenger coach bus – that’s the big one! I worked with David a month before and both times he was excellent. He is friendly, always on top of things, and truly cares about his passengers. Boys were picked up at 11:00, girls are 12:00 then David drove them all around until the drop off time at 6:00pm. David emailed me the week before with his cell number and then called on his way to pick up the guys to be sure that I got it and it was on my phone. A+ for Rogers and David!
Ceremony – St. Paul
’s Lutheran Church of Des Peres www.stpaulsdesperes.org
Rev Smith, Carrie the in house coordinator, and Mr. Bender the organist were all a joy to work with. Carrie and I worked wonderfully together, they allowed us to make some changed to the traditional order of things and I think the ceremony was flawless. The only thing I would have changed – I haven’t worked with an isle runner is so long and I forgot it was being pulled down when we put Donna in front of the doors, therefore the doors we opened for just a peak when it came out. The ushers were blocking most of the view but hindsight it isn’t they way I would have done it. The church is gorgeous inside and out even with the construction going on. A+ for St. Paul
’s
Flowers – Jupiter’s Garden – www.jupitersgarden.com
Well what can I say – they were stunning! Donna’s colors are one of my favorite color combinations hot pink and orange. Her bouquet was Hot Princess & Mambo Roses with mild pink Peonies. The Bridesmaids were the Hot Princess & Mambo Roses; the flowergirl had Hot Pink Hydrangea. The groom with Hot Pink, the groomsmen with Mambo. Not many florists can pull off white roses in June because the brown so fast but the parents all had white and they were beautiful to the last minute. Jupiter’s is retiring this year. It’s sad to see them go, they are always fun and the work is amazing. I have always enjoyed seeing the husbands when they deliver and talking with the ladies before and after a wedding. Jupiter’s – you will be greatly missed, Thank you for MANY fabulous weddings and best of everything in your future!!

Reception Location – Café DeMenil - www.cafedemenil.biz
The Café is one of my favorite locations! Dan Belmont and Staff are wonderful to work with. The location is beautiful and well kept, the food is wonderful and the service is great! When we arrived the tables were set and ready, we unloaded and started setting up the brides centerpieces, favors, table number, and menus. This is something the café staff will help with but it was a smaller guest count and we could handle it just fine. I was greeted by Dan (Mr. B as the staff calls him) and given anything I needed. When guests arrived Dan opened the bar a few minutes early and we were on our way to a spectacular evening. It was Dan & Patrica Belmont’s 34th anniversary and the bride surprised them with a cake and special announcement. Dinner was so good! We had a stations menu, with salad, pasta, and entrée stations. I had so much on my plate I was stuffed. Thorough out the entire evening Dan and the staff checked with me if I needed anything and when I did they were quick to help. The staff helped with the dismantle of the brides things and helped bring those things and the gifts to the car. Upon leaving I realized my side door had stayed ajar and my battery was dead. Dan brought over his car and jumped mine for me – now that’s service! Another A+ for a stellar evening!

Cake – Cakery Bakery – www.cakerybakery.net
MMMMMM! Yeah, it was delicious but it looked great too! Donna chose white cake with Raspberry filling and Lemon filling (separate layers of course) and it was great! I’m a big fan of lemon so I was in heaven. A+ Cakery!!
Entertainment – Jimmy Hussey www.arockindj.com
Another pro! Jimmy is so fantastic. He loves what he does and it shows. His set-up is crisp, his demeanor is smooth, and his professionalism is awesome. We wanted to change things up a bit with the wedding party announcement. We introduced them all a little later at the Wedding Party dance and did it theater style like this “Ladies and Gentleman it is my honor to introduce to you the cast of today's festivities, in the role of Bridesmaid and Groomsmen…..(all the names) and starring as the bride and groom Donna & Doug Vondera!” they each came out and bowed or curtseyed. Jimmy had a packed dance floor all night!! A+ for Jimmy
The Wedding Party –
The Bride and Groom were so awesome. I told Donna I could work with her forever but she wanted to get married not stay my client forever. :o( Doug was so sweet he sent flowers to the house, a card at the ceremony and couldn’t stop kissing his bride all day. He was a trooper for pictures and a machine on the dance floor. Donna was radiant! She was calm and collected and absolutely stunning! The bridesmaid we a blast! Four of which were her sisters who all have the amazing Weinhold smile. The groomsmen were gentlemen and up for anything. Donna’s parents were as sweet as they could be and just beaming while watching their first daughter get married. I have potential for 4 more weddings with this family! Doug’s mom was very sweet and appreciative all night.


Wedding Coordinator - Proposing Dreams – www.ProposingDreams.com
I can’t review myself although I think I did a pretty good job, but I can review my newest intern Michelle. Michelle was amazing. I had to call her at the last minute because my scheduled assistant got really sick the night before and just couldn’t make it. Michelle was stellar and fit right in! Thank you Michelle you were a big help and really amazing.
It was great! There was only one thing all day, well two. We had a menu card blow over on a candle before the reception. We kept the half burnt card for Donna as a keepsake but all disaster was avoided. And second, a bird pooped on me, but I think that’s good luck right??
Best of Everything to Donna & Doug!!
Sabrina