Carmen Bogosian and Sean Barry met the way many college students do—in a bar through mutual friends. It was the summer before their senior year at the University of Missouri, and even though neither was looking for a serious relationship, they started dating. About two years later, Sean proposed on the beach in Grand Cayman. “We were there with my entire family,” Carmen says. “He woke me early one morning, telling me there were turtles hatching on the beach. When we rushed out to look, he had spelled out ‘Will you marry me?’ in the sand with the ring as the dot of the question mark.” Carmen said yes, pajamas and all!

She laughs that she and her mom started planning that very day, and her type-A personality helped her find venues quickly and get everything booked a year in advance. “My sister-in-law helped with the entire wedding,” Carmen says. “She’s very creative, so she designed our invitations, the dinner and drink menus, and our seating chart.” Carmen says she loved the cathedral ceiling and architecture of The Ethical Society, so that was an easy choice for the ceremony. “And my whole family loves art, so my mom suggested Randall Gallery to hold the reception,” she says. “It was the perfect venue. We got all three floors to ourselves.”

The couple really put forth effort to make the day unique: Instead of a unity candle, they had a knot-tying ceremony and instead of a cake, they had a dessert bar with treats like cake pops, lemon bars, brownie bites, soft pretzels, popcorn and trail mix. “We wanted people to be able to munch the whole night,” Carmen explains. “And the groom’s cake was a three-tiered cookie cake!”

[resources]
Ceremony | The Ethical Society of St. Louis
Reception | Randall Gallery
Gown | Blue by Enzoani
Cake | Dessert and savory snack bar by Hollyberry Catering
Florist | Scott Hepper of Walter Knoll Florist
Music | Millennium Productions
Honeymoon | Aruba

[wedding party]
Maid of Honor | Kelly Hall
Bridesmaids | Sarah Schulz, Jennifer Jines, Lauren Lewis, Joana Grafilo, Leslie Bogosian
Best Man | Ben Nibarger
Groomsmen | Christian Nelson, Jeff Mutchler, Jimmy Schaperkotter, Nick Scodary, Ethan Bogosian
Bride’s parents | Gregg & Pam Bogosian of Chesterfield
Groom’s parents | Lee & Kathy Berry of Springfield, Missouri

Wedding Date: October 18, 2014
Photos: Katharine Roberds Photography

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