Christen Goltermann says a happy chance brought her and husband Peter Grote together—with a little help from family. Christen’s mom teaches preschool, and Peter’s sister had a child in her class, so the two women became friends. Later, they realized each had a family member who was single. “Peter reached out to me first,” Christen says. “Our first date was at Sasha’s Wine Bar in early 2017, and we hit it off. We laugh about that a lot; if it hadn’t been for our relatives, we never would have gotten together!”

The pair became engaged several months later and got married at Ladue Chapel. The unseasonably comfortable weather in June was perfect for outdoor photos, Christen says. The wedding was followed by an indoor/outdoor reception at Deer Creek Club, including cocktails on the patio and a sit-down dinner. “Everything was very traditional, and the day went very smoothly,” Christen says. “We took pictures in the church’s garden, and the bridesmaids looked beautiful in their light pink dresses.” The groomsmen complemented the look in navy blazers and pink ties.

The bride and groom commemorated the occasion with special love letters for each other, which they read before the ceremony. Their reception included live music by The Fabulous Motown Revue, and the dance floor was hopping all evening, Christen recalls. She says having a number of friends and family travel in from out of town made the day extra special.

The couple’s original plan was to honeymoon in Bermuda, but when they arrived, the forecast was a week of heavy storms. “We stayed there for one night, but the weather was so bad that we decided to book a flight to South Carolina instead,” Christen says. “We ended up spending a beautiful week at the beach on Kiawah Island, where we found a resort that would take a last-minute reservation. Peter and I really enjoyed the lovely sunsets and great food, bike rides along the beach, and relaxing by the pool. We loved that it was close to Charleston, too.”

Both born and raised in St. Louis, Peter and Christen recently bought a home in University City.

resources 
ceremony | Ladue Chapel
reception | Deer Creek Club
gown | Lea-Ann Belter
cake | Sugaree Bakery
florist | Bloomin’ Buckets
music | The Fabulous Motown Revue
honeymoon | Kiawah Island, S.C.

wedding party
maid of honor | Catherine Goltermann
bridesmaids | Liza Weiss, Stephanie Efthim, Frances Jones
best man | Richard Grote
groomsmen | Woody Goltermann, David Weiss, Peter Grenney
bride’s parents | Chris & Cathy Goltermann of Ladue
groom’s parents | Richard & Suzy Grote of Ladue

wedding date | June 23, 2018