wedding date | september 15, 2018
Creve Coeur native Meegan Gildehaus says a chance encounter on Nantucket Island first brought her and husband David Beslic together. “Both of us were spending the summer of 2013 on the island when we randomly met and began dating,” Meegan recalls. “David was en route to Toronto for his career, and I joined him there after graduating from the University of Alabama.” They spent a couple of years in Toronto before moving to Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The two were engaged in 2017 during a picturesque mountain hike. “We made it to the top and then David got down on one knee,” Meegan says. “I was very surprised! He designed the ring using a family diamond, and our relatives were in on it for months beforehand.”
The two planned an outdoor ceremony at a family home on Nantucket and held a tented reception at another house nearby. “We wanted to get married on the island because it holds such special meaning for both of us,” Meegan notes. David’s relatives flew in from Croatia and Germany, and the intimate crowd spent a few days relaxing on the island before gearing up for the big weekend. “It was wonderful to have everyone together so they could get to know each other,” Meegan says.
Family was a large part of the special occasion. Meegan’s mom surprised her with an aquamarine necklace that had been in her family for many years. And at the reception, David’s European heritage was reflected on guests’ dinner plates with sprigs of rosemary, a Croatian wedding symbol of good luck. There was a tiered ‘cake’ made of different types of cheese and decorated with figs, another traditional touch from David’s homeland. “My husband isn’t a fan of regular cake,” Meegan says. “I had seen a photo of the cheese idea and thought it would be perfect.”
The couple is planning a September trip to Portugal for a beachfront honeymoon. David is a dentist, and Meegan, a St. Joseph’s Academy alumna, has a web design and marketing company called Stack Digital Co.
resources
ceremony and reception | Private homes on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts
gown | Watters
cake | Simply with Style Nantucket
florist | Betsey Brooks Floral & Design
music | Billy Voss of Perfect Nantucket Events
honeymoon | Portugal
wedding party
maid of honor | Renee Fleddermann
bridesmaids | Madeleine Gildehaus, Stephanie Senseman
best man | Eddie Beslic
groomsmen | Paul Gildehaus IV, Benjamin Beslic
bride’s parents | Mr. & Mrs. Paul Gildehaus III of St. Louis
groom’s parents | Mr. & Mrs. Milan Beslic of Croatia
Photos: Jonathan Nimerfroh
