Meredith Gibbons and her new husband, Mike Shadwick, both love the history and splendor of St. Louis Union Station. The iconic landmark holds such special meaning for the couple that it figured into their wedding festivities in more than one way.
When he was ready to propose, Mike met Meredith’s father at Union Station for lunch to ask his permission. She arrived a little later, and Mike popped the question with the beautiful ‘Meeting of the Waters’ fountain as the backdrop. “He had arranged for family and friends to be at the Grand Hall afterward, so we celebrated together,” Meredith says.
Since it was where their wedding journey began, Union Station seemed like a natural choice for their reception. After a Friday ceremony at nearby Christ Church Cathedral, guests adjourned to a cocktail party beneath the Grand Hall before an evening reception upstairs. Meredith says everyone was entranced by its special light show. “Mike and I watched from the balcony and enjoyed everyone’s reactions,” she recalls.
The couple incorporated the historic landmark in other ways as well. “We had an illuminated cake topper in the shape of a Grand Hall arch, and we used the theme on our invitations and cocktail napkins,” Meredith says. An artist even painted the reception as it was happening. Other special touches included miniature photos of Mike’s late father and Meredith’s grandmothers on her wedding bouquet.
The pair took dance lessons to entertain guests with a choreographed number to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” “We included space on our reply card for guests to write songs they wanted to hear at the reception, so the dance floor was packed all evening,” Meredith says. “We wanted everyone to have a blast, and I think we succeeded!”
A honeymoon in northern California and Maui topped off the newlyweds’ celebration. Mike is an insurance broker, and Meredith is the finance director for Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, so the governor was a special guest on their big day. Meredith is a graduate of Kirkwood High School and Westminster College, and Mike attended Althoff Catholic High School and Quincy University.
resources
ceremony | Christ Church Cathedral
reception | St. Louis Union Station
gown | Pronovias
cake | Cindy Sciaroni
florist | Blooming Buckets
music | Arvell
honeymoon | California and Maui
wedding party
maid of honor | Alex Johnson
bridesmaids | Erin Hendry, Sarah Floyd, Claire Bartos, Sarah Penteluik, Katie Brecklin, Lisa Buettner, Allison Sobczak, Melanie McDaniel, Jacquelyn Shadwick, Jaime Teel
best man | Evan Neville
groomsmen | Brad Fairbairn, Tom Mabry, Andrew Hoerner, Craig Toberman, Luke Simmons, Andrew Cordes, Kyle Sobczak, Kyle Fraser, Pat Young, Danny O’Neill
bride’s parents | Mike & Liz Gibbons of Kirkwood
groom’s parents | Pam Shadwick of Belleville, Ill., & the late Macks Shadwick
Photos | IFK Photography and Doug Coulter
