Rachel Neuner says her December 2016 wedding was a festive combination of family history and holiday sparkle. She and her husband, Charles Livingston, met through a dating website after a friend encouraged her to join. “Things happened pretty quickly; I signed up in November and met Charles in December,” she says. “A year later, we were engaged.”
Rachel says the highlight of their wedding ceremony was an aria from Richard Strauss’ Morgen, performed by a friend who is a professional opera singer. It was important to the bride that family traditions be included in her special day. She wore her great-grandmother’s engagement ring, and carried a handkerchief her mother had made out of her christening bonnet. “We chose the Racquet Club on Kingshighway for our reception because my family has been going there since I was little,” she explains.
Rachel says she wanted a December evening wedding because she knew the church and reception venue would be decked out beautifully for Christmas. To match the holiday theme, she worked red flowers and greenery into bouquets and boutonnieres. Reception guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner of steak and salmon, and music by the Charles Glenn Group. “I’d heard the band at other weddings and work events,” Rachel says. “They made sure everyone had a blast at ours. They played everything from Motown to Top 40.”
To mix things up, Rachel and Charles decided on ‘coed’ attendant parties. Rachel wanted her brother Michael standing with her, and Charles wanted his sister Jess and close friend Amy with him. “It was more important to have people with whom we share history standing beside us than to have all girls on one side and guys on the other,” Rachel says.
Memorable wedding-day moments included charming camaraderie among the flower girls, junior attendants and ring bearer. Rachel says her gregarious 5-year-old goddaughter brought all the children together as friends, even the shy ones. “She talked to all the other kids and wanted to know everyone’s story,” she says. “By the reception, they were all hugging.”
resources
ceremony | Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church
reception | The Racquet Club
gown | Aire Barcelona
cake | Sweet Encore
florist | Tina Barrera of The Special Event Florist
music | Charles Glenn Group
honeymoon | A private home in Naples, Florida
wedding party
maid of honor | Elizabeth Neuner
bride’s attendants | Michael Neuner, Kelly Slawson, Brianne Conlisk, Rachel Puleo, Catherine Baumann, Katherine Dailey, Madeline Loduca
best man | William Fay
groom’s attendants | Jessica Jaramillo, Scott Livingston, Amy Born, Matthew Campbell, Nathan Ritter, Taylor Condra, Alejandro Jaramillo
bride’s parents | Thomas & Joan Neuner of St. Louis
groom’s parents | Scott & Laurie Livingston of St. Louis
