Erica Barnell says her two-year engagement to Ken Newcomer has allowed for plenty of time to plan a meaningful wedding. They will tie the knot next year at Washington University’s Graham Chapel and hold a reception downtown at The Caramel Room at Bissinger’s.
The pair got engaged last year during a trip to upstate New York. “When my grandfather was young, he built a small A-frame house there, and it became my family’s treasured retreat,” Erica says. “The area holds a lot of memories for me. On the first night of our visit, Ken proposed on the beach. It was short, but very sweet.” He arranged for a photographer to capture the moment at sunset.
The couple started dating during medical school at Wash. U. but discovered it actually wasn’t the first time their paths had crossed. “We found out that as kids, we were at the same summer camp,” Erica notes. “That was pretty amazing!”
During their medical training, they published papers together and bonded over shared interests. “Ken is from the Washington, D.C., area and played football in college, so he is a big Redskins fan,” Erica says. “We love watching games together.” Erica is a John Burroughs School graduate and attended Cornell University as an undergraduate. She co-founded Geneoscopy, a local biotech company that is developing a diagnostic test for colorectal cancer, and Ken is a surgical resident at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Erica says she is looking forward to the wedding celebration at The Caramel Room, where guests can sample Bissinger’s candies and see how they are made. “There will be plenty of chocolate at the reception, of course,” she jokes. “My mom has great taste, so I’ve been happy to entrust the food arrangements to her.”
The bride and groom both speak French, so they hope to honeymoon in France and then Italy. “I have Italian roots, so we want to drive down to the Amalfi Coast and spend some time there,” Erica notes. “Because of our busy schedules, we will have a ‘minimoon’ in New York right after the wedding and plan the big trip later.”
resources
ceremony | Washington University
reception | The Caramel Room at Bissinger’s
gown | Martina Liana
cake | Sugaree Bakery
florist | Festive Couture
honeymoon | New York and Europe
photographer | Josephine Havlak Photography
wedding party
maid of honor | Lucy Sudekum
bridesmaids | Liesl Schnuck, Morgan Weisman, Stephanie Ball, Katie Campbell, Andrea Soares, Katie Rudolph, Brooke Greenfield
best man | Tyler Malone
groomsmen | Jack Tyler, Andrew Barnell, Jason Schmucker, Sam McGrath, Liam Newcomer, Christian Newcomer, Brad Griffith
bride’s parents | Michael & Vicki Barnell of Ladue
groom’s parents | Kenneth & Jeanne Newcomer of Oakton, Virginia