Jordan Waldschmidt says her fiance, Pete Tomczik, asked her to be his bride on a beautiful Texas evening. The pair were on a camping trip near El Paso, and she had just come back from a run. “I nearly got lost, so it had been a stressful afternoon,” she recalls. “We decided to unwind by sitting on a hilltop to watch the sunset. It was secluded and peaceful. Pete hugged me and said, ‘Let’s get married.’”
Before their trip, Pete had secretly driven from Atlanta to St. Louis to ask permission from Jordan’s parents, and to get her late grandmother’s engagement ring so he could surprise her. “My parents were very excited for us,” Jordan says. “I called them right after he proposed.”
The two plan to marry at the Jewel Box in Forest Park. “We looked around a lot for a venue,” she says. “When we walked into the Jewel Box, we both knew it was the place. The tropical plants and atmosphere reminded us of Jamaica, where we met and became friends while serving in the Peace Corps.” They got to know each other through work projects on the island, Jordan explains. “We were good friends for a couple of years before we started dating, and I think that created a strong foundation for our relationship,” she notes.
After tying the knot, the newlyweds will celebrate with family and friends during an evening reception at Third Degree Glass Factory. “It’s close to Forest Park, and we love the venue’s cool vibe,” Jordan says. “We will have a cocktail hour, buffet dinner and a fun glass-blowing demonstration for guests.”
Since their Peace Corps days, Pete and Jordan have returned to Jamaica to visit friends and former colleagues, and they also are planning a honeymoon there. “We’re going to have a big party with all of our friends, and then we’ll go to the east side of the island to relax on the beach,” Jordan says. The couple currently lives in Chicago. Jordan is a Nerinx Hall and Saint Louis University grad; Pete is a Minnesota native and attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
resources
ceremony | The Jewel Box
reception | Third Degree Glass Factory
honeymoon | Jamaica
wedding party
maid of honor | Jenna Waldschmidt
bridesmaids | Allie Bronsky, Asha Phadke, Laura Andromalos
best man | Adam Tomczik
groomsmen | Samson Scheller, Owen Julius Duncan, Alexander Anders Kosnett
bride’s parents | Jim & Joanne Waldschmidt of St. Louis
groom’s parents | Pat & Dee Tomczik of Northfield, Minnesota
wedding date | September 2, 2018