Meet Steffen & laura
11.05.21
The day I will marry my best friend. The one i laugh with, live for, dream with, and love.
Days Until Our Wedding
Laura:
We were set up the first time we met in Springfield IL. We were babies at 22 years old. It wasn’t a date but I knew the moment I met him he was someone I could see myself with! We were in a very loud establishment so he asked if I wanted to go outside to talk. He offered me his coat and I just melted. Fast forward 7 years later we reconnected at his sisters wedding and the rest is history.
Steffen:
To me, our first date involved friends. We didn't do dinner like most couples. She had her good friend come with her to Springfield and I had my sister. We both needed to be comfortable since other people were the reason we started talking. I remember when I saw her, she was cute but she made the whole night fun. From college campus, to the restaurant I worked at, and my sister signing off on her from the first night, she was the one.
First Date
Laura:
Steffen had asked me about a year before he proposed what my dream proposal would be. (smart man) I told him it could be anywhere as long as afterwards we could celebrate with family and or friends. Boy did he listen! We had a family celebration for my brothers graduation in Louisville KY on Saturday December 14th. After a big brunch with aunts and uncles and the entire family Steffen and I planned on bar hoping with my siblings. Everyone had an excuse why they had to meet up with us later and I completely fell for it. Steffen told me he wanted to take me to a bar he had been to before while visiting Louisville. I had no idea it was a complete set up! We got to this bar called the Library inside the beautiful Omni Hotel. After ordering very expensive drinks and listening to me gripe about how we could have just gone to a hole in the wall and why did we come here, the poor kid finally had to kind of blurt it out to shut me up! He got down on one knee, said some things I don't remember :) and then asked me to marry him! I started crying and said yes then spotted the photographer ( a friend of my sister in laws that was sitting next to us at brunch!!) I'm still shocked how she kept it a secret all morning! She had left brunch early and made it to the bar before we got there. Then my siblings all came running in! They were behind it the entire time! We took pics and had drinks and celebrated all afternoon then returned to my brothers house where the rest of the family (mom, dad, aunts and uncles) were all having a bon fire and serenaded us as we walked up with "Chapel of Love" I have video and its priceless
Steffen:
I was sweating bullets. I had been getting ideas for weeks about where to go. Who had the best picture rooms, what was close, where could I get a drink so I could calm my nerves. So I left work early to go pick up the ring but I had to figure out where to put it. Definitely me to overthink EVERYTHING, so I got home and thought it was strategic to put it in a suitcase...Before hand, I had messaged her sisters and brother to ask if it was ok to marry her. They said yes but I left my Facebook messenger open and she saw it (I found out later). Anyway, so we go to brunch and no one is talking to us but everybody knows except Laura of course. Nobody sat near us but her uncles and they made conversation so good that I got calm. So, we head to this bar that I told her I had been to a million times before (I hadn't every been there). I asked for directions to the bar and even asked our photographer where to go and she was hiding with camera in hand! We walk into the bar and I got a Manhattan and we sat down on a couch to the side of the room. The whole time, she was on me about "We're walking too far" and "have you really been here before?" Then the last question, "Why did you bring me here?!" Finally, I said I had to get you away from your family because I can't ask you to marry me with everyone around". I told her that it's been 9 years but the time allowed us to figure out how far we could go. I didn't move for a best friend but I moved for a wife. We did what most have tried and failed at but this is true love that she knew way before I did. She didn't give a quick answer but she eventually said 'Yes'! My voice cracked so much and I cried but it was the happiest long walking day of hearing her in my ear in my life.
Proposal
The Bridal Party
THE GROOM'S SIDE
Kam VanRoekle
Grooms Cousin
Tristan VanRoekle
Grooms Cousin
Bobby Braner
Grooms Brother In Law
Carter Gilchrist
Jr Groomsman Brides Nephew
THE BRIDE'S SIDE
Angie Gilchrist
the brides oldest sister.
Katie DiPierro
brides second older sister.
Megan Braner
the grooms sister.
Brynn Gilchrist
jr bridesmaid brides niece.
November 5, 2021
To Celebrate Our Marriage
PLEASE JOIN US ON
612North Event Space + Catering
612 N 2nd St
St. Louis, MO 63102
