Rocky + Lexi Wedding in Charleston, MO

Oh friends, this was a very sweet day for us. We traveled 6 hours to photograph this wedding in Southeastern Missouri, where we saw two people that love God make a very sacred promise to each other. Lexi and Rocky, along with their wedding party and families, had us smiling ear to ear all day. It was freezing cold (literally!), but these people braved the weather and snow/ice to get some memory-making moments captured. We are SO excited to share this day with you from our perspective!

When we arrived, we met the wedding party at First Baptist Church in Charleston, MO (which is actually where Rocky's parents also were married years ago!). This beautiful 1800's church was so stunning! We took some photos of details, then photographed both the girls and the guys in some "getting ready" moments.

One of my favorite memories of the day was the first look Lexi and her daddy shared in the sanctuary. Ray teared up as he saw his youngest daughter walk down the aisle in her beautiful white gown. It was heart-warming!!

You are beautiful, Lexi!!

Every niece and nephew wanted the honor of hugging the bride! :)

Lexi's older brother and sister-in-law wanted to gift her with something before the ceremony: a Fujifilm camera! She LOVED it!

Such a charming groom!

Soon, guests started arriving for the ceremony! From my view up front, you could tell Rocky was so ready to see his love walk down the aisle.

Since Lexi's father was escorting her down the aisle and officiating the ceremony, he had to play double duty in giving Lexi away to Rocky. 😉

I asked them to pose showing me how cold they felt right then. 😂 (But really, it was wind chill of 20 degrees at this point of the day. They were all troopers!)

After taking photos, everyone transitioned over to the Community Building in Sikeston, MO, where flowers and delicious food welcomed guests in from the cold. I just love the vintage mahogany hints between the decor, flowers, and bridesmaid dresses!

After dinner, toasts to the couple were made, followed by the "Shoe"lywed Game, cake cutting, first dances, and even an anniversary dance (where Rocky's grandparents took the cake with 49 years of marriage under their belt!). After some dancing fun, the couple was sent off with glowsticks waving all around them, and off to the honeymoon they went!

Lexi's brother, Zach, is in the Army and was unable to make the wedding, so this cut-out of his face went everywhere with the family. Here, Zach is getting kisses from his aunts, and he can't even protest about it. 😉 We had a lot of fun including "Zach" in everything. 😄

Lexi's bridesmaids gifted her with a scrapbook of letters and photos of memories they shared with her through the years of knowing her. She definitely got teary while thumbing through it!

A "toast" to the couple. Get it?? ;)

One of Rocky's groomsmen vowed long ago that somehow, someway, he was going to gift this special gift to Lexi at their wedding reception. And lo and behold...