Cayla and Nick
Photos by Catherine Rhodes Photography
The Midwest Wedding Crashers have arrived, and we can’t wait to share our very first wedding crash for COMO Living! The act of attending a wedding celebration without an invitation is a little ironic for us since we own our own invitation company. Wedding crashing and writing about the experience is our way of showing the world how the Midwest has some of the trendiest couples exchanging their vows. This happy couple definitely delivered the wedding of the season, and we wish you could have crashed it with us!
Meet our happy couple, Cayla and Nick. The two grew up together and attended the same schools in Columbia. Cayla was attending the University of Missouri and Nick was attending the University of Arkansas when he reached out to his crush via social media, and the rest is cyber history.
Typically, I am a sucker for the first look. I love the look on a man’s face and the joy in his eyes. This bride had an endearing new take on the tradition. She truly is a daddy’s little girl and since her father had never seen the dress, she asked the photographer to capture his first look. Catherine Rhodes’ gorgeous pictures speak for themselves. Take a look:
Makes you want to cry, doesn’t it? Cayla was a classic beauty wearing a sweetheart corset and A-line dress from Boulevard Bride. To top it off, her bridesmaids were dressed with the perfect Christmas gown in apple red from David’s Bridal. And let us not forget the groom, whose vest and tie combo gave him a sophisticated charm.
We don’t normally attend the ceremony for fear of getting caught, but we couldn’t help it. Call me sappy, but I love every part of a Christmas wedding. The stunning greenery, poinsettias and trimming was provided by Kent’s Floral. The shop truly outdid itself, and I almost cried from the beauty of it all. Then came the first kiss. Okay, I did cry. But who cares? It really was beautiful.
A little birdie told us the reception was a full sit-down dinner with place cards and all. (OK, the birdie might have been the bride’s mother and we might have created the place cards.) It was clearly in our best interest to arrive a little late. I mean, nothing is worse than being caught red-handed before those hands have a chance to grab a piece of cake, especially when it’s been made by Edith Hall.
We arrived two hours late fully expecting to jump straight onto the dance floor. In reality, the tables were still full of guests, and my introverted husband was a little nervous. I told him to play it cool as we walked around hoping to find a table. We were feeling a little self-conscious and realized we are awful about blending in when we arrive late. Let’s just say we spent a lot of the first hour at the bar. I fell head-over-heals with the reception that was held at the Columbia Country Club. The setting was perfect. The reception had been transformed to a winter wonderland thanks to Kent’s Florist and the country club’s incredible wedding planner, Kristi McCann. Gold is in, ladies! This wedding had gold in full effect. The photographer was able to capture some of the special décor that I know you will love.
We also couldn’t help but notice the little girls who sprinkled the reception hall that evening in their poofy dresses and belly-filled laughter. We heard the bride’s story from other guests, and it was then that we completely fell in love with her. She was well-known in Columbia as both a Golden Girl and Feature Baton Twirler for Mizzou. Kayla spent years teaching dance at The Academy of Fine Arts, and she made her former students feel like a priority on her big day. During the entire evening, this couple lavished their guests with hugs, kisses and well wishes. The bride even greeted us and whether she realized we crashed her wedding or not, we felt completely welcomed.
So, to one of the kindest couples, whose wedding we have had the pleasure of crashing, the Midwest Wedding Crashers and COMO Living wishes you all the best.
A Special Thanks to this edition’s Wedding Vendors:
Aric Bremer
Columbia DJ
Broadway Christian Church
2601 W. Broadway
Columbia, Mo
(573) 445-5312
300 Lake St Louis Blvd.
Lake St Louis, MO 63367
(636) 561-4030
(Film, color, black/white)
Columbia, MO
Named The Top 50
Wedding Photographers in the US
(573) 645-2222
Event Planner, Kristi McCann
2210 N. Country Club Dr.
Columbia, MO
(573) 449-4115
Edith Hall Cakes
4830 E. Flamingo Dr.
Hallsville, Mo
Featured on the Food Network
(573) 696-2505
Full Day Service
919 E. Boradway
Columbia, MO
(573) 443- 0232
Make-up Artist
The Stadium Shoppes
211 N Stadium Blvd., Suite 105
(573) 447-1000
1702 Monroe St.
Columbia, MO
(573) 821-5182
1500 Jade Rd
Columbia, MO
(573) 814-5466
The COMO Living Wedding section is sponsored by the The Ink Cafe