An Intimate Summer Wedding at Lucas Park Grille in St. Louis, Missouri

Stephanie Cooper (27 and a speech language pathologist) and Tim Brunt (27 and an account manager) became friends while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both moved to Florida after graduating (Stephanie for her master’s degree and Tim for work), then started dating. Tim proposed in December with a ring he designed (based on a photo Stephanie had sent him), and the couple started planning a summer wedding in St. Louis, Missouri, where they both grew up. The morning Stephanie was to leave for her bachelorette party in Arizona (with 16 girlfriends), Tim had a doctor’s appointment scheduled and planned on bringing Stephanie straight to the airport afterward. Plans changed when Tim was diagnosed with testicular cancer. “This diagnosis was 100 percent a shock,” Stephanie says. “We had no idea.” After an ultrasound, the doctor recommended immediate surgery. Stephanie’s family was en route to Arizona and Tim’s parents were in England, so the couple leaned on each other during those first few terrifying hours. “I was not going to leave Tim’s side,” Stephanie says. She sent a text to her girlfriends—most were on their way to her destination bachelorette party—letting them know she’d be missing the weekend. Tim went into surgery and was discharged that evening. By the next morning, Stephanie’s dad and Tim’s brother had arrived. “The three guys strongly insisted that I get to Arizona to celebrate with my friends,” Stephanie says. She was apprehensive about leaving, but Tim was firm.  “Being greeted by 16 friends was such an emotional juxtaposition from what we had been through, but their love and encouragement was so greatly needed.” Since then, Tim has had two clean CT scans and is in remission. With their relationship stronger than ever (and Tim in good health), they were able to focus on their wedding. Stephanie has always loved the Jewel Box—a climate-controlled greenhouse in St. Louis's Forest Park. “There was no other space I wanted our ceremony to be,” she says. The venue “essentially decorates itself, filled with trees, flowers, hanging baskets and greenery.” Their reception was held at the nontraditional Lucas Park Grille, where red, pink, cream and green floral arrangements, candles and pops of gold and metallic added a soft glow to the dimly lit space. It was beautiful in an unfussy way: unpretentious, stylish and most of all fun. “If there were little snafus or issues, I don't even remember them,” Stephanie says. “I am so in love with Tim and so grateful that our families and friends were there to celebrate that love with us.” —Chrissy Sorenson