A Pastel, Vintage, Owl-Inspired Wedding at Belleville First Assembly of God Church in Belleville, Illinois

Joel (28 and a bank teller) and Jessica (29 and a pediatric nurse) McCullough met on Facebook through a mutual friend while they were living in two separate states. "We started our friendship over the phone and would spend many long nights talking and sharing secrets," Jessica says. Eventually, they had the opportunity to meet in person when Jessica moved back home to St. Louis, and they instantly realized that their connection ran deep. When it came to the proposal, Joel wanted a gorgeous backdrop, so he proposed at the Missouri Botanical Gardens with a little help from his family who jumped out from behind the foliage to congratulate the newly engaged couple. They got married in the same church in which they were both baptized, Belleville First Assembly of God in Belleville, Illinois, with a reception at the historic Bellecourt Manor. Inspired by vintage elegance, Jessica wore a lace dress with a pair of lavender lace gloves, pearls, Mary Jane pumps, and a birdcage veil. The wedding party also dressed in a vintage-inspired assortment of lace, pearls, suspenders, and oxfords, and the girls further accessorized their pastel dresses with feather fans and parasols. Even the ring bearer wore a newsboy hat, and the flower girl wore a birdcage headpiece, gloves, and pearls to match the bride. In memory of Jessica's late grandmother, owl's featured prominently throughout the ceremony and decor. A barn owl flew the rings down the aisle, a vintage-inspired typewriter and ceramic owl decorated the escort table, and a lavender owl cake topper sat atop the simple white buttercream wedding cake. As an extra personal touch, Jessica and Joel invited the mascot of the St. Louis Blues, Louie, to liven up the dance floor as a nod to the couple's first date at a Blues game.