St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

Wedding Ceremony

Water's Edge Banquet Center

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Our Wedding

Dating

Just before giving up on their dating app subscription, these two love birds winked and liked each other for a week before being able to send their first message. From there, the short, fun messages grew longer and longer until Amanda just said “...while I appreciate a good book, how ‘bout we just call each other?”. Luckily, they were able to squeeze in their first call before Amanda went on vacation and kicked it off. After several weeks of Skype dates, they decided to finally meet in person. Their first date, up in Flagstaff, (scheduled right during the second half of Michigan’s home opener for football), was an axe throwing adventure. While Amanda constantly reminded Justin of her competitive side, it wasn’t until it came down to the final throw that he got to see her enthusiasm for winning. Amanda was so impressed after the first date that she texted her family “finally, a good one!”. Continuing to see each other, their dates moved half-way between Phoenix and Flagstaff, to Sedona and other outdoor adventures. Everything from Pink Jeep tours, to chairlift rides to the top of Mt. Humphrey’s, they got to share the beauty of nature and the fun of the 7,000 ft elevation. Amanda was excited to go to baseball games and cart racing down in the valley with Justin, despite the record setting 120 degree heat. Brody (Justin’s German Shepherd), meanwhile, enjoyed all the treats Amanda was bringing down to the valley. He grew so comfortable with her, maybe too close, that he decided to eat her iPad and blueberry bagel right out of her duffle bag. Despite that hiccup, all 3 began to see each other almost every other weekend.

Proposal

Around the time of their 1 year anniversary, Amanda joking said, “well, what’s the only thing left for us to do but get married?”. Little did she know, Justin had already been thinking about the same thing, once telling Jerod at dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant, “this might be the one, bro”. Justin was able to keep it hidden from Amanda as he shopped around for a ring, asking her parents for permission, and planning a proposal over their upcoming Christmas trip to St. Louis. While the ring showed up the night before the flight, and with a case of food poisoning as well, Justin set out to St. Louis. While Amanda was picking up Justin from the airport, her family and best friend Kami were setting up for the proposal under the mistletoe hanging over the front door. A quick pit stop at Chick-fil-A, and the moment arrived. While Justin tried getting Amanda to come to the front door, Amanda was more worried about unloading the car before the family Christmas party. Finally, Justin was able to point out the mistletoe and asked for a quick kiss. He dropped down on his knee and began to tell her about how special their time together was, from the first date, to trips to Michigan and St. Louis, and how he couldn’t wait to spend their future together. Amanda almost forgot to answer, but managed to nod and shout yes. She did however forget to put the Chick-fil-A down, so she had to make the hard choice between the chicken or the ring. With her family shooting off confetti cannons and her friend capturing every moment, the two couldn’t stop smiling.

Future

Justin and Amanda are ready to start their new life together in Flagstaff and see what the next adventure holds. The happy couple can't wait to share their special day with their family, friends, and loved ones!

Our Story

Photos

Tristan Ritter - Maid of Honor

Tristan is Amanda’s youngest sister, and maid of honor. Growing up together, they quickly realized their role as ‘buffers’ between mom and dad whenever playing board games, especially Catan. Tristan caught the cruise bug after the family’s first cruise trip in 2019, and now she’s probably traveled more than Amanda! Between Cardinals baseball games, shows at the Muny, and playing volleyball, Tristan gets to explore the inner city of St. Louis, and help with donations to students. Ask her about the latest donation from Coach!

Chelsea Evett - Bridesmaid

Chelsea is Amanda’s cousin, and friend, who lives in Iowa. Amanda, Chelsea, and Lyndsay hung out a lot as kids, with summer trips in Iowa or Missouri. Chelsea always seemed to lead the cousins with new skits to put on for the parents, and arrange sleepovers. The oldest of 7, hanging out with Chelsea’s family was always entertaining, and now she has 4 kids of her own to keep her busy. Luckily, she still finds the time to travel, and Chelsea was able to meet up with Amanda for a ski trip to Aspen last winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lyndsay Jammaron - Bridesmaid

Lyndsay is Amanda’s cousin, and friend, who now lives in Colorado. Since Amanda moved to Flagstaff, they’ve been able to see each other more, and have been able to go skiing together in Colorado. Lyndsay’s also made a few trips down to AZ, in between building a new house and keeping her 2 kids entertained. In a recent trip to Colorado, Lyndsay was able to show off the town’s famous Glenwood Springs hot springs.

Kami Olsen - Bridesmaid

Kami and Amanda have been friends since kindergarten, and have been inseparable since. They stayed friends even when Kami was homeschooled, but then reignited their friendship when they went to high school together. Kami convinced Amanda to check out an informational meeting about rowing, and even though Kami couldn’t join the team, Amanda was hooked, and even rowed in college. Kami also introduced Amanda to baking bread and making homemade ice cream, and they share their favorite recipes. Kami and her husband Ryan just welcomed their first child, Nova, last year, and they selected Amanda to be the Godmother.

Nicole McMindes - Bridesmaid

Nicole is one of Amanda’s newest friends, and they met when Nicole moved to Flagstaff in March 2020, and Nicole started working with Amanda. Both were new to the Southwest, and quickly became adventure buddies, and explored everything in driving distance. On their first camping trip together, a dead tree fell on their camp, partially hitting Nicole in the process. Whether it was the hit to the head, or the trauma bonding, Nicole and Amanda’s friendship grew, and they called themselves ‘Adventure Amanda and Nonsense Nicole’ (see Nicole to purchase stickers).

Jerod Halcisak - Best Man

Jerod&nbsp;is Justin’s big brother and best man. In college Jerod was an amazing football player, with offers to ASU, Boise State, Alabama, and others, but decided to focus on his true passion instead…winning contests and raffles. He mastered the art of winning, from brand new cars, 50/50 raffles at sporting events, to golf trips and weekend getaways - he won them all. He got so good he was eventually banned and blocked from the classic rock station in town for winning too many VIP passes to concerts. Jerod has focused now on singing karaoke, having fun with his coworkers, and donating to local charities. When asked, he said he is just preparing for his life in a few years when he finally cracks the lottery, which almost came true just a few years ago. For now, he is growing the world largest vinyl collection and drafting his sure to be best-selling memoir about his life.

David Conti - Groomsman

David Conti is Justin’s friend from high school. A super genius, David could have skipped 5 grades but wanted to be just a normal kid, so he skipped a couple instead. An all-American swimmer, and training with Michael Phelps to master the breaststroke, David finally gave up on swimming after Discovery paid him to swim with sharks for Shark Week. No, he didn’t get bitten by a shark, he bit the shark…officially gaining the powers of Aquaman. He chose to give up his life as a superhero and became a doctor instead, which is cool. He is quickly rising up the ranks as a sports medicine doctor and is often attributed with prolonging Tom Brady’s career.

Sal Passarelli - Groomsman

Sal Passarelli is a lifelong friend to both Jerod and Justin. Having first met when they joined the same hockey team together, Sal quickly learned that the 2 giant defensemen would be his best friends as a goalie, and off the ice as well. Spending most holidays together, including an awesome trip to Australia, Sal was basically a part of the family. Sal gave up on his NHL dreams after he got thrown out of a game for calling Auston Matthews a punk and beating him in a fight. Sal is known for his contagious laugh, hilarious jokes, and is definitely not tied to any Italian crime families… Living up the newly married life with Dani out in Arizona, he is always the first to say he is down to party.

Darius Zolnierczyk - Groomsman

Derrick, a neighborhood friend of both Jerod and Justin, grew up and went to high school with the Halcisaks. Sharing all the good Polish food spots down in the valley, and introducing them to Show Low, where they learned to ski together. Despite Justin becoming a snowboarder, they still remained friends to the point where Derrick was Justin’s realtor when he bought his home. Derrick started out in the insurance industry, navigating the inner workings of the system, but was actually an FBI informant sent to identify corrupt and illegal practices. Now Derrick builds custom homes all while starting up his own YouTube channel on how to be a builder. His infamous 1998 gold Toyota Corolla, often referred to as the work truck, became the staple of his online influencer presence.&nbsp;He is still trying to figure out his catch phrase to be able to sell his merchandise, but will soon hit his next big endorsement deal.

Greg Thirkill - Groomsman

Greg is a long-time friend of Jerod and Justin. Going to high school with them, and spending time working with Jerod as a Liberty Tax sign twirler, Greg spent lots of time around the family. Bonding over their love of Star Wars games and powerlifting, he became great friends with Justin. Greg spent 5 years living completely untraceable and off the grid, so don’t even bother looking him up on Google. During his time as an international man of mystery, Greg modeled his life after Leonardo DiCaprio’s Catch Me If You Can character, even growing out his hair. It wasn’t until someone pointed out his long hair, and that his name in Chinese is pronounced girly girl, he decided to leave his secret life as a professional chef to become a powerlifter. Greg loves to dress up as Rocky Balboa, American flag shorts and all, to power through his deadlifts at the gym.

Wedding Party

Q + A

Close proximity to venue. Rates valid until 9/12/25.Please call hotel (636-387-7611) and provide code to receive discounted rate, or use the app and input the code RHW.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites St Peters by IHG

Newly renovated as of March 2025. Rates valid until 9/12/25

Courtyard St. Louis St. Peters

Hampton Inn St. Charles St. Peters

Days Inn by Wyndham St Peters/St Charles

Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis St. Peters

Travel

Around St. CharlesOld Town St. Charles&nbsp;- Cobblestone streets that have been around for 200 years are home to unique shops and restaurants along the Missouri River.Frankie Martins Garden&nbsp;- An outdoor entertainment complex in Cottleville with a HUGE screen to catch a game or listen to live music. Chill outside and order from several on-site food trucks. Also have a choice of hundreds of wines, whiskeys, and brews.Sugar Creek Winery&nbsp;- Head 20 minutes south on Hwy 94 to wine country! This one is a favorite, and allows you to bring in picnic food. They have live music on weekends and a great view! More wineries can be found further down the road in Augusta.Dogwood Social&nbsp;- A great place to grab a bite, get a drink, and play a variety of games like mega Jenga or cornhole while kids can run around. There's always a game on, too.Art Foundry&nbsp;- Located on the north end of Main&nbsp;Street, this converted train car factory now houses an art gallery and studios for a dozen artists with an open door policy, inviting you in to watch them create works of art from pottery to sculpture to painting.

Odds and EndsWalking&nbsp;- If walking is your thing, take a 3.2 mile stroll around nearby Creve Coeur Lake. Here in St. Charles we also recommend walking in Wapelhorst Park, Veterans Park, or on the Katy Trail.

Restaurants&nbsp;Here’s a few good ones in the St. Charles area:Mexican - LaCarrata, Session Taco, El GuatalBarBQ - Heavy Smoke, SugarfireBest Value - Hobo’s, Steak’nShakeAmerican - Twisted Tavern, Mad Dog &amp; CatsItalian - Massa’s, Pasta HousePizza - Salvatores, Mellow Mushroom, DeweysChinese - China King (carry out)Mediterranean - Spiro’s, Jafra'sChicken ‘N Pickle - Grab a bite and watch all the action on the pickleball courts - or play a game!

Around St. LouisSt. Louis is about 20 minutes from St. Charles, depending where you are going.&nbsp; St Louis Zoo&nbsp;- Our zoo is one of the top 10 rated in the country and it is free!St. Louis Science Center&nbsp;- Lots of fun for both adults and kids. Explore and discover. Also free, charges for movies and exhibits.City Museum&nbsp;- Kids&nbsp;love&nbsp;this place. Full of the most unique and adventurous areas to explore - room after room and lots of tunnels. (You might want to AirTag your kid!) $20 admission if purchased online.Anheuser Busch Tour&nbsp;- A tour of the brewery ends in the sample room for a tasting of AB products.St. Louis Arch&nbsp;- Located under the Arch is a new museum and where you buy tickets to take a tram to the top. Museum is free. Ride to top $16-20.Forest Park&nbsp;- Explore this 1300-acre park in St. Louis that houses the History Museum, Zoo, Art Museum, and Jewel House. Grab a bite at the Boathouse or rent a paddle boat to explore the lake area.Magic House&nbsp;- This huge “house” is filled with all kinds of things for kids to do. They love it. From 3-5 daily admission is only $3&nbsp;for area residents.Grant’s Farm&nbsp;- Home to Grants cabin, and the Busch estate, now home to over 900 animals, including some of the Clydesdales. A tram ride through the farm ends at a German-inspired Tier Garten where you get to sample AB products and visit the petting zoo. Free but parking is $18.WestPort Social&nbsp;- a great place to grab a bite, get a drink and watch a game and play a variety of games like bocce ball, shoot some hoops, or shuffle board.Missouri Botanical Gardens&nbsp;- A large 79-acre outdoor area with beautiful walking grounds and tram tours to explore the many plants, flowers and gardens. Noted for its 14 acre Japanese garden and a variety of events and displays.

Restaurants&nbsp;Here’s a few of our favorites when we get to the city. Courtesy Diner - a real dive across from Forest ParkThe neighborhood known as 'The Hill' has lots of Italian restaurants, all are good (Zias, Favazzas)Ted Drewes - known for its delicious concrete ice creamThe Grove Area - home to several restaurants, would recommend Gramaphone and Sauce on The Side

Things to Do

Registry

We heard everyone had a blast with the photobooth and we enjoyed seeing all the wacky photos of you all having so much fun. Here is the link to all the photos in case anyone wants another copy or is missing a photo. <a href="https://boothpics.com/8RE5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://boothpics.com/8RE5</a>

Photo Booth

Wedding photos from our photographer can be found at the link below. Be sure to click through the different sections (highlights, getting ready, portraits, ceremony, and reception). If you'd like to download any of the photos, the PIN is 2514. <a href="https://maggiemedemaphotography.pixieset.com/amandaandjustin-1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://maggiemedemaphotography.pixieset.com/amandaandjustin-1/</a>

Amanda & Justin

Amanda & Justin

Q + A

Are kids allowed?

Is there a dress code?

How do you pronounce Halcisak?

Where is the reception venue?

Is there parking at the reception venue?

How do we RSVP?

What should we do if we have dietary restrictions?

Where should I send my card and/or gift?