Form Skybar at Hotel Saint Louis

Rehearsal Dinner

Welcome Party

The Barnett

Wedding Day

Hotel Saint Louis (Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel)

Family Bus Pick Up

1st Bus Pick Up

2nd Bus Pick Up

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Dinner

Dancing, Drinks & Late Night Treats

Broadway Oyster Bar

After Party

Our Wedding

It Was Always Gonna Be You

Hey Everyone, It's Joey. I usually cringe when I read wedding websites written in the third person, so here we are. August 20, 2012 — a day that would change my life in so many ways. It was my first day of work in St. Louis — my hair was full, my eyes were bright, and my suit didn’t fit. Not only was it the day that started my career, but it was also the day I met so many people who are still in my life today: Jordan Pruitt, Brian Schultz, and Stephanie Rosen, to name a few. It was also the day I met Ashley. Although neither of us fully remembers, I believe she sat me at my desk — and for the sake of the story, we’ll say that she did. While I had no idea I wanted to marry Ashley in that moment, there was an immediate attraction. What started as some harmless office flirting led us to “secretly” dating off and on for the next two years (we had to get rid of one of Ashley’s boyfriends). I put “secretly” in quotes because, looking back, I’m not sure how secret it really was. To us, it felt like we were the 2012 version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I do remember that we had each other’s names saved under aliases in our phones so we could text during the day without raising suspicion. Like every 23-year-old couple, we had our ups and downs. What lasted only a few months felt like a lifetime — and when Ashley and I talk about that time in our lives today, it’s with fondness. Fast forward to 2014, and things really couldn’t have been going better. We were both starting to see success at work; Ashley was living with Cristina (who was dating my roommate Will — they’re now married), and it felt like we were living one big double date. But both of us (mainly me) hadn’t quite reached the level of maturity needed for a serious relationship. One thing led to another, and when I was presented with the opportunity to move for work, I took it — and our post-college puppy love came to an end. Over the next decade, Ashley and I were never fully out of each other’s orbit. We watched some of our best friends get married to each other. We stood up in weddings as bridesmaid and groomsman. We ran into each other at birthdays and New Year’s parties. If I had a wedding to attend and Ashley happened to be single (a rarity), she’d be my date. I think both of us knew deep down that it wasn’t over, but neither of us said it. I always say the reason neither of us found someone else was because we had already found each other. Fall 2022. A perfect storm of events: I lost my job, and Ashley (thankfully) lost her boyfriend. To say I was down bad is an understatement. I credit Sarah Ballard for sending the initial text in a group chat: “Can everyone send pictures of Barton for her Hinge profile? She’s single.” I had recently moved to Chicago, so I knew I was close enough to St. Louis to pull off a miracle. I called Ashley immediately and said something to the effect of, “Don’t start a Hinge profile — I’ll come to St. Louis this weekend and take you on a date.” That “first date” was Melissa Barton’s 30th birthday — a punk rock–themed party bus. After that “first date,” we dated long distance for the remainder of 2023, and Ashley and Lucy (our dog daughter) moved to Chicago at the beginning of 2024. The truth is, there has always been an invisible string connecting Ashley and me. So many things — both good and bad — had to happen for us to find each other again. I’m a firm believer in the notion that everything happens for a reason. We had to spend that time apart to grow as people, and it wasn’t until we were both ready that we were brought back together. When we’re together, we both feel a sense of calm — a sense of home. I don’t know where life will take us next, but we’re so excited to share this huge moment with all the people we love on December 30th!

Our Story

Photos

Brittney Larson

Gabrielle Klasnja

Melissa Tyler 

Paige Sanders

Christine Frampus

Melissa Barton

Kerri Pruitt

Michelle Illig

Stephanie Rosen

Sarah Ballard

Patrick Frampus

Matt Reed

Jordan Pruitt

Will Theis 

Brian Schultz

Andy Chansler

Rob Cordisco

Kyle Arriola

Chad Wade

Ben Oertli

Wedding Party

Q + A

The hotel block room rate is available on Monday, December 29th, 2025 and Tuesday, December 30th, 2025. Hotel Parking is available for guests, but is valet only at $50 per night.

Hotel Saint Louis, Autograph Collection

For those flying into Lambert Airport, the easiest way to get to the hotel is by taxi, Uber, or car rental.

Travel

Bars, Restaurants, and THE BEST vibes in STL. This is the neighborhood where we fell in love back in 2012.

Soulard

The Hill is a neighborhood in St Louis that’s renowned for its Italian cuisine, which is well-known across the nation. Visitors come from all over to try our toasted ravioli and other high-quality Italian cuisine that screams “St. Louis”.

"The Hill"

Pappy's Smokehouse is a St. Louis Staple if you enjoy BBQ...and a Joey Frampus favorite.

Pappy's Smokehouse

There are a couple restaurants and some activities at STL Union Station, which is close to the hotel.

Union station

Anyone looking to glam it up and get a blowout, we recommend Dry Bar in Clayton as it's the closest location to the city near our hotel.

Drybar St. Louis - Clayton

If you need a last minute mani/pedi, or if you just want a little pampering, Ashley used to frequent this salon when living in STL.

Olivia & Oliver Nail Lounge (at Clayton Rd)

If you need to grab something from a mall, this is the closest one to downtown STL.

Ashley & Joey