John D. McGurk's Irish Pub and Garden

The Night Before

Wedding Day

Piper Palm House

Ceremony

Marriott St. Louis Grand

Reception

Important Parking Information Regarding Tower Grove Pride Fest

Tower Grove Pride Fest is happening in the park this weekend! Accordingly, we have reserved parking for our guests near the Piper Palm House in the park. Please see the "Travel" tab for more information and a map to reserved parking.

Our Wedding

Katie and Mitch go way back — all the way to senior year of high school (proof shown below). Over the years, they crossed paths from time to time, usually during trips to the Lake of the Ozarks, while life took them in different directions and cities. Mitch lived in Milwaukee and then Boston, while Katie’s adventures included Tucson, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Though their paths overlapped occasionally, the timing never quite lined up.

That finally changed at the wedding of their good friends Andy and Liz. Once Mitch realized Katie was single, he was determined to take her on a date — even though they lived in different cities. Luckily, Mitch’s international work travel gave him the perfect excuse. He booked a layover in DC and casually suggested grabbing dinner while he was in town, making sure not to spook Katie by turning a long friendship into something too romantic too quickly.What Katie didn’t know was that Mitch had meticulously planned the entire evening — researching restaurants, shopping for new clothes, and even scouting post-dinner locations. He was excited but also very visibly nervous. When the day arrived, Katie suggested a different restaurant, throwing his entire plan out the window. Instead, they enjoyed a perfect dinner overlooking the White House from the rooftop of the Washington Hotel.The “not-a-date” went incredibly well and turned into a full night of bar hopping around DC, ending on the dance floor at what would become one of their favorite spots — Vegas Lounge.

Their next time together was a proper St. Louis date at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Lights, and from that point on, they decided to officially give long-distance a try. Thanks to Mitch’s relentless travel schedule (and an impressive stash of airline points), he was able to fly to DC frequently to see Katie. Those visits carried them through until Katie — along with Finn — agreed to make the move to Boston to join Mitch. Since then, their life together has been filled with highs, lows, laughter, and growth — always knowing they were meant to be a team. Mitch finally popped the question on a trip to Punta Cana, proposing to Katie on the beautiful Bavaro Beach. Today, they live in Michigan, where they enjoy exploring their new home, co-parenting a very needy dog, and making frequent trips back to St. Louis to spend time with the friends and family they love most.

Our Story

Photos

The Bridesmaids

Liz Frank

Alex Brooks

Kate Hunt

Kelly Mackenzie

Kaitlin Habib

Maggie Strojny

Sarette Tilton

Dana O'Connor

Hannah Flom

Morgan Powers

The Groomsmen

Andy Frank

Sean Meier

Tom Cosgrove

Mike Shaw

Chris Melnick

Jamie Lewis

Keenan McAuliffe

Joe Jermolowicz

Imran Hasan

Andrew Fisher

Matthew Berry

Wedding Party

Dress Code

Q + A

Parking at Tower Grove Park

Tower Grove Pride Fest is occurring during our wedding weekend in the East half of the Park. We have a dedicated parking area in Tower Grove Park near the Piper Palm House, the South East Drive Loop (see map below). For any guests needing an accessible entrance, please park on Northeast Drive, where there is a flat, paved walkway to the venue (see map below).Center Cross Drive in the park will be one-way all weekend. Please make sure to enter the park from the South via Arsenal Street, turn north and take the first exit at the roundabout onto Main Drive. South East Loop Drive will be on your left before you hit the main gate of the festival.Due to the festival, we recommend arriving 30-45 minutes early to secure parking close to the venue.

     

We have reserved a room block within the same hotel as the reception venue. Please use the link below:

Alternative Accommodations:

The Magnolia Hotel is right next door to the Marriott St. Louis Grand, and another great hotel option in the event that the Marriott St. Louis Grand becomes unavailable.

Magnolia Hotel St. Louis, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Travel

Fun&nbsp;fact:&nbsp;the&nbsp;Brewery&nbsp;Lights&nbsp;was&nbsp;our&nbsp;first&nbsp;official&nbsp;date&nbsp;in&nbsp;December&nbsp;of&nbsp;2022!&nbsp;The&nbsp;historic&nbsp;Anheuser-Busch&nbsp;Brewery&nbsp;holds&nbsp;a&nbsp;special&nbsp;place&nbsp;in&nbsp;our&nbsp;heart.&nbsp;We&nbsp;love&nbsp;it&nbsp;so&nbsp;much,&nbsp;we&nbsp;moved&nbsp;into&nbsp;the&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;(Benton&nbsp;Park)!&nbsp;The&nbsp;tours&nbsp;are&nbsp;free,&nbsp;and&nbsp;excellent...and&nbsp;you&nbsp;get&nbsp;free&nbsp;beer!

Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery

This 1300 acre park is bigger than Central Park in NYC and served as the centerpiece for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (the 1904 World's Fair) and the 1904 Summer Olympics. Forest Park contains five major world-class institutions, all of which are FREE! These include the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, the Muny (America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater), and the Saint Louis Science Center. There are also 30 miles of beautiful walking and recreation trails.

Forest Park

A truly unique part of St. Louis, this massive, whimsical, and interactive architectural playground was created out of the reclaimed scraps and industrial history of the city. A fun and unique experience that is great for kids and adults to explore! (Yes, there is a bar!)

City Museum

St. Louis's Italian neighborhood - there are many great options for dinner and some of the best Italian food in the country! Recommended spots include Anthonino's for food and Milo's for Bocce and a great patio experience, but you can't go wrong with any restaurant.

The Hill Neighborhood

If you're not afraid of heights, going up into the arch is quite the experience! There is also a museum and visitor center at the base, and access to the historic Old Courthouse, famously where the Dred Scott Case was heard in 1857.

Gateway Arch National Park

Although the Cardinals will be away, Ballpark village is a great place to catch the away games!

Ballpark Village

A&nbsp;fun&nbsp;and&nbsp;funky&nbsp;place&nbsp;to&nbsp;grab&nbsp;drinks,&nbsp;one&nbsp;of&nbsp;Mitch&nbsp;and&nbsp;Katie&#39;s&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;favorites.&nbsp;Be&nbsp;sure&nbsp;to&nbsp;bring&nbsp;cash&nbsp;and&nbsp;look&nbsp;out&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;turtles&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;basement!

Venice Café

Places to Eat

Frazer's - 1811 Pestalozzi StA Benton Park staple since the 90's, right across the highway from the AB Brewery. Creative cocktails are the standout!Sado - 5201 Shaw AveThe best sushi in St. Louis from James Beard nominee Nick Bognar.Indo - 1641D Tower Grove AveCreative Southeast Asian fare, from the team behind Sado.Sasha's Wine Bar - 706 De Mun Ave and 4069 Shaw BlvdWell-loved St. Louis wine bar with two locations. The Shaw Blvd location is close to the ceremony location in Tower Grove Park.Balkan Treat Box - 8103 Big Bend BlvdBosnian food often cited as the best restaurant in St. Louis. From Chef Loryn Nalic, winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest.Telva at the Ridge - 60 N Gore AveCozy brunch spot in Webster Groves by the team behind Balkan Treat Box.Bagel Union - 8705 Big Bend BlvdMitch's preferred bagel in St. Louis.Ices Plain and Fancy - 2256 S 39th StIce cream parlor featuring nitrogen flash-churned to order scoops. Close to the ceremony venue in the Shaw neighborhood.Well Met Cafe - 4100 Shenandoah AveNeighborhood cafe near the ceremony venue, a few blocks north of Tower Grove Park.Hartford Coffee Company - 3974 Hartford AveOn the other side of the park, another friendly neighborhood coffee shop.Blues City Deli - 2438 McNair AveA Mitch and Katie staple, we eat here at least once a week. The best deli sandwiches in the city, and there is some stiff competition.- Mitch's order: Thunderbird- Katie's order: Garden VeggieTed Drewe's Frozen Custard - 6726 Chippewa StA St. Louis classic for a reason! Make sure you make them hand your concrete to you upside down.

Katie & Mitch