A Modern Westwind Hills Wedding with Editorial Wedding Photography

Morgan and Zach’s Westwind Hills wedding was such a good example of how you really don’t need to overdo a space that already has so much going for it. Their day was classic and simple with soft pink florals, neutral tones, and so many personal details throughout. And while the overall design was beautiful, what made it even better was knowing how much of it Morgan’s mom planned, thrifted, and put together herself. From their rehearsal dinner the night before all the way through the reception, there were so many little pieces of this weekend that actually meant something to them!

Starting the Wedding Weekend with Their Rehearsal Dinner

I love when I get to photograph more than just the wedding day, and Morgan and Zach’s rehearsal dinner is exactly why. It gave me a chance to document everyone hanging out and catching up before the actual wedding-day schedule started. Their dinner was outdoors with long tables, simple pink and white florals, and everyone just enjoying the evening together.

This is something I would honestly love to do for more of my couples! Having your photographer there for the rehearsal dinner means your gallery tells more of the story of your wedding weekend, not just the big moments on the wedding day. Plus, by the next morning, I’ve already spent time around your closest people, which makes everything feel that much more comfortable.

Getting Ready at Westwind Hills

One of my favorite things about photographing a Westwind Hills wedding is how good the indoor spaces are. There is beautiful light throughout the venue, and the white walls and ceilings make my job pretty easy! Morgan got ready with her bridesmaids and family, and we were able to use the space for everything from the more traditional group photos to the quieter moments of her mom helping her get dressed.

Morgan and Zach also did their first look inside the ceremony space, which I loved. The huge windows, light wood floors, and neutral interior give us so much room to create without needing a complicated setup. It photographs beautifully as-is and still leaves plenty of room to make the photos feel a little more editorial.

Planning Portraits for a Westwind Hills Wedding

Westwind Hills doesn’t have a ton of shade outside, which is something I always keep in mind when building a photography timeline here. If you’re getting married between May and October, I usually recommend keeping a good portion of your earlier portraits indoors and saving more of the outdoor photos for later in the day. I love direct sun when it works for the location, but because of how this venue is positioned, waiting until closer to sunset gives us much more flexibility with the light.

And honestly, most couples want to use the indoor spaces anyway! Morgan and Zach were able to get plenty of variety between the bright interiors, the front of the venue, and the open grassy areas once the light softened. It gave their gallery that clean, editorial feel without spending the entire day chasing portraits.

A Ceremony Space That Really Doesn’t Need Much

There’s a reason so many couples choose to have their ceremony inside at Westwind Hills year-round. The ceremony space is stunning completely on its own. Morgan and Zach kept everything fairly minimal with pink and white florals, clear chairs, and arrangements lining the aisle. The large windows and neutral backdrop did the rest.

That’s one of my favorite things about this venue in general. It’s beautiful without anything in it, but it’s also basically the perfect blank slate. You can keep things simple like Morgan and Zach did or completely transform it with a more elaborate design. Either way, the architecture still gets to be part of the look of the day.

The Personal Details That Made Their Day Theirs

Some of my favorite details from this wedding weren’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive ones. Morgan’s mom put so much work into the day, including planning, decorating, and thrifting pieces for the wedding. Even their cake was made by her! Morgan and Zach had gone to multiple tastings but couldn’t find anything they liked as much as the cake her mom makes, so that ended up being the obvious choice.

Their guest book was another favorite. Instead of a traditional book, guests wrote messages on fabric squares. Morgan’s mom is going to embroider their words onto the squares and turn everything into a quilt for them. It’s such a personal idea and something they’ll actually get to keep and use long after the wedding.

Want Your Wedding Photos to Feel Like This? Let’s Chat!

Sarah Kellie | St. Louis Wedding Photographer

For me, editorial wedding photography doesn’t mean turning your entire wedding into a styled shoot. Morgan and Zach’s gallery has the cleaner, more intentional portraits and detail photos mixed right in with hugs at the rehearsal dinner, getting ready with family, their ceremony, and everything actually happening around them. Westwind Hills gives us a really good backdrop for that balance. There’s great light indoors, plenty of clean and neutral spaces to work with, and room to create without needing to pull you away from your wedding for hours. If you’re planning a Westwind Hills wedding and want photos that feel polished and editorial while still documenting what the day actually felt like, I’d love to photograph it. If you want to learn more about me and what I do, click here. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Vendors

Venue: @westwind_hills
Coordinating: @coordinatingwithcatherine
Photo: @weddingsby.sarah
Video: @moonandbackvideoco
Catering: @grazecatering
Florist: @carleyjeansfloral
HMU: @staceykartistry @stlgabriella
Dress: @cleobridal

Rehearsal Dinner Restaurant: Gio Modern Italian