Sophia & Christopher’s Pride and Prejudice-Inspired Wedding at Chateau on the Lake

Author: Natali Grace Levine
Wedding date: 10/12/2025
City: St. Louis

Love Story

It all started at a worship night. "CJ and I met when he invited my churches young adult group to attend a worship night he was leading!" Sophia remembers. "We spoke briefly at a group dinner, then I didn’t attend another worship night for 8 months or so." When she finally came back with a friend, something shifted over dinner. The following week, Christopher found her on Instagram and sent a DM while she was traveling in Rhode Island. "Upon landing back home, he called me and asked to go to dinner and clarified (because I'm clueless) that he wanted to take me on a date."

August 16, 2023—that first date changed everything. A week later, they were officially exclusive, and two years later, they were saying "I do."
Christopher's proposal was perfectly him—completely unexpected. "He shocked me and did it the only way he could,where I would not suspect," Sophia says. What looked like a regular night of Chick-fil-A and Friday Night Lights turned into so much more. "He kept asking me to help him find something after a while, to which I replied, 'the kitchen is very small, what can you not find!' I eventually got up, went into the kitchen, and he..." Well, you know how that story ends.

About Your Wedding

Six months of planning brought 65 of their favorite people to Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri, and Chateau on the Lake in Branson for a celebration that felt both intentional and effortless. "We wanted it to feel romantic, moody, and intimate," Sophia explains. "We wanted our guests to meet each other and speak over the best tool in the world—Food! Think Pride and Prejudice meets European countryside!"

Deep espresso brown mixed with moss and olive green, all softened with ivory. "We used a deep brown to match the multiple greens that we wanted," Sophia says. "Using different textures in our linens and mixing metals gave our wedding an organic and beautiful feel."

But what mattered most went beyond the pretty details. "The biggest moment I wanted to create was a feeling of family and community," Sophia shares. "Doing family style dinner was a MUST for me, and I was willing to find a venue/catering team that would accommodate before I settled!"

Morning Details

The rings came with their own sweet story. "We both wanted simple but stand out," Sophia reveals. "We chose for each other and didn't allow the other person to see until it arrived! This gave us small moments through the process that we truly looked forward to!"

Sophia wore pieces that connected generations: “I wore a tennis bracelet given to my mother by my father, my necklace came from CJ the morning of the wedding, and I held CJ's grandmother's rings in memorial on my bouquet.”

All the day-of stationery—menus, chair ribbons with names, bar signs, table numbers—Sophia designed and made herself. "All of these were designed and made by myself! Of course, with inspo from TikTok," she laughs.

Bride Getting Ready

The dress hunt took her through two stores and somewhere between 8 and 12 gowns before she found it—a stunner from Something You's exclusive collection at Something You Bridal. "I knew I'd need some time for the dream one to come in, so I was on a time crunch," she explains. "Truly, the dress was stunning, but Darlene, who did the alterations, made the dress mine!"

At their Airbnb, Sophia got ready with her mom and bridesmaids, adding her veil, shoes, sleeves, and meaningful jewelry to complete the look. For her bouquet, she handed the reins to a true artist. "I truly gave our florist our vision and trusted her! Brittany with The Flower Slinger is a genius, and I could sing their praises all day," she gushes. "I specifically asked for white, greens, and browns with roses, and amaranthus! I did not want anything too structured, and she delivered!"

Her bridesmaids? "I let them choose their dresses," Sophia says—because when you love people, you let them be themselves.

Ceremony

The Chapel of the Ozarks at Top of the Rock set the scene. As "The Olive Grove" by Stefani Gretzinger played, Sophia walked toward her future with Christopher. “I was overwhelmed with joy and contentment as I knew I was marrying my best friend!” she shares. Her maid of honor's twin girls, Lila and Sawyer, scattered petals as flower girls. Her bridesmaid's son, Miles, carried the rings like the important job it was.

Then came the moment that still makes Sophia's voice catch. "We did communion! We wanted to seal our union in covenant with Christ," she explains. Her stepfather led the communion using her late father's Bible. "I felt I had all the most important men in my life surrounding me in that moment, and it was truly unforgettable!"

And then—husband and wife. Finally.

Photoshoot After The Ceremony

More photos were taken at both the Chapel of the Ozarks at Top of the Rock and Chateau on the Lake, taking advantage of the Ozarks' natural beauty and that perfect light hitting the water. “It was just stunning views! You can’t beat the view overlooking the lake!”

Wedding Venue & Decor

"We toured several venues, and since I was familiar with most, we had it narrowed down," Sophia recalls. "Ultimately, Christopher fell in love with the chapel, and so we decided to find a reception venue based on that!"

The Flower Slinger's work tied everything together. "The floral meadow made by The Flower Slinger was the cherry on top," Sophia says. "Really tying in all elements we desired to create our vision." They personalized chair ribbons with each guest's name and even made matching sweatshirts for their exit to Silver Dollar City later that night—because why should the fun stop at the reception?

Reception

Chateau on the Lake became their dining room for the evening, with family-style service that actually got people talking to each other. Their first dance to "It's Been a Long Long Time" by Harry James and Kitty Kallen felt like stepping into another era. Sophia also danced with her mother—"to honor her for all her sacrifice and strength in my life." Not a dry eye in the house.

"We served several entrees and sides in order to accommodate the varying food requirements by our guests," Sophia explains. "But the most special items were the cakes made by Christopher’s sister, Virginia!"

"I chose vendors based on my experience in wedding coordination and working with them," Sophia notes. "Every vendor was hand-picked and thought through, and we knew they'd deliver the best wedding day we could ever ask for."