Erika Rene Photography- St. Louis Wedding and Senior Portrait Photographer

06/03/2026

I absolutely love weddings! I love my couples and their people, their story, their vision, and every beautiful detail from the dress to the invitation suite to the tablescapes!

I love the emotion, the celebration, and all of the beauty that makes a wedding day feel unlike any other day on earth.

Beauty matters because God created beauty, and wedding days are filled with it.

BUT…

As much as I love every beautiful detail, none of them are the reason I love weddings so deeply.

At the center of every wedding day is something far more valuable than the flowers, the dress, the venue, or even the photographs….

At the center of every wedding day is a covenant…

A man and a woman standing before God and promising their lives to one another.

Marriage was created by God and was His idea from the very beginning. I believe it is one of His greatest gifts. And I believe every wedding day points us toward an even greater love story: Christ and His church.

That is why I love what I do.

Yes, I love creating beautiful images.

Yes, I love the artistry.

But I also love having a front-row seat to one of the most meaningful moments in a couple’s life.

These images were captured at Romaine Valley, one of St. Louis’ newest wedding venues, and it is absolutely stunning! The light is incredible throughout the property, the bridal suite is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, the chapel is gorgeous, the reception space is stunning, and there are countless beautiful locations for portraits.

Most of all, I love that it is a place where beautiful beginnings are celebrated and sacred promises are made before the Lord.

Venue:
Coordinator:
Florist:
Gowns:
Glam: .llc
Getting ready outfit:
Gown prep and steaming:
Couple Model:
Tablescape:
Cake:
Painter: .elysia.king

06/02/2026

Some wedding details simply feel like art.

Soft lavender. Garden roses. Delicate florals. Hand-painted details. An invitation suite designed with intention and beauty in every element.

One of my favorite things about wedding days is watching a couple’s vision come to life through the little things. The details that seem small often become some of the most treasured images years later because they tell the story of the day before a single word is spoken or a single step is taken down the aisle.

As a wedding photographer, I am always looking for beauty, texture, color, and meaning. The invitation suite. The heirloom jewelry. The flowers carefully chosen months before the wedding day. These details become part of a couple’s legacy, preserving not only how their wedding looked, but how it felt.

In many ways, these photographs become the opening pages of a wedding album. They anchor the story. Before the vows, before the first kiss, before the celebration, there were months of dreaming, planning, designing, and creating. These images honor that part of the journey too.

This pastel palette had me completely smitten. The soft lavender paired with blush peonies created the most romantic and editorial-inspired design.

And a special thank you to Grown By Love for providing the beautiful blooms that helped bring this vision to life. Florists who provide styling blooms give photographers like me the opportunity to create images like these, and I am always incredibly grateful for the artistry, generosity, and beauty they bring to a wedding day.

If you’re planning a wedding and wondering whether details matter, I promise they do. They become the opening chapter of your wedding story.

Venue:
Coordinator:
Florist:
Gowns:
Shoes:
Perfume:
Glam: .llc
Getting ready outfit:
Gown prep and steaming:
Tablescape:
Cake:
Painter: .elysia.king

06/01/2026

One of my greatest joys as a wedding photographer is helping a woman see herself the way the people who love her see her.

Every bride deserves to feel beautiful on her wedding day. Not because of a dress, a venue, or perfect hair and makeup, but because she is stepping into one of the most meaningful days of her life surrounded by the people she loves most.

Yes, I love gorgeous details. I literally jump up and down in excitement over beautiful light and amazing composition, beautiful florals, and breathtaking venues. I love creating art for my couples. But what I love most is watching a bride’s confidence grow throughout the day. Seeing her relax. Seeing her realize she doesn’t have to perform for the camera. Seeing her feel radiant, cherished, and completely herself, and overflowing with joy.

I truly believe the Lord has called me to love people extravagantly and to put beauty into the world. Wedding photography allows me to do both. It gives me the privilege of serving incredible couples while preserving the moments they’ll treasure for generations.

These bridal portraits from Romaine Valley are some of my favorites from last week’s styled shoot. This stunning new St. Louis venue is elegant, romantic, and filled with beautiful light at every turn.

If you’re planning a wedding at Romaine Valley, I’d love to hear your vision and help bring it to life!

Venue:
Coordinator:
Florist:
Gowns:
Glam: .llc
Getting ready outfit:
Gown prep and steaming:
Couple Model:
Solo Model:
Tablescape:
Cake:
Painter: .elysia.king

04/30/2026

There is no part of a wedding day that I don’t LOVE!

Some photographers have a favorite. Portraits. Candids. Details.

I truly love it all!

But when it comes to your details, I want you to know this matters deeply to me. Every piece you choose has a purpose. Every texture, every bloom, every element is part of a vision you have spent months bringing to life. That is never lost on me.

I intentionally work with your planner to build space into your timeline so these details can be captured with care. Not rushed. Not overlooked. Photographed in a way that honors the beauty and intention behind them.

What an honor it was to be chosen by this incredible mother and daughter florist team to photograph their vision for this editorial.

Editorials are special to me for so many reasons. They allow me to slow down, to be thoughtful, to create with intention. They also give my future couples a glimpse into what is possible.

But what I love most is the people.

When I help guide my couples in building their vendor team, talent is a given. Of course you want exceptional work.

But what matters most is heart.

You deserve a team of artists who care deeply. Who serve you well. Who collaborate beautifully. Who are just as invested in your experience as they are in the final result.

I have worked with some truly incredible florists, and Jillian and Angie, the owners of , are among the very best.

It was an absolute joy to photograph their vision, and I am so excited to share it with you!

Host and Florist:
Venue:

04/29/2026

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE being a wedding photographer! I LOVE the people I serve, I LOVE creating art for them while being entrusted to capture such a special day, and I LOVE it more with each wedding I photograph.

However, not every wedding day gives you the freedom to slow down and create like this. Oh believe me, I WILL create on your wedding day, but I will not treat your wedding day like a photoshoot. Because it isn’t.

That is why I also love editorials/styled shoots.

It is the space to be intentional. To study the light, refine the composition, and photograph every detail exactly the way it deserves to be seen. No rush, no pressure, just creating with purpose.

This entire design was built around softness and structure. Clean ivory tones layered with fresh greens, delicate florals, warm candlelight, and just enough gold to bring everything to life. Every element working together instead of competing for attention.

And then stepping into it with a couple who made everything feel effortless. Nothing forced, nothing overdone. Just quiet connection and movement that translated beautifully through the frame.

This is the level I am always aiming for. Whether it is a wedding day or a fully designed shoot, the goal is the same. To create something that feels refined, intentional, and real.

Thank you to Jillian and Angie of for inviting me to capture this amazing vision! I loved everything about this day and am so honored to have been a part of it!

Venue:
Host and Florist:
Dresses:
Hair and makeup:
Bride and groom: .r.mueller and .kretzer7

04/21/2026

For the past 90 days, I’ve been building something with intention.

Over 30 curated Pinterest boards
2,000+ refined images
18 luxury wedding venue guides across the country

Every piece created to help my couples step into a wedding experience that feels elevated, seamless, and deeply personal.

This level of detail doesn’t happen by accident. It takes vision, discipline, and a commitment to creating something that lasts beyond the wedding day itself.

And through all of it, the Lord has been faithful. He has sustained me, strengthened me, and given me what I did not have on my own.

I don’t take that lightly.

If you’re planning a wedding and care about legacy, beauty, and an experience that is thoughtfully crafted from beginning to end, this is for you.

You can explore it here:
https://pin.it/10f3cE5tE

And if you know a bride who would value this level of intention, feel free to share it with her.

Erika Rene Photography | St. Louis Christian Wedding Photographer | Luxury wedding photographer serving refined, detail-loving couples who value artistry, legacy, and meaningful storytelling. I create romantic, editorial imagery with an elevated, fine-art aesthetic for weddings across St. Louis, the...

04/09/2026

Whoever said your wedding dress needs to be white?!

With a dress like this pink phenomenon and this bridal suite at The Estate at Washington fit for a queen, I truly could have stayed in this room all day creating.

The chandelier, the drapery, the bed, the texture of this gown… every single frame felt like pure magic.

This is exactly why I love a stunning bridal suite. It turns getting ready portraits into some of the most editorial, romantic images of the entire wedding day.

04/08/2026

There’s something about a space like Ivy Rose Barn that makes it so easy to imagine the kind of wedding day every couple longs for.

Beauty all around them.
Room to breathe.
Space to be fully present with the people they love most.

And that’s what I kept coming back to while photographing this editorial.

Yes, I love the light.
Yes, I love the way this venue photographs.
But what I love most will always be what my couples get to feel inside a space like this.

Peace instead of pressure.
Joy instead of performance.
A wedding day that feels like they actually got to live it.

I care so deeply about giving my couples that kind of experience, one where they feel taken care of, gently led, and free to stay rooted in what matters most.

To me, that kind of service is part of the way the Lord has shaped my heart for this work. Not just creating beautiful images, but loving people well through the way I serve them on one of the most meaningful days of their lives.

This Ivy Rose Barn editorial felt like such a beautiful glimpse of what that could look like here one day, and I sincerely look forward to photographing many weddings here in the future!

Host:
Planning:
Assistant Planners: , ,
Venue:
Hair: .lorson
Makeup:
Florals: Intrigue Insider team lead by ,
Plants:
Stationery: .limbo
Cake:
Rentals:
Linens:
Wedding Gown:
Menswear:
Bridal Accessories:
Styling Mats:
Models: , , .clecticsoul

04/08/2026

Some wedding venues are simply beautiful. Others become part of your family’s legacy.

The Estate Washington is the kind of place meant for a full wedding weekend, where luxury and meaning live side by side. Slow mornings with your closest people, candlelit conversations that stretch late into the night, elegant spaces that invite everyone to gather, and a setting that turns every shared moment into part of the story your family will remember for generations.

It is not just about the wedding day. It is about presence, time, and the rare gift of having the people you love most fully together in one extraordinary place to celebrate the beginning of your marriage covenant.

For couples who value legacy, connection, and an elevated experience that feels as meaningful as it is beautiful, The Estate Washington offers the kind of weekend your family will talk about for years.

04/07/2026

How very very precious and oh so special to be chosen to photograph the brother and his precious Fiance of one of my former brides! I don’t take anyone choosing me to capture their engagement and wedding lightly. It’s a sacred honor and one I am dedicated to doing justice to in every way humanly possible (and for what is not humanly possible, I am leaning on the Lord the entire time to help me give my couples what only He can!) But for multiple members of the same family to choose me? This is the first time of getting THIS kind of privilege and words can’t even begin to express how grateful and excited I am!

Alex and Georgie are so precious and absolutely adorable….so kind, compassionate, hard working, generous, and some of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. These beautiful pink blooms in the Missouri Botanical Garden came and went SO fast this year!! They are the only couple who has THIS particular scene with THESE incredible blooms from me in their engagement photos!

The Missouri Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places ever! You can find beauty there during any time I’d year. But I’ve got to say, my favorite is the spring because nothing makes me happier as a photographer than the beauty of spring blooms!

We had such a blast at Alex and Georgie’s engagement session and I can’t wait for their wedding this December!