Donald “Trey” Sanders III took Jordan Blase on her very first date – the Chaminade Valentine’s Day Dance dance – when the two St. Louis natives were just teenagers.
But it would be years later before the couple reconnected. College and law school took Trey to Ohio and Michigan, while Jordan moved to the nation’s capital to attend The George Washington University and work in the U.S. Senate.
By 2015, the couple reconnected in St. Louis after they had both moved back to their hometown for jobs – and this time around, Jordan immediately knew Trey was the one. And, as fate would have it, he was on the same page. “When we crossed paths again, we were inseparable, and everything felt perfect,” Trey says. “The two things I remember most are Jordan taking the pepperonis off her Imo’s Pizza and wearing white jeans to go four-wheeling at my farm, which I found very funny.”
Over the next year, the pair’s love continued to blossom. And in June 2016, Trey surprised Jordan with a proposal while on a walk with their new German Shepherd puppy, Jaxx, at Lewis Park in University City. “When we got back to our house, all of our family and friends were over to celebrate,” Jordan says.
As the couple began wedding planning, they knew they wanted family to be the focus – including Jaxx, who also walked down the aisle on the big day.
When it was Jordan’s turn down the aisle, the bride carried precious mementos from her grandparents: “My gram’s jingle bell key chain was on my bouquet, a guitar pick was in my shoe in honor of my grandfather, and I had a sixpence and a handkerchief from Belgium that my mom and grandmother have been saving for a long time,” Jordan explains, adding that the wedding cake topper, which had been used in seven family weddings dating back to her grandparents, also served as a special tribute.
For Trey, the dream day was complete at the top of the ceremony. “Seeing the doors open and seeing how absolutely stunning my soon-to-be wife looked in her wedding dress,” he recalls as a favorite moment. “And the best part of the day was in between the ceremony and the reception, when Jordan and I got to relax in a private room, just the two of us. It helped us catch our breath and soak in the fact that we were finally married!”
As for Jordan, she loved driving to the church in one of her dad’s treasured cars, which was decked out in festive florals. Hearing her dad’s speech, as well as and seeing Trey for the first time as she walked down the aisle, were more of her most memorable moments from the wedding.
The couple loved the roller-coaster ride of planning their perfect day. Trey advises other grooms to go to the meetings with your fiancée with a smile on your face. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and just enjoy it,” he says. Luckily, everything came together as the pair envisioned: “There were no snafus because of our excellent wedding planners [Absolutely IN!],” Jordan says.
Following a fun-filled honeymoon in New Zealand and Fiji – which was a surprise to Jordan until their big day – Trey, who has his own law firm practice, D. H. Sanders, and Jordan, who works at Thompson Street Capital Partners, reside in Olivette.
Details | Jordan & Trey
THE DATE: July 8, 2017
THE BRIDE: Jordan Blase
THE GROOM: Donald Sanders III
THE BRIDE’S PARENTS: Guy and Rebecca Blase
THE BRIDE’S GRANDMOTHER: Dorothy Ellason
THE GROOM’S PARENTS: Don and Cathy Sanders
THE GROOM’S GRANDPARENTS: Janet Sanders, Sarah Arn
THE MAID OF HONOR: Erin Blase
THE BEST MEN: Parker Sanders, Dillon Sanders
THE BRIDESMAIDS: Brittany Verga, Diana Reynolds, John LaBombard, Maria Mahler-Haug, Anamarie Rebori-Simmons, Erin Pfirrman
THE GROOMSMEN: Guy Carter Blase, Matthew Plummer, Nick Buha, Cyril Ryan, Ty King, Donald McCunniff
THE OFFICIANT: The Rev. Dr. Mark P. Thomas
THE CEREMONY: Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church
THE RECEPTION: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis
THE WEDDING DRESS: Custom Rosa Clará of Spain
THE MAKEUP: Christina Passanise
THE HAIR: Annie Heyward with Danielle Style
THE BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: Dessy Group
THE RINGS: Curt Parker Jewelers, Clarkson Jewelers
THE FLORIST: Festive Couture Floral
THE CAKE: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis
THE BAND (MUSIC): Arvell and Co.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Josephine Havlak
THE INVITATIONS: The Service Bureau
THE WEDDING PLANNERS: Ellen Condie and Crystal Prag with Absolutely IN!
