Sheldon Vol2 PINK

hen Rebecca and Jason Belval planned their wedding, they went all-in on a classic, St. Louis- style theme—a brick-laden church for the ceremony, then-sunny Forest Park for pictures and a timeless reception at The Sheldon’s Konneker Room. Although when it came to reception time, there was one aspect they hadn’t planned: a very sudden, and very St. Louis, tornado warning. As Rebecca and Jason were mingling with guests, the DJ announced for everyone to take shelter in the basement for safety. So the music was cut, and the bride and groom, their guests and The Sheldon staff made their way downstairs right in the middle of dinner. “But what's a St. Louis wedding without a tornado?” the couple said to each other. The change of locale didn’t keep the merriment at bay for long. “We couldn't have planned it better ourselves,” Rebecca said. “The staff started serving water and wine, and bringing out chairs for those who needed them. The cherry on top was thatThe Westerlies, a brass quartet that had been scheduled to perform in the concert hall that evening, brought their instruments to the basement and did an impromptu concert for all of us.” As the storm passed through, the reception continued safely in the basement, with one main stressor in Rebecca’s mind. “Her only worry during the whole event was that the windows might get blown out and ruin the wedding cake,” Jason said. We’re happy to report the windows—and the cake— turned out just fine. The storm blew over without further interrupting the reception, and the Belval party was able to continue celebrating where it all began: in the beloved Konneker Room. “We were so happy and thrilled to spend time with everyone,” Rebecca and Jason said. “Our DJ and The Sheldon staff were hugely helpful, and were right there alongside us the whole time. There was a real sense of camaraderie.” The Belvals walked away from their reception with some unexpected, but thankfully happy, memories—including a new outlook on their marriage to come. As some of their guests told them at the end of the night, “If rain is good luck at a wedding, a tornado must be great luck.” 31 VOLUME Art that Takes Up Space