Weddingbee Blog

Since the moment Mr. A and I got engaged, we have been racking our brains to find the perfect rehearsal dinner venue. Now, to most couples, this is probably the least of their worries, but we really wanted to find a spot that is unique and/or different, and something very “St. Louis”. There are a lot of places in town where many couples have their rehearsal dinners, but we were looking for something unique.

Choice #1:
The first and obvious choice for us was Sage.

Image courtesy of Sage

This particular restaurant is a big favorite of mine and Mr. Argyle’s. And, a big plus? They have a large private space on their second level, which is devoted entirely to private events. We loved the idea that we would sort of have our own little party area. Sage was opened a few years ago in the historic Soulard neighborhood in downtown Saint Louis. It looks over the same location where Lynch Street Bistro was housed. The restaurant is literally a 5 minute walk from the front doors of the Anheuser-Busch Tour Center (and, you can trust me—I used to be a tour guide there).

And, on to the food. Oh, man is the food good. It’s pretty American, but they really try to keep it seasonal and local (big bonus). Not to mention, Mr. Argyle loves their chili and tuna, and I’m quite fond of their pulled pork sandwich and Amber Bock onion rings. Now, if I only had pictures to share, because they would so make you hungry. The lunch and dinner menu, although not huge, is filled with deliciousness. As for dessert, they offer little dessert shots. My favorite? Pumpkin gooey butter cake (and for you non-Saint Louisans, here is a little background on Gooey Butter Cake, only one of the best desserts ever).

Choice #2:

Lucas Park Grille. We originally considered this one as one of our top choices, but quickly nixed it considering their dinner menu can be a bit pricey. And, considering all of the fiance’s family and most of his friends would be traveling, our rehearsal dinner guest list is a tad larger than normal. We put this one on the back burner, until not too long ago when I decided to bite the bullet and ask about their availability, and private event menu and capacity. One of the bonuses for this restaurant is its location—it’s down the street from our reception venue, which means it’s only about 4 miles from each of the hotels we picked. The downside? Washington Ave. gets pretty busy on the weekends, making the parking situation less-than-ideal.

Choice #3:

The last choice? Canyon Cafe. While it is a local restaurant, there are a few around the U.S. (so some of you may have eaten there before). They serve a great menu of Southwestern food. AND they have some of the best margaritas – so much so, that they limit you two 2, they’re that good (and that heavy on the alcohol). This place is practically a staple on the list of places my college girlfriends and I meet up at. The best part? They have a little room you can use for parties, which was a must-have when choosing our rehearsal dinner locale. The only problem was that it wasn’t so close to the hotels we chose.

The Decision?

Image courtesy of Lucas Park Grille

As luck would have it – they can definitely hold all of us AND it turns out that their private event menu is beyond reasonable (and includes dessert). Plus, they have valet parking, which will make everyone’s lives a tad easier.

It makes me hungry just thinking about this.

Was it important to give your guests a bit of local flavor for your rehearsal dinner? What aspect of your RD  gives it a local flare?