the blog
Scheduling an engagement session is one of the best ways to personally get to know your wedding photographer before your big day. Many of my wedding packages include a complimentary engagement session simple to give us a chance to meet, get you both comfortable in front of the camera, and of course give you guys some cute photos that are a little more laid back. Sofi and Robert chose Shawnee Mission Park for their fall engagement photos. The trees and bright warm colors gave us a ton to work with and really made their session POP!
I photograph at Shawnee Mission Park a lot so each time I try to make my couples session as unique as I possibly can. Luckily the park is so big we never run out of great photo worthy locations.
I was incredibly excited to meet Sofi and Robert for the first time in person. I had been talking with Sofi through instagram for almost a year (!!) She originally reached out when she was living in Colorado and her and Robert weren’t officially engaged yet, but she knew it was coming soon. We instantly clicked and when the time finally came for Robert to propose it truly felt like one of my best friends was getting engaged.
When you first meet Robert and Sofi you can tell right off the bat how in love they are. They are constantly having a blast and making jokes together. I swear we laughed throughout their entire session. By the time I got back in my car I felt like I had been working out my core from laughing so hard for an hour.
I always like to hear my couples tell their love story, I asked Sofi how they met and they met online while they were living in Colorado, but the crazy part is there hometowns (St. Louis and Chicago Area) are only 300 miles a part, so they had to move about 1800 miles away to end up in the same city and meet each other – talk about a coincidence.
I love to know how my couples met but my absolute favorite question to ask is “How/When did they know their partner was THE ONE?” This question always gives a little peek into each of their hearts. Usually their answers are different. Sometimes it’s something simple, or funny, and other times it is a big monumental moment. I asked Sofi and Robert and they both knew the same night. It was the night they met. They drove around in a blizzard to get ice cream and then stayed up talking till 5 in the morning. During those hours of conversations were a million little moments that Sofi was falling in love. Robert was so sure Sofi was the one he even called his mom the next day and told her all about it.
Hearing these love stories is why I love my job SO MUCH. Photography has always been my passion, but making these connections with people and listening to their stories makes it all the more meaningful.
Shawnee Mission Park is perfect for fall engagement photos, it’s really a great option for anytime of year. Check out Jordyn and Austin’s summer couples session.
If you’re getting married look no further for the dream team- for photography fill out my contact form here and for wedding planning and coordinating check out Sofi with Philosofi Celebrations
Choosing to elope instead of having a big wedding is completely a personal preference. Once you and your partner have decided an elopement is the perfect fit for your relationship, how do you even go about planning one? In this post I’m going to share advice from one of my real couples, Loren and Dimitri, on how to elope in Kansas City.
Loren and Dimitri originally started to plan a traditional wedding, but COVID made them change plans. During the pandemic Loren and Dimitri realized what was truly most important to them; spending their lives together, even when the world gets crazy. They didn’t want to wait until the pandemic was over because there really didn’t seem to be an end in sight. They also didn’t want to put any of their family or friends at risk of getting sick. After consideration they realized an elopement was the perfect fit for them, their relationship, and their future together.
Planning an elopement gave them the opportunity to truly focus on themselves and their union instead of being distracted by the other stressors that come along with planning a large traditional wedding.
Loren and Dimitri wanted to keep their elopement as simple as possible. The chose a naturally beautiful location The National WWI museum and Liberty Memorial it was the perfect spot for them because they wanted a clear view of the Kansas City skyline. Once they chose their elopement location the booked two separate rooms at the Weston Hotel, right across the street from the memorial, to get ready in. The only outside help they needed was a professional makeup artist to pamper Loren the day of, their officiant (Loren’s pastor growing up), Me as their photographer (first witness), and a second witness (Their officiant’s wife).
It was simply beautiful. The day of the sun was shinning just before it started to set. Lorena and Dimitri got ready and didn’t see each other until the ceremony began at the base of Liberty Memorial. Their ceremony was heartfelt and personal, as they exchanged rings you could feel the love between them.
After their ceremony we took photos around the memorial to take in the amazing view and document their special day. Just before the sun fully set they called their family and friends to announce their new marriage, (they had kept their elopement a total secret).
Photographing elopements is always such an honor to me, to be able to be there for you on such a special day even when your family isn’t there to witness it. I am so thankful I am able to document these ceremonies, these unions, and be there for my couples as a witness to their marriage.
How to Elope in Kansas City- Advice from the Bride
Do what you want and do not plan too much! You should have a simple idea and schedule of the day, but planning it to the T takes away the fun of it! What worked for us was the simplicity of it all. We stayed at our hotel to prepare, the hotel was extremely close to the Liberty Memorial, we allowed the scenery and skyline to be our decorations, trusted in our pastor for the vows and ceremony, and focused on us. This was a decision that we would absolutely choose again and would recommend others to do as well!
For more elopement and micro wedding inspiration check out Amanda and Joe’s wedding. For more pics including the Kansas City Skyline look through Dakota and Jake’s engagement session.
For all my newly engaged love birds out there I have some helpful advice on ways to ease your way into planning without having to stress…. yet. First things first ask all your guests to please save the date by sending them personalized cards in the mail!
Basic Invite offers over 900 different wedding invitation sets which means that not matter what your wedding style is, they’ll have an invitation that fits your vision. All the wedding stationary you need can be found on one website (hello stress-free!!). They have save the dates, wedding invitations, menus, programs, and even matching thank you cards!
My favorite thing about using Basic Invite is all the ways you can customize your wedding stationary to truly reflect you and your spouses style. They offer almost unlimited color options. So many other websites only give you a few color choices but Basic Invite has over 180 different hues. All of the elements colors are customizable, even down to the last detail.
But the personalization doesn’t stop there; Basic Invite offers over 40 different colors for envelopes! When you ask your guests to please save the date you won’t want any of their envelopes to get lost among their junk mail. Best part? Their envelopes are peel and seal, makes the entire process quick and easy! Plus, no paper cuts on your tongue!
Make your wedding stationary a statement! Standout with a unique envelope and an even more unique card that you helped design yourself.
For all my couples that have already been planning, if your wedding has been affected by COVID-19, have no fear because Basic Invite has tons of adorable change dates to send out. Instead of having to double check that all your guests have seen your facebook post, just pick out a cute card on Basic Invite and send it straight to them. It’s simple and fun! Also your guests get a little bit of mail, and everyone love surprises in the mail!
Whether you’re sending out save the dates, change dates, or full wedding invitations Basic Invite has tons of features that are hard to find on other sites. For instance they offer custom samples which lets you see a printed sample of your invitation and actually get to hold it in your hand before finalizing the design and sending it out to your guests. They also offer free address collection, all you have to do is share a link to your social media or email it out to all your guests, they enter their info and Basic Invite collects their info and will print on the envelopes for free. Super simple and will save you tons of time while wedding planning.
Basic Invite includes so many ways to make sure your wedding stationary matches your theme. They offer customization and personalization to ensure your wedding stationary stands out from the crowd. Check them out on their social media accounts for inspiration and get designing!
Check out more wedding planning tips in my blog
*this post is sponsored by Basic Invite
Cooper and Kala met at veterinary school after a few years of dating they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Cooper wanted to surprise Kala with a special wedding proposal at Peculiar Winery. With a lot of planning he was able to ask Kala to marry him without her suspecting a thing!
Kala thought they were just having a casual summer afternoon with her family. They had stopped at the winery for happy hour before heading to Kansas City Plaza for dinner. Little did she know there was much more planned for the evening.
When they first arrived at the winery they headed out to the patio to enjoy the summer weather. Their families went inside to order drinks. While Cooper and Kala were alone at the table the hostess brought out a bottle of wine. Hiding in the bottom of Kala’s glass was the question of a lifetime and a beautiful ring to match!
Cooper got down on his knee and asked Kala to marry him. She was completely surprised. Tears filled her eyes as she said “Yes!’ and then immediately jumped up and hugged Cooper in excitement. Cooper made sure to hire me to photograph the entire thing, that way Kala will be able to relieve this magical moment over and over again through pictures.
The surprise didn’t end there; all of their family and friends poured out of the winery doors to celebrate with them. The winery’s patio was full of love and happy tears, all for Kala and Cooper.
Planning a surprise wedding proposal at Peculiar Winery is a breeze, the staff is extremely accommodating. They will help make sure your proposal goes off with out a hitch. The winery also has plenty of room for family and friends to join in as well. Not to mention the have the best drinks! They even make the most delicious wine slushies, perfect for a hot summer night.
For more tips on how to plan the perfect wedding proposal click here.
For some people, taking photos at 7am seems crazy. But if you’re willing to get up a little bit earlier, the sun will give you the most amazing light in return. Allison and Todd didn’t have any problem getting up for their maternity session at Shawnee Mission Park. They’re both teachers so they’re used to being up and at em’ before the sun.
The sun was extremely nice to us that Friday morning, we had the most gorgeous golden hour and we were all wrapped up before the summer heat really set in for the day.
Allison and Todd wanted to use the photos from their maternity session at Shawnee Mission Park for their baby announcement. They had been holding onto this secret for a while, once they found out they were having a baby girl they were ready to tell all their friends and family.
We started our session out at the dock, letting the light reflect off the still morning lake. Todd held Allison close and the sun’s warm rays lit up their faces. It truly took “maternity glow” and kicked it up a notch.
After the dock we headed to a big open filled spotted with adorable yellow wildflowers. Allison and Todd brought along their baby girls sonogram and the cutest “baby girl” balloon letters. We took pictures with both and then brought the focus back to just Allison, Todd, and their baby girl.
Maternity sessions are a great way to celebrate a growing family. It’s such an exciting time that should be documented. Photographing the major milestones in peoples lives is what makes my job as a photographer so rewarding. Sharing in these special moments and seeing all joy it brings.
Shawnee Mission Park is such an awesome location for all types of sessions, check out Shawnee Mission Park Couples Photos for other great spots still located in the park.
As the sun was setting over the lake and just starting to hide behind the trees Christina and Nick held each others hands and looked into each others eyes for their sunset couples session at Blue Springs Lake.
This was the second time I’ve gotten the chance to photograph Christina and Nick. Every time I work with them we always have so much fun. They bring ideas to their session and are always down to try new poses.
We keep their sessions full of movement and really focus on their relationship together. I want their photos to always represent them and their love.
For this session they decided to have their photos taken at a lcoation that holds a special place in their heart; Blue Springs Lake. It’s where they had their first date and many many dates after that.
Once Christina and Nick realized how much they love and care for each other they placed a love lock on a stop sign. The sign is on the road right next to the lake, over looking the water. The love lock symbolizes the strength of their love.
Their lock is custom made and engraved with their initials. Every time they go to Blue Springs Lake they are able to visit their lock and reminisce on all of their past amazing dates. They can look back on where their relationship started, how far they’ve come, and plan their future together.
I love when couples choose locations that are sentimental for them and their love story. So many couples don’t have photos of themselves together in places that helped shaped their relationship. The places where couples fell deeply in love with each other.
Christina and Nick will be able to look back at their sunset couples session at Blue Springs Lake for years to come and always remember where their relationship started.
Check out Christina and Nick’s winter session here.
Imagine the perfect summer day; as you step outside the warmth of the sun kisses your cheeks, there is a slight breeze through the trees, and not a cloud in the sky. This was exactly how the weather was for Ann Marie and Jordan’s summer wedding at The Barn at Cricket Creek in Omaha, Arkansas.
Ann Marie were so excited to have an entire day dedicated to their love for each other. It was important to them to get to celebrate with their family and friends. Like most couples; Ann Marie and Jordan were’t party planners, they had never hosted a big party that involved so many little details like a wedding. They needed vendors they could trust and that would help guide them through the wedding planning process.
The key to building your team of vendors for your day is making sure their work matches your vision. They don’t have to have your exact idea in their portfolio, but they should be able to show you examples that are similar or share stories of ways they helped bring their clients ideas to life in the past. Their job is to create your perfect day and help everything run smoothly.
Planning Tip: look at examples of your vendors past work to make sure they can bring your vision to life. Their past work should show that they can listen to their clients and follow through with their ideas.
When Ann Marie and Jordan first contacted me they made it very clear they were looking for a photographer that would help direct them into poses. I made sure to always double check that they were both on the same page; whether that was looking directly at the camera or focusing on each other. My guiding helped ease their nervous which made the whole photo taking process less stressful.
My main priority is to let my couples enjoy their day. Let all the stress just melt away and I’ll take care of the rest. Through out the entire planning process I am available to answer questions, help guide you, and keep the process fun and simple.
“Natalie is a blast to work with, she is there with you all the way. Checking in and providing great insight from her numerous past experiences that help you think of things you may not have otherwise. We love her personality and ability to make the whole process easy.”
-Ann Marie
Ann Marie and Jordan had the perfect summer wedding at the Barn at Cricket Creek. They found vendors that they got along with and that had their best interest in mind.
Check out Mackenzie and Cole’s October wedding at The Barn at Cricket Creek
Vendors:
Bride’s Dress All My Heart Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses Davids Bridal
Groom’s Attire The Bold Bow Tie
Florals Hazel’s Flowers
Jewelry The Rustic Cuff
Rings Burrus Jewelers
Hair Hair Illusions
Makeup Social and Mane Salon
Catering Hog Tide BBQ
Custom Sign Borrowman Boutique
Through out your engagement there will be plenty of opportunities to spoil your besties with the best bridesmaids gifts. You can surprise them when you officially ask them to stand by you on the most important day of your life, hand out goodies at your amazing bachelorette weekend, or make their morning with a special gift on wedding day.
Wether you have two or twelve bridesmaids it can get overwhelming trying to find the perfect present for each member of your girl gang. This is my list of my favorite amazon finds, the best bridesmaids gifts that your friends will actually use and LOVE! What could make this list even better? …. oh yea, all of these gifts are UNDER $25!!!! We can’t all be Ariana Grande, buying matching diamonds for our bffs, but we can spoil them without breaking the bank. All your ladies have different personalities and different interests, this gift guide will have ideas for all your girlies. They may not be alike but one thing they all have in common is being important to you! They are excited to be your go-to gals during this time. Your bridesmaids are ready to celebrate with you no matter what, but it’s always nice to feel appreciated it.
Shower them with love while they help you plan and party during your wedding season.
All items in list are linked to amazon for easy purchasing.
*some images are not mine, they belong to the sellers on Amazon.*
The Best Bridesmaids Gifts (Under $25!!)
the ultimate gift guide
1. Weekend Getaway Bag
This adorable bag comes in three different colors – black, grey, and light pink. It’s perfect for your bachelorette weekend road trip or a classic overnight slumber party.
2. Initial Necklaces
A great way to coordinate the girl gang, there are three colors to choose from gold, rose gold, and silver pick each girls favorite metal and they’ll be sure to keep wearing it even after your wedding.
3. Blue Q socks
These are perfect if your looking for a unique bridesmaid gift. They are so witty, and so fun. Especially if you have some cool, sarcastic friends, they’ll appreciate the not-so-cliche gift.
4.Fuzzy Blanket
The ultimate form of comfort. Who doesn’t love a soft blanket? Also super easy to customize, add their name or nickname for a personal touch.
5. Scrunchies
Trendy, cute, and practical. A whole pack of velvet scrunchies for only $6, even if you don’t want to give these to your bridesmaids, you should at least get them for yourself.
if satin scrunchies are more your thing.
6. Wine Tumblers
These babies come in 25 colors can order in packs of two to save even more money. It’d be so cute to customize with vinyl letters! They could be personalized with everybody’s names, monograms, or “bridesmaid” (Personally I’d use everyones names or monograms because they’ll be more likely to use them longer)
7. Cute Make-Up Bags or Sassy Make-Up Bags
No matter the mood of your group, everyone will have lots of tiny items while getting ready. Use these bags for make-up or jewelry so nothing gets misplaced.
8. Bluetooth Speaker
This speaker comes in four different colors, it’s definitely tiny but seriously mighty, it’s even water proof. Blast your fav songs to keep the party going wherever you are.
9. Scented Candles
Who doesn’t love candles?!? If your friends are like mine, we spend wayyy more than we’d like to admit on candles. It’s always so much better to receive them as gifts. This is another great way to match a gift to each girl individually. There are tons of scents an they all come in adorable tin jars. Super easy to find the perfect one for each of your bffs.
10. Bandanas
Classic yet hip. Perfect for a bach party bar crawl or beach day. There are so many different ways to wear bandanas. You can get all the same color or switch it up. These would also be super easy to personalize.
You could make them even more trendy by adding a little tie dye. Buy a pack of white bandanas and use your fav colors.
11. Face Masks
A little relaxing treat for all their hard work.
12.Satin Robes
Would this even be a bridesmaid gift guide if I didn’t include satin robes for getting ready? These are a stellar affordable options and they come in 9 different colors.
All of these gifts will help show your bridal party how much you appreciate and love them.
For more wedding advice be sure to check out more on my blog and follow me on instagram @natalie.nichole.photos
If you want amazing photos of you and your besties on your wedding day or at your bachelorette party contact me here and lets get this PARTY STARTED!
There are tons of things to consider when you start looking for your wedding photographer. As a Kansas City wedding photographer here are the essential questions to ask your wedding photographer.
How would you describe your photography style?
I personally describe my editing style as “true to color”. I want your images to be a reflection of what your wedding day actually looked like. When you open up your gallery the photos should inspire you to relive your day all over again.
My shooting style is a mix between poses, promts, and candids. I love to be a fly on the wall during intimate moments to capture your emotions without even noticing I’m there, but I also know how important traditional posed photographs are (everyones Grandma cherishes a pic of their grandkids facing the camera and smiling for their refrigerator!) Let’s get the best of both worlds and mix it all together. This will give you a wide range of photos to choose from and a variety throughout your wedding gallery.
How long have you been working as a professional photographer?
This year (2020) will be my second official year as a professional wedding photographer. I’ve started taking pictures and learning how to use a camera back in high school. Right before college I realized how big of a passion it was for me so I decided to study the art of photography at Missouri State University. In 2019 I graduated from Missouri State with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography and a minor in art history. Throughout all those years I had been photographing all sorts of things until my heart found weddings early on in 2019.
What type of equipment do you use?
Currently I’m using two canon 5D Mark IV bodies.
What if you have an issue with your gear?
This is the advantage of shooting with two camera bodies because I already have a backup on hand ready to go!
If both my cameras are having issues I typically bring my older camera a canon 70D as an additional backup.
What’s your backup system?
Right when I leave a wedding, (sometimes at the reception before I leave a wedding) I immediately upload all my images to an external hard drive. Then as I’m edited the images are constantly backed up to my cloud storage system, I use Backblaze. The final images are then kept on the external drives, backed up to cloud storage, and stored on your personal online gallery.
- Original files on SD/CF cards
- Original files backed up on external drive
- Original files backed up to cloud storage
- Final images on external drive
- Final images backed up to cloud storage
- Final images uploaded to online gallery
Have you ever shot at our wedding venue?
If I haven’t shot at your venue before I will gladly go on a tour with you for any venues in the Kansas City area! If your venue is further away and we aren’t able to tour ahead of time, I can assure you that I am fully capable of all lighting situations and will come fully prepared! I’ll also arrive early the day of and explore all our options and locations within the venue.
How do you handle difficult lighting situations?
There are so many ways to work around difficult light! Between school and my education from additional lighting courses I have learned many tips to work with light. I have an understanding of how light works and how to work with what we have! Sometimes it’s as simple as twisting one way or another to find the most flattering light. Trust me! -I got your back. You’ll look good I promise.
Do you have a portfolio we can review?
YES!! There are images on my website and my blog. I would also love to send you some full wedding galleries so you can get an idea of a full day! -Just send me a quick email and I’ll get those galleries to your inbox ASAP.
Do you offer different packages?
Absolutely. Every wedding day is unique which means your photography needs will be different. To take care of each of my couples I create custom packages for them. You guys will get to enjoy your day stress-free, knowing that I have the photography part covered!
How long until I get my final images back? How many images will be included?
First thing you’ll receive from me after your wedding day will be a sneak peek of images within 48 hours! A little taste of the day. Then you’ll receive your final gallery within 3-6 weeks after your wedding. The size of your gallery will depend on the amount of coverage you booked- typically it averages about 100 images an hour. BUT! I never withhold amazing images. You’ll receive edits of everything besides blinks, blurrys, and duplicates.
Do I get a print release? How can I order prints/albums?
Yes you have printing rights for personal use! You’ll also be able to order professional quality prints directly through your personal online gallery. If you are interested in an album please let me know, I will help you with choosing your album and designing it.
If our event lasts longer than expected, will you stay? Is there an additional charge?
If the event goes longer than expected I can definitely stay! I won’t leave before all the magic is over. If we need to add on additional coverage time it will be an additional $200 an hour for just me to stay or $250 for me and a second photographer to stay. You will be invoiced a few days after your wedding, you will not receive your final gallery until it has been paid.
Will you be photographing other events on the same day as our wedding?
Nope! Your wedding will be the only event that day!
What happens if you are ill, or there is an emergency?
Ugghh hopefully this never never ever happens… but if something happens and I can not cover your wedding my second photographer will take over as the lead or I will find another trusted photographer in the Kansas City area (I have a lovely network of amazing photographers that I trust completely!) They will cover your day, deliver the images to me and I will edit them and deliver your final gallery as planned.
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes! My business is insured by State Farm. I have up to 1,000,000 in liability insurance.
Can you share some recent testimonials?
Of course! Please check out My google business page for the most current reviews.
If you have any other questions I am happy to answer! Contact me here
If you opt in for a elopement at the courthouse this blog post is for you! Plan with these Kansas City courthouse wedding pro-tips in mind.
Make Your Appointment
Be sure to call your local courthouse to make your appointment. My KC people; I went ahead and found the phone numbers for you for both sides of the state line – Jackson County (MO) (816-881-3191) and Johnson County (KS) (913-715-3428).
Get Your Marriage License
Depending on which courthouse you go to you might need to apply for your marriage license ahead of time. Double check all the requirments on the county government websites – Jackson County (MO) and Johnson County (KS)
Decide Who Will Officiate
When getting married at a courthouse you have the option of having a Justice of the Peace or a Judge preform the ceremony, but you also have the option of bringing in your own private officiant.
Pro-Tip: If you bring in your own private officiant choose someone that is special to you and your soon to be spouse. Possibly an official from your church or a close friend that can become an officiant for the day.
Hire Your Photographer
Even if your wedding will be on the more simple side your photos can still be EPIC.
PRO-TIP: You don’t have to only stick around the courthouse for your photos! There might be some hidden gems a couple blocks away or hire your photographer for some additional hours and somewhere with a breathtaking view.
to hire Natalie Nichole Photography please fill out my contact form here or at the bottom of this page.
Week Day ceremonies = $500
-an hour of coverage
-sneak peek photos the same day
-50+ final images delivered 3-5 weeks after your wedding
Weekend ceremonies (Nov-Feb) =$700
-two hours of coverage
-sneak peek photos the same day
-50+ final images delivered 3-5 weeks after your wedding
additional hours can be added on to any package.
Hire Professional Hair and Make Up
Hiring professional hair and makeup is a great way to pamper yourself before your ceremony. You’ll be able to look your best without all the stress of having to do it yourself.
Pro-Tip: Make sure you have a hair and make up trial with your beauty team, you want to make sure the look still feels like you and sometimes the best way to know is to take it for a test run!
Flowers are Always a Good Idea
If you love flowers don’t forget to bring some for your special day! You can get a gorgeous bouquet from a local florist with all your favorites.
Pro-Tip: If you don’t feel like carrying around a bouquet as a florist for some little blooms to add to your hair. All the flowers with less hassle.
Add a Personal Touch to the Day
Add a little something that truly reflects you two as a couple. Some ideas; bring a special getaway car or motorcycle for after the ceremony, grab something to eat afterwards at your favorite restaurant, or have your closest friends and family waiting at the next location ready to celebrate your new marriage with you!
Pro-Tip: Keep your photographer around for the special events- you’ll want to look back on those memories.
Keep these Kansas City courthouse wedding pro-tips in the back of your mind while you plan your special day.
Not wanting to elope at the courthouse but still want to keep it low key? – here’s how to plan a simple wedding
