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Kansas City is full of gorgeous locations to propose to the love of your life. Jackson planned his proposal at the WWI memorial in Kansas City.
Jackson wanted to fully surprise Kiley so he needed a little help. He reached out to me a couple weeks before and asked me to help him plan it so it went smoothly and to photograph it when the time finally came. I was absolutely thrilled to do both!! It’s so fun to photograph a couple at the very beginning of their engagement all the way up wedding day and beyond.
I was so happy Jackson reached out when he did because we are getting close to one of the most popular times of the year for marriage proposals.
The most POPULAR time for proposals
There are two times through out the year that your Instagram feed is more likely to be full of “I said yes!” And “pop the champagne I’m changing my last name!” posts.
The holidays❄️; between November and the new year, and a few spread out till Valentine’s Day.
A great way to celebrate with the whole family!
And
SUMMER time☀️; June through August. There’s more time in the day, people are naturally more relaxed and happy.
With temperatures rising and the rain finally leaving the forecast we are getting closer to summer with each day.
Jackson planned his proposal at the WWI memorial in Kansas City. Kansas City has so many beautiful places to propose including; The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Loose Park Rose Garden, Union Station, Crown Center, or The Plaza.
If you’re planning a proposal for the upcoming months reach out and let’s get it all worked out! It can be overwhelming trying to coordinate everything but I’m here to help!!
And you’ll even have photos of your partners reaction 🥰
For more tips on planning a proposal check out my blog Planning the Perfect Proposal in 5 easy steps
As a Kansas City wedding photographer, I get asked all the time how couples can personalize their sessions to represent their relationship best! I’m here to give you my best tips to make your engagement session super personal.
A majority of my wedding packages include an engagement session so that I can meet my couples and they can have a little practice in front of the camera. Once we start the planning process I usually get the same question, and the answer is actually super simple!!
The conversation usually goes like this;
My couple: “How can we make our engagement session feel more… like “us”?? “
My cheesy answer: JUST BE YOU! ✨
My couple: “But like how?! “
📸 Easy- it all starts with the location. Pick a spot that you love or that means something to you!
How to make your engagement session super personal – location. location. location.
Think back to your first date, or the trail you always walk on, or a well known landmark in your city, or maybe your favorite ice cream place, or that cute park you always drive by.
There are tons of options and a good photographer can make any location work!
We can even do multiple locations if you want to explore a new photo worthy spot in your city and then relax back at your favorite local coffee shop.
This is exactly what we did for Elena + Kade’s engagement photos. We started at the Nelson to get some beautiful fall colors and to represent Kansas City. Then we headed to Hi Hat coffee so they could sip their yummy drinks and get a few more photos that really help tell their love story. ☕️
For more engagement photo inspiration check out these blog posts Summer Engagement Session at Loose Park, Engagement Photos with the Kansas City Skyline, Smoke Bomb Engagement Photos, or Fall Engagement Photos at Shawnee Mission Park.
After months, or maybe even years of planning, there’s always one thing we can’t plan ourselves; the weather. But!! We can prepare ourselves for rain on your wedding day. My biggest wish as a wedding photographer in Kansas City is that I could have magical powers to control the weather.
Do you know rain on your wedding day is actually good luck?? 🌧
You know the saying “tying the knot” well, rain on a knot is only going to make it tighter and harder to undo. Rain on your wedding day symbolizes adding strength to your marriage.
This saying might have only come around to help keep couples calm when the weather isn’t ideal on their day, but the sentiment is cute☔️
And as a Kansas City wedding photographer, I have a few real tips to actually help you if it rains on your day:
1. Have a back up plan
If you’re planning for an outdoor ceremony have a way to prevent your guests from getting soaked. This could be moving your ceremony indoors or a big tent on hand you can set up if needed.
2. Buy some clear umbrellas
Clear umbrellas are great for your wedding party to use during photos, this will add to the aesthetic of the day and you’ll still be able to have photos outside! Check these out from amazon.
3. Embrace it!!
I know rain on your wedding probably isn’t what you were dreaming about since you were little, but remember when you were a kid and you begged your parents to let you go play in the rain? Bring that energy into your wedding day!
And besides; who doesn’t love a romantic kiss in the rain? Your whole wedding day will be like a movie.
Always remember; even on the rainiest of days the storm will always clear. You might even get a few precious moments of you and your love outside with the cloudy skies or maybe even a little sunshine.
For more wedding planning tips by a Kansas City wedding photographer check out a few more of my blogs.
like How to Choose your getting ready space or how to downsize your wedding.
As a Kansas City wedding photographer, my couples frequently ask me where the best place to shop for wedding stationary is. One of my favorite sites to recommend is Basic Invite. Their save the date templates are not only beautiful, but incredibly easy to use and to customize to fit your wedding style.
Basic Invite offers over 900 different wedding invitation sets which means that no 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. 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 spouse’s 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 the 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 loves 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. Their save the date templates can be customized and personalized to ensure your wedding stationary stands out from the crowd. Check them out on their social media accounts for inspiration and get designing!
For more wedding planning tips and inspiration check out my Blog and for more info on Basic invite check out this post or give them a follow on Pinterest or Instagram.
*this is a sponsored post by Basic Invite
Planning a COVID-safe wedding reception might look different, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be difficult or any less fun. You can still have the day of your dreams with all the people you love! Keep reading to see ideas on how to entertain your guests while still keeping them safe.
Outdoor Wedding Reception Games
For crowds that aren’t big into dancing, or to follow COVID-19 safety protocols, yard games are super popular. You can get cornhole, ladder toss, or giant Jenga to set outside for your guests to play. I’ve even seen some couples use trash cans or buckets to make giant beer pong!
If you anticipate bad weather, or if you don’t want to risk it, you can plan to set up the games inside. If you want people to stay at their assigned tables but want entertainment, here’s an idea that is sure to blow your guests away.
Dueling pianos.
I seriously recommend Felix and Fingers. Your wedding will be the talk of the town for years, if not DECADES to come. They took song suggestions from the crowd, sang things from all genres, and even brought their own colored lights. They encouraged people to sing along, so it was not only a great show, but super interactive! This is perfect for a socially distanced wedding.
Alicen & Brenton got married in November at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, so their guests’ safety was their number one priority. The dueling pianos entertained the guests after dinner at the Arterra Event Gallery in Lawrence.
Serving Food at a Socially-Distanced Wedding
Instead of the traditional buffet-style dinner, consider having pre-portioned food at various stations throughout the room. This prevents people from all touching the same serving utensils, and your ushers can direct a couple of tables at a time to prevent crowding.
Ask your caterer if they have servers that will bring plates to each guest at their tables.
Food trucks are gaining popularity in the wedding industry as well! This makes it easier for the caterer to distance from the guests.
If your venue has an outdoor option, see if you can make a few campfires. Set out a table with marshmallows, chocolate bars, & graham crackers. I’ve seen S’mores at a couple of weddings and they’re always a big hit.
At the Table of a COVID-Safe Wedding Reception
You’ll definitely want assigned seats at a COVID-safe wedding reception. To avoid awkward silences or restlessness, offer some table games! I’ve seen tic-tac-toe, decks of cards or even question starters to spark conversation. If you’ll have lots of kids at your wedding, print out coloring pages!
Include These in Your COVID-Safe Wedding Reception
- Get personalized masks for your guests as party favors – you could even make them themed to match the decor!
- Set up hand sanitizer stations throughout the area.
- Make cute signs that encourage social distancing.
COVID-Safe Wedding Ceremony
Congrats to the Hilbigs!
Check out more Covid safe weddings here on the blog Dakota + Jake; How They Went From a Large Wedding to Intimate an Elopement or How to Downsize Your Wedding
You’ve found the perfect wedding venue for your ceremony and reception but don’t forget about the morning of your wedding! The getting ready space for the morning of your wedding is a fun place to spend your last moments as a single gal preparing for the day of your dreams. Choosing your getting ready space is easy once you know what to look for.
You want cute pictures with your best friends PLUS you need a practical space to do your hair and make-up. Don’t stress or wonder about what to look for. Here’s a simple guide on choosing the PERFECT getting ready space for the morning of your wedding.
Features in a Perfect Getting Ready Space
Look for a space with natural light: big windows & lots of open space for the inevitable pre-ceremony dance party with your girls. A good photographer can shoot in any light but natural is always best!
Look for a house that has big counter space, lots of plugs, and lots of mirrors. You might need to bring some mirrors from home, depending on how big your party is! Bonus points if there’s a full-length mirror.
My brides always love to find a big couch or bed to take cute pictures on with them and their bridesmaids in their robes or matching shirts. Plus this is a cozy place to relax if someone needs a minute to sit down.
A space with plenty of chairs or tables to sit down at is helpful if you have any moms or grandmas getting ready with you – and for a sweet spot to write your vows or a letter to the love of your life. This is also helpful to sit down and put your shoes on.
For an iconic wedding dress picture, find a place to hang your wedding dress. Some brides find a place outside, in a closet, or in a room somewhere. While this makes for a gorgeous and memorable photo, it’s also important to have a designated spot for your dress so it doesn’t get in the way.
Choose a place with neutral backgrounds – no tacky art on the walls, nothing distracting, and no crazy or bright wallpaper. We don’t want anything in the back of your photos to take away from the moment.
Wedding Morning Tips From a Kansas City Wedding Photographer
Another way to prevent distracting photos is to keep your area clean. I always suggest keeping all your stuff on one side of the room so there’s space for everyone to move around. Doing this also means there’s less clutter in the back of your photos.
If the weather is nice, take the party outside for a few shots with a different background.
Find a place that is close to your wedding venue to save time and gas money.
Look on Air BNB or VRBO for houses that have the features you want. If your wedding party needs a place to stay for the weekend, book the house for an extra night!
It’s actually pretty common for venues to have a bridal suite for getting ready the morning of your wedding. Check with your Kansas City venue to see if their space works for your group and unique needs!
You don’t need to spend more money than you need to. If any of your friends offer, get ready at their house!
These are just some tips to choosing your getting-ready space for the morning of your wedding. As a Kansas City wedding photographer, I’ve seen it all. Feel free to DM me on Instagram or shoot me an email if you have any questions!
At the end of the day, you’ll be married to your best friend and the love of your life, so don’t sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your morning preparing for the most romantic day ever. Let yourself be spoiled by your loved ones! The photos from the morning of your wedding will be authentic and take you right back to the moment before the best day of your life.
Check out these blog posts for more inspo on great getting ready spaces: Summer Wedding at The Hawthorne House, How to Elope in Kansas City -Advice from a Real Couple, and Wedding Photos at the Museum at Prairie Fire Overland Park, Kansas.
Sydney and Joey wanted to have a pizza date photo session in Lawrence, Kansas. Lawrence is one of their favorite towns so they headed down Massachusetts Street to grab their favorite pizza from Papa Kenos Pizzeria and a couple sodas, then they set up a pizza picnic date at South Park.
Originally this session was supposed to be Sydney and Joey’s engagement photos before their wedding day; however with COVID they ended up rearranging their plans. They got married a few months before at a small court house ceremony in Topeka and are planning on having a big reception to celebrate the next fall.
When we started planning their couples session I asked Sydney and Joey if they had any ideas on locations or a vision for their session. They said they wanted to keep it casual and make sure it felt like THEM!
We decided on starting our photo session at South Park because it is a really special place to them. Sydney used to work for the Lawrence Park department, so she spent a lot of time taking care of the park and making it beautiful. I love when clients choose photo locations that mean something to their relationship.
If you’re wanting some couples photos done I highly suggest choosing a spot or going with an idea that truly represents your relationship. Sydney and Joey love having laid back date nights so we grabbed some pizza and went to the park. If you and your love have a go-to date night that you absolutely love – you should have photos of those magical memories together.
I’ve photographed couples doing all sorts of activities to show off their relationship together, for example I’ve taking pictures at a couples favorite coffee shop, on their farm land with their cows, picnics on the Nelson Atkins lawn, at their house, and even with their dogs. Whatever brings you both joy and feels comfortable for your relationship is exactly what we should do at your photo session. Couples session are about YOU and YOUR LOVE.
You deserve to have photos that represent your relationship exactly as it is. If you need help brainstorming ideas for ways to make your couples photos feel more like you guys, I have a guide I like to share with my couples and I’m more than happy to help spark some ideas.
This pizza date photo session in Lawrence Kansas turned out amazing and I know your photos will too!
Check out these tips on how to have the best engagement session ever or find more inspiration for fall couples photos here and here.
Everyone deserves to have their picture taken by a professional, even your parents. A photo session would make an amazing gift for any occasion; birthday, mother’s day/father’s day, Christmas, or an anniversary. Here are the top 3 reasons you should book a photoshoot for your parents.
1. It’s probably been years.
It’s probably been years since your parents have had professional photos taken of just themselves. Whether it was family photos 10 years ago or their wedding day 25 years ago. Time flies and life gets busy, but everyone needs updated photos of themselves throughout all stages of life.
2. Photos are the perfect keepsake
You’ve given your parents a ton of gifts over the years, it gets hard to think of something unique, creative, and something you haven’t given them before. A photoshoot is a great option because it’s not only a gift for them, but the pictures can then be given to other family members or even passed down through future generations.
3. A creative date
If your parents have celebrated a lot of anniversaries they’ve been going on dates for YEARS. Sometimes it’s hard to break out of a dating rut and bring new creative ideas to the dating side of their relationship. A photo session can be an amazing date idea. They get out of the house, get to go to a beautiful location or spot that is meaningful to them, and take photos together. During a photoshoot they’ll be able to have fun together and show their love for one another in a new way.
Those are the 3 main reasons I encourage you to book a photoshoot for your parents. It makes for a great gift, is a lasting keepsake, and is a different date night than they’re used to. Instead of giving them an object they don’t actually need or already have a million of; give them a gift that is truly priceless. Photos of themselves in a new stage of life that show the true growth of their relationship. Having photos of their love will be timeless. A true memory everyone will cherish forever.
When Amanda booked this session for her parents she also included her grandpa. Amanda’s mom, Connie, was overjoyed when she realized she would get updated photos of her and her dad.
There will come a day when these photos mean more than the world to this family, your family deserves to have these memorable moments preserved too.
If you’d like to book a session with me please fill out my contact form here.
If you want your wedding to really stand out from the crowd you must think of a theme that’s a little more non traditional. EvanLee and Brad have always been huge fans of Halloween so when October 31st was going to be on a Saturday they had to take the opportunity to have a Halloween wedding in Lawrence Kansas.
EvanLee and Brad went ALL OUT for their wedding. They dreamt up amazing ideas and DIY-ed for months to make their vision a reality. Brad hand built a beautiful ceremony half moon arch out of wood, twigs, and branches. EvanLee had seen an inspiration photo of a hanging upside down cake in a coffin cake stand so they built that too!
For a wedding this nontraditional and alternative they needed a venue that would fit the theme. A black barn in the middle of Lawrence Kansas with a giant silo. Absolutely beautiful in the golden hour sunset, and completely fitting for a Halloween wedding.
Their wedding was all about having fun with their family and friends, since they wanted more of an alternative wedding they wanted to have a unique wedding reception. Since it was a Halloween wedding they figured the night wouldn’t be complete without a costume contest for all of the guests.
There were different categories guests could compete in; best kid costume, best couple costume, best group costume, most unique costume, and much more. Brad’s grandmother won for best solo costume!!
At the end of the night the sky was clear expect for the bright full moon. I photographed EvanLee and Brad in the moonlight for a couple spooky husband and wife portraits. It was the perfect ending to their amazing Halloween wedding in Lawrence Kansas.
Check out Evanlee and Brad’s smoke bomb engagement session here on the blog.
Living in the middle of the midwest we are lucky to have a wide variety of location options when it comes time for photos. Whether you want a natural area or more of an urban feel to your photos there is always a place that will fit what you’re looking for. Chelsea and Thao wanted a more natural location for their fall photos because they wanted to capture the autumn colors. We decided to do their fall couples photos at James A Reed Memorial Wildlife Area.
James A Reed Memorial Wildlife Area is in Jackson County, near Lee’s Summit Missouri. As a Kansas City photographer it was a great location to add to my list. Chelsea and Thao had been to the area many times, they love to take their golden retriever, Thor, there to run and play. The area is also great for fishing which is one of their favorite past times.
This made choosing to do their couples photos at James A Reed Memorial Wildlife Area even easier because it’s a place that’s more sentimental to them, rather than just another park or a place they’ve never been before.
I always suggest my couples choose a location that means something to them over somewhere that’s just “pretty”, backgrounds are important but the way the location makes you feel makes all the difference.
The area is HUGE we had so many different spots to choose from, I’m surprised we didn’t get lost! We found really beautiful places in wide open fields, near the water, and spots to really capture the beauty of fall.
We had a great time exploring the park and finding all these great spots. We were all smiling the entire session, especially watching their dog get so excited to be outside.
Check out my blog for other photographer recommended Kansas City locations for your next photoshoot, especially this session at Shawnee Mission Park
