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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
Every year the holidays sneak up on us and before you know it, it’s time to send out holiday cards AGAIN. In this post I’ll share with you the best time to take your holiday card photos and how to make the process stress free.
The best time to take your yearly photos is in the fall between October and December. Depending on your photographer’s turn around time for photos you will have to schedule accordingly.
I’m a local Kansas City photographer and my turn around for a full session gallery is within a week after our session. I do my best to edit quickly and efficiently to ensure you have your photos back in time to turn them into a beautiful holiday card to mail out to all of your friends and family or to post online for a virtual seasons greetings.
If you chose me as your photographer the process can be made even simpler by ordering your holiday cards directly from your online gallery. Once your photos are delivered to you all you have to do is select your favorite image, choose a greeting card template, and place your order. Before you know it your holiday cards will be at your doorstep! Save time by not having to download your photo and re-upload it to a 3rd party site.
Another great way to make the process stress free is to choose a location that is simple but will give you a lot of variety. A local park like Antioch Park (pics featured in this post), Shawnee Mission Park, or Gezer Park are all amazing options. You’ll have a variety of different backgrounds all within one spot!
Check out this blog post for the best photo worthy locations in Kansas City.
To book your holiday photos fill out my contact form down below!
Planning a wedding throughout this past year has been so difficult for many couples. With the future of the pandemic still unknown it’s likely that most couples are having to choose between having a smaller wedding, postponing, or cancelling their wedding all together. I’ll share with you my best tips on how to downsize your wedding and still have an amazing celebration.
As a wedding photographer in Kansas City I had many couples in 2020 struggle with decisions on what to do with their wedding in the middle of a pandemic. Brides would turn to me for advice and we would brainstorm together the best way for them to still have the wedding day they always dreamed of, but still keeping all of their loved ones safe.
My biggest tip for downsizing your wedding is to cut your guest list. I know it can be hard to try to narrow it down but once you start it only gets easier. The simplest way to do it is to choose a deciding point – for example only inviting family, or cut it even more by only inviting immediate family. It stinks having to not invite some friends or people from work but they will all understand. Set up a zoom or facebook live so they can all tune in from the safety of their own home. You can always host a giant party later and invite EVERYONE!
Once you have a smaller guest list you can switch to a smaller venue. You can even host your wedding at a park or somewhere outside. Another great option for downsized weddings is renting an air b&b. These venue options help you save all the money you’d spend on a big wedding venue.
Intimate weddings are always just as special as big weddings. Smaller, micro weddings, give you the chance to actually spend time with all of your guests. It’s a more relaxed day focused only on you and your partner. You’ll be surrounded by the most important people in your lives and there wont be a million moving parts to keep track of.
If you’re faced with the hard decision of needing to have a smaller wedding, postponing your wedding, or cancelling I hope you choose to move forward with your wedding but just make it a little more intimate.
I hope these tips helped you decide on how to downsize your wedding, for more information on having a simple wedding check out my blog posts “How to have a simple wedding in Kansas City”, “Kansas City Courthouse Weddings”, and find more gorgeous photos at Loren and Dimitri’s elopement in “How to elope in Kansas City”
This blog features Randi + Ryan’s intimate wedding with their families.
Venue: The Vintage House
Florist: Chris Miller : The Flower Lady
Dress: Savvy Bridal
Suit: The Black Tux
Catering: Q39
Cake: Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery
How they felt on their wedding day:
“So many emotions! So excited and happy, but also relieved that the people that we love were able to safely make it to our wedding.”
Once you begin planning your dream wedding you’ll start reaching out to various vendors. The vendor most couples are looking forward to hiring the most is their photographer. You want to make sure your day is documented from start to finish and captured authentically. These images will be your looking glass back to your wedding day, photos you’ll share with generations (no pressure) but how do you know how to choose your wedding photographer?
Here are the top 3 things to look for when hiring your wedding photographer:
Style
Does their style of work align with what you’re looking for?
Look through their portfolio and take note of how they use light throughout different times of day and different types of weather. Light can not be fully controlled during an entire wedding day so it’s important your photographer knows how to get the best images possible with what they have to work with! Request to see full wedding galleries not just the favorite instagram worthy pics.
Do you like how they edit the images? I suggest imagine you’re looking back on your photos 20 years from now, will they still look amazing because they are natural and timeless? or will it be like when your mom shows you clothes from the 80’s – trendy then but outdated now.
Professionalism
I can not stress this enough- make sure you hire a professional photographer for your wedding. There are no re-dos for wedding day photos. I have heard so many horror stories of couples wanting to save money so they hire a cheap photographer or someone that’s never photographed a wedding before then sure enough the photos don’t turn out well or worse…. the photographer bails at the last minute with no solution or replacement.
I would hate for that to happen to anyone. Stay on the safe side and hire a professional. Someone that has a portfolio of work, experience with weddings, and knows how to run their business. A true professional will have a contract, back up gear, and will be prepared for any sort of situation that could happen on your day.
Personality
This may be the most important element when searching through photographers. Choose a photographer that you genuinely get along with. You will be spending so much time with them during the planning process and even more time with them on the day of. Depending on the schedule of your day you might even spend more time with your photographer than your partner! Pick someone that makes you feel comfortable, understand your vision, and has your back on your wedding day.
Once you’ve read these tips on how to choose your wedding photographer check out what questions to ask your wedding photographer.
This year I asked my past brides to share their advice for future brides. All of the lovely ladies planning their weddings can take tips from brides that recently planned their own weddings. They all learned what is most important when it comes to wedding planning and making sure you enjoy your day of. Whether you’re planning a big wedding or an elopement these words of wisdom will be useful for you.
Advice from Hannah
“I think my day went so perfectly because I didn’t freak out about small things. I didn’t even freak out about big things. I kept thinking, at the end of the day I will be married to my best friend, and whatever happens today is what was meant to be! I think having an easy going attitude during the whole thing helped a lot.”
Loren’s advice on eloping
“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 elopement location, 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!”
McKenna’s Suggestion
“It [the wedding day] really does go by so quickly and it’s over and done before you know it. Hire a day-of coordinator so you can leave all the details and worries to them and really soak in every moment of the day!”
Ann Marie’s tip
“There are so many things to figure out, but if you can find the right vendors, who you feel you work well with and whose vision meshes with yours, it is a game changer. Don’t be afraid to ask vendors for advice on other aspects of your big day. Keep in mind they have typically done this many times and have likely seen things go right or not so right. A little professional advice never hurts.”
Destiney’s Adivce
“Don’t stress it will all work out in the end. Just go with the flow and expect little bumps in the road.”
Amanda’s tips if you have to change your wedding plans
“If anything, wedding planning during a pandemic taught me to be much more go with the flow and embrace everything with a sense of humor. It allowed me to just say “whatever happens, happens.” I know it sounds cliche but what they say is true. Once you are up there with the love of your life, nothing else matters. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and just lean on each other, your families, and if you luck out like us, your amazing vendors. Take in every single moment standing up there. This is it, it’s here, you made it.”
These brides wanted to share their advice to soon-to-be brides to inspire them and give them the opportunity to learn from their experiences. Overall they all express the importance of not stressing over things you can’t control. Let whatever happens, happen. Just focus on enjoying your day to the fullest.
For more wedding inspo check out other wedding day blog posts.
