the blog
This Downtown Kansas City engagement session with Katherine and Cody is giving all the old Hollywood, romantic, and classic vibes. I am here for it! Downtown has so much to offer when it comes to locations for sessions. Katherine and Cody wanted backdrops of the beautiful architecture and streetlights at night.
Their more formal outfits really helped set the tone of the session, with Cody wearing a traditional black suit and white shirt. While Katherine wore two beautiful white dresses, one with lace and another with tule and pearls. But what sets this session apart from others is the use of “props”. I always tell my clients who are looking for an easy way to get a wide variety of photos is to bring some extra “props”. Katherine brought white heart shaped sunglasses, which added a cute pop of fun. She also brought a pearl embroidered clutch that tied in nicely with the pearls on her tule dress! One of my favorite “props” she brought was a stunning bouquet of flowers. Yes, that’s right! It doesn’t have to be your wedding day to bring flowers to your session.
We had so much fun roaming the streets of Downtown Kansas City at sunset. I was able to get golden hour pictures just as the sun was setting and we did some fun flash photography with the streetlights! After that, we headed into one of the bars downtown for their last outfit change into something more casual but still fun! I had such a great time capturing these sweet moment of Katherine and Cody.
Shawnee Mission Park is a wonderful choice when it comes to location for engagement sessions! I met Natalie and Collin for their dreamy session just before the sun set on a beautiful Fall evening. They brought their sweet pup with them who was sporting a cute bandana that said, “My humans are getting married!”
I always recommend using a mixture of different textiles and patterns in outfits choices to help give the photos some depth and differentiation. Natalie and Collin did a great job of this! Collin wore a jeans and a black top. This is very neutral and a great basic outfit that can easily compliment a wide variety of colors and patterns. This allowed Collin to stay in one outfit the whole time even though Natalie had multiple outfits.
Natalie did a great job of picking complimentary outfits that enhanced the colors of their surroundings and Collin’s outfit. She had one casual outfit and then two dresses that were both beautiful and very different from each other! The difference in colors and patterns allowed them to get a wide variety of photos with the easy of a couple outfit changes.
Shawnee Mission Park is stunning in the Fall when the leaves start to change colors! I was so excited to be able to capture the change of the season as Natalie and Collin embraced this new season of life together.
Izzy and David are high school sweethearts who have been together for 7 years. They met up with me downtown at the River Market to capture their engagement session! I was so excited to meet their yorkie, Wookie, who made an appearance in some of their photographs.
The name Wookie is fitting for these Disney fans – David popped the question while on a trip to Disney! Izzy said before the trip he took her to get her nails done and made sure she had an outfit picked out for the special day, all the while she had no idea what his plan was. While they were at the park he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him! She was equally surprised and excited.
I really enjoyed getting to know these two as we explored the River Market on a beautiful evening. Their go-to date night is going out to eat their favorite foods, Italian or street tacos. I also learned about their love of adventure! They hope to spend time in the future traveling together, discovering new places.
One of the things they are most excited about for the future is to find a home and start building a family. They love to entertain and look forward to hosting in their own home! Board game nights and streaming live boxing matches are regular events they enjoy.
The love these two have for each other was very evident during our session. They are so smitten with one another and I was happy to have the opportunity to capture them in this special phase of life!
Michael and Emily braved the cold with me for their engagement session at Union Station and Liberty Memorial. Thankfully, we were able to stay warm in Union Station while we waited for golden hour to begin.
Union Station offers such a classic and timeless backdrop for photographs, with its beautiful marble walls and floors, and art-deco textiles and patterns. It is a great location option for the sessions in the colder months!
After some time at inside we headed over to Liberty Memorial just as the sun was setting. The great thing about photography is you can get beautiful photos any time of the year! Just because it’s cold, doesn’t mean you can’t get those dreamy, golden photos.
I enjoyed getting to know Emily and Michael as we walked around looking for spots to take photographs. I learned they are both die-hard Fighting Irish fans! Not only did they meet at a bar while watching a game, Michael popped the question while on an annual family trip to watch the team play at Notre Dame. Cheering on the Fighting Irish has played a large role in their story so far and they are excited to continue the tradition as they grow their family in the future.
When they aren’t cheering on their team, you can find them trying out new recipes at home and watching new crime documentaries. They only leave Emily feeling a little paranoid! They are looking forward to what their future holds (hopefully, for Emily, that includes getting some dogs). I had a wonderful time capturing their engagement session and wish them a beautiful future together!
I met Courtney and Bryan at Black Hoof Park in Lenexa for their dreamy, fall engagement session. We had a great time walking around the park and getting to know each other! The weather was perfect and the colors were out in full spectrum as we found some special spots for photographs.
Courtney and Bryan went to High School together and met when Courtney was managing the football team. They started dating shortly after and have been together for 11 years! Courtney said she knew he was the one the first time they hung out and that feeling got even stronger when she saw Bryan hold their son for the first time.
Bryan popped the question on Christmas Eve, surrounded by Courtney’s family. They had just finished opening gifts when she turned around to go upstairs and found him down on one knee. Talk about a special Christmas gift and a memory they will cherish forever!
Between going out for Mexican and catching up on their favorite TV shows, Courtney and Bryan look forward to a future of owning a house on some land and raising their son together. These two are best friends and love doing life together. They are best friends and their love for each other is so special – I feel very fortunate to have been able to capture these moments for them at Black Hoof Park! Thank you Courtney and Bryan for allowing me to be a part of your story!
They popped the question and you said YES! Now what? Amongst all the planning and preparation, most people set aside some time for an engagement session with their wedding photographer. This allows them to get to know their photographer a little better and to get comfortable with having their picture taken. I’ve rounded up 5 engagement session locations in Kansas City I often recommend to clients that I’m excited to share them with you!
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Starting off strong with a very popular option when it comes to engagement sessions! The Nelson- Atkins offers a beautiful outdoor space with multiple different backdrops. It is the perfect mix of nature and art! If you are looking for a location that will give you greenery and flowers in the spring and stunning architecture in the winter, the Nelson-Atkins is the way to go.
Shawnee Mission Park
Shawnee Mission Park is a 1,600 acre multi-use park in Johnson County with a 120 acre lake. With a multitude of easy access walking trails and wide-open spaces (que Dixie Chicks), Shawnee Mission is a great choice for an engagement session.
Union Station | Liberty Memorial
A classic location for an engagement session! Union Station offers the timeless backdrop with it’s dark walnut trim, beautifully patterned floors, and elegant fixtures. It’s also just a quick walk down the hill from Liberty Memorial! This location combination gives you the best of both an indoor and outdoor session. Liberty Memorial makes an understated, yet stunning backdrop for outdoor photos.
River Market | Downtown Kansas City
The River Market and Downtown KC are a great place to go to personalize your engagement session! There are so many options when it comes to downtown. We can hit up your favorite coffee shop or brewery, browse one of the bookstores, take rooftop skyline pictures, stick to the side streets. Whatever you’re looking for, downtown is a great place to start.
Black Hoof Park
With 123 acres to explore and Lake Lenexa on the property, Black Hoof Park has a lot to offer when it comes to engagement sessions. The paved walking paths make it easy to access all the different areas the park has to offer. This location has beautiful scenery, large fields, and an idyllic body of water for photographs. No matter the season, Black Hoof Park is a great outdoor option!
These 5 engagement session locations are just a few of many in the Kansas City Area! If you still aren’t sure where you’d like to have your session, I always suggest going somewhere that has special meaning to you and your significant other. I hope this helps!
I met Kaela and Kyle at Deer Ridge Estate for their engagement session! They shared with me some heartfelt moments, cherished memories, and their dreams for a future filled with love and adventure. Love has a way of intertwining our lives in unexpected ways. Kaela and Kyle’s connection came in the form of Kaela’s sister marrying Kyle’s best friend!
Having been together for almost three years, Kaela and Kyle started dating in April 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kaela said one of her favorite date nights was one evening where Kyle set up a bed in the bed of his truck! They enjoyed their favorite dinner and wine, having great conversations under the stars. It was the perfect date night!
Kaela said it was the way Kyle treated her and their relationship with so much kindness and care that made her realize he was “the one.” He provides constant laughter, encouragement, and a shared journey of growth. He also showed her daughter the same kindness and care he showed her, which was incredibly important to her!
Their engagement story is so sweet. Kyle wanted to pop the question at Winter Skies. He hired a photographer to capture the moment with the intent to surprise Kaela. However, Kaela recognized the photographer from high school, inadvertently blowing her cover. Kyle decided to seize the moment and dropped to one knee right then and there, surprising Kaela in the most unexpected way. The joy and surprise on Kaela’s face were priceless!
Kaela and Kyle’s engagement session at Deer Ridge Estate was so much fun! I enjoyed talking with them about their love and shared dreams for the future while capturing some moments from this special time in their lives.
Abby and Joe met when they were in college while working as part-time servers at Shadow Glen Golf Club. Joe decided to go back to where it all started to pop the question! It was his last week working there and Abby had been asking to go back and see it one last time. They had a date night planned but Joe was upset when his boss unexpectedly called him in due to an “emergency”. When they got there one of Joe’s co-workers was giving Abby a tour of a new renovation while Joe tended to the “emergency”.
Abby said, “During the tour, we walked outside and in between some flowers stood Joe waiting for me. He proposed at the place where we met, then we went out to dinner with my family after to celebrate!”
Going back to where it all began is a great way to start the next phase of life together. I asked Abby what she was most excited for about their future marriage and she said, “I am most excited to go through different seasons of life together! I can’t wait to have kids that are older, and watch each other parent, and then be empty nesters and grandparents together. It makes my heart so happy to know that I have someone I will get to experience everything with now!”
Between the waterfalls and the large lake-scape, Shadow Glen offered so much beautiful scenery for their engagement session. I also love that they brought a bottle of their favorite tequila to the session. It was a great way to personalize their photos with something they both love and enjoy together!
The love these two have for each other is so vibrant and I feel very fortunate to have been able to capture it!
What’s better than a surprise engagement? A surprise engagement + a party! Zach knew what he was doing when he planned to pop the question. He gathered all of his and Rachel’s closest family and friends at one of their favorite places – Weatherby Lake. Everyone showed up early to hang out, set up, and hide away before Rachel showed up.
When she got there, Zach walked her to the lakeside, got down on one knee, and popped the question! Rachel’s surprise was so genuine and sweet. Little did she know, all their loved ones were secretly watching from a distance! After she said, “yes”, everyone started cheering and she turned around to see them come out of hiding.
After everyone gave their congratulations, we were able to capture pictures with family and friends for the couple to look back on to remember this special day. Weatherby Lake was beautiful and we got to walk around a get great photographs of the newly engaged couple by the water! Then we went back to the pavilion for the champagne pop and a toast.
If you are in the process of planning an engagement, take some notes from Zach’s playbook. Go somewhere that is special to you and your partner, include family and friends, plan a celebration, and make is a SURPRISE!
I met Sally and Jake at Penguin Park on a beautiful fall day for their engagement session. We decided on Penguin Park because it is a place they frequent for trail walks together! The couple met at Northwest Missouri State University and dated for a few short months before going their separate ways. They reconnected two years ago and the rest is history! They enjoy spending time together by being active, going to the movie theater, and going out to dinner at Mr. Le’s for sushi.
Sally said she knew Jake was the one because he always makes her laugh. “We would stay up for hours talking and just laughing together. It felt more like being with my best friend than previous relationships.” They were visiting Jake’s family in Iowa when he popped the question. The two had decided to walk the property with their dog and at one point she turned around and he was down on one knee! When I asked her what she was most excited about for her future marriage she said, “I am excited for a future with my best friend, and all the trips and memories we will share. Having a family together, staying active and traveling to the mountains!”
The pop of emerald green they wore helped bring out the colors in the beautiful Fall foliage at the park. These two were so much fun! We had a blast walking around the park and down the trails. Thank you so much Sally and Jake for the opportunity to capture such a special time in your life!
