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Lakshmi and Abhitej wanted a gorgeous location for their couples photoshoot. We scheduled their romantic pre wedding photos at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. Lakshmi and Abhitej are from Kansas City but were getting married just a few weeks later in Dallas Texas.
There are a few keys to having a perfectly romantic engagement session that makes you feel like you’re a part of a romantic comedy movie; the location, your wardrobe, and your connection.
Lakshmi and Abhitej scheduled their session in November so the fall colors were vivd across the grounds and the classic architecture gave us a variety of background options. The contrast between the natural landscaping and the architectural structures makes for the perfect romantic location.
Their outfits were elegant almost as if they stepped off a movie set. Lakshmi’s red ballgown was the perfect pop of color. She looked incredible walking on the steps of the Nelson. Abhitej’s dark suit jacket complimented her dress and made it pop even more.
The main key to having romantic pre wedding photos is to have your true connection between the two of you SHINE. Focus on each other and lean into the directions from your photographer. I always pose my couples in a natural way to get candid in between moments that really show their love for one another.
Lakshmi and Abhitej’s romantic pre wedding photos at the Nelson Atkins turned out amazing. For more inspiration check out Christina and Nick’s winter couple session at the Nelson Atkins.
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
As the air begins to cool, the trees transform from green to orange, red, and yellow. The leaves start to fall towards the earth and all is calm. Autumn has arrived in the midwest. The best way to capture this new season is by taking fall couple photos at Loose Park in Kansas City.
Loose Park is one of my favorite locations for couples and engagement pictures because there is such a wide variety of breathtaking spots for backgrounds. In the spring the roses are blooming and in the fall the trees are bursting with color.
Nena and Tony hadn’t had professional photos of themselves taken since their wedding day. This year they wanted to get some fall couple photos taken at Loose Park. They both wore comfy sweaters and paired them nicely with jeans. I always encourage couples to wear outfits they feel comfortable in, that way we aren’t limiting ourselves to certain poses or prompts. The more comfortable you are in what you’re wearing the more confidence and happiness you will radiate through your photos.
We started our session in the Rose Garden and to my surprise there were still some roses blooming which is rare for late October, the best time for the roses is late May through September.
We then headed down towards the pond stopping by beautiful trees on our way. It was a pretty chilly autumn day so I was sure to give them lots of cuddled up poses and prompts with lots of movement to help get them warmed up.
The photos turned out gorgeous with such great pops of color. If you’re interested in booking a session with me at Loose Park fill out my contact down below, also please know that Loose Park requires all professional photographers purchase a photo permit a few days before their session ($25/hour fee).
Check out Bridgette and John’s summer engagement session for an example of Loose Park in the warmer months.
We all know the importance of continuing to “date” your partner, no matter how long you’ve been together. It helps keep the spark alive and strengthen your bond as a couple. 2020 has been one hell of a year and the need for connection is even greater now. Now that it is getting colder outside it’s becoming more difficult to find safe and socially distanced activities so here are 7 Winter date ideas for you to try out over these next few months.
1. Movie Marathon
You can NEVER go wrong with a movie marathon. Grab some blankets, put on your slippers, cuddle up, and relax.
2. Build Ginger Bread Houses
I hadn’t built a ginger bread house in YEARS, but this year we got a kit from target and worked together to build it. It ended up falling apart at the end but we had a blast putting it together and the candy was pretty tasty too. Next year we’ll have a little more of a plan. (The key is once you put together the foundation let it fully dry before putting on the roof)
3. Hot Chocolate Bar
Have a cozy night in but sweeten it up a little. Put together a build-your-own hot chocolate bar. Marshmallows, Candy Canes, Caramel, you name it! If you want to step it up a notch you could even make some hot chocolate bombs that are trending on tiktok.
4. Beer (or wine) Tasting at Home
Head out to your favorite liquor store or grocery store (don’t forget to wear your mask) and both of you pick out a few new drinks you’ve never had before. Return home, pour yourself each a little tasting and compare. You may even find a new favorite drink.
5. Home Cooked Dinner
Find a new recipe and start cooking. Trey and I love to cook together, it’s so fun putting in a little work and then sitting down to enjoy our meal together.
6. Christmas Light Tour
Get some hot chocolate to-go, crank up the Christmas tunes, and head out on a tour of the best Christmas lights in town. Drive through your neighborhood or a decorated park.
If you’re local to Kansas City check out
Powell Gardens Festival of Lights
Sar Ko Par Trails Park- Sar Ko Aglow
KC Wine Co’s Rockin Winter Wonderland
7. Ice Skating
If you really need to get out of your house for some fresh air, bundle up and hit the rink. You won’t even mind wearing a mask when you’re skating because it’ll help keep your nose warm.
Even though it’s colder and darker outside you can still find ways to have fun with your significant over even during a pandemic. I hope these Winter date ideas help inspire you to get creative and bring in a little winter cheer.
If winter and the weight of the pandemic is getting you down here are some self care ideas while you’re quarantining Self Care During Self Quarantine.
or Shows To Watch While You’re Stuck At Home.
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
EvanLee and Brad are getting married on Halloween ( and YES it will be a Halloween Themed Wedding!!) I am absolutely thrilled to get to photograph their wedding because it is going to be EPIC! Since their wedding will be a little spooky they wanted to reflect that in their save the dates and engagement photos. We set up their smoke bomb engagement photos in Lawrence Kansas.
I am a wedding photographer based in the Kansas City area so I serve clients all around the metro on both the Kansas and Missouri side. I headed out to Lawrence to meet EvanLee and Brad on their family owned property.
When planning the session we agreed it would be a good idea to do a mix of smoke bomb pictures and some classic photos of just the two of them, that way they can use these images as decor in their houses, social media posts, and decor at the wedding. Evan though their wedding is Halloween themed, they are still the main focus.
EvanLee and Brad have been together for quiet some time, they seem like the perfect pair. We had a great time getting to know each other. They told me all about their plans for the wedding, without giving too much away I’ll share two hints …. fog machine and costume contest. Honestly I don’t think anything else even needs to be said for it to be clear their wedding is going to be one of the coolest weddings ever.
I loved that EvanLee and Brad decided to bring in some smoke bombs for their engagement photos. It gave me the opportunity to really get creative and incorporate a cool element that I don’t typically use during sessions. They just picked up some smoke bombs from their local fireworks stand, super easy and afforadable!
Smoke bombs are a great way to add in a little pop of color, or you can make your session a little more moody by using a darker color. No matter what shade you get ALWAYS make sure you are in a location that allows the use of smoke bombs. We were on family owned private property so we had full permission. Public places, parks, or even places that seem “abandoned” all have rules that photographers and clients need to respect. Be sure to do a little research before bringing in a smoke bomb to your session.
These smoke bomb engagement photos in Lawrence Kansas were insanely fun be sure to check out my tips and tricks on how to best prepare for your engagement photos
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.
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.
Anna and James wanted a naturally beautiful location for their summer engagement photos, Burr Oak Nature Center was the perfect choice. Within the park there are tons of great spots for photos. Fields of grass, wild flowers, and the stunning tall trees. It gave us a wide variety of options to mix it up if we wanted to.
Anna and James are getting married at The Hawthorn House in September. Their engagement session was the perfect way for us to get to know each other before their wedding day. Phone calls, Zoom meetings, and quick coffee dates are great, but if you get the chance to have your photographer actual photograph you before your wedding day, you definitely don’t want to pass that up.
Engagement photos give you the opportunity to practice in front of the camera. You get to learn how your photographer interacts with their couples, how the direct, and how they achieve their style. Engagement sessions are also awesome from the photographers perspective because they get to find all of your best angles, notice all the adorable ways you and your partner interact with each other, and they get to hear a little bit more of your love story.
Anna and James have been dating for over nine years! They fell for each other while they were in high school and have been madly in love ever since. They are so ready to get married, they’ve known for a long time that they are meant to be together; they’re excited to make it official.
If you want a great outdoor location for your engagement photos check out these spots that are similar to Burr Oak Nature Center; Shawnee Mission Park, Loose Park, and The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.
As the sun began to set behind the blooming rose garden, Bridgette and John wrapped up in each others arms and smiled as they looked in each others eyes. It was the perfect summer evening for an engagement session at Loose Park.
Bridgette and John have been dating for two years now. Two years filled with love, laughter, and commitment. The gardens made for a beautiful background for their photos. It represented their growth throughout their relationship and their love blossoming into their new marriage.
Loose Park is a classic location in Kansas City for engagement photos. It’s filled with colorful blooms, stunning fountains, and pretty bridges. Every inch of the park is a photographers dream.
Bridgette, John, and I strolled around the park and had a blast! They are such a fun loving couple. Every photo idea I had, they added so much joy to the photos. John is so good at making Bridgette smile – goofy jokes, tickle attacks, and tons of kisses. Their session was just a peek into their relationship but I can tell their marriage will be strong, being built on the foundation of joy. They always strive to make each other happy and add a little fun to each other’s lives. Even when it’s a relaxing night just hanging out watching Harry Potter at home, there is never a dull moment for these two.
John added a lot of excitement to a very ordinary family dinner event by surprising Bridgette with a breathtaking sparkly ring and promising to love her for the rest of his life.
From the night of their engagement until their wedding next year Bridgette and John will have a lot of special days and they are excited to plan the rest of their lives together. Their summer engagement session at Loose Park was a great way to capture this time of their lives.
Love the look of nature for photos? Shawnee Mission Park is another great option in Kansas City
