the blog
Kansas City has so many wonderful options when it comes to wedding venues! One of the things I love about this area is that you can find a location in the heart of downtown, or you can drive 15 minutes and find yourself a little slice of solitude. The Barn at Riverbend is a quaint and classic outdoor venue right outside of KC that offers wonderful amenities and picturesque landscapes.
I loved that Natalie choose two dresses that perfectly captured her personality. One very classic and beautiful white gown for the ceremony and one very colorful floral gown for the reception. Her colors of her reception gown perfectly complimented the colors of her bridesmaid’s dresses and the florals for the wedding and reception.
I had the opportunity to meet Natalie and Colin’s dog, Huckleberry, during their engagement session. I was so happy to be able to photograph him again at the wedding! He showed up dressed to the nines in his very best tie, it was adorable.
The Barn at Riverbend has a unique ceremony area. It is located at the bottom of a ravine, and there is a tiered wooden walkway to get down to the seated ceremony area. Shaded with large trees and overlooking a beautiful field, it makes for a perfectly picturesque moment!
I feel very blessed to have been apart of Natalie and Colin’s journey. From capturing their engagement session, to photographing their wedding – I hope to be apart of many more of their big moments in the future!
Vendors
Planner: @truelovecoordingatinganddesign
Photo: @natalie.nichole.photos
Video: @a.r.c.media
DJ: @platinumdjkc
Catering: @brancatoscatering
Florist: @beyondthebloom_kc
Hair: @hairsalonkc and @shelbydoesmyhair_
Makeup: @olivia.taylor.makeup
Dress: @truesociety_bybellevogue @essenseofaustralia
Dog Service: @katies.kennel
Shuttle: @showtime_transportation
Venue: @thebarnatriverbend
I have photographed many moments between Katherine and Cody. Their wedding day at UNION Event Space was no different than the other fun, unique, and whimsical moments I’ve captured with them.
They decided on such vibrant and trendy decorations and colors. Most with bright pinks, oranges, and lots of mirrored and metallic pieces. Their flat-lays for their day-of detail photographs were stunning!
After getting ready they decided to share their vows in private, just the two of them, rather than at the ceremony. It was a very special and intimate moment before the wedding. If you aren’t the kind of person to publicly share, having time set aside on the day of your wedding to privately share vows with your spouse before the ceremony is a great idea!
One great thing about UNION Event Space was how large the venue was. It offered plenty of space to break up the day into different areas. This provided multiple backdrops for photographs and a lot of room for creativity with decorating!
Katherine DIY-ed a lot of the decorations for the wedding, but one of her favorite pieces of decor was the fringe she made to hang over the dance floor. It truly made the space feel magical and serene!
I asked Katherine if she had any advice to share with couples that are planning their wedding day. She said, “Spend time on your wedding day focusing on just your significant other. We took 20 minutes for ourselves to have dinner together in the bridal suite and it was so nice.”
I had a BLAST capturing this special day! I hope to continue to capture big and small moments for Katherine and Cody in the future. Cheers to the Fiola’s!
Makensie and Eddie’s wedding day was a true reflection of their love, inspired by the timeless and classic style of 90’s Nancy Meyer movies. Their vision came to life at Crooner’s Lounge, a contemporary bar, kitchen, and lounge in Southeast Kansas. From sweet moments shared between the couple to the romantic atmosphere of their venue, it was a truly unforgettable day.
Breakfast to Start the Day
The day truly felt real for Makensie when she and Eddie had breakfast together that morning before the festivities started. As they sat side by side, she wrapped herself around his arm, and they talked about the big day ahead of them! Wanting to be by her side a little longer, Eddie couldn’t resist following her into the bridal room. It was a sweet and heartfelt moment; one of Makensie’s favorite!
Crooner’s Lounge
The wedding day was romantic, peaceful, and unhurried! They intentionally created an atmosphere where they could savor each moment. Crooner’s Lounge proved to be the ideal venue for their 90’s classic and timeless vision. The hanging lights on the patio and inside the restaurant added a special touch. Makensie said sharing an intimate dinner with their closest friends and family in the cozy dining room made them feel like they were living in a movie! After dinner, they cut the cake and broke out the board games for some friendly competition.
Special Moments
One of the couple’s favorite details of the day was their gift exchange. They both gifted each other new Bibles. It was a meaningful gesture that emphasized their desire to grow together as a couple.
When I asked Makensie what advice she had for future couples who were in the planning process she said, “Remind them to prioritize each other and the love they share throughout the planning process. It’s crucial to focus on what truly matters and not get lost in expectations or external pressures.”
The day was filled with romance, love, and cherished moments. I feel very fortunate to have been able to capture this timeless and classic 90’s inspired wedding – thank you Makensie and Eddie!
Laurel Brooke Farms hosted the most magical celebration for Daniella and Jack’s wedding day. From the heartfelt first looks to dancing the night away, every moment was filled with joy and anticipation!
Laurel Brooke Farms provided the perfect backdrop for their special day. The venue’s indoor-outdoor flexibility, serene atmosphere away from the city, and beautiful rooms for getting ready made it a standout choice. Daniella told me she and Jack were grateful for the amazing staff who made their wedding seamless and memorable! Among the many details that made their day shine, Daniella particularly loved the vibrant flowers. From bouquets to centerpieces, the blooms added a beautiful touch.
The true realization of getting married hit Daniella and Jack during the first looks and when they were reading their vows. They were so excited to drive back to the reception venue and see their loved ones gathered to continue celebrating!
I love how they chose their first dance song! Daniella said they created a collaborative playlist, adding songs that resonated with their unique love story. Together, they listened and narrowed down their selection, ensuring their first dance was a reflection of their relationship.
Advice from the Happy Couple
I asked Daniella what advice she had for other couples who are planning their wedding day and she said, “Don’t settle on your venue or photographer, you will find a way to make it work with the budget even if it’s not until the week before. Do an engagement session with your photographer! Tour all the venue’s you want until you find one with all of your must haves. Make the planning process about the couple, not about the families!”
This day was a testament to Daniella and Jack’s love, shared experiences, and dreams for the future and I am so grateful I was able to capture every wonderful moment!
Megan and Nick tied the knot on a bright and beautiful Summer day at Hawthorne House. Surrounded by their closest family and friends, they began the next phase of their relationship and it was so wonderful to capture! There were two photographers so we were able to capture everything, from the big moments and the small details.
Hawthorne House sits on a beautiful property that offers multiple different spaces for photo opportunities. Nick and Megan had their first look at the gazebo on the property. “Seeing Nick at our first look was my favorite part of the day! I was so nervous and jittery and when he turned around I felt a huge sense of relief. His reaction made me cry happy tears and I knew it was going to be an awesome day,” said Megan.
After the first look and the ceremony, everyone headed outside to take family portraits in front of the chapel! Megan explained, “I was very nervous at the beginning of the day! So much time and energy goes into planning and I was just hoping for a smooth day. But as the day got going I felt myself getting more and more excited!! I also was the happiest I ever felt as I got to marry my best friend! We had so much fun dancing the night away!”
At the reception everyone got comfortable as people ate and the party began! Nick and Megan had their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Megan said, “Nick actually chose our wedding song! Funny story – I unfortunately had Covid 2 weeks before our wedding and we really needed to practice our dance to submit the song to the DJ – so we both put on masks and practiced in our living room while I was recovering!” They knocked it out of the park!
From there, everyone danced the night away in celebration of the newly married couple! The entire day was so much fun to capture. When I asked Megan what one piece of advice she had for a future couple planning their wedding was, she said, “Look at your partner when you walk down the aisle!!! It is such an important moment that goes by way too fast.”
I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to capture all the special moments of this day for Nick and Megan to relive any time they want!
Logan and Drew said their “I do’s” on a windy and beautiful day at the Bell of Camden Point. The day was filled with so much fun and joy! The Bell of Camden Point provided the perfect mix of rustic and elegant styles to make for a picture perfect day.
Logan said, “Location was major for my wedding venue. It was so close to the airport, which was great for our family. Also, the chandeliers at the wedding venue is what made me fall in love with it. I truly enjoyed working with Chas at the wedding venue as well.”
The bridesmaids wore beautiful shades of green that complemented the eucalyptus in the florals wonderfully. The groomsmen looked very sharp in black tuxes with bow ties! The bride and groom changed into Dunks for the reception, which was a unique personal touch to their outfits.
Logan told me, “I think that looking back my favorite part of my wedding day is having my friends and family and walking around to each of their tables and talking with them. I wanted to be very present on my wedding day and be intentional with my time and see everyone who traveled to watch me marry my best friend.”
After the ceremony, everyone gathered for a smorgasbord of yummy food, a photo booth and dancing! Logan’s advice to anyone planning their wedding is to choose what you want and take time to soak in the day. It goes by too fast.
I had so much fun capturing this day! I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to be a part of Logan and Drew’s forever.
Victoria and Nick tied the knot this past Fall on a beautiful day and The Venue at Willow Creek. Their day was full of love, laughter, and gorgeous Fall colors. The Venue at Willow Creek offered a beautiful space for the wedding party to get ready. Victoria said, “Our venue was so accommodating and organized. Not only did we love Jaimee, our coordinator, but the day was a beautiful fall day and the venue had an immense amount of natural beauty inside and outside.”
The wedding party wore a mix of blues, gray, and maroon, which photographed wonderfully with the full Fall foliage. Their wedding party was so fun and carefree! The groomsmen all wore crazy socks with their suits, which was a nice touch to their individual personalities. After getting their gallery Victoria mentioned, “I LOVE the pictures of my bridal crew! I think Nick feels the same, in regards to his groomsmen. Those pictures are SO fun and natural.”
The ceremony was outside under a beautiful oak tree. It was the end of October, so the Fall foliage had just reached peak color and the weather was perfect! The reception had yard games set up outside to keep the guests busy, along with a fun signature cocktail.
“The Tripod” signature cocktail was created after Nick and Victoria’s dog, Belle. Victoria said, “Our favorite detail of the day was having our figurine of our dog, Belle, right by the cake. We had Belle present for our engagement photos, but because she is a wild and happy 13 year-old tripod, we decided to not involve her physically in the wedding.”
The reception was full of laughter and excitement as the pair made their debut as a married couple! Between the speeches, yard games, cocktails, cake cutting, and hitting the dance floor, this was one party to remember. I feel so blessed to have been able to capture this special day and am so happy for Nick and Victoria as they start their forever together.
Kansas City has so many unique wedding venues, one of them being Union Horse Distillery. This location is perfect for small, intimate weddings! Antoinette and Seth didn’t want a huge wedding. They wanted to make sure their day was intentional and personal to them and this non-traditional venue granted their wishes.
Between the rehearsal, watching Antoinette put on her Nike dunks, and capturing the couple order their favorite drinks at the bar, this day was a perfect representation of them. These two were so fun and carefree throughout the day and it was reflected in the moments I captured. The venue allowed us to visit the cellar and take some really unique photographs in front of the barrels. They also provided a small barrel that displayed the Union Horse Distillery logo for the couple to use as a guest book!
The couple didn’t have a traditional wedding party, which made the ceremony feel very intimate. But their family and friends all came out to help celebrate them! The flower girls all wore Nikes that matched Antoinette’s, which was so cute with their dresses. After cocktail hour, everyone gathered for dinner and dancing! The couple decided on flavored popcorn as party favors, which doubled as a fun late night snack after some time spent on the dance floor. Thank you Antionette and Seth for allowing me to capture this unique and fun day!
One of my favorite things about being a photographer is that I have been given the opportunity to capture the special moments in the lives of people who mean so much to me. This incredible day at Feasts of Fancy was close to my heart. I’ve known Tori since we were in Kindergarten and I was so excited when Kellan popped the question! Her and Kellan’s wedding story isn’t one of tradition, yet it is so incredibly special.
This celebration at Feasts of Fancy took place months after Tori and Kellan’s intimate wedding ceremony. Tori’s mom, Anne, had breast cancer and it was extremely important to Tori for her mom to be at her wedding. So, with the help of their families, Tori and Kellan put their wedding together in 2 short weeks so they could celebrate with Anne. The day was beautiful and so incredibly special.
The day of their large wedding celebration started out with the bridal parties getting ready at their respective houses. After their first look, everyone loaded up on the party bus and headed out for pictures! The beautiful spring day complemented the different shades of blue the wedding party wore and photographed wonderfully. After wedding party pictures, we went to cocktail hour and the party began! I had such a great time capturing all the fun, sweet, and sentimental moments from this special day. Between their grand entrance, the speeches, and dancing the night away this was a day many will remember.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this special day, in more ways than one. I will forever wish you two nothing but the best!
Blake and Gina tied the knot at The Bottle House on a gorgeous fall day surrounded by their loved ones! The Bottle house offered great spaces for the wedding party to relax, get ready, and take pictures before the wedding. The ceremony and reception space was very warm and welcoming with a ceiling lined with beautiful bulb lights.
Gina’s dress was stunning and complimented her bridesmaid’s and flower girl’s dresses perfectly. Blake is a firefighter and the couple included special sentiments to his profession throughout the day. From her garter to their cake topper and all the tiny details in between, it really specialized their big day. One of my favorite moments of the day was Gina and Blake’s first look with Gina’s daughter – it was so incredibly sweet!
The couple shared handwritten vows and then hit the town with their wedding party in a limo to start celebrating. This group was so much fun! When we got back to The Bottle House, the real party began with speeches and dinner and ended on the dance floor! Things really got crazy when the glow stick came out. This group danced the night away! I had so much fun capturing these memories – thank you Blake and Gina!
Wedding Day Details
Paper Goods | Shutterfly
Florist | Turner Flowers
Caterer | Hog Wild Pitt BBQ
Cake Decorator/Baker | Irina’s Gourmet Bakery
DJ/Band | Jason Spencer’s
Hair Stylist | Lisa Balmer
Make-Up Artist | Blush and Mane KC
Bride’s Dress Designer/Store | Bridal Extraordinaire
Bride’s Veil | Bridal Extraordinaire
Rings | Jared’s
Bridesmaid Dress Designer/Store | Azazie
