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I met up with Katie & Ryan for their couples rooftop session in Kansas City near the Crown Center. As you’ll see these two are just FUN.
Their session was full of laughter and goofy faces and intimate moments between the two of them. Their love is very evident and authentic.
And let’s not even mention their STYLE. I mean, checkered pants and a black jumpsuit?! These two are classics.
I loved every second of this session, and highly recommend this location to any of my clients looking to get this couples rooftop session vibe.
Looking for a photographer for your Kansas City wedding? Inquire with me HERE.
Morgan and Chris had their engagement session at the Museum of Prairiefire, here in Kansas City. I love this location for photo sessions because it allows for so much versatility.
The colorful windows add some color to the background especially in the Winter & early Spring before things are blooming. And they give you a wide range of outfit options! You can choose to wear warm or cool colors, either looks great.
And bonus: there’s so many great restaurants nearby – I always encourage my couples to make a date night out of their engagement session since they’re already all dressed up already!
Looking to hire a Kansas City Wedding Photographer? Inquire HERE.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
It’s time to get ready to have the best engagement photos ever now that you’re engaged. With these 6 tips you’re guaranteed to make your experience even better and end up with photos you’ll cherish forever.
1. Wear something you’re comfortable in
Your engagement photos are a time for you and your future spouse to let loose and have fun. Wear something that’s easy to move around in. Being comfortable and true to your personal style will make your photos more true to who you are.
2. Location Location Location
When choosing the perfect location for your engagement photos consider picking a place that is significant to you and your partner. If it has special meaning to your relationship it will be a great spot. If you don’t have a place in mind search your city for photo worth spots.
recommendations for Kansas City Locations
3. Timing is EVERYTHING
Plan your engagement session for a time that the sun will be its absolute best. Ultimate lighting conditions are an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset.
4. Show off the best version of YOU
When you look your best, you feel your best. Stick with your typical getting ready routine but maybe step it up a notch; consider hiring professional hair and makeup for your engagement photos. Don’t feel like you need to be someone you’re not- if you don’t wear make up on the daily don’t wear a full face of glam makeup to your session, but a little effort goes a long way, especially in boosting your confidence in front of the camera.
5. Hire a photographer you trust
The perfect photographer for your session should be someone you can trust to capture photos that represent you as a couple. When you prepare for your engagement session you should choose a photographer that has the style you are looking for and that will help you be comfortable in front of the camera.
6. Get ready to have FUN!
The most important thing to remember is to have the best time ever! Get ready to spend an entire photo session with the love of your life. You can make the session anything you want. You can be; silly or serious, loud or quiet, if you only want photos of you looking at the camera and smiling- you can have that! If you want to run around and spin in circles- you can have that too!
These photos are about you!
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