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Aimee and Dakota had an intimate backyard wedding at their family’s farm where they began dating. The day was filled with love and memories of their relationship!
It was a bright Spring day when they got married under a beautiful oak tree surrounded by all their loved ones. The bridesmaids wore dark green satin dresses that complemented their burnt orange, pink, and white bouquets wonderfully. The groomsmen wore tan vests with green ties to compliment the bridesmaid’s dresses. The wedding party was a fun group!
Some of the couple’s favorite parts of the day were their first look and the donut wall at the reception! Their first look was so sweet. It is a great way to have a special moment as a couple before walking down the isle! The donut wall was a unique and tasty touch to their celebration.
Aimee’s advice for anyone who is getting married soon is to take a minute to take it all in. She was given the same advice before her ceremony and she said it helped her be very present and able to have a clear memory of the most important day!
Thank you Aimee and Dakota for allowing me to be apart of your big day! I will always be a fan of an intimate backyard wedding!
After months, or maybe even years of planning, there’s always one thing we can’t plan ourselves; the weather. But!! We can prepare ourselves for rain on your wedding day. My biggest wish as a wedding photographer in Kansas City is that I could have magical powers to control the weather.
Do you know rain on your wedding day is actually good luck?? 🌧
You know the saying “tying the knot” well, rain on a knot is only going to make it tighter and harder to undo. Rain on your wedding day symbolizes adding strength to your marriage.
This saying might have only come around to help keep couples calm when the weather isn’t ideal on their day, but the sentiment is cute☔️
And as a Kansas City wedding photographer, I have a few real tips to actually help you if it rains on your day:
1. Have a back up plan
If you’re planning for an outdoor ceremony have a way to prevent your guests from getting soaked. This could be moving your ceremony indoors or a big tent on hand you can set up if needed.
2. Buy some clear umbrellas
Clear umbrellas are great for your wedding party to use during photos, this will add to the aesthetic of the day and you’ll still be able to have photos outside! Check these out from amazon.
3. Embrace it!!
I know rain on your wedding probably isn’t what you were dreaming about since you were little, but remember when you were a kid and you begged your parents to let you go play in the rain? Bring that energy into your wedding day!
And besides; who doesn’t love a romantic kiss in the rain? Your whole wedding day will be like a movie.
Always remember; even on the rainiest of days the storm will always clear. You might even get a few precious moments of you and your love outside with the cloudy skies or maybe even a little sunshine.
For more wedding planning tips by a Kansas City wedding photographer check out a few more of my blogs.
like How to Choose your getting ready space or how to downsize your wedding.
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.”
Destiny and Ross were planning their wedding during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. They opted for a Kansas City wedding with a backyard reception. Celebrating with their friends and family while also keeping everyone safe and comfortable was their main priority.
When I first spoke with Destiny I was eager to hear all about their wedding day plans. She told me how excited they were to just be married already. They wanted to keep their wedding on the smaller side but still throw an awesome party. Destiny and I connected instantly. She told me they wanted their photographer to be someone that was easy to talk to, shared their vision, and that they could trust to capture all of their most important memories from their day.
After our first conversation Destiny was sure I was the photographer for them. I always stay well connected to my couples in the months leading up to their wedding, especially during such an uncertain year of 2020. I kept them informed on any new guidelines or restrictions that were put in place for Kansas City and the Independence Area. My couples know they have my support 100% and that I am here to help make their experience stress free from the minute they inquire to the end of wedding day, gallery delivery day, and beyond.
Finally wedding day was here!! It was a beautiful summer day in early September. Destiny and Ross had their ceremony outdoors at Stoney Creek Hotel in Independence Missouri. The lush trees and pond were a gorgeous setting for their intimate ceremony.
We then headed to their family backyard for their reception. Great weather, good drinks, and upbeat music was all this couple needed celebrate their new marriage with their friends and family.
I was so happy I was able to be a part of Destiny and Ross’ big day. They were able to completely be themselves while I was there to capture photos that were authentic to them. Photographing important moments form their Kansas City wedding with a backyard reception that they’ll remember for years to come.
Interested in having a summer wedding? find more inspiration from Anna and James’ wedding at The Hawthorne House, Mckenna and Micah’s wedding at Mildale Farm, and more all on the blog.
