the blog
Sally and Jacob tied the knot at the Weston Red Barn Farm, surrounded by Kansas City’s Fall beauty. I had the pleasure of capturing their laid-back, rustic celebration filled with heartfelt moments and charm.
Sally’s favorite part of the day was their first look, hands down. She swears by it, saying it brought a calming vibe to the chaos. Seeing your partner before the madness begins? Essential.
I loved their wedding day vibe. They went in with a “whatever happens, happens” attitude, focusing on the fact that they were marrying their favorite person. Simple and sweet.
The Weston Red Barn Farm was a beautiful venue for their wedding day! The cozy, farm feel and those giant barn doors decked out with twinkling lights. Picture-perfect and oh-so-romantic.
One very special feature of the day was the incorporation of Sally’s grandma’s star brooch and Jacob’s grandparents’ wedding necklace. Sentimental touches that made their day even more special!
Their advice for couples that are in the wedding planning process is to talk it out with your partner. Figure out what’s most important to you both. For Sally and Jacob, it was all about photography and food – the good stuff!
Sally and Jacob’s wedding was a cozy, love-filled affair that perfectly captured the essence of fall in Kansas City. It was an absolute joy to be part of their special day, snapping away and soaking in all the warmth and happiness. Here’s to many more love stories like theirs in the KC!
Amidst August’s warmth, I ventured into Shawnee Mission Park with the B’s for family portraits. Choosing Shawnee Mission Park as the backdrop provided vibrant green foliage and a stunning setting. The family’s wardrobe, a blend of bright and dark neutrals, harmonized seamlessly with the natural palette, creating timeless yet vibrant portraits.
For families planning their session, consider these tips:
Coordinate Outfits: Opt for a color palette that complements the natural surroundings. A mix of bright and dark neutral colors can add depth and visual appeal.
Choose the Right Time: Scheduling your session during the golden hours of early morning or late afternoon ensures soft, flattering light that enhances the warmth of family moments.
Embrace Candid Moments: While posed shots are essential, candid moments capture the true essence of your family. Encourage playful interactions and genuine expressions to create authentic memories.
Plan Poses Ahead: Discuss with your photographer about specific poses or moments you want to capture. This ensures a variety of shots that reflect your family’s personality.
Relax and Enjoy: Family portraits are about creating memories together. Embrace the joy of the moment, and let the photographer capture the genuine connections between family members.
The B’s family’s session at Shawnee Mission Park radiates love and joy. As they braved August’s heat, their portraits stand testament to familial warmth, love, and timeless bonds. I had a blast capturing it!
As the class of 2024 prepares for their next chapter, it was wonderful to capture Ava from Louisburg High School! A session that seamlessly blended her sophistication and spunk. We got to explore the iconic Kauffman Stadium and the vibrant streets of downtown Kansas City.
Ava, a radiant senior with a personality as dynamic as her wardrobe, effortlessly transitioned between three distinct outfits. The session kicked off with Ava donning a sweet white dress that exuded timeless elegance. Against the backdrop of Kauffman Stadium, the soft hues complemented Ava’s natural grace, creating a series of portraits that encapsulated the purity of her senior year.
Transitioning to downtown Kansas City, Ava embraced her vibrant side in a spunky mosaic top paired with crisp white jeans. The juxtaposition of the eclectic patterns against the urban backdrop added a playful touch to the session. As we meandered through the city’s dynamic streets, Ava’s radiant smile radiated through every frame.
For the grand finale, Ava showcased her bold and daring side in a silky maroon top paired with sleek black leather pants. This ensemble perfectly mirrored her confidence and determination as she approaches the threshold of a new chapter in life. Against the backdrop of the city’s skyline, the rich colors and textures created a stunning visual narrative, symbolizing the limitless possibilities awaiting Ava beyond high school.
As a senior portrait photographer, there is immense joy in capturing the individuality of each graduating senior. Ava’s session was a perfect blend of elegance and edge. Congratulations to Ava and the Class of 2024!
On a picturesque fall day Bridget and Peter tied the knot at The Otten on Main. The vibrant colors of Fall set the stage, creating a magical atmosphere that perfectly reflected the couple’s love story. I’ve had the pleasure of capturing moments for Bridget and Peter since the beginning of their engagement! It has been a pleasure to be apart of their story.
Memorable Moments
One of the most memorable aspects of Bridget and Peter’s wedding was their commitment to cherishing private moments together! The day was sprinkled with special moments – a breathtaking first look, shared vows in seclusion before the ceremony, a quiet elevator ride post-ceremony, a moment to savor dinner amid their guests, a private last dance, and a nightcap at the hotel bar after their grand exit. These cherished moments allowed them to fully immerse themselves in the joy of the occasion.
The wedding felt surreal for Bridget and Peter, a culmination of months of planning and excitement. The sheer joy and love surrounding them made the day feel electric. The rooftop view of the Kansas City skyline, adorned with string lights and a spacious dance floor, added a unique touch to the celebration. The Crossroads location facilitated easy access for guests, enhancing the overall experience.
Special Sentiments
Bridget cherished her bouquet, a personalized creation from the City Market Farmer’s Market flowers, crafted with the help of her bridesmaids. Peter appreciated the sentimental touch of using champagne coupes during dinner, a tradition passed down from both sets of parents.
Bridget and Peter’s wedding at The Otten on Main was a beautiful celebration of love, autumn, and the unique bond they share. As a wedding photographer, capturing such heartfelt moments is a privilege.
This week I caught up with Lexi Nardini, the Owner and Director of Floral and Design at Love, Lilacs! I love collaborating with other talented wedding vendors in the KC area. Having photographed multiple weddings that have featured Lexi’s beautiful floral designs, I know how talented she it. I asked if I could pick her brain about all things wedding floral and as always, she didn’t disappoint!
When did you start your business and what drew you to becoming a florist and business owner?
I went to college at the University of Missouri for a degree in event planning! The dream was to be a wedding planner- I just love all things weddings! During my junior year, I took the intro to floral design class as a fun elective, and fell in love with it. I went on to get my minor in floral design, and along the way decided to switch career paths and become a wedding florist instead! I used my knowledge of floral, along with my events/business degree as a perfect combination to start my business after college. The rest is history!
What are some of your favorite current wedding floral trends?
As my business name may hint, I loveeeeee springy florals. My favorite weddings are the classic springy pastels- a trend I don’t think will ever go out of style!
How far in advance do you recommend couples reach out to you about wedding floral planning?
I usually recommend around 12 months out, and I would say that is the standard I see. But with that being said, I get a whole range! Some two years in advance, and some a couple months away. There is never a wrong time to reach out to me, I am always happy to help! You never know when your favorite vendor could be available, so always check just to be sure. Maybe your date will still be open and maybe not, but always worth the ask in my opinion!
How do you balance creating pieces that look current and also stand the test of time?
Balance is the key with designing! This pertains to lots of different elements in the design process, including symmetry, negative space, bloom size, etc. I always work with the couple to make sure they know what to expect with our florals, and explain to them how we can make sure they are timeless while following the trends at the same time. This all happens during our design meetings, and if the couple is unsure on how to go about this, I am always happy to lead the way with questions to help us get there!
How to you help couples determine what style of florals they are looking for?
If I have a couple that is having trouble deciding on their aesthetic, a great place to start is talking about the season of their wedding. This really gets the conversation going and helps me determine what they like and don’t. Another element is my look-books! I create a custom look-book for each couple, full of ideas, inspiration photos, pricing, descriptions, etc. This look-book is what we refer to at our first meeting/consult, and having that visual really helps us dream up the perfect florals for them!
If you could give couples planning their wedding one piece of advice pertaining to florals, what would it be?
My go-to advice for couples is to repurpose those ceremony florals to the reception! I know this is kind of obvious for vendors, but some newly weds aren’t aware of this and it’s such a money saver! The ceremony tends to be a short period of time, so might as well use those florals throughout the entire event. An example of this is grounded aisle markers (lining the aisle) being moved to tables as centerpieces, or moving the floral arch at the altar to frame the couple behind the sweetheart table. There are tons of possibilities!
What are you most looking forward to within your business in 2024?
I am looking forward to growing our Love, Lilacs team! I absolutely love wedding florals, so bringing more girlies to the LL team will allow us to take on even more, which is the dream!
If you are in the process of planning your wedding, I highly recommend saving this post to come back to as you dive into floral planning. And if you haven’t picked out a florist yet, give Lexi and call to see if working with her would be a good fit for you. She is truly wonderful at what she does!
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
As 2023 comes to a close and 2024 begins I wanted to hop on and recap my busiest year yet! A letter from Nat, if you will.
Over the past 12 months I captured a total of 101 sessions, 23 of those being weddings. That averages to almost 2 weddings a month!! I had a total of 40 Lightroom catalogs for the year, each with lots of time spent editing. I also filled 5 hard drives and 28 SD cards!
Just to give you a glimpse into what an average year in photos looks like – I took 159,944 photos total. I edited 39,488 of those photos and delivered 124 total galleries!
The most popular sessions on my schedule were couples, families, and maternity. But I captured so many different sessions and had a BLAST!
It may vary from month to month, but overall, my most used apps this year were Honeybook (client and project management), Google Docs, Instagram, and Gmail.
It was the busiest and BEST year yet. I feel so incredibly blessed to serve Kansas City and surrounding areas because I truly have the best clients! I look forward to many more great years ahead. Cheers to 2023; let’s see what you’ve got in store 2024!
XOXO,
Nat
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!
Along with winter comes proposal season! Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year are great times to pop the question because family and friends are already gathering. I had the opportunity to capture a special backyard proposal this past proposal season.
Kristian set up twinkly Christmas lights in Catelyn’s Parent’s backyard for a very romantic proposal. It was a cold evening, but that didn’t stop anyone from coming out to celebrate the newly engaged couple! After he led her to the backyard and popped the question, their family and friends came out of the house to congratulate them. They celebrated with a champagne pop, treats, and toasts.
Kansas City has a lot to offer when it comes to venues and locations for proposals, but nothing is as special as popping the question in a place that is special to the couple. I always recommend choosing a spot that has special sentiment for the proposal and then having a small celebration after! It could be at someone’s house, a restaurant the couple loves, a coffee shop they frequent, or a park they love to go to. Regardless of where they decided to pop the question, this next step into their relationship will be remembered forever.
There are so many special moments to be captured on your wedding day! Family portraits are a great way to remember what loved one’s were there to celebrate with you. Depending on the size of your family, this process may be quick or take a little while. The best way to ensure it goes by smoothly and everyone gets a photography is to be prepared! I’ve put together some tips for how to prepare for fast and organized family portraits.
Make The List
Once your RSPV’s have come back and you know who will be attending the wedding start by making a list of everyone who will be attending the “family portrait” portion of the wedding. This typically takes place right after the ceremony. It is important to make a list because sometimes it is more than just family who needs to stay. It is also important to let anyone who should be staying that they are on the list, so they don’t leave!
Organize The List
After you’ve made you list it’s time to start organizing it! I recommend starting with one partner’s side of the family and then work your way to the other’s. Write down all the different groupings you’d like photographed. Parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. Narrow your groupings down to the exact photographs you want. What I mean by this is if you want photographs with each grandparent, write them down individually (ie. picture with Grandma, picture with Grandpa, and picture with Grandma AND Grandpa). This way there is no confusion between you and your photographer. There will be so much going on that you may not remember that you wanted individual pictures with them and if you don’t write it down you will likely just get a group photo.
Share The List
When you are done creating all your groupings it is important to share the list with your photographer! If you have a wedding planner or a day of coordinator it is important to share with them, as well. If you want everyone to be informed, you can also share it with anyone who is on your list so they know they need to stay back after the ceremony. When they ceremony is over, have the Officiant make an announcement reminding anyone who is taking family portraits to stay back instead of leaving.
List, or no list, you’re wedding day is going to be perfect! Family members will hang back so they can be photographed with the Newlyweds and then head to the reception. Being prepared just helps move the process along quickly!
