the blog
I had the opportunity to capture at fall engagement session on a gorgeous day at The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. It was the beginning of November, but the colors on the leaves were still out to play! We were not complaining. The weather was absolutely perfect and the colors added so much warmth and depth to the photographs. They also complimented Kristen and Chris’s outfits wonderfully!
There’s not much that’s better than a fall golden hour engagement session at The Nelson. Catching the sun as it peaks through the trees creates the dreamiest photographs. It is an easy way to romanticize the session!
The Nelson also offers a wide variety of locations to take pictures, which helps create the feeling of a multi-location session. But you only have to do a little walking, instead of taking a drive! As a location, it also offers a good variety of both earthy and industrial/modern backdrops. Multiple areas with trees, plants, and greenery compliment the beautiful structure.
If you are trying to decided where to go for an upcoming session, the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is always a safe choice! Whether it’s a family session, an engagement session, or a senior session. The Nelson has plenty to offer!
There isn’t much quite like a late summer golden hour engagement session in Downtown Kansas City! I had the opportunity to meet up with Victoria and Kody at the library district in Downtown KC. We were able to capture street side and skyline moments for their engagement session.
If you are looking for a good mixture of greenery and industrial vibes for an upcoming session, I can’t recommend the library district enough! There are plenty of plants and trees at the street level that help bring some color and depth into the photographs. With Kansas City being known as the city of fountains, there are also options for elegant fountain backdrops! If you schedule your session right at golden hour you can catch the sun peaking through the buildings at the perfect time for photographs.
One thing about downtown as a session location is that you can quickly change your scenery. We accomplished this by simply taking an elevator up to a rooftop. Kansas City has such a wonderful skyline! The skyline photographs well from many different angles. Which gives you a lot of options when it comes to choosing a location. You can pick a location based on wanting the Western Auto sign in the background, or wanting a neutral background. Once you know what you’re wanting it is easy to decide on a location!
An added bonus of splitting your session between street side and skyline is that you have a good transition point for an outfit change. This can give off the feeling of having two separate sessions. You can aim for one half to appear more elegant and elevated with fancier clothing. Allowing for the second half to appear more casual with relaxed outfits.
Fifteen minutes Northwest of Kanas City is the quaint town of Parkville. Downtown Parkville is picturesque with it’s small, locally owned businesses, brick front buildings, and small-town feel. Parkville Coffee Shop is a great place to meet up with friends to catch up and grab a cup of coffee. It is also a great location for an engagement session!
I met Hannah and Jake in Downtown Parkville on a beautiful Spring day to capture their engagement session. We had a great time at Parkville Coffee, where I was able to capture them in a cozy environment that really individualized their photographs. I always recommend that the best way to make your session unique is to choose a location that is special to you and your spouse!
Once we were done at Parkville Coffee, we headed outside to capture some street side photographs around town. They brought their dog with them, which was such a special treat! I always love capturing couples with their four-legged, furry friends. We stopped at a few different locations around downtown to get a mixture of backgrounds for the photographs. Between some greenery, the brick fronts, and the coffee shop, I was able to capture a variety of different photographs!
If you are ever at a loss for where to have your engagement session, think about going somewhere special. If you can’t think of anything specific, consider Downtown Parkville!
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
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!
Adelaide is a UMKC graduate, and booked with me for her Spring graduation photos before grad school! I love helping students celebrate each new milestone & transition with a photo shoot. It’s such a memorable way to wrap up a chapter of life, and begin the next!
Adelaide ended up bringing some of her best friends/sorority sisters with her for the session! They all had their cap and gowns for some celebratory pics together, which was only fitting because they had truly walked this season of life side-by-side! We also had some confetti to play with, and walked around campus doing a bit of reminiscing for them.Â
At the end of her session, her boyfriend hopped in for a few of his own Spring graduation photos and photos with Adelaide! This was such a great group to work with for the day. They were all in the best spirits, excited about their next adventures in grad school!Â
Being able to document all different parts of life is one of the best feelings. From families to high school graduates, to college grads, engagements, weddings & so much more. I’m blessed to do what I love & share it with all of you.
I had the pleasure of working with West Village Realty in a portrait session recently! We started in their A frame office house for portraits of each woman. They all wore very clean and classy business attire that suited each of them so well. They’re a bubbly group of women who know how to have a good time, and made me feel welcome in their space.
Their office space is located in Prairie Village, on a beautiful lot that is secluded but welcoming. After grabbing individual headshots of each woman, we took group shots both in their studio, and right outside. We couldn’t forget to pop a bottle of champagne to toast to the powerful women that run their brokerage. The West Village Realty women are masters of their craft, and make it easy to build a relationship with them. I loved spending the afternoon getting headshots for this group. Make sure to check them out if you’re looking to relocate to Kansas City.
Victoria and Nick met with me at the Nelson Atkins Museum for their Fall engagement session. The day was AMAZING. Although it was cloudy, the Fall colors were in full swing. It couldn’t have been prettier. They brought their dog, Belle, and a couple of their favorite books to read. And we used the books as props at the end of their session, as well as popping some champagne to celebrate this new season of life. Something that is important to me as a Kansas City Photographer is including personal elements in all my engagement sessions. I love for them to walk away with a gallery full of images that represent them & their authentic lives.
We were able to get in two outfits for their engagement session at the museum. First one really complimented all the Fall colors. Pulling golden and earth tones from the beautiful backdrop. And the second one was an all black outfit, one of my favs for couples shoots! And Victoria’s sweater had a little embroidery detail on the elbows which was such a pretty touch!
The Nelson Atkins area is great all year for sessions. It’s one of the statement places in Kansas City, and one of my favorite places to bring my clients.
I can’t wait for Victoria and Nick to celebrate their wedding! And felt so lucky to get this session in for them before winter!
Antoinette & Seth got engaged on a beautiful Fall day at the same park they had their first date – Meadow Brooke Park. How cool is that?! I love when my couples incorporate these personal details into their day.
The trees were already turning colors, and the leaves were everywhere! *Perfect* Fall vibes! We started their session as a normal couples session. Antoinette had no idea a proposal was in her near future! Especially because we went through most of their session with no out of the ordinary behavior!
And then, after a little while of shooting, Seth got down on one knee and popped the question! Ah!! It never gets old photographing these big moments!!
After Antoinette said YES (of course she did!) we wandered around the park, then enjoyed coffee at The Market at Meadow Brooke Park! What a cute idea for any type of session, to grab coffee together and have it captured. I feel like I’m third wheel on a date, and I’m here for it.
Especially at a place that means so much to the both of them! There’s so much this park has to offer, so I totally get why they had their first date here! It’s no ordinary place to just have a picnic! There’s a market and an Inn in the property. So much variety!
Huge congrats to Antoinette & Seth on their engagement! I felt so lucky to capture this day for you!
Madisen and Jordan got married at The Bowery this past year, and it was such a great day! They celebrated with their closest friends and family all night long. The girls wore the prettiest light blue dresses that matched perfectly with her white and green color palette. Madisen’s dress was from True Society and wow, it she was STUNNING. The guys wore light gray suits, while Jordan wore a navy one. Their color palette photographed so well!
They actually decided to choose a new last name for them both to change to after their wedding. (How cool is that!?) They picked “Flourish” to represent their growth as a couple, and it fit them so well. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor ceremony at the Bowery. One of my favorite parts of the wedding day was during the reception! All the women in Madisen’s life circled around her on the dance floor to sing and dance to Mamma Mia/Abba and it was SO FUN!
It was really one of the best days! Thank you Madisen and Jordan for letting me be a part of it!
Noted Vendor:
Makeup | Naturally You Artistry
