Kansas City has a wide variety of wedding venues to choose from. One of the perks of my job is being able to explore what the wedding industry in KC has to offer! Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of capturing multiple sessions at the stunning Longview Mansion in Lee Summit. 

History

Having a vast history, Longview Mansion is deeply rooted in the community! The estate belonged to R.A. Long, a lumber baron and philanthropist from Kansas City. Originally, it consisted of 50 buildings on 1,780 acres. It took 18 months to complete the build! When it was all said and done the estate employed 200 people. Along with barns for housing the livestock, the estate also included greenhouses, a 1,000 seat horse race track, employee housing, a church, a police and fire department, and a newspaper. 

Over the years, Longview became known for producing pasteurized milk from purebred Jersey dairy cattle and prize winning roses from its greenhouses. They were also well known for raising and training show horses.

Renovation

Of all the structures on the estate, the mansion was the biggest and most prized. With 22,000 square feet of space, it holds 48 rooms, 6 fireplaces, 14 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. It was purchased in 2017 by a Kansas City developer who is committed to preserving the region’s history. In 2018 a multi-million renovation began and restored the mansion to its original beauty. They plan to continue to work on the estate to transform it into a modern destination venue. 

As of now, it is a beautiful, spacious, and accommodating wedding and event venue! I’ve had the opportunity to capture both weddings and engagement sessions at the mansion. It never fails to please. The structure itself is breathtaking, but everything inside, down to the small details are what really sets Longview apart. The decorations are all beautiful and give off such a homey and elegant feeling. 

I hope to capture many more sessions at Longview Mansion in the future and watch as it continues to grow and develop into a modern destination venue!