Planning my wedding was a roller coaster of emotions, from start to finish. So without further ado, let's dive into it.
When did the planning begin?
In 2016 I worked for a wedding catering company, "Olive Events." I have so many stories I could tell, from weddings at community centers to weddings at The Midland. It was a great job for a college student and it really opened my eyes to the "working side" of a wedding. At that point, Quinn and I had been dating for two years and I knew I wanted to marry him. So every time I saw something I liked at one of the weddings I worked, I wrote it down. By the time Quinn and I got engaged, I had been planning the details of our wedding day for five years.
Choose your vendors wisely!
Videographer: The first vendor I chose was my videographer. What a surprise, right? I had been researching for weeks and I finally chose Maven Media out of Joplin, MO. I loved Mariah and Ty's style, their website, the communication, and I was happy with the pricing as well.
Photographer: Next, I officially chose my photographer, Cullan Fritts Photography. Being a videographer, I have worked with so many photographers. Mostly good, but some neutral, and a few who were horribly unkind. I had worked with Cullan at a wedding about a year and a half before our engagement. He was so upbeat, kind, and easy to work with. Not to mention I loved his photo style. It was an easy choice, and Quinn and I were so happy with our photos.
Venue and Coordinator: It took a while to find the right venue, but we eventually found The Pavilion Event Space in Independence, MO. I wanted a venue where I could 1) get married indoors, 2) they provided set-up and tear-down, 3) they provided a day-of coordinator, and 4) had a ballroom style and feel. I was extremely satisfied in my experience with The Pavilion, especially with my day-of coordinator, Destiny. She was so on top of everything, made me feel heard and understood, and was right by my side through everything.
Dress: Did you know that some bridal dress shops make you pay to simply look at dresses during your appointment? That's crazy to me. Thankfully, True Society in the KC Crossroads was not one of them. I've worked in the Crossroads for the past two years. Every day I would drive or walk by True Society, I absolutely loved looking at the dresses in their windows. So when I made my appointment and Molly walked me through the shop, I had a feeling I would find my dress there - and I did. Hanging on a mannequin, nothing like the style I had originally envisioned, but so unique and beautiful. All of the ladies were kind, involved, and completely respected my price range. I absolutely loved my dress from True Society.
Alterations: Rosa Carminda Alterations in Overland Park, Kansas. Miss Rosa was recommended to us by True Society. She was affordable and on time. I loved how my bustle looked - I wanted it simple, to make the dress look like it flowed, and Rosa did just that.
MUA: Mind and Muse in Kansas City. As a gift to my bridesmaids and mother, I covered the cost of their makeup. And Kelsey, the owner of Mind and Muse, did such a beautiful job. She was so personable and understanding of what each of us wanted done, adding on her own personal touches. Our makeup lasted the entire day and night. It wasn't until I got my makeup done that day that I realized "oh my gosh, I'm getting married." I felt so beautiful and am so thankful for Kelsey.
Dinner: Simple and easy - Barbecue. We chose A Lil BBQ Joint out of Independence, MO. Karen treated us so kindly and her communication was spot on. Quinn and I both love barbecue (are you really from Kansas City if you don't like BBQ?), and wanted a serviced buffet. A Lil BBQ Joint was wonderful.
Dessert: In July 2020, I attended a friend's wedding (shout out to Scotty and Liz) where the dessert was Betty Rae's Ice Cream Truck. I knew I always wanted ice cream at my wedding, instead of cake, but I had been initially planning to do an Ice Cream Bar. But once I saw that Betty Rae's Truck, my decision to have them at my wedding was solidified. My initial communication with Betty Rae's was great, I let them know about allergies and wanting a nut-free truck. Unfortunately they were almost an hour late to our reception, which was less than perfect. They did apologize and we were given discounts due to the missed time. The ice cream was delicious, the best in Kansas City and a huge hit among our guests.
DJ/MC: This was another easy decision. My brother and his friend have their own DJ business, LUX Entertainment KC, and boy did they keep the party going. Joe, my brother, respected both my "must play list" and "do not play list," and did a fantastic job mixing and hitting cues. Dexter, the MC, did a great job at announcements, handing the mic off to those giving toasts, sticking to my schedule, and kept the party going while leading guests in fun line dances. So glad I chose LUX.
Photo Booth: I always knew I wanted more than just a guest book of our guests' names, so when Quinn suggested we have a Photo Booth, I took it a step further. I chose Shine Bright Photo Booth with the addition of a memory book. Sandy was great to work with, very responsive, and I loved how our photo memory book was arranged. Such a great addition to our day.
Florals: Lastly, we found all of our florals on Etsy. As a bride with numerous outdoor allergies, I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be sneezing all day due to my bouquet. My mom handled choosing and piecing together our florals, and she did a wonderful job. And I must add that she chose and created our centerpieces herself. My mom did a wonderful job, and there's no one else I would have trusted with it all.
We loved our wedding day!
No wedding day will ever be perfect, and ours certainly was not. But it was ours. We had so much fun partying with our family and friends. The day came together beautifully, thanks to my insane organizational skills and the vendors I chose. So choose your vendors wisely, and do what you want. It's your wedding day, no one else's. Make it 100% you and your spouse. And enjoy the ride.
