Brooke and Joe married in a Catholic church and partied at Studio at Dan Meiners for their wedding in downtown Kansas City. Brooke’s side hustle is actually coordinating weddings, so it’s no surprise that their entire day was so well-planned, and absolutely stunning. 

I actually met Brooke, and most of her friends, while second shooting a wedding for her friend Mallory. That’s honestly the best part of this job, meeting people who know people who know people and then you just get a full chain of awesome people in your life. 

As with most Catholic wedding days, we had a lot of time to kill after the ceremony and before the reception, so we road around the city in a party bus. One of the benefits of a downtown wedding in Kansas City, all the great photo spots. Stopping at Shawnee Mission Park, The Kauffman, Nelson Atkins, and Crown Center to take photos.

Crown Center was a last minute addition as some bridesmaids needed a caffeine pick-me-up and a bathroom break. We took the opportunity to pop a bottle of champagne in front of the fountains. A tip for anyone wanting a champagne shot: Point the bottle away from others. I forgot to tell Joe to point the bottle to the side and I got soaked in champagne. *insert laugh/crying face here* Mostly on my face; in my eye and on my masks. Luckily, I had photographic evidence that I did not drink and drive if I happened to get pulled over on my way home.

Once we got to the reception, Brooke’s favorite part of the day happened. The reception reveal! She put so much effort into planning the day. Brooke made sure she and Joe got the chance to really take it in before guests entered. She’d made it through the day without crying, but once she saw how beautifully the reception came together, she lost it. Rightfully so! Every detail was gorgeous. . 

The rest of the night was a party! There was lots of dancing, a few glasses accidentally broke on the dance floor. A betting ring popped up among Joe’s friends, rolling the dice and winning the money. I’ve never been a gambler, so I had no idea how all that was working. It was funny to watch the guy who kept winning finally lose though. Brooke and Joe danced the night away! Brooke told me she passed out in the middle of the day for solid nap the day after. Weddings really take it out of you. 

Vendors: 

• Planner: Quintessential Events
• Reception venue: Dan Meiners
• Hair: Payton Bryant
• Makeup: Alexa Jade
• Florist: Dan Meiners
• DJ: Icon Event Group
• Dress: Bride KC
• Suit: Generation Tux