cute engagement photos – Kansas City Photography

Crunching Leaves Through A Wilderness Trail: Tatiana & Eric’s Fall Tryst!

November 23, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Odes, Photoshoots

Tatiana and Eric made a quick trip up to visit lil’ ol’ me in St. Louis! We were really wanting to get some cute photos before all of the leaves fell off the trees. We met up at a nearby conservation area that we all love — it even has a scenic lookout!

Since it was freezing, and Tatiana’s sweater dress wasn’t as warm as she thought it was going to be, we didn’t actually make it to the scenic lookout this time around! Eric’s sister also came up to visit with our two lovebirds, so of course we had to snap a family photo.

Aren’t they all so presh?

After walking for a few minutes on the trail, I realized my property was actually still more colorful. Most of the leaves had already fallen off the trees at the conservation area, but there were still some holdin’ out a few miles down the road at my house!

There are some really huge leaves at my home. My mother-in-law told me they’re from the cottonwood trees! You learn something new everyday!

And if you give a Tatiana a huge leaf, she’s gonna want a photo to go along with it! 😉

Tatiana and Eric will have been together 5 years this July! They’re just too cute for words, and I am so happy to be their friend! One day, Eric will finally pop the question — and I can help Tatiana start wedding planning! 😉

*hint, hint, hint*

And since this is Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment to talk about how thankful I am that Tatiana came into my life!

We first met at an anime convention. She stopped by my photobooth I had set up in the vendor’s room. After seeing her at a couple conventions, she decided to book me for an outside shoot. She cosplayed as Fluttershy!

The first time we tried to meet, my memory card corrupted halfway through the shoot, and we had to set a new date and take the photos all over! That was her first outside impression of me. Wooooo.

From there, she invited me to an outing at Power & Light. That’s also where I met our fellow photographer friend, Dawn, whom I am also so, so thankful for!

Now, Tatiana is a part of the Kansas City Photography family and I just don’t know what I would do without her! She’s an amazing friend, my confidant, and a good noodle all around! She keeps me sane, and, a feat no one has done before her — organized.

I am also so happy she has Eric! He makes her happy, and he’s a loyal, trusting friend to me. I am working on convincing them to move to St. Louis … but then I’d have to find another Kansas City photographer!

I think my favorite thing about these two is how they can just be themselves around each other. Even if that means being weird.

#specialponies

Thank you all for visiting me!!

Beth and Zach’s Gorgeous Fall Engagement Shoot!

November 22, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Tatiana here!

I’m really happy Beth and Zach decided to go with Kansas City Photography for their wedding, but first — we needed to get them some engagement photos!

Beth has been following our Facebook page for awhile, so when we met for coffee she already knew we were a good choice — thanks so much, girl! We love our fans!

The first time we tried to schedule the shoot, I ended up getting sicker than a dog. Even though we tried again for the next weekend, Beth ended up catching a cold the next day! I’m so glad we were able to make it work before the leaves fell completely. Fall waits for no one!

This tree was our magical spot right down the hill between Union Station and the Liberty Memorial.

This tree had the perfect Fall feel and gorgeous leaves for Beth’s favorite shot from our last engagement shoot — thanks, Christine and Pinterest!

Zach works as a truck driver so any time spent at home is precious to both of them.

Beth and Zach have known each other for about 2 years and are as happy as can be! Zach proposed to Beth at a Royals game. He was so nervous when he saw security having people empty out their pockets, because he didn’t want to ruin the big moment!

Thankfully, the ring stayed in his pocket. Finally, at the ninth inning, he asked and of course she said yes!

See you soon on the big day! <3

7 Outfits & 45-Degree Weather For This Fall Engagement Shoot!

November 14, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

I keep telling Lindsey this, but I will put it on the record — she is one of the most prepared brides I have ever worked with! She has lists for days! She should consider a career in wedding planning, actually.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Dan & Lindsey again this Sunday. I say “again,” because we did a special ice rink engagement shoot for them this summer, too! Here are some fun shots from that:

Lindsey really wanted another shoot to capture the beauty of Missouri’s Fall weather, so we modified their wedding package to include two engagement shoots!

This time, Lindsey sent me a list of 7 outfits she and Dan were going to wear. Not only that, she also had the photos she wanted in each outfit! I was impressed, thrilled, delighted … so many emotions — all of them good!

The last time I met up with the happy couple, it was on the day of the solar eclipse! The weather was much different this time around. It was a chilly 45 degrees! But both she and Dan were total champions — you can’t even tell they’re freezing along with me!

Dan and Lindsey met on Match.com. She told me she was scrolling through and saw Dan’s picture. This is my favorite part — she said, out loud to the empty room — “I WANT THAT ONE!!!”

And she got him. 😉

We met at Faust Park in Chesterfield. It’s right next to the Butterfly House! There’s a small pond, and several really old buildings and barns, which made it perfect for the feel Lindsey was going for this photoshoot.

Since our last shoot was mostly on the ice rink, I didn’t get the chance to introduce the happy couple to Juanita. This time, I did. She’s my sassy stool I stand on to get shots like the one above.

Plus, I am short … and it’s always better to be above the person as far as photos go, so I use her quite often. If you ever see her, say “hi!” I really need to get a picture of her!

Speaking of barns, here’s one of them below. There is a section of the park called “Historic Village.” According to the Faust Park website: “The Historic Village at Faust Park includes four homes and 14 additional structures … All of which have been saved from demolition … Spanning a period from 1840 to 1910, the Village provides a context in which the lifestyles of the settlers of St. Louis County and the skills they used to survive are illustrated.”

Pretty neat, huh? There’s also a large playground if your kiddos don’t feel like taking in the history! Or if you just feel like takin’ a swing.

The last time I checked in with Lindsey for the blog post, she told me Dan promised to tell her he loves her — every day. And, as she reports, he has still kept that promise!

They’re just too cute! Excited for your wedding in May!

I expect more lists! 😉

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They Cut The Grass! A Country Engagement Shoot

November 8, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Samantha wrote to me about her dream to have her engagement photos in tall grass. I scouted around and found some fields in Eureka two weeks ago and she and Josh agreed they’d would work perfectly. But, little did I know this location was not going to work out!

The day before the shoot, I drove by them again, and … they had been mowed!! I reached out to Samantha and told her, but then realized my own property had exactly what she wanted!

I met Samantha at a winery during a bachelorette party for her now sister-in-law, Maria. I should have known we would hit if off — anyone who loves wine is automatically my best friend.

Since we had both had more than one glass, we started chatting about life and work. That’s when she mentioned she was engaged. And that’s when I told her I could help her out with wedding photography!

I feel like I should be able to write off any and all winery trips from my taxes now as a business expense!! Let’s go again, Samantha!! Hahaha.

Samantha and Josh have been together for 3 years and met each other at work. They picked out the engagement ring together and kept it in a safe under their bed.

Samantha told me she would put the ring on and wear it around the house sometimes before he proposed. Isn’t that cute?

Since she knew Josh had the ring, she was getting pretty impatient waiting for him to actually ask her so that she could keep it on her hand permanently.

Finally, after probably the 1,000th time Samantha asked — Josh proposed! Samantha said he did it while they were sitting on the couch because she kept asking him when he was going to pop the question. So, he did it right there!

And, let me tell you what, these two are adorable! And Samantha kept doing silly things and making Josh smile — probably not expecting me to document them:

Never trust a photographer, Samantha!!

I always tell my clients if they do something silly, or if they fall … I promise to take photos of it!

Speaking of injuries — before the shoot, Samantha asked me if I could Photoshop out some stitches. I told her I definitely could, but didn’t realize how severe the stitches were until she showed me her arm! It was a total freak accident involving her kitchen and some broken dishes.

The happy couple also brought along their daughter, Miss Genevieve. She was a hoot! She is actually hiding in several of the photos because she really, really didn’t want to let mommy’s leg go!

Thankfully, I also have a 2-year-old, so I had plenty of toys for distraction — and a nice playset outside for her to play on while we took some shots around that area. But, as any parent knows, if you walk with your child in between the two of you …

This is definitely what’s going to happen next!

So excited for your wedding next year!

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Third Times A Charm: An Engagement Shoot On The Go!

October 30, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

No — Jam didn’t have to ask Jaclyn three times for her hand. Once was plenty for her to say “YES!!!”

Finding a location for their engagement photos, on the other hand, wasn’t as easy.

Hi, it’s Tatiana again ready to share my latest weekend adventure!

Jaclyn and Jam contacted us to help celebrate their engagement with photos during the best time of year. We decided on Burr Oaks Conservation Area, like the previous blog showcased, for its variety of different locations within nature’s awesome autumn scenery.

When I arrived, the gates were closed and there were two park rangers with neon orange vests waiting to inform anyone who wanted to enter that the conservation was CLOSED!

WHAT!?

You can’t close NATURE!

Well — when you have an overpopulated deer problem in the area, Missouri Conservationists can for an organized hunt.

And we were fresh outta camo. So, onto a new place we went!

Once I discovered the location was closed, I contacted the eager couple immediately and we met at Pink Hill Park right next to the entrance of Burr Oaks.

We were able to get some heartwarming shots with the leaves changing in the background! And I’m glad we did — those leaves will be falling off very soon!

I was also able to use my angle magic to get some woodsie vibes. But after walking around, I knew we were running out of options fast — because half the park was under construction!

The sun was about to set and I had to make a decision on my feet. So, we got back in our cars and hit the road!

I’m so glad they agreed to reboot the shoot because we were able to get some amazing shots at our third location: Waterfall Park at Bass Pro!

It still lack a waterfall, but that’s not the only perk of this location if you remember the “duck-ducks”.

Jam proposed to Jaclyn on a vacation in Austin, Texas. He needed a new shirt and they ended up finding a shirt that matched hers! When they got back to the hotel to get ready, she thought her shirt looked wrinkly.

Jam agreed, teasing her, and she turned around to give him a good “shut up!” and he switched gears to being super romantic and sweet.

He then essentially asked her to let him tease her for the rest of her life!

I’m so glad they both humored me scavenging for the perfect leaf for this shot. I probably looked like a crazy person, but you do what you gotta do! <3

And then I went next level crazy and scrounged around two more perfect leaves for this one. Her ring is a classic diamond with a gold band — also, it’s huge! It’s so gorgeous!

These two were so great to work with, and they are fellow dog lovers like me, which makes them good people in my book! Plus, Jaclyn has the best fashion sense. Where do you shop?!

We at Kansas City Photography wish you both a wonderful journey ahead, and hope you keep us in mind for your wedding photographer! We travel. 😉

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‘You mean you knew how to light a fire this whole time?!’ – Beth And Josh’s Fall Engagement Shoot!

October 23, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Hey, maybe your photographer needs to know that you are certified in building campfires ahead of time — but more on my dreams of arson in a moment!

It’s Tatiana again, and let me tell you — this is the busiest month I’ve had since starting with Kansas City Photography! And I couldn’t be happier because Fall is my favorite time to shoot. Nature does all the work!

I mean, how can you not adore the vibrant colors just popping out all around you? Beth and Josh are Fall freaks as well, so they chose Burr Oak Woods for their engagement shoot!

It’s a gorgeous nature trail that’s 1,071 acres of gorgeousness!

Beth and Josh found me through a mutual friend (Thanks, Meg! <3). We bonded over our basic selves with some Starbucks coffee and my Princess Mononoke shirt. Clearly, we are best friends in the making!

We booked the shoot about a month in advance, but as the day approached, the weather forecast looked pretty grim.

Of course, if you live in Missouri, you’ll know that the weather is about as predictable as a newborn baby. It can snow in the morning and by 3 p.m., you’re breaking a sweat! Seriously. This has happened before.

I’m so glad we kept with the original date, because we had a blast!

Beth came prepared with some awesome Pinterest ideas! We have pose ideas ready to go for our clients, but we always love it when people have their own special style. After all, we want to shoot what YOU want.

One of her ideas was to have matching mugs, but she nixed it because she thought it would be weird to have random mugs in the middle of the woods.

That’s when I said “It would be super cool if you guys were sipping hot cocoa over a campfire! Too bad we don’t have one of those.”

And that’s when she hit me with, “Well, Josh is an eagle scout. So, he knows how to make a campfire.”

WHAT?! ACCA-‘SCUSE-ME?!

Unfortunately, I didn’t have spare mugs lying around and Josh was really into preventing forest fires … so the campfire was a no-go — THIS TIME.

Beth and Josh have been together for almost 2 years. They met online, which is getting more and more common these days!

Another go-to proposal move seems to be the kitchen, since that’s where Josh asked the big question (I need to be hyper cautious in our kitchen from now on — Eric might get crazy). Here’s Beth recalling the event:

“Well … I was in my pjs in the kitchen, throwing something away at the trash can. I turned around and he was on one knee.

First words out of my mouth were: ‘Are you sure?’ I looked so frumpy because we were at home — But I thought ‘If he wants to marry me like this, then it must be meant to be!'”

So freakin’ cute! Josh knew that Beth hates anything flashy or over-the-top, so he picked out this beautiful pink sapphire ring with a rose gold band from Israel. It’s so elegant and charming — A+ to Josh!

This was Josh’s first time at Burr Oaks and Beth was thrilled to show him around, since this conservation area is where her and her family share many fond memories together (And if you ever want to share those memories in front of a professional photographer, hit me up. Tee hee.)

Also — they’re doing exactly what you think they’re doing below! This had me rolling!

These two were so fun to work with and I can’t wait to capture their wedding day!

Side note: Beth totally kept these leaves for keepsakes of the shoot. I would absolutely do the same thing!

A Romantic Windy City Engagement Shoot [We Snuck Onto A Dock!]

October 10, 2017October 12, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

I drove up to Chicago this weekend to celebrate Emily and Stephen’s engagement! It was a gorgeous day — so we drove over to Lake Michigan and took some celebratory engagement photos!

Stephen proposed while he and Emily were on vacation. Their vacation spot was also off Lake Michigan, but seven hours north. Stephen told me when he got down on one knee to propose, he had this whole speech written out.

However, Emily immediately started bawling (happy tears). He said he still tried to fit in some of the speech he worked so hard on, but realized it just wasn’t going to work out because Emily was so excited and couldn’t stop crying. Maybe he can save the speech for the wedding?

The ring is gorgeous — with a deep blue sapphire in the middle. Stephen really wants to tell Emily how much it cost, but she says she wants it to be kept a secret! The world just may never know — but it is stunning!

These two couldn’t make each other stop laughing. This is probably one of my favorite poses — Stephen was supposed to be whispering sweet nothings into Emily’s ear, but the word he was actually whispering to get her to laugh is NSFW. So, just enjoy the photo instead! 🙂

And, sometimes, I’d be trying to pose them — and this is what would happen. This is definitely not how I instructed them to stand! I’m not sure if they’re going for a Rosie the Riveter vibe or what.

So, I just … let it happen. You’re welcome, world.

This is the pose we were actually going for —

Emily and Stephen are native Chicagoans. Emily loves everything about Chicago. So, when we found this backdrop around Montrose Beach — we had to hit it up. Emily can even tell you what the four stars on the Chicago flag mean!

We also hit a part on the lake with a bunch of fancy yachts. Emily told me the gate is always locked and that you need a card and code to get inside. We watched a woman leave — and it just so happens the gate didn’t lock. #wesosneaky

A few photos on the dock never hurt anyone, right? We did at least make sure it was locked on our way out, though!

I had originally envisioned the two of them on a cute canoe on the water. Emily kept trying to tell me the water was just too choppy — but I didn’t believe her until I actually saw it! Definitely better to just hang your toes over the edge!

Later that night, we all went out for drinks. At one point, Stephen was outside waiting for our Uber. Emily looked at me, and giddily declared, “I just feel like I found my person, you know? He loves me for me!” It was just too precious for me not to share!

Congratulations, Emily & Stephen! I can’t wait to be there for your wedding!

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Louie [The Dog] Wouldn’t Wear His Cardinals Gear, But We Still Got Amazing Engagement Shots!

August 29, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

I met with lovebirds Lindsey and Tyler this Sunday at Lafayette Park to take their engagement photos. They brought along their adorable pup, Louie.

I’m pretty sure Louie thought my camera was a giant alligator that was going to eat him, because he looked a little worried.

Although, there is one shot that is absolutely hilarious (below). Lindsey had her Pinterest board loaded on her phone, and the vision was to have this cute shot that was just their feet, along with Louie sitting in between them.

Louie didn’t much feel like sitting … or looking at the camera … or being there at all. At least he’s adorable!

I think this is where I can use that #pinterestfail hashtag, right? Hahaha!

A few weeks before Christmas, Lindsey and Tyler were enjoying the Anheuser Busch Brewery Lights. That’s when Tyler decided to get down on one knee and ask Lindsey to be his wife! She was totally shocked!

The happy couple met on Plenty of Fish. Lindsey and Tyler love the Cardinals, hanging out with Louie, and swimming / boating.

They were also very easy to get to laugh – which is something I appreciate!! If I made them stare into each other’s eyes for too long, they’d start giggling!

We wandered over to this section of the park that had a nice fountain spouting up. As soon as I approached, a squirrel stopped in its tracks and stared at me. I legit thought it was going to charge us, but then it went on its way.

Then, as we neared the water, three giant swans poked their heads up. Now, being a Missourian, I know those dudes have tempers. We slowly approached, and when they decided we weren’t a threat, they honked at us and then sat back down. Phew!

I had never taken shots at Lafayette Park before. It was just stunning! It’s a 30-acre park, and the oldest public park west of the Mississippi!

There were flowers in bloom, a gorgeous willow tree, and then a nice pond. Plus, it was all clustered together, so you didn’t have to walk forever to get to different parts of the park.

There was also this building with ornate wooden windows and brick walls. I have no idea what it was for, but it sure was pretty! I think the plaque on the wall probably would have told me what it was used for … but I was distracted by photos!

Since Lindsey and Tyler are big Cardinals fans, we also swung by Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.

The team had a late game the night before, so we didn’t think anything was going on … but there was actually an autograph session happening, so people were everywhere! We did manage to still snag some amazing shots!

Even though I feel like I am betraying my home team of the Royals, I have to admit these photos are just too cute.

Decked out in red, and with matching red Converse – Lindsey and Tyler represented!

For those of you who haven’t wandered around downtown St. Louis, there’s a huge section of it dedicated to the Cardinals. Other than the stadium, there’s an entire area surrounding it that has Cardinals themes. It’s called Ballpark Village!

I am so glad I was able to connect with these two! I actually met them at a mutual friend’s house party months ago.

They weren’t engaged yet, but Tyler had let on that it was going to happen at some point. And I am so glad it did!

Excited for your wedding, Lindsey & Tyler!!

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From The East Coast To St. Louis — An Engagement Shoot At Forest Park!

August 1, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

I met with the loveliest couple on Sunday — Sayo and Oye. It was a relatively last-minute shoot (their original photographer canceled the day before — after they had already done their hair and makeup), but I am so glad I was able to work with them on their engagement photos (and was actually in town this weekend)!

Sayo told me she had a thing for columns — so we made sure to hit up the Muni in Forest Park in St. Louis.

Months ago, Oye asked Sayo hypothetically, “If I happened to ask you to marry me, what would be your answer?”

Sayo gets so many bonus point for her answer: “You have to ask to find out!”

Oye told me he’s not a gambler, but he told me he decided to hedge his bets. He decided to propose anyway on December 31 at Sayo’s family home in Philadelphia.

Good news — he found out that her answer was “yes!”

The happy couple is getting married back on the East coast in South New Jersey at Lucien’s Manor this October. There are columns on the outside, so Sayo is going to be in Heaven!

Right now, Oye and Sayo are in a long distance relationship. She is finishing her medical residency at Saint Louis University Hospital — and he lives in the DC area. He just happened to fly in this weekend, so it was really important to get their engagement photos done!

This fun couple was introduced by mutual friends. Oye was given Sayo’s phone number, but didn’t call her for 2 weeks. Heart thumping, he finally did, but she didn’t answer. He bravely left a voicemail, something he told me he doesn’t usually do, and she happened to call back.

The rest is history. <3

Above you’ll see their ‘magazine model’ poses. Although, Sayo didn’t take it seriously for too long —

I’m so happy I was able to cross paths with these two! They color coordinated perfectly — even down to the socks!

We at Kansas City Photography wish you the happiest wedding day! Although, who knows! We travel, too! 😉

One last columns shot for Sayo —

And, of course, a practice spin for their first dance —

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