Tag: kansas city photography

Twinkle lights, chilly fall nights and another newly engaged couple! Let’s talk about Matt & Cierra…

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

Matt contacted us a while back while he was plotting his surprise proposal to Cierra. She had no idea what he was planning (insert Morgan Freeman’s voice: she did, in fact, have some idea. She just didn’t know the details). Matt chose the location: Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and was very specifc about date and time and even worked out getting their parents together back at Cierra’s parents house while the happy couple wandered through the Luminary Walk. Nothing says romance like twinkly lights and candle lit walks through the woods!

The sparkle!

Matt and I had corresponded through text throughout the week and even on the day of, he texted me the colors of their (dark) coats so that I could find them in the (dark) woods! Well, we did our best! I texted him a picture of where I was and as casually as possible, they strolled by me and asked if I could take their picture in front of this amazing tree. OF COURSE I CAN! So using Cierra’s phone, I captured a few shots of them standing and then Matt dropped to one knee in front of a crowd of people and proposed!

He opened the ring box backwards at first but neither of them minded!

There was a large group that applauded and cheered when Cierra said yes and the rest of the night was a breeze! Cierra and Matt met 12 – that’s right – TWELVE years ago. They attended different high schools and colleges and now after all of that, they have moved back to the KC area – together – and are saving up to buy a house and travel a little and keep doing all the things they love.

Matt and Cierra love getting out and about around town, trying new things together – restaurants and activities – and sometimes, they just soak up being couch potatoes and watching their favorite shows together over and over!

Not THE tunnel of love but we certainly made it theirs!

The best thing about night photography (or really any dimly lit location) is that your subjects really have to stay still for a period of time to get some of the best shots. Thankfully, this couple was all about sticking the pose for the camera! They really committed to these shots and I had so much fun capturing them – and all of the love they share! Congratulations to these two, thank you for letting me be a part of your special moment and evening and I can’t wait to hear about all the wedding plans!!!

‘Tis the Season… for getting hitched! Meet Emily and Hayley…

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

Recently, we had the pleasure of witnessing this ‘YES!’ moment at Prairie Fire Museum in Overland Park (note to self… add this to the list of fantastic places for photos! The colors! I’m obsessed!) Emily and Hayley met WAYYYYYY back in middle school but didn’t start dating until a little over a year ago!

I was never spotted until it was time!

When Emily decided to propose, she went to great lengths to pick the perfect ring, the perfect spot and hatch the perfect plan! She enlisted Clara, her bestie, as a distraction and Clara’s sister, Elsa, came too – all under the premise of taking pictures of Clara and promised Hayley there would be lunch!

Emily even went as far as sending me a map, a plan of attack, a route we would take afterwards, all leading to a surprise lunch with Emily’s mom and Hayley’s great-grandma! Hayley is very intuitive and Emily was sure she would know something was up – and she was right! Hayley was suspicious but didn’t know the plan and loved how it all played out!

So many spots to stop and take some great shots of these two!

As we walked through the shopping area, we stopped to take all kinds of pictures! There is no shortage of beauty anywhere around here. We also had plenty of time to chat about their cats and dog, about how they get to spend their time doing all the things the love and how they both work in education (LOVE OUR TEACHERS!!!)

Don’t worry – we went back and edited out the damage the wind tried to do to their hair! I’ll update with that picture soon!

As we were strolling down the street, headed toward lunch (the surprise lunch with mom and great-grandma) – here comes mom, driving right down the road next to us! Emily and Hayley just laughed – mom definitely didn’t follow the plans or the map! HA! But even though the cat was out of the bag, and the wind was blowing at what seemed like 100mph, we had so much fun finishing out the shoot!

AH THE RING!

When we finally met at the lunch destination, Emily’s mom, Hayley’s great-grandma, Clara, Elsa (and of course Emily and Hayley), all stopped to pose for one last picture together and off to lunch they went!

Congratulations to this beautiful couple! Can’t wait for the updates on all the camping, visiting Colorado (one of my favorite spots), and, of course, the WEDDING PLANS!!!!

Suprise Engagements: What to expect on the big day!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in "How To" / Tips & Tricks!, Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

So you’ve planned, you’ve plotted, you’ve thought of absolutely every detail imaginable and your photographer has helped cover everything in between. So now all that’s left is to POP THE QUESTION! How does it all come together? Well… every proposal has been a bit different but it usually shakes out like this:

The day of the event:

Usually I don’t get to meet my wonderful clients until after the surprise proposal but I’ll always send you the link to our website ‘meet the team’ space so that you have a general idea of who to look for! https://kansas-city-photography.com/meet-the-team/

When you’ve arrived at the pre-determined location, I’ll climb trees, hide under bushes, pose strangers for pretend pictures and all the while be snapping pictures of the moments you’re sharing with your future spouse!

I took this gem while hiding behind a bridge pillar!
I tailed this couple on their walk through Loose Park!
And these two were both genuinely surprised I wasn’t actually taking pictures of dogs at the park!

Once you’ve popped the question, celebrated the moment (aka ALL THE KISSING), my location is revealed and we head into the rest of our photo shoot! Usually at this point the stress from the planning and the anticipation of the day’s events have subsided and we all have a really good time!

Remember, any time is a good time to start planning and we are ready and able to help you with each and every step! Book your surprise engagement today!

Surprise Engagement! Dinner? Detour? A dream gondola proposal…

by Kansas City Photography, posted in "How To" / Tips & Tricks!, Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

Calvin and Zoe met a year ago and as far as Zoe knew, this was just going to be a normal fun evening at the Country Club Plaza celebrating their one year anniversary at her favorite restaurant – The Melting Pot. What was actually going to happen was a well-planned surprise detour with a dream gondola ride!

Calvin and Zoe have enjoyed this last year together exploring Kansas City, going to local festivals, laughing together (a lot) and drinking all the coffee – so when Calvin received a call on their way to dinner telling them their reservation was pushed to later in the evening. She wasn’t too disappointed, she figured they would just walk around the plaza until it was time to eat. The caller was Calvin’s best friend and this ‘delay’ was all part of the master plan. Calvin lead her down to Brush Creek and suggested walking by the water… where the gondola ride awaited.

She was blown away by the detour and was just soaking up the spontaneous fun. She had no idea what the rest of the trip would bring. The gondola ride headed west while I headed east to set up for the rest of the trip!

As they turned around and headed under the bridge, the gondolier signaled to Calvin and he reached over the edge of the boat and brought up a bottle from the side of the boat that contained a message – a handwritten love letter just for Zoe. The details of the letter remain a mystery but I can tell you from afar, there was nothing about this letter that Zoe didn’t love. When I tell you Calvin took the time to plan this…. there wasn’t a detail missed.

While the boat circled near the bridge, the couple appeared to just be enjoying the evening ride when Calvin made his move and got down on his knee, IN THE BOAT, and proposed.

Zoe said later that she had no idea any of this was going to happen and feeling surprised was a true understatement! After she said YES!, he revealed I was there to capture it all and we headed back to the dock for our photo shoot!

Congratulations to this amazing couple! Thank you so much for letting me capture this moment — I can only imagine the fun you two will have in the years to come!

Surprise Engagements: Making Plans!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Details, Details, Details!

So you’ve chosen your partner, picked out your ring, picked the day, your photographer and even your location (see last blog post!) What else do we need to talk about, right? EVERYTHING!

Because this is a surprise, we need to think through our ruse. Is it a picnic in the park? A stroll before dinner? Perhaps an early happy hour just because… Whatever the ruse, the more we plan, the better!

This picnic was set up by a local company – all arranged as part of the plan!

Your photographer can help with a number of these details:

  • Picking up flowers, cookies, etc
  • Contacting the location
  • Working with vendors
  • Advise you on best times for the best lighting
  • Help with positioning at the location

Sometimes (if you share accounts with your partner), its better to work with someone else who is close to you so no suspicion is raised! We want to help make this day as easy as possible for all involved! And never underestimate the power of your future in-laws! They can always help with outfits, nails, transportation, etc! And in my experience, they love to be included, if possible!

I picked up and set up these beautiful flowers and cookies before Cole and Nicole arrived!

Moral of the story… Think through the whole experience – and don’t be surprised if your photographer asks about a million questions just to make sure you’ve covered all your bases!

Here are some great places we have collaborated with in the past that are always in for being a part of the surprise!

Next up… what to expect on the big day!

Surprise Engagements!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in "How To" / Tips & Tricks!, On-Location Series, Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

Timing, Locations, and Outfits, oh my!

Nick & Sydney celebrate their special moment in Loose Park

After my most recent clients (Nick and Sydney) celebrated their ‘Yes!’ in Loose Park yesterday, I was stopped by another couple and asked for some details on engagement photography and how did we pull off *another* surprise engagement, especially in such a busy location? And I thought… why not tell the world? So if you’re ready to propose to your partner – you’re in the right spot! I’m going to spill the beans on surprise engagements! We’ll review the top spots in Kansas City, how to prepare, what your photographer can help you with — and more! But first… Let’s do a quick recap of our other recent proposals and some of their special moments!

SURPRISE ENGAGEMENTS: LOCATIONS

Most of my clients have picked out the ring, the day, and sometimes even their outfit but when I ask, ‘where are we going for this special moment?’ the answer is almost always, ‘I’m not sure, do you have any recommendations?’ Yes, my friends, yes I do. Here are the list of questions to ask yourself (or that I will ask you) before we decide on a spot!

  • Is there a local spot that’s special to you? Maybe your first date? Maybe a spot you go to regularly?
  • Is there a specific background you’re looking for? Water? Flowers? Trees? Cityscape?
  • When you think back on this special day, is this a location you’re going to want to be able to access (if possible, think wedding, anniversaries, etc).
  • Formal/Casual dress attire?
  • Are you planning any activities pre/post engagement session?

Once we get through those – we can narrow down that right location for you!

If my clients have no preference on location, I refer to this blog post: https://kansas-city-photography.com/2017/02/03/top-10-photo-locations-in-kc/

But also I like to add in these options:

  • Powell Gardens
  • Nelson Atkins
  • Plaza
  • KC Rooftop Bars (think Crossroads area!)
  • Longview, Smithville and WyCo Lakes!

There are a number of locations to choose from and when recommending a place I like to consider the season – what’s blooming, what colors will show in the background? Is it rainy season? Are we going to get muddy (this might be something planned!) What’s planned for after the photoshoot – do you have time to get where you’re going if we pick a certain location over another. Also, are there several backgrounds for the photos or will we just have one or two to work with? Your photographer will work with you to brainstorm ideas and they’ll also take into consideration lighting, weather, permits (if necessary) and review all of that with you. Overall, a lot to think through but in the end, this is the backdrop for your special moment so we want it to be right!

Up next… How to prepare: The details for your special day!

Click here to book your engagement photos with Kansas City Photography (which is in both St. Louis & Kansas City)!

(Note: All photos in this blog post were taken by Kansas City Photography. You may not re-use without permission.)

A Romantic SURPRISE PROPOSAL Picnic!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

A few years ago, these amazing people decided to give online dating a try because, (and we all agree), meeting people these days is just hard. Especially meeting the right people. Except not for these two. They matched, and there was no looking back!

After three and a half years of eating good food together, exploring KC, and drinking all the wine … Ty planned out the sweetest surprise proposal; he was ready to ask Emily to marry him.

He coordinated all of the details, including hiring us (months ago!) to be there to capture these moments! As the day approached, Ty followed through on every detail, including making sure Emily was picture ready without knowing that she was going on anymore than a glamorous picnic date with her lovely boyfriend.

The details came together perfectly! On October 9th, 2021, while enjoying a warm, sunny, beautiful afternoon in Loose Park, Ty got down on one knee, asked Emily to marry him … and she said “yes!”

And from the couple themselves – “We both love how well our personalities work with each other. No matter the situation, we’re both always present to provide advice, support, or dumb jokes with each other.”

We’ll be keeping an eye out for your wedding date announcement! 😉

Make sure to follow us on Facebook – http://Facebook.com/kansascityphotography

A SURPRISE Princess Serenity Cosplay Session!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

It was 25-degrees, but that didn’t stop Abby and me from surprising Jennifer with a SURPRISE photo session, despite her attempts to accidentally foil our plans! 😉

Abby (who lives in Florida) reached out to me mid-January about setting up a surprise photo session for her girlfriend over the weekend she’d be in town visiting. She was also making her a HANDMADE and GORGEOUS Princess Serenity gown to wear in said session.

We brainstormed and decided to tell Jen I was hosting a Moonie Meetup (for Sailor Moon fans) at Loose Park (there are some beautiful columns there, which would fit the Princess Serenity aesthetic).

Jen was worried about the cold. I was attempting to make it so she didn’t cancel on attending my fake “Moonie Meetup,” so I offered to move the madeup get together to my house since it was “all people I knew anyway.” She agreed. PHEW. Any time Jennifer would say something, Abby would message me in a panic.

The day finally arrived when Jen and Abby showed up at my house. I met them out in the parking lot, a camera casually strapped around my neck. AND THEN ABBY WHIPPED OUT THE SURPRISE! The moment we’d been waiting for!

THEN, we told her there wasn’t actually a Moonie Meetup … this entire thing was for a surprise photo session, all for her! Abby knocked this Valentine’s surprise out of the park!

Now, to the session itself. It was cold. 20-degrees cold. BUT WE ARE CHAMPIONS! Plus, as I told Abby in our chats … cosplayers and photographers are a touch on the crazy side. 20 degrees is child’s play. 😉

I am so happy the surprise and the session were a moontastic success! I have worked with Jen several times, and actually met Abby through photography as well (at this session below, actually)!

Here’s to many more! One of the greatest things about cosplay — the photos will always be different because the characters are! All of these cosplay sessions are the same person (Jen)! I have so much respect for cosplayers, and their infinite creativity bringing characters to life!

Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

And a very Happy Valentine’s Day to Jennifer and Abigail!

Featuring: Scattered Roses Cosplay

A Surprise Proposal at Loose Park!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots, Surprise Proposals

Have we mentioned we love surprise proposals yet? Oh, we have? Well, one thing is for sure, they will never, ever, ever get old! We LOVE everything about them. The secret emails, the code words, the excitement and shock when someone gets on a knee … like this Sunday at Loose Park!

Matthew reached out to us December 1, letting us know he had just moved to Kansas City a few months ago with his girlfriend, Angie, who is attending KU. He ordered had already ordered the engagement ring, and was wanting to set up a surprise proposal.

The ring finally made it in on December 19, so we were ready to set the surprise date! Matthew had originally envisioned Penn Valley Park for the proposal, but the day of we ultimately decided on Loose Park!

Once Matthew had the ring, the plan was set in motion. We even exchanged photos so we knew what each other looked like (we don’t get to see each other until surprise proposal happens usually)!

These two lovebirds first met when Matthew watched her dog over Thanksgiving three years ago. When she came back from her trip, to a well pampered pup I am sure, they continued talking!

Matthew fessed up that he’s a wild child (his words!) and said “I love how Angie accepts me for who I am and what I do. Her love is my rock and keeps me grounded!”

They can be goofy together, too, clearly!

We here at Kansas City Photography wish you ALL the best in the world! Props to planning a surprise proposal for Angie! Don’t forget, we do weddings, too! 😉

Want to plan your own surprise proposal? Send us a message!

Our Second Annual Sunflower Sessions!

by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

(This event has sold out)

Nothing epitomizes Fall quite like glorious sunflowers. And, said sunflower season is upon us! We are excited to host our second annual sunflower sessions again this year at Brookdale Farms in Eureka.

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Last year was such a hit, we doubled our availability, and it’s nearly sold out! We only have a few early morning sessions left — so if you’re interested, contact us today!

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This year, KC Photo’s second shooter, Alyssa, will also be helping with the sunflower sessions! This is how we were able to double our bookings!

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Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly), our sunset sessions sold out within the first day. Last year, the morning sessions were the most popular, but that’s likely due to there not being much of an evening offering. We changed that this year, and people were excited for the option! Although, morning sessions are equally as gorgeous!

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I did have one client reach out concerned about the sunflowers “furling” their leaves at night. Sunflowers don’t do this, so we are good to take gorgeous photos no matter the time of day for these sunflowers.

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We can’t wait to see everyone on Saturday, August 29th!

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