Erin + Cole
Erin and Cole's Kansas City winter wedding took place back in January. It was fairly cold, but not unbearable for the middle of winter in the Midwest. One of the things that made their wedding so special for us is that we had met them back in 2015 when we shot a wedding for two of their best friends, Cody and Felicia. Not only was it great getting to know Erin and Cole better after being briefly acquainted a few years back, but it was also really fun to get to celebrate with Cody and Felicia again! I love it when we get to see our couples again at their friends' weddings.
Erin got ready at an Airbnb on the West Side of downtown Kansas City. With white walls, lots of light, and those rustic wood floors, it was the perfect location for shooting the bridal prep! Cole got ready at their home in Kansas City, Kansas. I also love when we're able to capture that setting as it offers such a personal touch to the way that the story begins to unfold. We shot their wedding party photos at Loose Park (that place never disappoints), and though it was pretty frigid out, we got some great shots of their entire party and of the two of them (we did finish up shooting the girls in the Kansas City Trolley that they had rented, but with the warmth and the wooden interior of the trolley, it worked perfectly). They also had found this great parking garage near the Plaza that offered a fantastic backdrop for photos. Probably the most fun was had when their entire wedding party, along with some close friends and significant others, jumped on the trolley and headed to a bar where they enjoyed a few drinks and a toast before their reception! We've had wedding parties do this often and have actually encouraged it, especially when running ahead of schedule. There's something great about taking a break from the day with your closest friends, not worrying about photos or speeches, or dances, and just relaxing and having a moment away from the logistics of the day. You and your wedding party can use this as a time to get out of your head and relax and we use it to capture some great candid wedding day photos. So, if you're looking for another photo location, or you're just running ahead of schedule (yes, it does happen from time to time :), think about dropping into a local bar and taking a minute... you won't regret it!
We had a great day with Erin and Cole and their crew!
Kelsey + Alex
Kelsey and Alex celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary just a few days ago! It's honestly so fun and so rewarding to get to celebrate with people as they embark on their journey together as married couples. We love seeing them post photos on their anniversaries and we are genuinely so excited to watch from afar through the window of Instagram as they continue to celebrate their new lives together.
Kelsey and Alex's wedding was a particularly emotional one. Kelsey's mom had passed away not long before and I found myself brought to tears on more than one occasion as her dad administered the ceremony, as her brother played the song "Rivers and Roads" during the ceremony, as her dad spoke at their reception. It's an interesting thing about grief, how you can celebrate and mourn at the same time... how you can be happy and sad in the same moment.
We actually got to reconnect with Kelsey and Alex at the wedding of one of Kelsey's long time friends, which we shot a year later and it was so great to see them again.
A quick note on the shoot: Kansas City is a relatively small city, and when we photograph 20-30 weddings per year, we end up photographing at many of the same locations time and time again. I honestly don't mind that and it's sort of a fun challenge to find different ways to shoot the same Kansas City photo locations. That being said, it's also fun, and a different kind of challenge, to shoot at brand new locations. This wedding was the first time we were able to shoot at the historic Kansas City wedding venue, The Grand Hall at Power and Light. The architecture of that building is something to behold and the rooftop view is mesmerizing. But my favorite shot from the wedding day might be the one featured above.
Your Wedding Day Schedule
Building Your Wedding Day Schedule
uick note before we start... don't forget to scroll down and check out the photos posted below. I got a little more wordy than I had planned 😁
We receive a lot of questions about how much time couples will need to plan for each part of their wedding day, and rightfully so. So much time, effort, and money goes into planning your perfect day, and of course, you want it to be just that... perfect! Many couples choose not to work with a wedding planner, so they rely on our experience to guide them through the timeline of their day.
Side note: there are many benefits to working with a day-of coordinator, the biggest one is that you don't have to worry about a thing on your wedding day. Your coordinator will be your advocate, working behind the scenes to make sure everything goes as planned and to coordinate with your vendors and guests when things don't. That being said, for one reason or another, couples often plan to go it alone. This is where we can jump in and not only offer some guidance on how to schedule your wedding day, but also to assume, at least part, the role of the day-of coordinator.
Other than your immediate family and your wedding party, we're the only ones that are with you for the entirety of your day. Because of that, we are able to help keep things on schedule and make sure everyone is getting to the right location at the right time. We also have a wealth of experience when it comes to figuring out how long certain parts of the day will take and what might be the best plan of action to go from one part of the day to the next. We know how much time it generally takes for you to get ready, have a first look with your bride or your groom, travel from location to location, have some downtime with your wedding party before the ceremony, and, your favorite part of the day, family photos ;)
So, if you do not end up hiring a day-of wedding coordinator, or even if you do, please lean on us for help in scheduling your wedding day. Scroll down below the photos to find a sample of time frames associated with certain parts a typical wedding day schedule. We will often send this schedule to our clients at the beginning of their planning phase to give them an idea of how much time each segment of their day might take. This also comes with a caveat: This is just a guideline and can be moved and changed however you see fit. These time frames are based on our 10 years of experience in seeing what works well for the typical wedding day. Use this as a starting point in thinking about how you want to structure your own wedding day, and we'll go from there. And, as always, please hit us up with any questions!
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On a relatively unrelated note: the images below are from a styled wedding shoot we did for The Perfect Wedding Guide here in Kansas City. We shot at Union Station and were pretty stoked about how some of the images came out, so I figured, this is as good of a place to share as any :)
Venue: Union Station
Planning & Design: Tryinity Events (Amanda Medlock)
Photography: Nagel Portraits
Floral: Bloomtique
Bridal Gown: Gown Gallery
Talent: McKenzie Roth & Juston Hairston
A Typical Wedding Day Schedule
30 MINUTES - BRIDE FINISHES HAIR AND MAKEUP
This is usually when we will arrive to start the day. This gives us time to document the getting ready phase of the day as well as the details like shoes, jewelry, wedding dress, etc. before they are needed.
Directly after this, we usually split off and one of us will document the bride getting in her dress, while the other documents the guys getting ready.
15-30 MINUTES - GUYS HANGING OUT DOING SOMETHING ACTIVE (NOT JUST SITTING AROUND)
This is optional, but it's often a good opportunity to get some candid photographs of the guys right before they get ready
30 MINUTES - GIRLS GET DRESSED / BRIDE GETS IN DRESS
Make sure that bridesmaids and mother(s) (if present) get dressed before the bride. That way they're all ready to go when helping the bride get in her dress.
Also make sure to find a good location. This means finding some good natural light if at all possible (we'll help with that ;), and making sure that the surrounding area is clear of stuff (bags, clothes, shoes, hangers, etc.)
15-30 MINUTES - GUYS GET DRESSED
Same as above, find some good light and a clean location
10-20 MINUTES - PORTRAITS OF BRIDE AND GROOM SEPARATELY
This can be done later if need be
15 MINUTES - FIRST LOOK
Brides sometimes to a first look with their dad prior to the first look with their groom
90 MINUTES - 2.5 HOURS - WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS
As a general rule, we like to plan for 45 minutes to an hour per location. That can definitely change quite a bit depending on the size of your wedding party as well as how far away your locations are. This is one that will most likely require a separate conversation to go over exactly what you want out of this time and how we can work together to make a plan.
This usually also includes at least one quick location with just the bride and groom
15-30 MINUTES - FAMILY PHOTOS
One thing that helps this part of the day run as efficiently (and quickly) as possible, is to have a list ready, with names, of the groupings that you would like to have photographed. We will definitely give you guidance on this as well if you'd like
30 MINUTES - PRE-CEREMONY (NO PHOTOGRAPHY)
This is a time for you to relax and chill before the big moment. It also gives us time to switch gears, coordinate with any venue representatives, and prepare to shoot the ceremony
CEREMONY
This one varies wildly and completely depends on you and your families. We've shot a 2.5 minute ceremony (yes, you read that correctly: 150 seconds), and we've shot a 2 hour ceremony.
We often start the schedule planning here, depending on what time you want to have your ceremony and how long it will be. We then move backwards to the beginning of your day and out to the end of your reception and fill in all of the pieces.
15-45 MINUTES - POST CEREMONY PHOTOS0
This is optional, but if you have the time and can sneak away for a bit, we highly recommend it! It's a perfect time to capture an epic moment between a bride and groom. You'll be ecstatic, and with emotions on high and running wild, it's a great time to document that moment of your story
This can be with just the bride and the groom, or with the entire wedding party... and it doesn't have to take long at all
We've also had couple use this time to spend a little bit of time with their closest friends at a local bar before moving on to the reception... which is also a great moment to capture
RECEPTION
By the time everything is said and done, our goal is to be at your reception until at least 30 minutes to an hour into open dancing, unless, of course, you have a specific exit in mind that you'd like for us to document.
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Again, that's just a guideline and can be moved and adjusted in any way you see fit. Please hit us up with any questions... we'd love to have a conversation and share with you our perspective and experience.
Thanks for reading!!
Mollie + Max
From Westport to the Family Farm
Wow! What a fun, engaging, sweet couple?! Max and Molly are both so gentle, outgoing, funny, and kind and it was an absolute pleasure working with them. My first memory of hanging out with these two is when we first met to discuss their wedding photography and see if we would be a good fit to work together in capturing their lives from engagement through their wedding day. Our son, Asher, was sick at home with the flu and I received a panicked call from Katherine who had inadvertently given him a double dose of medicine. I'm pretty sure I ended up excusing myself from the room at least twice as Katherine and I figured out what to do. Turns out, it wasn't that big of a deal and everything worked out fine, and it's now a memory that sort of makes me smile.
Anyhow, back to the shoot. I LOVE shooting sessions like this. I love those real life moments that emerge when a couple is hanging out in an environment that they're used to and one that they're comfortable with. I love capturing the raw emotions and authentic interactions that result from a couple engaging in the things that they naturally love to do in their normal (not in front of a camera) lives. Max and Mollie lived right around the corner from one of their favorite coffee shops, Broadway Coffee. Although the staff seemed a little, hmmm... too cool for school, they were gracious enough to let us shoot there (tip: always make it a point to ask permission before you start shooting away... and always leave a generous tip). From there we headed accross the street to their favorite record store (yes, they do still exist :). The staff there was much more amiable and we were able to get some great shots there as well. Our third location was were Max kept his horse. We decided to try and get a few shots with the horse in the hopes that we could get at least something. Shooting with animals doesn't always work, but in this case it worked great! And I was so happy that they suggested it. Last, but not least, we headed out to Max's family farm. Acres and acres to choose from and we found some great spots. This is another one of my favorite types of locations to shoot. So much space lends to those shots of epic proportion where you can really begin to maniuplate perspective. Using natural shapes and landscapes as one of the primary subjects of your photographs opens things up to a whole different way of shooting and, creatively, I just love that!
Okay.. enough talk. Scroll down and take a look :)
Side note: if anyone can spot the theme that runs through all of these locations, I'll buy you a drink ;)
Kelsey + Leif
Kansas City Winter Wedding for the Win!
I've said it before, but I LOVE winter weddings. They don't seem quite as popular in Kansas City, where the winters can get pretty brutal and it can be hard to be outside for any extended period of time. Don't get me wrong, I definitely understand the appeal of a Fall wedding here in KC, which has quickly become prime wedding season here, when the weather is near perfect and the colors produced by the changing leaves are breathtaking. But there's something about the winter that makes it such a unique time to celebrate your wedding day. Maybe it's the crisp air. Maybe it's the shape of the winter trees that have lost most of their leaves and are left looking like something out of a Tim Burton film. Maybe it's the skies that can be quite dramatic with the shape of the clouds like in the reflections of the windows in a few of the images below. Maybe it's the fact that the cold air feels invigorating and is always a good excuse for the wedding party to sneak into a coffee shop during the alloted time for photography (which is what happened on this particular day). Maybe it's a combination of all of those.
Whatever it is, I love it, and Kelsey and Leif did as well. We were able to steal some great images during the snippets of time that everyone was willing to brave the cold and make it happen.
Regardless of the time of year that you decide to have your wedding, good imagery comes down to being willing to take time, take chances, have fun, and let yourself go a little bit... whether it's 20 degrees or 100 degrees outside.
We had a great time with Kelsey and Leif! Kelsey has old family ties with Loose Mansion in Kansas City, which is where they chose to get married and have their reception. It was a super fun day.. and night. We loved getting to celebrate them with their family and friends at a place so special to them!
Kelsey wore a beautiful dress by Maggie Sottero. Florals, perfect as always, by Good Earth Floral
Ella + Ethan | Topeka KS Engagement Session | Location, Location, Location
I first met Ethan and Ella about 2 1/2 years ago when they came into our studio to discuss working together to capture their wedding day. I instantly knew that this was a couple that I really wanted to work with. They were both so sweet, and such genuinely happy individuals, I was stoked at the chance to work with them for both their engagement session as well as their wedding.
We just shot their wedding this past Saturday (more on that soon), and while I was designing their engagement guestbook as part of the wedding photography package that they ordered I was reminded of how much I loved that shoot. It was a unique shoot for me in a couple of respects: One, we shot in locations I had never even seen (in Topeka, Kansas), and two, those locations were both so unique in and of themselves. We started at a historical park called Ward-Meade and ended at an ice cream shop that Ella used to go to with her mom when she was a kid. I’ve said this to many of you before, but one of the most important things when choosing the locations for your photoshoot is to make it personal! If at all possible, choose places that mean something to you. Many of our couples will choose to shoot at a location where they got engaged or had their first date. Some will choose to shoot in their home (we LOVE that one:). Some will choose certain places in the city (or the country) where they’ve spent a lot of time together… or a special restaurant… or bar… or bookstore… or ice cream shop! Remember, the locations you choose are the backdrop of your images and they can say as much about you and about this stage in your life as how you interact with each other in your photographs.
I had a wonderful time shooting with Ella and Ethan. The locations were super fun and these two photographed SO WELL!
… I can’t wait to get to their wedding photos!
Erin + Cole | River Market Engagement Session
We absolutely love shooting in new environments and new locations AND we love the intimacy that comes with shooting in a couple’s own home. We got to do both of those with Erin and Cole. They graciously invited us into their home (a loft in the River Market area in Kansas City Missouri) to start the shoot. There is so much to be said about the relaxed environment at your own home. The photos feel genuine, authentic, and often times more intimate. There’s nothing not to love :)
After that, we venture out onto the streets of the River Market and into one of their favorite restaurants and bars, the classy Brown & Loe. As usual with establishments in Kansas City, the staff was very kind and generous and were happy to accommodate us as we roamed around the place searching for angles, backgrounds, and foregrounds for our photos.. we even ventured behind the bar a couple of times.
We had a blast with Erin and Cole, and are so happy that we got the opportunity to photograph them and to document this time in their lives. We also got to extend the evening with a little date night at Brown & Loe :)
Chloe + Eric | Kansas City Engagement | Nagel Portraits
… scroll down for more images :)
There’s a lot to be said for a couple intnetionally putting some thought and planning into their engagement session. A lot of people rely completely on their photographer for capturing that epic style of engagement photography they see on Pinterest and all over Instagram. There’s nothing wrong with that, to be sure. We, your photographers, have a lot of experience and countless hours honing our ability to see our subjects and their backgrounds in a creative and asthetically pleasing way. We’ve learned to push the limits and are ALWAYS trying new things (a subject which may spin off into another post :). We are definitely able and happy to take the reigns and design the shoot 100% autonimously. BUT…. there are a few great things that happy when a couple is mentally and emotionally invested in the both the preparation for and the outcome of the shoot.
You’re better prepared, mentally :: Most of us don’t spend a lot of time in front of a camera, and when we jump right into something that we don’t have consistent experience with, we tend to be reserved and overly self-aware. That can tend to come off as awkwardness and it often shows in the final photographs. We have a lot of practice at making people feel less awkard when having a camera pointed at them while they’re supposed to be acting intimate with their partner and pretent that we’re not there… and I like to think that we are generally fun-loving people and quite easy to be around, thus making the whole experience more natural and enjoyable. But, the fact remains that putting some serious thought into the shoot, and even practicing beforehand can definitely make you feel more comfortable and at ease during the shoot. Yes, I said practicing… together, in front of a mirror. It will feel stupid, but you get to see how your bodies and faces and apendages look together, and I guarantee you that you won’t be nearly as worried about how you look when you’re in front of a camera. Practice poses from those afroementioned photos that you love from Pinterest and Instagram… It makes a HUGE difference!
You make better, more well thoughtout decisions because you know what result you want :: This applies mostly to your wardrobe and location choices. When you take time to research and look (really look and study) the images that you love, your wardrobe choices become more refined and better wardrobe makes better photographs… all. the. time. This is one of the reasons that we pay wardrobe stylises thousands of dollars on commercial shoots (well, that and the fact that their actually doing the shopping and purchasing all of the wardrobe choices). It’s an entire profession, because it’s so important when it comes to how you want the photograph to speak and the emotions and the feelings that you want it to convey… well, that and you want to look killer in the photos that you’re going to share with your closest friends and family :). We’ve had couples even rent dresses and suits and jewelry online just for the engagement shoot and I will tell you that those shoots are some of the most stunning we’ve done and I think that it’s because so much thought and preparation was put into the planning by the couple. (btw I’m not saying that you have to spend any more money that you already have by renting clothes… just underlining the importance of thought and planning :)
You have more fun! :: This usually goes without saying, but the shoot doesn’t have to, and probably shouldn’t, be all serious and “artistic”. Some of our absolute favorite photos of our couples come from those spontaneous moments that we weren’t even planning for. Wether it’s taking photos in your college tee shirts or shotgunning Natty Lites in a city park (yes, that actually happened and it made me very happy), do things that are YOU! The big landscape-backed or architecturally inspired creatively framed photographs with pensive looks spatial separation are stunning and great to frame as large format wall art for your home, but make sure that you’re ready to loosen up and enjoy yourselves by just being you. This is our favorite part of the shoot because we can all be real with each other. We can hang out, joke, laugh, and all be together for a few hours in an atmosphere that has no pressure. Yes, you want to get those big, epic shots, but the most important thing when documenting this specific time in your lives is to be yourselves, laugh a lot, and have fun… it’s then when we, as your story tellers, get to be on your journey and to tell your real life story!
Okay… enough rambling on. I need to get home and have dinner with my family! Here are some more images from Chloe and Eric’s engagement session. They did all of the above, and it was truly a fantastic shoot. They practiced, they thought through locations, made great decisions on their wardrobe, brought their sweet pup (which we always recommend :), and they, and I, had a great time!!
Cheers..
Allison + Jaron | Kansas City Wedding | Nagel Portraits
Allison and Jaron decided on the The Legacy at Green Hills for their wedding venue. The Legacy at Green Hills sits on nearly 40 acres just outside Kansas City. With the woods and the pond and the pavilion, It's a location that seems destined for an all-day, outdoor party. One potential problem for this particular day was that it was forecast to rain pretty much all day long... and not just rain, but a torrential downpour with a tornado warning just waiting to be dropped.
Shortly after we got there we watched high winds and heavy, nearly sideways, rain pummel the entire area. Needless to say, the bride and groom were a little distraught as they watched their long awaited, well planned, day changing before their eyes. We knew that there would most likely be at least a couple breaks in the rain so we made sure that we were always ready and watching for a chance to get outside. And sure enough, those breaks came. Not only were we able to grab a few photos outside, but those photos came with epic skies, muted (in a good way) colors, and a uniqueness that otherwise would not have been found. A perceived setback turned into a perfect part of their story... and we had the opportunity to document it. For that we are grateful!
Amanda + Stephen | Kansas City Engagement
It always takes me by surprise when a couple's wedding day approaches. Sometimes it feels like we just shot an engagement session the previous week, and then BAM.. wedding day is here!
It's one of the best, most rewarding, parts of our jobs getting to connect with our couples on a personal level. After an engagement session, we're so often able to come away with newfound friends, and that's a pretty meaningful thing for us. Amanda and Stephen are no exception. Although their engagement shoot happened on one of the hottest days of the year last year during the dreaded peak of that Kansas City summer, these guys killed it! Not only did they look amazing, but their spirits were high, and the heat didn't seem to be able to touch them (aside from the sweat on their foreheads :). Maybe it was the glow of going through the process of cementing these moments as one of the first touchstones on their future life together. Maybe it was that they just love being with each other no matter what else is happening around them. Maybe it's because they had already got the afternoon off ... or maybe it was because the end of the day (shotgunning a couple Natty Lites in cognito at Loose Park) was in their minds throughout the shoot. Maybe it was a combination of all of that. Whatever it was, these two enjoyed their time taking engagement photos around KC, and I surely enjoyed my time with them!
Amanda and Stephen... we're so excited to celebrate with you here in a couple of weeks and can't wait to see how everything unfolds on your big day!!
Until then... cheers!
