Hey everyone, so styled shoots are officially my favorite thing ever and I love Enchanted Acres Wedding Venue in Harrisonville so much. In case you aren't familiar with a styled shoot, it's basically where a couple models dress up and pretty pictures are taken. Throughout the day leading up to the shoot, I was extremely nervous about the weather. It had been sprinkling all day and the clouds were gray and ugly. Luckily, minutes before we began shooting, the clouds parted and gave way for a beautiful sunset.

The Models: Bella Fernandez and Cole Foss

I really went all out with planning with shoot. I put out a model call and was contacted by Bella. She said she and her boyfriend, Cole, would be more than happy to participate. I love working with actual couples since it makes the intimate moments less awkward. They were great. He participated without a complaint and she was a natural in front of the camera.

Venue: Enchanted Acres

Recently, I partnered up with Enchanted Acres. It's a relatively new and  beautiful, venue in Harrisonville, Missouri. They approached me with the possibility of appearing on their preferred list, so I suggested a styled shoot to help them out a bit with images for advertising purposes. Oh my god, I am in love with this venue. It is so incredibly beautiful. I love it because it has a rustic feel, but isn't a barn. That is incredibly difficult to find.  The area is picture perfect for outdoor photos. You have a phenomenal lake in the middle of their property, surrounded by lush greenery. The lake is highly reflective, so your photographer can definitely get creative with the shots. If the clouds cooperate, you can also experience an incredible sunset.

In addition to the amazing portrait locations, there is also a beautiful archway to host the ceremony. The arch is covered with vines and really gives that old-time medieval feel to the ceremony.

The owners actually live on the property and are incredibly helpful. They will go out of your way to make sure your day runs smoothly.

They also have a really nice reception area and bridal suite indoors.

This venue is perfect for any couple who is looking for a rustic feel to their wedding and doesn't want to settle for the traditional barn reception.

Hair and Makeup: Staci Terry

I met Staci in March when she was doing hair and makeup for a wedding I was photographing. I loved her dedication to her craft. She actually stayed throughout the entire day to ensure hair didn't get messed up during portraits. That really takes a load off of me when I don't have to continuously monitor hair. To top it off, her styles are phenomenal. She created the perfect style for this shoot and stayed throughout to make sure the hair stayed in place. Her husband also tagged along and acted as my personal lightstand holder. He carried my heavy stuff for me and made sure I didn't have any gear malfunctions.

Staci is based out of Wichita, but she absolutely loves coming to the Kansas City area. When I asked if she would participate, I assumed she would say no because of the drive, but she didn't hesitate.  Thank you so much Staci! We will definitely be working together in the future (well, we already have at least one project planned!). If you need a hair and makeup artist, please contact her. She's the best!

Flowers: A&L Floral Design KC

A&L Floral is relatively new to the wedding scene. She's only been open since November, but is definitely making a name for herself. When it comes to flowers, I don't really know anything so I gave Merinda complete creative freedom. She decided to go with a fall theme and mixed some silk flowers with real flowers. Everyone who participated absolutely loved the bouquet. It perfectly complemented the theme of the shoot.

Gown: Cassandra P

Also a new comer in the wedding industry, Cassie is very quickly making a name for herself as a custom gown designer. She'll design a dress from scratch based on your personal preference. When looking for someone to provide a dress, I wanted to find a local designer. I didn't want to try to talk to a big box store. I had seen Cassie's designs around and decided to reach out. She was really excited to participate. It also helped that she had already worked with my model, so measurements were already in.

On the day of the shoot, Cassie provided us with four options and we chose a gorgeous princess style bottom with a lace top. It was absolutely stunning on Bella.

Cassie is a wonderful person and I enjoyed getting a chance to know her! If you want a dress that fits your personal style, definitely contact her.

Jewelry: Meadowbelle Market

Meadowbelle Market was the last addition to my list of vendors. I wasn't planning on working with a jeweler, but we needed to find a wedding ring. I debated ordering a cheap one off Amazon, but thought I might as well try to reach out to someone local. Meadowbelle Market came up during a random Google search. All items are sold through Etsy and they specialize in dainty pieces. We were able to make use of a wedding band and earrings. Her sister, owner of Meadowbelle Weddings, also assisted in providing some hairpieces. Unfortunately we weren't able to make use of everything, but thank you so much for providing us with options!

Second Shooter/My Personal Paparazzi: Pam Parks

I also just wanted to give a quick shoutout to Pam Parks. She came to the shoot to take behind the scenes images of me in action. I don't have too many pictures of me taking pictures, so I'm so glad she could make the trip.

Final thanks!

Thank you again to everyone who participated! We created some absolutely stunning images. If you are a venue owner needing some new images, definitely reach out to me and I can plan a shoot on your property! If you are another vendor looking to collaborate, let me know as well. And, if you are planning a wedding, please contact me to discuss how this amazing team can make your wedding spectacular. Thanks again!