Nichole and Patrick's English Barn wedding sponsored by the dream team is finally complete!

These two won an all-expenses-paid wedding thanks to a dozen vendors who donated their time and talent to make this day possible, myself included. It's not too often that you hear about a couple receiving a completely free wedding, but when Jane and Paul Howe of the English Barn came up with the idea two years ago, they knew this would be the perfect opportunity to give back to the community.

The dream team searched through more than 100 applicants to find the perfect couple. When it came time to choose, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that it should be Nichole and Patrick. Nichole has spent the last year on the front lines fighting COVID as a respiratory therapist and Patrick was active duty military currently with the National Guard. These two have spent their entire careers fighting for others, so it was time they were able to focus on themselves for once.

Even on the wedding day, Nichole and Patrick didn't have a selfish bone in their bodies. They thanked all the vendors and family members who made this day possible. Despite this being THEIR wedding, they cared most about making sure their families enjoyed the day and had a blast.

Brock, with Elevate DJs, definitely made sure their reception was the most fun. After more than 200 weddings, I have never seen a reception quite like this. From an awesome wedding mix to a lip-syncing competition, he made sure their wasn't a dull moment.

I also have to give a shout-out to Martha with MY Event Planning and Wild Hill Flowers for making the reception decor a dream come true, both for the couple and myself as I photographed all the beautiful details.

Usually, this is the part where I would thank the couple for choosing me, but Nichole and Patrick didn't actually choose me. However, they could not have been a better fit for my style of wedding. I knew it at their engagement session and even more so on their wedding day. I pride myself on choosing my dream clients to work with and these two were the dictionary definition of a dream client. They love each other unconditionally. They have a blast with their favorite people. Plus, they're pet lovers, which is an added bonus.

So, thank you so much Nichole and Patrick for sticking with me and allowing me the pleasure of photographing your English Barn dream wedding. I know it was a dream come true for everyone involved.

Here's your full preview!

Venue: The English Barn

Florist: Wildhill Flowers & Events

Cake: Blue Thistle

DJ: Elevate Entertainment

Hair: Hair Vows KC

Makeup: Madee Stewart

Catering: Olive Events

Gown: Natalie M

Men's Attire: Wedding Expressions by Geri

Rentals: Good Stuff China

Planning: MY Event Planning

Stationery: The Authentic Hand

Cotton Candy: Sugar & Sky

Balloons: Events by Erika

Caramels: Kansas City Caramels

Jewelry: House of Diamonds

Music: Elegancia Violin Duet

Photography: E. Golden Moments

- Hear from the bride -

Share the inspiration and atmosphere you're creating for your wedding:

Elegant and Grand

Share how (or why) you chose your wedding venue(s):

Having the wedding out at the English Barn was always the dream, it's a venue that we want to be able to show our kids as we drive by and say "That's where we got married." The Barn is also special to Patrick because he grew up basically on the property. So being given this venue along with a magical wedding out at the Barn is truly a dream come true.

What is your most valuable piece of advice you can share with future couples planning their wedding?

Go with the flow but also advocate for the things you absolutely want on your day!

What was your favorite part of the planning process?

My favorite part of the planning process was actually meeting all the vendors who are contributing to our day. They're all so kind and we are so lucky to have had them chosen for us because we honestly couldn't have picked a better group of people.