Morgan and TJ, thank you for having me be a part of your day and document your love story. Enjoy your photos. 

VENDORS

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photos by Neyan

VENUE: The Lodge at Ironwoods

DJ/PHOTOBOOTH: Levity Events

CAKE: Taysty Cake Co.

FLOWERS: KC Wedding Flowers

VENDORS:

PHOTOGRAPHY: Photos by Neyan

VENUE: Brass on Baltimore

DJ: Icon Event Group

HAIR/MAKEUP: Posh KC Blow Dry Bar

CATERING: Olive Events

FLOWERS: Good Earth Floral

DRESS: Mia’s Bridal

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

 My parents were coming back in town from the holidays and Jerrod and I wanted to get dinner with them to celebrate Christmas & New Years. We had gotten together at my house on a Friday night. My dad, who always comes and helps to fix things around the house, wanted to show me where the water valve was in the basement to shut it off in case I ever had to. We came back upstairs and Jerrod was holding our dog, Oliver, and he asked me to hold him... and that is when I noticed the ring around Oliver's collar - and right then and there, Jerrod got down on one knee and proposed with Oliver and my parents there. I can't remember much else because I was in a daze!..... We celebrated and called family and friends and then still decided to go to dinner. I suggested the place (Summit in Waldo). We walked in and it was packed. Jerrod told me to go to the right, where they have an event space, and I was shocked when I entered and his parents were there along with my best friends and their significant others. Another awesome surprise!! We celebrated some more there with our family and friends. It was such a great night!

WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE PHOTOS BY NEYAN FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? 

 We loved that she had photographed other non-traditional weddings and an Indian wedding before, so she knew what to expect and that it wasn't going to be a typical day. She was professional, on top of things, and made sure to capture what we wanted out of our day. We looked at her other examples of work and they were so great! She was easy to work with especially with our schedules, which was awesome too!

WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?

We loved that we were able to include our dog, Oliver, in the wedding photos and also in the traditional ceremony. It meant a lot to have him included with us :) 

IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REDO THE WHOLE THING, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING THAT DAY?

 I don't think I would change a thing! It was the best day of our lives.

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

We planned our wedding in 9 months, and it definitely can be done. Don't stress (easier said than done) and truly try to enjoy the big day and the special moments with your husband/wife, as well as your friends and family!

VENDORS

CEREMONY: Hilton President

RECEPTION: Hilton President

BRIDE’S DRESS: Belle Vogue, Stella York (not yet released part of 2018 collection)

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Mia's Bridal

FLOWERS: Wild Hill Flowers

DJ: Four Star Entertainment. DJ "Big Dog"

HINDU DÉCOR: Innovative Lighting

VIDEOGRAPHER: Dark Horse Digital Media

PHOTOGRAPHER: Neyan Babani – Photos by Neyan 

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND HOW YOU TWO MET?

 We both attended Missouri State University for college but weren't introduced until we were back in Kansas City. In college we were around each other quite a few times, even said a couple words to each other but were never introduced. There are actually pictures on Facebook of us back in college where we are in each others photos but never had met before.

So we officially were introduced on June 12th, 2015 when we were back in Kansas City. I was working and Jerad was a grad assistant at William Jewell. We were both single and our mutual friends thought we should meet. So Joe asked Jerad if he wanted to go on a double date with me, Jerad said yes. However, Jessi (Joe's fiancé at the time) asked me if I wanted to go to a movie with her and hang out with a group of people. So turns out I was going on a blind date that I didn't know that I was on. We went and saw the premiere of Jurassic World. Well, Jerad was so excited about his date with me he accidentally fell asleep and didn't show up until the movie was just starting. We talked after the movie and the four of us went to Applebee's. I didn't realize it was a date until Jerad offered to pay for my food and I was really confused. Anyways, I apparently made a good impression because two days later Jerad asked me on an official date. 

We laugh so hard about this story because looking back on it I should've had a clue. Our story is unique and funny, like our relationship, and will definitely be one that we're excited to tell our kids someday. :)

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

So in September of last year Jerad moved to Alabama for a job and we had to suffer through long distance, so when it came time for special occasions (ex. Valentine's Day) we had to celebrate whenever we knew we were going to be around each other. I don't like to celebrate Valentine's Day on actual Valentine's Day, Jerad and I usually just choose a day in February and go out on a romantic date. So Jerad was coming into town for the Super Bowl, on the off chance that the Chiefs made it, and we decided we were going to go on our "Valentine's" date on February 4th. So we got all dressed up once Jerad's flight got in and Jerad was really anxious to get on with our date. I just thought we were going to go to dinner... little did I know what else was in store.

On our way to the car, Jerad hands me my keys and says "You're driving" then hands me my first clue. He ended up taking me on a scavenger hunt to all of our favorite places in Kansas City that had a special meaning in our relationship. The last clue took us to the Liberty Memorial where we were going to watch the sunset. No I still had no clue that he was going to propose because he had made it clear we were going to watch the sunset then go to dinner. We start walking towards the memorial and I saw my mom and my dad and then Jerad's mom, dad, and sisters (who were hiding behind newspapers), and that's when Jerad proposed. It was perfect! <3

WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE PHOTOS BY NEYAN FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?

I was referred to Photos by Neyan by another photographer actually. Once I got her name and started looking through the photos I saw a couple that I had actually graduated with and I remember how much I loved those photos and knew that I had to have Neyan! Then after meeting with her for the first time I was so sure that this is who I wanted as our wedding photographer. Jerad looked at her blog and I called him and told him how excited I was and he said "Sounds Great!" I am so happy we chose Neyan to photograph our day!

WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?

There's two moments for us, the first would definitely be the first look! It was such a gorgeous day and it had been a hectic morning. In that moment we were able to take a minute and pray and it felt like we were the only ones there. The second would definitely be the last minute trip to the Carnival! We are so glad we made the trip over there, especially having Ethan (Best Man) disappear and go get a corn dog and eating cotton candy in our wedding attire. I think it made our wedding even more unique, and it was really fun!

IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REDO THE WHOLE THING, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING THAT DAY?

The only thing we would change is to make the day longer, but we would love to relive it so we could remember more of it.

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Enjoy every moment, both the planning and the day of your wedding, all of it goes by so fast so remember to take a moment, don't stress, and soak it all in . Have someone videotape it, even if you can't afford a videographer. If anything goes wrong or not as planned, just remember at the end of the day as long as you are married to the person you love the rest of it doesn't matter.

VENDORS

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: The Hawthorne House

BRIDE’S DRESS: Melissa Sweet/David's Bridal

SHOES: Badgley Mischka

GROOM & GROOMSMEN TUXES: Men's Wearhouse

RINGS: Jared's "Jerad went to Jared"

FLOWERS: Hyvee

DJ: Complete Wedding KC

VIDEOGRAPHER: Complete Wedding KC

PHOTOGRAPHER: Neyan Babani – PHOTOS BY NEYAN

Thank You Lauren and David for having us be a part of your wedding. It’s been so great getting to know you two…..GIGGLES (their nickname for me…lol)!! I asked Lauren and David to answer some questions and here what they had to say:

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND HOW YOU TWO MET?

We met back in 2003 at the pool through some friends. We went to the same high school, but didn't meet until the summer following David's senior year. I was a year behind him in school. We dated for a couple of years, but broke up and went our separate ways. We didn't talk for about 7 years. A few years ago we reconnected

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

I had worked 2 back-to-back 12-hour shifts. I texted David on second day that my day was pretty rough and stressful. When I came home after work, we ate a quick bite to eat upstairs then he suggested we go downstairs to watch tv. When I walked downstairs I saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on the bar. When I turned around he was on one knee  

WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?

The ceremony:-) Seeing David for the first time was perfect. We didn't see each other before the wedding. Also, I loved seeing from a distance my niece, the flower girl, wave at everyone before walking down the aisle and give David a big hug when she reached the end.

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Don't sweat the small details. Most likely won't go exactly how you plan it anyway so just go with the flow

VENDORS

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Red Barn Farm

BRIDES DRESS: Mia's Bridal

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Adrianna Papell

RINGS: House of Diamonds

FLOWERS: Hyvee

CATERING: SPIN! PIZZA

CAKE: Davids coworker

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Corie Hair and Makeup

PHOTOGRAPHER: NEYAN BABANI

2ND PHOTOGRAPHER: Diana Reynolds (Thank You)

KC WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | PHOTOS BY NEYAN 

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE TWO OF YOU, HOW AND WHERE DID YOU MEET?

We met on an online dating site called OkCupid.  We didn't even match up highly, but he had kind eyes and was playing a banjo in his profile picture, so I gave him my phone number.  We talked on the phone for so many hours before we met, I felt like I already knew him.  It's the only first date I've ever been on that I wasn't nervous, just excited to get to spend time with my friend.  He is a pilot and lived over an hour away from me at the time, ended up flying his own plane down to meet me for our first date.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

When we first started dating, Dustin booked a hotel room at a hotel on the beach and that weekend was when I realized I loved him.  For the proposal, he booked the same hotel a year later and took me to see a concert by one of our favorite artists, White Buffalo. We went to get margaritas and tacos, saw the best concert I'd ever been to, and when we got back to the room he had champagne waiting and asked me to sit on the patio with him to watch the stars.  He was asking me questions about constellations and finally asked, "Can I ask you one more question?" When I turned around, he was on one knee with the ring.  Everything about it was perfect. 

WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE PHOTOS BY NEYAN FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?

I used The Knot & Yelp to help me find vendors since I was planning a wedding from California.  Photos by Neyan seemed to be highly rated and I liked the pictures on the website.  Neyan was great about answering questions from the first contact and after our first Skype meeting; we felt she fit what we were looking for perfectly

WHAT’S THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?

The day was a complete blur, like everyone said it would be.  The overall feeling of fun, lightheartedness and love that I felt the whole day was exactly what we wanted and I'll always remember that feeling. 

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Enjoy the planning!  You only get to pick your vendors once.  You only get to have a bridal shower once.  All of the little things that may seem stressful at the time, they're some of the best memories.  Enjoy all of the moments leading up to the ultimate prize, which is getting to celebrate finding the love of your life!  Don't forget what it's all really about. 

RLPHOTO RLPHOTO RLPHOTO RLPHOTO RLPHOTO RLPHOTO

KANSAS CITY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | PHOTOS BY NEYAN

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE TWO OF YOU, HOW AND WHERE DID YOU MEET?

We met on Cinco de Mayo 2012. He was out with some buddies, and I was out with some girlfriends for a bachelorette party. We met at the Velvet Dog in Martini Corner.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

We were celebrating being together for 4 years in Riviera Maya the week of Cinco de Mayo 2016. We had a private beach dinner on May 5th, and after dinner, Kyle got down on one knee and asked me to marry him with the beautiful beach and waves in the background. 

DO YOU HAVE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM THE WEDDING DAY?

The First Look, even though the hotel was buzzing with people everywhere, it still felt like it was just the two of us. 

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Focus on what's most important for YOUR day, and don't sweat the other stuff.  

VENDORS

CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Faultless Event Space

BRIDE’S DRESS: Mia's Bridal and Tailoring

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Mia's Bridal and Tailoring

GROOM & GROOMSMEN TUXES: Mia's Bridal and Tailoring

FLOWERS: Hy-Vee

CATERING: Event Designers and Catering

CAKE: Hy-Vee

DJ: DJ Travis with Fernando Productions

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Salon Halo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Neyan Babani – PHOTOS BY NEYAN

TELL US ABOUT HOW AND WHERE DID YOU MEET?

I actually met Jason’s mother before I knew him. When I worked at the dental office that Jason’s parents attended, his mother was my patient was day. I talked to her throughout the whole appointment just like we had known each other for years. After her appointment, she called Jason to tell him that there was a girl she just met at the dentist office that he needed to meet! Jason told his mom that he could find his own girlfriend! My friend that worked at the dentist office with me said the same thing about Jason. After his mom was in the office, my friend said “hey, she has a son that is single you should look him up on Facebook.” So I did, but nothing about his Facebook was striking to me so I let it go! A couple weeks later we were each out at the bar with our group of friends. I knew a couple of the guys in his friend group because they were from my home town so my roommate was talking to the guys we knew and then Jason came over to me and asked what my name was. I told him who I was and he started laughing! In my mind, I’m thinking who the heck does this guy think he is?? So, I asked him what his name was and was not expecting to hear “Jason Guthrie.” I think my jaw hit the floor and I was kind of like “Oh crap.” We became friends on Facebook the next day and exchanged numbers shortly after, and the rest is history!

TELL US ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

When Jason and I got engaged, I was still in Dental Hygiene school in Des Moines, IA. I was 2 1/2 hours away from Jason every week throughout a good part of our relationship. I came home every weekend to spend time with him and little did I know that one weekend I would come back to school the next week an engaged woman. It was Valentine’s Day weekend, February 12th! I didn’t think much about it being Valentine’s Day weekend because we had both decided we weren’t going get each other anything. I had a big meeting for school on that day so I didn’t get back into town until late and we were suppose to meet my parents for dinner. I was running around the house like a crazy woman trying to get ready to go and all of a sudden, I’m like where the heck is Jason? Just about that time I heard him say “Hey Danielle, come down here for a minute!” I realized he was downstairs and I said, “No, I have to get ready! What are you doing??” He finally convinced me to come downstairs and the entire way down the stairs I was getting irritated because I needed to get ready. Once, I got down there he asked me some random question about our basement and what we were going to do with it, since we hadn’t lived in our house for very long. I looked at him like why in the world are you worried about this right now?? When I looked at him, he was smiling like something was going on… then he walked over to the chair and said come here. Once I started over there, I noticed a red light in the corner of the room. I immediately said, “what is that??” He grabbed a box from behind the chair and got down on one knee, asking me to be his forever. I was in shock, like seriously is this happening?! At the same time, I was mad that he had tricked me and surprised me so much, because he knew how much I hate surprises!! The red light in the corner of the room was him recording the whole thing, so we would never forget the memory of us becoming engaged!

WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE PHOTOS BY NEYAN TO BE YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?

I had struggled big time with finding a photographer that I was extremely impressed with! I had plenty of options living in Maryville but at the same time wanted something different than everyone else was doing or had done! I finally thought I found the one that was going to be perfect for our day, made reservations to use her services and a couple weeks later she backed out on me! I struggled again for at least a month to find someone that was worthwhile! My mother-in-law works at the university here in Maryville and has student workers in her office all the time. One of her student workers had just been married and was talking about how much she loved her photographer. My mother-in-law told me about her and gave me her information! I went to Neyan’s website and started looking at her pictures and thought to myself, where in the world was his girl 3 months ago?? I immediately fell in love with her pictures and everything she was about and I hadn’t even talked to her!! I started messaging Neyan and quickly realized I had to do what it takes to get her to photograph our day! She was amazing to work with from the very beginning and made everything go so smoothly! I wouldn’t trade our experience with Neyan for anything! I would recommend her to anyone that was looking for an amazing photographer to capture their special day!

DO YOU HAVE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YHE WEDDING DAY?

I can’t say that we have ONE memorable moment of our wedding day; because the whole entire weekend was something we will never forget! Everything was even more special than we could ever imagine it to be. From having all of our friends and family together for rehearsal dinner and being able to give them gifts and thank each and every one of them for being there for us, to the morning of the wedding day getting ready and spending time with some of the best friends we could ask for, to seeing each other for the first time in our wedding clothing. The day continued to get even better once we started seeing family show up all dressed up for OUR day, to going through the ceremony and feeling so much love for one another! From there, the day only went up even more, it was time to celebrate US and the love we had for each another. To seeing the amount of people there to help Jason and I celebrate, to the amazing food that was prepared for us, to sharing our day with Jason’s Aunt and Uncle who had been married 50 years on our wedding, to dancing the night away! So many special moments throughout the whole weekend!

IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REDO THE WHOLE THING AGON WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING?

f it was possible to make a wedding last multiple days, I would have done it! You put in so much hard work and planning for months and months before the big day and it seems to be over so quickly! Was it the most perfect day for us? Absolutely, but would I have loved for it to go on for 2-3 days, sure why not! That’s how much fun we had celebrating us spending the rest of our lives together! I guess that’s what a honeymoon is for huh?! :)

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Your wedding day is only one day of your whole life, so everything you dreamed of having or doing on your wedding day, DO IT! Make it everything you had ever wanted and smile through the whole thing, love every minute of the adventure because it goes so so fast! 

VENDORS

CEREMONY: First United Methodist Church; Maryville, MO

RECEPTION: Younger’s Auction Gallery; Maryville, MO

BRIDE’S DRESS: Wedding Expressions by Geri; Lee’s Summit, MO

SHOES: Shannon Renee’s Formal Wear; Maryville, MO

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Wedding Expressions by Geri; Lee’s Summit, MO

GROOM & GROOMSMEN TUXES: Shannon Renee’s Formal Wear; Maryville, MO

RINGS: Zales Jewelry Store; St. Joe, MO

FLOWERS: Maryville Florists; Maryville, MO

CATERING: B&G Catering; Ravenwood, MO

CAKE: Sweet Desires Bakery; Corning, IA

DJ: Tony Haist; Maryville, MO

HAIR:  Deb Blazek & Traci Calfee; Hair Designers; Corning, IA

MAKEUP: Casey Lemons; Maryville, MO

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER: Neyan Babani

2ND PHOTOGRAPHER: Dustin Koopman (Thank You)

KANSAS CITY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | PHOTOS BY NEYAN

I asked the couple to answer some questions for me and here is what they had to say:

What’s the story behind the two of you, how and where did you meet?

Brett and I initially met in high school on the Olathe East Swim Team. At the time, we were close friends, but nothing more. I even wrote him a letter when he graduated (that he still has to this day) that told him how much he means to me and that he “is like a big brother to me." Haha.. needless to say, he is no longer like a brother to me.

Six years later, Brett and I had lost touch. We talk now about how we weren’t able to see each other as more than friends before because we had some growing up to do and some important lessons to learn. We met back up at a camping and float trip with our mutual friends. Our similarities, love for water, and playful personalities quickly sparked a flame that was definitely more than a friendship. After a couple of dates and trips to the lake that always brought upon deep conversations, we fell in love. Our love was easy and strong. Our faith, values, and love for life deepened our relationship until we were unable to live without the other. 

Can you tell me about the proposal and how it was done?

 Table Rock Lake is a place that is very special to Brett and me. We both grew up immersed in lake life. The lake is one of the things that has strengthened our relationship through laughter, time spent with family, and long talks in the water or under the stars at night. At the end of the day, it is where we fell in love.  

On 4th of July weekend, Brett and I were watching the sunset over Table Rock Lake and talking about our relationship. At the time, I had no idea just how serious this talk was about to get. Brett explained that he has never cared so deeply or been so connected to another person. We talked about how we have the same future goal and we value a relationship that has Christ at the core. Brett teared up and I knew this talk was going to serve more of a purpose than just talking about the present. He reached in his pocket, got down on one knee (even though we were surrounded by sharp rocks,) and said “so now, in this place that has bonded us, Brianna, will you marry me?” Through happy tears I joyfully said yes! We sat on the dock with our feet in the water and took in the moment. After a while, Brett’s family came down to the water to join in the celebration and we watched fireworks together.  

What led you to choose Photos by Neyan for your photography?

 A talented photographer was the one thing that Brett and I decided would be at the top of our wants list. It was probably the thing that we researched more than any other decision. We stumbled upon Photos by Neyan through The Knot and were in awe of her work. We thought she would for sure be out of our price range. We contacted her, got a very kind and quick response, and learned that she was not out of our price range and even included an engagement shoot! We knew that we would have to act fast if we were going to snag her before another couple did. We did not need to look any further. We knew she was the one. We had our engagement shoot in the summer and Neyan was incredible. She was ready to try anything unique and fun, even getting into the water at the end of the shoot! The pictures turned out AMAZING. Everything about the process of working with Neyan has been a perfect experience. She has responded to my texts of questions to put my mind at ease, helped me pick out an engagement shoot outfit, given us a couple of photos that we needed earlier than planned, and has all around gone out of her way to make our memories perfect. Brett and I have talked about the fact that next to picking one another to marry, choosing Photos by Neyan was the single best decision we made for our wedding.

Do you have a memorable moment from the Wedding day?

 I think the part about our wedding that just had us in absolute awe was the fact that every person that we love most was in one place, just to celebrate and support us. Our closest friends and family traveled from near and far to be with us, and we felt more than loved. We had people rearrange impossible work schedules, buy expensive flights, and drive up to 1,000 miles! It is truly a gift from God that we have the people in our lives that we do.  

If you had the chance to redo the whole thing again, would you change anything?

We would redo it just to relive it. So to answer the question; no, we wouldn’t change a thing!

Any advice for future couples planning their wedding?

Just take it all in! Enjoy the process and enjoy the day. This might be the only time in your entire life that you are surrounded by all of the most meaningful people in your life. Value every second!

VENDORS

CEREMONY: Christ Community

RECEPTION: Circle S. Ranch

BRIDE’S DRESS: Mia’s Bridal and Tailoring

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: David’s Bridal

GROOM & GROOMSMEN TUXES: Tip Top Tux

RINGS: Shane Co.

FLOWERS: Leann Johnson – (785) 550-8138

CATERING: Circle S. Ranch

CAKE: Nothing Bundt Cakes

DJ: The Dance Factory, Bob Gardiner (BobbyG)

HAIR AND MAKEUP: Chelsea Rich (913) 485- 3154

CALLIGRAPHY: Golden Edge Studio

PHOTOGRAPHER: Neyan Babani

Kansas City Wedding Photographer | Photos by Neyan

Jade and Chris. …Thank you SO much for choosing me as your Kansas City wedding photographer! Happy 2017 and here are some of the images from their day

KANSAS CITY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | PHOTOS BY NEYAN

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE TWO OF YOU, HOW AND WHERE DID YOU MEET?

Mark and I met at AMC in 2009 where we both worked. We did not spend time together outside of work then as Mark was a manager and I was a server. Over time we both left that theater and only interacted via Facebook. Around Christmas 2013, my best friend invited Mark to join a group of friends for an evening out. Mark accepted the invitation and we spent the evening catching up. We started out going on runs together that eventually led to dates.

TELL US ABOUT THE PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WAS DONE?

On what began as a low-key movie night, watching Wall-E in celebration of Earth Day, Mark presented me with a puzzle, a picture of the two of us that could be framed for the wall. However, in the end I discovered that Mark had two puzzles made. I was piecing together a puzzle with different text than I thought. Once the puzzle showed the words "Will you..." I realized what was happening and Mark got down on one knee and proposed. 

WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE PHOTOS BY NEYAN FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?

We identified a few photographers from The Knot whose photography style fit with our personalities. Of these photographers, Neyan was one of the first to respond and despite our short time frame to our wedding day, she happened to be available. Once we met her we felt that her open schedule was meant to be and our decision was easily made. 

WHAT’S A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?

We ran the Kansas City half marathon together the morning of the wedding. To commemorate the day, we wore shirts with Bride and Groom on our backs. For the entirety of the race, we received pieces of advice and congratulations from fellow runners. 

IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REDO THE WHOLE THING, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING?

Nope! We enjoyed every moment from our early morning start to the late night finish. 

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?

Do what works best for you! We had a shorter planning time frame than many couples do and had some people tell us we were crazy but we wouldn't change a thing with our planning or wedding day. 

PHOTOS BY NEYAN | KANSAS CITY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

WHAT'S THE STORY BEHING THE TWO OF YOU? HOW AND WHERE DID YOU MEET?

We went out with some friends to eat and met each other at the restaurant. We didn't say a single word to each other that night. I thought (and still do) Jessica was beautiful and asked her friend for her number so I could get in touch with her and maybe go on a date and it worked!!

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PROPOSAL?

I proposed to her on a trip to the Dominican Republic. I kept it a secret for months. One evening we were on the beach with a perfect sunset and I worked up enough courage to finally do it.